Join the Electrification Caucus
Rewiring America applauds the formation of the bicameral Electrification Caucus, a group of Congressional leaders from both chambers who recognize the importance of electrification in growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs, reducing our pollution, creating healthier indoor environments, and saving American families money. The Caucus is co-chaired by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY 20), and Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL 14). Committed to advancing policies that support the widespread electrification of our economy, the Caucus will focus on:
- Consumer rebates, consumer-facing tax credits, and financing mechanisms
- Workforce training
- Justice and equity issues related to electrification
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
- Building codes
- Grid improvements and expanding transmission
- Upstream incentives to spur U.S. manufacturing
- Transition of electric sector to clean energy
- Incentives to encourage electrification of industrial processes and facilities
The Electrification Caucus will be crucial for legislation and federal action on electrification. If tackling the climate crisis is important to you, reach out to your Senators and Representatives and encourage them to join the Caucus.
To learn more about the Electrification Caucus, please visit the Electrification Caucus website by Co-Chair Senator Heinrich.
Caucus Co-Chairs
- Sen. Martin Heinrich
D-NM
- Sen. Tina Smith
D-MN
- Rep. Paul Tonko
D-NY-20
- Rep. Kathy Castor
D-FL-14
Senate Caucus Members
- Sen. Richard Durbin
D-IL
- Sen. John Hickenlooper
D-CO
- Sen. Angus King
I-ME
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar
D-MN
- Sen. Edward Markey
D-MA
- Sen. Jeffrey Merkley
D-OR
- Sen. Brian Schatz
D-HI
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren
D-MA
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
D-RI
House Caucus Members
- Rep. Nanette Barragan
D-CA-44
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer
D-OR-03
- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
D-OR-01
- Rep. G.K. Butterfield
D-NC-01
- Rep. Sean Casten
D-IL-06
- Rep. Yvette Clarke
D-NY-09
- Rep. Sharice Davids
D-KS-03
- Rep. Deborah Dingell
D-MI-12
- Rep. Veronica Escobar
D-TX-16
Quotes
- Sen. Martin Heinrich
D-New Mexico
“Electrifying our homes and businesses is one of the surest climate actions that we can take right now. We can create millions of new jobs, reduce our energy bills, and improve air quality and public health,” said Heinrich. “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.”
Heinrich added, “We must seize this opportunity by adopting policies to accelerate the electrification of households, buildings, and businesses in the United States. To power these new electrified machines, and to meet our carbon emission goals, America must also modernize our electricity grid, build much more clean energy generation, and continue on the path towards decarbonizing the entire electricity sector by 2035.”
- Sen. Tina Smith
D-Minnesota
“We’re pushing on both the supply side of power and on the demand side of power and what that means in terms of building American supply chains, not only for clean power supply like solar and battery storage, but also what we can do on the demand side with electrifying buildings and heating and cooling and appliances,” Smith said. “I think that’s tremendously exciting and transformative in the long term.”
- Rep. Paul Tonko
D-New York
“Electrifying our buildings and vehicles will not only prove vital in our fight to combat the climate crisis, but also offers untapped opportunities to improve energy efficiency, spur innovation and provide all Americans with better, cleaner alternatives. Now is the time for Congress to take bold steps towards electrification in order to help Americans save on their energy bills while breathing cleaner air. I will continue pushing for this action to meet our climate goals and pave a path towards a clean energy economy.”
- Rep. Kathy Castor
D-Florida
"All Americans deserve to live in homes that are good for their health, their pocketbooks, and the environment," said Castor. "This bill [the Zero-Emission Homes Act] will help millions of families switch to cleaner electric appliances and save money on their utility bills, while also putting Americans to work in every hometown across the country. Additionally, it will help us solve the climate crisis, make progress reducing pollution, and target cost-savings to our neighbors who really need it."
Activity
Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs and Members Call on FERC to Improve Grid Reliability and Lower Energy Costs
“We have technologies we can deploy today to reduce household energy bills, improve reliability, create jobs, and cut harmful carbon pollution. We urge you to take next steps as expeditiously as possible to upgrade and expand our electric grid to enable power sharing across regions and the connection of more affordable and abundant renewable energy to power our homes, businesses, and vehicles at lower costs.”
Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs Call On President Biden To Achieve True Energy Independence With Electrification And Clean Energy
Electrification Caucus Co-chairs: "We urge the Biden Administration to take action to ramp up American manufacturing and adoption of electric appliances like heat pumps and work with the Senate to steer transformative investments in clean energy across the finish line."
Co-Chair Senator Heinrich and Rewiring America CEO Ari Matusiak Op-Ed on Freedom for Ukraine, electrification for peace and prosperity
Sen. Heinrich:“The only way to break free from that cycle of dependence is to stop using the machines that consume fossil fuels to heat our air and water, cook our food, dry our clothes, and take us from place to place. We must electrify. And quickly.”
Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs, Houston Mayor, Redfin CEO, and Rewiring America CEO Call for Congressional Action on Home Electrification Measures
Sen. Tina Smith: “Building out clean electricity and then electrifying everything we can is a powerful combination. It isn’t just good for the climate, it also saves people money. The planet and future generations depend on us acting now. We must work together and pass strong clean energy legislation now.”
