I didn’t know that there’s a bill in Congress with 140 co-sponsors in the House to re-create the Depression era WPA. GRO (Grass Roots Organizing) is part of coalition of 60 national organizations pushing the bill. A press release from the Missouri chapter of GRO explains:

Mexico, Missouri GRO-Grass Roots Organizing today commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Works Progress Administration, a $10 billion federal program that placed millions of people in hundreds of thousands of jobs from 1935 until war production brought full employment in 1943.  

GRO – Grass Roots Organizing is marking the anniversary by calling upon Congress to pass

legislation by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., that would put one million people to work almost

immediately, doing essential jobs in local communities across America. Miller’s Local Jobs for America Act, which already has gathered more than 100 cosponsors, is pending in committee. The

Local Jobs for America Act would provide $100 billion over two years to create or save a million public and private sector jobs; extend critical support to local communities to maintain essential services; and fund private sector job training to help local businesses put people back to work.

Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, William Clay and Russ Carnahan have announced their support

for the measure.  GRO recognizes them for taking a stand to bring badly needed jobs to Missouri.

Missouri’s three actual Democrats in the House have signed on. 140 is a good start. Getting to 216 will require that quite a few of the House’s Ikes sign on as well.