Press Releases
Casten, Schatz, Vargas, Smith Lead 17 Colleagues in Urging the SEC to Finalize Strong ESG Funds Disclosure Rulemaking
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) led 17 colleagues in a letter urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to finalize its ESG Funds Disclosure Rulemaking. “We recommend the final ESG Disclosures Rule include several key elements the SEC proposed: 1) only allowing funds for which ESG factors are a significant or main consideration to use ESG language in their names; 2) … Continue Reading
May 13, 2024
SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs Sean Casten and Mike Levin Commend FERC Regional Transmission Rule
Washington, D.C. - The Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, Reps. Sean Casten (IL) and Mike Levin (CA), released the following statement after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) finalized its “Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation” rule. “As countless studies, reports, and models have shown at this point, there is no transition without transmission,” … Continue Reading
May 07, 2024
Casten Leads Bipartisan Call for Pilot Mental Health Reform in FAA Reauthorization Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) led 18 of his colleagues in urging Senate leadership to include mental health protections for pilots in the reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Rep. Casten and his fellow lawmakers are supporting the inclusion of language to require the implementation of recommendations from the FAA’s Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC). These recommendations include lowering … Continue Reading
May 07, 2024
Casten, Foster, Sherman, Cleaver Introduce Legislation to Temporarily Prohibit Crypto Mixers
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced the Blockchain Integrity Act to temporarily prohibit financial institutions from transacting with funds that have gone through digital asset mixers while the Treasury Department, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CFTC), and Department of Justice (DOJ) conduct a study on their illicit uses. The legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Bill Foster (IL-11), Brad Sherman (CA-32), and … Continue Reading
May 01, 2024
Casten Statement on H.R. 6090
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 6090, the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023: “First and foremost, I remain concerned about acts of antisemitism throughout the United States. Meaningful action is needed to address this issue. “That said, the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 falls short of that goal by unnecessarily and harmfully limiting the tools available to the Department of Education (DoE) to address … Continue Reading
April 22, 2024
Tom Skilling Quizzes Reps. Casten and Foster, Jennifer Walling on Earth Day Trivia
Monday, April 22nd - Today, U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06) and Bill Foster (IL-11) and Jennifer Walling, Executive Director of the Illinois Environmental Council, celebrated Earth Day with a round of climate-inspired Jeopardy, hosted by Chicagoland’s favorite weatherman, Tom Skilling. The game's rounds were Climate Disasters, Earth Day History, The Earth, the Atmosphere and Beyond, and Climate Action. Jennifer Walling was the champion of Earth Day Jeopardy! To watch the round of … Continue Reading
April 20, 2024
Casten Votes to Pass Aid for American Allies
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) voted to pass a supplemental funding package to provide critical aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel, and humanitarian assistance for Gaza. Rep Casten released the following statement: “Now more than ever, the United States plays an important role in global governance, from strengthening alliances and helping address national security threats to defending democracy and advancing respect for human rights. “Russia’s cruel and … Continue Reading
April 17, 2024
Sustainable Investment Caucus Statement on Climate Rule CRA
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Juan Vargas (CA-52), co-chairs of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, released the following statement following the Financial Services Committee passage of a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the SEC’s climate risk disclosure rule: “Today, Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee voted unanimously to protect market transparency and provide investors with clear, comparable, and standardized … Continue Reading
April 17, 2024
Casten Amendment to Address National Security Risks in Financial Innovation Adopted in FSC Markup
Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Financial Services Committee adopted an amendment proposed by U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) to the Financial Services Innovation Act to require that companies certify that their innovative products do not present national security risks and meet the current anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism requirements (AML/CFT) under the Bank Secrecy Act. “While I understand the spirit behind the Financial Services Innovation Act, as … Continue Reading
April 11, 2024
SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs Reps. Sean Casten and Mike Levin Celebrate Historic Action for Clean Energy Development on Public Lands
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, Reps. Sean Casten (IL-06) and Mike Levin (CA-49), released the following statement in response to the finalization of the Renewable Energy Rule from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which will spur the responsible development of clean energy on America’s public lands. “Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic milestone in ensuring … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Casten: The SEC is Acting in the Interest of Investors
