In the United States, while the unemployment rate is relatively low, the Federal Reserve has so far had to keep interest rates near zero to keep unemployment down. It’s the same or worse in many other countries.

Yet economic growth continues, though at a reduced pace, and not just in the United States. According to the International Monetary Fund, real world gross domestic product was 29 percent higher in 2015 than it was just before the recession, in 2007. It has just grown at a lower rate than before, 3.2 percent a year in the eight years after 2007 compared with 4.5 percent a year in the eight years ending in 2007. Perhaps that doesn’t sound like a big enough difference to affect political outcomes.

But the modest slowdown couldthe global economy, where other countries already have a head start.

The production tax credit has a long record of bipartisan support in Congress, including from my colleague from the Pacific Northwest, Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington, with whom I have introduced legislation to extend these incentives. The credits are also supported by a wide range of business, labor and environmental interests, as well as dozens of major utilities including Oregon's own Portland General Electric.

It's time to extend the Production Tax Credit for Renewable Energy so American know-how can keep producing domestic clean energy and jobs across the country. Even in today's divisive political climate, clean energy is something that members of both political parties should agree on.

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