Press Releases
Casten, Durbin, Van Hollen, DeLauro Release Statement on Trump’s Rescission of Biden’s West Bank Sanctions
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Rescission of President Biden’s Executive Order authorizing sanctions against any individual or entity involved in threatening peace, security, and stability in the West Bank. The lawmakers previously led an effort joined by over 80 members of Congress to urge … Continue Reading
January 22, 2025
Casten Introduces Two Bills to Bolster Electric Grid Reliability and Affordability in the Face of Extreme Weather
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced the Reinforcing the Grid Against Extreme Weather Act and the Responsive Energy Demand Unlocks Clean Energy (REDUCE) Act. The bills will bolster the affordability and reliability of electricity in the face of booming demand and the growing challenges of climate change, cyber-attacks, and other threats. Under the Reinforcing the Grid Against Extreme Weather Act of 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will … Continue Reading
January 21, 2025
Casten: Trump Puts Energy Producers Over American Consumers
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s executive orders that will raise energy prices for American consumers: “The president’s day-one actions prioritized the wants of energy producers over the needs of American energy consumers. With yesterday’s executive orders, fossil fuel companies that can’t compete with clean and affordable energy purely on their merits will see a boost in their profits at the expense … Continue Reading
January 16, 2025
Casten, Whitehouse Urge Fannie and Freddie to Address Climate Risk for Home Mortgages
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent letters to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac questioning the Enterprises on how they assess and manage climate-related risks for the home mortgage loans they purchase and hold. “The U.S. mortgage market faces severe challenges due to climate-related factors, including underinsurance, increasingly unaffordable or unavailable insurance, the over-representation of under-capitalized insurers in high-risk … Continue Reading
January 15, 2025
Casten Urges EIA to Modernize Energy Reporting Standards
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) led four colleagues in a letter to the Administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) urging the agency to modernize its methods for reporting energy metrics to reflect the realities of our rapidly evolving energy system. “Because of the way the EIA quantifies the US energy system, there are clear data issues, and this problem is only worsening as we decarbonize,” the lawmakers wrote. “The EIA is a critical tool for … Continue Reading
January 15, 2025
Casten Statement on Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding the hostage release and ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas announced by President Joe Biden: “I applaud the news that an agreement has been reached to return the hostages held captive by Hamas, put a stop to the tragic bloodshed in Gaza, and ensure humanitarian aid can reach Palestinian civilians. This is a critical step towards achieving lasting, durable peace in the region. “What … Continue Reading
January 14, 2025
Casten Reintroduces Trio of Bills to Combat Emissions, Global Warming
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) reintroduced three bills aimed at reducing harmful emissions that lead to global warming: the End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act, the LNG Public Interest Determination Act, and the Exported Carbon Emissions Report Act. The End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act, introduced by Reps. Casten, Don Beyer (VA- 08), and Mike Levin (CA-49), would eliminate nearly a dozen of the most egregious tax breaks enjoyed by the oil and gas … Continue Reading
January 14, 2025
Casten, Merkley, Reed, Huffman, Barragán, McClellan, Grijalva: LNG Exports Are Not in Public Interest
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Jack Reed (D-RI) and U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) today led a bicameral letter urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to use its recent findings when determining the public interest of pending liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. “American households are already struggling with energy prices, which … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Casten Announces $114M in Federal Funding for Illinois Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Downers Grove, IL — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten has announced Illinois will soon benefit from more than $114 million in federal investments to increase access to electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state. The funding was awarded through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, authorized by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus will be awarded over $14 million for community charging stations, and the Illinois … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Casten Statement on Not Attending Trump’s Inauguration
