Dear Neighbors and Friends,
Thanks to your support, Interfaith Power & Light brought faith leaders from 30 states to Washington, D.C., last week to urge our members of Congress to act on climate! (That’s some of us pictured above, on the roof of a solar powered Lutheran church near the capitol). We delivered postcards to senators collected during Faith Climate Action Week in support of a moral, just, and equitable Green New Deal, and met with more than 100 Congressional offices to insist the U.S. remain in the Paris Climate Agreement.
The very next day, the House passed HR 9, the Climate Action Now Act, re-affirming our country’s commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. The bill requires the Trump administration to produce a plan for the U.S. to meet the emissions reductions targets we committed to in Paris, and blocks funding to withdraw from the historic accord. This is the most significant climate legislation to pass either chamber of Congress in a decade!
The bill passed the House 291-190 with all Democrats and three Republicans voting yes. The Republicans were: Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), Elise Stefanik (New York), and Vern Buchanan (Florida). If your representative supported this bill, please make a quick phone call to thank them. You can call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with your representative’s office. You can leave a message with whoever answers the phone – they will probably jot down your name and zip code to track calls.
Here’s a sample message:
“ As a person of faith in _______ (your town) I want to thank Rep. _______ for voting for the Climate Action Now Act, HR 9. I see this as an important first step in fulfilling our moral obligation to protect our planet from global warming and I’m proud that he/she voted for it.“
Remember to ask for your Representative, not your Senator. This bill passed the House but not the Senate.
Even if your representative is a strong supporter of the environment, they still need to hear from you. The more positive feedback they get from their district, the more likely they are to prioritize the issue of climate. And of course, letting them know that people of faith see this as a matter of Creation care is meaningful.
Thank you for making your voice heard today, and for your support in allowing us to bring the voice of people of faith and conscience all over this country to the halls of Congress. It made a difference!
Onward,
Susan Stephenson
Executive Director