Environment and Energy
"Protecting the environment is essential for our community's health and quality of life. Our kids are counting on us to leave them a world with clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. And the longer we wait to tackle climate change head-on, the more severe the economic and environmental consequences will be."
The science is clear: we are on an alarming trajectory in which our climate is changing, presenting an existential threat to our environment, our national security, our health, and our economy. Congress has a responsibility to address these consequences. Congresswoman Underwood supports a comprehensive approach to energy policy that expands investment and deployment of renewable energy products and public transportation. As one of our most critical public health agencies, she is an advocate for a fully funded and appropriately staffed Environmental Protection Agency with the authority to regulate, monitor, and enforce clean air and water standards, and other safeguards to that protect public health. She is supportive of policies that promote clean energy solutions, support good-paying American jobs, and maintain national security. She is also focused on protecting Illinois and the Great Lakes region from invasive species and other environmental threats and supports conservation policies that preserve America's national treasures—our beautiful wildlife and public lands—for generations to come.
Congresswoman Underwood has introduced H.R. 3819, the Climate and Health Protection Act, to help state and local governments prepare for the public health impacts of climate change. You can learn more about this legislation here (link to one-pager).
Illinois' 14th Congressional district has seen unprecedented flooding over the past years and due to climate change, we can only expect things to get worse. Flooding has caused millions of dollars in damage to businesses, homes, farms, and infrastructure. Congresswoman Underwood is committed to supporting our communities as they rebuild and recover from flooding and finding long-term solutions to the issue.
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