What do a retired businessman, Miss Montana Teen USA, Miss Montana USA, a forest ranger, a fifth-generation Salish Indian and a sophomore at MSU have in common?

We live in Montana, vote, and volunteer for the nonpartisan Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL). We are focused on solving climate change and pushing Congress to pass comprehensive solutions to ensure a healthy climate and enable the rapid transition to clean energy.

And we all just returned from lobbying Senators Daines and Tester and Representatives Zinke and Rosendale in DC for the CCL Conference and Lobby Day in June.

Our team of nine consisted of people ranging in age from 18 to over 70. We really enjoyed lobbying with four dedicated young people on our team who contributed to the cause with talent and great compassion, making a significant contribution to our overall success.

At our conference, we learned about several climate bills and how to listen to and gain support from members of Congress on both sides. Then, along with 1,000 other volunteers from all 50 states, we attended 442 meetings with our members of Congress and met with 97% of Senate offices.

We have followed up on bills we championed at our conservative lobbying day in March, such as the PROVE IT Act. This bill would require the Department of Energy to study and compare the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of products made here and abroad. Proving that our products are cleaner will improve our trade position. We are proud of the Montana Chamber of Commerce's support of this bill.

We also discussed the urgent need for a comprehensive clean energy permitting reform bill. We must accelerate the buildout of clean energy infrastructure so America can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that every household has access to affordable and reliable clean energy.

New transmission lines take 7-10+ years to permit and another 3-7 years to build. We have new wind and solar projects planned, but they cannot be implemented until transmission lines are improved or built.

We have also pushed for expedited permitting of improved geothermal systems that can generate steam to power turbines. Combined with utility-scale battery storage, this can provide a source of reliable, affordable electricity to offset cheap wind and solar power.

Our efforts have produced great results over time! Six bills we lobbied for in previous sessions are now in law. Most recently, two House members co-sponsored the Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act; four co-sponsored the Increased TSP (Technical Service Provider) Access Act, including Rep. Zinke in April!

We thank Senators Daines and Tester for their votes in favor of the bipartisan Accelerating the Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear Power for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, one of our March bills. This legislation represents one of the most significant actions Congress has taken to advance clean energy. And we thank Senator Daines for his bipartisan legislation, the Community Hydropower Improvement Act, which would streamline the permitting process, increase tribal involvement and oversight, promote healthy habitat, and coordinate federal decision-making.

We have greatly enjoyed speaking with our MOCs and their staff and have a deep appreciation for the hard work being done on Capitol Hill.

We welcome anyone who is serious about solving climate change, regardless of your political affiliation, because we believe that everyone is a potential ally and that we all need to work together.

Some people think the climate problem is insoluble. We have climate solutions. We know we are making a difference. Together, we are building support for national, bipartisan solutions to climate change and working with our MOCs to preserve the beautiful Montana we all love. See cclusa.org

Kristen Walser, Robin Paone and Dave Atkins co-lead the Montana chapters of Citizens' Climate Lobby. CCL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots climate change organization that empowers everyday people to engage with their community and their members of Congress. Our supporters span the political spectrum and work in over 450 chapters.