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BATON ROUGE, L.A. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will award $12,312,207.04 to East Baton Rouge Parish for debris removal operations as a result of Hurricane Ida.

Hurricane Ida made landfall with hurricane force winds, heavy rain, and storm surge which deposited debris throughout the parish. This created an immediate threat to the health and safety of the general public.

“Storms know no boundaries and disaster relief shouldn’t either,” said Rep. Carter. “I know that debris removal is a costly, complex, and lengthy operation. This aid will help Louisiana facilitate necessary recovery in our region. Additionally, I will keep working to ensure that recovery from Ida is equitable and inclusive.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) announced that he will continue serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and was named to the House Committee on Homeland Security for the 118^th Congress. Representative Carter was also tapped by Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve on the Regional Leadership Council and was elected as the Congressional Black Caucus’ Second Vice-Chair.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is one of the largest committees in Congress and has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation in the United States. The Homeland Security Committee works to protect civil rights by ensuring the homeland is secure from foreign and domestic threats.

“I’m excited to continue working with my democrat and republican colleagues in the 118^thCongress,” said Rep. Carter. “I will keep up the good work of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, making life better for Louisianans by focusing on infrastructure resilience, creating good-paying jobs, and emergency response and preparedness. In my new role on the Homeland Security Committee, I will prioritize protecting Louisiana’s critical infrastructure.”

This is Congressman Carter’s second term serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This is his first term serving on the Homeland Security Committee.

118^th Congress Committee Assignments:

• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Emergency Management and Technology, Ranking Member
  • Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, Member

• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, Member
  • Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, Member
  • Water Resources and Environment, Member

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) announced that he was appointed to represent Region 7 as part of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' newly created Regional Leadership Council. Region 7 includes Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and the Virgin Islands. The body, which consists of each of the twelve regions of the Democratic Caucus, will be Chaired by the Honorable Steny Hoyer.

“Over the past two years, House Democrats have delivered results. Period,” said Rep. Carter. “I am honored to represent the people of Region 7 as part of the Regional Leadership Council, and to make sure the impacts of bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Safer Communities Act, CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and others are felt across the country. As a Caucus, we are united and ready to get to work to make sure our constituents’ voices are heard.”

On the creation of the Regional Council, Leader Jeffries said: “The Regional Leadership Council will guide our partnership with the Biden administration as we implement historic legislation signed into law during the previous Congress. During the next two years, it is critical that the promise of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Safer Communities Act, CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act and other initiatives are brought to life in every corner throughout America. The Regional Leadership Council will focus like a laser beam on executing President Biden’s vision of investing in America. I thank Leader Hoyer and our twelve distinguished colleagues for undertaking the responsibility of helping to make sure that successful implementation occurs, public awareness of our legislative accomplishments increases and meaningful change is realized in all 212 congressional districts represented by House Democrats.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer added: “Democrats are bound by our shared purpose to ensure that American workers have the tools they need to compete and succeed in the twenty-first century economy. We worked to advance that mission last Congress, passing landmark legislation to help our nation weather an unprecedented global pandemic and to rebuild our economy stronger and more resilient than ever before. From the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act, House Democrats took action to create jobs and bring down costs for hard-working Americans while revitalizing the infrastructure and manufacturing that serves as our economy's foundation. We also secured the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and other legislation that will help ensure that all Americans can live in safety and security. This Regional Leadership Council is a powerful new tool that will allow us to build off that progress and to continue honoring our commitment to American workers and their families. It will foster greater cooperation between the Biden-Harris Administration and House Democrats as we convey our crucial agenda, implement this landmark legislation and show the public how Democrats continue to deliver results For the People. I thank Leader Jeffries for having the vision and insight to establish this council, and I am honored that he asked me to serve as its Chair. I look forward to working with him, House Democrats, and the Biden-Harris Administration to demonstrate what Democrats can continue to deliver by putting People Over Politics.”

