Weekly Briefing: 18 Republicans Send Letter Supporting Clean Energy Tax Credits
August 21, 2024
This month marks the two-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. That historic legislation made clean energy more affordable and accessible for American households through rebates and tax credits. The U.S. Department of Treasury recently reported that more than 3 million households have made climate-friendly home upgrades and taken advantage of those tax credits!
Though the legislation was passed along partisan lines, with only Democratic members of Congress voting in support, a growing group of Republican lawmakers are coming out in support of the clean energy tax credits.
This month, a group of 18 House Republicans sent a letter to the Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA-04), urging him to protect the clean energy tax credits from potential future repeal attempts.
“Today, many U.S. companies are already using sector-wide energy tax credits — many of which have enjoyed bipartisan support historically — to make major investments in new U.S. energy infrastructure,” the letter states.
“Energy tax credits have spurred innovation, incentivized investment, and created good jobs in many parts of the country — including many districts represented by members of our conference.”
The letter, led by House Climate Solutions Caucus co-chair Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), was signed by 17 of his fellow House Republicans: Reps. Amodei, Bacon, Carter, Chavez-DeRemer, Ciscomani, Curtis, D’Esposito, Houchin, Joyce, Kean, Kiggans, Kim (pictured above), LaLota, Lawler, Miller-Meeks, Molinaro, and Valadao.
We’re glad to see these Republicans speaking up for these important climate measures! If your member of Congress signed the letter, send them a message of appreciation, or join us in showing them some love on social media.
In other news this week:
• 2024 Inclusion Conference: On Sept. 20-21, join us online for this year’s Inclusion Conference, titled “Rising Above: Renewal and Resilience for Our Future.” The program includes sessions like “Building the Community You Need and Embracing Partnerships,” “Infinite Power, Infinite Potential,” and “Become a Climate-First Supervoter.” Check out the program and register today.
• Climate and connection documentary: “TRUE FALSE HOT COLD,” a brand new documentary series about climate, beliefs and better conversations, is now streaming on YouTube from filmmaker Ben Stillerman. Stillerman previewed the series at our Summer Conference, and you can now tune in each week for episodes about finding common ground with people who do not necessarily believe in the same things as you.
• CCL on Matter of Fact: CCL volunteer Craig Preston was recently featured in a national TV segment on Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien, talking about climate action and resilience as an advocate.
Take action this week
If you have a little time: Share our new video about the Energy Permitting Reform Act. CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli gave a quick social media explainer about the Energy Permitting Reform Act. His video makes it clear that these permitting reform measures will let America build clean energy faster, which is necessary to meet our climate goals. Watch and share the video.
If you have more time: Keep talking about electrification. So far this month, we’ve held 1,818 outreach conversations about home electrification and the tax credits available for people to make these climate-friendly upgrades. Let’s keep going strong toward our goal of 3,000 conversations! Visit the campaign page to find resources to support your outreach about electrification, including tabling materials and conversation starters.
Featured chapter: CCL Lafayette
CCL’s Lafayette chapter is bustling with activity, thanks to the dedicated efforts of southern Louisiana volunteers. Laura McColm, one of the group’s co-leaders, said they have been actively engaged in a variety of climate advocacy initiatives, including tabling at local markets, organizing a speaker series, and establishing connections with other environmental organizations in the Lafayette area. Their April Earth Day event even resulted in 20 new sign-ups for the chapter! In between, they have also been hosting postcard-writing events to connect with Congress and support the “Get Out the Vote” initiative. With the state's goal of mailing 10,000 CCL postcards to registered voters in Louisiana this October, their chapter has adopted and completed over 2,500 so far!
From academics to business owners, industry professionals to scientists, the Lafayette chapter is a rich blend of passion and expertise. “What I appreciate about our members are their diverse backgrounds and experiences,” Laura shared. They skillfully balance virtual and in-person activities, reflecting their broad range of knowledge and interests. This diversity is also evident in their grant program, a pilot project with the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. “The idea is to encourage students to propose environmental outreach projects—whether it’s creating a sculpture, composing music, or studying birds. Grant recipients will receive the funding to execute their projects so they and the community can benefit. We believe that diversity in ideas and capabilities is a wonderful aspect of being empowered to pursue these initiatives,” Laura explains. If the project proves a success, they are planning to expand to local middle and high schools.
It’s amazing what we can achieve when people with so many different backgrounds work together in one chapter. Keep up the excellent work, CCL Lafayette!
Want to chat with the Lafayette volunteers about their grant program or other outreach work? Join the conversation on CCL Community.
Upcoming trainings
8/22: Exploring Energy Efficiency and Electrification Coursework Online - Discover resources and career maps to help you access resources related to energy efficiency and electrification, including online courses, webinars, and certifications — even plan your future work options. A Q&A session will also be included. Join us!
8/29: CCL's Great School Electrification Challenge - Join CCL Youth Action Team Coordinator Sharon Bagatell and CCL youth leaders to learn how CCL youth are advocating for passage of “Electrify Everything” resolutions in school boards around the country. To learn more and get all the details, check out the Great School Electrification Challenge Guide or attend the training. Join us!
9/3: Navigating Climate and Election Anxiety - In this workshop, we'll explore the intersection of climate and election anxiety, and we'll introduce a practical five-step framework designed to help you navigate these complex emotions and concerns. By the end of our session, you'll have a deeper understanding of climate and election anxiety, as well as concrete tools to manage these feelings effectively. Join us!
To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.
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