Weekly Briefing: Midterm reflections and CCL's nonpartisan next steps on BAAJA

Nov. 4, 2026

Yesterday, the midterm elections dramatically swung the balance of power in Washington, D.C. One of our core values here at CCL is being nonpartisan, so we'll head into the final weeks of this Congress and into 2027 with our respectful, bridge-building attitude just as we always have. 

In that vein, we want to take a moment to uplift some remarks from Senator-elect James Talarico (D-TX) and Sen. John Curtis (R-UT), which exemplify the approach CCL takes to our climate work. 

Senator-elect Talarico talked about pushing back against the politics of division, saying, "In my experience, when you extend an open hand rather than a closed fist, you'll be surprised by who takes that hand."

As he laid out some of his own policy priorities as he heads to the Senate, he ended by saying, "We must bridge the divides between us and repair the ties that bind us."

Finally, reflecting on his campaign, he said, "We showed that when working people come together across every dividing line, we can do extraordinary things."

In Sen. Curtis's own post-election Substack message, he said that in 2027 it will be "more important than ever to put petty partisan politics aside and come together to solve the pressing issues the American people have begged us to address."

We can't think of better messages to head into the final weeks of this Congress and into 2027.

Right now, hundreds of CCLers are planning in-person lobby meetings next week on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA). Our volunteers will meet with both parties, in person, to advocate for this major permitting reform bill.

BAAJA will reduce emissions and support clean energy. New modeling from Resources for the Future shows BAAJA will:

• Reduce power sector climate pollution by a cumulative almost 2 billion tons through 2041, which if we extend to 2050 is nearly 3 billion tons.
• Increase our total transmission capacity by 30%, including doubling inter-regional transmission.
• Deploy more clean power and less fossil fuels. In 2028, we'll have 60 GW more clean power than the baseline (which is a significant amount!).
• Provider cheaper electricity, with the system cost of electricity falling by about 5%.

These upcoming lobby meetings won’t be the first time Congress has heard from CCL on BAAJA! We’ve already sent 9,140 messages to Congress in support of the legislation. Help us reach our goal of 15,000 messages. Then, get ready for later on this week when we up our game and start making calls to the Senate ahead of an expected vote next week!  

In other news this week:

• Election season accomplishments: Thank you to all the CCLers who worked hard in recent months to handwrite and send postcards to unlikely voters and encourage them to turn out. Together, we sent more than 25,000 postcards to voters across the country! And a special thank you goes out to CCL's whole Election Engagement Action Team and everything team members did to raise the profile of the climate issue throughout this campaign season.
   
• Inclusion fellowship application: Applications are open for CCL next Inclusion Fellow. The ideal candidate will be committed to helping CCL build a network of engaged Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPoC) members who are interested in climate policy and action. This fellowship lasts 12 months, January-December 2027, and works primarily with CCL’s People and Culture team. Learn more and apply here.

Take action this week

If you have a little time: Engage with CCL’s post about Sen. Heinrich's op-ed. Last week, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) published an op-ed in the Albuquerque Journal  in support of BAAJA. Like and share CCL’s post about the op-ed, then leave a supportive comment to show there’s widespread support for the bill!

If you have more time: Attend tonight’s BAAJA Action Party. Want to support BAAJA, but need some extra time or ideas? Attend tonight’s dedicated Action Party! Starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Zoom, we’ll walk through the many ways you can get involved and give you the time and support to take action during the call. Whether you have five minutes or want to organize something bigger, there’s an action for you. Come ready to choose the actions that work for you, connect with other volunteers, and leave knowing you've helped build more support for BAAJA in your community. 

If tonight's event doesn't work for your schedule, mark your calendar for an upcoming Wednesday. We will be hosting this BAAJA Action Party weekly on Wednesdays until the bill passes!

Upcoming trainings 

11/4: CCL BAAJA Action Party - Join CCL volunteers from across the country for a BAAJA Action Party to take action on Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA)! Come ready to choose the actions that work for you and then take those actions during the call. You'll connect with other volunteers, and leave knowing you've helped build more support for BAAJA in your community. You don’t need to be an expert, you just need to be ready to take action. Join us or plan to attend on a future Wednesday — we will be hosting this BAAJA Action Party weekly on Wednesdays until the bill passes!

11/5: Carbon Pricing Education Series Session 3: Current policy trends: CBAMs, intensity, and sectors - Carbon pricing policy is booming around the world, with many countries adopting it for the first time, or doubling down on their existing programs. This webinar will identify some of the policy trends in this widespread burst of interest and creativity. Some specific elements that will be considered include the purpose and role of carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs) in driving ambition. Join us

11/11: November LTE Workshop - Members of Congress, and their staff, pay attention to local media—especially when it mentions them by name. LTE’s can be written and published quickly and are a great way to let elected officials know the issues we’re concerned about and the action we want them to take. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned letter writer, come write with us—and take advantage of the power of local media. Join us!

11/12: CCL's Climate Advocate Lobby Training Workshop - Calling all new lobbyists! Get ready for Fall Lobby Week with this interactive workshop. You will learn the basics of becoming an effective climate advocate by reviewing CCL’s structure, mission, purpose, and methodology for creating a political will. We will also practice storytelling and hold a mock lobby meeting to put your new skills to use. Join us!

To see other events and CCL trainings, visit the Live Events Calendar on CCL Community.