The Climate Crisis is an existential threat to our way of life – it is the defining challenge of the 21st Century. The climate crisis is a global problem, but its consequences have been felt locally with atmospheric rivers, flooding, wildfires, droughts, and more. That’s why I support an aggressive, whole-of-government approach to address this crisis. Sacramento has been at the core of the innovative policies in the state of California. Every day, we serve as an example that we can embrace bold climate solutions, while creating good-paying jobs and growing our economy.
That is why I am spearheading efforts to put us on that path at the federal level.
Clean energy is a growing industry in the Sacramento region, filled with both promise and potential. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I have made it a top priority to bring clean energy technology to Sacramento, and to support companies who aim to create good-paying, clean-tech jobs to our region.
Energy efficiency must continue playing a large role in our energy future. I have introduced legislation to support our local clean-tech businesses while also reducing our dependence on foreign oil. As a result, the Sacramento region has been transforming into a clean energy hub.
This is an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past—by cleaning up legacy pollution, by preventing new pollution, and by creating family sustaining, 21st century jobs in under-resourced communities. That’s why I am proud to have supported the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in clean energy technology and good paying jobs in our nation’s history.
I also supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included funding for public transit, clean school buses, a national EV charging network, U.S. battery manufacturing, clean hydrogen, western water infrastructure, and wildfire prevention.
I had two bills that were included in the Infrastructure Law:
- The Healthier and Greener Schools Act, which created a 500-million-dollar grant program to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean vehicles at K-12 schools.
- The POWER ON Act, which created a 2.5-billion-dollar grant program to harden our electric grid against wildfires and other natural disasters.
I am also proud to have authored the CHIPS Act, which will ensure clean energy technologies have a reliable supply of American-made semiconductors to power the clean energy transition.
I have also been a long-time champion of tree-planting and other natural climate solutions. I lead the TREES Act, a bill inspired by our city’s own tree-planting program which would provide federal funding for urban tree-planting and I am leading efforts to advocate for greater protections for old growth and mature forests on federal lands.
