Today, President Biden delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress and highlighted the ways his administration has built back better in its first 100 days. The following is a statement from Abigail Dillen, President of Earthjustice:

“In his first 100 days, President Biden has taken bold and unprecedented steps to restore U.S. climate leadership, advance environmental justice, create jobs, and move us towards a pollution-free, 100% clean energy future where everyone benefits. We look forward to working with the Biden administration and Congress to build on this momentum, starting by passing the American Jobs Plan. 

“From day one, President Biden has centered climate and environmental justice with an all-of-government approach to tackling the climate crisis. He took immediate action to rejoin the Paris Agreement, halt oil and gas leasing on federal land, and restore environmental and public health protections that the Trump administration sought to dismantle. Crucially, the Biden administration is partnering with environmental justice leaders to ensure that climate solutions benefit the communities of color and low-income communities most harmed by pollution. 

At last week’s Climate Leadership Summit, President Biden upped U.S. ambition with a commitment to cut emissions in half by 2030. We can get there by urgently transitioning away from fossil fuels, investing in clean energy and zero-emissions transportation and buildings, cleaning up pollution, and changing the way we use land to be part of the climate solution. President Biden’s American Jobs Plan is a critical down payment on a more just and sustainable future, and we urge Congress to pass it into law.”