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Rep. Veasey Passes Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act

September 24, 2020

Package Includes Several Provisions from Veasey-Led Clean Energy Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) of the Energy and Commerce Committee, joined his colleagues to pass the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act – a package of bipartisan bills to put our nation on the path to achieve a clean energy future that lifts up and protects all communities in our country. Today's legislative package includes several pieces of legislation Rep. Veasey sponsored, including HR 2088, to reauthorize and expand the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program and HR 3607, the Fossil Energy Research and Development Act, legislation that establishes new research, development, and demonstration programs at the Department of Energy to accelerate the deployment of technologies that reduce emissions from the power sector.

"The investments made in the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act are a down payment in our fight to get the economy back on track as we address Climate Change," said Congressman Marc Veasey. "Texas has been the unquestioned energy leader for more than a century, and if we play our cards right and make the right investments, Texas will continue to be an energy leader in the 21st century. Too often, the challenge is framed as a choice between a clean and healthy environment versus a robust economy, but that's simply not right. The kinds of jobs that come from deploying renewable energy or identifying and fixing methane leaks in the production and distribution of oil and gas are exactly the kind we'll need to get the economy back on track after the pandemic."

The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, makes long-overdue reforms to U.S. energy policy and authorizes major investments in the transition to a low-carbon future. This legislation promises to usher in a new era in American innovation, serving as a down-payment on comprehensive climate action. It includes programs to develop and deploy renewable and distributed energy resources; improve the efficiency of our homes and businesses; electrify our transportation sector; modernize the grid and enhance its resiliency; prioritize the needs of environmental justice communities; reduce carbon pollution from industrial and traditional sources; and much more. Taken together, these measures provide a path towards modernizing our energy system while taking an important step to tackling the climate crisis and growing our economy.