Vice President Kamala Harris visited Seattle today to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, a measure that is directing billions of dollars into clean energy efforts and is the signature climate bill of the Biden administration.
Harris spoke at an event at McKinstry and toured the energy efficiency company’s facility. She was joined by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Washington elected officials U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, Gov. Jay Inslee, U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.
Washington’s officials have been cheerleaders for the Inflation Reduction Act, touting local companies that are benefiting from the measure. The act creates $369 billion of climate-related investments over a decade, with $270 billion delivered in the form of tax incentives.
“We are creating millions of good-paying, clean energy jobs,” Harris told the crowd at McKinstry. “We are rebuilding America’s manufacturing. And we are driving American innovation — something this state knows so well.”
Harris also promoted the Biden administration’s creation of 13 million new jobs, reduction of the unemployment rate and slowing inflation.
After the event, Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attended a fundraiser co-hosted by Microsoft President Brad Smith and his wife Kathy Surace-Smith. According to the Seattle Times, the fundraiser had a minimum donation of $5,000 with contributions going to the Biden Victory Fund, which supports the to reelect the president and vice president as well as Democratic party organizations.
Smith was a top fundraiser leading up to President Biden’s first term, and he and Surace-Smith last year hosted the president at a private fundraiser in Seattle’s Madison Park neighborhood. Biden is running again for office, with former President Trump as the lead Republican candidate so far.
The Seattle area and Washington state are establishing the region as a hub for multiple climate tech sectors, making it a receptive audience for Harris’ clean energy message.
The Pacific Northwest is home to companies developing and building advanced batteries, fusion energy, sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen — all of which garnered support in the Inflation Reduction Act.
The measure also addresses health care costs, lowering some drug prices and cutting insurance premiums and includes tax breaks for consumers purchasing electric vehicles and making energy efficiency investments in their homes.
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Aug. 16 last year after a tied vote among senators that split along party lines, with a tiebreaker from Harris.
This is the vice president’s second trip to Seattle since taking office. Her first visit was in October 2022, during which she announced a five-year, $5 billion program to fund the purchase of electric school buses and also campaigned for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who later won her reelection.
Harris is scheduled to leave Seattle at 3:35 this afternoon for Los Angeles.