Voters Support the Inflation Reduction Act
By Danielle Deiseroth
Last week, Senator Joe Manchin announced he reached a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to vote on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. To lower costs for families and cut pollution, this bill invests a landmark $369 billion in measures to ramp up clean energy production, create new clean energy technologies and jobs in America, and reduce pollution in disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the bill will keep healthcare costs stable for millions of Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act, lower prescription drug prices, and ensure that corporations and the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share in taxes.
In a new poll, Data for Progress and Climate Power find that voters overwhelmingly back the Inflation Reduction Act, and the bill’s historic investments in clean energy enjoy bipartisan support. We also find that passing the Inflation Reduction Act can help boost Democrats’ chances of maintaining control of Congress in November.
By a +51-point margin, voters support the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill enjoys support from an overwhelming majority of Democrats (95 percent), nearly three-quarters of Independents (73 percent), and over half of Republicans (52 percent).
Moreover, we find that voters across party lines support the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate and clean energy components. Among the most widely supported parts of the bill are fair labor and wage standards for businesses that utilize government tax credits for clean energy projects; investments in conservation measures such as sustainable agriculture, coastal restoration, and forest preservation; and grants to reduce air pollution at our nation’s ports to improve public health in surrounding communities.
Majorities of voters also support investments to ramp up America’s energy supply chains and clean energy manufacturing industries, consumer tax credits to lower the costs of clean energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels and energy-efficient appliances for American families, and investments to capture and safely store climate pollution from high-pollution industries such as cement and steel production.
One of the Inflation Reduction Act’s main goals is to invest in American manufacturing and build domestic supply chains for clean energy technologies like batteries and advanced solar panels. A majority of voters (51 percent), including 73 percent of Democrats and 47 percent of Independents, think the Inflation Reduction Act will increase America’s energy security.
Researchers estimate that the Inflation Reduction Act could reduce America’s greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40 percent, which would improve public health for millions of Americans and help America avoid the worst impacts of climate change. After learning about the Inflation Reduction Act’s ability to reduce climate pollution, a majority of voters (56 percent) say that it makes them more supportive of the bill. This includes a strong majority of Democrats (82 percent) and over half of Independents (52 percent).
Finally, passing the Inflation Reduction Act could help boost Democrats’ hopes of winning the November 2022 midterm elections. Initially, before voters learn about the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans lead Democrats in the election for Congress by +4 points.
However, nearly two-thirds of voters (64 percent) of voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Inflation Reduction Act.
It is clear that voters back the Inflation Reduction Act to strengthen America’s energy security, lower energy costs for Americans, and tackle climate change. Lawmakers should pass the bill with confidence knowing that a majority of Americans widely support these measures.
Danielle Deiseroth (@danielledeis) is the Lead Climate Strategist at Data for Progress.