West PDX Today

Washington, D.C. – The House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Climate Jobs Task Force Co-Chairs — Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Nikki Budzinski, and Mark DeSaulnier — along with four of the Task Force members, sent a letter to Secretary Granholm urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to incorporate the Good Jobs Principles as it implements the historic investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. By proactively retaining and creating good union jobs during the implementation phase of these climate-forward bills, DOE can give workers across the nation the opportunity to participate in the American clean energy future.

“We write to congratulate you on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) proactive implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These laws will retain and create family sustaining union jobs that will give all workers in the United States the opportunity to enter the middle-class, while simultaneously preventing the worst impacts of climate change and lowering energy costs for consumers. As implementation continues, it is crucial that the “Good Jobs Principles” developed and published by the Departments of Labor and Commerce are consistently applied across agencies and programs, including DOE,” the Task Force members wrote.

“Both BIL and IRA represent landmark policy victories that set the stage for major economic transformation if implemented correctly. To achieve the Biden Administration’s goal of bringing the benefits of these investments to workers and communities, we ask DOE to fully apply these Good Jobs Principles, adopt a discerning approach with applicants who newly moved facilities to Right to Work states, and work across federal agencies to make worker protections and good-paying jobs priorities in the implementation of historic investments in domestic manufacturing.”

The letter can be found here.

Original source can be found here.