Full Title: Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal + Reconciliation Can Take Bold Steps Forward on Climate and Clean Energy
Author(s): Josh Freed, Ryan Fitzpatrick
Publisher(s): Third Way
Publication Date: June 30, 2021
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
President Joe Biden has reached a deal with a bipartisan group of Senators on an important package that delivers on the President’s promise to make long-needed upgrades to the nation’s infrastructure and put Americans back to work. The package would take critical steps toward cutting carbon pollution by investing in clean energy technologies, upgrading our grid, and making transportation cleaner. These specific provisions should be celebrated and supported.
The bipartisan infrastructure proposal alone, however, is not sufficient to put the country on a path to avoid the worst damages of climate change or to keep the nation competitive in growing clean energy markets. Republicans have successfully thwarted the incremental steps we should have been taking over the past two decades to transition the country to a low-carbon economy. That’s why, in addition to the bipartisan package, Democrats are right to pursue a reconciliation package to finish the job.
This memo highlights several of the most impactful provisions for clean energy and climate in the bipartisan infrastructure proposal. It also points out some of the many vital investments and incentives that must still be taken care of in a bold reconciliation bill so that, combined, these packages will put the United States on track to tackle pressing issues for US workers, our economy, and the climate.