Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. The package includes landmark bipartisan legislation to phase out climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons, as well as other key provisions supporting clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and environmental justice. This collection of bipartisan bills provides an overdue modernization of energy policy and an investment in a resilient, low-carbon future.

Following is a statement from Christina DeConcini, Director of Government Affairs, World Resources Institute:

“The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act is an essential and foundational investment in the United States' clean energy future. Bipartisan support for this package demonstrates that politicians on both sides of the aisle see how clean energy can create high-quality jobs, improve public health, and address the catastrophic impacts of climate change that pose an increasing threat to our communities.”

“Included in this innovation package is widely supported, landmark, legislation to curb the release of the super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This provision could enhance American competitiveness in a new and growing global market, directly and indirectly create as many as 150,000 American jobs, and, in conjunction with other countries, facilitate the avoidance of as much as 0.5°C global warming by the end of the century.”

“The innovation package embodies the kind of investments in new and emergent technologies, including energy storage, renewables, and carbon capture, that are required to meet the scale of the climate crisis.”

“It advances provisions that could tangibly assist communities, including support for clean school buses and an environmental justice title that drive us towards a healthier and more equitable future.”

“With House passage of the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, we look with hope towards the Senate, where parallel bipartisan legislation is under consideration. We urge the 116th Congress to seize this opportunity to directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while bolstering the American economy and safeguarding public health.”