House Climate Crisis Action Plan Highlights Cárdenas’ Bills
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY – On Tuesday, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis unveiled a comprehensive congressional climate action framework, highlighting two of Congressman Tony Cárdenas’ (CA-29) bills to encourage clean energy investment as important tools in the effort to solve the climate crisis.
The Select Committee’s climate action framework outlines ambitious and achievable policies to:
- Grow our economy and put Americans back to work in clean energy jobs
- Protect the health of all families
- Make sure our communities and farmers can withstand the impacts of climate change
- Protect America’s land and water for the next generation
“Climate change is an existential threat to America’s economic prosperity and national security that cannot be ignored. We have witnessed the devastating effects of climate change. From the raging wildfires in my home state of California to the frequent hurricanes ravaging our coasts. We need a bold, holistic approach to tackle climate change. This plan outlines policies to invest in renewable energy, create new green jobs, encourage public-private partnerships, and reduce carbon pollution. I am proud that my bills were included in the Committee’s climate plan.”
The Select Committee’s plan would put the country on a path to net-zero carbon pollution by 2050, if not earlier. It would power economic recovery through clean energy investment and family-sustaining jobs, and address the legacy of environmental injustice harming America’s low-income communities and communities of color.
“House Democrats recognize that we have the moral imperative to meet this moment with a bold climate action plan to reduce carbon pollution, create much-needed jobs to rebuild our economy, and tackle the systemic injustice of environmental racism head-on,” said Rep. Kathy Castor, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
The full Select Committee report is viewable here.
Last year, Congressman Cárdenas introduced the National Evaluation of Techniques for Making Energy Technologies More Effective and Resilient (NET METER) Act to create a national study on net metering to guide states interested in developing effective net metering programs. Net metering allows consumers and businesses who generate some or all of their own electricity, particularly through wind and solar energy technology, to be compensated for the excess energy that they provide to the electric grid and other customers.
In November, Cárdenas introduced the bipartisan Realizing the Economic Opportunities and Values of Expanding Recycling (RECOVER) Act, which would allocate $500 million in matching federal grants to eligible states, local municipalities, and tribal governments to invest in improving their recycling infrastructure, programs, and education efforts. their recycling infrastructure, programs, and education efforts.
Congressman Cárdenas is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Throughout his career as a public servant, Cárdenas has fought to make clean energy accessible for everyone. During his tenure in the California State Assembly, Congressman Cárdenas successfully led an effort to push the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to establish a Renewable Portfolio Standard, which requires an increase in production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal. He led similar efforts with LADWP as a member of the Los Angeles City Council, including the successful implementation of a feed-in tariff designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies.
Background:
- The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis was created at the outset of the 116th Congress to deliver policy recommendations to other House committees on how to solve the climate crisis.
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