Rep. Bowman: ‘We Need a Federal Jobs Guarantee’ to Solve Climate Crisis
House freshman wants to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2035 at the latest
The coming, large “reconciliation” budget package from Senate Democrats intended to meet an array of national needs not addressed in the new scaled-back, bipartisan infrastructure plan agreed upon by President Biden and Senate Republicans must be both large enough and inclusive enough to meet the nation's climate and jobs needs, according to a rising progressive voice in the House.
Senate Democrats are putting together a separate large budget bill intended to meet a variety of the nation's needs which won't be addressed by the scaled-back, $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal Biden struck last week with Senate Democrats.
This new, separate bill will be considered under a process known as “reconciliation,” which will make it immune from Republican filibustering.
Asked about what ultimate price tag will be required for this legislation, Rep Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) had other conditions for the measure.
“But before I go to a top line, let me say this, I believe we need a federal jobs guarantee to get us out of this climate crisis. I believe we need a Civilian Climate Corporation to get us out of this climate crisis,” the freshman House Democrat said. “And we have to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 or 2035 at the latest. So whatever number that is to get us to a federal jobs guarantee and to meet the demands of climate change, while also dealing with the issue of racial equity because again, we cannot forget this point — when we look at the GI Bill and the New Deal, and even the Homestead Act going back further, communities of color and poor communities have been historically left out of those conversations.
“For this bill, we are bringing everybody in. And this is what’s essential and this is what everyone needs to understand. If we bring everyone in and make it a true racial and economic justice focus, America will become on the most powerful nations — continue to be one of the most powerful nations in the world, but everyone will be involved, as opposed to what we’re seeing now, which is wealth concentrated in the hands of the few while the majority of us continue to struggle economically,” he added.
Bowman, in the same interview, said that he doesn't blame Biden for having to balance competing priorities of progressives, Republicans and moderate Democrats.
“The president has been working with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, even during his campaign, and came forth with the most progressive Democratic platform in our country’s history. Arguably. And since he’s been in office, he has met consistently with the progressive caucus and he’s met with myself and other members of The Squad to have these discussions,” Bowman said, referring to a small group of House progressives led by such figures as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). "So he is engaged in the balancing act, obviously. He wants to balance his relationship with Republicans and the more Moderate democrats, as well as the progressives, which is what a president is supposed to do. However, I also want to say that progressives organized across the country to help Biden take the White House. We also organized to help make Georgia blue and bring two Senate seats. Blue in Georgia, which gave us control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“So now that we have that control, we have to deliver for the American people. The American people support H.R. 1 and S. 1 — I know that’s not what we’re talking about, but they support democracy reform, they support going big on infrastructure, they support a $15 minimum wage,” referring to Democrats’ expansive voting rights legislation. “And what the Republicans continue to show is obstruction and continue to show that they’re more invested in their corporate backers and corporate interests, as opposed to being invested in the working class people.”