Electrifying America’s Future Resolution

Sponsored by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), May 2021

The Electrifying America’s Future Resolution advances the vision of widespread electrification of appliances and machines in American homes and businesses. This is a way to use already existing, proven technologies to dramatically reduce carbon pollution, create millions of new, good-paying jobs, and secure a better, more equitable future for our communities.

The Resolution outlines how widespread electrification will address climate change, put millions of Americans to work, and advance an equitable economy and strong labor standards. By modernizing the power grid and building a clean and carbon-free energy economy, the U.S. will become a leader in advanced 21st century industries and a net exporter of clean energy.

Highlights

Electrifying America's Future Resolution calls for:

  • Electrifying the activities of high-emissions sectors, such as the residential and commercial construction, transportation, and industrial sectors
  • Increasing the deployment of zero-emission electricity resources
  • Expanding interregional transmission capacity and planning to promote widespread and reliable zero-emission electrification
  • Adopting and expanding the use of technologies and processes that will make the electric power grid more resilient, reliable, and efficient
  • Improving commercial, infrastructural, and manufacturing capacity for zero-emission electrification
  • Lowering total energy costs for households and businesses
  • Increasing the available financing for zero-emission electrification supporting technologies at all scales, from utility-scale power stations and transmission lines to individual homes and businesses
  • Creating accessible financing mechanisms to make electrification projects affordable for all households
  • Improving quality and access for higher education, vocational training, and certification programs for electrification workers, including low-income workers and people of color
  • Facilitating the modernization of Federal, State, and local building, electric, and other codes to encourage the adoption of low-cost zero-emission electricity resources
  • Investing in energy efficiency programs paired with electrification measures
  • Investing in achieving full access to zero-emission electricity for rural and Tribal communities through a combination of new transmission and distribution, and new generation, such as through distributed solar and microgrids
  • Sen. Martin Heinrich
    Sen. Martin Heinrich

    D-New Mexico

    "Our future depends on our acting now to confront the climate crisis by enacting policies to convert our economy from fossil fuels to clean energy. By making this switch, we will also create millions of new jobs, save American households money on their energy bills and protect lives by improving the air we breathe in our homes and workplaces."

U.S. Senate

  • Sen. Martin Heinrich
    Sen. Martin Heinrich

    D-New Mexicosponsor

  • Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
    Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

    D-Rhode Islandco-sponsor

  • Sen. Cory Booker
    Sen. Cory Booker

    D-New Jerseyco-sponsor

  • Sen. Richard Blumenthal
    Sen. Richard Blumenthal

    D-Connecticutco-sponsor

  • Sen. Ben Ray Luján
    Sen. Ben Ray Luján

    D-New Mexicoco-sponsor

  • Sen. Alex Padilla
    Sen. Alex Padilla

    D-Californiaco-sponsor

  • Sen. Jeff Merkley
    Sen. Jeff Merkley

    D-Oregonco-sponsor

  • Sen. Ed Markey
    Sen. Ed Markey

    D-Massachusettsco-sponsor

  • Sen. Dick Durbin
    Sen. Dick Durbin

    D-Illinoisco-sponsor

Organizations

  • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
    Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

    Marc Boom, Director of Federal Affairs, Government Affairs Program

    "We are excited to support this resolution that lays out an ambitious plan to electrify America’s homes, vehicles and businesses in beneficial ways for people across our country. It marks a clear path for how to dramatically reduce carbon pollution and utility bills while creating millions of new, good-paying jobs, and securing a better, more equitable future for our communities."

  • Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
    Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

    Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs

    "We commend Senator Heinrich and his colleagues co-sponsoring the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution for recognizing the enormous opportunities to build a healthy and prosperous future for American families and workers in electrifying our economy. The vision for America laid out in this resolution is transformative -- by investing in electrification now the US can cut climate pollution and build a world class economy and workforce for the 21st century."

