One of the most severe criticisms of Senator Bernie Sanders’ candidacy is the price tag of his progressive programs including Medicare for All, College for All, universal child care and pre-K, and Green New Deal and how these programs would be paid for. In the Charleston, SC debate (number 10 for anyone who is counting), Senator Amy Klobuchar charged that his plans, collectively, would cost $60 trillion, or three times the entire US economy. Now, just ahead of the South Carolina and Super Tuesday primaries, Sanders has released his plan to pay for his major policy proposals, which he handed to Chris Cuomo during a CNN town hall on February 24:
It will cost $2.2 trillion to make public colleges, universities and trade schools tuition free and to cancel all student debt over the next decade. It is fully paid for by a modest tax on Wall Street speculation that will raise an estimated $2.4 trillion over ten years.
Bernie’s bill to expand Social Security will increase benefits for low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities by more than $1,300 a year. It is fully paid for by making the wealthiest 1.8% of Americans – those with incomes over $250,000 a year – pay the same rate into Social Security as working families.
This bill will also extend the solvency of Social Security into the year 2070 – ensuring that Social Security can pay every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 50 years.
Bernie’s proposal to guarantee housing as a human right and to eliminate
homelessness will cost $2.5 trillion over the next decade.
It is fully paid for by a wealth tax on the top one-tenth of one percent –
those who have a net worth of at least $32 million. (Bernie’s wealth tax
will raise a total of $4.35 trillion.)
Bernie’s proposal to guarantee universal childcare and pre-school to every
family in America who needs it will cost $1.5 trillion.
It is fully paid for by a wealth tax on the top one-tenth of one percent –
those who have a net worth of at least $32 million. (Bernie’s wealth tax
will raise a total of $4.35 trillion.)
Bernie has introduced a proposal to eliminate all of the $81 billion in past
due medical debt held by 79 million Americans. It is fully paid for by
establishing an income inequality tax on large corporations that pay CEOs at
least 50 times more than average workers.
The $16.3 trillion climate change proposal that Bernie has introduced will
fundamentally transform our energy system away from fossil fuel and towards
energy efficiency and renewable energy. It will also create 20 million
good-paying union jobs in the process.
It is fully paid for by:
– Raising $3.085 trillion by making the fossil fuel
industry pay for their pollution, through litigation, fees, and taxes, and
eliminating federal fossil fuel subsidies.
– Generating $6.4 trillion in revenue from the wholesale of
energy produced by the regional Power Marketing Administrations. This
revenue will be collected from 2023-2035, and after 2035 electricity will be
virtually free, aside from operations and maintenance costs.
– Reducing defense spending by $1.215 trillion by
scaling back military operations on protecting the global oil supply.
– Collecting $2.3 trillion in new income tax
revenue from the 20 million new jobs created by the plan.
– Saving $1.31 trillion by reduced the need for federal
and state safety net spending due to the creation of millions of good-paying,
unionized jobs.
– Raising $2 trillion in revenue by making large
corporations pay their fair share of taxes.
Key Points:
By averting climate catastrophe we will save: $2.9 trillion
over 10 years, $21 trillion over 30 years and $70.4 trillion
over 80 years.
If we do not act, the U.S. will lose $34.5 trillion by the end
of the century in economic productivity.
According to a February 15, 2020 study by epidemiologists at Yale University,
the Medicare for All bill that Bernie wrote would save over $450 billion in
health care costs and prevent 68,000 unnecessary deaths – each and every year.
Since 2016, Bernie has proposed a menu of financing options that would more
than pay for the Medicare for All legislation he has introduced according to
the Yale study.
These options include:
Creating a 4 percent income-based premium paid by employees, exempting
the first $29,000 in income for a family of four.
In 2018, the typical working family paid an average of $6,015 in premiums to
private health insurance companies. Under this option, a typical family
of four earning $60,000, would pay a 4 percent income-based premium to fund
Medicare for All on income above $29,000 – just $1,240 a year – saving that
family $4,775 a year. Families of four making less than $29,000 a year
would not pay this premium.
(Revenue raised: About $4 trillion over 10-years.)
Imposing a 7.5 percent income-based premium paid by employers,
exempting the first $1 million in payroll to protect small businesses.
In 2018, employers paid an average of $14,561 in private health insurance
premiums for a worker with a family of four. Under this option, employers
would pay a 7.5 percent payroll tax to help finance Medicare for All – just
$4,500 – a savings of more than $10,000 a year.
(Revenue raised: Over $5.2 trillion over 10-years.)
Eliminating health tax expenditures, which would no longer be needed
under Medicare for All.
(Revenue raised: About $3 trillion over 10-years.)
Raising the top marginal income tax rate to 52% on income over $10
million.
(Revenue raised: About $700 billion over 10-years.)
Replacing the cap on the state and local tax deduction with an overall
dollar cap of $50,000 for a married couple on all itemized deductions.
(Revenue raised: About $400 billion over 10-years.)
Taxing capital gains at the same rates as income from wages and
cracking down on gaming through derivatives, like-kind exchanges, and the zero
tax rate on capital gains passed on through bequests.
(Revenue raised: About $2.5 trillion over 10-years.)
Enacting the For the 99.8% Act, which
returns the estate tax exemption to the 2009 level of $3.5 million, closes
egregious loopholes, and increases rates progressively including by adding a
top tax rate of 77% on estate values in excess of $1 billion.
(Revenue raised: $336 billion over 10-years.)
Enacting corporate tax reform including restoring the top federal
corporate income tax rate to 35 percent.
(Revenue raised: $3 trillion of which $1 trillion would be used to help finance
Medicare for All and $2 trillion would be used for the Green New Deal.)
Using $350 billion of the amount raised from the tax on extreme wealth
to help finance Medicare for All.
The vigorous contest of
Democrats seeking the 2020 presidential nomination has produced excellent
policy proposals to address major issues. Senator Elizabeth Warren has
released independent analysis supporting her plans for a Green New Deal
creating 10.6 million new green jobs. This is from the Warren campaign:
Charlestown, MA – Senator Elizabeth Warren, campaigning for President, released a new independent analysis estimating that her plans for a Green New Deal will create 10.6 million new green jobs.
“America has a long and proud history of rising to the
challenges that have faced this country — and defeating the climate crisis is
no exception. A Warren administration will ensure that as we fight climate
change, each and every American benefits from the opportunities created by the
clean economy — especially the 10.6 million workers who will power our
transition to 100% clean energy.”
Elizabeth Warren’s plans for a Green New Deal will:
Develop the green workforce of the future by expanding job
training, partnering with unions to rebuild the middle class, and ensuring the
new clean economy is open to everyone
Rebuild and repower our energy grid to grow our economy,
invest in offshore wind, and achieve 100% carbon-neutral power by 2030
Transform our transportation sector by expanding green
public transportation programs and requiring all new light and medium-duty
vehicles sold by 2030 to be zero-emission vehicles
Repair our water infrastructure by rebuilding America’s
dams, levees, and inland waterways and ensuring safe drinking water for all
Rebuild our homes, buildings and schools to achieve safe and
affordable housing and provide our children with healthy living and learning
environments
Finance the green jobs program by creating a new Green Bank
and issuing Green Victory Bonds, modeled after the programs FDR implemented
during the New Deal
My Plan to Create 10.6 Million Green Jobs
Earlier this month, climate scientists published new research suggesting the planet is hurtling towards an ecological tipping point that would irreversibly damage the earth and threaten our livable climate — for good. This most recent study adds to the growing body of evidence that climate change is happening faster than scientists originally thought. And it further reinforces what we already know: we have roughly a decade left to avoid catastrophic impacts by ending our economic dependence on fossil fuels and substantially reducing global emissions.
But while climate change presents an urgent threat, it also presents the greatest opportunity of our time: the chance to rebuild our economy with 100% clean energy, to address the racial and economic inequality embedded in our fossil fuel economy, and to create millions of good, union jobs in the process. This is not the first time our country has faced a threat of this magnitude.
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt said we would build a historic air force of 185,000 planes to defeat the Nazis, America had a nascent military aircraft industry. But FDR rallied the nation to the task: by the end of World War II, we had produced around 300,000 aircraft in less than 5 years.