The Members appointed to the Regional Leadership Council are:

• Chair: Rep. Steny Hoyer

• Region 1: Rep. Tony Cárdenas

• Region 2: Rep. Jared Huffman

• Region 3: Rep. Angie Craig

• Region 4: Rep. Robin Kelly

• Region 5: Rep. Derek Kilmer

• Region 6: Rep. Lizzie Fletcher

• Region 7: Rep. Troy Carter

• Region 8: Rep. Darren Soto

• Region 9: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

• Region 10: Rep. Madeleine Dean

• Region 11: Rep. Grace Meng

• Region 12: Rep. Lori Trahan

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) released the following statement recognizing the start of Black History Month 2023:

“Today marks the start of Black History Month – a time to honor and celebrate the accomplishments, culture, history, and essence of the Black experience in the United States of America.

“Black History Month is about reflecting on our past and uplifting one another to support our communities. I’m grateful to be from Louisiana, where we know the importance of reaping what we sow. Community service has always been a central part of my mission as a Black man, a public servant, an advocate, a legislator, and most importantly – a father.

“We also must ensure that young people know our history and use it as the driving force behind their passions. I want to expand education opportunities for students because learning is key to unlocking their potential. I wouldn't be the man I am today without my experiences at an HBCU.

“This February, I recommit to advancing policies that defend civil and voting rights, promote racial justice, educate our children, and invigorate our local economies. I will be at the forefront of the work we still need to do to guarantee equality for everyone.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) issued the following statement following the release of footage from the horrific attack on Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis Police Officers:

“There are no words to describe the pain I feel seeing the gruesome murder of Tyre Nichols. As a Black man and the father of two boys – I am heartbroken. There is no logic, no explanation, for the level of cruelty shown by these officers in response to a driving stop. We can and must call out the use of excessive force by the police. Without accountability and transparency, Black Americans will continue to die at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve.

“I am thankful that the officers involved were quickly fired, arrested, and charged when so many times before that has not been the case. This is the level of response we should always expect in instances of police brutality.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) and Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mi.) praised the passage of the bipartisan Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act which makes clear that the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy has the authority to examine international economic data, and represent small business interests in international discussions, particularly in trade negotiations.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we need to uplift them at every opportunity we have,” said Rep. Carter. “My district is an international hub. We have some of the most important and highest traffic ports in the United States. Louisiana businesses connect with diverse companies and international markets across the globe every day. This bill ensures that small business owners have someone in the federal government fighting for their interests at home and abroad.”

“Small businesses have enough to worry about with day-to-day operations and navigating the maze of government red tape that currently exists. And they certainly don’t have the necessary resources to make their voices heard on the global business stage. This bill gives America’s small businesses a seat at the table with regard to international commerce and provides a strong advocate should they need it,” said Rep. Luetkemeyer.

Background

Established in 1976, the Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) is the independent voice for small businesses within the federal government. Advocacy is also charged with overseeing the Regulatory Flexibility Act and is a source of small business statistics and research.

Since 2012, the Office of Advocacy has participated in a number of international regulatory cooperation and international trade initiatives that have impacted small businesses, but their role would benefit from clarification in statute.

Full bill text can be found here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) released the following statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LDOC) routinely keeps people in its custody past the dates when they are legally entitled to be released.

“I am deeply angered by today’s news that the Department of Justice has determined the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections violated the Fourteenth Amendment. It is long past time that we reform this broken institution, and it is infuriating that the LDOC has known about this corruption for over a decade.

“Our correctional system should be focused on reform and rehabilitation. It is a basic responsibility of the State to guarantee that all incarcerated individuals are released in a timely manner. The civil rights of ALL people held in Louisiana’s jails is of the upmost importance and I will work to ensure that the LDOC enacts reforms to prevent future overdetentions.

“My heart breaks for everyone who has suffered at the hands of this unjust system. As a Black man and the father of two Black sons, I am acutely aware of the toll that systemic racial injustice has on our neighborhoods. I am committed to ending mass incarceration by investing in our communities, ending for-profit prisons, and supporting education and re-entry resources.”

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NEW ORLEANS, L.A. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) was pleased to announce the Department of Transportation (DOT) will award $5,224,965 to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority for their Algiers Point Ferry Termina project.

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Ferry Programs include the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and two new competitive programs, the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program and the Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program.