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten, co-chair of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, hosted a press conference to highlight the importance of protecting free-market principles of consumer choice and investor freedom. “The SEC is acting in the interest of investors, acting entirely within their mandate, to deal with the fact that investors in America tend to not like risk,” said Rep. Casten. “They like to invest in portfolios that maximize the return with the … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Casten, Warren, Escobar, 23 Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Finalize Climate Risk Disclosure Rule for Federal Contractors
Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (D-Ill.), co-chair of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) led their colleagues in a letter to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), urging them to finalize the Federal … Continue Reading
April 05, 2024
Sustainable Investment Caucus Statement on SEC Climate Disclosure Rule Pause
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52) and Sean Casten (IL-06), co-chairs of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, released the following statement on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) announcement that it will pause the implementation of its new climate disclosure rule pending the results of a legal challenge: “It’s no secret that corporations believe climate change poses a risk to their businesses - that’s why they spend on average $500,000 a … Continue Reading
April 01, 2024
Casten, 19 Colleagues Renew Call to Boost Soil Health and Align Crop Insurance with Risk Mitigation Practices
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) led 19 of his colleagues in a letter to House Agriculture Committee Leadership urging them to include a voluntary crop insurance premium incentive program for farmers who plant cover crops in the upcoming Farm Bill. “The Farm Bill provides an opportunity to align crop insurance with risk-reducing soil health practices,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) is widely used to stabilize farm incomes, … Continue Reading
March 21, 2024
SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs Sean Casten and Mike Levin Highlight Democrats’ Clean Energy Vision During Republicans’ Dirty Energy Week
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, Reps. Sean Casten (IL) and Mike Levin (CA), released the following statement to highlight a real vision for an American clean energy future during House Republicans’ Dirty Energy Week. “This week, House Republicans doubled down on their goal of increasing emissions and costs for American families all while turning a blind eye to energy reliability. The … Continue Reading
March 18, 2024
Casten, Raskin Urge DOJ, FBI, DHS to Address White Supremacy in Policing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) led 28 colleagues in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas urging their respective agencies to fully and robustly implement President Biden’s May 2022 Executive Order to combat white supremacy in federal policing. “The Department of Justice must act expeditiously to fully implement EO 14074 among federal law enforcement, … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Casten Statement on HR 7521
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) has released the following statement after voting to pass H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act: “Foreign interference and disinformation campaigns remain two of the gravest threats to American democracy. Ensuring our adversaries abroad don’t have unfettered access to Americans’ data is critical to preventing foreign influence operations from distorting and misleading the American … Continue Reading
March 13, 2024
Casten Introduces Bill to Mitigate Methane Emissions
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06), along with co-sponsors Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) introduced the Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act to create a program for methane emissions detection and mitigation research, as well as development and demonstration for technologies and methods that would detect and mitigate emissions. Methane is one of the leading … Continue Reading
March 06, 2024
Sustainable Investment Caucus Applauds SEC Climate Rule
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressmen Sean Casten (IL-06) and Juan Vargas (CA-52), co-chairs of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, released the following statement regarding the SEC’s finalized rulemaking requiring companies to disclose climate-related financial risks: “The climate rule approved by the SEC today ensures investors have access to clear, comparable, and standardized disclosures to judge registrants’ climate risks. Climate change remains a threat to the … Continue Reading
March 06, 2024
Casten Secures $11,427,646 For Local Projects in Illinois’ 6th District
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) voted to pass $11,427,646 in Community Project Funding that he previously secured for Illinois’s 6th District in the 2024 government funding. This funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds directly to some of the most pressing needs in the 6th District. The legislation is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Biden later this week. “After an extremely … Continue Reading