Every family deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment, both today and for generations to come. Unfortunately, in places like Cahokia Heights, regular flooding has been jeopardizing the health and wellness of an entire community for decades. I’m committed to addressing long standing environmental health and safety problems in the Metro East while also pushing Congress to do more to combat global climate change. I also believe that our transition to a clean energy economy can be an opportunity to create good-paying, 21st century union jobs in places like Central and Southern Illinois.
- In my first year in Congress, I secured the appointment of a federal Environmental Protection Agency coordinator to support progress on the flooding, sewage and drinking water crisis in Cahokia Heights. I also helped to establish Illinois’ first Environmental Justice Academy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville focused on helping local residents to cultivate skills identifying and addressing environmental issues in their community.
- As a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition and co-chair of the Climate Jobs Task Force, I’m on finding ways to create good-paying union jobs on our path to a clean energy economy.
- Prioritizing renewable and sustainable energy sources today is good for both our economy and the environment in the long run. I’ve been particularly focused on increasing our use of biofuels like ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel to reduce emissions while also bringing down costs and supporting our family farmers.
As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I’m working to ensure that funding in the Inflation Reduction Act directed to climate-smart USDA conservation programs is used as intended to benefit both our farmers and the environment.
