GND Pledge
Resources
What is the Green New Deal Pledge?
The Green New Deal Pledge is a commitment by candidates and elected officials to do everything in their power to advance the Green New Deal.
The Green New Deal Pledge for Congressional Candidates commits candidates and sitting members of Congress to:
(1) Co-sponsor some of the strongest Green New Deal bills available to date within six months
(2) Organize Congress to advance the Green New Deal
(3) Publicly advocate for the necessity of the Green New Deal
(4) Champion new Green New Deal legislation
(5) Reject fossil fuel contributions over $200 as outlined in the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.
The Green New Deal Pledge for State & Local Candidates commits candidates and elected officials to:
(1) Co-sponsor some of the strongest Green New Deal bills available to date within six months
(2) Organize their colleagues to advance the Green New Deal
(3) Publicly advocate for the necessity of the Green New Deal
(4) Champion new Green New Deal legislation
(5) Reject fossil fuel contributions over $200 as outlined in the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.
Why should candidates sign the Green New Deal Pledge?
The Green New Deal came to life in late 2018, and in the years since, the movement for a Green New Deal has built incredible political momentum to flesh out a comprehensive, transformative plan for an equitable transition to end the fossil fuel era and build a society that works for all.
Over 100 members of Congress have backed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey’s Resolution for a Green New Deal, and in 2020 nearly every Democratic presidential candidate ran on some version of the plan. In 2021, a wide range of politicians got to work building out the legislative components of the Green New Deal, introducing bills to give this necessary and common-sense solution to the climate crisis teeth. While support for the Green New Deal in Congress is growing, it is lagging way behind public popularity — it is time elected officials catch up and support what we need.
We are running out of time and the Green New Deal Pledge offers a collective strategy to hold elected officials accountable to rejecting fossil fuel industry influence and embracing policies that confront the climate crisis head-on.
How does a candidate sign the pledge?
You can sign the pledge with three easy steps:
1. Take a photo or video of yourself signing the pledge (printable copy for Congressional candidates; printable copy for state and local candidates) OR create a graphic that includes your name, district, and the full text of the Green New Deal Pledge.
2. Email the verification to info@gndchampions.com AND post the photo, video, or graphic on your campaign social media accounts and/or campaign website with the hashtag #GNDChampion.
3. Fill out this form to notify the Green New Deal Pledge team that you have signed.
How does a sitting member of Congress become a GND Champion?
Sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate must be listed as co-sponsors of all ten bills on Congress.gov and must have signed the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge to be listed as GND champions. They do not need to sign the Green New Deal Pledge in addition.
How does a sitting state or local elected official become a Green New Deal Champion?
Sitting elected officials at the state and local level must sign the Green New Deal Pledge for State & Local Officials, including committing to reject fossil fuel contributions as defined by the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge. They will then be listed as Green New Deal Champions.
What are the Green New Deal bills included in the Green New Deal Pledge for Congressional Candidates?
The current required bills* included in the Green New Deal Pledge for Congressional Candidates are:
- Green New Deal Resolution (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez / Ed Markey)
- Green New Deal for Cities (Cori Bush)
- Green New Deal for Public Schools (Jamaal Bowman)
- Green New Deal for Public Housing (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez / Bernie Sanders)
- BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act (Andy Levin / Elizabeth Warren)
- Farm System Reform Act (Ro Khanna / Cory Booker)
- Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice Act (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez / Ed Markey)
- Environmental Justice for All Act (Raul Grijalva / Tammy Duckworth)
- End Polluter Welfare Act (Ilhan Omar / Bernie Sanders)
- Keep it in the Ground Act (Jared Huffman / Jeff Merkley)
* This list is not exhaustive and does not represent every piece of legislation that would comprise the Green New Deal. This list is subject to change as new bills are introduced that would make strides towards the Green New Deal.
What is the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge?
The No Fossil Fuel Money pledge is a commitment by candidates and elected officials to not accept contributions over $200 from fossil fuel executives, lobbyists and PACs. According to No Fossil Fuel Money, more than 4,000 politicians from 50 states have committed to reject campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry. Signers include President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, every major 2020 Democratic presidential primary candidate, over 50 sitting members of Congress (10+ U.S. Senators; 40+ U.S. Representatives), and more than 250 incumbent state elected officials. You can learn more on the No Fossil Fuel Money website.
What is the process for resolving a potential violation of the pledge?
The Green New Deal Pledge team will actively monitor all congressional signatories for compliance with the pledge. If a candidate or elected official signs the pledge, they are expected to abide by it fully indefinitely, regardless of election or office.
If the Green New Deal Pledge coalition is notified that a pledge signer may have violated the terms of the pledge, our team will investigate and confirm whether there has been a violation. If so, the coalition will notify the candidate/elected official and give them a designated period of time to make the necessary corrections. If the politician corrects the error, they will remain on the pledge. If not, they will be publicly removed.
How can I help?
If you don’t see a candidate for state, local, or federal office or your elected officials or members of Congress listed on this website, you can reach out directly to candidates and elected officials in your district to sign the Pledge. You can also ask your current member of Congress to step up and do what it takes to be a Green New Deal Champion according to the same criteria.
