Washington, D.C. -Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, delivered an opening statement at today’s Subcommittee on Environment hearing on “Jumpstarting Main Street Bringing Jobs & Wealth Back to Forgotten America" in which she called for a robust environmental justice approach, starting with the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative and seeking even more ambitious steps.
“Fundamentally, we need to direct at least 40 to 50 percent of investments to the most impacted communities-meeting and hopefully exceeding the goal set by President Biden in the American Jobs Plan," Chairwoman Maloney said. “As we will hear today, these communities are poised to lead the way to a green industrial transformation."
In the months ahead, the White House is expected to release recommendations to implement the Justice40 Initiative, President Biden’s call for 40 percent of benefits-including those within the American Jobs Plan-to flow to frontline communities. The THRIVE Act, which Chairwoman Maloney supports, directs at least 50 percent of investments to the communities most impacted by environmental and economic injustice.
Chairwoman Maloney explained that the Oversight Committee will play an active role in galvanizing support for the direct investment model, telling Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ro Khanna that she looks forward to collaborating with him “to use the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s investigative power and legislative toolkit" to “provide the scale of investment and the equity we need to combat climate change, create good jobs, and obtain justice."
