Hi friend,

I’m going to level with you. This is a difficult moment.

By now, you’ve probably seen that West Virginia Senator Manchin has announced his opposition to the current version of the Build Back Better Act. With a 50-50 split in the Senate and members of one party refusing to even consider supporting this transformative piece of legislation, Senator Manchin’s reversal is a big deal. To be honest with you, when I heard this news on Sunday, I felt disappointment, frustration, and fear.

But thinking about the work we and our allies have done, I also felt something else: determination. I thought about all the work you have done together to bring us to this point. I started working as Federal Climate Campaign Manager for Conservation Voters of PA in April. Since then, volunteers like you have consistently impressed and inspired me with your tenacity. We’ve told our stories in virtual and in-person events. We’ve written letters to the editors of our local papers. We’ve called, emailed, and delivered petitions to our legislators. We’ve created art, and we’ve knocked on thousands of doors to bring more people into our movement.

And we’re not even close to being done fighting for the good green jobs that will sustain families, for the transition to clean energy that will address the root causes of climate change, and for the specific policies that will address environmental justice for Black, Brown, and low-income Americans.

The Build Back Better Agenda will be the strongest action the United States has ever taken to combat the climate crisis. This bill will put the U.S. on track to save people $500 a year on their energy bills, cut climate pollution in half by 2030, invest directly in communities of color too often left behind, and create good-paying union jobs. These policies are overwhelmingly popular. The vast majority of people are on our side.

I know this is not the end of the year many of us had hoped for, but the fight isn’t over. We’re getting ready for the next round. We’re not going to give up.

Will you join us? Click here to tell your Senators and your Representative that you’re not giving up and you’re determined to see climate action now >>

I hope you, your family, and your friends have safe and Happy Holidays!

Kai Mateo
Federal Climate Campaign Manager

Conservation Voters of PA