Right now, way too many lawmakers in Washington flat-out refuse to face the facts when it comes to climate change.

We're never going to make real progress on this issue unless members of Congress get serious. Instead, some of them have made a habit of publicly mocking it. We thought it was time to call them out for denying what's basic science:

The science matters in this. That's the message way too many people in Washington need to hear right now. In 2011, there were 240 members of Congress who voted to say that climate change is a hoax. Most of them are still around today, and they're getting away with it—some of them are actually proud of it. They think the whole debate is pretty funny.

If we want to make progress on climate change, we need everyone in Congress on board for a solution. It's our job to show them there's a price to pay for being a climate denier.

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Join the fight

Last week, 45 senators decided to stand with the gun lobby, blocking a bill to expand background checks—a measure that 90% of Americans support.

They were hoping you weren't paying attention.

OFA supporters across the country are holding their senators accountable today—if you live in one of the states below, your senator needs to hear directly from you, one of the people who sent them to Washington. One simple, very public way of doing that is to get on Twitter.

Tweet @ your senator now:

Alaska Arkansas Arizona Georgia Iowa Montana Nevada New Hampshire North Dakota Ohio

Organizing for Actions volunteers thank Senator John McCain for his support of comprehensive background checks for commercial gun sales. Photo by Jerry Burch

Organizing for Action volunteers in Phoenix gathered on Saturday with mixed emotions. We’d held over a dozen events and delivered thousands of petitions asking our senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, to support comprehensive background checks for gun sales. We were hopeful after the announcement of the Manchin-Toomey compromise, and then angry and disappointed when Senator Flake went back on his word and refused to support the bill.

But even though the bill was blocked by a minority of senators, our senior senator, John McCain, voted “yes,” one of only four Republicans to do so.

We are all so passionate about this issue that we decided to gather on Saturday to demand an answer and action from Senator Flake, but also to thank Senator McCain for standing with the 90% of Americans who support this common-sense step to prevent gun violence.

We started the afternoon at Senator Flake’s office. More than 120 volunteers came early, with homemade signs and letters. Others wrote notes to Senator Flake, showing that neither we nor this issue was going away. We listened to the passionate pleas from gun violence survivors, family members of gun violence victims, grief counselors, and domestic violence advocates, as well as an encouraging speech from State Senator Steve Gallardo continuing our call to action.

Shortly after, we wrote thank-you notes to Senator McCain and then made our way across the street to his office, with “thank you” signs in hand. The speakers commended Senator McCain for showing leadership on this issue, and made it clear that we’re still hopeful that, with his help and support, we will get a bipartisan law to protect our country and our local community.

Hildy Saizow, from Arizonans for Gun Safety, was concluding her speech with a passionate call to “give a big thank-you to Senator John McCain” when a white-haired gentleman in a blue blazer turned the corner. We were shocked and excited to see Senator McCain himself, who had been driving by his office on his way home and had seen the thank-you signs. The senator had pulled over to the side of the road to thank his constituents for our support.

More than 100 OFA volunteers were able to thank the senator for his leadership in person, and Gloria Galeno, a gun violence survivor and advocate against domestic violence, shook the senator’s hand. Many noted the stark contrast between the two senators here in Arizona.

When I personally thanked Senator McCain for stopping by he simply said he wanted to meet his constituents who supported him on this important issue for Arizona. It was an uplifting end to our day, and an encouraging example of how our activism is making a difference.

One “yes” vote down, one more to go—and we are not giving up the fight.

A few months ago, I shared my story about my dad, Reuven, who was killed this past September in a mass shooting in Minneapolis. Since then, I've been fighting every single day to reduce gun violence, so no one else ever has to grieve like I did.

When the Senate defeated a bill that would expand background checks last week, I just couldn't believe it. Something that 90% of Americans support should be a slam dunk.

Right now, we might be witnessing the greatest disconnect between Congress and the American people in our history. This is why Organizing for Action's job is so important. Together, we can make sure that no one in Washington ever gets away with ignoring the voices of the people who sent them there—no matter how powerful the special interests.

Add your name—say you're ready to keep on fighting.

I can't get over the fact that those 45 senators cast their votes against background checks while family members of the victims of Newtown, Tucson, and Virginia Tech watched from the Senate gallery.

Could those senators even look those families in the eye and explain themselves?

The truth I'm finding is that the gun lobby has got decades worth of money and organizing behind them, and they know how to stir their supporters into a frenzy. But 90% of this country is on our side, not theirs. If we all step up, we will be heard. And we will win the next vote.

This past weekend, thousands of OFA supporters got together at 45 targeted events across the country to thank the senators who stood up for us, and to tell the senators who caved to the special interests that we're not about to give up this fight. That's the kind of action I'm talking about.

