Civil and Human Rights Coalition Urges Senate to Support ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act’
Addressing the ongoing jobs crisis affecting millions
of Americans, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is supporting
passage of the ‘Rebuild American Jobs Act’ currently under consideration in the
U.S. Senate.
The bill, S. 1769, is
facing a procedural vote today. It would provide $50 billion in much-needed transportation
investments and establish a $10 billion national infrastructure bank to support
qualified projects. The proposed spending is to be paid for by a surtax of 0.7% on income above $1 million.
In a letter to senators, The
Leadership Conference stressed the importance of this legislation to boosting
job creation and tax revenues.
“Every $1 billion invested in
public transportation capital and operations creates or supports: 36,000 jobs,
$3.6 billion in business sales, and nearly $500 million in federal, state, and
local tax revenues,”
wrote Wade Henderson, president & CEO of The Leadership Conference, and
Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference.
Henderson and Zirkin
also drew attention to the immediate need for policies to help communities facing the highest rates of unemployment.
While we wait for long-term reauthorization of the
transportation bill, Americans cannot wait for jobs. They are particularly important for African-American
and Latino communities that are currently facing unemployment rates of 16
percent and 11.3 percent, respectively, well above the national average. The
targeted investments in the Rebuild America Jobs Act are a necessary and
fiscally responsible component of ensuring our long-term economic health and
prosperity.
The full letter can be viewed below and downloaded as PDF here.