Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Energy to remove carbon dioxide directly from ambient air or seawater. The bill establishes a specific schedule of net metric tons of carbon dioxide to be removed each fiscal year, increasing over time. These removal requirements are subject to economic feasibility standards based on set price limits per metric ton. The Secretary is authorized to enter into contracts to meet these goals, with a specific set-aside for small removal projects. Additionally, the Act requires the establishment of standards for measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification of the removal process. Finally, the Secretary must conduct a study on how to scale these programs to a gigaton scale by 2050.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +10
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
The bill establishes a mandatory schedule for removing millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air and seawater.
- Scored +6
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The act mandates that at least 20 percent of carbon dioxide removal be handled by small removal projects where practicable.
- Scored +5
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill requires projects to quantify and mitigate risks to the environment and includes standards for safe and effective removal.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Support for Small Businesses: The bill mandates that, to the extent practicable, at least 20 percent of the required carbon dioxide removal be handled by small removal projects (Section 2(c)).
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Job Creation and Economic Diversity: The Secretary is directed to prioritize projects that may provide for domestic job creation, specifically favoring partnerships with labor organizations, small businesses, minority-sown businesses, and women-owned businesses (Section 2(g)(4)).
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Economic Development in Specific Regions: Priority may be given to projects that result in economic development or diversification in regions that have historically relied on the production, processing, or combustion of fossil fuels (Section 2(g)(6)).
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Community and Environmental Protections: The bill encourages projects that quantify and mitigate risks to nearby communities and residents while providing co-benefits such as improved local air, water, and soil quality (Section 2(g)(7)).
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Technological Innovation: The Act prioritizes the commercialization of innovative removal technologies that aim for long-term cost competitiveness (Section 2(g)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Liability for Carbon Leaks: Entities that enter into contracts for carbon dioxide removal are held liable to remove additional amounts of carbon dioxide if any is released from their storage locations (Section 2(h)(3)).
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Economic Feasibility Constraints: The requirement for the Secretary to remove carbon dioxide is subject to specific price caps per metric ton, which may limit the scale of removal if technologies cannot meet these declining price points (Section 2(d)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill establishes a mandatory schedule for removing millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air and seawater. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill requires projects to quantify and mitigate risks to the environment and includes standards for safe and effective removal. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill prioritizes economic diversification in regions historically dependent on fossil fuel production, which often include rural areas.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides opportunities for small businesses through a specific set-aside for small removal projects. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides a preference for partnerships with labor organizations. Would women be better off under this? — The bill expresses a preference for partnerships with women-owned businesses. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill gives preference to partnerships with minority-owned businesses in the carbon removal value chain.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The act mandates that at least 20 percent of carbon dioxide removal be handled by small removal projects where practicable. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill prioritizes projects that may provide for domestic job creation through partnerships with labor organizations and small businesses.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill requires a study on how to scale carbon dioxide removal to a gigaton scale by 2050.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill seeks economic development and diversification in regions that have historically relied on fossil fuel production.
- Healthcare
- Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill aims to improve local public health through better air, water, and soil quality via carbon removal.
- 7/27/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Scott PetersDemocrat · California