Los grupos que defienden los derechos de los inmigrantes en Estados Unidos multiplican acciones de cabildeo en el Congreso para pedir a los senadores que introduzcan modificaciones al proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria que resolvieron comenzar a debatir el lunes.

Algunas de estas agrupaciones organizaron este martes un evento en salas del Congreso para pedir cambios al proyecto, menos de 24 horas despu?de que el Senado abriera formalmente el debate sobre una iniciativa de ley que es producto de un acuerdo de democratas y republicanos, con apoyo de la Casa Blanca.

Resolution on Clean Technology and the Green Economy

WHEREAS Latino communities have suffered disproportionately from the consequences of the 2008/2009 financial crisis; and

WHEREAS Latino communities have disproportionately high unemployment rates and are overrepresented in occupations suffering from high unemployment; and

WHEREAS Latinos have been historically and structurally marginalized in the U.S. Economy; and

WHEREAS the U.S. Economy should strive to be more inclusive towards people of color including Latinos and allow for pathways out of poverty and relief to people suffering the most from the economic crisis; and

WHEREAS investing in the research and development of Clean Energy and Clean Technology, setting prices on the emissions of Greenhouse Gases such as Carbon Dioxide, and implementing other policies that force the U.S. Economy to pay for the real costs of the exploration, extraction, and use of dirty fossil fuels can promote the use of and expand the development of Clean Energy and Clean Technologies; and

WHEREAS the manufacturing and installation of Clean Energy and Clean Technologies would be labor-intensive and lead to the creation of a broad base of employment opportunities commonly referred to as “Green Jobs”; and

WHEREAS a price on carbon would provide the necessary economic signal for many Latino entrepreneurs to develop businesses, commonly referred to as “Green Businesses”, that specialize in helping commercial establishments and residences to conserve energy to cut costs or recycle waste, providing an additional source of Green Jobs; and

WHEREAS such businesses would require comparatively little capital and be accessible avenues for working class entrepreneurs to have their own business; and

WHEREAS creating a new generation of Latino Business Leaders would strengthen the social bonds in their communities and promote social mobility; and

WHEREAS such Green Jobs would provide an opportunity to make the economy more inclusive towards Latinos and other people of color and would encourage a resurgence in the dignity of labor and the value of enterprise;

1. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that organizations represented by delegates of the 2010 National Latino Congreso, in the interest of creating Green Jobs, urge Congress to pass legislation that puts a price on carbon, such as an economy-wide declining cap on greenhouse emissions; and

2. FURTHER IT BE RESOLVED that organizations represented by delegates of the 2010 National Latino Congreso urge President Barack Obama’s Administration to Make working with U.S. Senators to pass legislation with Greenhouse Gas reduction targets a top priority; Continue and expand agency programming that provides resources for Green Jobs training; Continue and expand agency programming that provides grants and low interest loans to entrepreneurs of color interested in developing Green Businesses that provide their communities with Green Jobs; and Hold federal agencies accountable for following through on Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, and using a federal procurement policy to create a broad market for and drive down the costs of solar equipment, super-efficient vehicles, LED lighting and other clean energy technologies; and

3. FURTHER IT BE RESOLVED that organizations represented by delegates of the 2010 National Latino Congreso urge State Governments and Local Governments to provide incentives and direct programming that foster the creation and development of Green Businesses and Green Jobs; and

4. FURTHER IT BE RESOLVED that organizations represented by delegates of the 2010 National Latino Congreso urge banks, investment firms, and private equity firms to create investments that encourage the creation and development of Green Business and Green Jobs; and

5. FURTHER IT BE RESOLVED that organizations represented by delegates of the 2010 National Latino Congreso will inform their members of the opportunities presented by Green Jobs and support advocacy campaigns surrounding Earth Day 2010 and national climate legislation that would facilitate Green Job creation and Green Technology development.