Passing the Infrastructure Bill won’t be easy.

As pointed out in an article from the Associated Press (“Climate activists hail Dem budget spending on clean energy,” July 14), turning the $3.5 trillion infrastructure package agreed to by Senate Democrats into actual legislation won’t be easy.

In addition to Joe Manchin objecting to curtailment of fossil fuel subsidies, which today annually amount to $15 billion at the federal level, getting a clean energy standard through the budget reconciliation process might not be possible, because it doesn’t directly affect the federal budget.

A clean energy standard is meant to move the generation of electricity away from fossil fuels, using, instead, green energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower. The problem is, electrical generation is responsible for only 25% of total emissions.

The U.S. is only one of two developed economies that hasn’t put a price on carbon at the federal level. The solution to that statistic, and the best next step in moving to a green energy economy, is to pass the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA), which has 77 co-sponsors in the House.

The legislation places an increasing fee on all fossil fuel emissions at the source (mine, well and port of entry) and returns the net proceeds to all Americans as a monthly dividend. For most American families, it will put money in their pockets as the dividend will more than offset the increase in the cost of carbon-based products.

Learn more about EICDA at www.energyinnovationact.org and let Congressman Mike Kelly and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey know that you support this legislation.