Climate Action Now Rally

Posted by Brad Johnson Mon, 13 Sep 2021 21:45:00 GMT

Join Congressional leaders for a bicameral rally calling for major climate investments in the Build Back Better Act!

Leaders in Congress know that now more than ever we need to cut emissions, lower costs for families, create millions of family sustaining jobs, and turbocharge our economy. That is why they are calling for the Build Back Better Act—a bold investment plan to tackle climate change, create jobs, and transform our economy.

The rally will be moderated by Tiernan Sittenfeld and feature Members including: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06).

Congress knows it’s time to go big, be bold, and put people to work.

at the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Washington, DC 20016

Full Committee Markup of Build Back Better Act

Posted by Brad Johnson Mon, 13 Sep 2021 15:00:00 GMT

The Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a full Committee markup on Monday, September 13, at 11 a.m. (EDT) in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building, on legislative recommendations for its budget reconciliation instructions, which were passed last month by the House and Senate.

The Committee will consider the following Committee Prints:

The Committee’s Memorandum includes a section-by-section for each of the Committee Prints and a fact sheet on key provisions is available.

Grid Decarbonization Standard: $150 billion in a Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP) at the Department of Energy (DOE) The CEPP, which complements tax incentives for clean energy, will issue grants to and collect payments from electricity suppliers from 2023 through 2030 based on how much qualified clean electricity each supplier provides to customers.
  • An electricity supplier will be eligible for a grant if it increases the amount of clean electricity it supplies to customers by 4 percentage points compared to the previous year. The grant will be $150 for each megawatt-hour of clean electricity above 1.5 percent the previous year’s clean electricity.
  • Electricity suppliers must use the grants exclusively for the benefit of their customers, including direct bill assistance, investments in qualified clean electricity and energy efficiency, and worker retention.
  • An electricity supplier that does not increase its clean electricity percentage by at least 4 percent compared to the previous year will owe a payment to DOE based on the shortfall. If, for example, the electricity supplier only increases its clean electricity percentage by 2 percent, the supplier will owe $40 for each megawatt-hour that represents the 2 percent shortfall.
  • The CEPP gives electricity suppliers the option to defer a grant or a payment for up to two consecutive years.
  • Eligible clean electricity is electricity generation with a carbon intensity of not more than 0.10 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per megawatt-hour [i.e., renewable and nuclear].
Other Energy and Climate Provisions:
  • $13.5 billion in electric vehicle infrastructure
  • $7 billion in multiple loan and grant programs at DOE to support development of innovative technologies and American manufacturing of zero emission transportation technologies
  • $9 billion for grid modernization
  • $17.5 billion in decarbonizing federal buildings and fleets
  • $18 billion in home energy efficiency and appliance electrification rebates
  • $27.5 billion in nonprofit, state, and local climate finance institutions that support the rapid deployment of low- and zero-emission technologies. At least 40 percent of investments will be made in low-income and disadvantaged communities
  • $2.5 billion for planning and installing solar facilities and community solar projects that serve low-income households or multi-family affordable housing complexes
  • $30 billion for the full replacement of lead service lines in drinking water systems
  • $10 billion for the cleanup of Superfund sites
  • Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants: $5 billion to community-led projects that address environmental and public health harms related to pollution and climate change
  • methane fee on pollution from the oil and gas industry above specific intensity thresholds
Health:
  • $5 billion in replacing certain heavy-duty vehicles, such as refuse trucks and school buses, with zero emission vehicles Health
  • dental, vision, and hearing coverage for seniors under Medicare
  • expands Medicaid eligibility to millions of Americans
  • $190 billion to expand access to quality home-based services and care for millions of older adults and people with disabilities
  • permanently extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
  • ensure that all pregnant women on Medicaid will keep their health insurance for the critical first year postpartum
  • ensure that Medicaid coverage begins automatically 30 days prior to an individual’s release from incarceration
  • $2.86 billion in funding for the World Trade Center Health Program
  • $3 billion in funding to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
  • $35 billion in investments to rebuild and modernize public health departments
  • $15 billion in targeted investments for pandemic preparedness
Other:
  • $10 billion in grants for the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 services
  • $4 billion to the Emergency Connectivity Fund to ensure students, school staff, and library patrons have internet connectivity
  • $10 billion to monitor and identify critical manufacturing supply chain vulnerabilities
Filed amendments:

Build Back Better Markup: Judiciary (Immigration and Community Violence Provisions)

Posted by Brad Johnson Mon, 13 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Markup of legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. Con. Res. 14)

  • Committee Print 117-2: Legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022

To consider a proposal to satisfy the Committee’s reconciliation instructions required by S. Con. Res. 14 (Day 2)

Posted by Brad Johnson Mon, 13 Sep 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Continuation of the House Agriculture Committee’s Build Back Better markup.

