This impromptu face to face meeting with CA Senator Kamala Harris occurred as our Citizens Climate Lobby team was headed toward her office for a meeting with Harris’ staffers. CCL volunteer Joyannah Lonnes (right) seized the moment by explaining that her house was destroyed in the recent Santa Rosa wildfires. As a newly minted “climate refugee” Joy could think of no higher purpose than to come to Washington to work on pricing carbon with CCL. Senator Harris was encouraged by our news that Republicans were increasingly engaged and receptive to working on climate solutions. (Pictured at center is Citizens Climate Lobby volunteer Randy Salim).

(Note: Citizens’ Climate Lobby conducted internal polling based on notes from thousands of Congressional lobby visits since 2014. It reflected a profound shift in the zeitgeist on climate change amongst Republicans. Four years ago, 1 in 3 Republican lawmakers was civil but disengaged in our meetings. As of June 2017, that lack of engagement dwindled to only 1 in 21.)

Cheers,

Eve Simmons