“I am pleased to announce this funding today which will expand, improve, and modernize passenger ferry service to provide Louisianans access to jobs and opportunities,” said Rep. Carter. “These programs are vital to improve and expand ferry service in our communities right here at home. Better connecting the East and West Bank will help open up the region’s job possibilities and grow our local economy.”

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BATON ROUGE, L.A. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) toured Southern University and A&M College with White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and Southern University President-Chancellor Dennis Shields to observe ongoing projects from federal investments he championed.

“Southern University’s physical plant has been neglected for the last 40 years,” said Rep. Carter. “Last year I was able to obtain a $7.62 million investment from the USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program to protect this beautiful community space from tumbling down the bluff.  However, there is so much more that needs to be done.  Today, I was grateful to be able to show Senior Advisor Landrieu the $295,000,000 in physical plant needs and receive his commitment to help address them.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) was officially sworn in as United States Representative for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, representing the people of Louisiana in the 118th Congress.

The swearing-in was delayed following several chaotic days when the Republican majority was unable to elect a Speaker.

“I am honored and grateful that the people of LA-02 have entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them in Congress for a second term. I look forward to continuing to work with community leaders, my fellow members of Congress and most importantly my constituents to ensure their voices, concerns and lived experiences are uplifted. Together, we must continue putting people over politics by working to lower costs, creating better paying jobs and career opportunities, while making our communities safer,” Representative Carter said. “I am ready to work with all my colleagues to deliver for the American people. 

Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. is a native of New Orleans, hailing from the Cutoff, and proudly raised on New Orleans’ Westbank. He is a proud HBCU graduate of Xavier University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Administration. Additionally, Congressman Carter earned his MBA graduating Summa Cum Laude from Holy Cross University and studied at Harvard’s JFK School of Government and Carnegie Mellon’s School of Urban and Public Affairs. In 1991, Congressman Carter became the first African American to be elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 102nd District in Algiers, where he served as the youngest ever floor leader representing the City of New Orleans. From there he was elected to the New Orleans City Council then elected to the State Senate, where he served as the Senate Minority Leader for the Democratic Caucus. 

As a Louisiana state legislator, Congressman Carter championed large-scale infrastructure projects, economic development, and efforts to decrease homelessness drastically. He has also worked as a staunch advocate for criminal justice reform, women’s health care, and civil rights and equality on behalf of the LGBTQI+ community. 

As a Congressman, he actively continues his work to address the issues above and several others, including environmental justice reform, mental health awareness and services and reducing student debt. During the 117th Congress, Congressman Carter secured 35 million for community project funding, introduced 19 bills, and assisted in the passage of 268 bills.Congressman Carter now serves as the 2^nd Vice President of the Congressional Black Caucus where he works feverishly to hold true to the mission of the organization by fighting for African Americans and other marginalized communities in the United States to have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Additionally, Congressman Carter is the Regional Whip, elected by his peers, for the House Democrats. This territory includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and the Virgin Islands. 

Congressman Carter is a proud husband to wife, Brigadier General Ana Carter of the United States Army, and father to sons, Troy Jr. and Joshua. Being that Congressman Carter is a proud HBCU graduate, his sons are too students of HBCUs — Troy, Jr. is a Senior at Xavier University of Louisiana and Joshua is a Junior at Howard University. He is a loving Dad to several rescue animals. Two dogs, Beaux and Millie, and a tabby cat, Milo. His family resides on the Westbank of New Orleans. 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) voted to keep the government functioning and pass the 2023 omnibus government funding package, a budget that reflects American values of defending democracy, building safer communities, and lowering costs for the American people. It includes many important wins for the people of Louisiana, including over $35 million of investments into 14 community funding projects that Congressman Carter successfully secured for the state’s Second Congressional District.

“This budget delivers tangible wins for the American people write large and the people of southeast Louisiana specifically,” said Congressman Carter. “I am especially proud to have secured over $35 million for important projects in the Second Congressional District to improve infrastructure, public recreation sites, healthcare research and services, STEM education, job training, and much more within my approved community funding projects. With the passage of this measure, Congress has not only completed its duty in funding the government, but has also launched our nation forward into 2023 with the funds it needs to better support and uplift the American People. While I wish it included critical anti-poverty measures like the Child Tax Credit, I do believe this budget is a strong piece of legislation that will undoubtedly power our nation forward.”

