The Sunrise Movement is coordinating an Action tomorrow, Dec. 10th, related to the New Green Deal. Information related to this follows. You can help by calling your Congressional representatives’ offices and urging them to endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal. Information for how to do that is found in the Action Guide below.

“The Democratic Party Wants to Make Climate Policy Exciting”  by Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, Dec 5, 2018   On Monday, speaking at a town hall led by Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative-Elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez framed her chosen climate policy—the Green New Deal—through the lens of gallant American exceptionalism. “This is going to be the New Deal, the Great Society, the moon shot, the civil-rights movement of our generation,” she said.

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The Sunrise Movement   https://www.sunrisemovement.org/

We are making history and permanently changing the politics of climate change. 18 Democratic Congresspeople and nearly 100 of the most powerful community, environmental, and economic justice organizations in the country have endorsed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal.

We don’t have a moment to waste. Wildfires are burning down whole towns in California, and the latest UN report says we have 12 years to rapidly transform our economy to protect human civilization as we know it. Young people carry the burden of imagining our futures under climate breakdown, and now we’re seeing our nightmares become reality.

But politicians are giving bogus excuses for why they can’t support the Select Committee on a Green New Deal. They have told us us they haven’t read the resolution yet, that they support a Green New Deal but not this committee, that they admire our passion, but that we’re young and naive and impatient.The Democratic Leadership are waiting on the sidelines and so far they haven’t had the courage to stand up to the fossil fuel lobby. They’re hoping our movement is just a flash in the pan and that they can wait us out.

That’s why now is the time to go bigger than ever. Between now and their final day on December 13th, Congress will be setting their agenda for 2019. That means we have just days to make sure a Green New Deal is front and center on the House’s agenda.

200 Sunrisers changed the world by sitting-in at Nancy Pelosi’s office. Then, only a week later, we upped the ante by visiting 150 Congressional offices across the country. Now, we need to push the envelope even further. We’ll descend on the U.S. Capitol 500-strong to tell all Congressional Democrats: We need to see enthusiastic and explicit support for the Select Committee on a Green New Deal.

There are #NoExcuses for anything less. Politicians who don’t have the spine to stand up to the fossil fuel billionaires that bankroll Congress don’t deserve to lead. The world is watching us. See you on December 10 to deliver our message loud and clear.

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Green New Deal Action Guide

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We’re taking action now to demand a plan on climate change that rises to to the scale of the challenge: A Green New Deal. This is the fight of our lives. On November 13th, 200 young people united in powerful action in DC. Then, we kept the pressure on by visiting representatives around the country asking them to support a Green New Deal. So far, 15 representatives have committed their support! This guide contains next steps to turn up the heat to get your member of congress to endorse the select committee for a Green New Deal.

The Context:

When Democrats retake control of the House in January, Nancy Pelosi has pledged to create a new toothless “House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming” that will have no power to advance climate legislation. It will only have the power to “convene hearings” to talk about climate change. The committee doesn’t have a plan. It doesn’t even have a plan to make a plan. (See articles here and here for background).

Are you serious?!?!  In 2018 with climate change bearing down on us, our generation will not stand for words without action.  This committee (as it’s currently proposed), is nothing more than a front for Democrats  to claim that they “care” about climate change while NOT making it a central part of their legislative agenda.  This. Is. Unacceptable.

The Solution:

Enter Representative-Elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who just introduced a Resolution to create a new House Select Committee on a Green New Deal.  This committee would be charged with creating a national climate plan that actually meets the scale of the climate crisis with the urgency that science and justice demands.  You can learn more about the proposed Committee and its mandate here and here and read the actual resolution here.

This Committee is the real deal.  The Green New Deal is the policy we’ve been waiting for.  And we CAN win this fight, but only if we get a critical mass of House members to support the Green New Deal Resolution in the next two weeks!  If we build enough Congressional support from key members, Pelosi will be forced to cave to our demands.

Your Mission:

We need you to contact your Representative today (and other Representatives in your State) and ask them to endorse the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal. We need you to tweet at them, call them, and show up in D.C. on December 10th (info here)  to let them know that we’re serious about our demands.

Below is a step-by-step guide that will help you take action.

