Expressing the Sense of Congress That A Carbon Tax Would Be Detrimental to the United States Economy

Floor Speech

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Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to President Biden's planned carbon tax, which would, quite frankly, kill the American economy.

Now, nobody can dispute that America produces cleaner energy than our adversaries or allies. That is not a dispute.

When I was Secretary of the Interior, we were producing 8.3 million barrels a day and declining.

After 2 years of President Trump, we were the world's largest exporter of energy and, by the way, we reduced emissions. We had the record in safety because nobody produces energy more cost-effective and cleaner than we do.

So the answer is not to punish American producers or Americans for having a resource and using it wisely, but there are three absolutes on the carbon tax: first, the environment.

It is undisputed that it is better to produce energy in this country under reasonable regulation than watch it get produced overseas with no regulation. That is not in dispute.

Second: manufacturing and economy. My good friend from Oregon reminds us that perhaps hundreds have saved on their electric bills. I can tell you that millions have not.

When I was Secretary, gas was about $2 a gallon. I think it is a little over that. If anyone looked at their last year's heating bills or around the kitchen table at Thanksgiving, I think we have paid a price.

On our economy: What drives manufacturing? First of all, it is labor. We are not going to be competitive paying wages that China or India can pay. Second of all, it is resources. The cost of steel is about the same in South Korea as it is in Pittsburgh.

Where America has the edge are two things: innovation and energy. Today's energy is going to be different than tomorrow's energy needs. Data storage, robotics, all require more and more energy, and that energy is not going to come from pixie dust and hope.

National security is an area I am familiar with. I have lost a lot of friends and colleagues overseas, primarily fighting for other people's oil and energy. I think it is immoral to send our troops overseas to fight for a resource we have here.

A carbon tax makes America less competitive. It forces families to pay more for groceries that they are already struggling with. It also forces our allies, who now depend on low-cost American energy to do a transition, to where? EV in Chinaland?

Does anyone realize that 85 percent of the critical minerals that power EV--such as lithium and nickel--and the processing are all in China?

The very idea that we would make ourselves less competitive and give the advantage to our adversaries--and who is going to produce energy if it is not us? Who will? I can make a list: perhaps Iran, perhaps Venezuela, perhaps Russia.

We either produce the energy in this country under our regulations for the environment, for national security to run our country, or we cede. We retreat.

This carbon tax is a terrible idea.

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