| % of emissions covered | 25% (only power generation) | Up to 100% |
| Incentivizes energy conservation? | No-designed to keep utility rates unchanged | Yes |
| Incentivizes innovation across entire economy? | No | Yes |
| Incentivizes currently unknown technology? | No | Yes |
| Reduces emissions efficiently? | No | Yes |
| Picks low-hanging fruit first? | No | Yes |
| CO2 emission reduction | Moderate | High |
| Reduces health damage from fossil fuels? | Some | More |
| Net cost to average household | Zero (contingent on undecided funding) | Depends on amount of revenue rebated to households |
| Protects fossil fuel jobs? | Not if it succeeds in reducing emissions | No |
| Will WTO permit border carbon adjustment to protect US industrial jobs and push carbon price around the world? | No | Yes |
| Percentage of revenues rebated to households | No revenues to rebate | Up to 100% |
| Effect on budget deficit | Significantly increases (especially including tax credits for renewable manufacturing) | Reduces a lot (0 rebate) to none (100% rebate) |
| Job creation: inventors, engineers, factory workers, construction workers, and entrepreneurs | Moderate | High |
| Administrative complexity | High | Extremely low |
| Vulnerable to gaming, political influence, and fraud? | Yes | No |
| Treats each emitter differently? | Yes | No |
| Subject to legal challenges? | Yes | No |
| Subject to attack by executive branch? | Yes | No |
| Job creation: lobbyists, lawyers, consultants, and accountants | High | Close to zero |
| Bill written? | No | 5 carbon fee bills in this Congress |
| Length of bill | Not written | House bill for fee with rebate is 37 pages |
| Cosponsors | Bill not written | As many as 81 in House |
| Must expire in 10 years to satisfy reconciliation? | Yes | No |