Press Release: House Lawmakers, Former Federal Experts to Chart Path to a Thriving Economy
Landmark report on job creation, economy-wide opportunities, and energy affordability to be released this September
WASHINGTON, DC – March 19, 2026 – A coalition of members of Congress, former senior congressional aides, officials from multiple presidential administrations, and leading energy and environmental policy experts are collaborating on a new policy blueprint aimed at strengthening economic competitiveness, creating jobs, and delivering affordable and reliable energy for American families and businesses.
The Thriving Economy Project is being led by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Institute, a nonprofit founded in 2024 to advance climate and clean energy solutions. The project will culminate in a landmark report, scheduled for release in September 2026, outlining a roadmap for the economy Americans want — one that fosters opportunity and long-term growth while recognizing that a thriving economy depends on protecting the natural resources and environment communities rely on.
The project will include policies that can be considered immediately, combining an ambitious vision of the country’s economic future with a realistic look at today’s challenges. Rising costs, shifting energy markets, and mounting climate impacts are placing growing pressure on households, businesses, and local economies.
“We’re focused on identifying what’s already working in communities across the country and turning those lessons into policy,” said Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), chair of the Thriving Economy Project, ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee, and former chair of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. “Our goal is to develop a clear roadmap that Congress, states, and local communities can use to create jobs, lower energy costs, encourage innovation, and strengthen local economies.”
To develop practical solutions, the Thriving Economy Project is gathering ideas and feedback from people across the country, including farmers, manufacturers, small business owners, labor leaders, public sector leaders, CEOs, researchers, students, and community advocates. Through more than 120 responses to a request for information and a series of events and listening sessions nationwide, the project is drawing on the experiences of people who are directly navigating the economic, energy, and climate challenges facing their communities.
Throughout the process, SEEC Institute is working closely with lawmakers, policy experts, and practitioners to ensure the recommendations are grounded in the realities of policymaking and can translate into tangible outcomes.
“Our current trajectory isn’t delivering the economy Americans want,” said Max Frankel, Executive Director of SEEC Institute. “Energy costs are rising, climate impacts are becoming more expensive, and too many communities feel like their voices aren’t being heard. This project is about taking a clear-eyed look at those challenges and developing practical solutions policymakers can use.”
The Thriving Economy Project report will feature recommendations in nine key issue areas that will be shepherded by a member of Congress and one or more policy experts:
Thriving Economy Project
Congressional Chair:
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Project Lead:
Eric Fins, Vice President at Grove Climate Group, former Deputy Staff Director of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
21st Century Agricultural Opportunities
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL)
Policy Expert Lead:
Callie Eideberg, Principal at The Vogel Group, former Senior Professional Staffer for Senate Agriculture Committee (majority)
Growing Rural Economies
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM)
Policy Expert Lead:
MacKenzie Bills, Founder and CEO of MacKenzie Bills Strategies, LLC and Reimagining Rural Assistance Network (RRAN) Policy Consultant; former USAID Philanthropy Advisor
Thriving, Affordable, Resilient Communities
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Policy Expert Lead:
Samantha A. Medlock, Founder & President, Climate Risk Advisors; former FEMA Assistant Administrator, Senior Counsel of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and Senior Advisor in the Executive Office of the President, CEQ, and OMB
Safe, Clean and Prosperous Ecosystems
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR)
Policy Expert Lead:
Rebecca Jablonski-Diehl, former aide at the Department of the Interior, NOAA and U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
Cheap, Abundant, and Clean American Energy for All
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA)
Policy Expert Lead:
Fatima Ahmad, Founder & CEO, AI For Energy LLC; Former Senior Counsel, House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis; Former Political Appointee, U.S. Department of the Interior; Former Attorney-Advisor, NOAA
Next-Generation Energy Technology Researched, Developed, and Built in America
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC)
Policy Expert Lead:
Evan Chapman, Senior Director, Tomorrow Energy Partners, former Clean Air Task Force U.S. federal policy director; former Legislative Director and Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Donald McEachin
A Nationally Secure, Globally Competitive Energy Sector
Congressional Lead:
Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA)
Policy Expert Leads:
Becky Tomilchik, Director at Grove Climate Group and former Professional Staff Member for House Committee on Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee (Democratic Staff)
Julia Greensfelder, Director of Policy and International Programming at SEEC Institute and former Director of Legislative Affairs at the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Accessible, Low-Cost Finance for a Clean Energy Future
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
Policy Expert Leads:
Satyam Khanna, President of Khanna Economic Strategies LLC; former Senior Advisor in the Office of the EPA Administrator; former Senior Counselor to former SEC Chair Allison Lee and former SEC Commissioner Robert Jackson
Tim Profeta, Principal at Novi Strategies LLC and Executive in Residence and Founding Director of the Nicholas Institute at Duke; former Special Counsel for the Power Sector at EPA and Counsel to Sen. Joe Lieberman
Building Government for Today
Congressional Lead:
Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI)
Policy Expert Leads:
Tim Profeta and Satyam Khanna
In the coming months leading up to the September 2026 publication of the report, SEEC Institute will gain insight in its development through public meetings, small group discussions and otherwise seeking input from people from all walks of life and all parts of the country.
More details and information on how to get involved can be found at https://www.seecinstitute.org/thriving-economy-project
Media Contact:
Pearson Croney-Clark
Director of External Affairs
SEEC Institute
pearson@seecinstitute.org