Civil Rights and Progressive Organizations Vow to Fight Any Infrastructure Plan Based on Corporate Giveaways

Economic Justice News 03.1,17

Last night during his address, President Trump called on Congress to support legislation that “produces” a $1 trillion investment in infrastructure to be financed through “public and private capital.” Progressive and civil rights organizations, anchored by Partnership for Working Families and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, announced that they will vigorously oppose any plan based primarily on corporate giveaways that undermine working families. Below is their statement:

“America needs massive investments in the public assets and services that most directly impact our lives. Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, affordable and efficient transportation, good schools, accessible childcare, the most modern internet connections, and safe towns and cities. A strong infrastructure plan would focus on rebuilding our neighborhoods and communities and creating good jobs for those who need them the most, rather than on filling billionaires’ wallets and building projects that extract wealth from our communities. We will strongly oppose any plan based on corporate giveaways at every turn and continue to fight for working families and local communities to have a real say in designing and building our future.”

While the President’s speech was thin on details, before the election Trump’s economic advisers outlined a plan based on $137 billion in tax credits for private investors. This plan would not only give massive tax cuts to corporations, but also fail to provide the kind of job creation and investment in communities that a strong plan requires.

The following organizations issued the statement above:

  • Partnership for Working Families
  • The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
  • Center for Community Change
  • DEMOS
  • Center for Popular Democracy Action
  • Gamaliel
  • In the Public Interest
  • Jobs with Justice
  • National Black Worker Center Project
  • National Guestworker Alliance
  • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
  • PolicyLink
  • Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
  • State Innovation Exchange (SiX)

###

Partnership for Working Families is a national network of 17 powerful city and regional affiliate groups based in major urban areas across the country. We advocate for and support policies and movements that help build more just and sustainable communities where we live and work. We strive to take lessons learned at the local level and apply them to the national conversation to build a framework for addressing climate change, inequality, racial and social injustice. www.ForWorkingFamilies.org

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference, visit www.civilrights.org.