At this pivotal moment in American history, climate journalism is more essential than ever. As we face unprecedented environmental and political challenges—when First Amendment freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law are under severe threat—strong, fact-based reporting has never mattered more.
This discussion brings together leading voices in environmental reporting and activism to examine how journalists can deepen public understanding, hold power to account, and inspire meaningful climate action.
Moderator
Kyle Pope, Covering Climate Now
Panelists:
Bill McKibben, environmentalist, author, co-founder of Third Act
Sammy Roth, Climate-Colored Goggles
Adam Mahoney, climate/environment reporter, Capital B
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee; House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries; and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will hold a press conference to sound the alarm about the skyrocketing costs of climate change and to condemn Trump’s abandonment of climate action.
The U.N.’s 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the largest and most important forum for world governments to address the global climate crisis, is currently taking place in Belém, Brazil, but the Trump Administration failed to participate in—and actively undermined Congressional presence at—this year’s gathering, a first in the 30-year history of these U.N. climate talks. Ranking Member Whitehouse was the only U.S. federal government official to attend COP30.
As electricity costs surge because Republicans are suppressing clean power, and home insurance premiums balloon because Republicans refuse to address climate risks, the corrupt Trump administration continues to label climate change a “hoax” and has abdicated U.S. leadership on climate—despite a majority of Americans supporting action on climate change.
Charlton Allen to be General Counsel, Federal Labor Relations Authority
John Walk to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Thomas Bell to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Allen is the former chairman and chief executive officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast.
Walk serves as Judicial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture. He served as Associate Counsel to President Donald J. Trump at the White House Counsel’s Office from January 2017 until December 2020. At the White House, Walk advised the President and senior White House officials on the exercise of the President’s constitutional authority, regulatory matters, executive actions, and implementation of public policy. Prior to the White House, Walk served as an attorney at the Department of Homeland Security, providing advice on DHS operations and defending against federal litigation as agency counsel as an ally of Stephen Miller. Before entering the legal profession, Walk was a senior government relations advisor at an international law firm and served as a congressional staffer in the House of Representatives. Walk is the son-in-law of Jeff Sessions, married to Sessions’ daughter Ruth.
As Inspector General for Health and Human Services, Thomas March Bell will oversee fraud, waste and abuse audits of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which spend more than $1 trillion annually. Bell currently serves as general counsel for House Republicans and has worked for GOP politicians and congressional offices for decades. The president’s nomination of this anti-abortion extremist is a “brazenly political” one. Bell was ousted from Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality in 1997 after a state audit showed he improperly authorized a nearly $8,000 payment to the agency’s former spokesman. He was staff director for House Republicans’ 2016 investigation into Planned Parenthood. During the first Trump administration, Bell helped create the Conscience and Religious Freedom division within the HHS Office for Civil Rights. Bell held leadership positions in Gary Bauer and Pat Robinson’s presidential campaigns.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Brent Christensen, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Benjamin León, Jr., of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra
Leo Brent Bozell III, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, all of the Department of State
Brent Bozell is a notorious climate denier and right-wing propagandist, the long-time head of the Scaife-backed Media Research Center. His son was a January 6 rioter.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
H.R. 4276 (Rep. Case), To amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and for other purposes.
H.R. 5682 (Rep. Issa), To take certain land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Pechanga Band of Indians, and for other purposes.
H.R. 5696 (Rep. LaMalfa), “Strengthening Tribal Real Estate Authority and Modernizing Land for Indigenous Nation Expansion Act” or the “STREAMLINE Act”
On Wednesday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, will hold a hearing examining PFAS cleanup and disposal policy.
Witnesses;
Eric Gerstenberg, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Clean Harbors
Leah Pilconis, General Counsel, Associated General Contractors of America
Kate R. Bowers, Supervisory Attorney, Congressional Research Service
Charlton Allen to be General Counsel, Federal Labor Relations Authority
John Walk to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Thomas Bell to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Allen is the former chairman and chief executive officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast.
Walk serves as Judicial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture. He served as Associate Counsel to President Donald J. Trump at the White House Counsel’s Office from January 2017 until December 2020. At the White House, Walk advised the President and senior White House officials on the exercise of the President’s constitutional authority, regulatory matters, executive actions, and implementation of public policy. Prior to the White House, Walk served as an attorney at the Department of Homeland Security, providing advice on DHS operations and defending against federal litigation as agency counsel as an ally of Stephen Miller. Before entering the legal profession, Walk was a senior government relations advisor at an international law firm and served as a congressional staffer in the House of Representatives. Walk is the son-in-law of Jeff Sessions, married to Sessions’ daughter Ruth.
As Inspector General for Health and Human Services, Thomas March Bell will oversee fraud, waste and abuse audits of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which spend more than $1 trillion annually. Bell currently serves as general counsel for House Republicans and has worked for GOP politicians and congressional offices for decades. The president’s nomination of this anti-abortion extremist is a “brazenly political” one. Bell was ousted from Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality in 1997 after a state audit showed he improperly authorized a nearly $8,000 payment to the agency’s former spokesman. He was staff director for House Republicans’ 2016 investigation into Planned Parenthood. During the first Trump administration, Bell helped create the Conscience and Religious Freedom division within the HHS Office for Civil Rights. Bell held leadership positions in Gary Bauer and Pat Robinson’s presidential campaigns.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
The House Select Committee on China will hold a hearing titled Predatory Pricing: How the Chinese Communist Party Manipulates Global Mineral Prices to Maintain Its Dominance. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 19 at 10:00 A.M. in 390 Cannon House Office Building.
The event will be live-streamed.
When: Wednesday, November 19 at 10:00 A.M.
Where: 390 Cannon House Office Building.
Witnesses:
Jonathan Evans, Chief Executive Office, Lithium Americas
Matthew Sloustcher, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs, MP Materials
Jonathan Rowntree, Chief Executive Officer, Niron Magnetics
Additional witnesses to be determined.
House Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party Committee