In response to the House passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad released the following statement:

“With today’s House vote to pass the IRA, America can finally turn the page to a new era for climate action. This bill represents the most significant investment in climate and clean energy in our nation’s history. The IRA will provide billions of dollars for clean energy and good-paying jobs. These investments will put us within striking distance of meeting President Biden’s climate goals and will save countless lives. Today marks the end of decades of congressional inaction, and the beginning of a new day that will require ongoing aggressive climate leadership on the federal, state, and local levels. 

“The climate investments in this bill, totaling nearly $370 billion, are the result of years of organizing, advocacy, and policy progress by youth activists, environmental justice advocates, state, local and tribal leaders, frontline fighters, unions, businesses, and other organizations demanding a better world. This achievement is a testament to the power of the climate movement, and the growing demand from Americans for their elected leaders to act on climate.

“These bold climate investments will allow us to start turning the tide on the climate crisis. But without a doubt, this bill also contains harmful provisions that will perpetuate deadly pollution in the communities that are already facing disproportionate harm from the fossil fuel industry and climate change. 

“As the IRA makes its way to President Biden’s desk for signature, we are renewed with hope in the possibilities that will be brought about by these historic climate and clean energy investments. And with this hope, we will be stronger for the fights ahead, including standing against the sidecar permitting deal that could fast-track an unacceptable pipeline and gut some of America’s bedrock environmental laws. In order to meet his climate goals, President Biden must also advance more aggressive and accelerated executive action, and use every tool at his disposal in an all of government agenda to build an equitable 100% clean energy future for every American.”

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