The electrical grid in the United States is a complex network that provides energy to millions of homes and businesses, putting it at the center of the nation’s economy. Nearly all aspects of commerce and industry depend on affordable and available sources of energy. However, the grid is vulnerable to climate change-related and national security risks, including cyber-attacks, with outages costing the U.S. economy approximately $150 billion each year. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, have already bolstered parts of the grid and have demonstrated flexibility and reliability in extreme weather. Congress and the Biden administration have made unprecedented investments to deploy renewable energy, strengthen transmission, and address security and privacy concerns related to the grid.

A strong U.S. middle class depends on families having the opportunity to buy a home, build wealth and pass it on to the next generation. Research has shown that when low-income families move to stable homes in neighborhoods with a range of family incomes, their young children’s future earnings and life outcomes improve significantly. Broad access to affordable and stable housing helps ensure Americans’ economic well-being and mobility. However, the current housing shortage limits Americans’ ability to access this next step.

Massive federal investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act are reaching communities across the United States. One key to landing these investments in a particular community is an available workforce. While New Mexico’s labor force participation rate has remained below the national average for much of the last decade, sustained policy efforts can transform this disadvantage into an advantage right as we deliver the unprecedented federal investments from the last Congress. These needed policies include: expanding access to health and child care, boosting literacy rates, investing in broadband, and better training people for the jobs of the future. If these policies are executed in a sustained way, they can help transition more New Mexicans into the workforce and attract the federal and private investments spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.