Tell your Senators: STOP MANCHIN'S DIRTY DEAL

Last week, we succeeded in keeping Manchin’s dirty deal out of the House’s draft annual defense spending bill (NDAA).

This is thanks to the tremendous grassroots pressure we’ve mobilized over the past few months, and especially the last couple of weeks against this deal.

But unfortunately, this fight is not over. Senator Manchin is now trying to find another vehicle for the dirty deal either through:

• An amendment to the NDAA when it comes to the Senate, or
• By attaching it to an end-of-year spending bill

A vote could happen very soon, so we need to take action now. Can you take two minutes right now to call Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly now and tell them to oppose Manchin’s dirty deal? We’ve included a script you can use below:

→ Call (888) 997-5380 ←

“Hi, my name is Jana, and I’m from Tucson. As a constituent, I’m urging the senator to vote NO on any bill or amendment that would advance Senator Manchin’s dirty permitting deal.

I'm deeply concerned about any legislation that would fast-track fossil fuel projects and undermine our ability to give input on new energy projects.”

Contact Sen. Mark Kelly 

Tucson number: (520) 475-5177 

Phoenix number (602) 671-7901

https://www.kelly.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/

Contact Sen. Kyrsten Sinema 

Phone: (520) 639-7080

(602) 598-7327

https://www.sinema.senate.gov/contact

Urge members of Congress to co-sponsor Save Oak Flat Act

Tomorrow, April 8, 2022,  is an international call to action to protest Rio Tinto's inapproporiate mines and proposals around the world.  Please take action today via email and social media and spread the word widely!

On April 8, 2022, Rio Tinto will be holding its Annual General Meeting. Across the globe, this giant mining company continues to destroy Indigenous heritage, put communities under water stress, harm the environment, and loot resources.

This year, campaigners from Australia, Madagascar, Mongolia, Finland, Serbia, the UK, and the USA have come together to say enough is enough! It’s time for Rio Tinto to stop causing grief and misery to communities and the environment around the world. Add your voice to our call of international solidarity and send a message to Rio Tinto!

Please go to our action page for actions you can take.  

You can act locally by asking your member of Congress to cosponsor the Save Oak Flat Act.

And, you can act internationally by emailing or Tweeting Rio Tinto directly.

• To send an email to Rio Tinto’s Board of Directors and chief executives, go our Action Page.

• To send Rio Tinto a tweet, go to the Rio Tinto: Stop Plundering the Planet page.

Our action pages give you plenty of information about our fight to protect Oak Flat, but for more information about other struggles around the world against Rio Tinto, go here

Please ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Save Oak Flat Act to right a wrong, protect the religious freedom of Indigenous people, save an important recreational area, and protect the plants and animals that inhabit this biologically rich part of the Tonto National Forest.

The Save Oak Flat Act corrects Section 3003 of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which currently allows the US government to give Oak Flat, a sacred recreational and ecological haven, which is US public land, to foreign mining companies.

The House version of the Save Oak Flat Act, HR 1884, was introduced by Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ) on March 12, 2021, and  the Seante version, S 915, was introduced by Senator Sanders (I-VT) on March 23, 2021.

Section 3003 of the land exchange was added to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act at the last minute in the dead of night because the supporters of the exchange were repeatedly unable to pass the bill as a stand-alone measure.  

The Tonto National Forest released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in 2019. It details some of the harm the mine will cause. The proposed Resolution Copper Mine would:

• * Create a crater roughly two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep right there at Oak Flat due to subsidence of the land.
• * Dump nearly 1.4 billion tons of toxic mining waste into an unlined tailings dump -- the preferred alternative tailings site will ultimately cover six square miles with a dam 490 feet high.
• * Use more water annually than the City of Tempe, AZ, a minimum of 50,000 acre-feet per year.
• * Permanently destroy about 16,000 acres of public land, state trust land, and private land.

Please ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Save Oak Flat Act:

https://org.salsalabs.com/o/676/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23970

REP. ANN LEILA KIRKPATRICK

District: US Representative

PHONE:(202) 225-25422

SEN. MARK EDWARD KELLY

District: US Senator

Phone:(202) 224-2235

Fax:(202) 228-2862

SEN. KYRSTEN LEA SINEMA

District: US Senator

Phone:(202) 224-4521

Fax:(202) 228-0515

For More Information: 

Arizona Mining Reform Coalition Resoluton Copper DEIS comments

Arizona Mining Reform Coalition website page

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH 2 "BUILD BACK BETTER BILLS?"

