May 4, 2024

Dear Friends,

Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve been a leader on efforts to enhance sustainability and resiliency for communities across our nation. In my roles as Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), I’ve made it a top priority to work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to advance legislation and deliver resources that help our communities combat the effects of climate change and keep residents safe and healthy. I’ve been thrilled to celebrate the progress we’ve made for American families through initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. And this week, I was proud to renew my efforts with two pieces of bipartisan legislation I authored to bolster our clean energy transition and better prepare our nation for a future shaped by climate change.

Advancing safe drinking water for American families

Millions of Americans still live without access to safe, clean drinking water. Decades of ignoring our hidden but critical infrastructure have allowed dangerous contaminants like lead to enter our drinking water systems, causing serious health impacts that hit low-income communities especially hard. That’s why I worked relentlessly to make certain that critical investments in the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) were included in our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — ultimately securing an initial allocation of $6 billion that included $270 million for New York State.

This week, I was thrilled to see the Biden Administration double down on its commitment to getting the lead out of our drinking water with an additional $3 billion investment in the DWSRF, including more than $129 million in new funding for New York State. I’m thankful to the Administration for their strong action on this issue, and I remain committed to working with the EPA to ensure this vital funding reaches our communities who need it most.

Preparing our communities for severe weather events

Mesonet networks across the nation — including the New York State Mesonet operated by the University at Albany — play a critical role in providing reliable, real-time weather observation capabilities that help our communities anticipate and respond to extreme weather. With that in mind, I joined my colleague Representative Stephanie Bice (R-OK) last year to introduce the National Mesonet Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation will increase the overall coverage and accuracy of the National Mesonet Program, thereby ensuring our nation is prepared for the increase in severe weather events caused by climate change. I was proud on Tuesday to see our bill pass the House with sweeping bipartisan support, and I now urge the Senate to take up and advance this bill to improve our weather monitoring capabilities and strengthen public safety for communities across our state and our nation.

Bolstering our clean energy transition

Batteries, and the critical materials used to manufacture them, are vital components of our ongoing clean energy transition. As we continue to incorporate new advanced energy technologies into our day-to-day lives, it is essential that we maintain stable, secure, and ethical supply chains for the materials we use. That’s why this week, I introduced the Critical Material Transparency and Reporting of Advanced Clean Energy (Critical Material TRACE) Act alongside my colleague Representative Garret Graves (R-LA).

Our bipartisan bill would establish a new Department of Energy (DOE) program to support the development and implementation of digital identification systems for advanced energy technologies, which would include data on material origins, reuse pathways, battery performance, and more. By addressing and improving transparency, this legislation will help protect human rights and uphold high environmental and labor standards while also helping to identify and address global supply chain issues that might impact our energy security. With this bill, I’m taking critical steps to accelerate our transition to clean energy and secure our nation as a leader in the establishment of responsible and sustainable global battery supply chains.

The challenges our nation faces today are far too important to let partisan politics get in the way of progress. We must work together if we intend to successfully combat climate change and keep American families safe. Even amid the dysfunction of this Congress, I’ll continue to work tirelessly to reach across the aisle and find bipartisan solutions that protect our communities and our planet. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• Last year, as part of his Investing in America agenda, President Biden took executive action to launch the American Climate Corps, a groundbreaking workforce training and service initiative that aims to put tens of thousands of young Americans to work fighting the impacts of climate change today while training tomorrow’s clean energy and climate-resilience workforce.
• The American Climate Corps recently launched their new website, which included several job postings across New York State. These opportunities include:
  • Long Lake, NY: Adirondack Corps Crew Member
    • Term length: 5/13/2024 — 10/11/2024
    • Job description: carrying out trail maintenance and construction
  • Canton, NY: Campus Climate Action Leader
    • Term length: 8/26/2024 — 7/31/2025
    • Job description: serving as a home energy navigator for underserved households
  • New York City, NY: Green City Force Service Corps Member
    • Term length: 9/10/2024 — 3/22/2025
    • Job description: responding to needs in public housing communities and building sustainable green infrastructure
• To learn more about the American Climate Corps and their other job opportunities across the nation, visit their website TODAY at www.acc.gov.