Weekly Briefing: After Months Of CCL Support, PROVE IT Act Passes Senate Committee

January 24, 2024

Last Thursday, the bipartisan PROVE IT Act passed through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with a bipartisan majority vote of 15-4. How did it achieve this exciting milestone? With a boost from CCL, of course!

Since the bill was introduced last summer, we’ve supported it in lobby meetings on Capitol Hill (like the one pictured above) and with thousands of messages to congressional offices. Our volunteers have written op-eds and letters to the editor about this bill from Delaware to North Dakota and many more places in between.

Then last week, when the bill was headed for markup, volunteers in 19 states sprang into action to call the Senate committee members and encourage them to support the legislation. It passed on a bipartisan basis, earning even more "yes" votes than expected.

Here's the Story of Our Support

In other news this week:

• New public polling on climate: The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication just released their updated Climate Opinion Maps, based on polling conducted near the end of 2023. Check out the updated maps to see what Americans think of a range of climate questions and how those opinions have changed over time. 

• Conservative climate event in D.C.: Are you politically right of center, or know someone in your chapter who is? Apply or share the link to our upcoming Conservative Climate Leadership Conference & Lobby Day, March 19-20, in Washington, D.C.

• Perception gap on Canada’s carbon price: Public support for Canada’s carbon fee and dividend policy has dropped from 56% in 2021 to 45% this year. But emissions are down, and rebates are higher than costs for most families. So what’s going on? CCL Research Coordinator Rick Knight explores the answer in a new blog post.

• Watch AMA with Jesse Jenkins: Last night, CCLers heard from superstar researcher Jesse Jenkins in an “ask me anything” session. Catch the recording on CCL’s YouTube channel now.

Take action this week

If you have a little time: Write to Congress about clean energy permitting reform. So far, CCL volunteers have sent 9,300 messages asking Congress to keep working toward a bipartisan clean energy permitting package. Can you get us closer to our goal of 10,000 messages? Your representative and senators need to hear that you want America to build and deploy new clean energy projects faster and with more community involvement. Tell them today!

If you have more time: Plan an election season activity. We’re aiming to complete 2,500 election season activities this year, all of which will help boost climate change higher on the priority list of people running for office. You can start planning an election-, candidate- or voter-related activity to help get your community ready to vote and prompt candidates to prioritize climate policy. Visit the Election Engagement Action Team for ideas and support.

Featured chapter: CCL Holland

CCL Holland has over 50 engaged volunteers, spanning four Michigan lakeshore communities. Chapter leaders Peter Boogaart, Nancy Berg and April Beattie help steer the group’s robust advocacy efforts, which include regular lobby meetings with Michigan lawmakers, at least six tabling events in 2023, tree planting efforts, and a monthly environmental column (five years running!) in The Holland Sentinel.

Volunteer Peter Everts recently contributed one of those columns, writing about maintaining hope even in the face of anxiety-provoking climate news. “Staying anxious or depressed can lead to inaction and helplessness,” Peter wrote. “Climate is the existential crisis of our time; to successfully deal with it we have to keep hope alive.”

In addition to keeping hope alive in the Holland chapter, they’re keeping close connections with each other. Peter says, “Each year we organize a semiannual potluck. In December, we had 30 CCL members share in a holiday meal before our speaker event. We also have field trips. Last year a group of us visited a local regenerative farm, which was both instructive and fun.”

“We are blessed to work closely with three nearby CCL groups,” Peter adds. “We share ideas and participate in various lobbying efforts. We need each other!” Keep up the great collaboration, CCL Holland!

Have you logged your recent activities in the Action Tracker? Tell us what your chapter has been up to lately. Action Tracker
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Upcoming trainings

1/25: Farm Bill Legislative Overview - Join CCL's Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Pendergrass to learn how we expect the Farm Bill process to look this year, what CCL's priorities will be within the package, and how you can work with your members of Congress to help ensure that the climate provisions are maintained. Join us!

2/1: 2024 Media Opportunities - Join CCL's Communications team, Flannery Winchester and Charlotte Ward, for an overview of the opportunities chapters will have to engage with their local news media on climate solutions this year, including some media work you can be doing right now. Join us!

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

1/30: Understanding Congress Basics - Join CCL staff to learn the details of the congressional policy-making process, how a bill becomes law, and research from the Congressional Management Foundation on what life in Congress is like for staff members and lawmakers. Join us!

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

Nerd Corner Chart of the Week

Canadian climate pollution has fallen since they introduced a carbon fee and dividend

Join the discussion about what's happening with Canada's carbon price and emissions.