JUNE ACTIONS

We just heard some breaking news that affects our Power Up campaign organizing this month—so we're writing with an important update.

The big clean energy jobs bill is moving through Congress more quickly than anyone anticipated. We're hearing reports from Washington that Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives are planning to hold a full floor vote the week of June 22nd.

That's a really big deal, and it means that we need to accelerate and intensify our organizing. The current draft of the bill has been weakened and isn't yet the strong clean energy jobs bill we've been fighting for. Right now, it's critically important that we persuade Congress to pass amendments strengthening the bill.

Here's what that means in practice

We need Congress to strengthen the bill in two key ways. First, the bill must ensure the creation of clean energy jobs by including a stronger renewable energy standard. Second, it must not remove President Obama's authority to crack down on global warming pollution from coal plants, refineries, and factories. In June we''ll focus our advocacy on these two fronts.

Here's what the Jersey City/ Hoboken Council has decided to do during the conference call on June 3, 2009

This new timeline for the bill means we need to ramp up our advocacy on progressive members of Congress. There's a great deal of pressure on these members to sit quietly and accept the weaker version of the bill.

So since our local representatives are progressives who supports clean energy, we have decided to organize three different actions to keep the pressure on.

1. 
   3 of our council's members will call Congressman Sires (Rossella) Congressman Payne (Jacquie) and Congressman Rothman (Glen) to ask them their position on three key issues (1. to authorize the EPA to regulate power plant emissions; 2 to call for stronger renewable energy mandate; 3 to cut emissions permits give-aways). We will ask them to lead the fight for a stronger bill. During the phone call, we will also ask them if at all possible to set up a personal meeting with some of the Clean Energy business owners or workers who have a vested interest in the bill. The goal is to have the representatives hear from them directly how this bill can create new economic opportunities and new jobs and why it must remain strong.


2. 
   
   This is a moment for rapid response. Move on will send a blast e-mail petition which should be signed by as many members as possible. Look for it in your e-mail box and reply asap. The petitions will be printed out and dropped off at each of the Congressman offices. Please add your comments to let your Congressman know your position.


3. 
   
   Our June actions need to happen before the big vote. To make a greater impact and add more voices, we have also decided to do a sign-on letter. We will ask local partner groups to sign a letter; and we will deliver this letter signed by many groups to the congressmen's offices. We will need to reach out to many groups, especially to groups that are important to the Reps., such as donors, and groups they have had endorsements from. We will need to call all these groups and we need all of our members to help. If each one of us calls 3 or 4 groups it will be an easy job. The 6/7 people that always make phone calls can’t do this alone. We need you to step up and help out. We need you to send an e-mail to jc.h.council@gmail.com and let us know how many groups from our list you are willing to call or if you want to call groups that you are already involved with and that in your opinion will be willing to sign-on. The call should not take more than a few minutes. We’ll send you a script to follow. So it is a very simple action but it is very important.

This is really a make-or-break moment in the fight for a new energy economy. We have a unique opportunity to influence legislation that’s in Congress as we speak and that’s very exciting.

Please help out. Contact us at jc.h.council@gmail.com. We need to push our members in the House—and be ready for round two of this fight when the bill moves to the Senate.