Weekly Briefing: CCL reveals congressional speakers for conference

November 23, 2022

The midterms have been pivotal in forecasting the political leanings of the next Congress, and CCL is poised to make a difference no matter who is in office. One way to make sure that you’re fully prepared for climate action going into the new year is to attend CCL’s free, virtual December conference! This year’s conference, Dec. 3-4 with a reception on Dec. 2, will be held online through Zoom. 

In addition to our opening keynote speaker, former Republican Congressman Carlos Curbelo, CCL is excited to announce that we’ll be joined by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), who will speak as our closing keynotes.

At this year’s conference, you can find an array of engaging workshops about topics such as carbon pricing, carbon border adjustment mechanisms, clean energy permitting reform, building electrification and efficiency, health forests, engaging with chapter volunteers, and several other topics. Attendees can enjoy several interesting Sunday seminars about conservative climate action, the Inflation Reduction Act, and diverse community building. You can also participate in a reception over Zoom on Friday, Dec. 2. Check out all of the amazing sessions planned at the conference website here.

Several CCL speakers have already recorded promos for you expressing their excitement, including Executive Director Madeleine Para, Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Pendergrass, and Senior Director of Government Affairs Jennifer Tyler.

Hear from these exclusive speakers and learn what’s next for our climate advocacy at next month’s conference. Register today!

Register now!

In other news this week: 

• Primary and supporting asks for Fall 2022: Curious about what to ask Congress while lobbying this fall? Read the details of what to ask, depending on which chamber your member of Congress sits in and what their political affiliation is, here. 
• With Gratitude: As we look back on this year at all that we’ve accomplished, it’s important to give credit where credit is due. Throughout the end of the year, CCL will be spotlighting some of our favorite volunteer efforts that helped us make a difference in the form of a blog series. You can read the first installment here, and the second installment here. 
• Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful to have each and every one of you by our side, fighting for a better planet. From all of us at CCL, have a Happy Thanksgiving.

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Take action this week  

If you have a little time: Consider donating to our end of the year campaign 

As we enter a season of gratitude, you can help push CCL across the finish line and into the new year. Giving Tuesday is right around the corner – Nov. 29 – and you have the opportunity to double your impact! The first $350,000 in donations received on or before Giving Tuesday will be matched dollar-for-dollar, thanks to a matching pool provided by a group of Climate Guardian donors. Give soon, and your dollar can go even further to mobilize even more dedicated citizen lobbyists in support of bipartisan climate action. Save the date for Nov. 29, or make a tax-deductible donation today! 

If you have more time: Urge your members of Congress to support the RISEE Act
The RISEE Act is an important piece of bipartisan legislation that would promote offshore wind energy and help coastal communities hit by sea level rise and erosion. It could pass through Congress before the end of the year, but it needs more cosponsors. So far, CCL has sent 1,599 emails to Congress since we launched our RISEE Act campaign last week. Will you be our 1,600th email? Urge Congress here. 

Find your CCL chapter | Check out our Action Teams | Browse upcoming events
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Featured Lever This Week 

Maine clergy endorse carbon price

An opinion piece was recently published in Maine’s Portland Press Herald in which several clergy members of multiple denominations endorse a carbon price. 

Bishop Thomas Brown is the 10th and current bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. Monsignor Charles Murphy serves in the Catholic Diocese of Maine and formerly served as dean and rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Archdeacon John Chryssavgis lives in Maine and is theological adviser to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. All three co-wrote the op-ed from the Portland Press Herald.

“As people of faith, we recognize our responsibility to care for God’s creation and tο preserve the sacred gift of its natural resources. As Mainers, we recognize that we live in the sole state with both senators (Sen. Angus King and Sen. Susan Collins) on the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. In short, we have both urgency and agency,” the trio wrote. “The threat of accelerating climate change requires bold and effective climate policies to sustain the biodiversity of our planet and reduce the carbon emissions released into our atmosphere. At stake is human health and global prosperity, the flourishing of life and prevention of suffering.”

CCL volunteers in Maine reached out to the clergy members and asked for their endorsement. You can read the full letter below.

Read the clergy endorsement

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Upcoming Trainings 

12/1: Lobbying 401: Leading Your Lobby Team — This training is designed for those who wish to learn more about leading a lobby meeting with a member of Congress or staff. In this training, we'll review the role of a lobby team leader, how they assign team roles, coordinate practice times and how to handle other special situations. This training is Part IV in the “Working With Congress” training series, designed to help our more experienced volunteers and citizen lobbyists get ready for our June lobbying meetings. Join us!

Need training on the basics? Catch our next session of Core Volunteer Training, made for newer volunteers:

11/29: Communicating with Progressives — Join CCL Texas State Coordinator and Progressive Outreach Action Team leader Bob Hendricks for a training on Communicating With Progressives regarding putting a price on pollution. We'll facilitate a review of what CCL's ongoing plan for outreach to non-profit organizations is at the national and local level, and recommendations to talk about carbon fee and dividend with progressive groups. Join us!

To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.