The long slog of lawmaking in Congress isn’t exactly riveting to the average American.

But once those laws take effect? People start paying attention and getting excited as they see the benefits show up in their lives.

That’s especially true with the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the most significant U.S. federal investment ever made toward solving climate change. While it took many months to get across the finish line, often going unnoticed outside the Beltway, December research from the Yale Program on Climate Communication shows that 68% of registered voters who learned about the climate provisions in the bill liked what they heard.

And why wouldn’t they? The legislation has ensured that everyday Americans are now eligible to save thousands of dollars when purchasing electric cars, induction stoves, and energy-efficient appliances that will reduce household bills and improve air quality. (Check out the Savings Calculator and the Guide to the Inflation Reduction Act from Rewiring America.) Families that take advantage of clean energy and electric vehicle tax credits are set to save more than $1,000 per year.

And they are not the only winners. Since the bill became law, dozens of businesses have taken advantage of tax credits incentivizing private investment in clean energy and the domestic production of renewables.

According to a report from American Clean Power, an industry group representing green energy companies, the U.S. saw $40 billion in clean energy investment in the first three months after the bill was signed. Additionally, a new analysis released in February by the nonpartisan, nonprofit OurEnergyPolicy shows that 100,000 climate-friendly jobs have been created following the passage of the IRA.

While it is not ideal that Democrats passed the bill through the partisan budget reconciliation process, the climate provisions of the act are shaping up to benefit a majority of Americans from across the political spectrum. Indeed, roughly two-thirds of green energy projects announced since it became law are going to Republican-held congressional districts.

Blue states are reaping the rewards, too. Across the commonwealth, people are figuring out how to take advantage of new rebates on heat pumps, solar panels, EVs, and more. The Boston Globe notes that Massachusetts is set to benefit as “a hub for green tech innovation.” As our U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern has said, “The Inflation Reduction Act shuts down the false dichotomy between economic growth and climate policy.”

In addition to the economic benefits, this critical turning point in the U.S.’s clean energy transition will help to stabilize our climate and put us on track to cut carbon pollution by about 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.

We’re witnessing how clean energy solutions can work for us, and we must keep the momentum going. As lawmakers introduce further common-sense climate policy this Congress, it’s time to turn their efforts toward the next big opportunity: clean energy permitting reform.

As Americans benefit from a greener future, new transmission lines are vital for moving clean energy from wind and solar generated in rural areas to urban and coastal areas. Building a new transmission line takes over a decade because of the current permitting process. As a result, the expansion of electricity transmission is currently 1% a year — at which rate, analysis from Princeton finds, only 20% of the emissions reductions expected from the IRA will be realized by 2030.

If we can update our permitting process, America will unlock our clean energy potential, lowering energy bills, reducing air pollution, and saving lives.

Like the rest of America, people in Massachusetts are discovering how thoughtful climate legislation can enhance their quality of life. We’re already enjoying the benefits of the IRA’s climate provisions. Now Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Rep. McGovern must do their utmost to update America’s clean energy permitting and fast-track the transition to a prosperous clean energy future.

Madeleine Para is executive director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Linda Butler is a volunteer with the Pioneer Valley chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

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