Legislation from the ground up: AMA with Rep Raúl Grijalva [D, AZ]

On December 9th, 2020, Members-elect of the 117th Congress joined current members, staffers, technologists, scientists, academics, and advocates for the inaugural Tech, Science, and Data New Member Orientation Day, hosted by the First Branch Tech, Science and Data (TSD) cohort.

In the “Science” section of the day, Representative Raúl Grijalva [D, AZ] shared the story of how the Environmental Justice for All Act came to be drafted in collaboration with stakeholders and frontline communities across the country.

For the full video and transcript of this session, please see here.

To be effective, buy-in has to start before the bill is drafted. Stakeholders feel committed when they get to be part of the process.

“Back in 2014, I introduced an environmental justice bill. It didn’t have the buy in from the environmental justice community, and it languished because people didn’t feel invested in it. And even though I thought I wrote the perfect piece of legislation, I learned a lesson there — that the process, and particularly on a piece of legislation as delicate and sensitive as environmental justice issues are, that that we had to, we had to get the buy in, or we have to be inclusive at the beginning.”

Buy-in should include people who will be affected by a piece of policy, even (especially!) when building that buy-in is a matter of rebuilding trust that has not been there in the past.

“You have to understand that many of these communities have been led down the Primrose lane in the past, and that there’s no consequence. I mean, there’s no consequences that happened because of it. And so there, they have an absolute right to be wary, and to make sure that their buy in and their effort is going to mean something. I think once we had developed a level of trust, for lack of a better word, then everything else involved in the process began to work. But initially, there was some wariness — and trust is earned, it’s not automatically given, especially if you’ve been one of these organizations that has had to deal with environmental justice issues in their frontline communities. That wariness is justified.”

This is not always an easy process: the Environmental Justice for All Act started with agreed-on principles, and eventually incorporated more than 350 discrete recommendations and changes from stakeholders.

“I think you’re pointing to a trust factor: that transparency. That, I think, that did more to develop the trust among everyone than any other particular effort that we had in the process. […] It’ll develop because there’s accountability, and everybody’s in.”

However, there is technology available to allow public engagement be a keystone part of the legislative process.

“As you set up your offices, that public component, that engagement component, how you factor that in — I think it’s really important. We have the wherewithal now technologically to be able to do that, and do it expansively. And so I would urge you, I think that that’s so important, to not only keep you in contact, but to learn from within our own districts and outside our district. So there’s a great deal of talent and intelligence that can come to bear on pieces of legislation that you’re working on, or working on with others.”

Ultimately, these approaches not only produce stronger legislation, but also keep Members connected to their district and district priorities in new ways.

“Home is essential, that environment — it’s not only about getting things done, it’s also about the security of knowing that you’re taking positions and promoting ideas that that your constituents really want. It’s a wonderful way to make sure that you understand the pulse.”

The First Branch TSD Cohort is a forum for information sharing and collaboration, bringing together innovators on and off the Hill focused on Technology, Science, and Data research and resources for Congress. The cohort is a forum for information sharing and collaboration, made possible by support from Democracy Fund and the Hewlett Foundation, and led by POPVOX.

For more information, contact tsd@popvox.com.