Earthjustice Action Statement on American Energy Independence and Affordability Act Introduction

WASHINGTON, DC—This week, U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.), and Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee introduced H.R. 5862, the American Energy Independence and Affordability Act. The bill would restore clean energy and transportation tax credits and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act that were curtailed or weakened by President Trump’s big, ugly bill. The legislation would restore over a dozen tax credits and incentives, including the clean vehicle tax credits for consumers, extend incentives for energy efficient homes and commercial buildings, and the full clean electricity production and investment tax credits, among other provisions. 

Many of these tax credits were already boosting domestic clean energy production and vehicle manufacturing, creating jobs, and spurring investment in communities across the country.  

In response, Earthjustice Action Legislative Director of Climate and Energy Corey Solow issued the following statement:  

“Congressional Republicans sacrificed hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and cheaper, cleaner energy when they effectively repealed the IRA’s clean energy tax credits to placate the whims of President Trump. We thank Rep. Thompson and other Members for recognizing the importance of these credits and getting us one step closer to reinstating them. While we support those that were already turbocharging our clean energy economy, we remain concerned that those incentivizing the production of energy sources like hydrogen lack the necessary guardrails to ensure a truly clean hydrogen industry that doesn’t perpetuate more harm on impacted communities. We look forward to working with Congress on incentives to quickly build out the clean energy future in an equitable way while remedying the mistakes of the big, ugly bill.”