Congressman Krishnamoorthi Calls On Senate To Safeguard Solar Sector Manufacturing Provisions He Helped Lead In Build Back Better Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement encouraging the Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376), including provisions he helped lead to support American solar manufacturing based on the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act (SEMA) which he cosponsored:

"The Build Back Better Act will strengthen our efforts to fight climate change and create the clean energy jobs of the future through provisions like those based on the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act, for which I'm proud to be an original cosponsor. Through those provisions, the Build Back Better Act will level the playing field against unfair foreign competition in solar manufacturing, building a new foundation for the American solar manufacturing sector so that our economy, companies, and workers will reap the benefits of this technology while eliminating our dependence on Chinese manufacturing."

In September, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) introduced the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act (SEMA) with Reps. Dan Kildee (MI-05), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Suzan DelBene (WA-12) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3). The legislation would accelerate the growth of American solar panel manufacturing while creating good-paying U.S. jobs and decreasing American dependence on foreign solar component production from nations such as China by providing tax credits for American solar manufacturers. These tax credits would exist at every stage of the supply chain, from solar cells to fully assembled solar modules. According to an independent analysis by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, SEMA would create tens of thousands of American solar jobs while helping to end China's domination of the solar manufacturing supply chain, which it's achieved through unfair trade practices, including the use of slave labor by Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

SEMA was endorsed by organizations including the Solar Energy Industry Association, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Audobon, Hemlock Semiconductor, REC Silicon, CubicPV, Swift Solar Leading Edge Equipment Technologies, Caelux Corporation, Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance, Mission Solar, Q CELLS and Yaskawa Solectria Solar.