When John F. Kennedy told the nation that we would send a man to the moon in under a decade, people said that would be impossible, too. But our top scientists and engineers came together and changed the world forever, delivering not just a lunar landing but also a torrent of new technology that helped working Americans here at home.
From World War II to the space race, American ingenuity has risen to meet seemingly impossible challenges — leading the world and unleashing economic benefits for Americans in the process.
Today we face a new challenge. Defeating the climate crisis will require the ingenuity of the moon landing and an economic and industrial mobilization unseen since our efforts in World War II. It will need to happen at the speed and scale of FDR’s New Deal, which launched over 50 federal programs and pulled millions of Americans out of unemployment. It will take workers of all kinds to rebuild and repower our energy grid and to upgrade our transportation, building, and water systems to guard against the worst effects of climate change and protect our most vulnerable communities. And it will take workers in every corner of America — from construction foremen in the Rust Belt to pipefitters in the Bayou — to transform our country’s infrastructure.
The Green New Deal is the answer to this national call.
After the 2008 crash, President Obama ushered through the historic American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to jumpstart our economy and bring an end to the Great Recession. Included in this total federal investment was $90 billion for clean energy, making it one of the largest investments in clean energy in U.S. history. The Council of Economic Advisors later reported that every $1 invested in clean energy leveraged an additional $1.60 in non-federal and private dollars.
Using this historical data and other estimates as a guide, my plans for a Green New Deal will result in an estimated total public and private investment of $10.7 trillion in our new clean energy economy. And independent experts that examined my ideas for a Green New Deal to analyze how they will drive job creation estimated that they will create 10.6 million new green jobs. This will help rebuild the middle class by providing family-supporting wages, career pathways, and worker protections in our new green economy. This is the opportunity of the Green New Deal: a $10.7 trillion total investment in our clean economy that spurs 10.6 million green new jobs. And we’ll do it all together — with no community and no worker left behind.
I mean it when I say that defeating the climate crisis will be a top priority of my administration. That’s why today I’m releasing my plan to enact a climate change agenda that not only reduces our carbon emissions but also jumpstarts our economy.
Developing the Green Workforce of the Future
There are already clean energy job opportunities across the country. But with $10.7 trillion in federal and private investments, we can turn these opportunities into 10.6 million new, union jobs rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and transitioning to the new clean energy economy. To support the millions of skilled and experienced contractors we will need to plan and execute large construction and engineering projects in the new clean economy and to support the first responders, healthcare workers, social workers, and other public and private employees who respond to climate-induced disasters, my administration will commit to investments in retraining, joint labor management apprenticeships, and creating strong career pipelines to ensure a continuous supply of skilled, available workers. And, we will look for every opportunity to partner with high schools and vocational schools to build pathways to the middle class for kids who opt not to go to college.
Expanding job training.
We currently invest $200 million annually in apprenticeship programs across the country. Successfully training and re-training millions of skilled laborers to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, however, will require scaling up dramatically. That’s why my plan to Defend and Create American Jobs calls for a tenfold increase in investments in apprenticeships — a $20 billion commitment over the next ten years. I’ll follow Governor Inslee’s lead by re-establishing dedicated programs for green industrial and construction job training and placement under the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), too.
And investing in job training is only the first step. A Warren administration will link public investments in clean energy infrastructure to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training, as well as graduation rates and local hires, to ensure that we are creating a full training-to-career pipeline. My plans also call for expanded technical and trade school opportunities to create pathways into good jobs in the new clean energy economy that will not require a college degree. And my administration will create regional sector-specific training partnerships to help better align training with the local job market, leverage the community college system, and ensure that workers gain transferable skills.
Partnering with unions to rebuild the middle class.
I am committed to ensuring that all of the 10.6 million new jobs in the clean economy pull working Americans back into the middle class — and to working hand-in-hand with unions to do so. That’s why I will fight for good wages and strong benefits for every worker that joins the new clean economy. A Warren administration will condition federal clean energy investments to state, local, and tribal governments on employers offering family-supporting wages and benefits — and will enforce this through Project Labor Agreements, prevailing wage laws, and Community Benefit Agreements. And I will work hand-in-hand with unions to return power to the working people powering the green economy. Unions built the middle class and unions will rebuild the middle class in the green economy of the future, too.
I’ve already committed to making sweeping reforms to our labor policy. These changes will extend labor rights to all workers — for example, narrowing the definition of “supervisor” under the National Labor Relations Act to end the exclusion of workers like the construction foremen that will lead the charge on building our clean energy grids. They will guarantee workers entering this new economy have a voice in actually shaping it by strengthening organizing and collective bargaining rights and increasing worker choice and control, including by requiring large companies to allow workers to elect no less than 40% of board members. And I will work with unions to design the training and apprenticeship programs that can create strong career pipelines for workers to enter this new green economy, helping to expand opportunities — and a continuous supply of skilled workers to power this transformation.
Ensuring the new clean economy is open to everyone.
In addition to employing millions of new workers in the clean economy, I am committed to leaving no worker behind as we transition to an economy powered on clean energy. That includes honoring our commitments to fossil fuel workers by holding fossil fuel companies accountable and defending worker pensions, benefits, and securing retirements. I will make sure the opportunities created are available to those who have traditionally been excluded — especially women and communities of color — by imposing new rules on companies that hope to receive federal contracts.
Rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure as part of the new clean energy economy will take all of us, including returning citizens — which is why my administration will partner with organizations that make renewable energy and associated job training available to underserved communities and formerly incarcerated individuals. And my plan to empower workers will expand worker safety protections for workers entering the green economy — like our transit workers who are increasingly subject to assault — and I will strengthen anti-discrimination protections for workers from all backgrounds.
Repowering our Energy Sector
In 2018, clean energy industries employed over 3.2 million Americans — more workers than in the petroleum, natural gas and coal industries combined. The clean energy industry is rapidly expanding — the two fastest-growing jobs in the nation are solar panel installer and wind turbine technician. But there is more to do, and the federal government can and should play a role in increasing the speed and scale of this transition. A Warren administration will focus on rebuilding and repowering our energy grid to grow our economy — and my plans will create 6.8 million good paying jobs in the energy sector, all while cutting carbon pollution.
100% Clean Energy Plan
While some states and utilities have been leading the way on cleaning up their electricity sources, far too many are falling behind. My plan calls for the federal government to set a bold standard for achieving 100% carbon-neutral power by 2030, including carbon-free baseload solutions, putting us on the path to a 100% emissions-free electricity supply by 2035.
These ambitious targets will require us to ramp up renewable energy generation and deployment dramatically. Cleaning up our energy system will create a diverse range of jobs — from construction worker to electrician to project manager. But these good paying jobs won’t just be in renewable energy. They will also come from making homes, offices, and industries more energy efficient. And through my Green Manufacturing plan, we’ll jumpstart American research and manufacturing in areas like battery storage, which will require a whole new set of skills and laborers. And wherever possible, we’ll invest in modernizing our grid with American-made materials, spurring still more jobs right here at home.
Offshore Wind Jobs
Right now, there is only one offshore wind project operating in this country — Rhode Island’s Block Island Wind Farm. It’s clear that today, we are failing to make use of the clean, powerful energy resource that lies just off our coasts. My Blue New Deal For Our Oceans plan will jumpstart the offshore wind industry. Bringing these offshore wind projects to life will generally require the help of workers from more than 70 different occupations — from machinists to engineers, sailors to ironworkers, electricians to longshoremen. By 2030, offshore wind energy development from Maryland to Maine could support more than 36,000 full time jobs. And even after they’re built, we will need workers to operate and service the turbines. My Blue New Deal also calls for electrifying and shoring up our ports, creating additional jobs throughout our coastal communities.
Restarting Our Transportation Sector
America’s transportation and trucking industry accounts for more than 10 million direct jobs, with over 3 million truck drivers alone. But right now, transportation also accounts for the largest portion of U.S. carbon pollution. Moreover, our public transportation infrastructure is crumbling: the American Society of Civil Engineers gave our roads a “D” grade on their most recent infrastructure report card, with one out of every five miles of highway pavement in poor condition.
