To Tackle Climate Crisis, Sarbanes Calls for Robust Community Investment and Clean Energy Jobs [Video]

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During a House Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) highlighted the economic benefits of the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation's (CLEAN) Future Act, a bold and aggressive effort to address the climate crisis and ensure that the United States achieves net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The bill would make critical investments in America's economy and bring good-paying jobs to local communities in Maryland and across the country.

"I'm particularly interested today in the focus on communities, and in particular, how the CLEAN Future Act can take action to protect and uplift communities across the country and in my state of Maryland," said Congressman Sarbanes. "I represent parts of Baltimore, which, as many of you here know, was once a thriving industrial hub. Over time, that base shrank, unfortunately, creating a lot of economic hardship across many communities. And it's vital that we have conversations like we are today on how you can revitalize and reinvigorate our local economies."

Sarbanes continued: "The CLEAN Future Act does more than just start that conversation. I have to say it takes action. The measures like the Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator and the Community Transition provisions … are an example. It's a promise to invest in economically distressed communities across the country. And these investments in programs can bring new clean industries to places like Baltimore, which in turn would create jobs, expand economic opportunity and so forth."

Sarbanes concluded: "… We hear this suggestion that, somehow, the federal government is trying to become the chief innovator and crowd out or push away all of the private sector innovators out there that are getting started. That's not what we are doing here. We want to stimulate innovation in creative ways. And the federal government has done that many times before and can do it through this Accelerator program."

See below for a video of the Congressman's remarks.

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