Alright friends, tonight is the final part of our Week of Action! We'll be live tweeting our final event of the week with @SenSchumer and @SenGianaris.

Let's #PassTheCCIA and the #THRIVEAgenda.

(there's still time to come and you totally should) http://bit.ly/Action-Week-Town-Hall

@XaverZava starts us off: "We have both Congress and the state legislature on recess...Alll eyes are on, what's next?"

"Climate justice is what's next."

This call (over 500 people!) has folks from all across the movement— basebuilding orgs, think tanks, traditional environmental orgs, environmental justice groups, and much, much more. This is an intersectional, multi-faceted movement.

@SReeske from Central NY and @IndivisibleTeam: "You all did amazing organizing and led with love this week."

(this is underselling it, it was AMAZING and the largest distributed actions we've ever pulled off, and in a pandemic!)

@yeampierre, ED of @UPROSE, is on the call!

"NY Renews is a coalition of 280+ organizations that came together for climate, jobs, and justice"

"In 2019, we did the impossible. We passed the Climate leadership and Community Protection Act...It ensures 40% of funds be invested in frontline communities."

Now, we're gonna make sure we #PassTheCCIA.

"We're demonstrating our power, we're walking in our power, and we're gonna #PassTheCCIA and #THRIVEAgenda, and we're gonna keep working."

Kelly Camacho from @PUSHBuffalo talking about what we did this week. A hell of a lot.

50 state lobby visits, 10 federal lobby visits, 15 rallies, 15,000 engagements on social media

Geo Hernández introduces @SenGianaris:

"Thank you NY Renews for all the great work you're doing. We took the legislature in 2019 and now we're doing a lot...The first thing we did was pass the CLCPA."

Local Law 97 is protected! Because the state senate is in Dem hands, the old playbook of going to the legislature and governor to overturn city law doesn't work anymore.

First question from Geo: We are here to create a grassroots movement demanding climate, jobs, and justice, but I'm wondering what you're planning on doing within the senate to pass the CCIA?

@SenGianaris: "We have to work in partnership. We just got the best budget since I've been in office and that's because we worked together."

He adds that we gotta get the votes, working with the sponsors and movements.

"We need 32 [sponsors]. That's a majority of the senate."

We already have about 20!

Kathryn Gioiosa from @TREEage_Team: "What is your plan to ensure that youth have an equitable seat at the table in the decision making process of where funds are being allocated?"

"We've gotta keep that provision for someone under the age of 26 to stay on the board of the Climate and Community Investment Authority."

Nancy Hagans from @nynurses: How are we going to be supporting unions in the CCIA?

@SenGianaris responds that since we're building a whole new industry, we gotta build it good from the ground up with strong labor protections.

Madelaine Hamilton from @PUSHBuffalo asks: "How does this bill specifically target the intersectional goals of the Environmental Justice movement and the wrongs of environmental racism? How does this bill provide for a *Just* Transition for the most vulnerable New Yorkers?"

@SenGianaris responds that this bill produces $15 Billion, and a very large portion of it goes right into Black and Brown frontline communities that have been on the receiving end of climate disasters.

@nanfaessler from @indvsblharlem asks: "What can you do as a leader in the NY State Senate to ensure that the new CCIA bill (S4264A) survives with its key components intact and gets passed even if there is pushback by the Governor?"

@SenGianaris says that pressure to weaken the bill from the governor can be overcome by both the Senate and Assembly standing together. They'll have the power of an override if necessary!

Allen Blair from Rochester: "What measures does the CCIA contain to make sure that the governor can't use money collected from the polluter fee to fund projects he prefers?"

Gianaris says that a lot can be superseded by another law. All protections possible can and should be in the bill, but if the Gov. fights back we can pass another law.

Jesse asks: "Could some of the funds also be utilized for improving living spaces, such as providing access to parks and green space, broader public transportation, and community-based conservation programs?"

Gianaris offers that the spending is in places that have suffered for years, and some funds can likely be allocated to such purposes.

Zasu Scott of Climate Justice Cornell and @ourclimateus asks: "As organizers, how can we support the work that you are doing in the legislature to help get the CCIA passed this session?"

"Get those sponsors!" says Gianaris. "Keep doing what you're doing! What we need is more engaged support on the issue."