For too long, our government has failed to invest in critical infrastructure — and unless we take action, poor conditions will continue to plague one of our most important industries. But this, too, is an opportunity: as we rebuild our crumbling transportation infrastructure, we can build in climate resiliency, and create a transportation system powered by electricity rather than fossil fuels. The massive project of investing in our transportation infrastructure will affect every state and county in the nation, creating about 2.6 million jobs in the public and private sector.
Build Green Program
Public transportation is a $71 billion industry that employs more than 430,000 people. And yet, 45% of Americans still do not have access to public transportation, leaving those without access reliant on car ownership to get to work, school and worship. We know that increasing public transportation rates and decreasing vehicle miles traveled is one of the best ways to reduce emissions. That’s why I’m proposing a new Build Green program, which would establish a new grant program to electrify public buses, school buses, rail, cars, and fleet vehicles that is modeled after the Department of Transportation’s BUILD grant program. This program will be paid for by closing corporate loopholes, and will open up new funding opportunities for states, cities, counties and tribal governments to expand and electrify public transportation options. A study conducted in the Twin Cities found Black, Asian-American, and Latinx commuters have longer commutes than white commuters. And people with disabilities face particular barriers in using and accessing public transportation. These investments will be crucial to ensuring equitable and accessible transportation for all.
100% Clean Vehicles.
Demand for passenger electric vehicles is growing at home and abroad — but even though more and more people want electric vehicles, they still only account for around 1% of vehicles on the road. To spur auto manufacturing in this space, I have put forward a bold and ambitious goal to require all new light -and medium-duty vehicles sold by 2030 to be zero emission vehicles. We’ll achieve this goal by investing in a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. By the end of the first term of a Warren administration, there will be a charging station at every rest stop in America. And this nation-wide network of charging infrastructure will begin to lay the groundwork for electrifying long-haul trucking, too. But charging station infrastructure is only half the battle. Right now, consumers don’t have enough access to vehicles. In 2011, there were only two mass market electric vehicles available to consumers — and even now, the auto industry offers only fifteen models. While car manufacturers are already trying to meet growing demand, my investment in clean energy technology, including products designed for use in the electric vehicle supply chain, will further increase adoption of electric vehicles by making it easier for auto manufacturers to build the vehicles that consumers want.
We’ve let our failure to take action destroy our transportation infrastructure for too long and a Warren administration will make sure that the Department of Transportation acts with the speed and scale necessary to address the climate challenges ahead of us. I will take executive action to require the Department of Transportation set performance management rules that require federal transportation investments to be accompanied by life-cycle analysis and reduction strategies for climate and other transportation related pollution.
Renewing Our Water Infrastructure
America’s water infrastructure is crumbling. The government’s failure to invest is putting Americans in danger in two ways: first, our levees, dams and inland waterways infrastructure are all at risk — and will only become more stressed by climate change as sea-level rise, extreme flooding, and drought all become more frequent and severe. Second, our drinking water is increasingly at risk: as the infrastructure supporting it crumbles, an estimated 77 million Americans live with tap water that violates federal safe water standards — and this number does not even include the millions more served by very small water systems or private domestic wells. Meanwhile, more and more Americans struggle to afford their water bills as water bill costs have risen at more than double the rate of inflation over the last 20 years. Fixing our water infrastructure is an urgent priority — but we risk not having enough hands on deck, as the water sector’s aging workforce increasingly enters into retirement. Reinvesting in our nation’s water infrastructure isn’t just essential for the health and the safety of our communities, it’s also a chance to grow our workforce. In a Warren administration, we’ll not only protect Americans by rebuilding our nation’s water infrastructure — we’ll also create about 190,000 thousand good, union jobs in the process.
Rebuilding America’s dams, levees, and inland waterways.
Our nation’s dams, levees, and inland waterways provide necessary infrastructure for shipping and hydroelectric power — but they’ve been so underfunded that they are putting our communities at risk. When the Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway failed in 2017, nearly 200,000 people were evacuated from rural Northern California. And the failure of New Orleans’ levees during Hurricane Katrina made Katrina one of the most devastating U.S. hurricane on record, killing 1,800 people, damaging 70% of homes in New Orleans, and resulting in damages of $125 billion. This stops now. A Warren administration will triple the US Army Corps of Engineers’ annual budget so that they have the resources they need to upgrade our water infrastructure and defend our vulnerable communities from harm. We’ll pay for this with savings from my plan to transition the military away from its dependence on fossil fuels and other internal Department of Defense funding shifts. This dramatic expansion will create new opportunities for good, federal jobs as we update critical infrastructure across the nation — an investment that is more important than ever to defend vulnerable front-line communities from more frequent and more severe weather events.
Ensuring safe drinking water for all
Nearly a decade ago the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing access to water and sanitation as basic human rights. But today, the United States is in the middle of a dangerous drinking water crisis. Not only do an estimated 77 million Americans’ have tap water that violated federal standards, but at least 2 million Americans still don’t have access to running water. And because of a long legacy of unfair, racist, and deliberate policy choices, communities of color are disproportionately likely to lack access to safe, affordable drinking water. After decades of declining federal investments in safe water, it’s time to invest in safe, affordable water for our communities. That’s why I have committed to fully capitalizing federal programs that fund drinking water capital infrastructure, such as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. And I will go further by supporting Rep. Joe Kennedy’s Affordable Safe Drinking Water Act, which would extend the horizon for states and localities to repay revolving loans and expand the funding to cover the installation of lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) filtering systems and remediation measures. These important updates to the State Revolving Fund programs will not only guarantee much-needed upgrades to our drinking water infrastructure, but will also spur necessary investments to allow for expanded job opportunities. My administration will continue to invest in brownfield remediation, which is why I have proposed to reinstate and then triple the Superfund Tax to ensure that we protect our communities from the legacy of environmental harm and we put people to work in the process. And I will remain committed to standing with communities across the country that are impacted by lead.
Jobs in the water sector are wide ranging: there are more than 200 different occupations, including in skilled trades, administration, and finance. What’s more, because every community needs quality water, these jobs exist across the nation. I will work to create more inclusive career paths for water workers to meet the needs of our drinking water infrastructure by fighting for increases in the percent of local hires and minority/women-owned contracts that are awarded as part of water-related government contracting. And I will work with Congress to fully fund the EPA’s Brownfields Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants Program and the Environmental Health Sciences Environmental Career Worker Training Program, which is helping to improve workforce development for water-related careers. Lastly and in order to confront America’s drinking water crisis head on, I will take executive action to develop a national inter-agency safe and affordable drinking water roadmap. And to inform this effort I will convene a Water Equity Advisory Council with representation from key environmental justice and community-based organizations that are on the frontlines of addressing our safe water crisis.
Rebuilding our Homes, Buildings and Schools
In his Second Inaugural Address, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that the “test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” Later that term, FDR signed into law the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act, which put Americans to work building new, modern affordable housing units across the country. But today, whether it’s a leaky window, an old appliance, or mold in a home, it’s hard-working Americans that pay the price through increased utility bills and housing costs.
As I’ve outlined in my 100% Clean Energy Plan, I’ll work with states and local governments to develop and implement new and stronger building codes to reach zero-carbon emissions and building those new standards into federal grant requirements, tax credits, and mortgage products. And I’ll launch an initiative to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings, with the goal of upgrading 4% of buildings a year until the job is done. All told, my plans will create over 970,000 thousand new jobs as demand grows across sectors from the manufacturing of American-made energy efficient materials to large and small-scale construction efforts.
Safe and affordable housing
We currently have a government that has paid lip service to the idea of providing all Americans in need with safe and affordable housing. The federal government hasn’t funded new public housing construction in decades and has turned a blind eye to the massive maintenance backlog needed to make sure the limited housing we do have is safe to live in. That stops now. My Affordable Housing Plan would invest $500 billion over 10 years to address this crisis and would create 3 million new housing units. As a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act, I recognize the right to safe, affordable housing for every American and the need for new, green jobs to realize FDR’s dream. My Green Public Housing program will build on the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act, by raising living standards and providing the financial assistance necessary to retrofit these homes. This will require training a new American workforce and would alone create 240,000 new jobs. We can address the climate crisis while we tackle the housing crisis, too.
