Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow was inducted into the EDTA Hall of Fame during the Association's latest Leader Series event, EV-Ready Grid Roundtable, on Wednesday, November 29, in the Russell Senate Office Building.
The EDTA Hall of Fame was established in November 2003 to honor electric drive’s truest pioneers for their legacy and leadership in the transition to e-mobility. "With her policy vision and accomplishments, Senator Debbie Stabenow has been a unique force for electric transportation, said EDTA President Genevieve Cullen as she presented the award to the Senator last week. Ms. Cullen's full remarks are shared below.
“Electric vehicles are a key part of our manufacturing future in America and a critical part of combatting the climate crisis. I’m grateful to be honored for my work to make more EVs in the U.S. and creating good-paying jobs at the same time," said Senator Stabenow, accepting the award.
EDTA President Genevieve Cullen's Remarks:
The EDTA Hall of Fame was established in November 2003 to honor electric drive’s truest pioneers for their legacy and leadership in the transition to e-mobility. With her policy vision and accomplishments, Senator Debbie Stabenow has been a unique force for electric transportation, and her legacy as an architect of the EV ecosystem is clear.
Throughout her years in public service, Senator Stabenow has blazed trails and opened doors for women and girls. Among her many “firsts” – she was the first woman elected to the United States Senate from Michigan. Adding to that list, Senator Stabenow is the first woman inducted into the EDTA Hall of Fame.
Senator Stabenow is a longtime champion of policies that are critical to the development and deployment of advanced vehicles, from the Vehicle Innovation Act to the Department of Energy’s SuperTruck and ATVM programs, to advanced battery storage and charging and refueling infrastructure investment. She authored the first consumer credit for the purchase of electric vehicles and new tax credits for battery manufacturing, solar, and other clean energy manufacturing that were signed into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Senator understood from the beginning that the U.S. needs to build the entire EV ecosystem – vehicles, power, materials components and infrastructure -- to accelerate the electrification of the transportation sector. That is also the organizing principle of EDTA, which explains a lot about how we have worked so well together.
Senator Stabenow also understood how to bring advocates and her colleagues together behind a good idea. I cannot count the times we watched the Senator work the floor, with a great smile and even greater determination, to persuade another member to the cause.
Another element of the Senator’s leadership is that she has always been committed to having the best people working on the EV issues. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with outstanding staff who shared their boss’s thoughtfulness and determination to move policy through challenging – and sometimes downright hostile – terrain.
Electric transportation has come a long way, and we are poised to keep building on our success, so much of which can be traced to Senator Stabenow’s policy achievements.
For her vision, her leadership and her perseverance, I am proud to induct Senator Debbie Stabenow into the EDTA Hall of Fame.
