Today, President Joe Biden gave the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. After the speech, Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen issued the following statement:

“In a rousing speech that underscored his ambition to tackle the biggest challenges facing our country, President Biden touched repeatedly on the imperative of addressing climate change and the promise of the new clean energy economy his administration is building. He empathetically demonstrated his attention to real people and the health and resilience of our communities while doubling down on a bold agenda to protect our democracy, rights, and freedoms.

“President Biden has made unprecedented investments in climate and environmental justice. From legislative victories like the Inflation Reduction Act to the recent pause on new approvals for LNG export projects, President Biden has successfully turned his promises in actions. This administration’s policies are already transforming communities across the country and helping us meet our climate goals while advancing environmental justice.

“As we face a worsening climate crisis and an extreme right-wing Supreme Court majority that threatens our rights, livelihoods, and our government’s ability to fight modern challenges, it is essential to build on these successes with continued action. We urge President Biden to harness the full power of the federal government to rapidly disburse Inflation Reduction Act funding and ensure important funding for clean energy, environmental justice, and jobs reaches the communities that need them the most. Additionally, the administration must quickly finalize new environmental protections that reverse the most egregious harms of the Trump administration. These safeguards are critical to conserving our public lands and biodiversity, protecting our right to clean water, and giving us the tools to quickly build out clean energy infrastructure to address climate change. President Biden is right. We can’t rely on ancient ideas of the past. And we cannot wait.”