A climate program championed by Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith was left out of a pared-down $1.75 trillion spending plan released by the White House last week.
Climate focus continues for Sen. Tina Smith
A climate program championed by Democratic Minnesota senator was left out of a pared-down $1.75 trillion spending plan released by the White House
October 30, 2021 at 6:05PM
Smith became the face of a clean electricity program in the Senate earlier this year as Democrats talked about a wide-ranging spending plan potentially totaling $3.5 trillion. The New York Times reported in mid-October that Smith's program focused on decreasing greenhouse gas emissions was expected to be cut out amid negotiations on the larger plan.
Republicans condemned the program, with Minnesota GOP Rep. Pete Stauber leading an Oct. 21 letter that criticized the clean electricity performance program as "corporate welfare at its worst."
The revised spending framework released by the Biden administration includes $555 billion toward "clean energy and climate investments," according to a White House fact sheet.
"I think that this is a strong framework for getting significant emissions reductions," Smith said in an interview Thursday.
"We're still looking at the language in the bill to make sure we understand what is in there," said Smith. "But my initial look at it tells me that this will make a really big difference, not only in reducing emissions, but also bringing the clean energy supply chain back home to the United States."
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