Included in this package are multiple bipartisan proposals will provide resources to mitigate climate change, improve quality of life in rural communities, and commit millions of dollars to agricultural education across the country.

Investments include:
  • $7.75 billion in investments in agricultural research and infrastructure; other countries like China are outspending the US on research investments and this money will help close the gap.
  • $18 billion in rural job-promoting investments to ensure those living in rural America, on tribal lands, and our insular areas have access to clean water and reliable and efficient renewable energy. This funding will also support investment in renewable biofuels infrastructure important to farmers and our fight against climate change, and flexible funding for rural community growth.
  • $40 billion in investments in forestry programs to help combat forest fires and contribute to healthy, resilient forests, including $14 billion for “hazardous fuels reduction,” and $4.5 billion for the Civilian Climate Corps for “managing National Forest System land” and “rural and urban conservation and tree planting projects”.
  • $300 million divided equally to the Forest Service for the following six climate-related projects:
    • to carry out greenhouse gas life cycle analyses of domestic wood products
    • to assess the quantity of carbon sequestration and storage accomplished by different forest practices when applied in diverse ecological and geographic settings
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to strategies to increase carbon stocks on National Forest System land
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to the impacts of climate change and weather variability on national forest ecosystems
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to strategies to ensure that national forest ecosystems, including forests, plants, aquatic ecosystems, and wildlife, are able to adapt to climate change and weather variability
    • for activities and tactics to reduce the spread of invasive species on non-Federal forested land

Committee Print

All of the proposed amendments, all of which were submitted by Republicans, were voted down on party lines. The bill was approved also on party lines.

Proposal to satisfy the Committee’s reconciliation instructions required by S. Con. Res. 14

Posted by Brad Johnson Fri, 10 Sep 2021 17:00:00 GMT

The House Committee on Agriculture will hold a business meeting to consider the elements of the reconciliation package under their jurisdiction.

Included in this package are multiple bipartisan proposals will provide resources to mitigate climate change, improve quality of life in rural communities, and commit millions of dollars to agricultural education across the country.

Investments include:
  • $7.75 billion in investments in agricultural research and infrastructure; other countries like China are outspending the US on research investments and this money will help close the gap.
  • $18 billion in rural job-promoting investments to ensure those living in rural America, on tribal lands, and our insular areas have access to clean water and reliable and efficient renewable energy. This funding will also support investment in renewable biofuels infrastructure important to farmers and our fight against climate change, and flexible funding for rural community growth.
  • $40 billion in investments in forestry programs to help combat forest fires and contribute to healthy, resilient forests, including $14 billion for “hazardous fuels reduction,” and $4.5 billion for the Civilian Climate Corps for “managing National Forest System land” and “rural and urban conservation and tree planting projects”.
  • $300 million divided equally to the Forest Service for the following six climate-related projects:
    • to carry out greenhouse gas life cycle analyses of domestic wood products
    • to assess the quantity of carbon sequestration and storage accomplished by different forest practices when applied in diverse ecological and geographic settings
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to strategies to increase carbon stocks on National Forest System land
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to the impacts of climate change and weather variability on national forest ecosystems
    • to accelerate and expand existing research efforts relating to strategies to ensure that national forest ecosystems, including forests, plants, aquatic ecosystems, and wildlife, are able to adapt to climate change and weather variability
    • for activities and tactics to reduce the spread of invasive species on non-Federal forested land

Committee Print

Committee Print, providing for reconciliation pursuant to S. Con. Res. 14

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

The Committee on Small Business will hold a hybrid markup at 10:00 A.M. (EDT) on Thursday, September 9, 2021, in Room 2360 of the Rayburn House Office Building and on Zoom. Members who wish to participate remotely may do so via Zoom, information to be provided separately. The Committee will consider Committee Print (providing for reconciliation pursuant to S. Con. Res. 14, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022).

Markup notice and information on filing amendments

Committee Print

Chair’s Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute

Includes provision for $2.1 billion in federal debentures to back small-business loans to acquire renewable energy equipment such as solar panels, wind turbines, or battery storage.

Full Committee Markup of Reconciliation Budget Plan, Continued

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

On Thursday, September 9, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. EDT via Webex, and livestreamed on the Committee’s YouTube pages, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider the following postponed recorded votes that were requested at the Committee’s most recent business meeting, and to continue its consideration on legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, S. Con. Res.14.


