Green For All

Tell Congress to Strengthen the Clean Energy Bill!

Invest in America's workers and communities.

Right now, Congress is crafting a historic bill to transition America to a clean energy economy. This transition can revitalize the U.S economy, lift people out of poverty, and significantly reduce carbon pollution.

But as it stands now, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) falls short on this promise by failing to provide significant opportunity to low-income communities and communities of color.

Take Action! Tell Congress to strengthen ACES in two key ways:

1. Invest in a green-collar workforce and pathways out of poverty: Allocate funds to the Green Jobs Act.

2. Improve access to good jobs: Include targeted hiring provisions to ensure that clean energy jobs go to local workers and workers from low-income communities.

We'll also send a copy of your email to Chairmen Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, the authors of the bill.

November 07, 2009

Subject:

Please strengthen the American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009 (ACES), crafted through the leadership of Chairmen Henry Waxman and Ed Markey.

It's about time we had a comprehensive clean energy and jobs bill to usher in a new green economy for America.

While the bill is an important first step, I'm concerned that it does not do enough to provide opportunity for America's low-income workers and communities.

I'm writing to ask you to strengthen the bill by investing in America's green-collar workforce and including provisions to improve job access for low-income Americans.

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1. Provide Green Pathways out of Poverty
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Right now, there are no resources allocated in ACES to train the vast majority of workers in this country.  If we do not prepare workers for the energy-efficiency and renewable energy jobs that ACES creates, we will be unable to match those jobs with the skilled workers they require.

The Green Jobs Act trains workers, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, for jobs in the clean energy economy - and leverages significant private sector money in doing so. Please support the allocation of 0.5% of emission allowances to the Green Jobs Act in ACES.

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2. Improve Access to Good Jobs
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Ensure that green jobs are good jobs, and accessible to all members of a community. Include targeted hiring provisions to ensure that clean energy jobs go to local workers, and workers from low-income communities. Target a substantial percentage of the construction jobs ACES will create to low-income and other under-represented individuals. And use community workforce agreements to ensure strong labor standards.

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ACES has the potential to expand opportunity and equality in the clean energy economy for all Americans.  Right now, it is falling short of that potential.

Let's work together to create legislation that taps the true potential of the American workforce and a clean energy economy.

Thank you for your leadership.

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Tell Congress to Strengthen the Clean Energy Bill!