ATLANTA – State Representative Park Cannon (D-Atlanta), along with Atlanta Councilmember-elect Liliana Bakhtiari, Sarah Riggs Amico, executive chairperson of Jack Cooper, and Dan Rosenfelt, founder of Electric Owl Studios, recently held a press conference to urge the U.S. Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act (BBBA). The U.S. House of Representatives passed the measure in mid-November, and the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the legislation by the end of the month.
“As a member of the House Small Business Development Committee, I can say that Georgia has seen economic growth in part because this is one of the best environments in the country for businesses to thrive,” said Rep. Cannon. “When supportive organizations, such as businesses, public health advocates and labor unions are at the table, together, we can make Georgia the number one place to work. Investments in clean energy are essential to our economic future and the future of businesses in this state. With decisive action, we can mitigate growing risks of climate-related disruption to supply chains; we can provide affordable renewable energy to businesses; and we can stimulate community economies across the state. We have the opportunity to achieve this, and the biggest step we need to take is passing the Build Back Better Act.”
Rep. Cannon, along with these leaders, believe the BBBA and its investments in clean energy will not only help fight climate change but will also bring economic growth to Georgia. During the press conference hosted by Climate Action Campaign, this group of elected officials and business leaders commended U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock for his past work on climate change and encouraged him to take action on the BBBA. The press conference speakers urged members of Congress to pass a federal budget that could help the U.S. reduce carbon pollution by 50-52 percent by 2030. This group of leaders also discussed the rising number of Americans who suffer from climate change and extreme weather events, including communities in Georgia that experienced hurricanes and extreme heat this summer.
“Going big on electric vehicles is an absolute necessity in Georgia’s efforts to build a sustainable energy future,” said Amico. “But, this moment also presents a massive opportunity to create high-quality, family-sustaining jobs and to secure a historic investment in the economic development of communities across this state. We’re glad to have leaders like Reverend Warnock representing us in the Senate, and I thank him for fighting to pass the Build Back Better Act and put people to work in Georgia.”
“Film and television production continues to grow as a leading industry here in the state of Georgia, and we’ve pioneered the use of vehicle charging stations and solar panels as a major source of our energy needs at Electric Owl Studios,” said Rosenfelt. “With the resources proposed in this legislation, we have an opportunity to see a huge increase in both the sustainability of our industry and the economic growth of clean energy jobs in this state. The Build Back Better Act is essential to the future of industries across Georgia, and we appreciate Senators Warnock and Ossoff helping to push it across the finish line and get it passed this month.”
A video recording of the press conference can be found here.
Representative Park Cannon represents the citizens of District 58, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves as the House Minority Caucus Secretary. She also serves on the Code Revision, Human Relations & Aging, Insurance, Creative Arts & Entertainment, Ethics and Small Business Development committees.
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