Gabbard’s Clean Energy Act Gains Momentum in Congress

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Courtesy photo.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act (OFF Act) is gaining traction in Congress with eleven new House cosponsors since it was first introduced in September.

The act is based on Hawai‘i’s legislative mandate aiming for 100% clean energy and would put the U.S. on track to completely replace fossil fuels with clean energy sources by 2035.

The OFF Act builds on a growing number of state initiatives designed to address climate change head-on by focusing on clean energy alternatives.

“It’s long overdue for Congress to take action to address the threat of climate change to our people and our planet,” said Rep. Gabbard. “We must end our addiction to fossil fuels and transition America toward a clean, sustainable energy economy and prioritize our future. I urge my fellow lawmakers to join us in supporting the OFF Act to put our country on the path to a 100% clean energy economy.”

“Americans deserve a Congress that will step up and act to solve climate change,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said. “We simply cannot afford to continue using taxpayer dollars to prop up the coal and oil industries. It is long past time to transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable energy. Scientific experts across the world are in clear agreement that climate change is happening and we are quickly running out of time to do something. This bill would take the strong action needed to aggressively combat climate change and lay the groundwork for the 100 percent clean energy economy our country needs.”

“As recent monster storms and raging wildfires clearly demonstrate, our climate crisis is acute,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “Science shows that to keep a decent chance of avoiding deeper climate chaos, we must move off fossil fuels aggressively, and the transition needs to be complete by 2035. The OFF Act is the strongest, most comprehensive climate and energy legislation we’ve got, and we’re mobilizing across the country to make it the law of the land.”

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s OFF Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act, H.R. 3671 is currently supported by environmental advocates and co-sponsors including Reps. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Keith Ellison (MN-05), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton, (DC-AL), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), and James McGovern (MA-02).