DePauw’s Environmental Policy Program lobbies in the nation’s capital
After meeting with five DePauw students, Indiana democratic senator and swing-vote, Joe Donnelly, was convinced to vote favorably on environmental policies.
The students are members of DEPP, the Sustainability Leadership Program’s DePauw Environmental Policy Program. According to sophomore member Joevita Weah, DEPP’s main objective is “to raise awareness on environmental issues and policies and to inspire activism and political participation regarding these issues in our DePauw community.”
For their fall break trip to D.C., DEPP partnered with the Defenders of Wildlife, a nonprofit organization whose main goal is “the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities,” according to their website. The five DePauw students traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby for the Defenders of Wildlife and promote and environmentally conscious agenda.
During the trip, the group had two concerns in mind: the Endangered Species Act, which prevents endangered species from going extinct and protects species at risk of being added to the list, and ANWAR, which grants private companies permission to dig in the Arctic National Refuge.
Weah said although DEPP has sent letters and contacted senators by phone, they were ready to take their message further. “My personal goal was to enhance DEPP that much more by going to lobby in person,” said Weah.
DEPP has never had the opportunity to lobby in the nation’s capital. Aside from lobbying, Weah wanted to talk to Senator Donnelly and his chief of staff. By going on this trip, she was able to accomplish that and more.
Donnelly ended up voting in favor of what the group had discussed with him, pushing forward the amendment to strike the Arctic Refuge drilling provision from the budget resolution.
Sophomore Quinn Keegan enjoyed the chance the trip gave her to connect with other senators in unexpected ways. “By chance we ran into Senator Ed Markey, who was writing an amendment that would essentially take ANWAR out of the resolution,” said Keegan. “We got to thank him for his work, which was really cool.”
The students said the senators were very open to what they had to say, and being in D.C. brought them numerous opportunities to voice their thoughts.
Sophomore Sam Daughenbaugh seized the chance to participate in political activism. “The best thing about the experience was exercising my right as an American citizen,” he said. “It felt really great going down to D.C. and voicing my opinion and actually being listened to.”