Press Releases
Casten, 15 Colleagues Highlight Success of DOE Loan Programs Office
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) led 15 Colleagues in a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to highlight the success of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO). “LPO-financed projects have created almost 47,000 permanent jobs, generated over 104 million megawatt-hours of clean electricity, and resulted in more than $50 billion in total project investments,” the lawmakers wrote. “In short, the LPO is spurring technological innovation, … Continue Reading
May 28, 2024
Casten, Dingell Call for Patient Care Provisions in Final CMS Rule
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) led nine colleagues in a letter urging Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Brooks-LaSure to implement quality standards of care and protections from abuse and neglect for older Americans and people with disabilities. “We recognize that CMS has taken significant steps toward protecting the care Medicaid beneficiaries receive, and we encourage the Center to go … Continue Reading
May 23, 2024
Casten, Durbin Introduce Legislation to Eliminate Demand Response Opt-Out
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Responsive Energy Demand Unlocks Clean Energy (REDUCE) Act, legislation that would allow consumers to sell their energy use reduction into federal wholesale electricity markets by eliminating the “Opt Out” currently employed by 13 states that fully or partially ban “aggregated demand response” from these markets. “Requiring FERC to take steps to eliminate the Opt Out rule will not only reduce … Continue Reading
May 22, 2024
Casten Statement on the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) has released the following statement after voting against the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act: “Half of North Korea’s nuclear program may be funded through crypto-theft, according to U.S. national security experts. Russia and Venezuela are using cryptocurrency to evade U.S. sanctions. According to the Treasury Department, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and their enablers, like … Continue Reading
May 16, 2024
Casten Announces Selections for FY2025 Community Project Funding, Would Bring More Than $35M to Address Chicagoland Priorities
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) announced his Community Funding Projects for FY 2025, which could bring a total of $35,144,332 in federal funding to the Chicagoland community. The 15 projects requested by Rep. Casten will improve health care education, build out solar power infrastructure, update transportation services, provide clean drinking water, and more. Rep. Casten is advocating for the inclusion of these projects as part of the FY 2025 omnibus government … Continue Reading
May 15, 2024
Casten Statement on Passage of Pilot Mental Health Reform in FAA Reauthorization Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Sean Casten released the following statement on the House passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act: “In April, the FAA Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) released recommendations to the FAA to improve mental health care access for pilots and air traffic controllers. I led the call to include the direction to implement these in the reauthorization bill for the FAA and I am glad to … Continue Reading
May 15, 2024
Casten, Bennet Introduce Bill to Improve Home Appraisal Process and Encourage Energy-Efficiency and Clean Energy
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Getting Renewable and Energy Efficient Neighborhoods (GREEN) Appraisals Act, legislation to encourage energy-efficient and clean energy features to be considered as part of the residential home buying and appraisal process. The GREEN Appraisals Act helps home appraisals accurately reflect the value of renewable and energy-efficient features of a property. In addition, the legislation … Continue Reading
May 13, 2024
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, 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 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 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