Providing our children with healthy learning and living environments
As a former public school teacher, I know firsthand how our children’s learning can be affected by their environment. More than half of our public schools need repairs in order to be in “good” condition. Our poor school infrastructure has serious effects on the health and academic outcomes of students and on the well-being of teachers and staff. That’s why in my K-12 plan I’ve committed at least an additional $50 billion to improving our school infrastructure. This will require a workforce across the country to identify the schools most in need and carry out the necessary upgrades to provide our children with the learning environment they deserve. There’s nothing more important to me than investing in our kids because it means we’re investing in our future.
Green infrastructure means inclusive infrastructure. We have to recognize that our building infrastructure crisis is an environmental justice crisis. The disparities in our building infrastructure reflect the racial inequities that exist in America today. Historically, redlining denied entire groups of people—primarily communities of color—the chance to live in neighborhoods of their choice while also making them the victims of environmental racism. Studies have shown that low-income and minority children bear the brunt of poisoning from lead-based paint and failing lead pipes in older housing units. Our system has also failed Americans with disabilities who occupy 41% of our public housing units and yet only 3% of those units are ADA accessible. These same inequities exist in our public schools, too. In New York City, for example, 83% of elementary schools in New York City are not fully accessible to students with disabilities.
This ends in a Warren administration. It’s the job of our government to reverse these injustices, and I will put Americans to work to finish the job. That’s why I will use the full force of the federal government to invest in addressing these disparities — and creating millions of good, union jobs in the process.Together, these plans will curb homelessness in America, put Americans to work in quality jobs, protect the health of American families, and ease the burden on their pocketbooks.
Financing the Green Jobs Plan
Defeating the climate crisis and transitioning our economy to run on 100% clean energy will take big, structural change. That’s why my plans will result in $10.7 trillion in federal funding to fight for a Green New Deal — backed up by detailed plans laying out exactly how we will use those dollars — to address the size of this crisis.
The transition to clean energy is an opportunity to transform our economy, creating new industries, like in zero-emissions building construction, and greatly expandingothers, like electric vehicle manufacturing, at a speed and scale not seen since World War II — and creating huge opportunities for state, local and non-federal investment in the process, too. My Administration will create new financing tools to unlock state, local, and private investment and direct it towards meaningful investments that tackle climate change, produce jobs, and reduce inequality. And my administration will put in place strong protections to ensure that this $10.7 trillion commitment flows to the right places, so that our climate investments benefit all Americans — not just the wealthy and well-connected.
A New Green Bank
A Green Bank is among the best ways to ensure a dedicated funding stream for an economy-wide climate transition to reconcile the scale of investment required with the speed of transition necessary to defeat the climate crisis. I’ll work with Congress to establish a bank modeled after and expanded upon the National Climate Bank Act, introduced earlier this year by my friend and colleague Senator Markey. We’ll put in place strong bipartisan oversight and governance to ensure that investments are equitable and benefit working Americans. And ultimately, this new Green Bank will mobilize $1 trillion in climate and green infrastructure investments across the country over 30 years.
The Green Bank will open up new markets for greater investment by working alongside existing federal authorities through direct spending, grants, and loans. It will provide security for investors looking for climate-friendly investments in mid- to large-scale infrastructure projects that serve the public interest but might not otherwise attract private capital due to risk-return thresholds, payback horizons, credit risk or other factors. It will increase the overall scale of clean energy investment and the pace of substitution of clean energy technologies for fossil-fuel based technologies, while also protecting consumers by keeping energy prices low and ensuring compliance with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s regulations. And it will expand opportunities for communities and the private sector by directing funds toward communities on the front lines of the climate crisis that have traditionally been left out of investment opportunities.
Green Victory Bonds
Today many states have green bonds programs, using the proceeds to fund land use projects, river and habitat preservation, and energy and water infrastructure. Green bonds have also surged in popularity worldwide, with sales growing 46% last year to about a total of about $460 billion.
While the federal government has never issued a green bond, the World War II-era “Victory Bond” program was a major success, raising $185 billion — over $2 trillion in 2012 dollars — and four out of five American households bought Victory Bonds. I’ll propose a “Green Victory Bond,” backed by the full-faith and credit of the United States by the Treasury Department, to finance the transition to a green economy. These Green Victory Bonds will be sold at levels that allow Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum the opportunity to own a piece of the climate solution, and to benefit from the new green economy that we build together.
The vigorous contest of Democrats
seeking the 2020 presidential nomination has produced excellent policy
proposals to address major issues. Senator Bernie Sanders, along with
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, presented the Green New Deal for Public
Housing Act to address the shortage of public housing in a way that also
attacks climate change by transitioning to sustainable buildings. Here is the
plan from the Sanders campaign:
WASHINGTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), in an event outside the Capitol Building, announced the
introduction of the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act in partnership with
public housing residents, affordable housing advocates, and climate change
activists. The sweeping legislation they will unveil aims to retrofit,
rehabilitate, and decarbonize the entire nation’s public housing stock.
The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act invests up to $180 billion over ten
years in sustainable retrofits that include all needed repairs, vastly improved
health, safety and comfort, and eliminate carbon emissions in our federal
public housing. The legislation also provides funding to electrify all
buildings, add solar panels, and secure renewable energy sources for all public
housing energy needs. The bill dramatically improves living conditions for
nearly 2 million people living in roughly 1 million public homes.
“Faced with the global crisis of climate change, the United States must lead
the world in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel to
sustainable energy,” said Sanders. “But let us be clear: as Congresswoman
Ocasio-Cortez understands, the Green New Deal is not just about climate change.
It is an economic plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, strengthen our
infrastructure, and invest in our country’s frontline and vulnerable
communities. This bill shows that we can address our climate and affordable
housing crises by making public housing a model of efficiency, sustainability
and resiliency. Importantly, the working people who have been most impacted by
decades of disinvestment in public housing will be empowered to lead this
effort and share in the economic prosperity that it generates for our country.”
“Climate change represents both a grave threat and a tremendous opportunity,”
said Ocasio-Cortez. “The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act will train and
mobilize the workforce to decarbonize the public housing stock and improve the
quality of life for all residents. I am proud to begin the hard work of
codifying the Green New Deal into law with my friend and colleague, Senator
Bernie Sanders.”
About 40 percent of
total U.S. energy consumption is attributable to residential and commercial
buildings. With its focus on transforming 1 million units of federally owned
housing, the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act will spur economies of scale
for weatherization, retrofitting, and renewable energy, making them more cost
effective and attractive throughout the country. The legislation is expected to
create nearly 250,000 good-paying, union jobs per
year across the country while reducing carbon emissions on the scale of taking
1.2 million cars off the road over the next ten years. Public housing costs
would also be reduced by $97 million per year, or 30 percent, and energy costs
would be slashed by $613 million, or 70 percent.
The legislation envisions a federal-state partnership, creating new grant
programs to swiftly and efficiently transition public housing, tribal housing,
and Native Hawaiian housing to zero-carbon, energy efficient housing. The bill
creates sustainable communities for families by building new childcare and
senior centers, expanding access to clean transit, and creating community
gardens and other community amenities. Under the legislation, public housing
will receive deep energy retrofits, build community-generated renewable
electricity, and upgrade unsafe and unsanitary infrastructure, including
buildings’ water and electrical systems.
The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act requires that the hundreds of
thousands of jobs created by this investment be high-road, family-sustaining
jobs by requiring strong labor standards, prevailing wages, and “Buy America”
requirements. Public housing residents will lead the decision-making process for
these investments and receive jobs training for the newly created jobs from
this legislation.
The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen.
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and endorsed by more than 50 organizations.
The vigorous contest of Democrats seeking the 2020 presidential
nomination has produced excellent policy proposals to address major issues.
