Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act to expand the solar manufacturing supply chain in the U.S., create jobs, and support our global competitiveness.
“Nevada has a booming solar industry, and bringing the full solar manufacturing supply chain back to the U.S. will help us grow our clean-energy economy and support more good-paying, union jobs,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “We have an incredible opportunity to lead the world in affordable clean energy production, and this Act would make critical investments to enhance our global competitiveness and stand up to the People’s Republic of China.”
“Transitioning to clean energy sources like solar energy will be a clear economic win for the United States and help create good-paying jobs here at home,” said Senator Feinstein. “Our bill would help achieve true energy independence by investing in and supporting every aspect of domestic solar energy production.”
“China has gotten pretty good at taking our ideas, monetizing them, and using them to compete against American workers and businesses using unfair trade practices to undermine American manufacturing,” said Senator Brown. “We need to couple strong trade enforcement with a strong manufacturing sector. By investing in American solar manufacturing, this legislation works to reduce our reliance on solar components made in the People’s Republic of China. It is our opportunity to fight back and invest in renewable energy technologies that will drive the next generation of U.S. economic growth and manufacturing to be developed in America, and to put people to work at good-paying jobs in Ohio.”
“Investing in Made in America solar manufacturing will ensure our supply chains are housed here in the U.S. and help us move toward a renewable energy future, all while creating good paying jobs,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to support this legislation that will create and sustain American manufacturing jobs and help provide low cost clean energy for American families.”
The Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act would authorize the Secretary of Energy to provide $3 billion in grants and loans over the next 5 years to fund the construction of new U.S. facilities that manufacture solar components, as well as to retool, retrofit, or expand existing facilities that manufacture solar components. The legislation also supports good-paying union jobs by ensuring that any solar manufacturing facility in the U.S. that receives funding has strong labor protections for workers. Representative Val Demings (D-Fla.-10) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This Act is endorsed by The Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Sierra Club, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, and American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE).
As a longtime proponent of renewable and sustainable energy, Senator Cortez Masto secured an extension of the Investment Tax Credit and the residential renewable energy tax credit for solar in the 2020 Omnibus funding bill. Senator Cortez Masto was able to successfully advocate for two additional years of renewable energy tax credits for the solar industry and its workers. Earlier this week, Cortez Masto also spoke on the Senate floor about the urgent need for the administration to act and protect jobs in Nevada’s booming solar energy industry.
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