The U.S. Senate today voted to confirm Michal Freedhoff as Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Healthy ecosystems are a key component in building resilient communities that can adapt to the impacts of climate change. Coastal ecosystems and healthy dunes, wetlands, and forests shield people and property from sea-level rise and severe storms and flooding and provide benefits for wildlife and water quality.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today released an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The ETS applies only to healthcare workers and was released alongside updated general industry guidance.

Our country deserves world-class transportation options, and such investment will pay dividends in jobs, access to opportunity, economic growth, and savings of time to be with our loved ones. We need an infrastructure bill that will match the scope of our aspirations and needs as a country, so that we will not continue to fall behind. We can choose to build top-flight transportation systems, and the AJP is a strong blueprint to do so.

The White House today released its report and recommendations following the 100-day supply chain review called for in President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains. The review assessed the domestic supply chains for advanced batteries, critical minerals, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today announced action and called for the pipeline industry to update their inspection and maintenance plans to reduce leaks of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—in natural gas distribution pipes in communities across the country. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics today released its monthly employment report, which showed the U.S. economy gained 559,000 jobs in the month of May. The report also indicated that the nation has lost over 700,000 jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors since February 2020.

To achieve true economic recovery, we need to rebuild stronger, more resilient communities while investing in our health care systems, public health agencies, education, community-based services, essential utilities (i.e. water), and the workers that operate these services.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) today took part in a roundtable discussion on the need to support federal level efforts to set public health standards around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and sufficiently fund efforts to help communities deal with existing contamination issues.

What we’ve seen from the GOP in negotiations with the administration on President Biden’s American Jobs Plan is ‘rope-a-dope’ not compromise. The GOP is simply not interested in matching the administration’s efforts at a good faith negotiation, a reality that Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made clear earlier this month when he stated that “100% of our focus is on stopping this new administration.”

The Senate Finance Committee yesterday met to markup Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) Clean Energy for America Act.

As we work to rebuild our economy we must prioritize equitable rebuilding and investments in those workers and communities most in need, including those impacted by changes in our nation’s energy system. America’s energy transition is well underway. But a transition that is fair for workers and communities isn’t something that will happen organically.