Republican senator says Trump could back this climate bill

By Kelsey Brugger | 10/22/2024 01:39 PM EDT

Bill Cassidy of Louisiana discussed his legislation during an energy summit back home.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) speaking during a hearing.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) held an energy summit this month. He's looking to get traction for legislation that would penalize pollution from foreign imports. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy convened energy industry executives this month to promote an idea that historically has been derided in conservative circles: a fee on global pollution.

Cassidy held an energy summit at the Louisiana State Museum — an event that featured discussion on his “Foreign Pollution Fee Act,” S. 3198, which would slap a fee on imported goods that are dirtier than their domestic counterparts. Greenhouse gases are among the pollutants targeted by the bill.

In an interview with POLITICO’s E&E News last week, Cassidy said the idea could get traction with former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump as a way to counteract China.

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“I’ve been trying to build the case that the U.S. enforces environmental laws and China doesn’t. It gives China a competitive advantage,” Cassidy said.

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