Today, President Joe Biden announced the American Jobs Plan, his administration’s first major jobs and infrastructure proposal. In response to the announcement, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) Director of Policy, Lisa Cylar Barrett, issued the following statement:
“President Biden’s American Jobs Plan is an important step in helping the nation recover from both the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the decades of neglect of our infrastructure. Black communities and other communities of color have been hit especially hard by job losses over the last year, and it is important that this plan is targeted toward those most impacted by COVID-19 and pre-COVID barriers to employment and opportunity. The development of career and business opportunities – and a clear pathway to building wealth – are essential to economic justice.
“The nation’s infrastructure needs are great – and that extends beyond just roads and bridges. We are happy to see that the President’s infrastructure plan includes a focus on affordable housing, the rebuilding of our crumbling water infrastructure, and other critical community assets like libraries, schools, community centers, and health facilities. These efforts must prioritize communities that have long been shortchanged for infrastructure investments, while avoiding the displacement of existing residents.
“Finally, we are also happy to see the President’s plan promote climate and environmental justice. As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, infrastructure investments must focus on areas of the country – such as New Orleans and coastal Mississippi – prone to flooding during major storm seasons. We must ensure that Americans can remain safely in their communities, protected from nature’s changing and powerfully damaging forces. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration to further develop and advance this important infrastructure plan.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Follow LDF on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
