Schumer (D-NY), the Senate minority leader, has sent a letter to the president “that describes the kinds of policies Democrats expect in an infrastructure bill”.
He tweeted: “In the next Congress, Democrats must force action on climate change. An infrastructure bill could be one of our 1st opportunities. Senate Democrats will expect climate policies and funding in an infrastructure bill if @realDonaldTrump wants our support.”
In an opinion piece in The Washington Post Schumer said: “Democrats will have an extraordinary opportunity to force action on climate change. Not only will House Democrats have the power to propose, debate and pass progressive legislation on the subject, but Senate Democrats will have substantial leverage as well.”
In addition to a call for renewable energy infrastructure and new technologies investments, Schumer said: “We also must make our infrastructure more climate-resilient, particularly the electrical grid and our water and wastewater systems.
“We should provide permanent tax credits for clean-energy production and storage, electric vehicles, and energy- efficient homes. We should invest in conservation, wildlife and deferred maintenance on our public lands, because this can both mitigate the impacts of climate change and grow the outdoor economy.”
Meanwhile, a House of Representatives committee is to examine P3 use to improve energy efficiency in federal facilities next week.