Politics & Government
Senate Democrats Rally Behind The Idea Of A Civilian Climate Corps
They said they were united behind the idea of an expansive youthful workforce to address climate issues.
July 20, 2021
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged on Tuesday to include a Civilian Climate Corps in a $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill later this year, as a broad swath of Democrats rallied around a framework of employing thousands of young people to do conservation work.
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Schumer, D-N.Y., appeared with a handful of congressional Democrats, led by U.S. Rep Joe Neguse of Colorado and spanning the ideological spectrum from moderate Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware to liberal firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
They said they were united behind the idea of an expansive youthful workforce to address climate issues.
Find out what's happening in Across Montanawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The speakers were among more than 80 Democrats from both chambers who signed a letter to Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Tuesday calling for the creation of a climate corps and outlining basic principles.
Several Democrats have introduced climate corps authorizing bills this year, and a report accompanying the House Interior-Environment Appropriations bill includes a provision calling for the secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to outline what a climate corps would do.
Schumer and the Democrats who signed the letter said the second infrastructure package this year, expected to be supported only by Democrats and passed through the budget reconciliation process that allows for certain legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority, would be the vehicle to authorize and fund a climate corps.
“I have made addressing the climate crisis in a bold and strong way a primary focus of our debate on infrastructure,” Schumer said at a morning news conference. “That is why I am using my power as majority leader to ensure that the Civilian Climate Corps will be included in the reconciliation package and I will fight to get the biggest, boldest CCC possible.”
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