With this summer posting heat records and yet another Category 5 hurricane wreaking
havoc in the Caribbean and Atlantic islands and barreling down on the East
Coast, US Senator Amy Klobuchar has released her plan to tackle the Climate
Crisis, which is distinguished for a focus on agriculture and the Heartland, in
addition to the more common focus on manufacturing, transportation and clean,
renewable energy. This is from the Klobuchar campaign:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The climate crisis isn’t
happening in 100 years — it’s happening now. 2018 was the fourth-hottest year
on record globally and it was another near-record year for U.S. weather and
climate disasters. The dire warnings in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change and the National Climate Assessment make clear that immediate action is
needed. The National Climate Assessment lays out how increasing global
temperatures are harming our country’s food systems and public health by
increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, while
displacement and destruction caused by climate-related natural disasters
threaten our economy and national security.
Senator Klobuchar is a strong voice from the Midwest when it comes to
climate change. In the Senate, she leads the fight to combat climate change by
serving on the Senate Climate Action Taskforce, has fought for legislation to
reduce greenhouse gases, and has led a Senate resolution recognizing that
global climate change is occurring and will continue to pose ongoing risks
unless we take action. She authored legislation setting a national renewable
electricity standard and she successfully extended renewable energy production
tax credits. The first bill Senator Klobuchar ever introduced was a carbon counter
bill to establish the first national greenhouse gas registry to track emissions
by major industries.
We can’t wait. That’s why Senator Klobuchar is committed to taking
immediate action — without Congress — to transform our energy sector, unlock
scientific breakthroughs, hold the fossil fuel industry accountable, and
support workers and communities that are on the front lines of the climate
crisis. She will:
Use the full power of the presidency to tackle the climate crisis.
Starting on day one of her administration, Senator Klobuchar will take
aggressive executive action to confront the climate crisis. She will introduce
sweeping climate legislation in the first 100 days of her presidency, but she
also won’t wait for Congress when it comes to the full range of legal actions a
President can take to address climate change. Specifically, in the first 100
days of her administration Senator Klobuchar will:
Get the United States back in the Paris International
Climate Agreement on day one. On day one of Senator Klobuchar’s presidency
she will get us back into the Paris International Climate Change Agreement, and
she will immediately begin working with global leaders to strengthen the
agreement so that the United States maintains global leadership to address the
climate crisis.
Restore the Clean Power Plan. Senator Klobuchar will
bring back the Clean Power Plan, which set emissions standards for states with
respect to reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. She will negotiate even
stronger emissions standards that account for the progress states have already
made.
Bring back the fuel-economy standards. Senator Klobuchar
will restore and strengthen our fuel economy standards, which are key to making
an immediate impact on the emissions of cars and light trucks. The Trump
Administration has weakened the fuel-economy standards for cars and light
trucks and has challenged the right of California and other states to follow
more stringent standards.
Introduce sweeping legislation that will put our country
on the path to 100% net zero emissions by 2050. In her first 100 days as
President, Senator Klobuchar will introduce and work with Congress to pass
sweeping legislation that will put our country on a path to achieving 100%
net-zero emissions no later than 2050.
End the Trump Administration’s censoring of climate
science. Senator Klobuchar will end Trump Administration efforts to censor
climate science through actions like deleting climate-focused websites,
removing the phrase “climate change” from reports, and preventing government
scientists from attending conferences on climate change.
Set ambitious goals to reduce the carbon footprint of the
federal government. During the first 100 days of her administration,
Senator Klobuchar will aggressively work to reduce the federal government’s
significant carbon footprint. As President, she will set ambitious goals to
increase the efficiency of federal buildings, data centers, and vehicles,
reduce water consumption, and increase the use of renewable energy.
Reinstate the National Climate Assessment Advisory
Committee to immediately start addressing the climate crisis. The National Climate
Assessment Advisory Committee was charged with translating the findings of the
National Climate Assessment into concrete goals. During the first 100 days of
her administration, Senator Klobuchar will reinstate this committee that
President Trump let expire.
Hold the fossil fuel industry accountable. Senator
Klobuchar is committed to standing up to the oil companies and holding the
fossil fuel industry accountable. She will:
End federal fossil fuel subsidies. For too long,
taxpayers have subsidized the massive profits of fossil fuel companies. Senator
Klobuchar will end federal tax subsidies for fossil fuel exploration and
production.
Make politicians accountable to voters, not special
interests. Again and again, bold action on climate has been blocked by the
power of special interests. As President, Senator Klobuchar will put people
first by working to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United
and get dark money out of our politics, as well as establish a campaign finance
system that increases the power of small donors through a matching system for
small donations. She will investigate potential wrongdoings and hold energy
companies accountable.
Expanding Renewable Energy and Transforming the Energy
Sector
There is a scientific consensus that in order to avoid the
worst effects of climate change we will need to achieve 100% net-zero emissions
no later than 2050, which cannot be done without a wholesale transformation of
the energy sector. To expand renewable energy and transform the energy sector
to produce clean power, Senator Klobuchar will:
Invest in infrastructure and provide incentives for state
and local governments, nonprofits, and private companies to expand clean energy
production. Senator Klobuchar will support a landmark carbon pricing system
that does not have a regressive impact on Americans and will help make clean
energy production more cost competitive. She will also do more to accelerate
the adoption of clean energy, including by subsidizing production and investment
by state and local governments, nonprofits and private companies, as well as by
upgrading our grid infrastructure and storage capabilities.
Provide production and investment tax credits.
Senator Klobuchar will create a technology neutral tax credit to support
production of or investment into clean sources of energy. She will also create
a clean energy bond program so that tax-exempt entities can benefit. The
credits will be phased out as overall emissions are reduced.
Upgrade energy grids and storage capacity. Our
country’s electric grid needs an upgrade to account for the irregular nature of
certain clean energy sources, accommodate distributed energy production, and
facilitate smart metering and other innovative technologies. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will create a competitive grant program and a new investment
tax credit to promote investments in grid improvements and storage. She will
also provide rural electric cooperatives access to technical resources and expertise
to overcome the barriers to renewable energy storage and grid improvements
based on a bipartisan bill she leads in the Senate.
Streamline renewable energy production on federal land.
Many federal lands have significant renewable energy potential. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will work to streamline the permitting process for renewable
projects on federal lands while protecting sensitive ecosystems and ensuring a
fair distribution of payments.
Empower municipal utilities and electric cooperatives to
lead on clean energy. Senator Klobuchar knows that one size doesn’t fit all
when it comes to clean energy policy. She will make sure smaller producers,
including municipal utilities and electric cooperatives, have a seat at the
table when decisions are made about federal energy policy. In the Senate, she
authored bipartisan legislation that was signed into law that enables rural
electric power cooperatives and their members to continue to use
energy-efficient water heaters as part of conservation programs. This law
allows cooperatives to optimize both their own energy management and the
environmental benefits of water heaters.
Reduce climate pollution. A carbon price will create
an economic incentive to reduce carbon pollution and there is more we can do to
limit climate pollution from existing fossil fuel production.
Restore and expand the Clean Power Plan. In her first
100 days as President, Senator Klobuchar will bring back the Clean Power Plan,
which set emissions standards for states with respect to reductions in carbon
dioxide emissions. She will negotiate even stronger emissions standards that
account for the progress states have made.
Strengthen enforcement of the Clean Air Act and other
environmental laws. Under the Trump Administration, EPA enforcement efforts
have fallen dramatically. As President, Senator Klobuchar will direct the EPA
to vigorously enforce the Clean Air Act and other environmental laws and make
sure the enforcers have the resources they need.
Reduce methane leakage from oil and gas production.
Methane has as much as 84 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. The
Trump Administration has rolled back EPA and BLM rules to prevent methane
leakage even though the Senate defeated an attempt to repeal the BLM methane
rule on a bipartisan vote and many companies already comply with stricter state
rules. As President, Senator Klobuchar will restore and strengthen the EPA and
BLM methane rules.
Support research to improve negative emissions
technologies. To supplement other mitigation efforts as we transition
to clean energy, Senator Klobuchar will support research to improve negative
emissions technologies that could be used to reduce the amount of carbon
currently in the atmosphere.
Ban new fossil fuel permitting on federal lands and
review and restore environmental protections repealed by the Trump
Administration. To help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels,
Senator Klobuchar will ban new fossil fuel permits on federal lands. Senator
Klobuchar will also undertake a comprehensive review and restore environmental
protections repealed by the Trump Administration. The Trump Administration has
revoked dozens of guidance documents and rules that protect people’s safety,
health and the environment when it comes to our power plants, oil refineries,
national parks and wildlife refuges, offshore drilling, pipelines, and oil and
gas development. Senator Klobuchar will undertake a thorough review of all the
repealed guidance and rules, and work to restore our environmental and safety
protections.