If you've had trouble following the latest developments in Congress, you're not alone. Here's an update on President Biden's transformative Build Back Better plan.

The Build Back Better plan is moving forward in two separate bills. The first bill, focused on infrastructure, includes a mix of good things and not-so-good things and passed the Senate in September with the support of Mitch McConnell and 19 other Republicans.

The second bill (The Reconciliation bill) includes a sweeping set of reforms that help everyday Americans and that corporate-backed Republicans hate, including lower drug prices, expanded pre-K, free community college, paid family leave, and raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy.

Last week, there was a big push to pass only the Republican-backed infrastructure bill in the House while leaving the crucial second bill by the wayside. But House progressives refused to go along, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not allow a vote on the bill, a key step toward victory.

Now, we're facing a new threat. Joe Manchin is demanding that the bill be cut by more than half, which would almost surely gut some of the most critical parts of the bill.

To succeed in this new phase of the campaign, we must accomplish one key strategic objective: educate voters on what's actually in the bill.

Now, that should be the job of the mainstream media, but instead they've been focused on building false, shock-value narratives about the cost of the bill—$3.5 trillion—without providing any context, making it easy for Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, and the Republicans to attack it. But failing to invest in education, clean energy, and health care ... in order to preserve tax breaks for Jeff Bezos? That's wildly unpopular—and to win, we need to make sure everyone knows that's really what's at stake.

This plan will be a game changer for Arizona.  

The Please, SHARE THIS INFORMATION and contact Sen. Kyrsten Sinema  and urge her to support the Reconciliation Bill.

Tucson Office Phone: 520-639-7080

Phoenix Phone: 602-598-7327

Washington D.C. Phone: 202-224-4521

Urge Sen. Sinema to support the COVID relief bill and raising the Minimum Wage

 

Where is our other "Democrat" Senator when we need her?

Last week, the House of Representatives voted to pass a big, bold COVID relief bill that includes survival checks, expanded unemployment insurance, and other key lifesaving policies. The bill will soon be making its way to the Senate floor for further debate, amendments, and a vote. Senator Kyrsten Sinema has said that she doesn’t support elements of the current COVID package—specifically, she doesn't support raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

We can’t afford to let Sen. Sinema water down this bill. She must join the vast majority of Democrats—and Americans overall—who are fully supportive of getting Biden's entire $1.9 trillion COVID relief package passed, so that Americans who need support to survive this crisis can get it as soon as possible.

On Thursday, March 4 at 12:00 p.m., we'll be gathering outside of Sen. Sinema's Tucson office to send her a message: "Will you fight for us? 20 E Ochoa St, Tucson, AZ 

Click here to RSVP to this event!

Now is not the time to reduce the amount of COVID relief. Millions of people are relying on our elected officials to deliver robust relief as they struggle to make ends meet.

And we need to make sure Sen. Sinema knows this.

Join us tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. as we take that message directly to her office.

Join Move on members to deliver that message to Sen. Sinema on Monday. Masks are mandatory. Signs are welcome.

We are committed to maintaining public health measures to practice safe protesting during the pandemic. All event participants are expected to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and follow all local safety guidelines. Individual hosts are responsible for compliance with their own local laws and event requirements (including orders limiting the sizes of events).

Additionally, a core principle shared by supporting organizations is a commitment to nonviolent, peaceful actions. All actions that are sponsored or organized on this page are intended to be nonviolent and peaceful. We expect all participants to act lawfully at all times and to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.

Can't come? Please, call Senator Sinema

Tucson Phone: 520-639-7080

Washington Phone: 202-224-4521

Call now: Demand the Senate pass the HEROES Act

The #GOPVacation is over, and we need to make sure the Republican Senate stops blocking relief for essential workers, the unemployed, and all of us still coping with the pandemic. 

Every senator needs to hear from constituents on this: Democrats need to hear that constituents are ready to fight to get HEROES passed—and Republicans need to know we won't stand for their obstruction! Will you call your senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally, today to demand they pass the HEROES Act? 

Here's where to call: 

• Sen. Sinema - (202) 224-4521
• Sen. McSally - (202) 224-2235

Congress is back in session after two weeks of vacation, and Republicans are still stalling, even as the coronavirus crisis spirals further out of control and the economy heads toward another cliff. In the two months since the House passed the HEROES Act, there’ve been nearly 2 million confirmed cases and 50,000 more confirmed deaths from COVID-19. Just last week, the U.S. saw a record-setting 77,200 new, confirmed cases in one day alone.¹

It’s urgent the Republican-controlled Senate act today, and it’s urgent all senators hear from their constituents today. Democrats must continue to fight for HEROES, and Republicans must be pressured to act.

