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Schneider Climate Bills Essential Pieces to Draft Build Back Better Act

September 14, 2021

WASHINGTONAs The Committee on Ways and Means marks up the Build Back Better Act, the House's reconciliation bill, major components of Congressman Brad Schneider's Sustainable Skies Act and Greener Transportation for Communities Act were each used as essential elements to the bill's climate sections. As well, Schneider was an original cosponsor of the GREEN Act included in the bill.

"With this legislation as the guide, the Build Back Better Act will make unprecedented investments in America's fight against global climate change and in the competitiveness of America's workers and businesses. And it will enhance critical support for American families and, something I hope we can all celebrate, lift 3.6 million American children out of poverty," said Congressman Brad Schneider. "This is the greatest investment in tackling climate change in our nation's history. I am proud that two bills I have championed– The Sustainable Skies Act and the Greener Transportation for Communities Act – have been included in this legislation to fight climate change. The Sustainable Skies Act would invest in America's capacity to decarbonize aviation by providing a federal incentive for sustainable aviation fuel. Working toward eliminating aviation emissions, which represents two percent of the world's carbon emissions, is a monumental step in decarbonizing our economy."

The legislation would decarbonize aviation while building jobs by creating a tax credit starting at $1.25 per gallon for blenders that supply sustainable aviation fuel with a demonstrated 50% or greater lifecycle estimate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to standard jet fuel. Eligible fuels would need to follow the sustainability criteria established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or a new and independent methodology the bill requires the Treasury Department to establish in coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. The Sustainable Skies Act, bipartisan legislation on which this provision is modeled, has the support of the aviation industry, environmental organizations, biofuel producers, and organized labor.

The legislation will also expand America's electric vehicle charging infrastructure through the promotion of private activity bonds, modeled on Schneider's Greener Transportation for Communities Act.

Below are Congressman Brad Schneider's remarks as prepared for committee:

Thank you. And Mr. Chairman, and I want to express my gratitude for your leadership in crafting this, the foundation of the Build Back Better Act. As well, I want to thank the committee staff as well as my own team for their incredible and tireless work in this effort.

The bill text we are marking today is the culmination of years of work on this Committee.

Ultimately, with this legislation as the guide, the Build Back Better Act will make unprecedented investments in America's fight against global climate change and in the competitiveness of America's workers and businesses. And it will enhance critical support for American families and, something I hope we can all celebrate, lift 3.6 million American children out of poverty.

This bill is not perfect, nor does it accomplish all that everyone wants. But it accomplishes much and merits our support.

Idealists might say: "I will not support anything until I get exactly what I want." But the realists know that to make progress and put our nation on the path to a more prosperous and more secure future, we have to be willing to make tough choices.

This legislation is a prime example of Congress taking on the challenges that face us, such as the existential threat of climate change, and empowers working families with the resources they need like the child tax credit, affordable childcare, and universal paid leave.

I am proud that two bills I have championed– The Sustainable Skies Act and the Greener Transportation for Communities Act – have been included in this legislation to fight climate change.

The Sustainable Skies Act would invest in America's capacity to decarbonize aviation by providing a federal incentive for sustainable aviation fuel.

Working toward eliminating aviation emissions, which represents two percent of the world's carbon emissions, is a monumental step in decarbonizing our economy.

Just last week, I joined with National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy, Cabinet Secretaries Granholm, Vilsack and Buttigieg, and Senator Brown, and Congresswoman Brownley to support our work on SAF. The legislation in today's bill, in combination with the Biden Administration's whole-of-government work, has earned widespread support from the aviation industry groups like Chicago's own United Airlines to environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund and the World Wildlife Fund.

I also want to assure my colleague from Nebraska, we are actively working on language to resolve the issue he raised. Our goal has long been to have the domestic eligibility standard for SAF to be functionally independent from ICAO.

I am actively working with Chairman Neal and our diverse group of stakeholders—including biofuel producers, environmental groups, and the aviation industry—to include this language going forward.

I'd also like to submit for the record two letters from our coalition of biofuels producers, the aviation industry, organized labor, and others in support of our legislation.

Thank you.

The Greener Transportation for Communities Act will help America expand our electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a critical part of electrifying the national fleet of vehicles and decarbonizing on-the-ground transportation. Again, a huge and necessary undertaking if we are serious about combating climate change

These examples only scratch the surface of the climate progress made by this bill, the single largest federal investment in combating the climate crisis and a down-payment on a clean future for America. Truly, we are building back better.

American families and workers will be better off with the Build Back Better Act. They will be receiving tax cuts through the Child Tax Credit. They will be healthier with the Affordable Care Act expanded and with more doctors trained to treat them. And we will create jobs in their own communities with investments in infrastructure.

In order to pay for these critical investments in the American workforce and the American economy, we had to make responsible choices with changes to U.S. tax policy.

With my colleagues, I raised concerns about how we needed a thoughtful approach that protected U.S. competitiveness. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you, being responsive to those concerns—and I look forward to continuing this conversation as the legislative process moves forward.

I've also raised concerns about our need to promote and protect the innovative engine that has driven the U.S. economy throughout our history. My state of Illinois has a long history of innovation and creation of new industries dating back to the industrial revolution. This innovation has created millions of quality American jobs in everything from basic manufacturing to advanced high tech. In my own district, in the northern suburbs of Chicago, we have the sixth highest concentration of manufacturing jobs of any congressional district. Among the mix of industries, I am proud of what I call the Life Science Corridor running through the center of my district and reflecting the breadth and depth of health care, pharmaceutical and bioscience companies, large and small, leading innovation for future generations. This innovation is whey our nation has championed the fight against COVID, and I believe we have more work to do as we consider changes to policies that will impact critical research and development.

That said, I believe the proposals we're considering today protect U.S. competitiveness, support working families, give small businesses a tax cut.

I am deeply proud of our work today.

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