More than 120 Wisconsin officials endorse Biden jobs plan

MADISON – Dozens of state and local elected officials including Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes are joining a chorus of more than 1,200 leaders across the U.S. in support of the Biden Administration’s America Jobs Plan calling on Congress to pass an economic recovery plan centered around clean energy, climate justice, and good paying union jobs.

In a letter, organized by the League of Conservation Voters and Climate Power, 1,266 signers representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C. asked Congressional leaders to “seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help our communities recover by creating and sustaining millions of good paying jobs, putting us on the path to 100 percent clean energy, and building a more equitable and just society.”

Wisconsin led the country with 122 elected officials adding their names including the Governor and Lt. Governor, state senators and representatives, mayors, county supervisors, school board members, alders and others.

Read the entire letter and see the full list of signers for Wisconsin here.

The letter calls on Congress to focus an infrastructure plan on three major principles, all outlined in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan:

• Put the U.S. on the path to 100 percent clean energy, powering everything from our electricity grid, transportation, and buildings with reliable, affordable clean energy.
• Promote equity by ensuring at least 40 percent of benefits go to the communities who need it most, prioritizing just and equitable solutions being led by low income and communities of color most harmed by toxic pollution and climate change.
• Incentivize high-quality, good paying union jobs, especially in the domestic clean energy and manufacturing sectors, while supporting communities historically reliant on oil, gas, and coal jobs.

“Every Wisconsinite has experienced the effects of climate change, and communities of color, low-income Wisconsinites, and our farmers have been among those most disproportionately affected,” said Gov. Evers. “It’s time we embrace a future where we don’t have to choose between protecting our environment and good-paying jobs and a strong economy – we can do both. That’s why I’m proud to support President Biden’s Build Back Better infrastructure investment plan that will do just that.”

The American Jobs Plan has strong bipartisan support — 70 percent of all voters support the proposal after hearing details of the plan. Specific environmental and infrastructure policies in the plan, including investing in modernizing our outdated and dangerous electrical grid and expanding rural broadband are overwhelmingly popular.

“All of the 122 signers of the letter deserve our gratitude. We especially thank the Evers Administration for its continuing commitment to clean energy and climate justice,” said Government Affairs Director Jennifer Giegerich. “Its leadership, in particular Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes’ work on the state’s climate change task force is putting Wisconsin back on track toward a cleaner, healthier, and modern Wisconsin. We’re thrilled Wisconsin tops the list of signers, and recognize the overwhelming support here in the state for a clean energy future and economy for all.”

Additionally, more than 80 percent of voters support eliminating all lead pipes in our drinking water systems and 70 percent of all voters support investing in clean energy generation and storage, like solar panels and wind turbines.

Contact Ryan Billingham, Communications Director, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, 608-208-1129 (office) or ryan@conservationvoters.org