FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jainey Bavishi, Equity and Inclusion Campaign, Jainey@equityandinclusion.org (225) 772-2714;
Dr. Scott Myers Lipton, GCCWP, smlipton@gmail.com (510) 508-5382;
Diane Yentel, Oxfam America, dyentel@oxfamamerica.org(202) 496-1304;
Jeffrey Buchanan, RFK Center, buchanan@rfkmemorial.org(202) 257-9048;
Campaign Applauds Job-Creating Gulf Coast Recovery Legislation
The Newly Introduced Bipartisan Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (HR 2269) Promotes Infrastructure, Training, Comprehensive Flood Protection and Energy Efficiency.
WASHINGTON, DC – May 7th – The Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign, a diverse national partnership of community, environmental, faith-based, human rights and student organizations, applauds the introduction this afternoon of bipartisan legislation to rebuild more equitable and resilient communities across the areas still recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
The Gulf Coast Civic Works Act of 2009 (H.R. 2269) would create 100,000 “green” living wage jobs and training opportunities for Gulf Coast residents and displaced people to rebuild critical infrastructure, restore natural flood protection and increase energy efficiency. This important legislation allows the federal government to partner directly with local leaders and non-profits to address remaining recovery challenges while building resilience to climate change, mitigating the effects of future deadly storms and confronting poverty. It also addresses the challenges faced by internally displaced, elderly, disabled, women, low income, immigrant and minority communities.
HR 2269 was introduced in the U.S. House May 6th by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA), Rodney Alexander (LA), Joseph Cao (LA), Charles Gonzalez (TX), Charlie Melancon (LA), Gene Taylor (MS), Bennie Thompson (MS), John Conyers (MI), Alcee Hastings (FL), Barbara Lee (CA), John Lewis (GA), Peter Stark (CA), and Charlie Rangel (NY).
Read the full bill at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR02269:
Ask your Member of Congress to support the bill: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5107/t/5835/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1375
Almost four years after Hurricane Katrina, our nation’s largest natural disaster, America’s Gulf Coast remains a domestic human rights crisis. As we approach the 2009 Hurricane Season beginning June 1st, levees remain vulnerable, tens of thousands of people have not been able to return home, schools, hospitals and transportation infrastructure remains damaged, and residents continue to struggle for access to affordable housing and living wage jobs.
“Nonprofit and community groups have been the heroic leaders of the citizen-led Gulf Coast recovery. The Gulf Coast Civic Works Act will efficiently allocate funds for job creation and infrastructure development, two significant recovery needs, by avoiding layers of governmental red tape and dispersing funds directly to the entities, regardless of sector, which are ready to do the work,” said Jainey Bavishi, director of the Equity and Inclusion Campaign, a coalition of organizations working on recovery across Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
“ACORN finds the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act to be a reasonable and viable pilot project not just for rebuilding the Gulf Coast from the 2005 hurricane season but for providing a community driven recovery plan for any and every part of America where natural or other disasters occur,” said Bertha Lewis, Chief Organizer/CEO of ACORN. “Locals should be at the forefront of recovery and rebuilding of communities following hurricanes, floods, fires, or even bridge collapses. Our infrastructure is in need of repair nationwide and ACORN believes HR 2269 provides a valuable blueprint for how that can happen.”
“This legislation takes an important step towards assuring that communities that are most vulnerable to the direct effects of climate change be able to prepare for and adapt to those impacts by building resilience and reducing risk,” said Rhonda Jackson, Gulf Coast Program Manager, Oxfam America. “The bill would create jobs to assist in restoring the Gulf Coast’s first line of defense against hurricanes and floods by rebuilding the coastline and will employ local citizens in this important work.”
“The introduction–and hopefully quick passage–of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act, is important not just for the Gulf Coast but the entire nation,” said Dr. Scott Myers Lipton, co-founder of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project, a student organization with members on over 30 campuses across the nation. “This legislation, with its focus on enlisting communities in their own restoration and expanding opportunity provides the Obama Administration and Congress with an effective new model for disaster recovery and infrastructure development.”
“Passing HR 2269 would be a bold stand for the fundamental rights of displaced and low-income Gulf Coast residents,” said Monika Kalra Varma, Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. “The right to participate in recovery, to return home with dignity and safety, and to decent work opportunities – these are the basic human rights that we have denied survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita for too long.”
Marking the beginning of the 2009 Hurricane Season, supporters of the Campaign including hurricane survivors, advocates and students from across the country will be bringing a FEMA trailer to DC and speaking out about this vital legislation as well as meeting with Members of Congress. For more information on how to support the campaign please visit: https://gccwc.wordpress.com.
Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign partner organizations include:
| 1Sky |
| 232-HELP/Louisiana 211 |
| ACORN |
| ACT All Congregations Together |
| Advocates for Environmental Human Rights |
| AFL-CIO Investment Trust Program |
| African American Environmentalist Association |
| Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc. |
| Alabama Arise |
| Alliance for Affordable Energy |
| Appleseed |
| Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America |
| Bay Area Women Coalition, Inc. |
| Bayou Grace Community Services |
| Biloxi NAACP |
| BISCO Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing |
| Black Workers for Justice |
| Brethren Disaster Ministries |
| Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good |
| CDC 58:12, inc. |
| Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal |
| Central City Partnership |
| Churches Supporting Churches |
| Clergy Strategic Alliances, LLC |
| ColorofChange.org |
| Commission on Stewardship of the Environment, Louisiana Interchurch Conference |
| Common Ground Health Clinic |
| Common Ground Relief, Inc. |
| Community Church Unitarian Universalist |
| Community of Christ |
| COPE Congregations Organizing People for Equality |
| Dando la Mano / Extending a Hand |
| Desire Street Ministries NOLA |
| Disciples Justice Action Network (Disciples of Christ) |
| Environmental Support Center |
| Episcopal Network for Economic Justice |
| Equity and Inclusion Campaign |
| Finding Our Folk |
| First Pilgrims Baptist JEDC-HDM |
| First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans, Social Justice Team |
| For the Bayou |
| Franciscan Action Network |
| Friends Committee on National Legislation |
| FUEL Faith United for Empowerment and Leadership |
| Gamaliel Foundation |
| Gert Town Revival Initiative, Inc. |
| Global Green USA |
| Global Mission Partnerships, Church of the Brethren |
| Good Work Network |
| Gulf Coast Civic Works Project |
| Gulf Restoration Network |
| Hip Hop Caucus |
| Holy Cross International Justice Office |
| Holy Cross Neighborhood Association |
| Hope Center, Inc. |
| Hope Community Development Agency |
| Hope Haven of Hancock County Inc. |
| Institute for Human Rights and Responsibilities Inc. |
| Institute Justice Team, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas |
| Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies |
| Interfaith Alliance |
| Jewish Council for Public Affairs |
| Jewish Reconstructionist Federation |
| JustFaith Ministries |
| Katrina Solidarity Network |
| Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State |
| Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law |
| Louisiana Appleseed |
| Louisiana Community Reinvestment Coalition |
| Louisiana Conference of The UMC Disaster Reponses, Inc |
| Louisiana Environmental Action Network |
| Louisiana Housing Alliance |
| Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper |
| Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development |
| Maria Iñamagua Campaign for Justice |
| May Day New Orleans |
| Mennonite Central Committee U.S. |
| Mennonite Central Committee-New Orleans |
| MICAH Project |
| Mid-South Peace and Justice Center |
| Minnesota Tenants Union |
| Minnesota-New Orleans Solidarity Committee |
| Mississippi Center for Justice |
| Mississippi Coast Interfaith Disaster Task Force |
| Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance |
| Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative |
| Moore Community House |
| Moravian Church in North America, Board of World Mission |
| Moravian Church, Southern Province |
| MPOWER, Mississippi Poultry Workers for Equality and Respect |
| MQVN Community Development Corporation |
| National Congress of Black Women, Inc. |
| National Council of Churches |
| National Council of Jewish Women |
| National Economic and Social Rights Initiative |
| National Employment Law Project |
| National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference |
| National Jobs for All Coalition |
| National Lawyers Guild – Minnesota Chapter |
| National Low Income Housing Coalition |
| National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness (NPACH) |
| NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby |
| New Orleans East Cooperative Parish |
| New Orleans Institute |
| New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative |
| New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice |
| New Voices, Academy for Educational Development |
| North Gulfport Community Land Trust |
| Northside Neighbors for Justice |
| Oak Park Civic Association |
| Ouachita Riverkeeper |
| Oxfam America |
| Pax Christi USA |
| PICO Louisiana |
| Plenty International |
| PolicyLink |
| Praxis Project |
| Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office |
| Prince Garrett Ministries |
| Providence Community Housing |
| Puentes New Orleans, Inc. |
| Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation |
| Retired Senior Volunteer Program |
| Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights |
| Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference |
| Saving Ourselves Coalition |
| Shiloh Baptist Church |
| Sierra Club, Delta Chapter |
| Sisters of the Holy Cross Justice Office |
| Soria City Civic Organization |
| Sound Vision Foundation |
| South Bay Community Alliance |
| Southern Echo |
| Southern Poverty Law Center |
| Special Commission on the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, National Council of Churches |
| Squandered Heritage |
| St. Bernard Project |
| STEPS Coalition |
| Student Hurricane Network |
| Survivors Village New Orleans |
| Tennessee Alliance for Progress |
| Terrebonne Readiness & Assistance Coalition – TRAC |
| Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, (t.e.j.a.s.) |
| The Episcopal Church |
| The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana Office of Disaster Response |
| The Latino Leadership Circle |
| The Presbytery of South Louisiana Recovery |
| The Quest for Social Justice |
| The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association |
| The Sisters of the Good Shepherd |
| TruthSpeaks Consulting |
| Turkey Creek Community Initiatives |
| Union of Black Episcopalians |
| Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations |
| United Church of Christ, Justice & Witness Ministries |
| United Hearts Community Action Agency, Inc. |
| UNITY of Greater New Orleans with Common Ground Institute |
| Universalist Unitarian Service Committee |
| Women Donors Network |
Source: Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign https://gccwc.wordpress.com
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