Washington – The National Conference of Black Mayors today calls on the Senate to chart a new direction for America’s future through comprehensive climate and energy legislation that will provide for the sustainability of our nation’s most vulnerable communities. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Barbara Lee and Members of the Congressional Black Caucus joined 20 African American mayors along with the Hip Hop Caucus in their call for Senate action.

“The National Conference of Black Mayors accepts the obligation to actively engage in the national conversation on clean energy and advocates for a new and comprehensive climate and energy federal policy.  Our federal lawmakers must have the courage to step away from status quo provisions that have marginalized vulnerable communities and debilitated generations of American citizens with health and economic consequences,” said NCBM Executive Director Vanessa R. Williams.

The call for action is a part of the NCBM Green The City Initiative, which has recently partnered with the Hip Hop Caucus to strengthen its outreach to our nation’s youth.  The initiative aims to assist African American mayors in putting their cities on a path to long-term economic and environmental sustainability.

“Regular Americans in cities represented by these Mayors want to see action.  They are ready to help make their cities thrive again, working with their Mayors and city governments.  They realize that while the Senate is being indecisive, their cities and communities are suffering, and a clean energy future sits in the balance,” said Hip Hop Caucus President Reverend Lennox Yearwood. “This generation is fighting for its very existence.”

The delegation of Mayors convened in the nation’s capital for a three-day summit to strategize on advancing a national plan to move their cities to become more energy efficient, reduce pollution and create new clean energy jobs and businesses. While in D.C., Mayors met with Senators, Cabinet Leadership, industry experts and environmental advocacy groups.

The group aims to impress on the Senate the need for decisive action on comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that will undergird their local efforts.  Mayors and their communities want to create new opportunity through clean energy investments, but they need Washington to act.

The group urged our nation’s leaders to take responsible and reasonable action as it transitions from a fossil fuel economy to a clean energy future for the sake of the American people, and requires the energy industry to operate with regard for our communities and our planet.