Let's make sure that Wednesday was the most powerful the gun lobby will ever be in Washington—add your name right now.

Thanks. Now back to work.

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced from the floor of the Senate today that he will postpone further debate on gun legislation until background check legislation has the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

"This debate is not over. In fact, this fight is just beginning," Reid said on the floor. "I've spoken with the president. He and I agree that the best way to keep working towards passing a background check bill is to hit a pause and freeze the background check bill where it is. ... This will allow senators to keep negotiating."

..."We're going to come back to this bill," Reid said. "I'm committed to ensuring that any bill we pass includes an expansion of background checks, closes the gun show loophole and covers private sales."

This morning, Senator Reid tweeted:

Background checks legislation will get passed. Just a matter of time. I assure the 90% who support it that I will continue this fight.

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) April 18, 2013

Yesterday, 45 senators chose to ignore their constituents and stand with the gun lobby. And because of Senate rules, this minority was able to stand in the way of a bipartisan measure to expand background checks for gun sales.

A lot of people are reading the headlines today and wondering how these senators had the nerve to get up there—right in front of victims' families from Newtown—and cast that vote against something that more than 90 percent of Americans support. I'm one of them.

Those senators made a cynical calculation that, at the end of the day, the gun lobby would be louder and stronger than we are.

Yesterday was just round one. We will keep fighting.

If you're one of the millions of Americans who care deeply about preventing gun violence, you need to show it today.

Add your name—tell Congress you're not going to back down now until they pass a common-sense gun violence prevention bill.

Here's where we go from here:

The senators on both sides of the aisle who stood up to the pressure and cast tough votes to do the right thing—they're going to know that OFA supporters are going to get their backs.

And those senators who decided that not crossing the gun lobby was more important than making our kids and communities safer—OFA supporters will call them out and hold them accountable to their constituents.

The special interests have been at this longer, and they can do a real good job at scaring people by distorting the facts—they think we'll go away quietly.

But there are so many more of us than there are of them. And as long as you don't give up, we're going to keep fighting, and someday soon, we will win.

Add your name right now to say you're going to keep fighting—for the families of Newtown, Aurora, Tucson, Chicago, and the thousands of other communities that have been torn apart by gun violence.

Add your name

Despite overwhelming public support, yesterday the Senate voted to block common-sense measures to reduce gun violence. This was President Obama's response.

As President Obama just said, "This was a pretty shameful day for Washington."

A majority of senators stood with more than 90 percent of Americans today to support expanding background checks for gun sales. But it wasn't enough—a group of senators defied the will of their constituents and blocked a simple vote on common-sense legislation that would protect our kids and our communities.

The victims of Newtown deserve action. The same goes for the people of Tucson, and Virginia Tech, and Aurora, and Chicago, and every single community that has been devastated by gun violence.

They deserve action now.

Organizing for Action supporters have not let the naysayers hold them back, and they've spoken out loudly in this debate. More than 22,000 of you called the Senate today alone. For anyone wondering, supporters of common-sense reform aren't going anywhere—it's too important that our representatives in Washington clearly hear the voices of the people who put them there.

We won't sit around and let Congress drag its heels while Americans are coming together to demand action. We won't wait for the next Newtown.

This Saturday, OFA supporters are holding events in states where senators hold the key to expanding background checks.

The President's right. Today was just round one. "Those who care deeply about preventing more and more gun violence have to be as passionate and organized and as vocal as those who blocked these common-sense steps to keep our kids safe."

We're not done fighting. Add your name right now to say you're going to keep fighting too.

Add your name

The Senate is expected to vote today on expanding background checks for gun sales—a measure that would go a long way toward reducing gun violence and making our communities safer. Our senators are debating right now, and we expect the vote to be very close—now is the time to speak up.

Can you pick up the phone right now and call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121?

It only takes a few minutes of your time to make your voice heard. Then, make sure you report back on how it went.

Make sure to tell your senator where you're from. And if you'd like, let them know your reason for taking action on gun violence. Maybe you have a friend or a family member who's been affected by gun violence, or maybe you were moved to stand up after the shooting in Newtown, or Tucson, or Virginia Tech. Whatever your reason, your passion will come through and that will make a difference.

These are common-sense reforms that will actually save lives and make our communities safer. If we want the Senate to pass a bill to reduce gun violence, we have to speak up—the special-interest groups on the other side are already well represented in this debate.

Thanks for being a part of this.

Now start calling.

Tell us how it went

Due to the events at the Boston Marathon today, we are postponing tomorrow's National Call Day on gun violence prevention. We'll update you when we know more about what's next in this effort.

Please join us in keeping Boston in your thoughts and prayers.