Call Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally now and ask them to pass the HEROES Act to protect essential workers and provide essential relief to the people who need it most.

MoveOn's executive director Rahna Epting is in Washington, D.C., today delivering your petition signature with over 2.5 million other MoveOn members signatures, all calling upon the Senate to support essential workers by providing critical COVID-19 relief, hazard pay, and funding. Coronavirus is still raging across the U.S., but the Republican-controlled Senate still hasn’t acted to provide essential workers and our communities with relief.

The country is being ravaged by Republican inaction, and the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have an especially enormous impact on low-wage frontline workers and Black, brown, Asian American, Indigenous, and migrant communities. It’s urgent the Senate act immediately to provide critical relief for all workers and communities in the U.S.

Call now to demand Sens. Sinema and McSally get back to work right away to pass the HEROES Act before essential programs expire. 

Let’s flood their phone lines so all senators hear this loud and clear: Pass the HEROES Act now.

*Also, see links to their website in the column to the right.

- MoveOn Civic Action 

1. "U.S. reports 77,200 new coronavirus cases, shattering one-day record," CNBC, July 17, 2020

https://act.moveon.org/go/141178?t=9&akid=269223%2E18315738%2EN9z35a

Call Senators: Pass the Heroes Act to protect essential workers

Essential workers are on the front lines of this pandemic, and many are working in high-risk conditions without appropriate equipment, safety standards, compensation, or job protections. Democrats in the House have passed the HEROES Act, which includes an Essential Workers Bill of Rights and direct relief for millions suffering during this crisis, as well as support for state and city governments, the Postal Service, and expanded access to voting.

But now it's up to the Republican-controlled Senate—and all senators need to hear from constituents today so that all Democrats fight for this historic relief package and Republicans feel pressure to act!

Call your senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally, now at 855-912-2982 and ask them to pass the HEROES Act to protect essential workers and provide essential relief to the people who need it most.

You could say this:

 Hi! My name is ____. I'm a constituent in Arizona, and I'm calling to urge you to pass the HEROES Act and include the full Essential Workers Bill of Rights to provide more relief to working people and families, not wealthy CEOs and shareholders. You have a responsibility to ensure ALL essential workers have the protections they need, the rights they are entitled to, and the compensation they deserve.

Today, in Washington, D.C., we're delivering your petition signature with over a million other MoveOn members' signatures to support essential workers. Partnering with Greenpeace, Daily Kos, and Courage Campaign, we've got over 2 million signatures demanding action from senators. We know the House heard us, as they included many of our demands for an Essential Workers Bill of Rights in the HEROES Act. Now we need to keep the pressure up to make sure the Senate follows suit.

Let's flood their inboxes and voicemails so all senators hear it loud and clear: Pass the HEROES Act to get essential workers the protections they need, the rights they are entitled to, and the compensation they deserve.

Call your senators today at 855-912-2982, because essential workers can't wait.

- MoveOn

Call Sen. Sinema and Sen. McSally about Iran today!

Last week was terrifying.

Donald Trump's reckless behavior got us too close to yet another catastrophic war, but, now, the Senate has the opportunity to do its job and put the Trump administration on notice.

Tomorrow, senators will be voting on an amendment outlining that Congress has the sole authority to declare war, and that Congress has not declared war on Iran. We can't afford to have Trump start an illegal and immoral war.

Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally have to hear from you about this. Can you give them a quick call right now? It shouldn't take more than five minutes.

☎️ Here's where to call: (877) 745-4591

🗣️ Speaking from the heart will be most effective, but if you need inspiration, you can say:

 "I am Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally's constituent and I would like them to know that they must put Trump on notice on his reckless behavior toward Iran. Every senator should vote in favor of the amendment that says Congress has not authorized war with Iran and also get their colleagues to do the same. We can't afford another catastrophic war––and definitely not one being manufactured by the Trump administration."

– Move On

More information:

War with Iran will cost more than the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - Boston Globe, June 26, 2019

ACT NOW: Block ex-oil lobbyist Bernhardt's appointment as Secretary of the Interior

Stop oily Bernhardt! 

The Senate is poised to vote on former oil lobbyist David Bernhardt’s confirmation as official Interior secretary. His hearing committee is scheduled for next week.

As acting secretary, Bernhardt has shown that he’s more interested in serving the interests of the oil companies that he used to lobby for, like Halliburton, than those of the American people.

