I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3748 

To require the Director of the Congressional Budget Office to calculate 

a carbon score for each bill or resolution. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 9, 2015 

Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself, Mr. POCAN, Ms. MATSUI, and Mr. LOWENTHAL) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to 

be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To require the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

to calculate a carbon score for each bill or resolution. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Carbon Pollution 

5 Transparency Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) CARBON SCORE.—The term ‘‘carbon score’’ 

2 means the projected net greenhouse gas emissions 

3 that would result— 

4 (A) from the enactment and implementa5 tion of a bill or resolution; and 

6 (B) if the amounts authorized to be appro7 priated, or otherwise made available, in the bill 

8 or resolution were fully appropriated. 

9 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

10 the Director of the Congressional Budget Office. 

11 (3) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 

12 gas’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

13 211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 

14 7545(o)(1)). 

15 (4) NET GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.—The 

16 term ‘‘net greenhouse gas emissions’’ means the net 

17 quantity of all greenhouse gases emitted into the at18 mosphere, including emissions by sources and re19 movals by sinks, where the total quantity of emis20 sions for each gas is expressed as a carbon dioxide 

21 equivalent. 

22 SEC. 3. CARBON SCORE. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out section 402 of the 

24 Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653), the Di25 rector shall include in the analysis submitted to the approVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:52 Oct 15, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3748.IH H3748

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1 priate committee of Congress the carbon score of each 

2 public bill or resolution. 

3 (b) NET GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BASELINE.— 

4 In calculating the carbon score under subsection (a), the 

5 Director shall base any calculation of the increase or de6 crease of the level of greenhouse gas emissions on a com7 parison with the level of greenhouse gas emissions occur8 ring under current law. 

9 (c) SCOPE OF CALCULATED EMISSIONS.—In calcu10 lating the carbon score under subsection (a), the Director 

11 shall consider all likely changes in net greenhouse gas 

12 emissions, including— 

13 (1) any changes to net greenhouse gas emis14 sions that would directly result from activities re15 quired to carry out the bill or resolution; and 

16 (2) any changes to net greenhouse gas emis17 sions that would— 

18 (A) indirectly result from activities re19 quired to carry out the bill or resolution; and 

20 (B) not otherwise have occurred. 

21 (d) ESTABLISHED BEST PRACTICES.—In calculating 

22 the carbon score under subsection (a), the Director shall, 

23 to the maximum extent practicable, use established best 

24 practices for estimating emissions, such as— 

25 (1) lifecycle analysis; and 


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1 (2) internationally recognized methodologies 

2 (such as guidelines from the International Panel on 

3 Climate Change). 

4 (e) TIMELINE.—The Director shall calculate the car5 bon score under subsection (a) on the same timeline as 

6 the Director carries out the analysis under section 402 

7 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653). 

8 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

9 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Direc10 tor such sums as are necessary to develop the expertise 

11 and capacity required to carry out the analyses required 

12 under section 3. 

Æ 


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