A question from chat: how can we ensure that communities facing the brunt of the crisis and pollution get the resources they need?

Gianaris says that the bill has great provisions in it already that need to be protected. The message: don't let it get watered down!

"What about the GOP's response?" someone asks

@SenGianaris: "The people have spoken. We beat em bad in the elections, we have a mandate...The people don't buy [GOP attacks] and they keep sending us back with more and more."

That's right!!

He adds that some people are stuck back in the 80's, fearful of Reagan. But times have changed and speaking truth wins now. That's why we gotta be bold.

"What can we do to support upstate communities?"

He replies that upstate communities need some more mass transit. We're seeing @POTUS start to take action on that, and hopefully that money will make it's way down.

"Once bill is passed, how to we keep it up to ensure good implementation?"

@SenGianaris says we gotta stick around, keep up the work, and make sure we get climate justice advocates for people on these boards.

"Why aren't you a co-sponsor yet?"

@SenGianaris says he called his staff to sign him on it today!

We're onto out federal work and questions with @SenSchumer!

@sochiesays from @NYWFP is gonna be our moderator to wrap up #RecoveryRecess.

@SenSchumer: "Thank you! We've been together since I first ran"

@SenSchumer: "I'm happy to be here in dialogue. Before I wanna get into the substance, I want to applaud you at New York Renews. Back in 2019, we led the way by passing the historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act."

Climate. Jobs. Racial and social justice.

"We represent the best chance for bold climate action in a long time...Failure is not an option."

"One day we'll get together and dance."

In the state house and rotunda at the Capitol, Senator. As soon as we win.

"There are a lot of elements we can get done in the #THRIVEAgenda this year."

We need more public transit, clean public housing, and more.

He says he supports @AOC and @SenSanders' efforts to ask for *more* to Build Back Better.

@SenSchumer is talking a lot about the need for changing our transportation infrastructure to be renewable, easily accessible and usable, and responsive to the needs of low-income people. Electric cars, charging infrastructure across the US, more public transit funding.

"We're gonna invest billions to make EVs afforable while building infrastructure and creating jobs."

@SenSchumer: "This is the hardest job I've ever had, but we're gonna fight hard because it's so fucking important."

@sochiesays asks: We need you out there more than ever publicly championing THRIVE. What will you be doing to push it through the Senate and into the Build Back Better bill?

@SenSchumer says he's sitting down with Pelosi and Biden to get the strongest bill possible. But most importantly movements need to be out there applying pressure.

First q from Monica of @350NYC: How will the Thrive agenda help support the Biden's executive order calling for the establishment of a civilian climate corps that will help youth of color prepare for jobs in conservation and the new sustainable, regenerative economy?

The majority leader responds that we've seen part of this already with healthcare proposals. We need to fight for this CCC more.

Nancy @nynurses: As a proud union nurse, I know how life-changing unions can be for the members that form them. The THRIVE Act seeks to create 15 million good, green jobs. How do we ensure that these jobs are union jobs and do not just add to a decline in the labor movement?

"I'm a union guy all the way." - @SenSchumer

"The number one reason unions have declined is because of bosses fighting them...We need to make sure all these new jobs are union jobs. It costs more— too bad. People need to live a decent life."

Donna from Suffolk NOW: "Mr. Schumer, it is our understanding that portions of Shinnecock land have been polluted by certain industries and overdevelopment and their treaty rights have been violated. How does the THRIVE agenda address Tribal Nations?"

@SenSchumer starts with a good thing and applauds @DebHaalandNM's appointment to the cabinet. He says it's important that Indigenous groups need to be at the table, and need to be respected as original stewards of the land. Sovereign nations need to have influence.

Victor from @THEPOINTCDC: "As a country how do we ensure environmental justice is supported at a federal level through the THRIVE Act? How do we create a space for EJ to become a critical component of local and national governance?"

"I've always said there are 3 legs to stool of #THRIVEAct: climate, jobs, and justice." He attributes this to where we started in NY, with the CLCPA. Asthma and other health impacts are prevalent in communities of color because of bad infrastructure policy.

To close, @SenSchumer says we need to continue an inside-outside strategy. "Failure is not an option."

Thank you all for coming out! It's nights like these that little elves behind the @NYRenews twitter account feel true joy and hope. As Sen. Schumer said, "it's so fucking important" that we win this fight.