The White House and Congressional leaders today announced an agreement has been reached on a budget reconciliation framework that includes significant investments in manufacturing, clean energy, and the care economy. Under the deal, more than $550 billion has been allocated to support clean energy development and fight climate change. This investment includes $110 billion to spur new domestic supply chains and the manufacturing of technologies like solar, batteries, and advanced materials, and boosting the competitiveness of existing industries—in which the United States has historically been a leader—like steel, cement, and aluminum. The framework also includes a significant investment in clean procurement, a critical element of the BlueGreen Alliance’s Buy Clean agenda. Additionally, the framework includes $320 billion in clean energy tax credits and an electric vehicle tax credit that will lower the cost of purchasing electric vehicles made in America by union workers and with American materials.

The framework does not currently mention several items the BlueGreen Alliance has called for as part of the Build Back Better plan, including new supports for dislocated energy workers, funding to improve school infrastructure, or additional funding to replace all lead service lines throughout the country.

In response to the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“This framework is a big deal for workers and the climate. By making smart investments to deploy clean energy and clean vehicles, build up our domestic supply chains, and support growth in manufacturing the technologies that will drive the clean economy, we can build good-paying, union jobs for workers across the nation while doing our part in the fight against climate change.

“Build Back Better will put our nation on a path to a clean, prosperous, and equitable economy, built for America, by America. However, important priorities are not referenced in the current framework and must be addressed. We urge Congress to get the details right and act now to advance this historic legislation.”