Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address:

We applaud the tremendous work President Joseph Biden has accomplished to keep our communities healthy and safe while forging a brighter, hopeful future for our country and world. The American Rescue Plan was a vital stimulus package that helped millions of Americans during a critical uncertain time.

His $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Law set the stage for the transition to a clean energy economy with investments in mitigation, research and development (R&D), and infrastructure to fight the climate crisis. As the president stated, referring to his agenda laid out in the Build Back Better Act, the next step is for its climate provisions to be enacted. BBBA combines concrete actions to mitigate against climate change, and advances environmental justice — while paving the way for good-paying, union jobs.

As sea levels rise, and the climate crisis worsens because the atmosphere is under siege from fossil fuels, we must realize our power to stop this insanity. Nine million people die annually from breathing in the toxic particulates that fossil fuel companies produce. In an age where autocrats have grown wealthy from fossil fuels, we must defend the world’s democracies by combating the climate crisis with a just transition to a clean energy economy.

EOPA stands with the President and urges passage of the BBBA climate provisions with this once-in-a-generation opportunity to avoid a worsening climate crisis, and encourage world peace.

We applaud the President for leading and uniting democratic nations around the world with strong sanctions against Russia. And along with President Biden, EOPA strongly condemns Russia’s brutal invasion and supports an independent, democratic Ukraine. This aggressive violation of international law has resulted in senseless death and destruction while creating an international humanitarian crisis. 

However, EOPA would like to see more actions that would recognize the role fossil fuels are playing in fueling this unfolding war. Fossil fuels represent a clear and present danger to nations that rely on them for energy. Our nation needs bold solutions to address climate change, and the pollution that is driving it, for our security and the world’s. To address the climate emergency 450 lawmakers, many who are also veterans, have signed an EOPA letter that urges Congress and the President to enact a National Climate Plan that would phase out fossil fuels, and for the President to issue a Climate Emergency Declaration. 

We have the technical knowhow, now we need the political will to ensure the security of our nation and the world through a clean energy economy.

President Roosevelt ramped up the manufacturing of weapons of war to win WWII with such an authorization. It’s time for us to do the same by fueling our manufacturing companies with the mandate to expand production of clean energy technologies. We need to act now.

We can’t afford to continue to prop up a global cartel that wields their leverage against national interests, creating global security threats. The only way to free democratic countries from the grip of autocratic oil and gas producing nations is to ramp up the transition to a clean energy economy. The United States, through the Defense Authorization Act can, as long as the President makes a Climate Emergency Declaration.

With a Presidential Climate Emergency Declaration, the transition to a clean energy economy could move rapidly forward with a united focus to win the war against the influence that autocratic nations hold over our economy because of fossil fuels.

About Elected Officials to Protect America: Elected Officials to Protect America is a network of current and former elected officials who care deeply about protecting the planet and people. EOPA is committed to solving the climate crisis, ensuring environmental justice, and protecting our lands and waters. EOPA educates through value-based storytelling, training lawmakers, and connecting elected officials to inspire strong environmental leadership.