Dear Member of Congress:

As communities of faith, we hold to values of stewardship and justice. We recognize that God’s creation is sacred and thus we are called to responsibly steward the gifts of creation while protecting our most vulnerable neighbors and communities. The threats imposed by a changing climate are something that our congregations and religious institutions are acutely aware of since we are on the front lines of disaster relief and preparedness, refugee resettlement, and healthcare.

In the current climate of partisan politics, we are calling on Congress to bypass divisive brinkmanship and instead come together in dialogue to address the real and already-experienced threats of climate change. With all perspectives at the table, we can, as a nation, address this crisis with determination and civility. Now is the time to work together for the common good.

We don’t have any time to waste; we need urgent and ambitious action. Recently, 13 agencies of the Trump Administration articulated the urgency of climate action and detailed the current and near-term harms of climate change in the National Climate Assessment Report. As we feel the impacts of climate change across the breadth of our ministries, we expect governmental leadership to help us address the root causes of climate change and to help communities as they adapt to the impacts of global warming.

Climate change and poor air quality are already posing risks to our health, our economy, and the quality of life here in the U.S. and abroad. Vulnerable communities, in particular, are suffering. Evidence shows how climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. Examples include heat-related mortality, increased asthma attacks and lost job opportunities and livelihoods.

We hope that you will join us in recognizing this need and act with haste on the pressing threat of climate change.

Sincerely,

American Baptist Home Mission Societies
Baha’is of the United States
Church World Service
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Creation Justice Ministries
Disciples Center for Public Witness (Disciples of Christ)
The Episcopal Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Franciscan Action Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Hazon
Interfaith Power & Light
Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Leadership Conference of Women’s Religious
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas’ Institute Leadership Team
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns
National Baptist Convention American
National Baptist Convention USA, Inc.
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America
Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ, Justice, and Witness Ministries
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society