[Investing in America Event: City of Austin Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Event]
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GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
UH, THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY IN AUSTIN, UH, BECAUSE WE ONCE AGAIN HAVE, UH, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO DO GOOD THINGS, AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO, UH, SET THAT UP AND LET YOU KNOW ABOUT, UH, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT WE'RE WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY.
BUT I WANTED TO SAY A WELCOME AND I WANNA SAY A, A PARTICULAR WELCOME.
AND I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AT RE IN REGION SIX.
AND I ALWAYS WORRY THAT I'M GONNA MISPRONOUNCE HER FIRST NAME, BUT SHE'S IN THE RIGHT JOB.
SO, UM, THAT'S HOW I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER IT WHEN I TRIPPED OVER IT, AND I APOLOGIZE.
UM, UH, THE, THE DIRECTOR HAS, HAS BEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND HAS BEEN A REAL PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BE A SUSTAINABLE CITY.
UH, SHE'S JOINED TODAY BY OTHERS, BUT INCLUDED, UH, IN THAT IS OUR CONGRESSMAN, UH, GREG CASAR.
AND HE'LL SAY A FEW WORDS IN JUST A MINUTE AS WELL, AND I'LL INTRODUCE HIM AT THAT POINT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP, UH, THE DIRECTOR FROM REGION SIX, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, DR.
THANK YOU MR. WAT, MAYOR WATSON, FOR INVITING US BACK TO CITY HALL AND TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF'S WARM HOSPITALITY.
WE ALWAYS ENJOY VISITING AND SEEING THE GREAT WORK THAT THIS CITY IS DOING.
AND LET ME RECOGNIZE AND THANK MADELINE MORGAN, CARRIE GREENWALD, AND THE HARDWORKING FOLKS AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY FOR MAKING THIS DAY HAPPEN.
THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR VISION, YOUR PERSEVERANCE, AND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
I ALSO WANNA THANK CONGRESSMAN CASSAR AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND TEXAS'S 35TH AND 37TH DISTRICTS.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT BEING HERE IN THE HEART OF TEXAS.
I WAS JUST HERE LAST MONTH HANDING MAYOR WATSON A BIG CHECK FOR $1 MILLION.
SO I'M THRILLED TO BE BACK TO HAND THE MAYOR ANOTHER EVEN LARGER CHECK FOR $4 MILLION TODAY.
YEAH, LET'S SAY, AND I'M GLAD THAT CLIFF VILLA, THE EPAS DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF LAND AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, CAN JOIN US ALL THE WAY FROM WASHINGTON DC EPA IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH, AND TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES.
PRESIDENT BIDEN, WITH SUPPORT FROM CONGRESS AND LEADERSHIP FROM CONGRESSMAN CASAR AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT CONTINUE INVESTING IN AMERICA, PASSING GENERATIONAL BILLS LIKE THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW THAT POUR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO CREATING NEW PROGRAMS AND FUNDING CRITICAL PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT LIFT UP HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED AND OVERLOOKED COMMUNITIES.
THANKS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S INVESTING IN AMERICA AGENDA, EPA HAS ANNOUNCED MORE THAN 100 MILLION TO EXPAND RECYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, REPRESENTING EPAS LARGEST RECYCLING INVESTMENT IN 30 YEARS.
WITH FUNDING FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, EPA SELECTED 25 COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE GRANTS TOTALING 73 MILLION UNDER THE NEWLY CREATED SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECYCLING GRANTS PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS THE AGENCY'S NATIONAL RECYCLING STRATEGY TO BUILD AN ECONOMY DEVOTED TO KEEPING MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES IN CIRCULATION FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO AWARD THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR MILLION DOLLARS FOR SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECYCLING.
GRANT, CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR WATSON, ASSISTANT MANAGER HAYDEN HOWARD, AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
THE CITY WILL USE THE SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECYCLING GRANT TO BUILD AND OPEN A NEW RE REUSE WAREHOUSE, WHICH WILL ACCEPT AND REDISTRIBUTE GENTLY USED FURNITURE AT NO COST TO NONPROFITS AND TO THEIR CLIENTS WITH A FOCUS ON FURNISHING THE HOMES OF THOSE WHO ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND AN ONSITE INNOVATION LAB WILL PROVIDE SPACE AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING A WORKFORCE PROGRAM IN WHICH PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT CAN
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LEARN TO UPCYCLE OBSOLETE FURNITURE INTO NEW PIECES.THIS PROJECT WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FURNITURE AND BUILDING MATERIALS THAT ARE SENT TO LANDFILLS ANNUALLY UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN AND ADMINISTRATOR REGAN.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND SERVING THE UNDERSERVED CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY, WHICH WE ADVANCE EVERY DAY THROUGH OUR GRANTS, REGULATIONS, PERMITS, ENFORCEMENT, AND OUTREACH.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THE CITY SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTS THIS GRANT AND HOW WE CAN PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH TOGETHER.
