Frequently Asked Questions

Pressure from constituents and key stakeholders provides a complementary approach to the efforts of larger lobbying operations. Unfortunately for the climate movement, the fossil fuel industry runs an exceptionally effective lobbying operation. Big advocacy organizations with paid policy teams are a critical piece of the puzzle, but they can’t make progress alone. We are collectively working to shift away from a century of fossil fuel economic dependency and address the challenges associated with the extraction-based economy. For elected officials in many parts of the country, it feels risky to question that system. Constituent support gives members of Congress the political confidence they need, and in the absence of that support, there’s much less incentive to push for change.

When the kind of landmark legislation we’re hoping for seems impossibly out of reach, it can feel frustrating to the point of giving up. But the truth is that we only get significant bills signed into law about once every session of Congress—and huge, monumental laws like the Affordable Care Act even less often than that.

That being said, a major legislative milestone was reached in 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act is the kind of once-in-a-generation bill that has the potential to significantly shift the trajectory of U.S. carbon emissions. This doesn’t absolve policymakers of the responsibility to do more, especially since we’re still not quite on track to meet national emissions reduction targets, and important work remains to strengthen environmental justice protections. But it was a major accomplishment for climate advocates.

We can’t expect to see wins like the IRA every time we engage with Congress. In legislative advocacy, expectation-setting is important. But even when it seems like federal action has stalled, there are climate-focused policymakers consistently showing up to protect existing progress. It might not seem like it, but members of Congress are actually voting all the time. They pass smaller standalone bills, vote to confirm presidential appointees, and reauthorize existing legislative packages. This last category is especially important because it provides a mechanism for including provisions that might not pass as standalone legislation. Examples include yearly budget resolutions, appropriations bills, the National Defense Authorization Act, the farm bill, and the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. Members of Congress renegotiate these bills and often add amendments that can shape future policy.

Having pro-climate majorities in Congress helps safeguard progress. It reduces the likelihood that harmful provisions will be added to routine legislation, or that funding for existing climate policies will be stripped. It also protects against the confirmation of appointees who may not support climate-forward governance. And in cases where simple majorities can carry the vote, it enables continued progress on climate policy.

There’s real, tangible evidence of how this behind-the-scenes legislating works. For example, the League of Conservation Voters’ 2021 Scorecard provides a comprehensive list of environmental votes taken that year—and how every member of Congress voted.

While there are certainly political and financial incentives that can influence policymakers to delay action on climate, your role as a constituent is to make that position more difficult to justify. Constituent attitudes are often cited as part of how policymakers prioritize different policy issues. It’s easy for an elected official to downplay climate concerns if they can say, “most of my constituents don’t raise this issue,” or “I rarely hear from people in my district about climate change.”

By contributing to a growing chorus of support for climate action in your community, you’re helping to ensure that decision-makers hear the public demand for science-based, equitable climate solutions—and understand that their constituents care deeply about the issue.

You can think of support on climate issues as a spectrum rather than a binary. At the federal level, League of Conservation Voters (LCV) scores are a helpful baseline marker of support because they reflect how elected officials vote on climate legislation. However, these scores don’t capture other important forms of leadership—like cosponsoring or introducing new climate bills, speaking publicly on the issue, or prioritizing climate in conversations with colleagues. The reality is that there’s almost always more that can be done.

Hearing from constituents also provides critical reinforcement and encouragement for continuing this work. Policymakers are better positioned to champion climate policies when they can point to strong, consistent support from the people they represent. Even U.S. senators need to be able to say, “I hear all day long from my constituents on this; it’s critically important to them.”

As one city councilor who joined an Hour of Action shared: “The additional push is so, so critical. I get pulled in many directions by my constituents—I wish more people were pushing on climate so I could focus all my time and energy there and know that doing so was in total alignment with what folks I represent were asking for. We need policymakers going beyond voting the right way. We need them working really hard to introduce and lead on climate policies consistently.”

