Photo credit: Rucha Chitnis
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance responds to Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal:
Congress Must Go Bigger and Bolder for Care, Racial Justice, and Climate Justice
Contact: Rucha Chitnis, rucha [at] ggjalliance [dot] org
Yesterday, after weeks of negotiations, senators finally reached an agreement and voted to advance a bipartisan infrastructure package, largely directed toward bridge and road investments. This legislation is just a small step towards Congress passing a full-scale recovery to help restore and strengthen communities who have endured overlapping climate crisis, economic crisis, and chronic racial injustice.
“Right now wildfires and storms are destroying neighborhoods and displacing thousands of families who are still reeling from COVID-19 and multiple crises. Women of color essential care workers have held up the economy through this year of pandemic. Healthy vibrant neighborhoods depend on a strong care economy, modernized public schools, expanded public transit, accessible renewable energy, and affordable housing. This bipartisan deal will leave behind millions of people in continued insecurity and disasters. Congress must now move to a reconciliation bill that fills the critical gaps of this package,” said Adrien Salazar, Policy Director, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance.
As the climate crisis and COVID pandemic continue, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Arab, Asian and Pacific Islander communities are suffering the worst. Out of crisis, Congress has the chance to pass a historic recovery that tackles the root causes of persistent inequality and injustice. A full-scale recovery must fund the care economy at the scale promised in Biden’s American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, fund lead pipes replacement across the country, and expand clean public transit and modernized affordable housing. A recovery that advances climate justice must also end fossil fuel subsidies, massively invest in renewable energy, and direct resources to the communities at the frontlines of crisis while ensuring strong equity standards. Members of Congress must pass a recovery package at the scale historic crisis demands, to ensure all our communities thrive.
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