Sen. Heinrich Talks Building Electrification to Stanford Students
Sen. Heinrich: “I view widespread electrification as a foundational piece of concrete action. In coordination with decarbonization of our entire power generation sector, Electrification of our homes, offices and vehicles will be central to meeting our carbon emissions targets quickly enough to prevent the worst impacts of our warming planet.”
Rep. Tonko Joins DOE Sec. Granholm Talk Renewable Energy and Build Back Better
Rep. Tonko: "It’s important to recognize that this opportunity for offshore wind is part of the clean energy cycle with no fuel costs. When we look at offshore wind, it’s an asset and a treasure [enabling us] to be able to meet national and state clean energy goals."
House Select Committee on Climate Crisis Holds Hearing to Discuss the Benefits of Climate Investments on Families and Businesses
Rep. Castor: “Investing in clean energy will make America healthier and more resilient - and unleash incredible economic benefits for American families, such as reducing the costs of energy, lowering electric bills, reducing the cost of traveling, and creating millions of family-sustaining jobs…Households could save about $500 dollars every year just on energy costs by embracing renewables, electric vehicles, home weatherization and electric appliances.”
Experts Discuss the Benefits of Building Electrification in Joint Economic Committee Hearing
Sen. Heinrich: “The good news is that there are already electric alternatives for fossil-burning machines in our homes. Each of these electric substitutes can help reduce climate pollution and create savings on our energy bills.”
News
A New Moment for Energy Overhaul
“Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) floated various ways that Biden should force the manufacture of heat pumps to ease the strain in the energy markets caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Biden administration could place a significant procurement order through the Department of Defense, utilize the Loan Programs Office capacity at the Department of Energy, or invoke the Defense Production Act to “pump out heat pumps to electrify European homes,” he said at a Wednesday event hosted by Rewiring America, Evergreen Action and Ceres. He dubbed the push "electrify for peace."
Dems Look to Reframe ‘Build Back Better’ on Pocketbook Issues
Democrats included as part of more than $500 billion in climate-related spending in their $1.7 trillion reconciliation package a series of voluntary rebate programs that would help low- and middle-income consumers offset the cost of purchasing electric home appliances like stoves, water heaters and heat pumps
Senators Heinrich, Markey Lead Call For USPS To Prioritize Widespread Fleet Electrification
“[The Senators] call on the USPS to increase procurement of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which would not only be cheaper to own and operate than internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), but improve public health and reduce environmental damages that are a result of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.”
Press Releases
- Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs Urge Climate Action, Investments In Widespread Electrification In President's 2023 Budget Proposal
Mar 22, 2022
“We reiterate our strong commitment to taking bold action on climate change. As Co-Chairs of the first bicameral Congressional Electrification Caucus, we are urging President Biden to prioritize investing in widespread electrification, including making electrification for American households easy and affordable.”
- Senator Heinrich: We Need to Act on Climate And Electrify For Peace
Mar 16, 2022
Senator Heinrich: We Need to Act on Climate And Electrify For Peace
“We need to get the Senate back to the table to pass necessary and substantial investments in clean energy generation, in transmission, and in home and vehicle electrification. We can’t waste this opportunity that is still right there for us to seize. Ramping up our deployment of clean energy and our adoption of fossil fuel-free appliances is a national security issue. And it has become a global security imperative.”
- Senator Heinrich Statement on Postal Delivery Vehicle Fleet Decision
February 24, 2022
Heinrich Statement on Postal Delivery Vehicle Fleet Decision
“The U.S. Postal Service’s decision to not replace its fleet with electric vehicles is a glaring mistake. Our transportation sector is a leading contributor to the climate crisis. By choosing gas-powered vehicles, Postmaster General DeJoy is effectively locking in 25 years or more of USPS gasoline consumption and carbon pollution. This decision will also result in a massive waste of taxpayer dollars. Clean and zero-emission vehicles are the future of transportation.”
- Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs Call for Action on Electrification Measures to Lower Costs for American Families, Create Jobs, Combat Climate Crisis
February 17, 2022
“The U.S. Postal Service’s decision to not replace its fleet with electric vehicles is a glaring mistake. Our transportation sector is a leading contributor to the climate crisis. By choosing gas-powered vehicles, Postmaster General DeJoy is effectively locking in 25 years or more of USPS gasoline consumption and carbon pollution. This decision will also result in a massive waste of taxpayer dollars. Clean and zero-emission vehicles are the future of transportation.”
- U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Major Investment in Electric Vehicle Charging for Minnesota
February 11, 2022
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Major Investment in Electric Vehicle Charging for Minnesota
“The fact is, the switch to electric vehicles in happening around the world; EV sales have more than doubled over the past year,” Smith said.“If America is serious about leading the electric vehicle revolution, we must ensure charging is accessible to all Americans. I’m thrilled to announce this historic investment, which will help Minnesota and the rest of the country accelerate our transition towards a clean energy future and help drivers across the country save money and go the distance.”