“Thank you, [Former Rep. Jim Matheson], and good afternoon. I’m honored to be here with you for your 2019 legislative conference.

“First, let me ask those in attendence: who is here from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO)?  Thank you for being here!

“I’m proud to be a SMECO customer in St. Mary’s County, which has been served by our local rural electric cooperative for more than eighty years.  I’m one of the 40 million Americans who receive their electricity through rural electric cooperatives nationwide.

“And I’m a firm believer in your mission and your continued success.  That success, I believe, will depend on your ability, as you have demonstrated so often before, to adapt to new challenges and new opportunities.

“Climate change is one of those challenges – and one of those opportunities as well.  Though it has brought us deadly and destructive storms, rising sea levels, and changes in energy demand due to more extreme temperatures, climate change has also given America’s energy sector an opportunity to rise to a new set of challenges and demonstrate the innovation and leadership that make our country the envy of the world.

“And you’re already at it.  You’ve already begun to take advantage of this opportunity to tackle climate change by moving ahead with new, cleaner, and more sustainable forms of energy generation and delivery.  By focusing on making renewable energy cost-effective, you are helping to serve not only the interests of your customers but of our country and our planet. SMECO, for example, has launched a solar subsidiary that operates a solar farm and uses it to power its engineering and operations center.

“But that’s not all.  Surplus energy is also sent back into the grid. In a single year, the energy generated by SMECO solar prevents pollution equivalent to 1,600 cars on the road. That’s wonderful, but it’s just one example of what rural electric cooperatives all across the country are doing to address new challenges and innovate.

“Our energy sector is transforming, and success won’t be measured only in keeping up but by leading that transformation.  The current Administration ignores the realities of that transformation at our nation’s peril.

“Denying climate change is to deny America’s important role in leading the global response and in doing so by tapping into new technologies and pracitices that make our own economy stronger.  Investing in renewables has the potential to yield millions of new american jobs in the rural and suburban communities you serve.  Jobs that won’t be outsourced.  Jobs that pay well.

“The next ten to fifteen years will be a critical moment in the history of American energy.  If we hope to avoid the worst and most destructive consequences of climate change, we will need to change our energy system substantially.  And Congress has a role to play in making that happen.

“House Democrats are already working to make sure that Congress does not ignore its responsibility to help you meet these new challenges and seize these new opportunities. We’ve already introduced legislation to adopt the carbon pollution reduction goals and higher efficiency standards of the Paris Climate Agreement, and we are continuing to explore ways to promote renewable technologies. We are committed to working with you to make sure that every part of our energy sector has a seat at the table and is able to communicate to congress what it needs to succeed in helping our nation achieve these goals.

“One of the areas where I believe Congress can make a difference is by working to invest in twenty-first century infrastructure. Infrastructure is one of the three core components of the Make It In America plan I’ve led over the past several years, along with education and entrepreneurship.  This is an area where both parties have expressed an interest in working together, and I hope we can achieve that.

“I’ll certainly be pushing for that outcome.  That’s because nearly everyone recognizes the potential in an infrastructure bill to create good jobs, promote economic development – particularly in rural America – and bring costs down for consumers.  And we’re not just talking about roads and rails and bridges and ports.

“We’re talking about rural broadband and America’s electrical grid – and about new technologies that help store energy. We need to build an electrical grid that is more reliable, efficient, and resilient and supports the generation and distribution of clean, renewable energy resources.

“That’s what Democrats are committed to doing, and I hope Republicans will work with us to get it done.  And I’m going to make sure that NRECA and its members are part of that process.  Because we need your input and your insights.

“As you well know, policies are made by those who show up, and I’m glad you’re making it clear that you intend to be there for these important discussions. While you are in Washington this week, I hope you will take the opportunity to go meet with your senators and representatives and tell them how important it is that our country come together on energy and infrastructure.

“I look forward to working with you as we move forward, and I thank you for all you continue to do to bring affordable – and increasingly renewable – energy to rural communities and to your consumers, like me.  Thank you.”