Senator had created the blueprint for using tax credits to incentivize good-paying and union jobs in renewable energy and EV expansion
Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Biden administration released new guidelines to implement Inflation Reduction Act provisions that will boost the creation of high-quality, union jobs as the U.S. transitions to a clean energy economy. Merkley authored the Good Jobs for 21st Century Energy Act, which was the first proposal to lay out the strategy of using tax credits to incentivize strong pay, good benefits, and apprenticeship opportunities for workers employed in the renewable energy transition.
“As the son of a union machinist, I know the difference that a good paycheck makes to a family. Strong wages and good working conditions don’t just help individual workers; they’re life-changing for those workers’ families and have a positive ripple effect across the entire community.
“We have the opportunity to make the transition to clean energy into a win-win that not only saves the planet but also creates good-quality American jobs. To do that, our clean energy future should be Made in America with union labor. Our fight to save our communities from climate catastrophe can go hand in hand with our fight to save the middle class. The Biden administration is ensuring we do just that by putting in place project labor agreements to ensure we build high-quality jobs with the Inflation Reduction Act.”