About Sean
Sean Casten represents Illinois’ 6th Congressional District located in the Chicago suburbs. Sean is committed to building a brighter, more affordable, and sustainable future.
Since taking office, he has introduced and co-sponsored legislation in support of lowering costs, creating jobs, affirming women’s rights, protecting our seniors, and advocating for clean energy.
As one of Congress’s experts on climate change and clean energy, Sean was a key author of the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in American history. Sean believes that we have prioritized energy companies and their profits for far too long. We must shift this approach and put American consumers first. That is the key to expanding access to cheap, reliable, and clean energy sources.
Sean currently serves as Vice Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee and is a member of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC). He is Vice Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and co-chair of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus.
Prior to his election to Congress, Sean co-founded and led companies in the 6th District which focused on lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions, all while creating jobs for the people of Illinois.
Sean and his family live in Downers Grove, Illinois.
As a scientist, Sean has dedicated his life to fighting climate change
Sean earned a B.A. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Middlebury College. He then worked for two years as a scientist at the Tufts School of Medicine in a laboratory investigating dietary impacts on colon and breast cancer.
In 1998, he earned a Masters of Engineering Management and a M.S. in Biochemical Engineering from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth University. His master’s thesis focused on the development of technologies to produce fuel-grade ethanol from cellulosic feedstocks and the techno-economic evaluation of various alternative ethanol, heat, and power generation technologies.
From 1997 to 2000, Sean worked as a consultant in the energy practice of Arthur D. Little where he worked for various public and private sector companies doing work to evaluate, design, and optimize a broad range of clean heat, power, and fuel technologies.
Sean has created jobs here in the district and across America
In 2000, Sean became the president and CEO of Turbosteam Corporation, a manufacturer of custom-built combined heat and power plants, all of which achieved at least double the fuel efficiency of the U.S. electric grid. Under Sean’s leadership the company sold, installed, and commissioned over 70 distinct power plants throughout the Americas and Asia, with a primary focus on the U.S. industrial sector.
In 2007, Sean moved to Illinois to co-found Recycled Energy Development, LLC (RED), with the mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the recovery of otherwise wasted energy.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.
