Carbon Capture Coalition Statement on Passage of the House Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act

The Carbon Capture Coalition today issued the following statement on passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. This statement may be attributed to Coalition Director Brad Crabtree: 

“Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, which includes the most significant provisions for carbon capture since passage of Congress’ landmark bipartisan reform and expansion of the federal Section 45Q tax credit in 2018.

We recognize and thank House leadership and members of the House Energy & Commerce and Science Committees for their efforts to secure passage of this critically important legislation.

The House energy innovation package brings together several bipartisan bills and amendments that, taken together, would transform federal research, development, demonstration and deployment programs for carbon capture, use, removal and geologic storage and authorize billions of dollars in funding—levels sufficient to begin putting our energy, industrial and manufacturing economy on a path to meeting midcentury climate goals, while safeguarding and growing our nation’s high-wage jobs base.

Industry, NGO and labor members of the Carbon Capture Coalition have worked for years with members of Congress and their staff on a bipartisan basis to support the development of key carbon capture elements of both H.R. 4447 and the Senate’s comprehensive and ambitious energy bill, S. 2657, the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA).

We now call on the Senate to do its part. Today, in a letter to Senate leadership, the Coalition urged Senators to advance the AEIA to the floor for passage, followed by conference with the House, in order to get legislation to the President’s desk before the end of the 116th Congress.

It has been over 12 years since Congress enacted comprehensive legislation to update our nation’s energy laws, and the upcoming Presidential election should not be a barrier to getting this accomplished. It’s worth noting that one of the most significant energy bills ever passed, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, was signed into law on October 24, 1992, right before that year’s election.

The Carbon Capture Coalition stands ready to work with members of the House and Senate from both political parties to enact energy legislation that will spur job growth for Americans at a time of great national need, position the U.S. to remain a global energy and industrial technology leader and help put our country’s economy on track to decarbonize by 2050.”

The Coalition submitted the following letters to congressional leadership in support of carbon capture provisions in the House and Senate energy bills:

• Click here to read the Coalition’s September 24 letter to Senate leaders urging them to consider floor time for the American Energy Innovation Act.
• Click here to read the Coalition’s September 21 letter to House leaders thanking them for providing floor time for H.R. 4447.
• Click here to read the Coalition’s September 11 letter to House leaders thanking them for committing to provide September floor time for essential energy innovation bills.
• Click here to read the Coalition-signed letter on September 11 to the United States Senate urging passage of the American Energy Innovation Act.