Sunrise Movement Responds to Abysmal August Jobs Report: "Is This Really the Time for the Senate to Press Pause?"

Today, following the release of the abysmal August Jobs Report, Ellen Sciales, Communications Director of Sunrise Movement, released the following statement:

"If the horrific scenes of flooding from the Gulf South and Northeast weren't enough, if the devastating wildfires and melting power lines on the West Coast weren't enough, and if the dire warnings from the IPCC weren't enough, today's jobs report tells us one thing: the risk is in going too small, not too big. Working class people are losing their jobs and livelihoods across the country, at the same time as we're seeing hundreds across the country die from brutal heat waves and catastrophic storms. We're in a moment of crisis. Is this really the time for the Senate to press pause?

"When Senator Manchin 'hits the pause button,'" he's pausing relief for communities suffering from the impact of Hurricane Ida, he's pausing our ability to avert the climate crisis, and he's pausing job opportunities for thousands who are trying to get work in good, fulfilling jobs. We cannot afford to let one Senator hijack this once in a generation opportunity for Democrats to pass what could be historic jobs and climate legislation.

"If you look around at the world right now and see inflation as our biggest threat, you're either not paying attention or you're being bribed by Exxon Mobil. Instead of dropping inflammatory op-eds, Manchin should be working with his colleagues to support the retail and restaurant workers who are losing their jobs in the midst of a pandemic and climate crisis. They're looking to the government to pass things like a fully funded CCC so they can earn a living wage and support their families. If the Senate can't pass an incredibly popular climate and jobs plan during a summer of unprecedented, fatal climate disasters, and an economy reeling from a global pandemic, we must abolish the Senate. $3.5 trillion was the compromise. We're tired of the political games. The dual climate and economic crisis can't wait for action and neither can we."