House energy coalition forms six new task forces to support housing, technology

The House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) announced task forces for the 119th Congress.

Each task force is focused on a different aspect of securing a healthy and prosperous American future that SEEC will push for congressional and executive action on in the 119th Congress.

The SEEC is a coalition of 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that was founded in January 2009 to be a focused, active, and effective coalition for advancing policies that address climate change, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create family-sustaining clean jobs, protect our nation’s air, water, and natural environment, and promote environmental justice.

Climate and Agriculture, co-chaired by Reps. Chellie Pingree of Maine and Kim Schrier of Washington, will continue to highlight the value of climate smart agriculture and the need to protect the Inflation Reduction Act investments through the United States Department of Agriculture. The task force will push back against harmful actions taken by the Trump Administration and Congress that exacerbate the climate crisis for farmers and rural communities. The task force also will work to identify additional opportunities in the Farm Bill to secure climate wins, including identifying areas with bipartisan support.

Clean Energy Deployment, co-chaired by Reps. Sean Casten of Illinois and Mike Levin of California, will focus on studying and addressing impediments to the full deployment of cleaner, cheaper energy technology, especially in a time of increasing energy demand; protecting and building on the progress we have made thus far; and exploring potential grid modernization and clean energy reform policies. The goal will be to ensure cleaner, cheaper energy continues to be a key part of U.S. energy independence.

Climate Jobs, co-chaired by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, Nikki Budzinski of Illinois and Mark DeSaulnier of California, will focus on advocating for pro-worker policies with a focus on energy security by uniting labor and industry groups to ensure an economically beneficial energy transition. Topics will include workforce development through registered apprenticeships and tax incentives, improving job quality and density within domestic energy production, and building on American energy dominance through a strong clean energy workforce. The task force will also prioritize domestic manufacturing policies that ensure the clean energy supply chain is robust and resilient, supporting American jobs and energy security.

The Lands, Waters and Nature Task Force will be co-chaired by Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia, Maxine Dexter of Oregon and Doris Matsui of California. They will focus on actions that prioritize public lands and waters protections, habitat conservation, coastal resilience and nature-based solutions as a means to mitigate and adapt to our rapidly changing climate and environment. American families, communities and economy rely on healthy ecosystems for clean air and water, and promoting the conservation and restoration of natural habitats, while addressing the worsening biodiversity crisis, will be key to delivering critical ecosystem services to our communities. The task force will develop a forward-looking policy agenda to harness the power of our lands and waters to ensure that future generations of Americans are left with a planet that is healthier and cleaner than we found it.

The Building Resilient Housing Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Dave Min of California and Johnny Olszewski of Maryland, will focus on building out housing stock in a way that addresses the dual crises of housing affordability and climate change. Access to high quality, attainable housing should be a fundamental right, as well as promoting market-based, mixed-income approaches that can meet the needs of families at all income levels, including promoting public transportation and workforce opportunities, addressing other issues that impact the ability to find suitable housing, such as food deserts and ballooning insurance costs due to extreme weather events. Buildings are also a major source of climate pollution, and more attention is needed to address decarbonizing the current building stock while also promoting resilience.

Innovation and Technology, co-chaired by Reps. Kevin Mullin of California and Andrea Salinas of Oregon, will focus on advancing the research, development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges in the American energy system and the environment. Members will work to develop legislation that encourages innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable technologies to meet energy demands and environmental goals. Possible topics include methods to strengthen the grid and meet growing electricity demand, improve wildfire response and expand the Department of Energy’s efforts to accelerate the development of clean technologies.