Cosponsorship is a great place to start, but it’s by no means the only way a policymaker can support a bill. Members of Congress often cosponsor many different bills, so it’s helpful for them to know which pieces of legislation are especially important to their constituents. That insight can guide how they allocate their time and attention. Constituents can respectfully encourage their elected officials to take additional steps—such as working to recruit more cosponsors or making public statements to raise awareness about the issue. If you’re part of an advocacy community like Climate Changemakers, you can also offer your support and ask how constituents can be most helpful in moving the policy forward.

Even bills that make it out of committee are rarely brought to the floor for a full vote. Increasingly, Congress passes fewer but larger legislative packages that combine many smaller provisions. When a bill attracts a strong list of cosponsors, it gains visibility and momentum. A broad show of support can help make the case to congressional leadership that a bill merits floor consideration. While many factors influence that decision, including timing and competing priorities, broad and diverse support—including bipartisan backing—can help signal a bill’s viability.

Constituent meetings serve three key purposes:

1. Sharing priorities with members of Congress:
This is one of the primary goals of a constituent meeting. By speaking with a staffer, you help bring attention to a policy issue that may not have been a current focus. At a minimum, you’re signaling that constituents care enough to engage directly. In some cases, this visibility helps inform how the office communicates about or engages with a given issue.

2. Understanding where a policymaker stands:
Meeting with staff provides a chance to learn how an elected official is approaching a particular climate topic, what they are prioritizing, and where there may be opportunities for greater public input. This context can help inform how we, as constituents, focus our advocacy efforts.

3. Building trust and connection:
While calls and emails are impactful, a two-way conversation can help foster mutual understanding and open lines of communication. Staff may be more likely to share helpful context, and developing a respectful relationship can support future engagement on shared concerns.

After your meeting, be sure to follow up with the staffer and include any additional materials you’d like to share. You can find downloadable one-pagers for many of the policy topics on our 📖 Issue Briefings page.

From there, aim to maintain a semi-regular line of communication. Staffers can be a helpful resource if you have questions about how the member is approaching a specific issue or where things stand in the legislative process. Treat this like you would any other professional relationship—respect their time, avoid overloading their inbox, and give them space to respond. (Many congressional staffers juggle a huge volume of work every day!)

A good general rule of thumb is to check in or request a meeting with the same staffer once per quarter. Reaching out too frequently could mean they haven’t had time to revisit the issue, and your meeting may not yield new updates. One exception is if you learn that a relevant bill or policy topic is gaining momentum or is expected to come up for discussion or a vote soon. In those cases, a timely check-in can be useful.

Got questions about follow-up timing or outreach? We’re here to help — email us at advocacy@climatechangemakers.org.

No, it’s not advisable to spend time contacting elected officials if you don’t live in the state/district. It can feel frustrating when national attention is focused on a small handful of lawmakers who seem to hold the key to passing significant legislation. But unfortunately, there isn’t much incentive for elected officials to take note of your concerns at all if they aren’t responsible for representing you. Legislative staff are already inundated with constituent correspondence—they won’t read more mail or take more calls than they’re obligated to. At worst, a flood of non-constituent outreach can backfire, causing lawmakers to become resentful of the outside pressure on a particular issue.

If you want to target an elected official who doesn’t represent you, there are two approaches you can take. If you know any constituents in that district, encourage them to make the call. If you don’t know them personally, you can always ask them on social media for added visibility. You can also urge your own elected officials to prioritize your policy issue in discussions with lawmakers who are still undecided.

If you’re in for the long play, one strategy is to get involved in future elections. This is an instance where it doesn’t matter where you live or vote—you can support efforts in an out-of-district/state race that could shape future climate leadership. Climate Changemakers is committed to advancing civic engagement that supports science-based climate action. Each election year, we identify a set of high-impact races across six regions of the U.S. and form volunteer teams focused on increasing voter participation and public awareness. You can choose to support efforts in your region—or in a region where change could have national implications.

Yes! Elected officials represent everyone who lives in their district, regardless of voting eligibility or citizenship status. If you live in their district, you are a constituent—and your voice matters.

The same principle applies if you’re a U.S. citizen living abroad: you can contact the elected officials for the district where you’re registered to vote absentee.

As we advocate for climate policy priorities that meet our criteria, we may collaborate with a range of organizations, including those that hold partisan views, while maintaining our own nonpartisan stance.