A group of legislators in the House of Representatives introduced last week a bill meant to combat climate change and fund development through the introduction of a carbon emissions fee.
While carbon emissions would now be taxed under the MARKET CHOICE Act, the gas tax would be eliminated. Through this, U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Francis Rooney (R-FL), and Scott Peters (D-CA) believe they could navigate a path forward to slowing climate change and repairing the nation’s roads.
“We are at a crossroads with regard to infrastructure and climate change,” Fitzpatrick said. “Legislative action taken—or not taken— by this Congress on these issues will be felt for generations. With the American public overwhelmingly seeking fixes to our crumbling roads and bridges while searching for solutions to mitigate the dangerous effects of climate change, our bipartisan bill is a dynamic solution that seeks to tackle both problems. It doesn’t have to be a tough choice.”
In their introduction of the bill, the legislators cited a poll showing from Harvard University, which demonstrated that 79 percent of Americans believe in the importance of increasing infrastructure spending. They also pointed to a Washington Post survey, which found that more than 75 percent of Americans believe climate change to be a significant issue.
“We must take climate action now, and the Market Choice Act is a crucial way to move the ball forward while enhancing our crumbling infrastructure,” Carbajal said. “Not only will this bill tackle greenhouse gas emissions, it builds funds for sustainable infrastructure and it supports transitioning communities—like my own on the Central Coast—that are moving toward careers in renewable energy.”
The act was introduced in the last Congress as well, though it failed to move forward.
“I have co-sponsored the Market Choice Act because it is a reasonable and feasible solution that avoids a new tax and actually would reduce the burden currently borne by Americans at the gas pump by eliminating the federal gas tax,” Rooney said. “In addition, this bill will create a moratorium on future EPA regulations related to greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the Market Choice Act furthers the goal of rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges by establishing a trust fund for infrastructure and fully-funding the highway trust fund – both bipartisan ideas that could become law, even in a divided government.”