Rep. Garamendi Rejects House Republican Chair’s Defeatist Statement that "America Can’t Compete with China" In Clean Energy Race

Garamendi Continues to Push Make It In America Jobs Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), the author of Make It In America legislation that would create jobs and help America compete in the modern Clean Energy Race, today rejected the suggestion by the Republican House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Cliff Stearns that "we can’t compete with China to make solar panels and wind turbines."

"Every great jobs-creating technological advancement in American history – cars, space travel, and the Internet included – were rebuffed by naysayers that preferred to raise the white flag of surrender before even trying," Congressman Garamendi said. "The solar industry was born in America and is responsible for 100,000 American jobs. With commonsense policies like Make It In America buying preferences, we can do much to once again become the world’s leader in solar production."

Garamendi added, "The America I know and love is not a nation of quitters. Some say we can’t afford to compete with China; I say we can’t afford to surrender to China or any other nation. And we certainly can’t afford to continue relying on dirty fossil fuels from countries that don’t share our priorities or values."

Congressman Garamendi is the author of the Manufacture Renewable Energy Systems: Make it in America Act (H.R. 487), which would create American jobs by ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent on American-made renewable energy systems, including solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels. Phased over a four year period, the bill requires the federal government and any state government buying renewable technologies with federal funds to purchase renewable sources of energy grown, produced, or manufactured with 100% American content. It also requires any company taking advantage of the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit to buy 100% American content within four years after the bill becomes law.

As a California state legislator in the 1970s, Garamendi also authored the first state clean energy tax credit in the nation, which was directly responsible for wind energy production in the Altamont Pass near Livermore and the Montezuma Hills near Fairfield.