January 7, 2021

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BuildingAction, the national coalition of companies and organizations that advocate for federal sustainable building policies, today released the following statement in response to the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol:

 

“As a bipartisan coalition committed to helping Americans advocate to Congress, we are appalled by the attack on the U.S. Capitol building yesterday. Attacking the building that is the recognized symbol of our democratic process was nothing less than an assault on democracy itself.

 

“The hallmark of a democracy is the ability of people to express their views peacefully and lawfully. Many of us – including BuildingAction co-founder Russ Carnahan, who represented the 3rd District of Missouri in Congress from 2005 to 2013 - have spent countless hours walking through the halls of Congress, exercising our Constitutional right to advocate for policies we believe in. We have worked to engage policymakers in dialogue on important issues, debate our differences in a civil manner, and help citizens and their democratically elected representatives come together to find solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems. We use our voices and our votes to effect positive change, recognizing that those with whom we disagree enjoy the very same rights. 

 

“What took place yesterday was a vicious repudiation of our country’s democratic ideals. It was an act of insurrection whose sole intention was to sabotage our democracy, terrorize lawmakers and use violence and destruction to stop Congress from exercising its constitutional duties on behalf of the American people. 

 

“Our nation faces serious challenges, from a devastating pandemic to the effects of a rapidly changing climate. Americans of good will can disagree on how our elected leaders should respond to them. But there can be no disagreement that yesterday’s attempted insurrection was a betrayal of our fundamental American values.  

 

“We call on all elected officials to forcefully condemn what happened yesterday and commit to a return to the ideals of peaceful, civil debate.”

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