Wyden, Castor, Tonko Unveil Legislation to Rescind Trump’s Day-One Executive Orders on Energy
Legislation would protect American jobs, keep energy security competitive against China, and support record investments in rural communities
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., along with U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., today introduced legislation to nullify Donald Trump’s day-one executive orders on energy. The Defending American Jobs and Affordable Energy Act would reassert America’s clean energy leadership, keep energy costs for families as low as possible, and unfreeze critical Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to protect jobs and support rural economies.
“Since day-one, Trump has been laser focused on giving handouts to the oil and gas industry at the expense of American jobs,” Wyden said. “As the nation braces itself for more spin from Trump during tonight’s State of the Union, here are the facts: crippling clean energy production at home will only lead to clean energy manufacturing packing up and moving to China. Rural communities, which are the American epicenter of clean energy jobs and investments, will suffer the consequences of Trump’s ignorance. America needs a leading clean energy response to continue to be a dominant energy force against China.”
“President Trump’s reckless energy agenda will hike electric bills, raise costs for families, and give China the upper hand in advancing clean energy solutions,” Castor said. “By reversing progress in clean energy initiatives and thumbing his nose at allies, Trump is forcing American families to pay the price of unchecked climate change while other nations reap the economic benefits of innovation. Floridians know the costs of extreme weather and pollution firsthand, and we must stand firm against policies that harm our economy and environment. That’s why I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing this important legislation, which will protect our significant progress in expanding cleaner, cheaper energy for American families.”
“Donald Trump’s Day One executive orders were nothing more than a massive giveaway to his Big Oil donors — gutting climate action and stalling clean energy investments while American families were left holding the bag,“ Tonko said. “Trump promised that his actions would lower energy costs for consumers, but instead, energy prices have only gone up. That’s why I’m joining Senator Wyden and Congresswoman Castor to introduce this legislation to repeal these reckless orders, restore American leadership on fighting the climate crisis, and put working families’ pocketbooks over oil industry profits.”
The Defending American Jobs and Affordable Energy Act would nullify the “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, the executive order declaring a National Energy Emergency, the executive order behind the U.S. departure from the Paris Climate Agreement, and the executive order that pauses offshore wind leases in the Outer Continental Shelf.
Cosponsors in the Senate include Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as Senators Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i, Patty Murray, D-Wash., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Chris Coons, D-Del., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Jack Reed, D-R.I.
Wyden is a longtime champion of keeping energy costs low for consumers while electrifying the grid. In 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced legislation to overhaul the federal energy tax code, create jobs and combat climate change. In 2022, Wyden’s Clean Energy For America Act was enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act – significantly lowering carbon emissions while reducing energy costs.
The text of the bill is here.
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