Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., will unveil new legislation Thursday aimed at residents of public housing.
The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act will upgrade public housing buildings by adding solar panels and other forms of renewable energy in an effort to "retrofit, rehabilitate, and decarbonize the entire nation's public housing stock," according to a press release.
The legislation would invest as much as $180 billion over a 10-year period to help nearly 2 million public housing residents.
"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, a 2020 presidential candidate. "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."
Ocasio-Cortez said, "Climate change represents both a grave threat and a tremendous opportunity. 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."
Earlier this year, Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Green New Deal, a piece of legislation that would drastically change how the nation uses energy by slashing the use of fossil fuels, among other actions.
Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., co-sponsored the most recent bill.
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