Swalwell & 122 Members of Congress Urge Robust Funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Innovation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today led 122 House members in urging robust funding for the Department of Energy’s effort to partner the federal government with industry, academia, and research facilities to advance America’s energy efficiency and renewable energy innovation.
The lawmakers’ letter asks the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee to support President Obama’s fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request of $2.898 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) – $830 million more than in FY 2016.
“If we truly want an ‘all of the above’ energy strategy, we must put our money where our mouths are to make it happen,” said Swalwell, who serves on the Science, Space and Technology Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy. “This funding increase helps ensure that the United States continues to lead the world in the search for better, safer, more affordable energy.”
EERE leads a large network of researchers and other partners to deliver innovative technologies that will help make renewable electricity generation more cost-competitive with traditional sources of energy. Its research, development, and deployment programs focus on three major fields: renewable electricity generation, sustainable transportation, and energy-saving homes, buildings, and manufacturing.
“We must invest to remain competitive, or we risk falling behind,” the lawmakers’ letter says. “By prioritizing funding for EERE, Congress will be signaling to our scientists and engineers at home and around the world that we are serious about rising to meet the growing demand for cheaper, more sustainable energy.”
The letter is supported by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the American Wind Energy Association.
Swalwell also is a lead co-sponsor of the “50×30” resolution – introduced this month by Rep. John K. Delaney (MD-6) and Rep. Ben Ray Luján (NM-3) – to set a national goal of obtaining more than 50 percent of U.S. electricity production from clean, carbon-free sources by 2030, and calling for new laws to help the nation reach that goal. Robust EERE funding will help move America toward that objective.
Read the letter here.
Source: Representative Eric Swalwell
