WASHINGTON — Jessie Diggins pulled the Olympic medals out of her bag Thursday afternoon, between meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Yes, she said with a smile, they're pretty useful conversation starters.
Two months after winning silver and bronze at the Beijing Games, Diggins was among a handful of current and former Winter Olympians who came to Washington to lobby members of Congress to act on climate change – an issue they believe is an existential threat to their sports.
In meetings with several lawmakers – including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen.