Kerry pledges ‘very, very minimal' consumer costs in climate bill

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said Wednesday that many families will see increased incomes under the climate and energy bill that he is unveiling with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

Kerry’s comments – made during one of several morning TV appearances to tout the bill – are his latest effort blunt GOP allegations that capping greenhouse gas emissions will create major new costs for consumers and businesses.

Kerry noted that revenues from sale of carbon emissions permits are eventually cycled back to consumers through rebates on their energy bills. The lowest 40 percent of earners would see incomes actually increase, he said.

“For the rest of America this is . . . more than affordable. It is a very, very minimal cost,” he said during an appearance on Fox News. “There will really be very, very little, if any, cost increase to the American consumer.”

Kerry and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon to unveil the measure. Kerry, in the TV interviews Wednesday morning, said the bill would lead to steep cuts in oil imports and make the U.S. more competitive in alternative energy sectors.

“We need to get into the global marketplace and compete with China, with India, with Mexico, Brazil, with other countries,” he said on CBS’s “The Early Show,” adding that “We want America to be number in clean energy power production.”

Cross-posted from E2-Wire.