  • Sierra Club
    Sierra Club

    Rachel Golden, Deputy Director, Building Electrification Program

    "With legislation built on the ideas found in this resolution, we can reduce climate and hazardous air pollution, lower peoples’ monthly energy bills, and put millions of people to work in every corner of the country upgrading our communities for the 21st century. The science is indisputable: we must electrify and we can’t avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis if we keep making homes dependent on burning fossil fuels like ‘natural’ gas for heating."

  • Evergreen Action
    Evergreen Action

    Sam Ricketts, Co-Founder

    “By investing now to electrify buildings we can lower energy bills, eliminate deadly indoor pollution and create good union jobs in every part of the country—all while fighting the climate crisis. Evergreen applauds Senator Heinrich for his bold leadership on Electrifying America’s Future, and we look forward to our continued partnership in the fight for a just and thriving clean energy future.”

  • Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
    Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)

    Stephanie Green, Senior Principal and Program Lead, Carbon-Free Buildings

    "RMI is proud to support Senator Heinrich's Electrifying America’s Future resolution. Large-scale electrification across multiple sectors of our economy is critical to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution and to address the climate crisis. Additionally, RMI analyses show that all-electric buildings are cheaper to build and healthier for all American families."

Media Coverage

  • New York Times
    New York Times

    Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-NM

    Guest Essay: Your Next Car and Clothes Dryer Could Help Save Our Planet

    "Our future depends on our acting now to confront the climate crisis by enacting policies to convert our economy from fossil fuels to clean energy. By making this switch, we will also create millions of new jobs, save American households money on their energy bills and protect lives by improving the air we breathe in our homes and workplaces."

  • Washington Post
    Washington Post

    Rachel Pannett

    An Australian Inventor Wants to Stop Global Warming by Electrifying Everything

    "Last year, Griffith started a policy group called ‘Rewiring America’ to push the idea of mass electrification. They have been talking to lawmakers in Washington, including Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) who introduced a resolution in the Senate on May 18 that is inspired by Griffith’s ideas and calls for widespread electrification of American homes and businesses and new financing to help pay for it."

  • The Hill
    The Hill

    Rachel Frazin

    Senate Democrats Unveil Resolution Calling for Carbon-Free Electric Sector by 2035

    "The measure, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), says the goal should be achieved through mechanisms such as incentivizing deployment of electric heaters and ending fossil fuel subsidies. President Biden has likewise called for a carbon-free power sector by 2035, and House Democrats also laid out this goal in legislation earlier this year."

  • Politico
    Politico

    Kelsey Tamborrino

    IEA Lays Out Narrow Road to Net-Zero

    "Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), joined by nine other Democrats, will today introduce a resolution calling for accelerating the electrification of households, buildings, and businesses. Backers argue speeding electrification around the country would address climate change, while creating millions of jobs with strong labor standards."

  • Reuters
    Reuters

    U.S. Democrat Unveils Resolution to Electrify the Economy

    "Heinrich's non-binding Electrifying America's Future resolution includes calls for electrifying polluting sectors like construction and transportation, expanding interregional transmission capacity, boosting financing for electric technologies and modernizing building codes to encourage adoption of electric appliances."

Press Releases

  • Ari Matusiak
    Ari Matusiak

    May 18, 2021

    Rewiring America's CEO Ari Matusiak speaks in front of the U.S. Capitol, alongside Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and his Senate Democratic colleagues and leaders from BlocPower, Moms Clean Air Force, and Evergreen Action, to announce the Electrifying America's Future Resolution.

  • Sen. Martin Heinrich
    Sen. Martin Heinrich

    May 18, 2021

    Heinrich Leads Colleagues in Introducing Electrifying America’s Future Resolution

    "U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led 14 Senate Democrats in introducing the Electrifying America’s Future Resolution to advance the vision of widespread electrification of appliances and machines in American homes and businesses. The resolution has received widespread support from over 100 organizations and nonprofits."

  • Rewiring America
    Rewiring America

    May 21, 2021

    Nonprofit Rewiring America Expands to Meet the Moment of Massive American Climate and Energy Investment

    "Senator Martin Heinrich led the introduction of a Senate resolution, Electrifying America’s Future, using data from Rewiring America, to support a series of policies to move the grid, the industrial sector, buildings, and vehicles to full electrification."