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CCL Lobby Training #2: Legislative Plan, Review, Q&A

October 23, 2023�

Presentation Slides: cclusa.org/lobby-slides-2

Welcome to CCL’s training tonight, a weekly webinar program of Citizens’ Climate Lobby that provides CCL supporters with access to in-depth learning opportunities on topics relating to climate change and effective climate advocacy.

I’m your host Brett Cease, CCL’s Vice President of Programs, and tonight’s topic is CCL Lobby Training #2: Legislative Plan, Review, Q&A

On October 26th, Join CCL's Vice President for Government Affairs Ben Pendergrass and Senior Director of Government Affairs Jennifer Tyler for a training that will review more details and the context for CCL's Fall 2023 Primary and Secondary Asks, as well as guidance for lobby teams as they plan their online meetings. This is a recommended training for any CCL volunteer planning on being a part of their group's Fall 2023 Lobby Meeting (as well as Mon Oct 23rd Lobby Training #1 on Primary and Secondary Asks).

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/citizensclimate/

Welcome! Thanks for joining us, feel free to share where you’re calling in from and what brought you here in the chat!
Feel free to use the Q&A icon to start typing your questions for Ben and Jenn and upvoting others with the thumbs up icon.
Follow our presentation slides tonight: https://cclusa.org/lobby-slides-2

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Housekeeping

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About Our Speakers

Ben Pendergrass

Vice President of Government Affairs

Jenn Tyler

Sr. Director of Government Affairs

Ben Pendergrass serves as Vice President of Government Affairs and is part of the CCL government relations team in Washington D.C. In this role, he works to the advance the policy goals of CCL in Congress.

Ben has worked for over 14 years in Washington both as Congressional staff and as a government relations professional. For several years, Ben served on the legislative staff of Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM). Most recently, he was Senior Vice President, Policy and Legislative Affairs for a national trade association. Ben has worked in a wide range of policy areas including taxes, natural resources, agriculture and national security. He has successfully advanced standalone legislation as well as provisions in annual appropriations bills, tax extender legislation, and farm bills. He has also worked extensively with federal agencies and worked on numerous federal regulations.

Ben grew up in New Mexico and graduated from Tulane University with a degree in history. He lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife, son, and greyhound.

Jennifer Tyler serves as Senior Director of Government Affairs and is part of the CCL government relations team in Washington, D.C. In this role, she works to advance the policy goals of CCL in Congress.

Jennifer has spent over 7 years in public service, serving as Congressional staff. Most recently, she was Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman John Katko (NY-24). Throughout her time as Congressional staff, Jennifer handled a broad policy portfolio including transportation, natural resources, taxes, homeland security, agriculture, and healthcare. She has developed strong relationships throughout Washington on both sides of the aisle and has extensive experience in successfully crafting and advancing legislative initiatives.�Jennifer spends her free time outdoors with family and friends. She lives in Kensington, Maryland with her wife and two rescue pups.

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Three Learning Goals

Review CCL’s 2023 Fall Primary Ask (the BIG WIRES Act) and Secondary Asks (the TSP Access Act and RISEE Act).

Review how appointments are being set and how to coordinate your local meeting planning.

Review updates in the current dynamics in Congress and how they influence our own lobbying week.

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Our Agenda

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What’s Happening in Congress?

Primary & Secondary Asks

Q&A Discussion

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Reminders and Review

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Reminders & Review

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Reminder Where To Find Trainings

All CCL Training recordings are posted at https://cclusa.org/youtube
Reviewing Primary & Secondary Asks: https://cclusa.org/primary-secondary-asks
Legislative Plan: https://cclusa.org/legislative-plan (updated by tomorrow)
Search “Primary and Secondary Asks” or “Legislative Plan”
Note: Primary/Secondary ask one-pagers/documents are already uploaded to CCL Community and tonight’s training recording will be uploaded by tomorrow.

