Kali Pupo is a student at Juniata University in Pennsylvania and a participant in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

At last, it’s 2021. For many of us, the new year represents a reason to hope. With the new Congress sworn in, I’m urging Representative John Joyce and Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to support and co-sponsor The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan policy puts a price on carbon emissions and returns the fees collected to households in the form of a monthly dividend.

Unlike regulations, this policy works with our free-market economy and won’t grow the size of government. Nor will this policy add to our giant national debt. This policy allows us to address climate change while boosting our economy and creating jobs. Overall, we’ll save billions of dollars every year and we will prevent the worst of climate change. And even better, the majority of people in our communities would soon benefit from the policy by getting extra money in their pockets each month.

My new year's resolution is to fight harder for policies that will benefit our community and our economy. I hope I have that in common with Representative Joyce, Senator Casey, and Senator Toomey.