Today, the BlueGreen Alliance, joined by some of the nation’s largest labor unions and environmental organizations, launched For America, By America—a campaign urging Congress to ignite a new era of investments needed to Build Back Better, including critical investments to create good-paying manufacturing jobs. The campaign will focus on building support for these investments among working people in several key states that delivered the presidency to Joe Biden and Congressional control to Democrats. It comes during a pivotal moment as Congress is poised to deliver on promises made to their constituents to provide critical funding to rebuild and retool the American manufacturing sector to build the clean technologies of the future, rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, and boost the economy.

“Piecemeal investments are not enough to build back better,” said Jason Walsh, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “We need a future built for America and by America, and Congress should act on the level of investment needed to ensure that we have a true economic recovery from the COVID downturn. That will ensure we build the technologies of the future here in the United States, bring good-paying jobs to communities who need them the most, and create a clean economy for generations to come. Congress can’t afford to wait because American workers can’t afford to wait either.”

‘For America, By America’ builds on a recent letter the BlueGreen Alliance, along with coalition members, United Steelworkers, Sierra Club, SEIU, Natural Resources Defense Council, Utility Workers Union of America, League of Conservation Voters, American Federation of Teachers, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Environmental Defense Fund, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, and International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, sent to President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Schumer urging them to act now to swiftly pass a jobs and economic investment package that addresses the intersecting crises of climate change, income inequality, and racial injustice while creating high-quality, good-paying jobs and delivering a more equitable and cleaner economy.

The ‘For America, By America’ campaign will focus on elevating the voices of working people while calling on Congress and the administration to deliver on a plan that puts creating good-paying, middle-class jobs and investing in the workers and communities that need it most at the top of its priorities now. A recent BlueGreen Alliance survey of voters in six key states—Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin—found bipartisan support for a strong economic recovery package that puts people back to work, rebuilds and modernizes our infrastructure, retools American manufacturing and strengthens our social infrastructure. Specifically, 90% of those voters were in support of investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, 84% placed a high priority on strengthening our social infrastructure and public services, and 72% supported increasing the production of clean energy and clean technologies.

“There is widespread, bipartisan support across the Midwest for investments in infrastructure and manufacturing to drive America’s economic recovery, and it is time for the White House and Congress to deliver on the promise to create millions of good-paying jobs building the economy of the future. Working people across the Midwest are depending on it,” said Walsh.