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How Appointments For Meetings Are Set

Fall Lobby Meetings the week of November 6 -10
All appointments for meetings will be set by CCL congressional liaisons (or someone they designate)
CCL's Meeting Plan Template can be used as a guide to prioritize everyone’s ideas for the lobby meeting. Key items include appreciation, primary goal, secondary asks, and open-ended questions for discussion
For the fall lobby drive, lobby teams will be created by the local meeting lead, who is usually the liaison and/or appointment setter.

How Are Appointments For Meetings Set

The CCL Congressional Liaison is the designated point of contact with the Congressional office.

All appointments for meetings will be set by CCL congressional liaisons (or someone they designate). If you are not a liaison, please do not try to set an appointment (you can learn about becoming a liaison here). If you’re not sure if there is a liaison or you need help, contact your Regional or State Coordinator.
If there is no liaison to set the appointment for your Senator or Representative, work with chapters in the district/state and your CCL Regional or State Coordinator to designate an appointment setter and email their contact info to liaison.coordinator@citizensclimatelobby.org. CCL's Liaison Coordinator team will distribute details on how to set appointments to appointment setters.

Lobby Meeting Planning

If you'd like one resource that can help your team plan is CCL's Meeting Plan Template. It can be used as a guide to solicit, discuss and prioritize everyone’s ideas for the lobby meeting. Key items to discuss include the appreciation, primary goal, secondary asks, and open-ended questions for discussion. You can find planning guidance on the Planning Your Lobby Meeting training page.
If there is a primary liaison, but the liaison is not at your meeting, designate someone to send your ideas to the liaison.

Assembling Your Lobby Team

For the fall lobby drive, lobby teams will be created by the local meeting lead, who is usually the liaison and/or appointment setter. If you have any questions about who that person is for your group, feel free to reach out to your chapter leader. If you have any additional questions please contact CCL's Liaison Coordinator team at liaison.coordinator@citizensclimatelobby.org.

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Recommendations for Liaisons

Aim for appointments early that week (Mon or Tues Nov. 6-7)
The Congressional calendar is uncertain, follow what your scheduler recommends (i.e. start with D.C. scheduler for member meeting, but pivot if they recommend you go with your district office)
Questions - ask your group leader, then: liaison.coordinator@citizensclimatelobby.org

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What’s Happening in Congress?

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What’s Happening in Congress?

Rep. Mike Johnson was elected speaker Wednesday Oct 25th, w/ no R votes against
Speaker Johnson is relatively unknown
Proposed a Jan. 15 (or Apr. 15) extension of the continuing resolution to keep government open before being elected
Hard line conservatives have said they expect a different dynamic with Speaker Johnson

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Primary Ask

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What the BIG WIRES Act Does

Requires regions to be able to transfer 30% of �their peak demand between each other
Technology neutral in that it helps:

New transmission lines
upgrades to existing facilities
Grid-enhancing technologies
Reduces peak demand
New generation or storage

Regions are responsible for deciding who builds and pays
Does not apply to the Texas Interconnect�(except at the discretion of its grid operator)

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BIG WIRES Act Benefits

Improved Reliability
Reduced Costs
Tech-Neutrality
Will facilitate build out of transmission

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Resources To Help BIG WIRES

One Page Leave Behind (updated since Monday with more language for Congressional offices)
Supporter Quotes For the BIG WIRES Act
Dana’s BIG WIRES Act In-Depth CCL Training

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Secondary Asks

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Supporting Asks

Increased Technical Service Provider Access Act of 2023 �(S.1400/ H.R.3036)
RISEE Act �(S.373/ H.R.913)

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Increased TSP Access Act of 2023

(S.1400/H.R.3036)

Strategic Significance: Helps agricultural producers improve operations, including resiliency and climate smart agriculture

Creates a streamlined certification process for Technical Service Providers (TSPs) to address TSP shortages and provide better service to agricultural producers.

Technical Service Providers offer planning, design, and implementation services to farmers, ranchers, and private forest owners, helping to improve their operations.

