© Greg NashSen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said Wednesday that his panel would start to consider bills related to jobs and infrastructure this month, with the committee first taking up legislation focused on clean energy.
Wyden indicated that the first committee markup would center on his proposal aimed at streamlining clean energy tax incentives.
The announcement of plans for committee action comes as President Biden has made infrastructure investments and addressing climate change some of his key priorities. Biden on Wednesday met with congressional leaders in both parties to discuss infrastructure legislation.
"It's long past time that Congress tackle the climate crisis in a comprehensive way," Wyden said in a statement. "The window to avert the worst climate outcomes is closing, and overhauling the energy tax code to reward reductions in carbon emissions, rather than individual technologies, is critical to meeting President Biden's climate goals."
Wyden added that he hoped that his proposal to reform energy tax incentives could get support from Republicans.
"Our proposal consolidates more than 40 provisions and gets the federal government out of picking winners and losers in the energy sector," Wyden said. "My Republican colleagues have criticized energy incentives for years on that basis, and an emissions-based approach takes care of that concern. It's a market-based approach that will foster innovation."
Wyden also said that the Finance Committee will consider additional bills following the clean-energy markup.
"The American people support bold action to address this country's challenges, from rebuilding our roads and bridges and expanding rural broadband, to lowering the cost of prescription drugs and caring for seniors and Americans with disabilities," he said. "The Finance Committee is laser focused on making these historic investments in the American people, and improving the lives of working families."