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.
“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.