On July 1, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 2, the act to rebuild the country’s infrastructure. The Moving Forward Act contains key solar and storage legislation that the solar industry has lobbied for in the midst of COVID-19, including an extension of the ITC, a direct pay option and a new ITC for storage. The bill now moves to the Senate.

“Today, House Democrats have taken a bold step to move America forward, as we deliver on our For The People promise to increase paychecks by rebuilding America with green, resilient, modern and job-creating infrastructure by passing H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement. “I salute Chairman Peter DeFazio and all the Chairs of the Committees of Jurisdiction, and especially our Freshmen who have invigorated Democrats’ mission to revitalize America’s infrastructure.

“H.R. 2 takes bold, broad and transformational action to rebuild our infrastructure, while addressing key injustices in America, which have been laid bare by the COVID-19 crisis. We are proud that this legislation addresses environmental justice, including by investing boldly in affordable housing, expanding affordable high-speed Internet to underserved rural and urban communities, and ensuring that all have access to clean water. H.R. 2 makes a strong down payment in a clean energy future and solving the climate crisis, as we create millions of good-paying jobs and rebuild our highways, bridges, transit, rail, airports, ports and harbors to improve safety, reduce gridlock and put America on a path to zero pollution.

“We urge Leader McConnell and the GOP Senate to join the House in supporting this transformative legislation For The People. As Americans across the country come together to peacefully demand justice, equality and progress, the Congress must meet this moment by moving our country forward with real action,” Pelosi concluded.

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, applauded the bill’s passage in a statement:

“This is an important legislative step, and we thank our champions and leaders in the House for their work to move pro-solar provisions forward in the Moving Forward Act.

“There is more work to be done to get a bipartisan package to the president’s desk. However, it’s important that we prioritize investments in industries like solar that can add billions of dollars to the economy and put tens of thousands of Americans back to work. In doing so, we must ensure that our economic growth is equitable growth, and we’re glad to see the amendment from Congressman Bobby Rush that establishes critical workforce development programs to ensure job opportunities are abundant in communities that have been left behind.

“We have built strong bipartisan support in Congress and will continue pushing for policies that allow the solar industry to help lead America’s economic recovery,” Hopper said.