Bacon Leads Efforts to Create Jobs and Grow Nebraska’s Clean Energy Economy
WASHINGTON — Today, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) formally announced its endorsement of Rep. Don Bacon in his reelection bid for the U.S. House in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.
In order to receive CRES’s endorsement, candidates must acknowledge a role for the federal government in reducing America’s carbon emissions and developing a robust clean energy industry, as well as demonstrate leadership on policy initiatives related to climate change and emissions reduction.
“Congressman Don Bacon has played a key role in advancing the clean energy technologies that have created nearly 20,000 jobs in Nebraska,” said CRES Executive Director Heather Reams. “During his time in the U.S. House, Congressman Bacon has worked to promote a safe and healthy environment, supported job-creating policies that strengthen our energy economy, and has authored legislation to support Nebraska farmers in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions. CRES is proud to formally endorse Don Bacon in his reelection bid for U.S. House in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.”
“I’m thankful for the CRES endorsement and proud that we have gained energy independence, while decreasing our carbon emissions by more than the next 12 countries combined. In doing this, I’ve supported tax incentives for growing our wind, solar, and geo-thermal energy capacity and advocated for research in battery storage and carbon capture technologies. I will continue to pursue increased energy independence, cleaner energy production, and a cleaner environment,” said Congressman Don Bacon.
CRES-endorsed candidates have contributed to a policy landscape to advance clean energy and emissions reductions in a way that puts the needs of the country first. Examples of initiatives and legislation championed by CRES and endorsed candidates have included reforming and reauthorizing ARPA-E and advanced nuclear research and development; commonsense, market-based emissions-reduction policies, including legislation to help farmers, ranchers and landowners embrace sustainable farming practices and participate in voluntary carbon markets; and policy solutions to incentivize the next generation of hydropower, wind, solar and geothermal generation, among others.
Congressman Bacon’s record on clean energy includes the following:
- Lead Republican sponsor of the Growing Climate Solutions Act, legislation that helps solve technical entry barriers for farmer and forest landowner participation in carbon credit markets.
- Co-sponsored the Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act, legislation that directs the Department of Energy to establish a research, development and demonstration program for grid-scale energy storage.
- Co-sponsored the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act, a bill that expands the existing investment tax credit for solar energy to include energy storage technology, including large, utility-scale energy storage projects or smaller battery systems for residential use.
- Co-sponsored the Trillion Trees Act, legislation that establishes forest management, reforestation and utilization practices to help reduce carbon emissions.
- Co-sponsored the USE IT Act, legislation to support carbon utilization and direct air capture research.
- Co-sponsored the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Reauthorization Act of 2019, which is a successful DOE program which provides funding for transformative, early stage energy research in support of American energy security and economic competitiveness.
- Co-sponsored the U.S. House resolution formally recognizing National Clean Energy Week 2020.
- Serves as a member of the U.S. House Climate Solutions Caucus.
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