Congressman Carter’s successfully funded FY2023 Community Funding Projects total $35,007,000, and will serve the people of Louisiana’s Second Congressional District in a wide variety of ways.

This appropriations package includes $11.8 million requested by Congressman Carter for hard infrastructure and resiliency measures in LA-02:

• $4,000,000 - City of Donaldsonville Natural Gas System Improvements

Donaldsonville’s gas pipes are crumbling and dangerous, after decades of corrosion the system has left the city in a state of emergency. This project will complete phase one of needed improvements, and allow Donaldsonville to move forward toward fully replacing the pipes to protect the community from potential gas leaks. Congressman Carter learned of this need and committed to doing everything he could do to help when out in the community and is proud to have made good on this promise.

• $3,800,000 - Community Lighthouse Solar and Energy Storage Resilience Pilot Project Networks

This project will fund a pilot project to establish a network of disaster resilience hubs throughout the region with solar power and back up batteries at churches and civic institutions. Following a natural disaster or power outage, these Community Lighthouses will provide emergency services, including food and water, cooling and charging stations, and support for people with medical needs. These clean-energy hubs will enable community organizations to continue operations in the event of a grid failure like was experienced during Hurricane Ida.

• $4,000,000 - New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) Upgrade Project

This project will make improvements to the UPT so that it will be able to house the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) headquarters and improve regional transit options across the New Orleans Metro Area.

The budgeted community funding projects for the Second District of Louisiana also includes investments that will create and conserve community spaces and outdoor recreation opportunities such as:

• $4,000,000 - Natatorium in Cut Off, New Orleans

This project will provide an operating swimming pool in an area without one allowing recreation and water safety training for residents of the Cut Off and Lower Coast Algiers.

• $2 million – Nature Trail Improvements in Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans

This funding will allow for improvements to the Sankofa Wetlands Park and Nature Trail in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans to improve access for recreation and research. 

Through these 2023 Community Funding Projects, Congressman Carter secured a total of $7.95 million for Youth Services, Education, & Development with four projects:

• $750,000 - Dodwell House Community Resource Center, New Orleans

This project will convert a previously abandoned 1846 historic Tremé home into a community resource center that will house community impact programs including an after school program, summer camp, food pantry, community support hub and homeless outreach center.

• $2,000,000 - Center for the Innovative Training of Youth STEM NOLA, New Orleans

This funding will equip the STEM Innovation Center with the programmatic and technical resources it needs to engage up to 20,000 K-12 kids each year with hands-on science, technology, engineering and math educational programs to help ready them to careers in STEM.

• $2,000,000 - National World War II Museum, New Orleans

This investment will allow the world renown National WWII Museum in New Orleans develop educational materials for an interactive exhibit telling the all too often overlooked story of the women who served our country during World War II with the most comprehensive display of educational material ever produced on the subject.

• $1,200,000 - Urban League of Louisiana’s Career Pathways Program, Orleans and East Baton Rouge Parish.

This project will help build out the Urban League of Louisiana’s programming to create comprehensive career pathways through connecting diverse participants with unique educational and apprenticeship opportunities across Orleans Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish.

• $2,000,000 - Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation (LCCF) Small Business Technical Assistance and Workforce Training Center, New Orleans East

This project will bolster the state chamber of commerce’s program to help disadvantaged business entities receive technical assistance and training needed to enter the agri-aquaculture industries. The LA Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Southeast Louisiana AgriAquaculture Small Business Technical Assistance and Workforce Training Center (Center) will provide technical assistance geared to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) small business owners and valuable workforce training services to under-employed, unemployed, or hard to employ residents. The Center will serve as a small business incubator, providing over 30 businesses a year with the skills, support, and training they need to grow their businesses, improve the economic foundation of their communities, and provide stable, good-paying jobs for low-income residents.

The Congressman’s projects will allocate $4.35 million toward healthcare advances in the district through two projects, including:

• $2,000,000 - Louisiana Children's Medical Center, New Orleans

This project would expand the current capacity of the Cancer Center at UMC by increasing the number of infusion chairs, medical exam rooms and radiation therapy exam rooms, while also incorporating a nurse station.