He has pushed for oil drilling off America’s coasts and in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge … advocated for rolling back the Endangered Species Act … weakened limits on climate-busting methane for oil and gas companies … and supported dismantling our national monuments.

The Interior secretary oversees around one-fifth of this country's total landmass, including all of the oil, natural gas, and coal beneath the ground on federal lands. The secretary also plays a critical role in protecting our oceans and coastal waters. It's a role too important to the future of this country to hand off to a polluter ally like Bernhardt without a fight.

Together we've shown time and time again that public pressure makes an impact — including forcing former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to resign.We must mobilize a massive outcry in opposition to this dangerous nomination.

Take action NOW by urging your senators to vote NO on Bernhardt’s confirmation — and tell them that we won’t stop fighting to protect our public lands, oceans, and wildlife.

Send a message directly to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally. Tell them that you will not stand by and watch a former oil lobbyist gain control of our public lands and waters!

- Rhea Suh, President, NRDC Action Fund

Tell the Senate to revoke Trump's illegal national emergency

Now that the House of Representatives voted to revoke Trump's national emergency, all eyes are on the Senate. Call or tweet at your senators to voice your opposition to Trump's fake national emergency.

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to revoke Trump's fake emergency declaration. Now the Senate must hold its own vote within 18 days In just the last few days, CREDO members made almost 2,000 calls to members of the House of Representatives. Now we need to put massive pressure on the Senate to reject Trump's racist power grab. Can you contact your senators today and demand that they do the right thing? Click here to call Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally. Click here to tweet at Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally. Donald Trump's emergency declaration to steal billions for his wall and anti-immigrant agenda is an attack on our communities and democracy. But this isn't just about a wall. It's about a racist autocrat determined to lock up and deport immigrants by any means necessary. Trump's unconstitutional power grab gives him vast new powers to undermine our democracy and supercharge his white supremacy. Declaring a state of emergency gives him access to more than 100 statutory powers that would allow him to override the laws that protect our civil rights and civil liberties, unleashing a range of nightmarish scenarios at the border and in communities across the country.1 He'll be more able than ever to escalate his attacks on immigrants, communities of color, Muslims, and Black and Brown people. Congress must use its authority to stand up to Trump before he erodes our democratic norms and institutions any further. We need every senator, regardless of party, to do their duty and rein Trump in. Tell your senators: Protect our democracy. Pass the resolution to revoke the #FakeTrumpEmergency. Click the links below to contact your senators. To call your senators: https://act.credoaction.com/call/revoke-trump-emergency-calls/?t=10&akid=31746%2E3130208%2EP-MUhc To tweet at your senators: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/tweet-emergency/?t=12&akid=31746%2E3130208%2EP-MUhc - Brandy Doyle, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Elizabeth Goitein, "What the President Could Do If He Declares a State of Emergency," The Atlantic, January/February 2019 Issue. More Information: House Votes to Cancel National Emergency in Rebuke to Trump - U.S. News and World Report

Tell Congress: Do not fund hate

I just watched United We Dream’s livestream from Capitol Hill and wept as young immigrants described mothers screaming as they’re separated from their children, and deaths in detention due to callous mistreatment and lack of medical care.

Today or tomorrow Congress will vote on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding deal, which determines ICE and CBP capacity for deportations and detention, along with the six other funding bills Congress needs to pass to avoid another shutdown.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on Capitol Hill right now about the way this bill allows ICE and CBP to detain even more of our immigrant loved ones. Can you call and let your member of Congress know that you stand with immigrants and oppose expanded detention? ☎️ 202-224-3121 ☎️

Make sure to ask for your Representative or Senator. If you don't know your members of Congress, share your zip code and the switchboard will transfer you.

You can say:

"Hi, I'm _____, and I'm a resident of _____, I want Rep./Sen._____ to know that I’m disappointed Congress is about to expand immigrant detention with the DHS funding bill this week. This bill will NOT decrease detention, and will therefore hurt immigrants. I do NOT support funding for ICE and CBP to harm immigrant communities, and I will have the Rep./Sen.’s back if he/she stands up for immigrants.”

#defundhate

Democrats could vote as early as today on a DHS budget deal that would hand Trump more than $1 billion for his wall and the power to throw more immigrants behind bars.1

Democrats should be fighting for a DHS budget that reflects progressive values. This proposal is a compromise to hate. Will you call Rep. Kirkpatrick and Sen. Sinema to demand that they reject it?

