President Joe Biden issued a proclamation last week, making May 2021 National Building Safety Month, to “recognize the importance of strengthening our buildings and infrastructure to serve the needs and ensure the safety of every American.”

The proclamation also acknowledges and honors building safety professionals and addresses the impact the building industry can have on the environment and climate.

“We also recognize that now is the time to repair and modernize our buildings and infrastructure, not only to meet the needs of today, but to address the challenges of tomorrow, especially the existential threat of climate change,” the proclamation statement said.

It continued: “In order for us to safeguard the health, safety, and economic future of our Nation’s people, we must also invest in our infrastructure more broadly.  From upgrading homes in disadvantaged communities, to modernizing our Nation’s schools, to replacing lead water pipes, to securing affordable, high-speed broadband, the American Jobs Plan is an investment for all Americans. It will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, and promote access to opportunity for all.”

Stressing the importance of investing in infrastructure as a means of mitigating the “unrelenting impact of climate change” that he says “affects every one of us, but too often the brunt falls disproportionately on vulnerable communities — especially low-income communities and people of color — who are facing new and worsening natural hazards like hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, and wildfires due to climate change,” President Biden points to recent Executive Orders that he has issued as part of a “Government-wide approach to the climate emergency” and calls on citizens to learn about ways they can contribute to building safety both at home and on a local level.

Read the full Proclamation here.