Energy & Environment
Throughout her career in public service, Congresswoman Garcia has been fighting for clean air and clean water in the greater Houston area. When she served as a local Texas elected official, she helped make progress on cleaning up Superfund sites and the San Jacinto River. She advocated for funding to improve pollution monitoring in the city and fought for the removal of lead pipes that delivered contaminated drinking water to children in Texas schools. She also led the fight to halt construction of Trump's environmentally destructive border wall by introducing a bill to prevent state contracts with companies hired to complete the construction.
The Congresswoman was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in the 117th Congress, a critical step towards a resilient economy, lower consumer costs, increased job creation, and reduced climate pollution. The BIL invests in public transit, electric vehicles and accompanying infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, and promotion of clean energy transmission.
In addition, she also voted in support of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which is the single largest investment in climate and clean energy. The IRA makes significant strides towards advancing environmental justice for all Americans while securing America’s position as a world leader in domestic clean energy manufacturing.
As a member of Congress, she has advocated for greater energy investments to the Houston region and clean energy projects while supporting a robust energy economy in Houston.
She secured a historic $1.2 billion grant for a Hydrogen Hub for the Houston region to maintain Houston’s claim as the energy capital of the world.
She advocated for state and local governments to adopt the latest building energy codes, which would save the average homeowner in Texas $179 annually, by voting for the IRA and by sending a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
She secured $15 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding with over 589 specific projects to Texas. These projects will help reach all communities in Texas, including rural communities and historically underserved populations.
The USMCA also included several important environmental provisions:
First-ever articles to improve air quality, prevent and reduce marine litter, support sustainable forest management, and ensure appropriate procedures for environmental impact assessments.
Robust and modernized mechanisms for public participation and environmental cooperation.
Bolster US-Mexico efforts to combat trade in illegally taken wildlife, fish and timber.
Prohibitions on some of the most harmful fisheries subsidies
New protections for marine species like whales and sea turtles, including a prohibition on shark-finning and a commitment to working together to protect marine habitat.
We must embrace the challenge of combating climate change and saving our planet for future generations, while also meeting current energy demands and ensuring a stable economy. Everyone, whether individuals or businesses, has a stake in the environment and our national economy, and she rejects any false argument that dictates a choice between the two. Rather, we must demand both a healthy, safe environment and sound, good paying jobs.
We must recognize the reality that maintaining long-term economic growth, protecting the jobs our children will hold, and remaining competitive on the global stage, requires making investments today in the clean energy technology of tomorrow. In Congress, Representative Garcia is continuing to work with her colleagues to get us on a path toward both resolving the climate crisis and safeguarding economic growth both now and in the future.
For more information concerning work and views related to energy and the environment, please contact our office.