HS Alliance
representative Debbie dingellDeborah (Debbie) Ann DingellOvernight Energy: Democrats seek to tackle climate change with import tax | Advocates say bigger deal needed to tackle climate crisis | Western forest fires worsen with 80 different fires White House supports House bill to fight ‘chemicals forever’ balance / sustainability (D-Mich.) On Tuesday rebuffed the idea that the transition to electric vehicles would mean a loss of money and jobs.
In conversation with Steve Clemons, editor-in-chief of The Hill’s, upon posting “The road to zero emission trucks: manufacturing” event, Dingell said she had appealed to environmentalists, power companies, the federal government and unions to discuss the transition and what it would mean for jobs in the United States.
“They hear the word “green jobs” and they think their jobs are going to disappear, they think they are going to make less money. It doesn’t, ”Dingell told Clemons.
“We don’t have to choose the environment or the jobs. We can have both. And that’s what we have to work on very intentionally, ”added the lawmaker, who has worked for General Motors for 30 years.
.@RepDebDingell: “We don’t have to choose the environment or the trades. We can have both. And that’s what we have to work on very intentionally. #TheHillETrucks https://t.co/gYZtUCIzYS pic.twitter.com/FiNUGtj4V7
– Hill events (@TheHillEvents) July 20, 2021
Dingell is a sponsor of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Future Act. The bill would essentially expand the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program to help companies initiate investments in zero-emission vehicles and electric batteries.
The event brought together lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who agreed that the transition to non-fossil fuels is both inevitable and vital for the protection of our planet.
Sen. David Senjem (R-Minn.) Agreed the country should switch to electric vehicles, but said his state of Minnesota could make the change without interference from the federal government.
“Overall, the ingenuity of this country comes from local communities and states. In Minnesota, for example, we have an alliance with Germany, seven of our cities are aligned in what we call a cluster of climate smart municipalities and we are constantly discussing these kinds of issues with our German counterparts.
John Paul Smith, United Steelworkers legislative representative weighed in on the conversation, saying his union supports the production of green technology, but that it must be accompanied by a federal investment in workforce training to facilitate change.
“A lot of times we feel like we have a choice between having good manufacturing jobs or improving and protecting our environment, and the point is we can actually do both,” Smith said.