U.S. Clean Competition Act (CCA): Reintroduction in the 119th Congress and the Status of Carbon Border Adjustment Deliberations

The U.S. Clean Competition Act (CCA) is a bipartisan federal bill that would impose a border carbon adjustment tariff of $55 per ton (indexed to inflation) on imported carbon-intensive products (steel, aluminum, chemicals, cement, refined petroleum, paper, etc.) that exceed the U.S. average CO2 emissions, while also imposing an equivalent charge on domestic U.S. manufacturers under a dual-incentive structure. The bill is positioned as a U.S. counterpart to the EU's CBAM and was reintroduced in the 119th Congress (S.3523 / H.R.6787) by Senator Whitehouse (D) and others in December 2025. However, as of 2026, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the administration, the bill remains at the committee review stage, and analysts view the prospects for a floor vote and early enactment under the Trump administration as low.