ICYMI: Op-ed Applauds Kiggans for Protecting Clean Energy in Virginia
“Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has a fierce leader in U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans”
WASHINGTON, DC – This week, an opinion piece was published in The Virginian-Pilot applauding Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) for her work to unleash American energy dominance through an all-of-the-above energy approach. This piece highlights Congresswoman Kiggans’ strong advocacy for clean energy investments in Virginia’s Second District, which will help bolster America’s domestic energy security, create more jobs, and support countless military installations along the Atlantic coast.
In case you missed it…
Column: Rep. Kiggans is fighting to protect investments in Virginia
By Heather Reams, President of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has a fierce leader in U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who continues to spearhead efforts to protect the state’s growing energy industry. Kiggans recognizes the importance of innovation and modernized infrastructure in ensuring reliability, as well as the undeniable link between energy security and national security — something that we see firsthand in her district.
Last month, Kiggans testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of protecting existing clean energy tax credits, which have spurred innovation and created new jobs in her district and across the United States. As she highlighted in her testimony, Virginia has received more than $445 million in private investments supported by existing clean energy tax credits and, by 2035, clean energy investments are expected to contribute $37 billion to the commonwealth’s economy.
The projects funded by these tax credits are actively building out Virginia’s domestic energy supply to help meet our goal of American energy independence and dominance. They are also fueling American homes, military bases, schools, data centers and businesses across the country. To put it simply, our country demands a lot of energy, and to meet that demand, especially as it grows, we must protect investments in innovation that support all forms of American-made energy.
Kiggans’ district, situated along the Virginia coast, is uniquely equipped to reap the benefits of clean energy investments, with offshore wind projects expected to power 660,000 homes and support the modernization of the power grid at Naval Air Station Oceana, the home of the U.S. Navy’s East Coast fighter jet squadrons. This Virginia Beach base serves as a critical launch point for America’s naval air power, enabling a rapid response to global threats and safeguarding our national security.
Public-private partnerships such as these not only bolster Virginia’s energy supply, but help military installations, such as NAS Oceana, to meet growing energy demand, update outdated energy infrastructure and maintain America’s robust military advantage.
As a Virginia Beach native and wife to a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, I deeply appreciate Kiggans’ leadership in protecting clean energy tax credits that strengthen America’s energy mix and help to advance President Donald Trump’s robust energy agenda.
Trump vowed to unleash American-made energy, which must align with an all-of-the-above approach. In doing so, it’s critically important to protect communities whose economies rely on energy manufacturing and abundant electricity. Given Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were recently confirmed, it is difficult at this stage to see how certain executive orders will unfold, but I am confident this administration will prioritize market certainty, energy dominance and opportunities for continued economic growth.
To revive and maintain U.S. energy dominance, we must empower private investors to expand existing projects and take chances on new ventures — but those investors require stability and the market certainty that comes with the promise of continued federal tax credits. Without the assurance that existing incentives will be maintained throughout the building process and beyond, investors will be deterred from pumping capital into regions that need affordable, reliable clean energy.
Kiggans is not alone in her support of targeted clean energy tax credits, and these federal incentives have historically garnered bipartisan support, with many dating back to the George W. Bush administration. In August, Kiggans joined a letter with 17 other Republican members of Congress urging House leadership to protect certain clean energy tax credits that have already spurred private investments and job growth in their home districts.
Kiggans recognizes that fostering innovation and investment are essential to bolstering America’s energy production and, in turn, its national security. That’s why she remains a strong advocate for protecting these vital tax credits, ensuring the U.S. maintains a reliable and affordable energy supply.
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