As originally published in the Rockford Register Star on April 13th, 2018.
Everyone knows the overall budget process in Washington is broken. However, Congressman Adam Kinzinger found a way to cut through the noise to ensure that a number of provisions that benefit Illinois communities were funded, including building out infrastructure through transportation, energy, water and cyber projects.
As a clean energy advocate, a few programs in particular stood out to me: The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. ARPA-E and EERE projects promote clean energy and storage technology development, which will drive economic growth while protecting the environment. Additionally, they will be critical for updating our grid systems and reducing our dependence on foreign sources of energy — key elements of our national defense.
America needs to continue to pursue innovation in energy in order maintain its standing in the world. Congressman Kinzinger knows this and is always looking for responsible, commonsense energy solutions. I thank him for his vote and his influence in this process, as well as his ongoing support for the development of clean energy.
— Heather Reams, managing director, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Washington, D.C.