Sunrise Movement Protests at Senator Sinema's Office Ahead of Reconciliation: Which Side Are You On?

Following Sunrise's action protest at the Capitol yesterday where 13 Sunrise Movement members were arrested in D.C., Sunrisers from Arizona protested at Senator Sinema's Phoenix office, demanding that she pass at least a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package and climate provisions that meet the scale and scope of the climate crisis. This ended a day of national protest led by Sunrise Movement in over 20 cities and towns across the country.

"Last night, Sunrise Tempe exposed Senator Sinema's real intentions. While Senator Sinema caters to fossil fuel executives in D.C., young Arizonans are outside her office demanding she listens to them as they face record drought and extreme heat waves killing their communities. Senator Sinema and Democrats, who do you work for? Do you work for the young, BIPOC and working people, who put their lives on hold to elect you? Or do you work for Exxon Mobil and fossil fuel corporations, who pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, and have caused the climate crisis in the first place?" asked Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement. "Biden and Congress must pass at least a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package to boldly invest in our infrastructure and pass a fully funded Civilian Climate Corps so we can finally kick off the decade of the Green New Deal. Failing to deliver on the mandate Democrats were elected on means that they risk disillusioning young people, their base, and holding onto power in 2022. We did our part, now it's time for Democrats to deliver on their promises."

This action in Phoenix, AZ targeting Senator Sinema comes at a time when she has voiced both opposition to Biden's reconciliation package, and has issued an ultimatum around it. She is one of the Senators holding up passage of the reconciliation package in Congress.

Sunrise is pushing for a number of priorities in reconciliation, specifically, a fully funded Civilian Climate Corps, investments in public transit, housing, schools, and renewable energy. All of these investments - including the Green New Deal for Public Schools, the Green New Deal for Public Housing, and more - are needed to transform our economy while combating the climate crisis and creating millions of good jobs in the process.