RLC Weekly: An August of Action

September 6, 2024
In The News

Dear Colleagues,

House Democrats rounded out an active and critical August District Work Period by connecting their constituents to the transformational Investing in America agenda. This week featured Member events related to clean energy investments, Veterans' benefits, public transportation, and more. Here are the highlights:

Celebrating Lower Costs and Clean Energy

The same week that the Biden-Harris Administration announced historic milestones related to offshore wind and rural electrification, House Democrats were out in their communities connecting people to the resources they need to lower costs and meet climate goals. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, highlighted the significance of the Edison Solar Landscape project, which will help an estimated 440 New Jersey households save $111,000 annually. Rep. Pallone said this project "serves as a model for the $156 million federal clean energy grant that New Jersey is being awarded through the Inflation Reduction Act." More from Rep. Pallone here.

Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Wiley Nickel (NC-13) welcomed the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Janet Yellen to Wake County, North Carolina, this week to discuss the clean energy investments and tax credits made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Members joined Secretary Yellen for a press conference as well as a guided tour of Wake Tech. Read more on this visit from Secretary Yellen, Rep. Ross, and Rep. Nickel.

Showing Up for Veterans

Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D., (CA-25) hosted a Veterans University event to connect Veterans and military families to the resources they need. During the two-day program, Rep. Ruiz welcomed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough and Rosie Torres, CEO of Burnpits 360, to discuss PACT Act benefits. One Veteran in attendance shared his appreciation for this event on social media, saying, "The most helpful thing from today was knowing Dr. Ruiz is there for [sic] and gives us support." More from Rep. Ruiz can be be found here and here.

Easing Traffic and Expanding Public Transportation

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) celebrated the expansion of light rail transit in Lynwood, WA. A project funded largely by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this light rail will allow Snohomish County residents to dodge interstate traffic on their way to work, school, or a local sporting event. See more details on the impact of this project from Rep. Rick Larsen here and here.

What Else?

  • President Joe Biden traveled to Westby, Wisconsin, to announce the largest investment in rural electrification since the New Deal. Read more on this clean energy investment here.
  • Maryland became the latest state to join the Internal Revenue Service's Direct File program, allowing an estimated 700,000 Marylanders to file their taxes directly with the IRS. Read RLC Chair Rep. Steny H. Hoyer's (MD-05) remarks from this announcement here.
  • The U.S. Department of Treasury released a report on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act's Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program, which is expected to fund the generation of nearly 2 billion kilowatt hours of clean electricity each year in underserved communities. Read the report here.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $300 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants for Tribes and U.S. territories this week. See the recipients here.

For more updates on how to help implement the Investing in America agenda locally, please follow us on social media and share your story on how these investments are making a difference in your community. You can also visit our website for additional resources that will help track these historic investments.