Urge your members of Congress to do the right thing

We live in a representative democracy. Although government shutdowns and disagreement are an (unfortunate) reality, when citizens make their voices heard, Congress acts with bipartisan consensus more often than the news would suggest. When the President threatened to drastically slash science funding, thousands of Americans called their members of Congress and demanded funding be preserved for NASA, NOAA, the NSF, the NIH, and other agencies that have improved our lives, secured our standing as the leader of the free world, and promoted our domination in the sphere of innovative technologies. Representatives Zinke and Downing and Senators Daines and Sheehy all recently voted yes for this appropriations act, which ensures American innovation and competitiveness will continue through investment in science.

Besides defending scientific funding, democracy, the Constitution, and human rights, there are many other urgent areas where you can urge Congress to do the right thing, ensuring they are doing what’s best for their constituents.

One topic you likely haven’t heard of, and that might not sound urgent or exciting, is passing comprehensive and bipartisan permitting reform. Our aging power grids struggle to function, especially given increased energy demands from AI and greater extremes in weather (from record-setting warm temperatures in Montana this winter to the recent “winter hurricane” on the East Coast).

Permitting reform will facilitate more rapid deployment of clean energy technologies, which will increase energy affordability and reliability while reducing pollution. We need to lead the world, not lag behind other global powers, when it comes to energy infrastructure.

Call or write Senators Daines and Sheehy, and Representatives Zinke or Downing, and urge them to do the right thing, on both the issues that make daily headlines and those that will quietly improve our country through bipartisan action. You can easily contact them directly here: cclusa.org/action.

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By Patrick Thomas: February 27, 2026 - Bozeman, MT