As Maine and the rest of the nation work to reinvest and build a stronger, more resilient economy, strategic investments in our clean energy infrastructure will be critical. Investing in domestic clean energy production, transmission, and storage will help spur American innovation while creating much-needed jobs for the 21st century.

Fortunately, Republican members of Congress — including our own Sen. Susan Collins — have recognized the vast economic and employment potential of clean energy. By pushing to include the Energy Act of 2020 in the latest spending bill passed by Congress, conservative leaders are working across the aisle with their Democratic counterparts to advance common sense, market-based solutions that will address the impacts of our changing climate in a pro-growth way that stimulates the American economy.

For her part, Collins was instrumental in advancing key provisions in the Energy Act of 2020, including investments to advance next-generation energy storage in the U.S. These innovative technologies will help us incorporate more clean sources of energy, like solar and hydroelectric power, into our increasingly diverse energy mix. In doing so, we will be able to make renewables more viable, affordable, and reliable — ultimately lowering both carbon emissions and energy costs while creating new jobs and economic opportunities in this quickly growing sector.

It is an undeniable fact that clean energy is and will continue to be a major source of employment here in Maine and throughout the country. Overall, the clean energy workforce grew by more than 10% between 2015 and 2019. At the end of 2019, some 3.3 million Americans were employed by clean energy — by far the largest source of employment in the energy sector overall. Of course, the economic downturn last year delivered a hit to this vital sector, as it did to large swaths of our economy.

Hopefully, passage of the Energy Act of 2020 — which dedicates $35 billion to a variety of clean energy initiatives — will serve as a model for the kinds of bipartisan action we need more of in 2021 and beyond. Voters are tired of gridlock in Washington – they are ready for Republicans and Democrats to work together to solve America’s problems through practical solutions that protect both our economy and our environment.

Republicans seem more than ready to tackle the issue of climate change. From the omnibus spending bill that included nearly 60 energy innovation provisions to the Growing Climate Solutions Act and Trillion Trees Act — which would advance carbon sequestration efforts while providing an economic lifeline to our nation’s farmers and foresters — conservatives across the board are stepping up to lead on bipartisan clean energy initiatives.

Advancing these kinds of clean energy solutions will help America maintain our global leadership position in reducing carbon emissions, strengthen our national security and energy independence, and create the kinds of well-paying jobs that we need to keep more Americans gainfully employed for generations to come. At its heart, clean energy is more than just an environmental issue — it is an economic one.

For the sake of Mainers and all Americans, I hope Congress will continue to push for bold, innovative solutions that allow us to address the impacts of a changing climate while simultaneously creating jobs, spurring innovation, and powering a stronger American economy. When all is said and done, we all want these benefits — and by working together in a bipartisan fashion, we can secure them.

Rep. Nathan Wadsworth, R-Hiram, is the ranking House Republican on the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee and represents Maine House District 70.