As President Biden Announced American Jobs Plan, Grassroots Activists Took Action Across the Country to Urge Congress Pass $10 Trillion Package Addressing Climate, Care, Jobs, and Justice
Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 202.660.0605
WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action member organizations across the country yesterday called on Congress to pass a transformational economic recovery and infrastructure package, like the THRIVE Act, on the same day that President Biden issued his vision for a recovery package. Actions took place in Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Illinois, kicking off “Recovery Recess”, a two-week span of more than 100 actions calling for the same demands.
“Hundreds of People’s Action members from big cities to small towns organized events yesterday to demand Congress go bigger and pass a transformative recovery package. The momentum is escalating, and more and more working people will rise up until Congress finally meets our needs. The stakes are too high to sit this one out,” People’s Action Climate Justice Campaign Director Kaniela Ing said.
The THRIVE Act would invest $1 trillion per year for the next decade to immediately create over 15 million good, union jobs and end the unemployment crisis, while cutting climate pollution in half by 2030 and advancing racial, Indigenous, gender, environmental, and economic justice. Over 100 members of Congress and over 300 leading union, racial justice, and climate groups have endorsed the THRIVE agenda, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Actions included:
- West Virginia Citizen Action Group helped organize a live and virtual concert series, “Jammin for Jobs”, targeting Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and garnering local press: WOWK and Dominion Post.
- Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement led four in-person rallies and one digital “phone-zap” event targeting U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson (D-IA-1), Randy Feenstra (D-IA-4), Cynthia Axne (D-IA-3), and Mid-American Coal, grabbing the attention of the Daily Iowan.
- Rights & Democracy New Hampshire held five in person rallies and a virtual event targeting the entire Congressional delegation with local elected officials, community members, and movement activists speaking out, including People’s Action Climate Justice Campaign Director, Kaniela Ing.
- Colorado People’s Action hosted an in-person action, and a social media video blitz, targeting Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and other members of Congress.
- Maine People’s Alliance, Connecticut Citizens Action Group, and Rights & Democracy Vermont coordinated a press conference with the Renew New England coalition that was attended by Sen. Ed. Markey (D-MA) and Maine state Rep. Rebecca Millett, covered by the Maine Beacon, New Haven Independent, and Uprise RI.
- New Jersey Organizing Project hosted a town hall and roundtable discussion.
- The People’s Lobby in Illinois hosted a virtual town hall, a texting event, and an in-person action.
- Illinois People’s Action hosted a virtual town hall and call-in event targeting Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
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People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations in 30 states, united in fighting for justice. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. People’s Action and its member organizations coordinated one of the biggest distributed organizing programs in rural areas this election season.