Posted on May 16, 2024 by Andrea Steiner and Dana Faught
Capitol Hill is the beating heart of United States policy making. The decisions about our country’s – and the world’s – future are made inside the marbled halls of Congress. The decision-makers are not just the elected members of Congress but thousands of Congressional staff who assist in crafting public policy that shapes the direction of our great country.
At ClearPath, we focus on the policies that keep America in the lead as the world’s top clean energy innovator. Our goals are big – meaningfully reducing global emissions, and developing and exporting clean, reliable, affordable energy technology that only American innovation can produce.
To advance those policies, conservatives must take a seat at the table and lead the discussions around advancing American clean energy innovation. Right now, there is a serious need for conservative professionals ready to advance clean energy and climate policies on Capitol Hill.
This requires a stable, thoughtfully recruited roster of talented policy professionals in the conservative energy and environment space on Capitol Hill – which is where ClearPath’s Conservative Climate Leadership Program (CCLP) can help. A CCLP Congressional fellow would align with conservative values, have a passion for climate and clean energy, and be vetted as top talent, ready to tackle challenges from day one.
ClearPath’s CCLP is dedicated to identifying those leaders, developing them professionally and placing them within Capitol Hill working on clean energy issues to meet this demand. We want to support Capitol Hill offices with future leaders in the conservative energy and climate space.
It is people who make policy work, so it is not a secret that the federal government’s most important asset is its workforce. We must recognize that our collective success in solving the climate challenge hinges on people. This holds particularly true with center-right climate policy. Individuals in D.C. embody policy through legislative, administrative and permitting actions, and investing in the quality of these personnel is imperative. The mantra “people are policy” underscores individuals’ profound influence in shaping decisions and actions. Elevating the caliber of these individuals drives the overall quality of policies and decisions made.
The Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) most recent strategic plan outlines how to seize this opportunity through bolstered recruitment efforts and hiring throughout the federal government. Their commitment to investing in talent development and retention underscores the importance of recruiting, assessing and hiring top-tier professionals to steer the course of national policies. The DOE has a similar strategic human capital plan outlining human capital goals of growing leaders and strengthening the workforce.
However, the implementation of strategic plans of such magnitude typically unfolds over years. The pace of change can be slow, and the impact can take years to materialize as outcomes. Plus, those goals for the administration don’t overlap with Capitol Hill.
The CCLP program strives to make it easy for Congressional offices by providing them access to a pool of qualified and committed candidates. By alleviating the burden of candidate sourcing and vetting, offices can streamline their hiring processes and devote more time and resources to their constituents.
By serving as an extension of the recruiting arm and swiftly filling open spots, ClearPath can expedite the integration of skilled professionals into crucial roles, ensuring we are ready to face the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Our commitment is twofold: to nurture a bench of young, diverse talent and to enable them to occupy vital, mission-aligned roles throughout the government. The Conservative Climate Leadership Program will accelerate the careers of the next generation of climate and clean technology leaders.
Please reach out to the CCLP Director, Dana Faught (dana@clearpath.org), if you are interested in hosting a fellow or have any questions about CCLP. Read more about how to apply for a fellowship.