TSP Access Act (Jenn)

Overview

Context

We lobbied on TSP in June and were able to get 27 new cosponsors in the House and Senate.

We made great progress in getting this important bill in a prime position to be considered for inclusion in the farm bill.

With farm bill negotiations continuing, now we need to double-down on this bill, grow even more support to ensure it is included in a final farm bill package.

Problem: a shortage of Technical Service Providers (TSPs) , is impacting the ability of agricultural producers to fully utilize current conservation and climate programs.

TSPs help producers to access USDA conservation programs through one-on-one assistance. Critical to allow access to the $20 billion in conservation funding through the IRA.

Non-Federal Certifying Entities: USDA to establish a process to approve non-Federal certifying entities within 180 days of enactment.
Streamlined Certification: USDA to establish a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (including certified crop advisors) within 180 days of enactment. This guarantees that applicants with other certifications aren’t burdened with duplicative training, but are still trained in the competencies needed to serve as a TSP.
Parity in Compensation: The bill ensures that TSPs—who are often paid using conservation program dollars—are paid the fair market rate for their services.

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Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems (RISEE) Act

Strategic Significance: Helps build the clean energy economy and coastal resilience

RISEE Act

Inland States Fact Sheet available
Creates funding streams for coastal infrastructure and resilience efforts for vulnerable communities threatened by sea level rise and coastal erosion
Revenue sharing model for federal offshore wind revenue with states
Amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)�

RISEE (Ben)

Context

We lobbied on the RISEE Act last year and the bill was very close to being included in last year’s final spending package.

There is also greater need as we see many states turning away offshore wind projects due to cost and a lack of benefit to their residents.

Another large spending bill or legislative package will be the best opportunity for RISEE.

Overview

Problem: Under current law, all revenues earned from offshore wind leases and generation beyond state waters go to the federal government, some of the revenue from offshore oil and gas goes back to the states.

A need for funding for coastal reliance and conservative

The bill would

The RISEE Act directs 37.5% of offshore wind revenue to neighboring states
develop dedicated funding streams for coastal infrastructure and resilience efforts to safeguard vulnerable communities and businesses most threatened by sea level rise and coastal erosion.

State funds can be used:

● For coastal restoration, hurricane protection or infrastructure;

● To mitigate damage to fish, wildlife, or other natural resources, including through fisheries science and research; and

● To implement a marine, coastal or conservation management plan

The bill amends GOMESA by:

● Eliminating the state revenue sharing cap, currently at $375 million

● Lifting the Land & Water Conservation Fund’s state side funding cap of $125 million

● Protecting GOMESA revenues from sequestration

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Question Time!

Type in Zoom using Q&A Icon �and upvote w/ “Thumbs Up”

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community.citizensclimate.org/topics

Saving Your Chat Log
Finding Recordings After Tonight
Share online, with social media, and with your chapter, family and friends!

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Log Your Training

At the End of each Training:

Through the Action Tracker:

I’m also excited to share that you now have the option to Log all of your live and online trainings that you complete. For live trainings like this one without an accompanying online training, there are two options:

You can go to the accompanying training page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/log_training?sf_id=a5y8X0000005xWiQAI

https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/185

When you scroll to the bottom of that page, you will see a box prompting you to log your training. Once you do, your training will be logged. Should you be motivated by gamification, doing so will count towards your training badge - and by filtering by your own name, you can see a list of all the trainings you’ve taken.

click to advance two animations...

You can also log your training through the Action Tracker,

Log Your Training through CCL’s Action Tracker:

https://community.citizensclimate.org/actions/create

In the Action Tracker, click on Log an Action *(as you see on the right hand side)click on the Chapter Development box and then on the Training Box. In the dropdown, you can start typing the first few letters of the training, and you should see the training show up in the list.

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Thank You!

Questions? Ask on CCL Community’s Forums: http://cclusa.org/forums

Training will be posted on CCL Community and YouTube by tomorrow afternoon: https://cclusa.org/youtube

www.citizensclimatelobby.org