WASHINGTON, DC – One of Ambassador Andrew Young’s visionary projects for the future is taking a giant step forward, with President Joseph Biden’s signature on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
The spending bill – approved by Congress on Dec. 23 and signed by the president on Dec. 29 – includes $40 million for restoration efforts on the Lower Mississippi River, a cause Ambassador Young has championed through the Andrew J. Young Foundation. Even during the pandemic, the foundation helped organize the mayors of nearly 100 cities from New Orleans to Minneapolis.
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The bill incorporates all the key elements of a House of Representatives bill introduced in 2021 by U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi and officially titled “The Andrew J. Young Safeguarding the Mississippi River Together Act” – also designated simply as, “Andy’s Act.”
Ambassador Young expressed thanks to Rep. Thompson for having championed the bipartisan effort and said it is a great honor that the bill was named after him. He also thanked Sen. John Boozman (R) of Arkansas, who sponsored “Andy’s Bill” in the Senate. This bipartisan effort should make everyone feel proud that America stands for betterment of people across party lines, he said.
As a young child growing up in New Orleans, Ambassador Young watched the construction of levees meant to last no more than 70 years. He turned 90 this year and his memory is keen. He called the $40 million appropriation “seed money” for restoration projects that eventually will become self-sustaining and cost taxpayers nothing.
“Every year, at least one major city on the Mississippi River suffers devastation from flooding, and it’s only going to get worse,” said Ambassador Young. “My vision is that you don’t wait for the flood before you clean up. You prevent the flood.”
Gaurav Kumar, president of the Andrew J. Young Foundation, said replacing outdated levees and other crumbling infrastructure will spare cities and their populations from the ravages of flooding, save millions of dollars each year in disaster relief, create thousands of new jobs, and revitalize local economies through “enterprise zones” all along the river corridor, “It’s win-win for everyone,” said Kumar, who has spearheaded the foundation’s effort for the past decade, meeting with the mayors and experts in river technology from countries that have greater experience, especially the Netherlands.
“The Mississippi River is the backbone of water transportation in America, accounting for the distribution of 40% of grains in the country,” Kumar observed. “This Act, named in recognition of Ambassador Young’s determined leadership on the matter, brings much-needed attention to the Lower Mississippi region, and we are very happy our efforts are coming to fruition after 10 years of hard work.”
When he was the Mayor of Atlanta, Ambassador Young coined the term “public-purpose capitalism,” referring to operations like Hartsfield International Airport and the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, which were undertaken without taxpayer monies.
“With this massive project, we will be exporting that concept to other cities,” Kumar said. “The objective is to create enterprise zones in which repair projects are undertaken with private investment rather than government funds.” Ten states border the Mississippi and its tributaries reaching another 22, Ambassador Young observed.
“This will be the largest job creation program since the New Deal,” he predicted, “and it will pay for itself.”