The votes will be on the following Republican amendments:
  • Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) amendment designated Boebert #2
  • Rep. Lauren Boebert amendment designated Boebert #3
  • Rep. Lauren Boebert amendment designated Boebert #4
  • Rep. Lauren Boebert amendment designated Boebert #5
  • Rep. Jerry L. Carl (R-AL) amendment designated Carl #1
  • Rep. Jerry L. Carl amendment designated Carl #2
  • Rep. Don Young (R-AK) amendment designated Young #1
  • Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) amendment designated Tiffany #1
  • Rep. Jenniffer González Colón (R-PR) amendment designated González Colón #1
  • Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) amendment designated Moore #1
  • Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) amendment designated Moore #2
  • Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) amendment designated Moore #3
  • Rep. Jenniffer González Colón (R-PR) amendment designated González Colón #2

The committee will then vote on the legislation put forward by the committee chair.

Committee Print to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, S. Con. Res. 14

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

The hearing will be conducted via teleconference.

Text of the Science Committee Print and the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute by Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson.

The proposed $45.4 billion Science Committee ANS includes:

Department of Energy ($20.6 billion)
  • $5 billion for regional innovation initiatives
  • $10.4 billion for the Department of Energy Office of Science laboratories, including $1.3 billion for the ITER fusion project
  • $349 million for the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for NREL projects including the new EMAPS program and ARIES grid simulation
  • $408 million for the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy
  • $20 million for the Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
  • $1.08 billion in general funds for Department of Energy National Laboratories, including
    • $377 million for Office of Science
    • $210 million for Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
    • $40 million for Office of Nuclear Energy
    • $190 million for Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
    • $102 million for the Office of Environmental Management
  • $2 billion for fusion research and development
  • $1.1 billion for Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy demonstration projects, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, vehicles, bioenergy, and building technologies
  • $70 million for a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute
  • $52.5 million for university nuclear reactor research
  • $10 million for demonstration projects on reducing the environmental impacts of fracking wastewater
  • $20 million for the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
  • $50 million for the Office of the Inspector General
Environmental Protection Agency
  • $264 million to conduct environmental research and development activities related to climate change, including environmental justice
FEMA
  • $798 million for Assistance to Firefighters Grants
NASA ($4.4 billion)
  • $4 billion for infrastructure and maintenance
  • $388 million for climate change research and development
NIST ($4.2 billion)
  • $1.2 billion for scientific and technical research, including resilience to natural hazards including wildfires, and greenhouse gas and other climate-related measurement
  • $2 billion for American manufacturing support
  • $1 billion for infrastructure and maintenance
NOAA ($4.2 billion)
  • $1.2 billion for weather, ocean, and climate research and forecasting
  • $265 million to develop and distribute actionable climate information for communities in an equitable manner
  • $500 million to recruit, educate, and train a “climate-ready” workforce
  • $70 million for high-performance computing
  • $224 million for phased-array radar research and development
  • $1 billion for hurricane hunter aircraft and radar systems
  • $12 million for drone missions
  • $743 million for deferred maintenance
  • $173 million for space weather
National Science Foundation ($10.95 billion)
  • $3.4 billion for infrastructure, including Antarctic bases – $300 million for minority-serving institutions
  • $7.5 billion for research grants, including at least $400 million for climate change research and $700 million for minority-serving institutions
  • $50 million for Office of the Inspector General
Introduced amendments:

House Working To Write and Pass the $3.5 Trillion Build Back Better Act Reconciliation Package

Posted by Brad Johnson Tue, 07 Sep 2021 19:31:00 GMT

The House of Representatives has begun a whirlwind effort to pass the $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” reconciliation bill known as the Build Back Better Act this month. Practically every committee in the House has some component of the bill, known formally as S. Con. Res. 14, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, under its jurisdiction.

The House Committee on Natural Resources, chaired by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-N.Mex.), was the first to handle its section, with a full-day markup last week. The committee will meet again this Thursday to vote on a few Republican amendments before final consideration of its bill.

The largest elements of the bill, dealing with health care, child care, and retirement, are being handled by the House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by corporate ally Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.). They have two days of markup planned for this Thursday and Friday.

The Science Committee, Education and Labor Committee, and Small Business Committee also are conducting their markups on Thursday.

The Agriculture Committee is holding its markup on Friday.

