The COVID-19 crisis is changing the American economic landscape hour by hour.

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Hi John,

We hope you and your loved ones are remaining safe and are taking the necessary precautions during these challenging times.

The COVID-19 crisis is changing the American economic landscape hour by hour. To keep up, Dr. Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, Former Obama Commerce Chief Economist, created a new blog series ([link removed]) that will keep you up to date with the latest information during this unprecedented crisis.

Thankfully, minutes ago, Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package ([link removed]) that should provide some relief to American workers. The economy is facing the biggest crisis since The Great Depression. Americans filed 3.3 million unemployment claims in one week, a record higher than the next worst week in American history. What Congress did by passing a bill that focused entirely on workers and the economy, including $25 billion for the transportation sector ([link removed]) , was the right thing. We expect more stimulus packages to be necessary, including for the clean energy industry. Multiple, struggling clean-energy sectors need assistance through tax credit extensions or other means.

In this week’s newsletter, we’re taking a look at how our national laboratories, known for their skill in creating technological solutions addressing climate change, are making progress toward solutions for the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve also released a new episode of our Path to Zero podcast series. Dive in below:
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Research Efforts Against COVID-19
The Department of Energy just launched a program to enable scientists & supercomputers to perform research into potential COVID-19 treatments. The "COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium ([link removed]) " acts as an international portal for developing solutions to kick this pandemic. With help from several DOE laboratories, including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the labs have already simulated 20 antibodies that can bind to the virus.
Talking Points:
* The COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium is an example of how focused R&D can serve critical needs.
* R&D is essential to solving some of the most pressing issues we face, like the novel coronavirus.
* As policymakers consider solutions to this crisis, they should not forget the men and women at our national laboratories whose tireless commitment leads to critical innovations in every sector.

Aligning Labor and Climate in a Changing Economy
Union workers—the people who build the infrastructure, manufacture the goods, keep the lights on, and transport the products we need across our country—play a critical role in keeping our economy going and (re)building it for the future. They will be the backbone of our response to the ongoing crisis and make our country more resilient in the future.

Lee Anderson, director of government affairs at the Utility Workers Union of America, Anna Fendley, director of regulatory and state policy at the United Steelworkers and Ryan Fitzpatrick, director of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program chat with Julia Pyper of Political Climate in the newest episode in the Path to Zero series. They explore how policymakers can support our blue-collar workers and increase clean energy job prospects while also addressing emissions and address whether the prospect of another economic stimulus bill is an opportunity to stimulate our economy.

Listen to Aligning Labor and Climate in a Changing Economy here ([link removed]) .
As always, let’s keep the conversation going, and stay positive,
Jared

Jared DeWese
Senior Communications Advisor | Third Way
202.384.1737 :: @jareddewese ([link removed])

T.J. Osborne
Climate and Energy Press Coordinator | Third Way
202.775.5163 :: @tjosborne_ ([link removed])

Jackie Toth
Advisor for Policy and Content, Climate and Energy | Third Way
202.775.5167 :: @JackieTothDC ([link removed])

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