• $2,350,000 - LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans

Establishes a new, state of the art scientific research lab that will help LSU Health Sciences Center achieve an NCI designation and be better positioned to attract faculty and provide services to companies as well as conduct clinical trials. This lab will focus on research on cancer treatment and prevention 

The budget also includes $1 million to support housing and addiction treatment services for the Congressman’s constituents of the Second Congressional District:

• $1,000,000 - Odyssey House Louisiana Inc., New Orleans

This funding for this community project will fund a renovation to increase accessibility and add 48 more beds to Odyssey House Louisiana’s (OHL) historic facility in the Tremé-Lafitte neighborhood, increasing their capacity to provide residential, long-term recovery addiction treatment services to the people of New Orleans. These funds will also allow OHL to renovate and expand its onsite Federally Qualified Health Center, which provides health care to underserved populations in New Orleans, including such services as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction, primary care services to the community at large, and screening and treatment for infectious diseases.

Congressman Carter also secured close to $4 million for a project that will support reentry programs and criminal justice reforms in our community:

• $3,907,000 – Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Justice Reform Initiatives

This funding would allow the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) to design internal job training and education programs, release protocols, and post-release procedures to minimize the disruption of being detained and smooth the reentry transition. This effort requires funding to upgrade and modernize its information technology and data system infrastructure to track and analyze data needed to aid the office’s processes and capabilities.

Along with these district-specific investments, the FY 2023 omnibus government funding package that Congressman Carter supported also includes many other important victories and investments for the American people.

Though not a complete list, this budget includes the following:

• $1 billion for LIHEAP, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which can help households cover their energy bills, cutting costs for American families.

• Increases the maximum Pell Grant award by $500.

• Supports the 9-8-8 mental health crisis lifeline with $502 million, a $390 million increase over 2022 levels.

• Provides $18.4 billion for Title I education programs, an increase of $850 million over 2022 levels.

• Provides $4.4 billion in grants for state & local law enforcement, a $506 million increase over last year.

• $700 million for Violence Against Women Act prevention and prosecution programs, and 21.7% increase as compared to 2022 levels.

• Includes $560 million for the Legal Services Corporation, 14.5% above 2022 levels to help expand the availability of free legal aid for low-income persons.

• Includes $45 million in grants to prevent and respond to hate crimes—nearly double the 2022 level.

• Provides $3.5 billion in discretionary funding for FDA, an increase of $226 million above 2022, to address the opioid crisis and medical supply chain issues. This would also fund efforts to better respond to food outbreaks, improve the food inspection system, and address heavy metals in baby food.

• Provides $10.6 billion, $347 million over 2022 funding levels, for water infrastructure throughout the country through the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.

• Includes $15.3 billion, $1.2 billion over 2022 levels, to respond to the climate crisis by investing in research, development, demonstration, and deployment of clean energy and secure, domestic energy supply chains.

• Provides $161.5 billion for procurement efforts, including eleven Navy ships.

• Includes over $2 billion to tackle the climate crisis in our national defense programs.

• Provides $75 million for Election Security Grants to augment State efforts to improve the security and integrity of elections for Federal office.

• Promotes safety among our transportation networks with $1.7 billion for competitive grants for multimodal, transit, bicycle and pedestrian, and passenger rail to support local projects that promote green infrastructure, invest in resilient communities, and help address climate change.

• Provides $388 million to create 21,500+ affordable housing units for low-income families, survivors of domestic violence, veterans, and the elderly and disabled.

• Invests an additional $225 million for a new program to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing.

• Establishes a new $75 million construction and rehabilitation program for permanent supportive housing to expand housing options for people experiencing homelessness.

• Includes a record $118.7 billion, $21.7 billion over last year, for veteran’s medical care.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.), member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the House version of the Local Infrastructure Funding & Technical Assistance Act of 2022, or the LIFT Act. This is the companion bill to Senator Edward J. Markey’s (D-Mass.) version in the Senate, S.2552.

