Congressional Democrats introduced legislation in recent days to protect workers should their jobs disappear in the continuing transition to cleaner energy sources.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) introduced versions of the “American Energy Worker Opportunity Act” — S. 5034 and H.R. 9557 — on Thursday. The proposal seeks to compensate fossil fuel workers who lose their jobs and, in some cases, help them transition.
The legislation would help displaced fossil fuel workers with wage replacements or supplements, retirement and healthcare assistance and funding for further education and skills training. It would require agencies to prioritize hiring former fossil fuel workers for federally funded projects focused focused on addressing the energy sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“We don’t have to choose between the planet and workers. We can do right by fossil fuel workers and their families, while also accelerating our fight against the climate crisis,” Casar said in a statement.
