Updating America's Energy

Floor Speech

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Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. I am proud that that bill was used as a shell for this legislation.

This legislative package is the work of over 40 critical pieces of energy and environment legislation from the House. Many of the bills included in this package are bipartisan, and I would like to thank our leadership, committee chairs, and Members on both sides of the aisle for contributing to this effort.

This bill will take meaningful steps to update our energy infrastructure, create new jobs, and take important steps to address climate change in our country.

The last major Federal effort to address our changing energy landscape occurred in 2007. The urgency of the climate crisis and energy infrastructure crisis cannot be overstated.

As the proud Representative of Arizona's First Congressional District, and as seen throughout the Western United States and our Nation, communities are facing the effects of climate change every day. From larger, deadlier forest fires to crippling droughts, Arizonans know the real-life implications of our changing planet.

This is why today's bill is so important. It addresses the growing climate crisis and revitalizes our sagging energy economy. It creates much-needed job growth across our Nation. It is a win-win-win.

As Members of Congress, we must work in a bipartisan manner to identify commonsense policy solutions to these critical issues and help hardworking families find a just transition as our energy economy continues to evolve.

The legislative package we are voting on today does more than just update our Nation's energy infrastructure. It creates tens of thousands of new, good-paying energy jobs that support a family and will be created through the new programs, initiatives, and Federal projects created within this bill to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies.

We make meaningful investments in research and development programs to unlock the energy technologies of tomorrow, limit our carbon footprint, and preserve the environment for future generations to enjoy and prosper. We need to continue to identify legislative initiatives like the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act that will work on a large scale to create new jobs in growing industries.

I am humbled to see two bills I introduced, the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act, and the Tribal Power Act, be included in today's critical legislative package. And I am proud to stand today in favor of the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass this important legislation.

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