Republican and Bi-Partisan Efforts in Congress

Republicans are being proactive for the first time since 2009 when Representative Bob Inglis (R-SC-4) proposed a carbon tax bill (H.R.2380) in a valiant but unsupported effort.  His red district in a red state promptly voted him out of office.

The last truly bi-partisan effort was driven by Senators Lieberman and McCain and Representatives Gilchrist and Olver in a series of cap and trade bills in the 108th to 110th Congresses (2003-2008).  The 111th Congress (2009-2010) saw a flurry of bills with eleven for a form of carbon pricing and nine related bills, but only the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill passed the House, but failed in the Senate.  Since then nearly all efforts have been wholly or nearly wholly partisan, sponsored by Democrats.  Efforts are being made for bi-partisan support, such as Senator Whitehouse’s plea for bi-partisan support for his current carbon tax bill (S.1548), which includes reducing corporate income tax as one option for revenue use.  So far those efforts are largely unsuccessful.