Syracuse-area Democratic Senator Rachel May is sponsoring two bills she believes will help lift New York State out of the pandemic recession.

The Works Progress Administration Pandemic Recovery (S.8440) takes a page directly from President Roosevelt’s New Deal effort of a similar name. The original WPA was an employment and infrastructure project created in 1935, during the heart of the Great Depression.

Over 8 years, it put roughly 8.5 million Americans to work and cost $5 billion.

If passed, May’s bill would have the state pay for projects that support creative and sustainable economies.

According to Senator May, one model currently being employed that speaks to her vision is the Onondaga Earth Corps, which creates good paying jobs for young people who want to improve their communities.

Senator May has also sponsored the SIGH Act (S.8877), which stands for “Schools Impacted by Gross Highways” Act. If passed, the law would prohibit the construction of new schools near major roadways. It also includes certain schools in environmental impact statements for the construction of major roadways.