Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
Introduced
Summary
Makes large fossil-fuel companies pay for their historic carbon emissions and directs the money into a federal climate resilience and environmental justice fund.
Show full summary
It creates a new tax on companies that extracted or refined fossil fuels during 2000–2023 and establishes the Polluters Pay Climate Fund to support disaster response, resilience, and clean air programs.
- Companies and industry: Companies found responsible for more than 1 billion metric tons of CO2 across 2000–2023 would face a tax based on their share of covered emissions, with the total tax pool set at $1 trillion.
- Communities and disaster response: The Fund must transfer at least $15 billion a year to FEMA for climate-related disasters and resilience and at least $6 billion to the EPA for Clean Air Act grants.
- Environmental justice and local projects: 40% of Fund appropriations must go to environmental justice investments, prioritizing projects that increase health, environmental quality, and resilience in overburdened communities.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Climate fund for FEMA, EPA, communities
If enacted, the bill would create a Polluters Pay Climate Fund at Treasury. Money equal to receipts from the new tax would flow into the Fund. Each year, at least $15 billion would go to FEMA, including at least $3 billion for the BRIC program. At least $6 billion would go to EPA climate grants and technical help. At least 40% of spending must benefit environmental justice communities. Awards would follow agency rules and future appropriations.
One-time $1 trillion tax on big polluters
If enacted, some large fossil fuel extractors and refiners would share a one-time $1 trillion tax. Only emissions above 1,000,000,000 metric tons during 2000–2023 would count toward each company’s share. The tax would be due September 30, 2026, with nine-installment payments allowed (20% first year, then 10% in each of the next eight). These tax payments would not be deductible for income tax. Related corporate groups could be treated as one and be jointly liable.
Keeps climate lawsuits and damages intact
If enacted, the bill would keep state and local climate lawsuits alive. It would not block claims about fossil fuel deception, climate harms, or failure to avoid damage. Money already spent from the Fund could not be clawed back, used as evidence, or used to reduce damages.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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