AND NOW LET ME INVITE CLIFF UP TO THE PODIUM.
I'M K CLIFFY, THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FROM THE EPA OFFICE OF LAND AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN WASHINGTON, DC.
THE BEST PART OF MY JOB, THOUGH, IS GETTING OUT OF WASHINGTON, DC AND MEETING WITH COMMUNITIES, UM, AND JOINING PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, UM, ON THEIR OWN WITH THE RESOURCES THEY HAVE, AND SOMETIMES SUPPLEMENT BY THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, I'M SO EXCITED TO JOIN YOU HERE TODAY IN AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY TO CELEBRATE THE, UH, THE, THE GRANT FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW THAT WE WERE, ARE CELEBRATING TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU TO CONGRESSMAN KASSAR.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE, UH, THE LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED FUNDING FOR THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND OTHER RESOURCES.
UM, THAT MONEY IS REALLY GOING TO THE COMMUNITIES WHO, WHO NEED IT HERE, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE GREAT EXAMPLES OF THAT, UM, INCLUDING HERE IN AUSTIN.
THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CREATES A BRAND NEW GRANT PROGRAM.
TWO OF THEM ACTUALLY ONE KNOWN AS THEIR RE UH, RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH GRANT.
IF YOU OR YOUR MOTHER ARE WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PAPER OR PLASTIC OR BATTERIES, UM, WE NEED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO HELP ALL COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE INTRICATE CHALLENGES FOR RECYCLING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT EVEN BETTER, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA REUSE, UM, MATERIALS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO WE HAVE A BRAND NEW GRANT PROGRAM KNOWN AS A SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECYCLING GRANT THAT NOT ONLY PROMOTES RECYCLING, BUT ALSO THINKS A LOT ABOUT REUSE AND HOW WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP MATERIALS IN OUR CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE FUNDING TODAY WITH THE GRANT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF REUSE.
WE'RE NOT TAKING MATERIALS APART.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY REUSING THEM RE UM, BEING ABLE TO REUSE FURNITURE AND SOLVING SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE CHALLENGED US FOR A LONG TIME.
ISSUES LIKE HOMELESSNESS AND ISSUES LIKE JOBLESSNESS, I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WE COULD TAKE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AND REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE PROMOTE AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THEIR OWN NEEDS.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THOUGH THAT IS GOING OUT THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAMS, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE HOW IT IS BEING USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE GRANT PROGRAMS FOR EVERY STATE, UM, AND TERRITORY IN THE COUNTRY UNDER SWIFFER.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT TCEQ IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE GONNA BE GETTING ABOUT $470,000 TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITY COUNCILS THINK ABOUT MANAGING THEIR OWN SOLID WASTE AND MATERIALS.
UM, SO WE SUPPORT CERTAINLY THE, THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE GRANT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ANOTHER OF OUR GRANTS IS TO, UH, FOR SWIFFER COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THESE ARE GRANTS THAT GO TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THESE ARE GRANTS THAT GO TO, TO MUNICIPALITIES, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, PARTICULARLY FOR THIS GRANT THAT'S GOING HERE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, THESE ARE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
I I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, WE HAD OVER 330 APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND WE'RE GIVING 25 GRANTS.
YOU'RE THE A STUDENTS OF AMERICA.
YOU COMPETED IN ONE BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, THIS IS REUSE, THIS IS SOCIAL JUSTICE.
THIS IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN SO MANY WAYS.
OUR SWER PROGRAM IS SUBJECT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S CLIMATE JUSTICE 40 INITIATIVE, WHICH SEEKS TO PROMOTE AT LEAST 40% OF THESE FUNDING RESOURCES GOING TO DISADVANTAGED COMMITTEES.
WE ARE WAY ABOVE THAT IN THIS PROGRAM.
I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY AT, AT AROUND 76% OF OUR RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING TO DISADVANTAGED COMMITTEES, AND WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE SO EXCITED TO SEE WAYS THAT COMMUNITIES ARE USING THIS FUNDING.
UM, THERE ARE 25 GRANTS GOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR ABOUT $73 MILLION.
