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The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House

U.S. House of Representatives

Room H-305, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Chuck Schumer

Majority Leader

United States Senate

Room S-221, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

August 4, 2021

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer,

With our country facing multiple, severe, interrelated crises — climate change, racial injustice, mass unemployment, and a public health emergency — we urgently need bold government action commensurate with the scale of the challenges we face.

100 grassroots organizations from 28 states are writing in support of key funding priorities championed by many of your colleagues. We advocate for investments at the scale required for a renewable energy economy, expanded clean public transportation, modernizing public housing and schools, and bolstering the care economy, with strong labor, equity, and environmental standards. Specifically, we support the following requests for community investments in any infrastructure plan passed by Congress this year:

  1. Funding for replacement of all lead pipes in the country and increased investment in updating and upgrading water infrastructure, prioritizing elimination of this public health hazard from low-income communities and communities of color that are disproportionately exposed to toxic water. This priority is championed by Representative Paul Tonko and supported by 104 Members of Congress.  

  2. Funding for the INVEST in America Act which would mitigate greenhouse gas  emissions from transportation, the biggest source of emissions in the country. The absence of clean and accessible transportation leaves many Black and Brown communities dealing with toxic air and has cut off neighborhoods of color and low-income communities from economic opportunities. This priority is championed by House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio and supported by 30 T&I Committee members.

  3. Funding parity between Highways and Public Transit in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF) and in the reconciliation package. This priority is championed by Representatives Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. and Jesús G. “Chuy” García and supported by 60 Members of Congress.

  4. Funding to electrify the transportation sector including an $85 billion investment in zero emissions electric vehicles infrastructure. This priority is championed by Representatives Debbie Dingell and Yvette Clarke.

  5. Funding for high-speed and high-performance rail to tackle the climate crisis, reduce inequities in access to reliable transportation, and modernize our country. This priority is championed by Representatives Seth Moulton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jim Costa and Senator Ed Markey and supported by 80 Members of Congress.

The above priorities are ones that we, grassroots leaders and activists, our members, the communities we strive to protect, and your constituents, are concerned will be eliminated in the infrastructure legislation. These issues, from access to clean and safe drinking water to reliable and sustainable transportation, impact our daily lives; directing full investment into these priorities will not only increase the living standard of millions but will also make the infrastructure package a historic climate change action, the first of its kind in our country.

As leaders of the Democratic party, we hope that you will support your colleagues by fighting for funding for essential services and rallying the party to ensure the greatest level of community investment as possible to tackle climate change, unemployment, and injustices.

Respectfully,

198 methods; National, USA

GreenFaith; National, USA

Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action; National, USA

CODEPINK ; National, USA

RapidShift Network; National, USA

CatholicNetwork US; National, USA

Businesses for a Livable Climate; National, USA

Our Climate; National, USA

Sunrise Movement, USA

Small Business Alliance; National, USA

People’s Action; National, USA

U.S. High Speed Rail Association; National, USA

Hometown Action; Alabama, USA

Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter; Arizona, USA

Kids Climate Action Network; Arizona, USA

Arizonans for Community Choice; Arizona, USA

Defend Our Future; Arizona, USA

Arizona Working Families Party; Arizona, USA

Protect Our Water Arizona; Arizona, USA

Yuma Audubon Society; Arizona, USA

Earth Justice Ministry at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix; Arizona, USA

California Green New Deal Coalition; California, USA

RootsAction.org; California, USA

350 Bay Area Action; California, USA

350 Bay Area Action’s Federal Climate Action Team; California, USA

CA Businesses for a Livable Climate; California, USA

Colorado Working Families Party; Colorado, USA

Sierra Club, Colorado Chapter; Colorado, USA

Colorado Green New Deal Table; Colorado, USA

9to5 Colorado; Colorado, USA

Call to Action Colorado; Colorado, USA

Unite North Metro Denver; Colorado, USA

Wall of Women; Colorado, USA

North Range Concerned Citizens; Colorado, USA

Spirit of the Sun; Colorado, USA

The Green House Connection Center; Colorado, USA

Montbello Neighborhood Improvement Association; Colorado, USA

CO Businesses for a Livable Climate; Colorado, USA

Broward for Progress; Florida, USA

Florida Student Power Network ; Florida, USA

Sierra Club, Florida Chapter, Loxahatchee Group; Florida, USA

Central Florida Jobs with Justice; Florida, USA

Florida Rising; Florida, USA

Georgia Conservation Voters; Georgia, USA

ACES 4 Youth; Illinois, USA

Sierra Club Illinois Chapter; Illinois, USA

The People’s Lobby; Illinois, USA

Grassroots Collaborative; Illinois, USA

IL Green New Deal Coalition; Illinois, USA

Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter; Iowa, USA

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement; Iowa, USA

Sierra Club, Maine Chapter; Maine, USA

We Are CASA; Maryland, USA

Greenbelt Climate Action Network; Maryland, USA

Sierra Club, Massachusetts Chapter; Massachusetts, USA

350 Mass; Massachusetts, USA

Sunrise Worcester; Massachusetts, USA

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter; Michigan, USA

Flint Rising; Michigan, USA

Water You Fighting For; Michigan, USA

Michigan United; Michigan, USA

Michigan Interfaith Power & Light; Michigan, USA

Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice; Michigan, USA

Michigan Climate Action Network; Michigan, USA

TakeAction Minnesota; Minnesota, USA

100% Campaign; Minnesota, USA

Sierra Club North Star Chapter; Minnesota, USA

Eco-Socialist Committee of the Western Montana Democratic Socialists of America; Montana, USA

Rep. Danny Tenenbaum, House District 95; Montana, USA

People’s Food Sovereignty Program; Flathead Reservation, Montana, USA

Sierra Club Montana Chapter; Montana, USA

Park County Environmental Council; Montana, USA

350 Montana; Montana, USA

Montana Women Vote; Montana, USA

Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter; Nevada, USA

Sierra Club, New Hampshire ; New Hampshire, USA

Rights & Democracy New Hampshire; New Hampshire, USA

Nuevo Mexico Prospera; New Mexico , USA

New Mexico Working Families Party; New Mexico, USA

Long Island Progressive Coalition; New York, USA

New York Working Families Party; New York, USA

NY Renews; New York, USA

Association of Young Americans; New York, USA

Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter; New York, USA

NC Climate Justice Collective; North Carolina, USA

Ready for 100 Ohio; Ohio, USA

Simply Living; Ohio, USA

Sierra Club, Ohio Chapter; Ohio, USA

Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth; Oregon, OR

We Are CASA; Pennsylvania, USA

Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter; Pennsylvania, USA

Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club; Texas, USA

We Are CASA; Virginia, USA

Air Alliance Houston; Texas, USA

Port Arthur Community Action Network; Texas, USA

MOVE Texas Action Fund; Texas, USA

Sierra Club Utah Chapter ; Utah, USA

Rights & Democracy Vermont; Vermont, USA

Green New Deal Virginia ; Virginia , USA

Sierra Club – Wisconsin Chapter; Wisconsin, USA

Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter; Wyoming, USA