Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org, 804-519-8449
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Donald Trump is expected to meet with oil executives tomorrow at the White House to discuss additional aid for the industry in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting comes as Congressional Republicans are throwing cold water on further stimulus that could fill urgent relief gaps and lay the groundwork for clean energy and infrastructure projects to put people back to work as the country emerges from the coronavirus crisis.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement.
“America is in dire need of continued support for health professionals, workers and vulnerable communities. Instead of reviewing a wish list from big oil, the president should focus on medical staff working without sufficient protective supplies, on families struggling to pay rent, and on people facing water shut-offs, even as they’re being told to wash their hands. Public health and well-being must come first.
“The decisions made in the coming weeks will shape our country for decades. We must start now to provide immediate relief and build a recovery that works for working people, and that avoids exacerbating inequity and the ongoing global climate crisis.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.