Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) says that trillion-dollar proposals put together by Congress are moving “in the right direction” on investing in clean energy and climate technology.
During an interview on Hill.TV’s “Rising,” Casten was asked how well he thinks $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure proposal or the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation proposal addresses clean energy.
The $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation proposal includes much of what was left out of the bipartisan proposal, including key climate priorities such as reaching 80 percent clean energy and cutting carbon emissions in half by 2030. The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure proposal deals with some climate priorities, though the legislation is scaled back.
“It is moving in the right direction,” Casten said.
“When I met with President Biden last week, my conversation with him was that what is scientifically necessary exceeds whatever any of us think is politically possible right now, and we need to make sure to close that gap.”
Casten said a big issue that needs to be addressed is dealing with a “massive wealth transfer” from energy producers to consumers.
“In the conversion to a cheaper economy, we’re creating a massive wealth transfer from energy producers to energy consumers,” Casten said. “But is important to understand that as long as we put the interest of American citizens and American consumers first, we can get this done we just have to keep pushing.”
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