Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) commends Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick for withdrawing his support of H.R. 1380, the NAT GAS (New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions) Act. The NAT GAS Act would allow Americans purchasing natural gas cars or building natural gas fuel pumps to employ a tax credit.

Conservatives should find this problematic as it gives certain natural gas consumers— those using the resource to power cars—an advantage over other natural gas consumers— a utility company converting natural gas to power. Furthermore, tilting the playing field in favor of one form of natural gas consumption is unnecessary—UPS and FedEx have substantial natural gas fleets without implementation of this misbegotten tax policy.

Not dissimilar from attempts to spur purchasing of wind and solar power, the NAT GAS Act is justified by false premises: Americans are too reliant on foreign oil (we are running out of oil) and we need to reduce carbon emissions, proponents argue. Neither of these supposed problems would be remedied were the NAT GAS Act to become law—neither emissions nor foreign imports would meaningfully decline.

Adherents of the free market should be working to unwind America’s convoluted energy sector, not add additional layers of complexity.

Again, Americans for Tax Reform applauds Rep. Fitzpatrick for withdrawing his name from HR 1380.