Dear Friends,
 

The holiday season is here! As the crazy whirlwind of 2021 winds down, I am in awe of all that CRES has accomplished this year. Long story short: we’ve been busy!

This year, conservatives made history championing realistic solutions and practical policies to reduce U.S. emissions and improve infrastructure while holding global polluters accountable— there’s plenty to be proud of. So let’s start from the top with a rundown of the top 10 greatest CRES and Republican accomplishments of 2021!

10: Energy Act of 2020

We started the year off strong with President Trump signing into law the Energy Act of 2020. This kickstarted the year’s momentum and served as a massive milestone for Republican engagement in climate policy. Most importantly, it showed that Republicans support clean energy research and development.

9: Let’s Invest in US

Texas was crippled by unexpected sub-freezing winter conditions in February. CRES doubled down on its advocacy efforts to encourage investment in reliable clean energy infrastructure by launching the Let’s Invest in Us campaign. The campaign is focused on rebuilding America's infrastructure, revitalizing manufacturing, and investing in our businesses and communities. Our support for infrastructure continued throughout the year, culminating in passage of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) this fall.

8: Energy Innovation Agenda

During Earth Week 2021, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy unveiled the “Energy Innovation Agenda,'' consisting of nearly three dozen bills, including measures on resources ignored by Democrats, such as nuclear power, carbon capture, and our domestic supply of critical minerals. To support the Energy Innovation Agenda and the Republican climate task force, CRES launched its own website outlining the legislation, RepublicanClimatePlan.com.  

7: Congressional Testimony

In April, I testified before the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, reminding lawmakers that the U.S. has done a remarkable job of curbing its carbon emissions while continuing to grow its economy. Yet, I warned that global emissions are increasing, as global energy demand is rising primarily due to increased living standards in the developed world.

Additionally, our Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Charles Hernick, testified before Congress twice. Charles testified before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure to express that many companies, states, and municipalities have been hard at work for decades tackling climate challenges. He urged Congress not to “reinvent the wheel,” rather to build on existing best business practices for climate solutions and policies that support those initiatives.

Charles’ second testimony was before the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, on the challenges and opportunities for international climate action as world leaders prepared to gather in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

6: Lawmaker Meetings

In May, CRES and the Conservative Energy Network organized dozens of business leaders, farmers, state officials, and other conservative advocates from around the country to participate in a series of meetings with Republicans in Congress. The virtual “fly-in” stressed to conservative lawmakers the economic benefits of the clean energy sector at a time when the country needed an economic boost and Americans needed jobs. More than 65 meetings were held over three days.

5: Conservative Climate Caucus Launches!

In June, we worked closely with Rep. John Curtis and his team to launch the Conservative Climate Caucus, an all-Republican caucus (now more than 70 members strong!), focused on educating on climate change policy and messaging for conservatives. I was honored to speak at the press conference on Capitol Hill on launch day.

4: Growing Climate Solutions Act

Another landmark for Republicans in June was the passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) in the Senate by 92-8, which my team worked tirelessly to garner support for through the summer. And it showed - more Senate Republicans voted for GCSA than their Democratic colleagues!

3: National Clean Energy Week

The 5th annual National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) in September was a celebration of clean energy like no other. My team garnered support from more than 160 participating organizations and sponsors and attracted hundreds of attendees to the virtual, three-day Policy Makers Symposium, which featured more than 20 energy industry experts and bipartisan lawmakers. Twenty-nine states and 21 cities recognized September 20-24, 2021 to be National Clean Energy Week. NCEW allows all sides of the political spectrum to convene and chart a cleaner, safer future for generations to come—planning for next year’s celebration has already begun!

Additionally, during NCEW, CRES presented awards to the 2021 Clean Energy Champions: four Republican lawmakers who have gone above and beyond to champion clean energy in their districts and states. This year’s champions were Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, Senator Mike Braun of Indiana, Representative John Curtis of Utah, and Representative Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.

1: COP26

In the tail end of fall, CRES Forum partnered with ClearPath to create the Conservative Climate Foundation, which led the first all-Republican delegation to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. The delegation included U.S. Representatives Garret Graves (R-LA), John Curtis (R-UT), Marianette Miller Meeks (R-IA), and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). COP26 gave this group of Republicans an opportunity to share this message: Republicans care about the environment and are engaging in climate policy like never before.

In short, 2021 was a banner year for Republican engagement in climate change policy. I’d like to thank my team for their hard work this year, and thank you, readers, for supporting CRES. I wish you and your families a joyful holiday season. May our next year be filled with conservative climate solutions that build a stronger environment and economy, and a safe, happy future for future generations.

Onward to 2022!

 

​​​​All the Best,

Heather Reams
CRES Executive Director