Sen. Warren Introduces Green Procurement Legislation

In full transparency, the following is a media release from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office. She was elected by voters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve the state in Washington DC in the US Senate. She is a Democrat.

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WASHINGTON DC – United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) today, March 30 announced legislation to use the enormous breadth of U.S. federal procurement to help fight the climate crisis, spur innovation, and boost demand for American-made clean energy products at home and in the rapidly-growing markets for green products abroad.

“This is bold, smart legislation to convert our nation’s biggest spender, the U.S. government, to American-made clean energy products, kick-start demand for American-made renewables across our economy and abroad, and create good American jobs,” said Warren. “The Biden administration should take a close look at our green procurement bill and BUILD GREEN transportation initiative as part of their infrastructure package.”

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“The next renaissance of American manufacturing must be led and empowered by American workers in good-paying, union jobs,” said Levin. “It must be green, fight against the growing wealth inequality and systemic racism plaguing our country and revitalize heartland communities that have been left behind. Our forthcoming Green Procurement bill will do just that by turbo-charging production of American-made climate friendly products and wielding federal purchasing power to transition us to a clean and sustainable energy future within the decade. I’m eager to work with the Biden administration to help the United States lead the way in tackling the climate crisis.”

The legislation would create a $1.5 trillion federal procurement commitment over the next ten years to purchase American-made clean, renewable, and emission-free energy products for federal, state, and local use, and for export.

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It would:

• Establish a green procurement grant program covering a broad spectrum of products, from zero-emission vehicles to energy storage technology to heat pumps to energy efficient light bulbs.
• Fund bulk purchases to provide green products to state, local, municipal, and tribal governments at discounted rates.
• Help replace the federal vehicle fleet with zero-emission, electric vehicles.
• Create good-paying, union jobs for American workers and jumpstart the local economies of manufacturing communities that have been left behind.

Products procured through the new program would meet all relevant energy-efficiency, environmental-preference, and/or safety designations, be made in the United States, and uphold high labor standards.

This bold federal procurement commitment will transform clean energy production, spur new research and investment in clean energy, and reduce government emissions at the state, federal, and local level.

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