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By Sam Zeno

2023 has been a remarkable year for the conservation of U.S. public lands and waters, with historic actions ranging from the White House’s first-ever Conservation in Action Summit to the nation’s first Ocean Justice Strategy to the designation of four new national monuments for ecological, cultural, and access benefits. The Biden administration has successfully moved from talk to action in demonstrating its commitment to safeguarding lands that tell the histories of the nation, protect clean air and water for communities, and host increasingly vulnerable ecosystems. This conservation progress is seen most clearly through numerous new monument designations and other protections as well as historic funding that has been channeled to local, Tribal, state, and national conservation programs. Not only is the administration protecting valuable landscapes, it is doing so with Indigenous-led conservation at the forefront, with co-stewardship agreements increasing from 20 to 200 this year. ​ - CLICK STORY TO READ MORE

By Greta Bedekovics

The chaos and fear wrought by the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, still stings fresh in the minds of millions of Americans — and particularly mine, as someone who served as a congressional staffer that day. But as a country, I don’t think we’ve adequately grappled with the gravity of what an insurrection means for our democracy. When future generations look back, how will they view our response? Will they see an America that languishes and yields power to tyranny? Or will they see an America that rose to meet the moment, working to refortify a democracy they stand to inherit?

At the time of the insurrection, I lived only a few blocks from the Capitol. I worked as one of fewer than 20 Senate Rules Committee staff members tasked with organizing the January 6 joint vote-counting session. Many of my colleagues in the building that day — a structure that stands as the physical embodiment of our democracy — feared it would be the place where they died. -- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE

​​ By Leo Banks & Chris Martinez

With the transportation sector accounting for 28 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the electric vehicle (EV) revolution is an essential part of the fight against climate change. EVs have far lower greenhouse gas emissions than their gas-powered counterparts, even when accounting for their higher battery mineral needs.

Beyond their climate benefits, here are five additional reasons why EVs are gaining momentum.

1. EVs are growing in popularity, and prices are falling Despite misleading headlines that might suggest otherwise, EV sales continue to increase, hitting record highs. By the end of November 2023, the United States had reached 1 million annual fully battery-powered vehicle sales for the first time, a year-over-year growth of 50.7 percent and an increase of 30.6 percent compared with November 2022 for all EVs, including plug-in hybrids. -- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE

By Sophia Weaver, Marquisha Johns & Andrea Ducas

This brief, filed by the Center for American Progress and the NAACP in response to Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al., emphasizes the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare prescription drug price negotiation program for affordability and health equity.

Note: The Center for American Progress is represented in this matter by Hannah Brennan and Sophia Weaver of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. ​ ​-- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE

On November 1, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, attended Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) third forum on artificial intelligence (AI), the AI Insight Forum on Workforce.

Gaspard’s statement from the forum is available on Sen. Schumer’s website and on CAP’s website.

Gaspard emphasized the importance of centering worker and civil rights in the AI era. To this end, he highlighted five tools that can help spread employment and mitigate shocks to the workforce spurred by the implementation of AI: ​-- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE

By Devon Ombres & Sydney Bryant

In the combined Relentless cases, the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the Chevron doctrine, which would reverse 40 years of precedent and cause chaos for regulatory agencies.  On January 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the combined cases Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Relentless Inc. v. Department of Commerce. On their face, these cases deal with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regulations on commercial fishing vessels, but they are actually part of a long-term effort by right-wing and corporate interests to further weaken the power of government agencies to leverage their expertise and help everyday Americans. -- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE