Press Statement

Press Release: Debt Ceiling Proposal a Huge Blow to Appalachia-Would Reverse Course on Climate, Jobs, Clean Energy, Manufacturing

By May 11, 2023No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Virginia Alvino Young, 714-267-1623, [email protected]

DEBT CEILING PROPOSAL A HUGE BLOW TO APPALACHIA – WOULD REVERSE COURSE ON CLIMATE, JOBS, CLEAN ENERGY, MANUFACTURING

The House Majority’s debt ceiling proposal would leave long ignored coal-country communities in the dust, abandoning promises to put families back to work, improve air and water, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Appalachia —  ReImagine Appalachia released the following statement following the meeting in which House Republicans discussed their debt ceiling proposal with the White House:

“Appalachian communities are tired of being sacrificed for political gain. If this proposal passes, forgotten coal communities in Appalachia will yet again suffer the consequences of political maneuvering that leaves those most in need behind. After fueling the nation’s prosperity for a century, while the region itself was exploited and left in poverty, Appalachians deserve their due share of federal climate infrastructure and an opportunity to grow its economy and build local wealth.

The Inflation Reduction Act ensured the largest investment ever in clean energy, environmental justice and climate action, in order to create millions of much-needed new jobs and put hundreds of thousands of Appalachians back to work. The bill put the needs of working families first and set us on the path toward a sustainable future that safeguards our climate. Beyond giving thousands of Appalachians the means to support their families, the IRA invested billions into natural infrastructure and reforestation, laying the groundwork for a 21st century sustainable, equitable Appalachian economy while helping to protect our air, water, food, and sacred natural resources. For the first time since the industrial revolution, the Ohio River Valley of Appalachia has become a destination spot for real investment–consider announced manufacturing facilities from Sparkz in WV, Rivian in Kentucky, and GM in the Mahoning Valley of Ohio.

ReImagine Appalachia urges Congress to pass a debt-ceiling bill that responsibly meets the nation’s credit obligations without jeopardizing the critical climate, energy, and tax reform funds that long ignored coal-country communities in Appalachia have been waiting on for decades.”

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Reimagine Appalachia is a coalition of labor, policy experts and community leaders who are making sure that everyone who lives here can have a good job and can put down roots for the future. For months, the coalition has been pushing Congress to pass major funding packages that create jobs, rebuild infrastructure, and address fires and floods caused by damage to the climate.