Cortez Masto Leads Legislation to Increase Solar Manufacturing in the U.S.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) re-introduced the Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act to expand the solar manufacturing supply chain in the U.S. and enhance our global competitiveness. This legislation also supports good-paying union jobs by requiring solar manufacturing facilities to have strong labor protections to be eligible for this funding.

“Nevada’s solar economy is booming, and I’m pushing legislation to ensure we are manufacturing more solar panels and components in the U.S.,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Right now, the demand for solar is outpacing our domestic supply. My bill would make critical investments to grow that supply chain and create good-paying union jobs right here at home.”

“The Chinese government will do anything to undermine American manufacturing, and would like nothing more than to kill the American solar manufacturing industry before it takes off,” said Senator Brown. “This investment, along with investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, allows us to fight back. When we support Ohio solar manufacturers, we help create the good-paying manufacturing jobs that will drive our economy for decades to come.”

“Investing in Made in America solar manufacturing will create good paying jobs, move us toward a renewable energy future, and help provide low-cost clean energy for American families,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to support this legislation because American manufacturers, businesses, and workers should be building our clean energy economy.”

The Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act would provide $3 billion in grants and loans over the next 5 years to fund the construction of new U.S. solar facilities, or to retool, retrofit, or expand existing solar manufacturing facilities. The legislation is supported by the Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE).

Cortez Masto has led efforts to support the solarindustry and the clean energy jobs it creates. She secured vital extensions of the investment tax credit and the residential renewable energy tax credit in 2020 to boost of solar energy and then expanded these tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. She successfullypushed the Biden administration to suspend solartariffs that could have hurt American jobs and increased solar project costs.

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