THE HIGHEST GRANT, I THINK IS $4 MILLION AND IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SO AGAIN, THIS BIG CHECK IS TRULY A BIG CHECK.
UM, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND I'M ALREADY TALKING, AND I HOPE THAT WE GET AN INVITATION BACK, UM, WHEN WE REALLY CAN SHOW RESULTS OF THE WONDERFUL WAREHOUSE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE BUILDING, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE EMPLOYING AND THE RESOURCES IT'S GONNA BE FOR, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
OH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL MOMENT.
UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO SEEING GREAT THINGS TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
AND, AND, UM, IT, IT'S MEANINGFUL THAT, THAT YOU'VE
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COME DOWN FROM HEADQUARTERS TO BE A PART OF THIS.SO, UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM WILL, UM, BE THE DIRECTOR OF OUR, UH, SO, UH, I I, I'M OLD ENOUGH TO CALL IT THE SOLID WASTE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT, BUT MAYBE WE'LL CHANGE THE NAME AGAIN SOON, YOU KNOW.
BUT, UM, I, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY DOES AND HOW YOU'VE HEARD THE TWO SPEAKERS FROM EPA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT NOT ONLY THE ROLE THIS PLAYS IN THE TRADITIONAL SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR CITY, BUT THE WAY IT ALSO WILL PLAY, UH, AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS.
SO, UH, I WANNA INVITE RICHARD MCHA UP, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ALWAY SERVICES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MO THIS MOMENTAL TO ALSO THANK, UH, MAYOR WATSON, UM, CONGRESSMAN CASAR AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT AND THE EPA FOR THEIR, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OUR ZERO WASTE PROGRAM.
AND, UH, AND OUR EFFORTS TO, UH, TO PROMOTE THE, THIS REUSE WAREHOUSE.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO ACCEPT THIS GRANT AND PUT THESE DOLLARS TO WORK, UH, TO BUILD THAT OR TO, TO GET A NEW REUSE WAREHOUSE.
WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL FIND A, UH, PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING SO WE CAN MAKE THIS A SEAMLESS TRANSITION RIGHT INTO THAT FACILITY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, IDENTIFYING NEW WAYS TO IMPLEMENT, UH, WAYS TO REUSE, UH, MATERIALS THAT WE FIND ON THE ROUTES, UM, MATERIAL THAT FOLKS DONATE TO US AS WHERE IT'S FURNITURE AND GET THAT MATERIAL BACK INTO THE, TO THE, TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO THE, UH, TO OUR FOLKS THAT, THAT NEED THAT MATERIAL.
I'M SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.
THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS IS BULKY ITEMS THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF ROOM AT, AT RESALE STORES.
AND, AND THAT CREATES AN ISSUE 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MOVE THAT MATERIAL AS QUICKLY AND IT TAKES UP SPACE.
SO OFTENTIMES THOSE MATERIALS ENDS UP IN LANDFILLS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET THAT MATERIAL, UM, FROM BEING, UM, PREVENTED FROM BEING LANDFILLED AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ZERO WASTE, UH, GOAL.
UM, WE ALSO NEED MORE INFRASTRUCTURE IN, IN THIS AREA.
THERE'S REALLY NO FOLKS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, WE SEE THIS AS LEADING THIS PROGRAM.
WE KNOW WHAT WE DO IN AUSTIN ENDS UP BEING REPLICATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AUSTIN WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES TO, TO DO PAGE YOU THROW, AND NOW THERE'S OVER 4,000 COMMUNITIES THAT DO THAT.
SO WE KNOW WHAT WE DO HERE WILL BE REPLICATED.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THIS KICKED OFF FOR EVERYONE.
SO, UM, THIS WILL BE A PLACE WHERE FOLKS CAN DROP OFF FURNITURE.
AND THEN, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL RE REDISTRIBUTE THAT FURNITURE TO REGIONAL NONPROFITS, UM, FOCUS ON FURNISHING HOMES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO, UH, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT WE SEND TO LANDFILLS BY 90%.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ABOUT 41%, SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
UM, BUT THIS PROJECT WILL HELP US TO GET THERE AND HELP MOVE THAT NEEDLE TOWARDS THAT, UH, THAT ZERO WASTE GOAL.
AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO INVITING THE EPA BACK AND, UH, CONGRESSMAN BACK.
UH, NEXT YEAR, UH, WE'LL BE HOSTING A CONFERENCE HERE, UH, WITH, UH, THE SALT WASTE ASSOCIATES OF NORTH AMERICA.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A FACILITY THAT'S OPEN AND RUNNING AND WE CAN DO TOURS OF THAT FACILITY.
