Sunrise on Biden's First Year in Office

On the one year anniversary of Biden's inauguration, Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement, released the following statement:

"Right now, Biden is failing us -- he's failing young people and the millions of people that took a chance on him in 2020 because he refuses to meet the moment we're in right now -- from the climate crisis to the student debt crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While Biden started off his first year strong by ushering through the passage of the American Rescue Plan and undoing most of Trump's anti-climate executive orders like putting the U.S. back in the Paris Climate Agreement, Biden has stopped leading and is instead feeding us empty promises without delivering on a bold climate agenda. Stump speeches alone will not save us.

"Biden can't be the climate leader he claims to be when he is actively conducting major lease sales and lobbying oil states to produce more fossil fuels. He can't be the Climate President when he refuses to play hardball with Joe Manchin and corporate politicians who have prevented the passage of a historic climate bill that will save lives across the country. And he can't be a strong climate advocate when he creates emissions goals but has yet to demonstrate how he plans to achieve them.

"Quite frankly, in 2022, we need Biden to be bold and deliver on his promises before it's too late. Biden needs to start playing hardball with Joe Manchin and pass BBB, and use the full power of his office to pass Executive Orders that meet the moment of the climate crisis -- like banning fossil fuel extraction on public lands. Put simply, he needs to act with the urgency and courage that the climate crisis demands. Doing anything less risks young people's support, and Democrats' already slim majorities in the House and Senate."