California senator Kamala Harris (D.) has signed on as a cosponsor of Green New Deal legislation unveiled on Thursday morning, writing in an email to supporters that climate change is an "existential threat to our country, our planet, and our future."
Harris announced her support for the plan shortly after she launched her presidential run last month, but the details of the proposed federal government-led economic overhaul of the country were not released until Friday. Aims of the proposal include the creation of a nationwide high-speed rail system to phase out all air travel and to "upgrade or replace every building" in the country that isn't outfitted with state-of-the-art energy efficiency.
"The Green New Deal is a bold plan to drastically shift our country to 100% clean and renewable energy—all while guaranteeing jobs to American workers," Harris said. "We will repair our country’s crumbling infrastructure, upgrade buildings across the nation, and dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions."
"Bold action takes bold leadership," said the 2020 presidential contender, "and I’m grateful to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D., N.Y.] and Senator Ed Markey [D., Mass.] for leading the charge on this critical resolution."