AND, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING WE'RE DOING MORE THAN JUST SUSTAINABILITY, ALTHOUGH THAT BY ITSELF IS, IS A WORTHY GOAL.
AND SO WE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS WITH, UM, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS OBVIOUSLY, UH, ONE THAT, THAT IS, IS DOING WELL AND ONE THAT, UH, WE BENEFIT FROM AND THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN BENEFIT FROM, UH, WE HAVE TWO CONGRESSMEN THAT ARE VERY HELPFUL IN THAT REGARD.
UH, CONGRESSMAN GREG CASSAR AND CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT.
UM, AND WHILE, UH, CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT IS NOT PHYSICALLY WITH US TODAY, HE IS ALWAYS WITH US AND HE IS ALWAYS WORKING TO MAKE THINGS, UH, HAPPEN FOR AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND, AND I'LL, I'LL MENTION THAT IN IN JUST A SECOND.
OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS CONGRESSMAN GREG CASSAR.
AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE VALUES OF HAVING CONGRESSMAN CASSAR IN THE ROLE THAT HE PLAYS IS THAT HE WAS ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BEFORE HE BECAME A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
SO HE ALSO APPRECIATES, UH, THE ROLE THAT $4 MILLION PLAYS IN OUR EFFORTS TO DO RIGHT BY THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
SO I REALLY CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH TO BOTH OF OUR CONGRESSMEN.
UH, AND I WANNA BRING UP CONGRESSMAN GREG CASAR TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, BUT ALSO THIS $4 MILLION.
IT'S NOT NEWS TO ANYONE THAT THERE IS DYSFUNCTION IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, BUT DESPITE THE DYSFUNCTION AND THE NOISE, THIS IS
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A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS DELIVERING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND INVESTING IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SOLVING PROBLEMS BIG AND SMALL FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.FROM TRAVIS COUNTY TO HAYES COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY BIG CHECKS THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT THE EPA AND OTHER WHITE HOUSE AGENCIES ARE DELIVERING TO OUR COMMUNITY TIME AND TIME AGAIN BECAUSE PRESIDENT BIDEN CARES ABOUT INVESTING IN AMERICA, WHETHER IT IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE BETTER RECYCLING SERVICES OR BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE, BRIDGES, ROADS, PORTS, JOBS, MAKING SURE WE HAVE LIGHT RAIL BUILT OUT IN THIS CITY, MAKING SURE WE HAVE CLEAN WATER IN THIS CITY.
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ADMINIST ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN DELIVERING, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MORE AND MORE GOOD NEWS.
AND TODAY'S GOOD NEWS IS THIS $4 MILLION CHECK FOR THIS AMAZING WAREHOUSE FACILITY THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT, UH, THE WORK AND ADVOCACY OF CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT.
UH, AND GETTING US THE INFRASTRUCTURE LAW FINALLY PASSED THAT SO MANY ADMINISTRATIONS BEFORE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAID THEY WOULD GET DONE.
BUT FINALLY IT WAS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ALONGSIDE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LIKE CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT THAT GOT THIS DONE.
AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER FOR PEOPLE.
THIS GRANT AT ITS CORE, IS ABOUT GETTING OLDER FURNITURE THAT'S PERFECTLY GOOD, A SECOND LIFE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A LIFELINE TO STRUGGLING AUSTIN HEIGHTS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE THEIR GOVERNMENT WORK SMARTER, AND THIS IS WORKING SMART.
IT'S SAYING, INSTEAD OF PAYING MONEY TO BURY PERFECTLY DECENT, UH, FURNITURE IN A LANDFILL, LET'S SAVE MONEY AND LET'S GET IT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
PEOPLE IN AUSTIN RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER, THE ENTIRE CITY THRIVES.
AND SO GETTING FOLKS BACK ON THEIR FEET THAT HAVE HAD A HARD TIME, THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND DOING IN A WAY WHERE WE ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE THE FURNITURE FOR FREE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND THE MAYOR AND THE CITY IS ALL ABOUT, IS HOW DO WE BRING DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACK HOME, INVEST IN SMART THINGS SO THAT EVERYDAY PEOPLE'S LIVES CAN BE BETTER? 'CAUSE FOLKS HERE IN AUSTIN ARE JUST MAKING SURE THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR RISING HOUSING COSTS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR KIDS BACK AND FORTH FROM CHILDCARE OR BACK AND FORTH FROM SCHOOL, AND THEY WANT TO SEE US WORKING JUST AS HARD FOR THEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE EXACTLY HERE IN PRESIDENT BIDEN'S INVESTING IN AMERICA AGENDAS, THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT WE NEED TO STEP UP AND WORK JUST AS HARD AS YOU ARE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
WE KNOW, UM, THAT SUSTAINABILITY IS SOMETHING AUSTINITES CARE ABOUT.