Increasing Efficiency and Rebuilding a Green America
Confronting the climate crisis also means improving energy
efficiency and rebuilding infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
stand up to the effects of climate change. As President, Senator Klobuchar
will:
Increase efficiency and move toward an electrified
transportation sector. Today, transportation accounts for about 30 percent
of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Senator Klobuchar will work to reduce
emissions in the transportation sector through increasing fuel economy,
supporting electrification, and promoting efficient transportation
options.
Bring back the fuel-economy standards. In her first
100 days as President, Senator Klobuchar will restore and strengthen our fuel
economy standards, which are key to making an immediate impact on the emissions
of cars and light trucks. The Trump Administration has weakened the
fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks and has challenged the right
of California and other states to follow more stringent standards.
Invest in electric vehicle infrastructure and promote
electric vehicle sales. As President, Senator Klobuchar will make a significant
investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and bring back the tax
credit for electric vehicle purchases.
Strengthen transit and commuter rail networks and support
low- and no-carbon alternatives. As President, Senator Klobuchar will refocus
federal transportation grants to prioritize transit projects, first and last
mile connections, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements. She will also
develop new incentives for transit systems and school districts to replace
their existing bus fleets with low- and no-carbon alternatives.
Revitalize freight and passenger rail. Railroads are
an energy- and cost-effective way for producers to bring their goods to market
and get people where they need to go. As President, Senator Klobuchar will
encourage investment in short-line and freight rail networks. She will also
address safety concerns including by mandating two-man crews, improving braking
systems, and ensuring communities are prepared to respond to derailments
involving hazardous cargo. In addition, she will build on her work pushing for
greater competition in freight markets by providing fair treatment for captive
shippers, appointing well qualified members to the Surface Transportation
Board, and reviewing and addressing consolidation in the freight rail industry.
She is also committed to expanding high-speed rail and Amtrak service in rural
America.
Innovate in international shipping and aviation.
International shipping and aviation account for a growing share of carbon
emissions. As President, Senator Klobuchar will support research and strengthen
international agreements to reduce emissions from sources like aviation and
shipping.
Support green manufacturing and provide consumers with
green options. Manufacturing processes and consumer goods can have a
significant climate impact. New technologies can significantly reduce carbon
pollution, but we need to make sure manufacturers have the tools to adopt these
technologies.
Assist businesses transitioning to green manufacturing
processes. Senator Klobuchar is committed to ensuring businesses have the
resources they need to transition to green manufacturing processes. She will
increase technical support through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and
regional development strategies and encourage partnerships with community
colleges and research universities. She will also expand manufacturing tax
credits to specifically support upgrades and investments to reduce greenhouse
gas pollution for manufacturers of all sizes.
Build a market for new and existing climate-friendly
products. As President, Senator Klobuchar will support a market for
climate-friendly products by promoting federal procurement policies that
account for low-carbon energy sources and climate conscious processes.
Create a “Buy Clean” product labeling system. Many
consumers are concerned about how their purchasing decisions affect the
climate. As President, Senator Klobuchar will create a “Buy Clean” product
labeling system to give consumers clear information about products that are
produced to minimize their climate impact.
Institute an import fee on carbon-intensive goods. We
cannot allow foreign competitors to undercut U.S. manufacturers that are
producing goods with climate conscious processes. That’s why as President,
Senator Klobuchar will work to institute a fee on imports of carbon-intensive
goods from foreign countries.
Invest in green jobs and infrastructure. Senator
Klobuchar has proposed a $1 trillion infrastructure package that will modernize
our aging energy infrastructure so that it is secure and efficient. This
massive infrastructure investment will create good-paying union jobs and give
workers the skills they need to succeed in the green economy.
Retrofit buildings to reduce their emissions. Residential
and commercial buildings account for a significant share of U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions. Senator Klobuchar will launch a major initiative to retrofit
existing buildings to reduce their emissions through grants and tax credits
that support insulation, weatherization improvements, upgrades to heating and
cooling systems, and other energy saving upgrades.
Make new buildings climate friendly. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will support the development of the next generation of
low-emission buildings through model building energy codes and benchmarking and
transparency programs that cut carbon pollution and energy bills for American
families and businesses.
Promote effective zoning rules to minimize climate
impacts. Some cities are beginning to update their zoning policies through
initiatives like Minneapolis 2040. Senator Klobuchar will prioritize areas that
have updated their zoning rules when awarding federal housing and
infrastructure grants.
Expand the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Senator
Klobuchar has been a strong supporter of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF), which preserves natural resources while supporting outdoor recreation
through investments on our public lands. As President, Senator Klobuchar will
push to permanently fund the LWCF.
Coordinate with broadband and other infrastructure
priorities. In the Senate, Senator Klobuchar has been a leading proponent
of “dig once” policies and other ways to reduce costs by coordinating
infrastructure deployment. As President, she will direct federal agencies to
maximize opportunities for coordinating climate, broadband, and other types of
infrastructure deployment.
Build climate resiliency into all federal infrastructure
investments. As President, Senator Klobuchar will make federal infrastructure
investments resilient to both current and future climate risks and partner with
states and communities to develop regionally coordinated, resilient
infrastructure strategies.
Promoting Research and Unlocking New Scientific
Breakthroughs for Green Technologies
At the same time as we move forward aggressively with the
tools we have today, we need to invest in research that will create new
opportunities to tackle the climate crisis. To unlock new scientific
breakthroughs and promote research, Senator Klobuchar will:
Invest in federally sponsored research. Basic and
applied research can uncover new technologies, make existing products more
efficient, and reduce the costs of the tools we need to take on climate change.
Senator Klobuchar will increase investment in federally sponsored research.
Expand direct federal research. As President, Senator
Klobuchar will make bold investments in direct climate research at the
Department of Energy, National Labs, ARPA-E and the Department of Defense.
Partner with universities and non-profits. As
President, Senator Klobuchar will support a major expansion of federal grants
for climate research to universities and non-profits.
Unleash the creativity of the private sector.
American workers and businesses are a vital source of innovation. Senator
Klobuchar believes we must include the private sector in climate research and
innovation.
Strengthen tax incentives for climate research.
Senator Klobuchar will strengthen existing tax credits for businesses investing
in research to develop new processes, technologies and products that reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and help tackle the climate crisis.
Encourage collaboration between researchers and the private
sector. As President, Senator Klobuchar will make it easier for federal
research grant recipients to partner with the private sector and provide
set-aside grants for projects with strong commercialization potential.
Help American companies become global green leaders.
As President, Senator Klobuchar will increase support for businesses looking to
export green products and technologies through a new initiative across U.S.
export promotion agencies.
Respect science and empower scientists. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will stop the constant attacks on scientists and science. She
will also direct all federal agencies to reimplement scientific integrity
policies, reverse rules limiting what types of science agencies can use, and
restart data collection canceled by the Trump Administration.
Mobilizing the Heartland
Senator Klobuchar is a strong voice from the Midwest when it
comes to climate change. She will give rural areas the tools they need to be
leaders in clean energy production, support agricultural practices that take on
climate change and make sure the heartland benefits from rebuilding a green
America.
Support rural clean energy production. Clean energy,
including wind and solar, is a major driver of job growth in rural areas. In
fact, 99 percent of operating wind capacity is located in rural areas. As part
of Senator Klobuchar’s plan to tackle climate change, she will prioritize rural
energy development, including expanding storage capacity and strengthening our
energy grid. And as we continue to develop advanced biofuel technologies, she
will strengthen the renewable fuel standard.
Invest in wind and solar and support rural energy
development. As President, Senator Klobuchar will invest in interregional
transmission lines and grid improvements to support the development of
renewable energy. She will launch a grant program to help rural cooperatives
develop energy storage and microgrid projects for renewable energy generation,
transmission and storage. She will also support increased investment in small,
distributed wind, solar and biogas projects.
Provide technical resources for small, rural energy
producers and distributors. As President, Senator Klobuchar will push for
new economic and environmental opportunities in rural America by investing in
rural renewable energy development and by passing and signing into law her
bipartisan Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy (EASE) Act to provide rural
electric cooperatives access to technical resources and expertise to overcome
the barriers to renewable energy storage and grid improvements.
Investing in and providing incentives for homegrown
energy. Senator Klobuchar believes that homegrown biofuels are an important
part of our rural economies, our nation’s energy security and reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. In the Senate, she has been a leader when it comes to
standing up to the Administration’s misuse of small refinery renewable fuel
standard (RFS) waivers. She has also worked successfully in the Senate to
provide financing and grant support to biobased manufacturers. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will strengthen the RFS, end the overuse of secret RFS small
refinery waivers, promote the use of blender pumps, pass a statute to ensure
year-round E15 sales, and invest in advanced and cellulosic biofuels.
Help farmers be leaders in responding to the climate crisis.
We can position American farmers to be leaders in responding to the climate
crisis by increasing land conservation and expanding on new techniques that
help store more carbon in topsoil on productive farmland.
Invest in conservation innovation. Senator Klobuchar
will target research into soil carbon sequestration, which could improve soil
health as well as reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere. She will also expand
Conservation Innovation Grants to test emerging conservation approaches,
including practices that increase carbon sequestration levels. And building on
provisions she included in the 2018 farm bill, Senator Klobuchar will further
improve agriculture data research of conservation practices to help farmers
reduce risk and increase profitability.
Protect native sod and improve soil health. Senator
Klobuchar pushed for a provision in the 2018 Farm Bill that closed a loophole
allowing some non-insured crops to be planted four consecutive years without a
reduction in crop insurance assistance for succeeding insured crops. As
President, she will expand nationwide the sodsaver’s prohibition to substitute
crop insurance yields on native sod that is converted to cropland. She will
also expand the Soil Health and Income Protection Pilot Program to help provide
farmers an alternative to cropping less productive cropland.
Expand conservation practices. Senator Klobuchar has
been a champion of supporting farmer conservation efforts and promoting farming
practices that reduce soil erosion and improve air and water quality, including
by helping pass the 2018 Farm Bill, which included several of her priorities.
As President, she will support significant new investments in conservation of
working and retired lands. Senator Klobuchar will support the continued expansion
of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and increase resources for the
Conservation Stewardship Program to help provide farmers the tools they need to
protect and enhance natural resources on working agricultural lands. And after
successfully increasing the acreage cap of the Conservation Reserve Program,
Senator Klobuchar will work to attract more enrollees and ensure payment rates
are fair.
Use green infrastructure investment to strengthen rural
communities. There is a significant infrastructure backlog in rural
America. From roads and bridges to levees and stormwater systems many rural
areas face infrastructure challenges that will be difficult to address without
federal investment. Upgrading rural infrastructure to meet our climate goals
will also provide an opportunity to address the backlog and overcome
infrastructure challenges that are holding back rural America.
Strengthen rural transportation infrastructure. Rural
transportation infrastructure is at risk from the effects of climate change. As
President, Senator Klobuchar will invest in the repair and improvement of rural
bridges that are not part of the federal-aid highway network and invest in the
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to improve inland waterways and ports, including
funding for the Navigation and Ecosystem Restoration Program to modernize and
expand outdated locks and restore ecosystems along the Mississippi.
Expand energy efficiency programs. Energy costs can
be a significant burden on farms, small businesses and households in rural
communities. Senator Klobuchar has long worked to see that the Rural Energy for
America Program (REAP) has the resources needed to provide grants to farms and
rural businesses to install energy efficient technologies, and she will
continue to push for additional resources. In the Senate, she authored
bipartisan legislation that was signed into law that empowers the nonprofit
community to make energy-efficiency improvements to their buildings and
offices.
Upgrade levees to account for more frequent and severe
floods. The floods we saw throughout the Midwest this year show why we
cannot wait to upgrade our levees so they can protect communities from more
frequent and severe floods. Senator Klobuchar will make upgrading levees a
major focus of her infrastructure investment in the heartland.
Update the rural housing stock. Much of the existing
rural housing stock is outdated and in poor condition, which contributes to the
rural housing crisis. Investments in weatherizing and updating homes and their
heating and cooling systems will build value and help renew the rural housing
stock.
Bring high-speed broadband to every household and
business in America. Broadband access can reduce commuting and make
business and farms more efficient. In an effort to close the rural-urban
divide, Senator Klobuchar has previously announced a commitment to connect
every household in America to high-speed internet by 2022. She will focus on
creating accurate broadband maps to identify areas that lack adequate access, bringing
high-speed internet infrastructure to areas most in need, including by
expanding Rural Utility Service grants, and providing greater incentives for
existing providers to upgrade their networks to cover unserved and underserved
areas. She will also work to quickly implement the recommendations of the
Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force to help farmers fully realize the
potential of broadband in their operations.
Leaving No One Behind
Vulnerable communities are currently experiencing a
disproportionate share of the effects of climate change. Senator Klobuchar is
committed to leaving no one behind through investments in climate adaptation
and support for frontline communities. She will also focus on fulfilling our
responsibility to our communities and workers who have helped power this
country.
Support communities that are most directly experiencing
the effects of climate change. Traditionally marginalized communities
including African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and disabled Americans
are experiencing some of the most severe effects of climate change. Senator
Klobuchar will prioritize assisting these communities as they adapt to the
effects of climate change.
Make sure vulnerable communities are a key part of all
decision making. We cannot continue to make decisions about climate change
without directly and meaningfully involving the communities that are most
affected. Senator Klobuchar will make sure traditionally marginalized
communities are a key part of all decision-making processes.
Direct resources to the communities with the greatest
needs. As President, Senator Klobuchar will create tax incentives and
increase federal funding to communities that are most directly experiencing the
effects of climate change. She will also prioritize these communities for
infrastructure investments and in other federal climate change programs.
Strengthen environmental justice programs at the EPA.
The Trump Administration has worked to dismantle environmental justice
programs. Senator Klobuchar will invest in the EPA’s Environmental Justice
Grants, Funding and Technical Assistance and Office of Civil Rights.
Invest in affordable housing that promotes climate
resilience and mitigation. As President, Senator Klobuchar will ensure that
all federal housing programs put strong standards in place to reduce carbon
emissions and she will invest in retrofitting so that existing housing is more
energy efficient.
Strengthen LIHEAP and SNAP to protect the most vulnerable
Americans. To be sure that the most vulnerable Americans do not bear
the costs of climate change mitigation and adaptation, Senator Klobuchar will
strengthen two important programs for low-income Americans — LIHEAP, which
helps with home energy costs, and SNAP, which provides nutrition assistance.
Use disaster funding to build more resilient communities. As
President, Senator Klobuchar will work to end the Stafford Act prohibition that
prevents disaster funding from being used for significant infrastructure
improvements. She will also increase funding for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program.
Fulfill our responsibility to our communities and workers
who have helped power this country. As the granddaughter of miner who
worked 1,500 feet underground, Senator Klobuchar understands the hard work and
sacrifice of those who built and powered our country. She is committed to
supporting and creating new opportunities for workers and communities that have
depended on the fossil fuel industry.
Promote community assistance and support workers.
Senator Klobuchar will work with the public and private sector to attract new
employers and maintain public services, while investing in infrastructure and
educational opportunities in areas that experience job loss. As part of any
carbon pricing system, she will create a significant manufacturing tax
incentive to encourage investment in rural communities or communities that have
faced or are about to face job losses. To make it easier for workers to find
new jobs, Senator Klobuchar will create a new tax credit for companies that
hire workers who had previously depended on the fossil fuel industry for
employment. Workers will also be able to take advantage of Senator Klobuchar’s
previously announced plan to provide tuition-free one- and two-year community
college degrees and technical certifications and expand student loan
forgiveness programs to workers in in-demand occupations.
Reestablish U.S. International Leadership on Climate.
When it comes to global leadership on climate change, the United States has
abdicated its leadership role under the Trump Administration. As President,
Senator Klobuchar will reassert U.S. global leadership to confront the climate
crisis.
