Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) issued this statement following his opposition to a House resolution that claims a carbon tax would be detrimental to the American economy:

“Republicans don’t have a solution to address climate change. Instead of coming up with one, they slated another political vote on a resolution that does not reflect the interests of the American people. Worse, the resolution makes the false claim that a carbon tax would be bad for the economy.

“The resolution also presents a false choice between a clean environment and a prosperous economy. Several efforts around the country include initiatives to create refundable carbon taxes. A carbon tax would not necessarily raise the cost of energy, and could greatly benefit both producers and consumers. This vote does nothing to put America on a path to energy resilience. We should be investing in comprehensive energy strategies that both grow our economy and protect our environment.

“I will continue to fight for the right investments that help us meet clean energy goals that benefit our environment and our economy.”

Economic modeling shows that some carbon taxes could increase GDP. For example, a recent Columbia University study concludes that GDP could increase by nearly half a percent depending on how revenue raised from the tax is spent.