The committee-approved Natural Resources bill includes:
  • $3 billion to support the Civilian Climate Corps through the Department of the Interior
  • $1 billion for tribal climate resilience and adaptation
  • $900 million for national wildfire management
  • $500 million for a unique Tribal Civilian Climate Corps
  • $225 million for climate resilience and restoration
  • $100 million for mitigating climate-induced weather events
  • $100 million for tribal wildfire management
  • $2.7 billion for overdue Indian water rights settlements
  • $2.5 billion to clean up abandoned hardrock mines and redevelop them for productive use
  • $2 billion for health facility construction, maintenance, and improvement in Indian Country
  • $993 million for hospitals and health infrastructure in U.S. territories
  • $500 million for tribal housing improvements

The proposed $45.4 billion Science Committee bill includes:

Department of Energy ($20.6 billion)
  • $5 billion for regional innovation initiatives
  • $10.4 billion for the Department of Energy Office of Science laboratories, including $1.3 billion for the ITER fusion project
  • $349 million for the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for NREL projects including the new EMAPS program and ARIES grid simulation
  • $408 million for the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy
  • $20 million for the Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
  • $1.08 billion in general funds for Department of Energy National Laboratories, including
    • $377 million for Office of Science
    • $210 million for Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
    • $40 million for Office of Nuclear Energy
    • $190 million for Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
    • $102 million for the Office of Environmental Management
  • $2 billion for fusion research and development
  • $1.1 billion for Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy demonstration projects, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, vehicles, bioenergy, and building technologies
  • $70 million for a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute
  • $52.5 million for university nuclear reactor research
  • $10 million for demonstration projects on reducing the environmental impacts of fracking wastewater
  • $20 million for the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
  • $50 million for the Office of the Inspector General
Environmental Protection Agency
  • $264 million to conduct environmental research and development activities related to climate change, including environmental justice
FEMA
  • $798 million for Assistance to Firefighters Grants
NASA ($4.4 billion)
  • $4 billion for infrastructure and maintenance
  • $388 million for climate change research and development
NIST ($4.2 billion)
  • $1.2 billion for scientific and technical research, including resilience to natural hazards including wildfires, and greenhouse gas and other climate-related measurement
  • $2 billion for American manufacturing support
  • $1 billion for infrastructure and maintenance
NOAA ($4.2 billion)
  • $1.2 billion for weather, ocean, and climate research and forecasting
  • $265 million to develop and distribute actionable climate information for communities in an equitable manner
  • $500 million to recruit, educate, and train a “climate-ready” workforce
  • $70 million for high-performance computing
  • $224 million for phased-array radar research and development
  • $1 billion for hurricane hunter aircraft and radar systems
  • $12 million for drone missions
  • $743 million for deferred maintenance
  • $173 million for space weather
National Science Foundation ($10.95 billion)
  • $3.4 billion for infrastructure, including Antarctic bases – $300 million for minority-serving institutions
  • $7.5 billion for research grants, including at least $400 million for climate change research and $700 million for minority-serving institutions
  • $50 million for Office of the Inspector General
The Small Business Committee bill includes, among many other programs:
  • $2.1 billion to back upwards of $4.2 billion in small-business loans to purchase renewable energy equipment, including solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage
The Education & Labor Committee bill includes:
  • roughly $450 billion in lowering the cost of child care and securing universal pre-K for three- and four-year-olds
  • $111 billion to lower the cost of higher education
  • $82 billion in America’s public school infrastructure, for safe, healthy, energy efficient, and environmentally resilient public school facilities
  • nearly $80 billion in workforce development programs
  • nearly $35 billion in child nutrition programs

Full Committee Markup of Reconciliation Budget Plan

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

On Thursday, September 2, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. EDT via Cisco Webex and livestreamed on the Committee’s YouTube page, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2002 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, S. Con. Res.14.

At the markup, the Committee will decide on provisions in the bill that will raise revenue and protect American taxpayers from unnecessary industry subsidies and giveaways.

The markup is expected to include:
  • $3 billion to support the Civilian Climate Corps through the Department of the Interior
  • $1 billion for tribal climate resilience and adaptation
  • $900 million for national wildfire management
  • $500 million for a unique Tribal Civilian Climate Corps
  • $225 million for climate resilience and restoration
  • $100 million for mitigating climate-induced weather events
  • $100 million for tribal wildfire management
  • $2.7 billion for overdue Indian water rights settlements
  • $2.5 billion to clean up abandoned hardrock mines and redevelop them for productive use
  • $2 billion for health facility construction, maintenance, and improvement in Indian Country
  • $993 million for hospitals and health infrastructure in U.S. territories
  • $500 million for tribal housing improvements

Download the bill text here.

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