Protesters expected some resistance from Congressional staffers as they delivered foam hands drenched in oil-colored paint on Capitol Hill Thursday.

What they didn't anticipate was a 40-minute dialogue with the opposition.

A member of Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) staff invited the activists to do just that as they delivered an "oily hands award" to the lawmaker for trying to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon gases.

The nine environmentalists, who represented groups like 1Sky Action Fund and 350.org, appeared frustrated and visibly upset as they argued back and forth about the merits of climate science, cap and trade, and oil-spill compensation.

Their plan had been to go to the offices of Murkowski and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), video camera in hand, and accuse the lawmakers siding with the oil industry over their constituents. They wanted to warn senators that thousands of activists were planning similar action nationwide for the August recess.

"By failing to act, Congress has oil on their hands," Adi Nochur, who led the action, said.

In Landrieu's office, things played out as expected.

Nochur asked to speak with a member of the environmental staff, and the receptionist said all of them were busy. He launched into a rehearsed speech about why Landrieu should support their cause and handed over the foam hand.

"We are really concerned about the Senate's failure to act to pass a comprehensive climate energy bill," he told the staff member, who reluctantly took the award.

Outside, they assessed how they did.

"Even though it's a gimmick, I do think fake brown oil on a foam hand can have that kind of visceral effect and you could see that in the staffer's eyes," Ada Aroneanu said.

Up next was the Murkowski visit. Chuck Kleeschulte, who works for the senator through the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, agreed to speak with them.

He accepted the award too, joking that the brown paint on the hand looked nothing like the actual oil he had on his desk from the Exxon-Valdez spill.

Kleeschulte tried to convince the activists that Murkowski supports passing a climate energy solution, and the real delay has come from Democratic leaders unwilling to discuss realistic solutions on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"It's not that she's opposed to climate change legislation, but she wants climate change legislation to be handled by Congress – not mandated by bureaucrats," he said.

He listed several environmental measures Murkowski has backed but added that the Senator did not plan to back any of the major Democratic proposals on the table.

"I'm sorry, but we're not going to be supporting CO2 regulation," he said, saying that it would increase energy costs.

The activists responded that there was an urgent need to curb carbon emissions, and that regulation can't wait.

"Given the magnitude of the climate crisis, half measures aren't going to cut it," Nochur said. "We need a cap on carbon, we need a price on carbon that's going to fundamentally transform our energy priorities."

After 40 minutes of tense debate, the activists left the meeting. Neither side offered to shake hands, and Nochur said he didn't think anyone's views had changed during the meeting.

But the activists planned to be back, saying their continued presence was moving the needle on the debate.

Aroneanu pointed out that, though she and most of the other activists were young, they held their own in the policy debate. She believes that sends a message.

"We're able to actually address the substance when they try to maneuver their way out of arguments," she said. "In that sense, we're making them more aware about the opposition that they're facing."

Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.

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