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Download or view photos of Rep. Williams at COP28, here.

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) returned from Dubai following his attendance at the 2023 United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UNFCCC. COP28 has been dubbed the “Nuclear COP.”

Informed by thousands of hours supervising the operation of nuclear power plants and participating in the refinancing of billions of dollars of infrastructure assets, Rep. Williams raised the alarm that America cannot continue down our current path, and needs a new energy investment strategy.

“Yes, our planet’s climate is changing, but no amount of wishful thinking is going to change the laws of physics or thermodynamics. No amount of fiscal or political trickery is going to overcome the constraints of $31 trillion in public debt,” said Congressman Brandon Williams.

Rep. Williams’ Plan to Rebalance America’s Energy Investment Strategy

1. Redirect IRA and IIJA incentives to go all-in on nuclear power. Nuclear power is safe, clean, and affordable with new designs and a modern regulatory framework;

2. Restore a balanced, “all of the above” investment strategy on energy infrastructure. Americans want to reduce pollution from all sources—without bankrupting our communities. Only a balanced approach will get us there;

3. The federal government can drive an aggressive and balanced energy innovation agenda by investing even more in commercialization partnerships with industry, start-ups, and the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Labs. Innovation is what America does best and it’s our greatest competitive advantage, but we must commit ourselves to commercialization—not just discovery. Redirect a portion of the vast overinvestment on wind and solar into our energy future;

4. Congress must oversee the implementation of renewable energy incentives in the IRA and IIJA through direct oversight on the implementation of these critical infrastructure investment decisions;

5. Congress must amend the IRA and IIJA to ensure nuclear energy and natural gas are considered green energy going forward. These two sources have been and will continue to be essential for our country producing clean and resilient power going forward.

“It is urgent that we rebalance America’s investments in energy infrastructure. The United States requires at least 200 gigawatts (GW) of new electric power generation to replace aging infrastructure and to provide for expected growth,” said Congressman Brandon Williams. “The United States Congress must act immediately. We can rebalance our strategy by redirecting IRA and IIJA resources towards affordable, reliable, and resilient energy infrastructure, while continuing to reduce carbon emissions and pollution from all sources. America urgently needs more nuclear power, more innovation, and more choices when it comes to our energy future.”

View or download the Congressman’s energy report and platform, here.

Brandon Williams is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 22nd Congressional District. Brandon is a naval veteran, having served as a Nuclear Submarine Officer, is an entrepreneur, and a devoted husband and father. He currently resides in Central New York with his wife of over 30 years and their dog Beatrice.

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Press: Taylor Weyeneth | (202) 834-3026

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