April 26, 2024 In The News Dear Colleagues, From agency rulings to groundbreakings, the implementation of the Investing in America agenda remained strong this week. The Regional Leadership Council (RLC) and House Democrats are laser-focused on informing the American people about their work to lower costs, grow the middle class, and build safer communities. Here are some of the highlights from this week: "It's Really Happening This Time" On April 22, an Associated Press headline read, "Rail spikes hammered, bullet train being built from Sin City to the City of Angels" – and that’s all thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Congressional Democrats from the Inland Empire to Las Vegas joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to celebrate this project and explain its impact on the regional economy. "People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “It’s really happening this time.” Following the event, Rep. Norma J. Torres (CA-35) said on her social media: "For far too long, this region has not had the proper transportation infrastructure. Brightline allows #CA35 residents to travel from Rancho Cucamonga all the way to Vegas in only two hours." Read more on the announcement from House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), and Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03). Fighting for Affordable Internet House Democrats continue to advocate for the renewal of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and highlight the critical need to keep internet affordable for millions of Americans. This week, RLC Leader Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) joined Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), and local leaders to tout the success of this program and emphasize House Democrats' continued focus on lowering costs and growing the middle class. See more from Rep. Soto and the impact of the ACP here. In addition, RLC Chair Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) created this webpage to share testimonials on how the ACP has helped people in Southern Maryland get connected. Protecting Our Planet and Lowering Energy Costs Many Democrats highlighted how the Investing in America agenda is delivering affordable clean energy by touting the Biden-Harris Administration’s "Solar for All" announcement. These awards will provide $7 billion in federal funding to help over 900,000 low-income households get access to residential solar projects. Read how more House Democrats and environmental leaders shared the news here and here. What Else? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a host of final rules addressing pollution from coal-fired power plants, which focus on carbon, mercury, wastewater, groundwater, and more. The details can be found at EPA's website. The U.S. Department of Energy announced a transmission permitting reform rule this week, along with a commitment of up to $351 million to add more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) of additional grid capacity throughout the West. See how Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm shared this announcement on social media here. The Federal Trade Commission banned new noncompete agreements in this comprehensive ruling. President Biden announced $6.1 billion in CHIPS and Science Act funding for Micron Technology. Read some local press coverage on the event here and 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.