Casten Statement on Anti-ESG House Votes
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding this week’s votes on anti-ESG legislation:
“On the verge of a government shutdown, House Republicans wasted time this week forcing votes on bills that, if enacted, would fundamentally weaken the foundation of America’s free markets and limit Americans’ freedom to make their own investment decisions without interference from the government,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “These bills significantly impede a fiduciary’s ability to uphold their duty and evaluate all risk factors and are proven to put workers’ retirement security at risk.
“We’ve already seen the devastating impacts of similar state-level anti-ESG legislation across the country. In Texas, anti-ESG laws are costing the state more than 3,000 jobs and nearly $700 million in lost economic activity and local and state tax revenue. In Kansas, the state’s budget office estimated an anti-ESG law would cost retirees $3.6 billion over ten years in reduced returns.
“These bills are straight out of the Project 2025 playbook and bad news for American workers. I was proud to see the overwhelming majority of my Democratic colleagues stand up for capitalism and the free market and vote no.”
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