Energy
Hardworking Americans are already living paycheck to paycheck, and energy is contributing to this cost-of-living crisis. The U.S. needs a comprehensive energy plan that prioritizes domestic energy sources that create jobs here at home. That is why Rosa supports the development of the next generation of clean and renewable energy sources and reducing our energy waste through efficiency improvements.
Driving Down Costs
We need an energy policy that works for American families. The rising cost of living puts a squeeze on families’ finances, forcing them to make difficult choices between putting food on the table, keeping the lights on, or ensuring they can heat their homes during the colder months.
Workers cannot get ahead when energy costs increase faster than wages. That is why Rosa is a strong supporter of investments in energy efficiency, including the Weatherization Assistance Program. She is also a major champion of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps ensure that Connecticut homes stay warm during the winter months and workers can continue to provide for their families without having to make difficult decisions between what bills to pay or not to pay.
Clean and Renewable American Energy
Currently, 83 percent of the energy used in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels—leaving our economy largely dependent upon foreign energy imports. For economic, national security, and environmental reasons, we need to shift away from fossil fuels and diversify with investments in the next generation of clean and renewable energy technologies.
Shifting toward domestically produced energy will also create good paying jobs here at home and increase our nation’s energy security. Rosa proudly supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which made historic investments to reduce the deficit, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and tackle the climate crisis by reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030.
One common barrier faced by many renewable energy companies is financing, which is one reason why Rosa introduced the National Infrastructure Development Bank Act. This bill would provide financing for a wide range of energy projects, including energy transmission, energy efficiency enhancements for existing building, renewable energy, and energy storage.