This legislation would give the federal government the tools it needs to create the next generation of resilient climate infrastructure innovation. Too often, these types of projects face roadblocks in conducting predevelopment tasks such as market assessments, community engagement, site acquisition, and permitting costs. Because these steps are a requisite for construction, barriers to completing them can often stymie completion of climate-smart infrastructure needed to adapt to the climate crisis. The LIFT Act would provide $15 billion in grants to help communities across America overcome these stumbling blocks and launch their green infrastructure projects through the critical predevelopment stage.

“As our nation continues to battle COVID-19 and a severe economic downturn, the LIFT Act picks up where other historic legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act left off to continue our nation’s economic recovery and energize our existential battle against the climate crisis,” said Congressman Troy Carter. “By providing funding into the communities that need it the most – the LIFT Act will allow our country to better overcome predevelopment roadblocks and realize the enormous potential that recent historic federal investments have to jumpstart transformative climate-resilient infrastructure.”

“Communities that have been historically left behind should be helped, not hindered, in their efforts to access the historic investments passed by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Edward J. Markey. “I am proud to be joining Congressman Carter in introducing the LIFT Act, which would provide technical assistance and create a pipeline of climate-ready infrastructure projects that will keep communities across the country safe and healthy.”

The full text of the LIFT Act as introduced in the House is available here.

Specifically, the LIFT Act promotes long-term economic recovery and job creation in underserved communities through a total of $15 billion in grants up to $500,000 through the Economic Development Agency. It is estimate that these projects will leverage $16-$20 in economic benefits for every dollar spent, unleashing up to $300 billion in total. Out of these funds, $10 billion are reserved for climate resilient infrastructure project predevelopment and $5 billion for technical assistance.

The grants authorized by this legislation will finance tasks that need to be completed before project construction and outside investment can occur, such as:

• Market assessments and economic feasibility studies
• Business plan preparation
• Architectural, design and engineering work
• Capacity building for local governments, institutions, and nonprofits including strategic reviews
• Research and grant-writing technical support
• Community engagement, including stipends for planning process participation
• Site/lease acquisition costs
• Permitting and pre-interconnection costs
• Training for unionized labor to execute on pre-development projects

Equity provisions included in the legislation would ensure these grant investments support community-driven projects and reach historically disinvested communities and those with the greatest need. The bill directs at least 50 percent of funding to be allocated to eligible groups in this category such as economic development districts, Tribal communities, cities and states, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations.

The legislation further prioritizes projects with goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, to increase climate adaptation and resiliency, that result in major public health improvements, and will help modernize communities.

This legislation is also supported by many advocacy organizations including Groundswell, Elevate, Northeast Clean Energy Council, Capacity Building at the Greenling Institute, American Flood Coalition, Center for Financial Markets, Milken Institute, Hummingbird, Partnership for Southern Equity, GreenRoots, Inc.

“Representative Carter and Senator Markey’s leadership on the LIFT Act will equip local communities to build climate resilient futures by eliminating a hugely frustrating roadblock - equitable access to predevelopment funding and technical support,” commented Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell, a nonprofit that builds community power. Michelle continued, “Groundswell sees it every day in our work. Neighborhoods that were subjected to redlining and other policies that were designed to deprive people of wealth, health, and opportunity suffer infrastructure gaps that make everything harder and more expensive to plan and build. While policies like redlining are no longer the law of the land, they’re still hurting people because they're literally built into the infrastructure. The LIFT Act helps close the gap by directing vital planning and development resources to the places where it’s needed the most and will make the biggest difference. It’s a practical and very thoughtfully designed solution to a pressing problem that impacts every state and territory in the US, and I applaud Representative Carter and Senator Markey for their vision."

“For the first time in our nation’s history, we are seeing massive federal investment to combat climate change. But investment alone is not enough,” said Emi Wang, Associate Director of Capacity Building at the Greenlining Institute. Lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure the communities on the frontlines of climate change–often low-income communities and communities of color–can equitably access pre-development resources. That’s why The LIFT Act is so important. Not only is it the right thing to do to center the needs of communities that have long faced systemic disinvestment, but it is necessary to ensure no one gets left behind in our collective efforts to combat climate change.”

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