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The latest polling found that voters are broadly supportive of the Department of Energy, though many were undecided, suggesting a lack of public attention to the topic. Voters supported common sense reforms such as merit-based hiring and promotion and standardized applications. Voters support an all of the above approach, believing the DOE should support all energy sources except for coal. Voters also support investments across all stages of technological development. Only 1 in 10 voters support cuts to the Loan Programs Office (LPO). 

As Congress pushes forward on the 2025 Big Beautiful Bill reconciliation bill, a new nationwide survey from the Rainey Center offers key insights into voter preferences on energy investment, tax cuts, and fiscal tradeoffs. The findings reveal strong bipartisan support for expanding domestic energy production and durable support for tech-neutral energy tax credits, even after opposition messaging. As Congress debates reconciliation, the strong preferences of voters for technology-neutral tax credits should be reflected in the legislation.

Plastic is all around us, quietly powering the technologies that help us care for the environment. It’s lightweight, durable, and versatile, making it essential for things like solar panels that capture the sun’s rays, wind turbines that dance with the breeze, and electric vehicles that hum along our roads. Without plastic, we wouldn’t have the insulation in our homes that keeps us cozy while saving energy, or the irrigation systems that help farmers use water wisely. These are the kinds of solutions that make me optimistic about the future, and plastic is at the heart of them.