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LCV Action Fund and California Environmental Voters Endorse Lateefah Simon and Laura Friedman for Congress in California

Sep 28, 2023

Washington D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund and California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), which work to elect pro-environment candidates, announced their endorsements of Lateefah Simon in California’s 12th Congressional District and Laura Friedman in California’s 30th Congressional District. 

“We’re proud to endorse these two strong climate and environmental justice champions for Congress because we know they will always put people over polluters,” said LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Lateefah Simon and Laura Friedman have proven track records of leadership on climate and environmental justice in California, fighting for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and pollution. We are excited to work with both of them to tackle the climate crisis, implement the historic climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, and to build a more just and equitable clean energy future.” 

“Laura Friedman, one of California’s biggest legislative climate champions, and Lateefah Simon, a transit and social justice champion, are two of California’s best,” Mike Young, Political Director, California Environmental Voters.  “Their leadership on issues of transportation and climate justice is needed now more than ever in DC to push the federal government to accelerate investments for clean energy and transportation infrastructure, as well as stand strong against climate deniers and delayers in Washington. Simply, they are exactly the public servants we need to meet this moment, and we’re proud to endorse them both for Congress.” 

“As we confront a climate emergency that is quite literally setting our world on fire, platitudes won’t suffice. We need concrete policy action. I plan to fight tooth-and-nail for the kind of bold action that a crisis of this magnitude demands. I am beyond grateful that California Environmental Voters and the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund have placed its faith in my campaign – and, in that, the ability to lead from a place of strength on this unprecedented crisis of our time,” said Lateefah Simon. “This means that we cannot continue to rely on status quo solutions; we have to approach the climate emergency from innovative, new, multi-faceted perspectives. I hope that my expertise in transit policy – a perspective often overlooked in the conversation around climate in Congress – coupled with my deep resolve to address this crisis holistically will help me enact real progress in Washington.”

“As a member of the state legislature fighting to reverse global warming, protecting biodiversity and promoting environmental justice, I have had no greater or more effective allies than California Environmental Voters and the League of Conservation Voters,” said Laura Friedman. “I am deeply honored to have their endorsements and am excited to continue working with them nationally in the U.S.  Congress.” 

These endorsements are building on LCV Action Fund’s announcement this summer of their first round of congressional endorsements in the 2024 election cycle for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Other endorsements to date for the 2024 election cycle can be found here.

About Lateefah Simon
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District Board of Directors President Lateefah Simon has spent her life as an organizer for social and racial justice. She ran for the BART board to promote transportation justice, including working to make the public system more affordable, equitable and sustainable, including working to disincentivize users from driving to BART stations. Under her leadership, BART is committed to working with the Governor’s Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure and prioritizing equity and reducing climate impacts on communities of color and low-wealth communities. 

About Laura Friedman
State Assemblymember Laura Friedman has been a leading advocate for climate and environmental justice in the California legislature and during her time in local elected office. She authored and passed legislation to reduce climate pollution from commercial and residential buildings in the state 40% by 2030; modernize water management; ban PFAS in commercial products; phase out single-use plastic by 2032; and to prioritize wildlife connectivity infrastructure such as wildlife crossings. She is also a leader on sustainable transportation issues in the state, including adopting zero emissions vehicles, directing funding away from widening highways and into building mass transit and affordable housing near mass transit, as well as more biking and pedestrian options. 

About LCV Action Fund

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, the connected federal political action committee (PAC) of the League of Conservation Voters, works to elect leaders who stand up for a clean, healthy environment and to defeat anti-environment candidates who oppose climate action. Since the 1990 election cycle, LCVAF has helped elect and re-elect 95 U.S. Senators and 480 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Over the last several years, our efforts have also helped elevate climate change and clean energy as critical issues in key elections.

About California Environmental Voters

California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. 

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Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and California Environmental Voters Federal PAC and authorized by Lateefah for Congress and Laura Friedman for Congress.