Heinrich Leads Colleagues In Introducing Electrifying America's Future Resolution

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led 14 Senate Democrats in introducing the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution to advance the vision of widespread electrification of appliances and machines in American homes and businesses. The resolution has received widespread support from over 100 organizations and nonprofits. 

VIDEO: Heinrich, Senate Democratic Colleagues, Rewiring America Announce New Plan For Widespread Electrification In U.S. [HD DOWNLOAD LINK HERE]

“Electrifying our homes and businesses is one of the surest climate actions that we can take right now. We can create millions of new jobs, reduce our energy bills, and improve air quality and public health,” said Heinrich. “This is a way to use already existing, proven technologies to dramatically reduce carbon pollution, create millions of new, good-paying jobs, and secure a better, more equitable future for our communities.” 

Heinrich added, “We must seize this opportunity by adopting policies to accelerate the electrification of households, buildings, and businesses in the United States. To power these new electrified machines, and to meet our carbon emission goals, America must also modernize our electricity grid, build much more clean energy generation, and continue on the path towards decarbonizing the entire electricity sector by 2035.” 

Joining Senator Heinrich to introduce the resolution are U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Angus King (I-Maine). 

“We’ve known for years that to avoid the worst impacts of climate change we must work to end our reliance on fossil fuels sooner rather than later,” said Padilla. “I’m proud to join Senator Heinrich in leading this important resolution to electrify our nation and fight for an emissions-free future. Electrifying America will help save our planet while creating millions of new jobs in the process.” 

“The vision outlined in this resolution is a win-win for Connecticut and every single state across the country. It will mean not only lower emissions and cleaner air, but also lower electricity rates. We all have a stake in electrifying the entire nation,” said Blumenthal. 

“As our nation is already experiencing the disastrous effects of climate change, it’s evident that we must invest in cleaner forms of energy,” said Durbin. “With the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution, we are reaffirming our commitment to building more sustainable systems, creating millions of new jobs, and saving consumers money on their energy bill. I look forward to a future where the modernization of our electric grid and investments in affordable, energy-efficient homes and buildings will make the U.S. a leader in clean energy.”

“The quicker we ensure the electrification of American homes and businesses, the closer our nation will be to kicking our carbon habit once and for all,” said Wyden. “The vision put forth in the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution would help cement the United States’ carbon-free future and tackle the climate crisis threatening the planet.”

“Electrifying homes and businesses is good for the environment, good for consumers, and good for the economy,”said Klobuchar. “This resolution calls for key steps that will lower energy costs, create jobs, and improve air quality – ultimately investing in our country’s future.”

“The threat of climate change demands bold action from Congress to protect our planet for future generations. This resolution creates a roadmap to modernize America’s outdated electric grid and reduce the harmful carbon pollution that contributes to climate change,” said Luján. “I’m proud to join Senator Heinrich in this effort, and I’ll continue to fight for legislation that combats climate change, promotes sustainable energy, and creates good-paying jobs in the process.”

The Electrifying America’s Future resolution outlines how widespread electrification will address climate change, put millions of Americans to work, and advance an equitable economy and strong labor standards. By modernizing the power grid and building a clean and carbon-free energy economy, the United States will become a leader in advanced 21st century industries and a net exporter of clean energy.

Specifically, the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution calls for:

• Electrifying the activities of high-emissions sectors, such as the residential and commercial construction, transportation, and industrial sectors
• Increasing the deployment of zero-emission electricity resources
• Expanding interregional transmission capacity and planning to promote widespread and reliable zero-emission electrification
• Adopting and expanding the use of technologies and processes that will make the electric power grid more resilient, reliable, and efficient
• Improving commercial, infrastructural, and manufacturing capacity for zero-emission electrification
• Lowering total energy costs for households and businesses
• Increasing the available financing for zero-emission electrification supporting technologies at all scales, from utility-scale power stations and transmission lines to individual homes and businesses
• Creating accessible financing mechanisms to make electrification projects affordable for all households
• Improving quality and access for higher education, vocational training, and certification programs for electrification workers, including low-income workers and people of color
• Facilitating the modernization of Federal, State, and local building, electric, and other codes to encourage the adoption of low-cost zero-emission electricity resources
• Investing in energy efficiency programs paired with electrification measures
• Investing in achieving full access to zero-emission electricity for rural and Tribal communities through a combination of new transmission and distribution, and new generation, such as through distributed solar and microgrids
• Pursuing a Federal Government-wide approach to zero-emission electrification
• Increasing understanding of the health impacts of indoor and outdoor air pollution created by fossil fuel appliances and electricity generation, especially on the most vulnerable members of society 
• Investing in research, development, and demonstration on the efficient use, recycling, and waste management of materials used in clean energy technologies
• Increasing research, development, and demonstration funding for the next generation of cutting-edge zero- emission electricity resources, deployment techniques, and grid modernization technologies 

For a fact sheet on the Electrifying America’s Future resolution, please click here. For a list of supporting quotes, please click here. 

Read the full text of the resolution by clicking here.