Press Releases

Congressman Don Beyer released the following statement on his vote against the H.Con.Res. 89, which expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax is detrimental to the United States economy:

“This resolution serves no legislative purpose other than to delay or derail action to mitigate anthropogenic contributions to climate change. Countless studies have found that our failure to address climate change will generate massive costs downstream, whether it’s agriculture disruption, sea level rise, keystone species elimination, disease mobility, or weather events. 

“Implemented properly, a price on carbon would help “internalize” the cost of carbon-intensive activities, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, and drive innovation and corresponding job-creation.  Further, if the carbon pricing took the form of a cap and dividend, the revenue generated from the carbon pricing could be returned directly to working families.

“On the minority side, we are ready to find solutions.  If a carbon tax is something the majority simply cannot stomach, then surely there is common ground elsewhere for meaningful action. 

“We must stop backward-looking climate resolutions and focus on what we can do to meet perhaps the biggest challenge of our time.”