The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is tracking the energy and transportation sections of the Reconciliation package being considered by the House committees on Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means today and has concluded that the bill text, as written, would decimate the burgeoning clean energy and transportation economy.
The bills include provisions that would wipe out policies that are driving investments in clean vehicles, clean electricity, grid infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and numerous programs intended to help people, communities, and businesses transition to a cleaner, more efficient future.
Below is a statement by David Watkins, director of government affairs for the Climate and Energy Program at UCS.
“The proposals by the House committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce would together eviscerate a series of critical policies and programs specifically designed to drive the nation’s economy forward, displaying a willingness to sacrifice anyone and anything to slash taxes for corporations and the wealthy—regardless of the broader costs or consequences. And the consequences are staggering.
“Again and again, these proposals would discard policies proven to drive clean, efficient, forward-looking investments in the economy that benefit communities now and through the decades ahead. These are the investments communities across the country are fighting for, that clean up schools, that clean up vehicles, that clean up energy and make the electricity system more resilient—and these are the investments Republicans are now proposing to slash. If they have their way, hundreds of billions of dollars of planned investments will be placed at risk, energy prices will soar, and people, communities, and businesses will be left out of the opportunities provided by the shift to a cleaner, more efficient economy. Meanwhile, the fortunes of the fossil fuel industry are prioritized through numerous blatant giveaways.
“Congress must reject these radical proposals which are cravenly rubberstamping the most extreme plans of the Trump administration. People across the country are counting on policymakers to commit to real solutions to our nation’s complex climate, health and economic challenges—but these proposals would only make those problems worse.”
UCS is also vigorously opposed to a provision in the House Ways and Means Committee bill that would grant the Treasury secretary the ability to accuse any nonprofit of being a “terrorist supporting organization” without due process.