Washington D.C. — Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) today. The bill now goes to President Biden to be signed into law. The IRA devotes $369 billion to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, making it by far the biggest climate change legislation in US history. This is a significant win demonstrating the momentum of the climate movement over the last decade. However, the price of its passage was West Virginia senator Joe Manchin’s compromises including measures intended to boost fossil fuel production. While the bill opens doors, the work of the climate movement must now turn to stopping the side bill aimed at increasing fossil fuel production.
May Boeve, Executive Director of 350.org, made the following statement:
“It’s a historic day. 350.org grew out of a campaign calling for climate legislation in 2007. Now in 2022, US climate legislation has passed. It took fifteen years – and in those years we have built a powerful movement that has pressured our leaders to take the climate crisis seriously. We know the bill is far from perfect, and we’ve got lots of work ahead of us. But we recognize that this moment is a direct result of people power.
“In particular, we are heartened by the massive investment in renewable energy that will speed up the U.S. economy’s fossil free transition and significantly reduce emissions. A US bill signed into law to reduce emissions has the opportunity to influence climate policy globally and locally for countries, states, and cities who want to invest in a transition to renewable energy. National action alone enables momentum at both the global and local levels.
“We also know this is not the end all be all. As we recognize this moment, we gear up towards the fights ahead. We will continue to build on our power to fight dangerous side deals that are at the expense of frontlines and BIPOC communities. In the coming weeks, we will work full force to stop Manchin’s permitting deal aimed at making it easier to build fossil fuel projects. We will push President Biden to use the full power of the Presidency to take unilateral action to make up for where this bill lacks – namely by declaring a Climate Emergency and stopping the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
“Momentum is on our side. With COP27 around the corner, we know what’s at stake for our planet and those already suffering from the climate crisis. The fossil fuel industry can try as they might to make deals and compromises, but we will resist with the full force of millions who know that our future is dependent on transitioning off of fossil fuels.”
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Press Contact: Thanu Yakupitiyage, U.S. Communications Director, [email protected]