Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the American Energy Worker Opportunity Act, legislation to empower working people whose jobs are affected by the energy industry’s transition to cleaner sources. The plan would offer workers laid off from the coal and oil industries wage support and assistance with health benefits and retirement, as well as offer education and training opportunities for dislocated workers and their children. In response, Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Mike Williams released the following statement:
The transition to a 100 percent clean energy future must not leave any working person behind. People who worked in the mines, power plants, and refineries helped build the economy of today. We owe it to them to ensure that they have a clear path to a better future, just as America continues on its path toward a better, cleaner, and more equitable future that allows all people to prosper. Sen. Brown’s American Energy Worker Opportunity Act is a comprehensive proposal that helps ensure that working people continue to be the focus as the nation builds back better.
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