WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Texas Democrats are celebrating the first anniversary of the massive climate and health care law they passed last year. In Texas, the Inflation Reduction Act has helped to unleash a wave of clean energy projects. 

What You Need To Know

  • Wednesday marked a year since President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act

  • In Texas, the Inflation Reduction Act has helped to unleash a wave of clean energy projects

  • The White House says the act and Biden’s signature infrastructure law have funded nearly $19 billion in infrastructure and clean energy investments in Texas

  • The provisions also include expanding renewable energy production, encouraging the manufacture and sale of electric vehicles, and providing rebates to make homes more energy efficient

Like the rest of Texas, El Paso has been baking under a heat dome this summer. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act will help make communities like hers more resilient in extreme weather.  

“The Inflation Reduction Act really was historic,” Escobar told Spectrum News. “One of the most important things it did was acknowledge the climate crisis and acknowledge that the federal government has to play a key role in helping communities like ours.”

“I’m not sure that Texans yet understand how significant this is, but I can tell you Texans understand the impact of the climate crisis,” she continued.  

Wednesday marked a year since Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act. The White House says the act and Biden’s signature infrastructure law have funded nearly $19 billion in infrastructure and clean energy investments in Texas. 

The provisions also include expanding renewable energy production, encouraging the manufacture and sale of electric vehicles, and providing rebates to make homes more energy efficient.  

“For Texas, it’s also important. You know, we are the energy leader in the United States, and the Inflation Reduction Act has a lot in it to help us maintain that lead. We already lead the nation in wind power,” said Colin Leyden, Texas state director for Environmental Defense Fund. “There’s also money in the inflation Reduction Act for our traditional fossil fuel industry, which of course is an important part of the Texas economy.”

Every Republican in Congress voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, but some have been criticized for appearing to celebrate investments made possible by it. 

Last month, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, visited an electric vehicle factory in the Austin area touting Tesla’s promise to create jobs in Texas. His team said Tesla announced its investments years ago, and it is inaccurate to link them with Biden’s agenda. 

Whatever the case, Leyden said private and public partnerships, like Tesla’s, fueled in part by federal dollars, are a win for all Texans.

“There’s a lot more we can do in this state, and we ought to use the Inflation Reduction Act as a starting point for more discussion and more action here in the state of Texas,” he said.

The White House also says the law has helped to expand semiconductor manufacturing in Texas and promises to reduce prescription drug costs for more than 4 million older adults and Medicare beneficiaries.