Friend — we’re a few weeks into our Annual Fund campaign, and as things stand, we’re short of our goal. And your support is especially critical at this moment.

Congress just returned from recess and Republicans are still playing chicken with the debt ceiling. House Republicans still won’t say what programs they are willing to cut to meet their desired draconian budget cuts. Instead, right now, they are offering an “opening bid” on debt ceiling negotiations: if Democrats agree to ax environmental spending, pass the Polluters Over People Act, and repeal the biggest ever climate law in the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans will stop holding the economy hostage… but only until next year.

Here’s the deal: Republicans aren’t proposing an actual budget because they know how unpopular it is to cut funding for every single federal agency tasked with safeguarding the environment and public health — including the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Land Management, and Department of Agriculture. That’s why they’re using the debt ceiling to hold the Biden Administration hostage — because they know the only way they’ll ever pass this outrageous agenda is by threatening a massive financial crisis.

We must stop the hostage taking and pass the funding levels laid out in the President’s budget to secure the investments we need in clean energy, our communities, and our climate.

This is where you come in: we need to scale up a campaign to ensure legislators don’t gut critical funding for the EPA and other vital environmental agencies. That means pressuring wavering members of Congress to protect the environment all the way until a deal is passed… but the truth is, if we fall short on our Annual Fund goal, we’re not going to be able to pull that off.

We’re asking: Please, chip in right now toward our 2023 Annual Fund Drive. Even $5 will make a difference >>

MAKE YOUR GIFT NOW: HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

Friend — it’s really bad. Republicans’ proposed budget cuts  would defund a number of critical agencies, including cuts to:

• Environmental Protection Agency: Proposed cuts would massively reduce the EPA’s ability to enforce clean energy standards and directly threaten clean air and water safeguards that protect people’s health. We can’t let that happen — please, pitch in today >> 
• Department of Agriculture: Cuts to the USDA would harm farming, ranching, and rural communities, threaten food security programs, and impact the safety inspections that protect the food we eat every day. Keep our communities safe and healthy >>
• Bureau of Land Management: Proposed cuts from House Republicans would impact the basic operations of our National Parks across the country, directly jeopardizing the maintenance of recreational areas, historical sites, and public lands. Don’t let that happen! Protect our national parks >>

Friend — this is a fight we can win. With a slim pro-environment majority in the Senate, House Republicans can’t unilaterally defund these vital agencies. But this will be one of the most high-stakes budget fights in recent history. We have to reach a deal — and we absolutely cannot let them put the environment on the chopping block.

This could be the most important environmental fight of 2023, Friend — and the only way we’re going to get through it is with your help. Make your gift right now toin support of our 2023 Annual Fund. $5 can make a real difference >>

STOP ENVIRO BUDGET CUTS: SUPPORT LCV'S ANNUAL FUND

I know that we can win with you alongside us. Thanks for everything that you do.

Onward,

Gene Karpinski
President
League of Conservation Voters