Thanks, Andres, for that introduction. Welcome to the Commerce Division’s Workplace of Religion-Based mostly and Neighborhood Partnerships Summit. I’m thrilled to be joined by Deputy Secretary Graves and Below Secretary Cravins. And most significantly, thanks all for collaborating right this moment.
I’m so proud that below the Biden-Harris Administration, we’ve got relaunched the Workplace of Religion-Based mostly and Neighborhood Partnerships. We all know how necessary this mission is to ship equitable outcomes and guarantee no neighborhood is left behind. And we’re thrilled to have Andres main the cost.
We’ve got an unprecedented alternative proper now. Because of President Biden’s management, our division is investing tens of billions of {dollars} in communities throughout the nation.
We’re investing $50 billion to attach each American to reasonably priced, dependable high-speed web. We’ll make investments one other $50 billion to construct new semiconductor manufacturing amenities within the U.S and supercharge innovation. And we’re investing billions to coach the workforce of tomorrow and assist bolster industries in native communities.
We would like all Individuals to learn from these alternatives, together with communities of shade, rural communities, and different underserved populations.
Making these investments goes create tens of 1000’s of jobs. These are good-paying, high-quality jobs which have the potential to alter lives.
We’re working on the Commerce Division to make sure everybody has entry to them. However we are able to’t do that in a silo.
Religion-based and neighborhood partnerships type the backbones of communities throughout the nation. So many individuals study apprenticeships, grants, and profession alternatives from their neighborhood organizations. And you already know your communities’ wants higher than anybody.
We wish to work with you to make sure that the federal {dollars} which can be coming to your communities are being spent properly and successfully. And we anticipate you to carry us accountable and provides us suggestions all through the method.
That’s why becoming a member of right this moment’s summit is so necessary. We have to type significant partnerships between companies and faith-based and community-based organizations. Collectively, we are able to promote fairness, job creation, and financial progress. Commerce is all in on this agenda.
These relationships are going to be what makes us profitable. I hope you discover this summit transformative, and that you simply’ll contemplate the Commerce Division – and the OFBNP – as beneficial assets and robust allies. Thanks.
