In a welcome display of bipartisan leadership, Representatives Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) announced the launch of the American Energy Dominance Caucus—a new effort to strengthen U.S. energy leadership through innovation, sustainability, and pro-manufacturing policy.
Their message is clear: Achieving American energy dominance isn’t only about producing more—it’s also about producing smarter. That’s exactly where remanufacturing and circular economy principles can help America lead.
Remanufacturing and the Circular Economy: Fueling America’s Energy Dominance
Remanufacturing is the process of restoring used components and products to a like-new condition. It’s a practice that extends the life of valuable materials, reduces the need to extract and process new raw materials, and minimizes environmental impact. When it comes to energy, remanufacturing can help close the loop—keeping materials (and carbon molecules) in circulation longer and reducing the need of new energy required to support our infrastructure. Remanufacturing is, therefore, both a sustainability win and a component of realizing American energy dominance.
Less Waste, More Security
America’s Plastic Makers have long championed domestic manufacturing as essential to economic strength and energy security. As Vice President Vance highlighted during his visit to a Michigan plastics facility, strong U.S. manufacturing means fewer supply chain dependencies and more control over critical resources. Remanufacturing amplifies this advantage. By extending the life of existing components, we reduce our reliance on imported materials and oil—helping ensure America’s energy systems stay resilient, reliable, and resource-efficient.
Advanced Recycling: A Case Study in Circular Thinking
America’s Plastic Makers are already investing in the future through advanced recycling and circular design. These innovations are transforming how we use—and reuse—plastics, keeping them out of landfills and in productive use. Plastics manufacturing supports more than a quarter of U.S. manufacturing and enables everything from food packaging to clean energy technologies.
If we invest more in advanced recycling technologies, we can yield raw material for the production of new products right here at home without having to pull resources from the ground. By recapturing the carbon in used plastics, we are putting them back to work in American-made products. Advanced recycling is the future, and regulators are starting to get behind these technologies more and more each day.
Policy for Progress
The new American Energy Dominance Caucus presents a key opportunity to align policy with innovation. By supporting remanufacturing and circular economy initiatives, lawmakers can help unlock new economic growth, enhance energy independence, and reduce environmental impact—all while reinforcing America’s leadership on the global stage. We need lawmakers to reach across the aisle to find smart solutions for energy and sustainability, and this new caucus will provide the perfect home base for such bipartisan activity.
Looking Ahead
To lead the world in energy, we must lead in how we think about energy. Remanufacturing isn’t just about reusing parts, it’s about rethinking our systems to be more efficient, sustainable, and secure.
The formation of the American Energy Dominance Caucus is a welcomed development from Congress. I encourage the Caucus to develop policies that embrace circular thinking that will drive U.S. energy forward.
