7 Things President Biden Can do to Deliver a Clean, Thriving, and Equitable Economy
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are inheriting a nation in crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic has touched every corner of our society and its impacts have exacerbated the ongoing and devastating crises of climate change, economic inequality, and racial inequality. The actions that this administration take now will determine the course of our recovery from this overwhelming chapter of American history.
January 20, 2021
President Biden and Vice President Harris have the opportunity to pull us out of crisis and put us on the path to a clean, thriving, and equitable economy. Here are seven things that the Biden administration can do:
- First and foremost, we must fight to defeat COVID-19 and ensure the health and safety of frontline workers on the job. This should be a priority from day one and President Biden should immediately issue an executive order on COVID-19 response requiring the enactment of emergency standards to protect workers, which are included in the COVID-19 relief plan Biden released last week.
- The Biden administration must also prioritize economic recovery by driving a national strategy and passing an economic recovery package through Congress. Our nation’s economy has taken a beating due to the pandemic but, frankly, it already wasn’t working for too many even before COVID. The administration must take action to create and retain high-quality, family-sustaining union jobs and prioritize communities and workers most in need in the recovery.
- This should begin with investments now to transform America’s infrastructure and rebuild American manufacturing. Doing so will require the creation of a National Manufacturing Strategy, investments in retooling our industrial base, and massive investment in an infrastructure plan that prioritizes high-road labor standards and buying clean, American-made materials.
- After years of inaction it’s time to get back on track to tackle climate change and environmental challenges at the scale demanded by science and principles of justice. This includes restoring U.S. global leadership on climate by rejoining the Paris Agreement. We must also reject Trump’s decisions that would cost us jobs and increase pollution, like his efforts to scrap methane standards and weaken clean vehicle standards.
- The incoming administration must also commit to expanding workers’ rights and power, and make sure our basic systems are ready to protect workers and their families—whether it is a pandemic or a climate disaster. This includes reinvesting in and rebuilding the public sector and public services, expanding union density across the country, and providing critical long-term support and protections for workers.
- We must finally truly inject fairness, equity and justice into our society and prioritize investments in job creation, pollution reduction, and climate resilience in communities most in need, including low-income communities, communities of color, deindustrialized communities, tribes, and communities and workers impacted by our energy transition.
- Finally, after truly shocking displays of attempted voter suppressions during the recent election, the Biden administration must fight to defend democracy and work to pass legislation protecting the right for all Americans to vote.
Click below to find a comprehensive look at the actions the Biden administration can take to reach these goals.