The Senate Must Still Pass Build Back Better. Here's Our Path Forward

A lot of us are struggling at the moment. We’re entering the third year of a global pandemic that has uprooted our lives. After four years of a Trump presidency, our democracy remains fragile and voting rights are under siege. All the while, the climate crisis rages on.

So, what about the fate of the Build Back Better Act? Like many of you, the prospect of passing ambitious legislation to address the climate crisis, economic inequality, and racial justice has driven me forward over the past few months. So, it was easy to be discouraged when a single Democratic senator announced he could not support the bill as written late last year.

Here’s why I continue to have hope that the Build Back Better Act and its game-changing climate provisions will pass.

First, there’s the climate movement. Like many of you, I’ve drawn strength from the organizing we have done together to raise the alarm about the climate crisis and move our leaders to act. When we act together, we are a powerful and growing force to be reckoned with. Thanks to decades of organizing, 71 percent of likely voters nationwide believe it is important for the Build Back Better Act to deliver on President Biden’s goal of cutting US climate pollution in half by 2030. Our cross-movement activism overpowered corporate opposition and pushed the House to pass the bill in November, and we will overcome the odds to secure a win in the Senate, too.

Second, there’s the urgency of this moment. President Biden knows that he and Congress must swiftly deliver bold climate action – for the health of our communities, for a more just economy, and for his own legacy. President Biden has promised the American people and progressive lawmakers that Build Back Better will get done. With his March 1 State of the Union address fast approaching, he knows he must deliver on that promise. As Senator Manchin returns to the negotiating table, President Biden must use all the powers of the presidency to seal the deal.

Lastly, there’s the progress we’ve already made. It’s easy to forget that not too long ago, the political prospects of passing a bill like the Build Back Better Act would have been unfathomable. But our movement has shifted the ground beneath policymakers’ feet as the impacts of climate change grow more visible by the day. Even the United Mine Workers are urging Senator Manchin to support Build Back Better because it will support the health of mine workers in West Virginia and encourage manufacturers to invest in coalfield communities. Thanks to pressure from such stakeholders and activists across West Virginia, earlier this month Senator Manchin expressed support for many of the bill’s historic climate investments. 

Given the enormity of the stakes for our climate and communities, we have a duty to hope. And to act. So what are we going to do to get the Build Back Better Act across the finish line? Simply put, we all have to put everything we’ve got into this -- and we're making plans for the coming weeks to ramp up the pressure.

Take a moment to yourself and reflect: What are you willing to do? What might be a stretch for you? For now, here are a few helpful ways you can engage.

• Watch and share our national "Climate Can't Wait" Townhall where Sierra Club President Ramon Cruz and Senator Ed Markey discuss next steps on Build Back Better.

• Tweet at President Biden urging him to get this done -- it's a major part of his legacy! 

• Have a conversation with friends and neighbors about how we can’t afford to miss this moment for transformational climate action.

• Send an email to your senators, reminding them the American people are behind this bill.

• And stay tuned for more!

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” That’s true about Build Back Better as well. So let’s get this deal done. Our hope for a livable climate depends on it.