FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Conservatives to meet with Republican offices in defense of clean energy tax credits
Feb. 28, 2024 — Next week, conservatives from across America will gather in Washington, D.C., for Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s fifth annual Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day.
This annual event, taking place March 4-5 this year, is exclusively for right-of-center individuals to learn about climate policy and communication skills, and then have productive discussions with Republican congressional offices during a day of lobbying.
The lobby meetings will touch on several climate policy topics: protecting the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits from repeal, advancing the conversation around foreign pollution fees, and supporting the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. Given the budget reconciliation process starting to move forward in earnest, the primary focus of the meetings will be the clean energy tax credits.
“As conservatives, we are passionate about the economic benefits of clean energy innovation and investment,” reads a document our citizen lobbyists will bring to their meetings. “The expansion of clean energy is creating jobs, driving economic growth, and positioning the U.S. as a global leader in next-generation energy technologies. It’s a win-win for our economy, workforce, and emissions reductions goals.”
These meetings seek to build on the increasingly vocal Republican support for these measures.
In a Ways and Means Committee hearing last month, Politico reports that “eight Republicans urged their tax-writing colleagues […] to preserve tax credits created or expanded by Democrats’ climate law that the lawmakers said have brought jobs and investment to their districts.”
“We must not neglect the sector-wide energy tax provisions that manufacturers and job creators rely on in my district and around the country,” said Michigan Rep. John James in the hearing.
And in August of 2024, 18 Republicans on the Climate Solutions Caucus sent a letter to Speaker Johnson urging him to protect the clean energy tax credits from potential future repeal attempts.
“Today, many U.S. companies are already using sector-wide energy tax credits — many of which have enjoyed bipartisan support historically — to make major investments in new U.S. energy infrastructure,” the letter stated.
“Energy tax credits have spurred innovation, incentivized investment, and created good jobs in many parts of the country — including many districts represented by members of our conference.”
In a post-lobbying reception, CCL will recognize three Republican members of Congress for their engagement on the climate issue.
CONTACT: Flannery Winchester, Vice President of Communications, flannery@citizensclimate.org, 615-337-3642
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Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization
focused on national policies to address climate change. Learn more at citizensclimatelobby.org.
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