Padilla Urges Passage of The Inflation Reduction Act
As Senate Democrats work to advance the Inflation Reduction Act this week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined several climate, health care, and tax fairness advocates at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to highlight the legislation.
Padilla was Friday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”. Here are his words:
“It is so great to be here today with so many of my Senate colleagues, not just one of us, not just two us, not just three of us, there’s a lot of us. And, of course, the dedicated advocates from across the country that are keeping up the fight until we pass the Inflation Reduction Act. We will get it done.
And there’s a reason that Senate Democrats are working so hard—fighting so hard—to advance this historic bill because as you’ve heard, it will reduce inflation. It will reduce costs for families. It means bold action against the climate crisis. And consider this, the Inflation Reduction Act will reduce carbon emissions by 40% in the next eight years.
That’s a huge deal. But wait, there’s more!
It gets even better for folks wondering if we can afford this big investment—well, we can’t afford not to invest in this, number one, but number two, it is fully paid for. It’s paid for by making wealthy corporations pay more of their fair share in taxes. And we will reduce the deficit, a win-win-win-win-win, if you ask me.
Now, as you introduced me, Dick [Sen. Blumenthal], it was, yes, my home state of California, it’s a larger state and sadly on the frontlines when it comes to the climate crisis. We’re facing the harsh realities of climate change in California in so many ways, including most recently, yet another biggest wildfire of the year.
You see, wildfire season isn’t just a couple of months anymore. Wildfire season in California and in many places across the West, is increasingly long and increasingly devastating. And it’s not just the number of acres that might be burned in any given year.
It’s the extreme heat that is exacerbated, the air quality that makes our children suffer keeps him from playing outside sometimes, and the pollution dangers that impacts everybody’s health. And it’s not just California. And it’s not just the West. You think the floods in Kentucky this week are any coincidence?
It’s not just that the weather is changing. The climate is changing, and we need to act. The Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions that will invest over $369 billion in bold climate action, action that cannot wait because we need to leave our planet healthier for future generations.
Young activists get that. Finally, the United States Senate gets it and is going to act on it. The climate investments I’m eager to vote on—helping reduce air pollution at ports, helping accelerate clean energy research and development, supporting fire resilient forests and advancing environmental justice by providing billions in funding directly to the communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.
This is a unique and urgent opportunity to pass the largest climate and environmental justice package ever, making significant strides in lowering health care costs and energy costs for Americans while reducing the deficit.”
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