Call Rep. Kirkpatrick and Sen. Sinema: If you cave on Trump's wall, we will pay the price.

The DHS budget proposal would reportedly:2

• Hand Trump more than $1 billion for his border wall
• Increase the number of people ICE and CBP can jail each day
• Allow the Trump regime to continue to steal money from other agencies to keep more immigrants behind bars
• Arm Trump's deportation force with the latest surveillance technology

Approving any funding for Trump's wall sanctions his manufactured border crisis and attacks on immigrants.

Rewarding Trump's rogue deportation force by handing it more detention dollars is a slap in the face to immigrants and allies whose friends and family members suffered horrific abuse or died in ICE custody.

References:

1. Aida Chávez and Ryan Grim, "Immigrant rights groups trash border deal: 'Immigrant families will pay the price,'" The Intercept, Feb. 13, 2019.
2. Dara Lind, "Congress’s deal on immigration detention, explained,'" Vox, Feb. 12, 2019.

Contact your Senators:

Sen. Kyrsten Sinama

202-224-4521

https://www.sinema.senate.gov/contact

Phone (520) 670-6334

Sen. Martha McSally

(520) 670-6334

(202) 224-2235

To find out who your Representative is, just find your district and use that to look up your Rep.

More Sources:

1. VOA News, Political Impasse Turns from Border Wall to Beds in Immigration Debate
2. The Hill, Progressives say Congress must reject funding for more ICE agents
3. LA Times, Border funding fight bogs down over detention beds. Here's why
4. Buzzfeed News, A Record Number Of Immigrants Are Detained In The US. Blame Trump’s “Draconian” Policies, A Former ICE Official Says.

Tell Your Members of Congress: Repealing Waters of the U.S. Makes it Legal to Pollute Arizona Water

This map shows how the water from Cieenga Creek flows into Tucson's water supply.

This morning I listened to the confirmation hearing for Andrew Wheeler to head of the E.P.A. It was good to hear members of Congress challenging Wheeler's actions and pressing for climate action! But I was disheartened to hear Wheeler's statement that repealing the Waters of the U.S. rule would not affect the States' authority to protect their water. Unfortunately, that isn't true of Arizona. Arizona law prohibits the state from passing regulations that go beyond federal standards. So essentially repealing the Waters of the U.S. rule makes it legal to pollute our water. (See details in letter below.)

At Sustainable Tucson's environmental education meeting with Rep. Kirkpatrick, I urged her to codify the rule into law. My request is included in my water presentation that I posted here.

Please, consider writing your Representative and Senators to work on codifying the Waters of the US into law so it can't be changed by any acting president at will.

The details are included in the following e-mail I just sent to Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Please, read the letter and personalize it so it won't sound like a form letter.

You can contact Sinema at 602-598-7327 or email contact@sinema.senate.gov.

If you would like to thank Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick for meeting with us and urge her to codify the Waters of the U.S. into law, I believe she can be reached at:

https://www.kirkpatrickforcongress.com/contact/

(I will let you know when I get more permanent contact info.)

My letter: 

Dear Senator Kyrsten Sinema,

I believe that the future of Tucson depends on preserving and protecting our water supply. Towards that end, my husband and I volunteer a great deal of our time promoting conservation and rainwater harvesting. 

I am writing to urge you to work on codifying the Waters of the U.S. Rule into law - since it is currently an EPA rule that any acting president can change at will. In fact, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are already implementing Executive Order 13778 which directs federal agencies to rescind the Waters of the U.S. that included rivers that don't flow year around. Repealing this rule will have a devastating impact on our water supply. All of our waterways are connected. If we don't protect streams and non-perennial rivers, we aren't protecting the bigger rivers. Tucson, in particular, will be negatively affected by repealing the Waters of the U.S. rule. Arizona's water has already been depleted by a 19 year drought. But repealing the Water of the U.S. Rule will leave Tucson's water supply completely unprotected.

As Pima County Administrator C.H. Huckelberry stated:

Tucsonans rely on both surface water and groundwater derived by infiltration or runoff, as well as Colorado River water. History has shown that pollutants entering dry riverbeds can contaminate our drinking water. Changes in standards for the Clean Water Act would be particularly consequential in Arizona. While other states have the authority to protect the quality of streams not subject to the Clean Water Act's jurisdiction, Arizona does NOT. In Arizona, state legislation forbids state agencies from exceeding the federal regulatory framework. Therefore, any reduction in scope of federal jurisdiction may have the effect of exempting certain areas from water quality protections at the state level. 