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Green New Deal Action Guide

If you visit a Representative’s District Office – Don’t Forget to: Make the following hard ask of your Representative: Will you sign onto Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Resolution to create a House Select Committee on a Green New Deal? Sign Everyone In who Attends your Action/Office Visit: Have everyone who attends your Action/Office Visit Text “Sunrise” to 72345 to sign in.  This will let us track the number of people participating in office visits! Make sure people respond to all  3 Text prompts. Make at least one social media post (ideally on Twitter) using the hashtag #GreenNewDeal and tag @sunrisemvmt.  Include your best photo and be sure to tag your Representative! Take LOTS of photos/videos and send your best ones to Sunrise so we can post them on social media and beyond!  Email photos and videos to photo.video@sunrisemovement.org.‬ Send a follow-up email to your Representative or their staff within one day of your office visit, reiterating your ask and including this Green New Deal 2-Pager.

TAKE ACTION:

1.) Choose Your Local Targets:

Make a list of the local Congress people that you can ask to endorse the Resolution. The best targets are progressive Democrats.

a.) Look up your Representatives: Go to www.house.gov and look up your Representative by typing in your zip code in the top right corner.  If you are in a city and there are multiple Representatives in your area, consider targeting them all.

2.) Organize a Social Media & Call Blitz with Friends

We are more powerful when we take action together.  Invite your friends/Hub members to get together to call  your LOCAL Representatives (use this call tool) and tweet at them (use this tweet tool).  Set a clear goal for how many social media posts you plan to generate and how many calls you plan to make as a group.  Remind people to keep calling and tweeting every day!!!

You can also use your time together to strategize about how you’ll reach out to local organizations to ask them to endorse a Green New Deal, recruit people to attend the December 10th Day of Action in DC and plan out your local office visit! (See below for all three).

3.) Recruit local organizations to endorse the Green New Deal

Climate change impacts everyone and a Green New Deal that helps us achieve environment, economic and racial justice is something most progressive organization will be excited to get behind.

The larger the list of organizations endorsing the House Select Committee on a Green New Deal, the more power we have to make it a reality!

Your mission: Send this Green New Deal Organizational Sign-On Kit to as many local, state, regional and national partners that you can and ask them to officially endorse the Resolution.

4.) Make plans to descend on DC for a Green New Deal  on 12/10!!

Just 3 days before this session of Congress ends, we will gather in full force to demand Democratic leaders support Alexandria Ocasion-Cortez’s proposal for a Select Committee for a Green New Deal. It’s our last chance to ensure that a Green New Deal Select Committee is included in next year’s Congressional plan. We can make it happen, but we need you there. Join us in D.C. for a training on December 9th and a historic day of action on December 10th. Victory is within reach. On December 10th, we’ll show up in the hundreds, with hope and courage, to claim our right to a better future.  Learn more here.
 
Help cover travel expenses by donating here: bit.ly/dctravelfund

5.) Organize an Office Visit/Action

Between now and the end of the Congressional session, Sunrisers from across the country will show up in person to call on their Representatives to endorse the Green New Deal Resolution. We’re going to show up at Representative’s District offices to deliver letters + pictures of what we love and are fighting to protect from climate change, and demand that our leaders support this game-changing Resolution.

Green New Deal Campaign Website: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/gnd/ (the best place for up-to-date information!)

Organize an Office Visit: Get a group of friends together to visit your targeted Congressperson’s local District Office to ask them to sign onto the Resolution to create a House Select Committee on a Green New Deal.   

Preparation:

• Recruit
  • The more people you bring to your Representative’s office, the more impact you’ll have.  Create a Facebook Event to invite people in your community to attend your event (see sample here).  
  • Please email your Facebook event link to team@sunrisemovement.org.
  • Call, text and email your friends and invite them to join you!  Show them this action recap video from Tuesday’s action to get them HYPE.
• Prepare your visuals & handouts:
  • Print the Green New Deal 2-pager to present to your target Representative(s) (or their staff).
  • Have each participant write a letter and/or bring a photo of what they are fighting to protect from climate change to deliver to your Representative. Bring these in manila envelopes with “Dear Rep’s Name,” written on one side and “What is your plan?” written on the other.  See example here). This is important! The manila envelope has become a unified symbol across our movement — looking unified will communicate the strength and seriousness of our movement.
  • Prepare signs/banners that communicates your message.
    • Sign message suggestions: Green Jobs For All; We have 12 Years, What is Your Plan?;  Step Up or Step Aside; Green New Deal Now
    • Check out our style guide and logos for inspiration. Here’s a Sunrise Logo Stencil and a “What Is Your Plan?” stencil for the manila envelopes.
  • OPTIONAL: Bring petition signatures (PDF here) generated from our national petition calling for a Green New Deal to deliver to your Representative.   
• Determine action roles:
  • Speaker(s) – Who will talk to the staff/Representative during your office visit?
    • See this script for Action Emcees / Spokespeople
    • See these Top Line Messages for everyone to be familiar with.
  • Photographer and videographer (make sure you get one good photo with your full group at the office!).  
  • Livestreamer – Will you livestream before, during or after your office visit?
• Make a social media plan:
  • Prepare tweets (that target your Representative’s twitter handle).
    • Reference these Top Line Messages when constructing your posts.
  • Make a plan for what photos you want to take.
• Meet-up before-hand to go over the plan with your group.
  • Practice Songs and Chants
  • Practice speaking roles
  • Read over the FAQ on the Green New Deal

At the office:

• Before you enter the office:
  • Sign everyone in who Attends your Action/Office Visit so that we can keep track of our national participation.  To do this, do one of the following:  
    • DIGITAL – Have everyone text “Sunrise” to 72345 to sign in.  Make sure people respond to the 3 Text Prompts.
    • PAPER – Have everyone sign in on this paper sheet that you print and bring with you.  Take a picture of it before you go into the office and email it to data@sunrisemeovement.org
• Ask if your Representative is available and if you can speak with them. (Likely this will be a no. In that case, ask to speak with the Legislative Staffer who works on Energy & Environment issues, and if that doesn’t work, ask to speak with any staffer)
• Begin your Meeting:
  • Introduce yourselves. Announce who you are and why you are at the office today.
    • OPTIONAL: Consider having the Action Emcee/Primary Spokesperson open your meeting/action using this script.
    • Use these Top Line Messages to help you communicate your points.
  • Share your personal stories, why you’re passionate to fight climate change, and why it’s important for the candidate to sign on to the Resolution.
    • OPTIONAL: Bring the envelopes you made containing the letter and/or photo of what you are fighting for, and deliver these while you’re sharing your stories.
  • Hand the Representative and/or Staffer the 2-Pager that describes what a Green New Deal is and why we need a Select Committee.
    • OPTIONAL: If Petition Delivery – Hand over the printed petition signatures (PDF here) generated from our national petition calling for a Green New Deal.   
  • Clearly articulate your demand: for the Representative to sign onto the Resolution to create a House Select Committee on a Green New Deal.  Walk them through how they can officially endorse the Resolution (see the 2-Pager).
  • Make the hard direct ask: Will Representative X, sign onto the Resolution to create a House Select Committee on a Green New Deal?  Wait for an answer.
  • Ask for the Representative or Staffer’s contact info, and ask when they will give you an answer about whether they’ll endorse the Resolution (if they don’t give you an answer in real time).
• Before you leave the building, take at least one picture of your group (and remember, the more pictures the better throughout!).
• OPTIONAL WAYS TO TAKE YOUR OFFICE VISIT TO THE NEXT LEVEL:
  • Consider livestreaming all or part of your Office visit.  Include #GreenNewDeal in the video description. (*film horizontally!)
    • Here is an example of a livestream from our sit-in in Nancy Pelosi’s office this past Tuesday.
  • Consider preparing and practicing songs and chants to sing. Here’s some example songs and chants!
  • Consider having people give speeches to share their personal stories (examples here).

After the Action:

• Make at least one social media post (ideally on Twitter) using the hashtag #GreenNewDeal and tag @sunrisemvmt.  Include your best photo and be sure to tag your Representative!
• Send your five best photos and videos to Sunrise to add to our Green New Deal National Day of Action website and to send to Press by Tuesday at 5 PM (but the sooner the better!).  Email photos and videos to photo.video@sunrisemovement.org.‬
• Send a follow-up email to your Representative or their staff within one day of your office visit, reiterating your ask and including this Green New Deal 2-Pager.  Then call and email them every few days until they give you a clear Yes or No answer!
• Celebrate pulling off an awesome office visit/action!