Get the United States back in the Paris International
Climate Agreement on day one. On day one of Senator Klobuchar’s presidency
she will get the United States back into the Paris International Climate Change
Agreement, and she will immediately begin working with global leaders to
strengthen the agreement so that the United States maintains global leadership
to address the climate crisis.
Build on the Paris International Climate Agreement to
achieve global emissions reductions we need. Senator Klobuchar will work
with international leaders to build consensus around stronger goals to limit
global warming to no more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. She will also recommit
to controls on other greenhouse gasses through agreements like the Kigali
Amendment. And she will increase U.S. support for the Green Climate Fund.
Establish meaningful enforcement of international climate
goals. The United States is the second largest emitter of greenhouse
gasses, but still only accounts for about 15 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions. Preventing catastrophic global warming will require meaningful
enforcement mechanisms to ensure other countries also meet their emission
reduction goals, which means making accountability for climate commitments a central
part of our international agenda, taking on China’s efforts to promote dirty
energy sources in other countries, and considering climate goals in all types
of international assistance.
Protect our national security. As President
Senator Klobuchar will elevate the voices of our military and security experts
who have repeatedly warned that climate change will increase the risks of
international conflict and humanitarian crises. She will work with our allies
to support countries most affected by climate change, including addressing
global food and water shortages, supporting climate resilient development,
helping countries adapt to the effects of climate change, and preparing for the
increased risk of natural disasters.
To pay for these critical investments, Senator Klobuchar
will:
Work with Congress to put a price on carbon that does not
have a regressive impact on Americans. We know that carbon pollution has
significant costs, but for too long the public has been forced to bear those
costs while those responsible for the pollution have paid nothing. Most
economists agree that the most efficient way to promote a transition away from
fossil fuels is by putting a price on carbon. As President, Senator Klobuchar
will work with Congress to put a carbon pricing system in place that does not
have a regressive impact on Americans.
Develop Clean Energy Bonds. As President, Senator
Klobuchar will create Clean Energy Bonds that will support investment in clean
energy projects. Investors would earn back their full investment as well as
interest from energy savings to the government and loan repayments for clean
energy projects. Estimates suggest that these clean energy bonds could raise up
to $50 billion and leverage $150 billion for clean energy innovation and the creation
of over 1 million jobs.
End federal fossil fuel subsidies. For too long,
taxpayers have subsidized the massive profits of fossil fuel companies. Senator
Klobuchar will end federal tax subsidies for fossil fuel exploration and
production.
Make a series of corporate tax reforms. To pay for a
green infrastructure investment worth hundreds of billions of dollars, Senator
Klobuchar will make a series of corporate tax reforms including adjusting the
corporate tax rate to 25%, closing loopholes that encourage U.S. companies to
move jobs and operations overseas, establishing a financial risk fee on our
largest banks, and increasing efforts for tax enforcement.
Increase the capital gains rate. To support and
create new opportunities for workers and communities that have depended on the
fossil fuel industry, Senator Klobuchar will raise the capital gains rate for
Americans who make over $200,000.
Close the trust fund loophole. To support updating
our buildings and providing consumers support through programs like LIHEAP and
rebates, Senator Klobuchar will close the trust fund loophole.
The vigorous contest
of Democrats seeking the 2020 presidential nomination has produced excellent
policy proposals to address major issues. Senator Bernie Sanders, in the town
of Paradise, California, which was obliterated in last season’s wildfires, unveiled
his Green New Deal, “the only plan bold
enough to confront the climate crisis and create an economy that works for all.”
Under Sanders’ plan, the United States will reach 100 percent renewable energy
for electricity and transportation by no later than 2030 and complete decarbonization
by 2050. This is from the Sanders campaign:
“This
is a pivotal moment in the history of America — and really, in the history of
humanity. The climate crisis is not only the single greatest challenge facing
our country; it is also our single greatest opportunity to build a more just
and equitable future, but we must act immediately,” said Sen. Sanders. “When we
are in the White House, we will launch the decade of the Green New Deal, a
10-year mobilization to avert climate catastrophe during which climate change,
justice and equity will be factored into virtually every area of policy, from
immigration to trade to foreign policy and beyond.”
Sanders’
Green New Deal boldly embraces the moral imperative of addressing the climate
crisis and builds on an unprecedented grassroots movement powerful enough to
take on the fossil fuel industry and win. As president, Sanders will mobilize
the political will necessary for a wholesale transformation of our society,
with support for frontline communities and massive investments in sustainable
energy, energy efficiency, and a transformation of our transportation system.
The
Green New Deal will avert climate catastrophe, transform our energy system,
build an economy for all and end the greed of the fossil fuel industry
by:
Ending unemployment by creating 20 million jobs needed to solve the climate crisis.
Ensuring a just transition for communities and workers, including fossil fuel workers.
Ensuring justice for frontline communities, especially under-resourced groups, communities of color, Native Americans, people with disabilities, children and the elderly.
Saving American families money with investments in weatherization, public transportation, modern infrastructure and high-speed broadband.
Committing to reducing emissions throughout the world.
The
Green New Deal will pay for itself over 15 years by holding the fossil fuel
industry accountable for the damage it has caused. Sanders’ plan will:
Make the fossil fuel industry pay for their pollution, through litigation, fees, and taxes, and by eliminating federal fossil fuel subsidies.
Generate revenue from the wholesale of energy produced by the regional Power Marketing Authorities. Revenues will be collected from 2023-2035, and after 2035 electricity will be virtually free, aside from operations and maintenance costs.
Scale back military spending on maintaining global oil dependence.
Collect new income tax revenue from the 20 million new jobs created by the plan.
Reduce the need for federal and state safety net spending due to the creation of millions of good-paying, unionized jobs.
Make the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share.
Charlestown, MA – Elizabeth Warren, Democratic Senator from Massachusetts who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, laid out her vision of economic patriotism, calling for using new and existing tools to defend and create quality American jobs and promote American industry. Warren will continue to release individual plans reflecting how economic patriotism should shape our approach to specific parts of the American economy. She released the first plan: A bold $2 trillion investment of federal money over 10 years in American green research, manufacturing, and exporting — which includes ambitious new ideas to link American innovation directly to American jobs, and focuses on achieving not only the ambitious domestic emissions targets in the Green New Deal, but also spurring the kind of worldwide adoption of American-made clean energy technology needed to meet the international targets of the Green New Deal.
The plan is designed to ensure that American taxpayer investments in combating climate change result in good American jobs. The plan makes a historic $400 billion investment in clean energy research and development, and includes a provision that any production stemming from that federally-funded research should take place in the United States. It also makes a massive $1.5 trillion commitment to federal procurement of clean, green, American-made products over the next 10 years, and requires that all companies that receive federal contracts pay all employees at least $15 per hour, guarantee 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, let employees exercise collective bargaining rights, and maintain fair schedules at a minimum. According to an independent analysis from Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, these provisions ensure that Warren’s Green Manufacturing Plan would boost economic growth and create more than a million new jobs right here at home.
Warren’s plan also includes a Green Marshall Plan — a commitment to using all the tools in our diplomatic and economic arsenal to encourage other countries to purchase and deploy American-made clean energy technology. It creates a new federal office dedicated to selling American-made clean, renewable, and emission-free energy technology abroad, with a $100 billion commitment to assisting countries to purchase and deploy this technology — supporting American jobs while supplying the world with the clean energy products needed to cut global emissions.
Warren’s plan also identifies specific cost offsets that, according to the Moody’s economic analysis, cover nearly the entire cost of her plan: her Real Corporate Profits Tax, ending subsidies for oil and gas companies, and closing tax loopholes that promote shipping jobs overseas.
Warren’s Green Manufacturing Plan comes after her Public Lands Plan, two in a series of proposals as she continues to lay out her vision for how we implement the Green New Deal.
“The climate crisis demands immediate and bold action. Like we have before, we should bank on American ingenuity and American workers to lead the global effort to face down this threat — and create more than a million good jobs here at home,” Warren said.
Read more about Warren’s vision of Economic Patriotism here.
Read more about Warren’s Green Manufacturing Plan here.