EPA data showed that 94 percent of streams in Arizona were protected by the Waters of the U.S. rule. These streams are small but they feed into the Gila and Santa Cruz rivers. If the protections of the Clean Water Act are reduced to perennial waters, the vast majority of Arizona's streams will have no water quality protections at all. Essentially pollution becomes legal unless the state steps in. The state means the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality - which advertises that it sped up the permitting process for businesses and reduced "burdensome" laws and regulations - 48 of them.

The Waters of the US Rule affects most of Tucson’s rivers (because most are not perennial). For example, without the Waters of the US rule, there is little to stop the operators of the Rosemont mine from dumping tailings and other pollutants into Davidson Canyon where they eventually would make their way into Cienega Creek and Tucson’s water supply. This stream provides Tucson with 20% of our ground water.

Senator Sinema, it is vital for the Waters of the U.S. rule to be codified into law to protect Tucson's water supply for now and in the future. Please, do everything you can to make the Waters of the U.S. Rule a law. 

Thank you,
Jana Segal

If you would like to share your thoughts or concerns about legislation or policy you can reach Senator Sinema's Phoenix office by calling 602-598-7327 or email contact@sinema.senate.gov.

The new green Congress is here – take action now

Ocasio-Cortez calls for a Green New Deal

Yesterday was the new Congress's first day in office — and the first day of our renewed fight for climate progress.

We can't afford to wait any longer for action on climate change and clean energy.

Raise your voice now: Tell Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally: Stand up to President Trump — make climate action your top priority!

Scientific evidence of climate change's impacts is mounting, but with the new vanguard of environmental champions that were sworn in to Congress yesterday, and new pro-environment leadership in the House of Representatives, there's new momentum in our fight.

Make no mistake: Congress must first end the partial government shutdown that is impacting hundreds of thousands of workers and threatening crucial protections for our air and water, public health and safety, and public lands.

But short-term politics can't slow the momentum of our long-term fight for a safe environment. And we refuse to wait until the shutdown is over to mobilize this new Congress on climate action.

We must seize this moment to remind senators and representatives that Americans demanded climate action on Election Day — and we're counting on them to break through the climate change denial and fossil fuel industry influence that plagued the last Congress.

So what would this bold climate agenda look like? Well, it could start with:

• Moving America away from dirty fossil fuels and toward a 100% clean energy future
• Investing in a clean energy economy, more green jobs, and 21st century infrastructure that will withstand the worsening impacts of climate change and bolster clean energy
• Taking urgently needed steps to reduce dangerous carbon pollution and meet our Paris agreement commitments
• Compelling the Trump administration to enforce the Clean Power Plan, Clean Car Standards, the Methane Rule, and other important policies to reduce emissions and lower energy costs for consumers
• Fully funding the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, and other key federal agencies tasked with defending our environment and health
• Protecting our national monuments and public lands and waters from being opened to reckless oil and gas drilling that produces dirty energy we don't need and slows our progress to a clean energy future
• Working with state and local governments to continue making key progress in slashing carbon pollution and promoting clean energy locally

Call on Congress to do all this and more — and avert climate catastrophe.

The tide in Washington is turning. President Trump and his allies in Congress will no longer get away with the scorched earth tactics and big polluter giveaways that have marked the first two years of this administration.

Americans have already been mobilizing in unprecedented numbers to turn back the Trump administration's pro-polluter attacks — and now there is exciting momentum behind a new grassroots call to arms, embodied in part by initiatives like the emerging Green New Deal to address climate change, clean energy, jobs, and economic inequality.

Help us capitalize on this growing movement by urging your members of Congress to lead on climate and clean energy.

Even if your lawmakers are already with us, we need to show them that we have their backs.

And if your legislators supported Trump's attempts to stall or even reverse clean energy progress, now's the time to put them on notice — that if they keep pushing their pro-polluter policies and climate denial, they'll be out of step with our economy, science, and the American people ... left behind on the wrong side of history.

Together on Election Day, we showed Trump and the world that Americans will not tolerate assaults on our environment from the federal government or anyone else.

Now we must hold Congress's feet to the fire to stand strong against Trump's attacks, resist the big polluter stronghold, and do right by their constituents — for our planet and our children's future. Please make your voice heard right away.

- Rhea Suh, President, NRDC Action Fund

More Information: 

Just Days Into a New Congress, Liberal Freshmen Are Shaking the Capitol - The New York Times

New Congress Members See Climate Solutions and Jobs in a Green New Deal - Inside Climate News

The Green New Deal, explained - VOX