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“Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said he is working on legislation designed to slow climate change by reducing global emissions while combating Chinese economic strength and protecting U.S jobs that rely on fossil fuels.
“Cassidy, in remarks during a virtual event hosted by sustainable investment nonprofit Ceres, said the bill will address the nexus between facilitating economic growth in the U.S., global emissions, and national security.
“‘We have a paradox — my state does — the most impacted by rising sea levels and the most dependent upon producing those products that we associate with fossil fuels,’ Cassidy said of Louisiana.
“All about CBAM — and China: A pillar of the legislative effort is a carbon border adjustment mechanism, or a ‘foreign pollution fee,’ something Cassidy has been pushing for some time. It’s designed to price in the cost of pollution and level the cost between steel and other products produced in the U.S. and those produced in other countries, especially China.
“Cassidy noted data showing rising greenhouse gas emissions in China outpacing the collective reductions achieved between the U.S. and EU.
“‘China uses this pollution, externalizing their pollution, as an economic development tool,’ he said.
“Path to 60 votes: The hope is to introduce a bill by year’s end, Cassidy said.
“‘By discussing the issue of lowering emissions in the context of improving our economy, and in the context of decreasing, relatively speaking, China’s economy, their military might, I can get 60 votes,’ he said. ‘And it will come all the way from my national security hawk Republican on the right to environmentalists who feel like climate change is a greater existential threat than China.’”
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Background
Cassidy penned an op-ed in The Washington Times discussing the geopolitical threats China poses to U.S. global standing. Cassidy stressed the need for a U.S. foreign policy towards China that meets at the nexus of national security, energy security, economic policy, and climate policy.
Cassidy recently joined Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax to discuss his foreign pollution fee, noting the competitive advantage China receives from intentionally ignoring environmental standards.
Last year, Cassidy released a landmark energy & climate policy outline in response to the Biden administration’s assault on domestic energy. The outline details how we can successfully reset U.S. energy policy, including Cassidy’s plan for an Energy Operation Warp Speed to cut permitting red tape and unleash domestic energy.
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