Jobs to Move America
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On June 27, Jobs to Move America released a report that pieces together the story of how cities and states joined the fight against apartheid in South Africa and how the Reagan administration sought to suppress those efforts.

Between December 2016 and June 2017, JMA researchers combed through thousands of pages of documents—legal memos, policy guides, court briefings, and correspondence between corporations and the Reagan administration. JMA also investigated parallels between the Reagan era battles and current tensions between the federal government and cities and states. Finally, JMA examined the long-term effects of the Reagan era apartheid policies.

The report details the four tactics used by the Reagan administration to stop anti-apartheid sanctions laws, including:

  1. Adopting national policy to deter independent actions by Congress, cities and states.
  2. Collaborating with the business lobby to oppose sanctions.
  3. Interpreting federal law to justify withholding federal funding from cities and states adopting sanctions and divestment policies.
  4. Actively organizing support for litigation to challenge city divestment and sanctions laws.

Associated Resources

Local Opportunities Coalition comment in response to Office of Management and Budget’s Request for Information

The Local Opportunities Coalition and supporting partners wrote a comment in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s Request for Information on how the Uniform Guidance can be updated or revised to give state and local recipients of federal financial assistance more tools to create good jobs and promote greater racial and gender equity …

Resource Types:
  • Good Jobs Policies
  • Policy + Programs

Local and Economically-Targeted Hire Brochure

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will bring $1.2 trillion to states and cities over the next 5 years for new and existing infrastructure–a once in a generation opportunity. For the first time, local and economically targeted hire on transportation projects is allowed without prior approval. This printable brochure details how communities can take advantage …

Fact Sheet: Empowering Cities and States: Making Federal Funds Work for Our Communities

Currently, a set of decades-old federal rules (known as the Uniform Guidance) impede cities and states from using innovative programs in the procurement process that can amplify the benefit of federal funds for communities. The procurement process can be a powerful tool to address historic inequities and uplift millions of struggling people—particularly people of color—but …