Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Ways and Means released a discussion draft of the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act, a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change by using the tax code to extend and expand renewable energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In response, Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) released the following statement:

“We face two urgent crises: climate change and income inequality. We have a choice between continuing to do things as they have been done for decades or we can build cleaner, greener and more equitable communities. Through my bill, the Affordable EVs for Working Families Act – included in the GREEN Act proposal released by the House Committee on Ways and Means – we will establish a first-of-its-kind tax credit for buyers of used plug-in electric cars to make electric vehicles affordable for working families across the country. I’d like to thank Chairman Richard Neal and Chairman Mike Thompson for including my bill in this strategic approach to ending climate change while recognizing the critical role of incorporating equity into climate solutions.”

The Affordable EVs for Working Families Act (H.R. 5161) is co-sponsored by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Congressman Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04), Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03), Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08), and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (CA-38). 

Click here to read the bill text of the Affordable EVs for Working Families Act.

Also included in the GREEN Act is Congressman Gomez’s Home Energy Savings Act (H.R. 4506) and New Home Energy Efficiency Act (H.R. 4646), co-sponsored by Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16), Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). This bipartisan legislation package allocates tax credits to homeowners who invest in high-efficiency heating, cooling, and water heating appliances and homebuilders who build and sell energy efficient homes.

Click to read the bill text of the Home Energy Savings Act and the New Home Energy Efficiency Act.

Congressman Gomez is an original co-sponsor for the following bills included in the GREEN Act: 

• Renewable Energy Investment Act (Blumenauer): This bill allows taxpayers to be treated as having made an overpayment of tax equivalent to 85 percent of the value of the credit they would otherwise be eligible for under the Section 48 investment tax credit or the Section 45 production tax credit.  
• Empowering Homeowners Energy Efficiency Act (Moore): This bill allows individuals to claim a credit of up to 30 percent of the cost of a home energy audit under Section 25C, up to a maximum credit of $150. 
• Innovative Energy Manufacturing Act (Boyle): This bill revives the Section 48C qualified advanced energy property credit for investments in manufacturing facilities for clean energy technologies.  This bill allocates an additional $2.5 billion to be awarded by the Secretary each year from 2020-2024.   
  
• Creating Opportunities in Research for Environmental Justice Act (CORE Justice Act – Lewis): The bill creates a credit of $1 billion for each year from 2020-2024 to institutions of higher education for environmental justice (EJ) programs. 

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