Senate Democrats introduce resolution to promote widespread electrification

A group of 14 Senate Democrats is sponsoring a measure that promotes widespread electrification of appliances and machines in America.

The Electrifying America’s Future Resolution outlines how widespread electrification will address climate change, create jobs, and spur economic growth. Specifically, the resolution calls for electrifying the activities of high-emissions sectors, such as the residential and commercial construction, transportation, and industrial sectors.

In addition, it calls for expanding interregional transmission capacity and planning to promote widespread electrification; adopting the use of technologies and processes that will make the electric power grid more resilient and efficient; improving commercial, infrastructural, and manufacturing capacity for electrification; lowering total energy costs for households and businesses; improving quality and access for higher education, vocational training, and certification programs for electrification workers; and increasing funding for the next generation of zero-emission electricity resources, deployment techniques, and grid modernization technologies.

“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,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), one of the bill’s sponsors, said.

It was also sponsored by U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ed Markey (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Angus King (I-ME).

The resolution has garnered support from over 100 organizations and nonprofits, including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

“We are excited to support this resolution that lays out an ambitious plan to electrify America’s homes, vehicles, and businesses in beneficial ways for people across our country. It marks a clear path for how to dramatically reduce carbon pollution and utility bills while creating millions of new, good-paying jobs and securing a better, more equitable future for our communities,” Marc Boom, director of federal affairs in the Government Affairs program at NRDC, said.

Other groups supporting the resolution include the Sierra Club, the Building Electrification Institute, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

“Moving from fossil fuel technologies to electric ones will be vital for tackling the climate crisis. We need to run our buildings and vehicles on renewable energy while maximizing efficiency to cut energy costs and reduce strains on the electric grid. Strong policies and investments will be critical to help make this transition a reality,” Steven Nadel, executive director at ACEEE, said.