Climate Action Rebate Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2284
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2019-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Aviation and airports
Border security and unlawful immigration
Buy American requirements
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coal
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of the Interior
Economic development
Electric power generation and transmission
Employee benefits and pensions
Employment and training programs
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy prices
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental technology
Executive agency funding and structure
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Farmland
Floods and storm protection
Foreign aid and international relief
Forests, forestry, trees
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health facilities and institutions
Health programs administration and funding
Housing and community development funding
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Income tax credits
Infrastructure development
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Land use and conservation
Metals
Mining
Nuclear power
Oil and gas
Public contracts and procurement
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Sales and excise taxes
Tariffs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Transportation programs funding
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Veterans' medical care
Wages and earnings
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wetlands

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-25
text: 

Climate Action Rebate Act of 2019

 
This bill imposes a carbon fee on the use, sale, or transfer of certain fossil fuels and fluorinated gases that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The fee is imposed on producers and importers of such fuels and is deposited into a Climate Action Rebate Fund established by this bill. 
 
The bill establishes an gradual emissions reduction schedule for such fuels between 2020 and 2050 (100% reduction).
 
The bill requires payment of an equalization fee by fossil fuels and carbon-intensive imported goods at the border and provides for refunds of comparable exports.
 
The bill rebates up to 70% of net revenues from the fund to low-income individuals as a monthly dividend. Remaining revenues must be used for investment in infrastructure, energy innovation, and assistance for workers and communities to transition to a cleaner energy economy. 
 
All carbon fee revenue must be spent in accordance with Buy American requirements and the Davis-Bacon Act (requires payment of local prevailing wage on public works projects for laborers and mechanics),


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate