As a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur and CEO, and now as a Member of Congress representing the western suburbs of Chicago, Congressman Sean Casten has dedicated his life to fighting climate change. Casten draws upon his previous private sector experience in Congress to craft market-based solutions to reduce emissions while creating jobs and spurring economic growth.
Casten serves on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and is the Vice Chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets. He also serves as Co-Chair on the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force.
As a scientist and entrepreneur, Representative Casten's desire to learn paved his way to Congress and he believes that, regardless of zip code or economic status, every child should have access to a top-notch, affordable education. America must strive for an educational system that prepares our students to compete in an ever-advancing global economy and that does not leave students grappling with crippling debt.
The Congressman supports the expansion of early childhood education, recognizing the difference it makes to give our kids a solid start early in life. He supports year-round Pell grants and enabling students who wish to pursue a trade that opportunity. Rep. Casten also believes in expanding STEM education to prepare our kids for the jobs of the future to help ensure American competitiveness for generations to come.
Representative Casten believes that Americans have a right to universal, quality, affordable health care. As a member of the New Dem Health Taskforce, he stands solidly behind efforts to protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Thanks to the ACA, insurance companies can no longer discriminate against people pre-existing conditions or by age, young people can stay on their parents' health plan until they turn 26, and all insurance plans must cover essential health benefits like maternity care, hospital stays, and prescription drugs.
We must work together in a bipartisan way to strengthen and improve the Affordable Care Act. Rep Casten is a cosponsor of H.R.1884, the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019 which would:
Lowering Health Care Costs:
Rep. Casten is also working to lower the cost of health care which still remains too high and out of reach for far too many. He has introduced the FLAT Prices Act which would target unfair price hikes for prescription drugs. The legislation imposes penalties on pharmaceutical companies who harm consumers with sudden, exorbitant price increases and promotes competition among manufacturers to lower drug prices.
He has also cosponsored legislation, H.R.1046, the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act, that would directly allow Medicare to negotiate the price taxpayers pay for prescription drugs. In 2018, Americans spent an all-time high of $360 billion on prescription drugs. According to a 2016 Consumer Reports survey, 30 percent of Americans who experienced an increase in the price of one or more of their medications left a prescription unfilled because it was too expensive; 15 percent said they cut pills in half to make them last longer. This bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices and, if drug companies refuse to negotiate in good faith, it would enable the Secretary to issue a competitive license to another company to produce the medication as a generic.
Women's Health:
As a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus, Rep. Casten strongly believes in a women's right to choose. Politicians have no place in the extremely personal and complex decision-making process between a woman and her doctor. The Congressman opposes anti-choice actions that limit women's access to abortion and birth control. Rep Casten will continue to fight for the constitutionally protected rights for American women.
Representative Casten is committed to ensuring that the men and women who have served, are serving, or will serve in the U.S. military get the resources and care they need – both at home and abroad. He knows that our veterans' service is a debt that can never be fully repaid and is a solid advocate for making sure they receive the benefits they have earned. As the son and grandson of veterans, Congressman Casten holds in highest regard men and women wear the uniform and put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms.
In Congress, he is committed to supporting programs that better enable our servicemembers to transition back into civilian life, have access to both mental and physical health care, and provide resources for our military families while their husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters are deployed.
Rep. Casten will continue to work on bipartisan policies to benefit the brave men and women who have served.
Representative Casten has made combatting climate change his top priority.
Families across the 6th District are already experiencing climate change through intensified storms, extreme seasonal temperatures, and a thinning of our biodiversity. As a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the House Science Space and Technology Committee, the Congressman is committed to following established science and finding practical, yet bold, solutions to the challenge of climate change.
With this in mind, Rep. Casten was proud to cosponsor H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, aimed at preventing the United States from becoming the only nation on Earth not party to the groundbreaking Paris Climate Accords. H.R. 9 would also require the President to produce his plan on how to meet our national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the agreement.
A former CEO of a clean energy company, Representative Casten has worked throughout his career to reduce greenhouse gas emissions profitably. In Congress, he is continuing this mission.
The cost of inaction is enormous, but Representative Casten recognizes that addressing climate change is an opportunity to invest in the energy infrastructure of tomorrow, making our businesses more productive and our economy more competitive globally. U.S. energy policy is complex and often convoluted which can have the practical effect of incentivizing existing energy sources at the expense of newer, cheaper, cleaner energy sources. Congressman Casten is committed to pursuing targeted reforms that can promote a less carbon-intensive economy by removing existing legal barriers.
Representative Casten knows that families in Illinois's 6th District want and deserve a strong economy that provides jobs of the future for our children and grandchildren. He is fighting for job creation, economic opportunity for all, and fair and responsible ways to reduce the deficit.
Unfortunately, for too long, too little of our Federal budget has been devoted to investing in our own economy – to building the basic infrastructure that serves as a foundation for private-sector growth.
Contrary to some political schools of thought that have long promoted cutting funding for the sake of claiming small government fiscal constraint, Representative Casten believes that funding infrastructure is one of the best investments we can make, because the jobs that result cannot be outsourced.
Building safer, more modern roads and bridges, expanding transit systems, enhancing our waterways, promoting research and development – these are all infrastructure investments that give our businesses tools to grow and create jobs for our citizens. These are all the kinds of investments that Representative Casten is working to advance in Congress.
Not only does Representative Casten recognize that our nation needs to invest in itself, but he also knows that long-lasting economic security requires government policies that don't discourage the private sector. Representative Casten is working to advance policies that encourage American businesses to flex their muscles and to be innovative, while also being good citizens, stewards, and neighbors.
Gun violence claims the lives of 30,000 Americans every year. Mass shootings have plagued our schools and our communities and too many loved ones have been taken due to guns. Now more than ever, it's time for Congress to act. Rep. Casten supports sensible gun control measures including strengthening background checks and banning assault weapons.
Strengthening Background Checks
Representative Casten is a strong supporter of reforms to strengthen background checks. Federal law prohibits certain individuals, including those with felony convictions, domestic abusers, and people who have been involuntarily committed to mental hospitals, from possessing firearms. Rep. Casten cosponsored of H.R. 8, legislation to ensure background checks for all gun sales to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
Banning Assault Weapons
Weapons designed for war should be held by those in the military not for civilians. Rep. Casten supports banning semi-automatic weapons with military-style features and is a cosponsor of H.R. 1296 the Assault Weapons Ban.
For too long, Congress has failed to act on gun control. Rep. Casten is committed to working with his colleagues to bring commonsense gun safety measures to Congress.
Representative Casten is committed to supporting and expanding women's rights and opportunities — by protecting reproductive rights, fighting for equal pay for equal work, and supporting programs that aid women subjected to harassment and abuse.
We must ensure that women are treated equally – including in the workplace. For every dollar a man makes, a woman makes 80 cents, and the wage gap is even larger for women of color.
In the first few months as a Representative, Rep. Casten was proud to be a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work. This legislation strengthens and closes loopholes in the 1963 Equal Pay Act to secure justice for working women in Illinois and across the country by providing effective remedies for women subject to unfair and inequitable pay practices.
Violence Against Women Act
Domestic violence and abuse is far too prevalent in our country. Rep. Casten is committed to combating domestic violence and advocating for victims of abuse. He is proud to have cosponsored and helped to pass H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, which has been absolutely vital to saving the lives of women and their families since its inception. This bill addresses gaps in current law, and does so in collaboration with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts in the field. Rep. Casten also won approval of his amendment to the bill to include campus faculty in grant programs so they can be trained in recognizing and responding to domestic or sexual abuse.
Women's rights are human rights. Rep. Casten will continue to protect and advance women's rights here in the United States and around the world.
Representative Casten is dedicated to protecting the rights of all Americans. He is committed to his long-held belief that LGBTQ rights are human rights and he stands firmly against any effort that would deny any citizen the full set of rights and opportunities.
Believing that too many gaps exist in our civil rights laws, leaving LGBTQ Americans without the full protections that other citizens enjoy, Rep. Casten seeks to do all that he can in office to eliminate those gaps.
In addition, the Congressman places a special emphasis on protecting LGBTQ children, too many of whom face harassment, distressingly contributing to higher rates of suicide among the LGBTQ youth.
Recognizing that too many qualified members of our workforce face discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity, the Congressman stands for improving workplace protections, including in the Federal workforce. With that in mind, he supported House Resolution 124, a bipartisan resolution opposing the Trump Administration's ban on transgender military service members.
Rep. Casten believes in prioritizing strong science-based environmental protections that deliver on the promise of clean air, clean water, and safe drinking water for all communities across the nation.
He is a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), a group of more than fifty Members of Congress who are committed to protecting our environment, combating climate change, and growing domestic investment in clean energy. The Coalition is comprised of some of the foremost leaders in Congress on all issues related to protecting our public lands and standing up to polluters.
Great Lakes, Conservation, and Public Lands
Our nation is home to many natural wonders and pristine public lands, as well as unique and diverse ecosystems. Representative Casten is committed to protecting these irreplaceable resources throughout our region and across the nation. As the largest freshwater system in the world, the Great Lakes are home to numerous marine plant and animal species, provide drinking water to communities across the region. The Lakes support a $5-7 billion fishing industry. These valuable bodies must be protected from harmful pollution. As such, Congressman Casten has called for robust Federal funding to support the Great Lakes Regional Initiative and supports projects that would help to prevent the spread of harmful invasive species like the Asian Carp.
Representative Casten has joined in cosponsoring a host of bills to protect our public lands, promote conservation, and prevent the endangerment of fragile ecosystems. He was a proud supporter of S. 47, the most significant public lands bill in over a decade. That bill permanently reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) – a Federal program that has helped preserve thousands of acres of natural areas and create outdoor recreation in communities all across the country.