Weekly Briefing: Capitol Hill Happenings - Climate Lobby Meetings & A Carbon Tax Resolution

March 20, 2024

 It’s a busy week on Capitol Hill! Today, attendees at our Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day are holding dozens of volunteer lobby meetings with Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate. 

They’re ready to make a big impact after hearing yesterday’s informative training sessions and powerful guest speakers, including Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, American Conservation Coalition Action, and former Miss America Grace Stanke.

In today’s lobby meetings, CCLers are having discussions about the BIG WIRES Act and other opportunities for bipartisan permitting reform. Pictured above are some of our volunteers in a meeting with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today, which the senator himself shared on social media.

We'll also be having some Hill conversations about a late-breaking topic: an anti-carbon tax resolution coming up for a vote in the House on Friday. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) introduced the resolution, which argues that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the U.S. economy. (Of course, we know that’s not true. When designed well, a carbon fee and dividend actually creates jobs while cutting pollution!)

We’ve seen resolutions like this in past sessions of Congress, earning less and less support each time they come up. The Washington Examiner told readers in their Daily on Energy newsletter this week, “Keep in mind that some Republicans have supported a carbon tax, and have introduced legislation that would enact a version of it.”

Still, the upcoming vote creates an easy opportunity to send a clear, resounding message to Congress in support of carbon pricing. Call your Representative and encourage them to vote NO on the resolution! 

Your call will add extra emphasis to the discussions we're having on Capitol Hill today, helping keep carbon pricing on the table to cut America's carbon pollution.

I'll Call My Rep

In other news this week:

• You're invited to D.C., too: Registration is open for CCL’s 2024 Summer Conference & Lobby Day! This event is open to people of every political stripe, and it takes place June 8-11 in Washington, D.C. Register early to grab your lobby spot and to get the early bird discount, which ends on April 1.

Take action this week

If you have a little time: Support CCL with a monthly donation. Monthly donations from grassroots supporters like you provide reliable funding for our work year round. In March, we’ve set a goal of $10,000 in new monthly donations — and each dollar will be TRIPLE matched through April and May. To say thanks for your support, you’ll get a free CCL tote bag when you donate $65 or more. Donate today!

If you have more time: Share social media posts from our Conservative Conference. It’s not every day that right-of-center folks meet with Republican offices about climate change. Spread the word about CCL’s unique big-tent approach to climate advocacy by sharing some of the posts from this week’s Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day! Visit our Spread the Word page to find and share posts, including photos of our volunteers on Capitol Hill.

Featured chapter: CCL Fayetteville

Look out, Congress — our chapter in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is freshly fired up! In February, they held a training workshop that drew 20 attendees, most of whom filled out a “next step” form to get more involved with the chapter. 

“The group was really interactive and engaged,” says Jan Schaper, co-state coordinator for CCL Arkansas alongside Jean Larson. One of the workshop attendees was the mayor of Fayetteville, Lioneld Jordan, who was an early endorser of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act and is connected with the Climate Mayors network. “He is super excited that the chapter is getting up and running again,” Jan says.  

Local CCLers Sterling Smith and Joanna Person-Michener will lead the Fayetteville chapter moving forward. “Sterling and Joanna were great to present with,” Jan says, and they’ve kept up the momentum with a March chapter meeting just last week.

We’re cheering you on, CCL Fayetteville!

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

Upcoming trainings

3/21: CCL's 2024 Conservative Conference Highlights - Join CCL staff for a recap of some of the best parts of CCL's 2024 Conservative Conference presentations and keynotes. We'll plan on watching shorter segments that sample highlights from the day's line-up of speakers. Join us!

3/28: Diversity & Inclusion Updates - Join CCL's Diversity & Inclusion Director Karina Ramirez for an update on all of the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives CCL has been up to in the past year. Join us!

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

3/26: Grasstops Engagement Basics - Join CCL's National Action Director Todd Elvins to learn how to conduct outreach to local community leaders and gain their support for carbon pricing and other climate solutions. Join us!

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

Nerd Corner Chart of the Week

Updated emissions reductions estimate from CCL's policy agenda

Join the discussion about how much CCL's policy agenda can reduce climate pollution.