Washington, D.C — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding his decision not to attend the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump: “I have great respect for the office of the President of the United States. In my time serving in Congress during his first administration, I found President-elect Trump consistently failed to recognize that all of us who are in elected office succeed only to the extent that we hand our position off to our successor in … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Casten Statement on Voting Against the Laken Riley Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 29, the Laken Riley Act: “First and foremost, I’m heartbroken by the tragic murder of Laken Riley. Second, I firmly believe in, support, and have long advocated for reasonable reforms to our immigration system. Third, it is already law that undocumented immigrants who are convicted of a felony are subject to deportation. That is a good law and one that should be enforced. “The … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Casten, Vargas Urge OCC to Issue Preemption Determination for States’ Anti-ESG Laws
Washington, D.C — U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Juan Vargas (CA-52) sent a letter urging the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to issue a federal preemption determination for complying with certain anti-ESG laws in Republican-led states. “We understand that the OCC is aware of conflicting state laws that affect national banks,” wrote Congressmen Casten and Vargas. “...we urge the OCC to take swift action to clarify the application of federal preemption standards over … Continue Reading
January 10, 2025
Casten, Underwood Reintroduce Legislation to Provide Tax Relief for Families Hurt by SALT Deduction Cap
Washington, D.C. - Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06) and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced legislation to provide tax relief to Illinois families unfairly hurt by changes to the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction. The Republican tax law enacted in 2017 under the first Trump Administration disproportionately harmed northern Illinoisans by capping the SALT deduction at $10,000, preventing taxpayers from deducting the full amount of their state and local taxes, which include property … Continue Reading
January 09, 2025
Casten, Pritzker, IDOT Announce $43 Million for Bedford Park Area Infrastructure Investments
Bedford Park, IL — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Governor JB Pritzker, and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced over $43 million in federal funding for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program’s (CREATE) Project GS1 on IL 43 (Harlem Avenue) between 63rd Street and 65th Street in the 6th Congressional District. The funding, made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 that Rep. Casten voted for and helped … Continue Reading
January 06, 2025
Casten, Castor, Ross Urge USAID to Increase Grid Reliability in Ukraine
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), and Deborah Ross (NC-02) sent a letter to Samantha Power, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), urging USAID to support the deployment of electric grid enhancing technologies in Poland in order to increase reliable power delivery into Ukraine. “Ensuring reliable electricity for Ukraine is of utmost importance to people in the region, their … Continue Reading
December 23, 2024
Casten Statement on Release of Gaetz Report
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) has issued the following statement regarding the release of the Gaetz Report: “The release of the Gaetz Report is welcome news for all who care about integrity, accountability, and transparency in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said U.S. Congressman Sean Casten. Earlier this month, Rep. Casten introduced a privileged resolution to force a vote by the full House of Representatives requiring the House Ethics Committee to release the … Continue Reading
December 20, 2024
Casten Statement on Continuing Resolution Until March 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) has released the following statement regarding the continuing resolution passed by the House to keep the government open: “Keeping our government open is one of the most basic responsibilities of Congress. Government funding should have been sorted out before the start of the 2025 fiscal year, but unfortunately, Speaker Mike Johnson proved incapable of doing this. “When it became clear a full government funding package was not within … Continue Reading
December 20, 2024
Casten, Merkley Question Robinhood Over Election Betting
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) sent a letter to Robinhood questioning their recent decision to allow customers to bet on the results of the presidential election. “It appears that Robinhood has capitalized on election betting to expand its profits, which could come at the expense of protecting investors,” the lawmakers wrote. “It … Continue Reading
December 18, 2024
Casten Statement on the Impending Release of the Gaetz Report
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten has issued the following statement regarding reports that the House Ethics Committee plans to release its report into allegations of serious misconduct by former Representative Matt Gaetz before the end of the 118th Congress: “As someone who cares deeply about upholding the integrity of the House of Representatives and ensuring that there is full transparency to the American people, I welcome the news that the Gaetz Report is expected to be … Continue Reading
December 17, 2024
Casten Statement on DOE LNG Study
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding the Department of Energy’s assessment of U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) exports: “Today’s report from the Department of Energy proves what we already knew - when we export liquified natural gas, energy costs rise, emissions increase, and fossil fuel companies rake in profits at Americans’ expense,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “It is not in the national interest to raise prices on American … Continue Reading