The Declaration
For our generation, the American Dream feels like a broken promise.
Housing and education costs have skyrocketed while wages have stagnated. AI threatens to automate millions of entry-level jobs. Meanwhile, our generation is far more depressed and lonely than our parents' and grandparents' generations.
These challenges have gone unsolved by our government because our generation has been a political afterthought. That changes today.
We are coming together as young people and allies across the ideological spectrum to put our pressing needs above partisan loyalty.
We demand action in three critical areas to reclaim the American Dream for our generation:
Opportunity
Despite America's status as the land of opportunity, many young people are struggling to find fulfilling and stable careers. We can build an AI-resilient workforce where young people have careers that are meaningful and enable them to thrive. We call on lawmakers to:
What can policymakers do?
States can shift corporate tax burdens to reward corporations that provide value to the economy by training young people. Governments should build on the tax-credit or tuition-support model already used by some states for apprenticeships to better incentivize companies to invest in young people via apprenticeships, internships, or other models like rotational programs.
Despite bipartisan support and the potential to create millions of apprenticeships, federal legislation to make major investments in workforce development has stalled for years. Federal lawmakers should make a major investment in apprenticeships a national priority to secure young people's careers in the face of entry-level automation and address predicted talent shortages in critical sectors.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.- National Apprenticeship Act of 2023BipartisanFederal
- Tax Credits for Work-Based Learning ExperiencesStateOhioBipartisan
What can policymakers do?
States and federal governments should require universities receiving government funding to not give admissions preferences to legacy applicants. States should also ensure that the requirements to enter skilled trades are reflective of the actual skills needed to enter a profession rather than artificially restricting supply.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.- Fair College Admissions for Students ActBipartisanFederal
- Occupational Licensing Review ActStateModel Bill
Affordability
From housing to basics, it is getting too expensive to live a fulfilling and dignified life. We can renew the promise of capitalism to create value for consumers, not extract it from us. We call on lawmakers to:
What can policymakers do?
States and local governments should legalize the building of ADUs, allow duplexes and triplexes to be built in single-family zones, and end parking minimum requirements to lower housing costs while maintaining neighborhood aesthetics and strong communities.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.What can policymakers do?
Congress and states should pass legislation requiring that subscription-based services allow consumers to easily cancel subscriptions and be notified when free trials end. Governments should also ban AI-enabled price coordination that artificially inflates costs.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.- Unsubscribe ActFederalBipartisan
Community
Our generation has been gutted by loneliness and a lack of strong communities. We can create a country where we live full lives with meaningful relationships rather than escaping reality with addictive algorithms. We call on lawmakers to:
What can policymakers do?
Congress and states should pass bills that turn addictive features off by default, particularly for kids, and ensure that companies are accountable when they addict users. Governments can also pass bills to allow users data to be ported between social platforms to enable fair competition.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.- Kids Online Safety ActFederalBipartisan
- Social Media Control in IT ActStateNorth CarolinaBipartisan
- Digital Choice ActStateUtahBipartisan
What can policymakers do?
Require users to be age verified to use human-like AI (AI that pretends to have emotions) to ensure that kids can grow up with human connection coming first.
Example bills:
Signing the declaration does not imply endorsement of these bills as some of their provisions may be outside the scope of the declaration.- Human-like AI Model BillStateModel Bill
- GUARD ActFederalBipartisan
Sign the Declaration
Join thousands of young Americans demanding change.
Our Approach
We have been disappointed by petitions and protests for too long. We're taking a different approach to ensure our priorities turn into real policy change.
Sign
Young people and our allies across the country sign the Declaration and commit to taking action.
Advocate
YPA members bring the declaration to candidates, who sign and commit to supporting related legislation.
Vote
YPA keeps signers updated on which leaders follow through so we can hold them accountable at the ballot box.
Power
As candidates compete to meet our priorities and win our votes, we cement a new youth-centered political culture.
Hear from Our Leaders
Leaders who have signed the Declaration will appear here.
Leader testimonial coming soon
Leader testimonial coming soon
Leader testimonial coming soon