Congress·In Committee·S. 3523

Senate Bill Would Slap $60 Carbon Fee on Steel, Cement Imports Starting in 2026

Clean Competition Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Creates a new carbon pollution fee on certain U.S.-made and imported basics like steel, cement, and chemicals, starting in 2026.
Importers would pay when a product’s pollution level is higher than a shrinking benchmark; some finished goods face fees starting in 2028.
Big factories covered by federal greenhouse gas reporting would have to report their pollution and electricity use each year, with public carbon-intensity numbers.
Sets the fee at $60 in 2026 and then raises it each year based on inflation plus an extra increase; companies can lower what they owe by paying for direct air capture.
Uses some of the money to fund major grants/loans and pay-for-performance deals to help U.S. industry cut pollution, plus overseas climate and clean energy aid tied to trade deals.

Energy EnvironmentEconomy FinanceTaxesLabor Employment

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 17, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Dec 17, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

2 articles

Mexico Business News·3 months ago

US Democrats Propose Carbon Border Tax to Boost Manufacturing

Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the Clean Competition Act (CCA), proposing a US carbon border adjustment mechanism to boost domestic manufacturing competitiveness. The bill imposes a carbon intensity charge on sectors like steel, aluminum, and cement starting at $60 per metric ton.

E&E News·3 months ago

Democrats look to revive carbon border fee talks

The Clean Competition Act would establish a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) to tax pollution-intensive imports. Sponsors frame the bill as a way to increase American competition with China, the world's top carbon polluter, by taxing high-emitting foreign goods.

Related Bills

1 bill

H.R. 6787Related bill

Clean Competition Act

Dec 17 — Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, 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.