WE KNOW THAT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IS SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN KNIGHTS CARE ABOUT, AND WE'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER, UH, TO DO SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT IT.
AND SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO THE NEXT BIG CHECK AND THE NEXT BIG CHECK.
UM, AND, UM, AND THE, THE PRESIDENT LAID IT OUT SO CLEARLY IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.
AND THIS TODAY'S EVENT IS REALLY JUST PROOF, SHOWING PROOF NOT JUST WORDS, BUT PROOF THAT HE'S SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT HE SAID IN THE STATE OF THE UNION.
THAT IF BIG CORPORATIONS AND BILLIONAIRES FINALLY HAVE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES, WE CAN SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY INSTEAD OF CUTTING IT.
WE CAN EXPAND HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS.
WE CAN DRIVE DOWN PRICES FOR EVERYTHING FROM MEDICINE TO HOUSING.
WE CAN DELIVER LIGHT RAIL AND RECYCLING AND THE KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT.
WE CAN GET PEOPLE AROUND THIS CITY OUTSIDE OF TRAFFIC.
WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT WHEN WE GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WORK.
AND WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS TO THE BIGGEST CORPORATIONS, YOU JUST PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE.
YOU JUST DO YOUR PART AND WE'RE ALL GONNA BE BETTER OFF, AND WE CAN HAVE A DEMOCRACY THAT DELIVERS FOR PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE EPI THANK CONGRESSMAN.
DO Y'ALL WANNA SAY ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT? ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL THEN, I'LL, UM, JUST WANNA CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY IF THEY, IF THEY WANTED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE, UH, CONGRESSMAN KASSAR'S WORK AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT'S WORK.
UH, THESE KINDS OF THINGS DON'T HAPPEN UNLESS YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENT.
AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, UH, HAS, HAS DONE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
CONGRESSMAN CASSAR DOES IT AS WELL.
AND I WANT TO, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT AND SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, WE'RE JOINED BY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, UM, WHO OVERSEES WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA WRAP IT UP AND, AND WE WILL, UH, I'M GOING TO ACCEPT A CHECK.
UM,
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HAVE, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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THROUGH THE GOOD WORK OF EPA AND OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, UH, PROVIDE A CHECK FOR $4 MILLION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.WE SOMETIMES DON'T PAUSE ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE WHAT A BIG DEAL THAT IS AND THAT PARTNERSHIP.
BUT I ALSO WANT EVERYBODY TO PAUSE JUST A, A SECOND AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THIS TOWN.
THAT, AND, AND HOW THEY'LL BENEFIT.
AND I CAN RUN A WHOLE SPECTRUM OF FOLKS, INCLUDING OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS WHO PAY FOR, UH, SOLID WASTE SERVICES AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY AND AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY WILL USE THESE, THESE DOLLARS IN A WAY THAT ENDS UP SAVING MONEY AND SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THAT ENVIRONMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THINK ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THAT WE'RE WORKING SO HARD TO HELP.
AND NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO WASTE THINGS LIKE PERFECTLY GOOD FURNITURE BY PUTTING IT IN A LANDFILL AND BURYING IT.
INSTEAD, WE WILL BE HELPING PEOPLE.
SO IT'S $4 MILLION, AND THAT'S A LOT OF, BUT IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP.
AND SO I WANNA SAY TO OUR FRIENDS AT EPA, AGAIN, THANK YOU.
UH, I WANNA SAY TO OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT DO SUCH A GOOD JOB ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS EVERY SINGLE DAY, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO.
AND I WANNA SAY TO OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, CONGRESSMAN CASAR AND CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, UH, WE'RE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU ALL, UH, ADVOCATING FOR US AND GET, AND BEING ABLE TO HELP US IN THIS WAY.
SO WITH THAT, YOU GOT A CHECK YOU WANT GIVE ME, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHECK.
WHY DON'T YOU ALRIGHT TO THE MAYOR.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT EPA IS INVITED BACK TO AUSTIN ANYTIME,
ONE MORE, ONE MORE ONE, UH, TOWARDS THE DOOR HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR.