As the U.S. Senate prepares to return from recess early next week, Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad released the following statement calling for immediate action to pass the climate provisions in the Build Back Better Act (BBBA):

“We’ve reached a fork in the road. When the Senate returns from recess on Monday, Majority Leader Schumer must put the Build Back Better Act at the top of the Senate’s agenda. With consensus from 50 Senate Democrats on BBBA’s climate investments, there’s simply no excuse for further delay.

“The climate crisis is wreaking havoc on the lives of Americans across this country, and inaction is costing our economy billions of dollars per year. We cannot afford to wait any longer, it's time to prioritize and make the tough choices necessary to strike a deal that includes the transformative climate investments that benefit all Americans. The Senate should move to act on its most important legislative item now, without any more delay.

“Each week that goes by without action from Congress, we are faced with an even greater risk of an unlivable future. The transformative climate investments in BBBA can help address climate change and jumpstart a thriving and equitable clean energy economy. The votes are there, now Senate Democrats must deliver.”

As President Biden stated last week, there is support among all 50 Senate Democrats for the climate provisions in BBBA. These transformative investments are fully paid for and funded for ten years, and would make a historic down payment to confront the climate crisis and build an equitable and thriving clean energy economy. 

###