Biden to tout climate investments in trip to sweltering West

President Biden will tout his administration’s work to combat climate change in a trip out West, which has faced scorching — and in some cases, record-breaking — temperatures this month.

In a trip next week to Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, Biden is expected to discuss Democrats’ climate, tax and health care bill and the ways in which it bolstered climate-friendly energy and U.S. manufacturing. 

Later, on Aug. 16, Biden will host a White House event to celebrate the Inflation Reduction Act. 

The southwestern U.S. has faced a sweltering heat wave over the past several weeks, with Phoenix seeing 31 days in a row of temperatures above 110 degrees. 

Last week, Biden gave a speech about climate change, which exacerbates heat waves and other extreme weather events, and said he would take actions aimed at protecting workers from the hazardous heat. 

The upcoming White House moves are part of broader efforts to promote that bill and other legislation the administration has passed. 

This week, Vice President Harris and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will visit Wisconsin to talk about broadband investments that were part of the bipartisan infrastructure law. 

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will visit Oregon to discuss grants aimed at addressing wildfires and to Washington state to talk about climate-related investments in Agriculture. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi will visit Puerto Rico to engage on issues related to grid resilience. And Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will go to California to talk about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for water recycling. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will visit Illinois to talk about clean energy investments and Houston for a ribbon cutting for a port. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will visit Las Vegas, Nevada and Oregon to talk about efforts to lower health care costs.