House Democrats Proposal for Stimulus Action on Restoration and Resilience 5-20-20
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Deb Haaland (D-NM), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) urged House Leadership to include a “Restoration and Resilience Jobs” program in future economic recovery packages.
As unemployment surges past 30 million American workers, millions of good paying jobs can be created restoring natural resources and bolstering community resilience. Restoration investments generate more jobs compared to other alternatives, because most of the investment goes towards labor, rather than materials. An analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act showed conservation investments generated 15 to 33 jobs per million dollars and an economic return of $2.40 for every $1 invested.
“As Congress works to confront the escalating public health and economic crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge that future recovery legislation include a robust ‘Restoration and Resilience Jobs’ title. Such a title could create as many as three million near-term jobs—in many places where unemployment is surging—by investing in the restoration and resilience of our natural resources and recreational infrastructure,” the lawmakers wrote. “Much of this restoration and resilience work could be implemented by employing millions of young Americans through a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps, which would simultaneously accelerate our economic recovery, strengthen our workforce, bolster our resilience, sequester carbon, and enhance our nation’s remarkable natural resilience.”
“With more than 36 million Americans unemployed, we need solutions as big as the challenges we face. Resilience and restoration projects can put millions of Americans back to work, restoring our natural resources, rebuilding our recreational infrastructure, recovering at-risk wildlife populations, and bolstering the resilience of our communities,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “As we prepare to rebuild our economy, Congress should heed the call of leaders like Rep. Dingell, Chair Grijalva, Reps. Haaland, Huffman, Lowenthal, Blunt Rochester, Gallego, Cartwright, and 80 of their colleagues to create millions of good jobs through a robust ‘Restoration and Resilience Jobs’ title in an upcoming recovery package.”
The letter was signed by 79 members of Congress.
