ICYMI: MAJORITY LEADER SCHUMER, DEMOCRATIC SENATORS AND LEADING CLIMATE, HEALTH CARE, AND TAX FAIRNESS GROUPS URGE CONGRESS TO PASS THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2022

Washington, D.C. – With the Senate barreling toward this weekend’s vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, fifteen Senate climate champions joined a press conference hosted by leading climate, health care, and tax fairness groups yesterday to celebrate the historic, cost-saving bill, and urge Congress to swiftly pass the legislation and get it to President Biden’s desk. Majority Leader Schumer summed up their message by saying, “put simply, this legislation saves lives, reduces cost, creates jobs, reduces inflation. And the American people are totally on our side.”

The Senators’ and advocates’ excitement about the transformative provisions in the bill was palpable. The Inflation Reduction Act will deliver important relief to communities facing rising health care costs, high daily expenses due to inflation, and suffering from climate change-fueled extreme weather events. Outside experts are clear: the Inflation Reduction Act will slash inflation, reduce the deficit, boost the GDP, create millions of jobs, and critically, will put the country on track to reduce emissions by roughly 40% by 2030, making it the strongest federal climate legislation in U.S. history. 

View a recording of the event HERE.

Passage of the bill would also be a major political win for Democrats, with new polling showing large margins of support from every sector of the electorate. A new Data For Progress poll found that 73% of likely voters support the bill, including 95% of Democrats, 73% of Independents, and 52% of Republicans.

For a twitter thread with event highlights, click HERE. 

The press conference featured Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senators Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal, Michael Bennet, Tom Carper, Bob Casey, Chris Coons, Amy Klobuchar, Ed Markey, Alex Padilla, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith, Debbie Stabenow, Chris Van Hollen, and Ron Wyden and was hosted by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Americans for Tax Fairness, Building Back Together, Climate Action Campaign, Center for American Progress, Climate Power, EDF Action, Hispanic Federation, League of Conservation Voters, National Education Association (NEA), Patients for Affordable Drugs Now, Protect Our Care, and Sierra Club. Here’s what they said: 

“For many years here in Washington, Washington politicians have promised to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our nation, only to fall short. But with the Inflation Reduction Act, Senate Democrats are delivering on historic climate change legislation, we’re delivering on lower prices on prescription drugs, we’re delivering on tax fairness, and we’re delivering on jobs. This is a very, very, very, very big deal.” –Majority Leader Schumer

“Senate Democrats will take action in the coming days to fight inflation, take action on the climate emergency and energy, make healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans. Thank you to the activists and organizers who have gotten us to this moment…This bill will be the most significant action we have ever taken to fight the climate emergency and lower costs for Americans.” –Sen. Tina Smith

“People have sometimes said to me in places where I often don’t get more than 25 or 30 percent of the vote, what does climate legislation look like? Now I have an answer. This is what it looks like, it looks like a bill that’s going to reduce your prices … And finally after 50 years of trickle down economics we’re able to summon the courage to raise taxes on some of the wealthiest people in America and some of the largest corporations.” –Sen. Michael Bennet

“If inflation is eating away at your family’s balance sheet, relief is on the way. But the thing that moves me is bringing some relief to the sweltering heat here today, to the tornadoes and the wildfires, to the challenges and the natural disasters all over our planet. Year after year, we have tried and not delivered big results. With this bill, relief is on the way.” –Sen. Chris Coons

“This is a great lesson in government: never give up. So many people had counted us out on this bill, but we stuck with it. Why? Because we had constituents that said ‘be on our side.’ And we did it. As the forest fires are burning in California, as we see record temperatures all over the U.S.—including in my home state of Minnesota—we moved, and we’re going to bring greenhouse gasses down 40% by 2030.” –Sen. Amy Klobuchar

“The Republican Party is not going to give us a single vote on this bill. Why is that? Because GOP stands for Gas and Oil Party. GOP stands for Gang of Polluters. So yes, they blocked Waxman-Markey back in 2010, and yes, I would want more in this bill. But this bill has what we need on climate change. It’s going to unleash a revolution.” -Sen. Ed Markey

“There is no doubt that this bill would be the biggest climate action we have ever taken. It will be a victory for the planet and a victory for people across the country. If we succeed, it will be because there is a young generation demanding action, and they deserve all the credit.” –Sen. Brian Schatz

“We need to leave the planet healthier for future generations. Young activists get that: finally the U.S. Senate gets it and is going to act on it.” –Sen. Alex Padilla

“Corporate price gouging has been taking a big chunk out of Americans’ pockets for a long time… but while Mitch McConnell and the Republicans are standing with Big Pharma to protect their profits, we’re standing with the American people… When they’re standing with Big Oil to protect their profits, we’re standing to bring down energy costs and to be able to tackle the climate crisis.” –Sen. Debbie Stabenow

“It’s better late than never because never will be doom for all of us.” -Sen. Chris Van Hollen 

“This afternoon is about people beating power… People count more than power. We’re going to show that, finally, grassroots is prevailing over the powerful.”  Sen. Ron Wyden

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