Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist sent the following letter to Congress this week, urging support for Senator Roy Blunt’s (R-Mo.) resolution opposing a carbon tax. The resolution introduced by Senator Blunt expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States.
Below is the full text of the letter:
May 9, 2016
Dear Senator Blunt:
Americans for Tax Reform strongly supports your leadership in the fight against any form of a carbon tax.
I urge all members of Congress to support and vote for your Senate Resolution, which puts Congress on the record in opposition to a carbon tax.
A carbon tax would kill jobs in the United States, reduce economic growth, and set the stage for future tax hikes. Such a tax would drive up energy prices for American families and businesses, leading to an increase in the costs of consumer goods and reduced household income.
A carbon tax would be wholly regressive, falling hardest on low-income families who can least afford it. As the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office pointed out, “low-income households spend a larger share of their income on goods and services whose prices would increase the most” as a result of a carbon tax.
A study by the National Association of Manufacturers found a carbon tax would: have a negative effect on consumption, investment and jobs; increase the cost of coal, natural gas and petroleum products thus resulting in higher production costs and less spending on non-energy goods; and lead to lower real wage rates, lower labor productivity, and decrease workers’ incomes.
Americans for Tax Reform encourages all members of Congress to vote for your resolution opposing a carbon tax.
Thank you Senator for your continued strong leadership in protecting Americans from a carbon tax today and forever.
Sincerely,
Grover G. Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform
Photo credit: Bill Dickinson