Blog de Dunlap: My new bill with Ed Markey, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Andy Levin:

Danielle,

There are some basic things that we should be able to count on our government to handle. Like investing in roads and bridges. And making it safe to breathe the air. And tackling long-term challenges like the climate crisis.

But right now, our infrastructure is crumbling. People are getting sick and dying from air pollution. And the climate crisis is already upon us — with wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme weather punching communities in the gut.

We need to invest in green infrastructure so we can fight climate change and build back better.

That is why today I'm teaming up with Senator Ed Markey, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Congressman Andy Levin to introduce the Build Green Act, a transformational $500 billion investment to electrify our transportation infrastructure. It would...

Create around 960,000 jobs.
Save around 4,200 lives a year by reducing air pollution.
Tackle the climate crisis head on by targeting the sector that is the biggest single source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Danielle, I'm going to fight my heart out in Washington to get this done so we can create jobs, save lives, and fight climate change. But I can't do it alone. Please add your name if you support the Build Green Act and sign on as a citizen co-sponsor.

This plan will take a big chunk out of our country's carbon footprint. Right now, the transportation sector accounts for nearly 30 percent of America's greenhouse gas emissions. This plan will reduce the amount of energy needed for transportation by about two-thirds, because it will be a lot more efficient to run on electricity.

How will this bill get us there? By switching all public buses across the country from running on fossil fuels to running on electricity, from the buses that take people to work to the buses that take kids to school. And electrifying rail lines. And installing electric-vehicle charging stations across the country, so people can have an easier time switching their cars to electric. And investing in renewable energy. And more.

You know what all these infrastructure projects will create? Jobs. A whole lot of them — around 960,000. All paying at least $15 an hour, all guaranteeing paid leave, all ensuring fair scheduling policies. That's how we build back our economy so it's better than before, and so it's stronger for the long haul. That's how we make our country work for working people.

And because environmental justice must be at the heart of everything we do to tackle the climate crisis, this bill sets out that 40 percent of all grant funding must go to frontline, vulnerable, and disadvantaged communities. The people who are getting hit the hardest need to be front and center in our response.

Danielle, we can get the Build Green Act passed. We are in a moment as a country where big things are possible — where the crises we face are impossible to ignore. But we don't get what we don't fight for.

Add your name to say you'll join the fight for the Build Green Act — and let's win this side by side.

Thanks for being a part of this,

Elizabeth