RLC Weekly: Ending the Congress Like We Began

December 20, 2024
In The News

Dear Colleagues,

House Republicans and House Democrats ended the 118th Congress like they began it: one party grinding the federal government to a halt, and the other delivering historic federal investment to rebuild the economy from the bottom up and the middle out. This latest RLC Weekly shows how Democrats are highlighting the local impact that the Investing in America agenda is having on districts across the country:

Uplifting Local Implementation

As we close the 118th Congress, RLC Leader Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) elevated a local community project that is assisting with the implementation of a new potable water system in St. Cloud, FL. He made a video with local leaders who fought for this funding, which helped shed light on the importance of the project for the Whitted community, which was settled by Black families during the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. Watch the video here.

Advancing Clean Energy

After continued advocacy, Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03) applauded the Department of the Treasury's decision to expand Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) energy tax credits to biogas operations. This clean energy refines natural gas from organic waste, which Rep. Scholten says can support farmers across the country. Read more on this and the IRA tax benefits here.

Celebrating 50 Years of Clean Water Advocacy 

Many House Democrats celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act by highlighting the progress they have made to ensure families in their district have a safe, clean environment. Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Rep. Richie Neal (MA-01) shared a collection of photos from district events related to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and more. Rep. Eric Sorenson (IL-17) highlighted the towns and communities that will stand to benefit from the infrastructure projects in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. 

What Else?

  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published an interactive map to highlight all the grants and cooperative agreements that they have funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Please review the map here. 
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a new documentary, “The Journey to Environmental Justice: The Road Ahead.” The film features firsthand accounts of Americans living in overburdened communities as they address environmental injustices, toxic water, and more. Watch it here.

Please note that this will be the last RLC Weekly of the calendar year and will plan to resume in early January 2025. 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.