February 23, 2021 Last week, Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced a congressional resolution calling for the creation of a federal jobs guarantee. With roots in President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and the civil rights movement, the concept of a government program offering a job to any American adult seeking employment isn’t especially new. But it’s reclaiming some mainstream credence, particularly in the wake of an economically devastating pandemic and reenergized racial justice movement. A reliable job. A living wage. A federal job guarantee lays the foundation for economic justice & freedom. pic.twitter.com/NMpLtjU5xh According to Pressley and some prominent economists, a federal jobs guarantee would go lengths to reduce poverty and close longstanding racial wealth disparities resulting from years of institutional discrimination. It could also support efforts to upgrade the country’s infrastructure or address the shortage of childcare workers.