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3/4/19 

Contact Federal Government Officials



1.     The House will consider eight (8) bills this week starting Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will be taking up the issue of HR1, the For the People Act of 2019. The League of Women Voter's (LWV) lays out their reasons for supporting this bill here. Let's tell our representatives to support HR1. Let's review the agenda at The Weekly Leader.  On Monday, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Allison Jones Rushing, of North Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit. (Source: Senate Floor Schedule) The Leadership Conference opposes Rushing and her extreme far-right positions. We can read their detailed opposition letter here. Let's tell our Senators to oppose Rushing.

2.     29 formerly deported parents have been allowed back into the country to go through the asylum process and hope to be reunited with their children who were taken from them.  http://time.com/5542477/migrant-parents-separated-children-reenter-us/  ICE is making custody determinations on whether the families will be detained or released to the sponsor families who are ready and eager to receive them. Please call 1-855-681-1349 and tell Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) to do the right thing: Release these asylum-seeking families to their sponsors immediately so they may reunite with their children.  (h/t Together Rising)

3.     Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) says he'll vote in favor of a resolution to terminate President Trump's national emergency declaration with regards to the U.S.-Mexico border. Paul's support means the resolution will likely pass the Senate with bipartisan support and could force the president to issue his first veto.  "I can't vote to give extra-Constitutional powers to the president," Paul told Republican supporters and lawmakers at a dinner at Western Kentucky University on Saturday, https://www.npr.org/2019/03/03/699835862/rand-paul-says-hell-vote-against-trump-s-border-emergency-likely-forcing-a-veto  We must encourage all of our senators to uphold the constitutional powers of the congress to control the purse of the government. If trump uses his veto power, we need more senators to override the veto to tell trump he can’t change the constitution. 

4.     Postcards for America is teaming with March for Our Lives-DC and others to write our Senators to support S. 42 / H.R.8 #UniversalBackgroundChecks. We can mail our missives for our Senators to March for Your Lives-DC and they will Hand Deliver them to Congress! We can check out the link here: 
https://marchforourlivesgw.wixsite.com/writeyourreps/write-a-letter  We can also find actions to take with all the info on S.42 here:  https://pc2a.info/UniversalBackgroundChecksHR8S42  We can retweet about it here:  https://twitter.com/postcards4USA/status/1101916092061097984

5.     Michael Cohen’s was not the only hearing of importance last week.  The House Judiciary Committee held hearings last Tuesday on Trump’s “family separation” policy; at these, Scott Lloyd, once head of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and now a senior advisor at Health and Human Services, admitted that he had not shared concerns voiced by colleagues, including warnings from child welfare experts about the traumatic effects of these separations, with his superiors:  https://www.kvia.com/news/border/watch-live-house-judiciary-committee-hearing-on-zero-tolerance-policy/1041376529 Nor apparently were border officials offered any guidance in how to implement the “zero tolerance” policy: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/zero-tolerance-policy-guidance-dhs-family-separation Subpoenas related to family separation, the first of the 116th Congress, have been issued to Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Attorney General William P. Barr, and Health and Human Services secretary Alex M. Azar II, after a bipartisan vote; some are suggesting these Cabinet members will not comply.  We must make it clear that we hold government officials answerable to our representatives: Nielsen 202-282-8495; Barr 202-353-1555 or 202-514-2000; Azar 1-877-696-6775.

6.     On Tuesday, February 26, the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations was going to hold a hearing on “The Denial Playbook: How Industries Manipulate Science and Policy from Climate Change to Public Health.” After 10 minutes, however, the meeting was adjourned on a motion by Ranking Member Rep Louie Gohmert (R-TX) because only two of the five Democratic members of subcommittee managed to show up at the hearing, and they were outvoted by the four Republicans attending. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/26/house-democrats-climate-change-1219492   We did not work our butts off for the Big Blue Wave for this. The Democrats on the subcommittee are: Rep TJ Cox (D-CA21), Chair; Ranking Members. Democratic members: Rep Raul Grijalva (D-AZ3) ex officio; Rep Debbie Dingell (D-MI12); Rep Donald McEachin (D-VA4); Michael San Nicolas (D-Guam).  
 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/HSII/15 If any of them are our representatives, let’s tell them that we expect better than this. The rest of us can express our disappointment to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: https://www.speaker.gov/contact/

7.     HR 1, a bill that would expand voting rights, strengthen government ethics, and reform campaign finance laws to require more disclosure of PAC contributions, has advanced from the House Administration Committee and is expected to come to the House for a floor vote in the next few weeks. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/26/democrats-electoral-reform-bill-1188437?fbclid. So far, all the bill’s 227 sponsors are Democrats. Though the bill is expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House, it’s expected to die in the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called it a political power grab.  https://www.vox.com/2019/1/18/18188150/mitch-mcconnell-house-democrats-anti-corruption-bill-hr1. Let’s remind our Republican MoCs that 82 percent of Americans and 84 percent of independent voters support campaign finance reform, and that we want to see them take a stand for ethics and voting rights, rather than fighting to maintain gerrymandered systems and suppressing voting through unnecessary ID laws.

8.    A poster linking Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) to the 9/11 attacks was on display in the rotunda of the West Virginia House of Delegates during “GOP Day” on Friday:  https://www.npr.org/2019/03/02/699699805/sign-linking-muslim-congresswoman-ilhan-omar-to-9-11-sparks-outrage-in-west-virg  The WV GOP has denounced the poster. Let’s let them know they are going to have to do more to distance themselves from this hateful and dangerous rhetoric: https://wvgop.org/index#panel-contact   And then let’s let Rep. Omar know that we repudiate the message of the poster: 
https://omar.house.gov/contact

9.     From one of our own:  A compilation of items needing public comment. This week's list includes election integrity, two regs on coal-fired plants, energy efficiency standards, Volcker Rule, CFPB payday loans, SNAP program, and perhaps most important the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) major revisions:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iD8rF8FLp6u99Dw8G6xcuZL91L2J1bkX/view

10.  The House Ways and Means Committee is preparing to officially request Trump's personal tax returns (https://nbcnews.to/2XAzbVY, https://bit.ly/2XzkiDG). While they are the only committee with the authority to make the request, Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin will have final approval. We can expect that there will be considerable pressure from Trump to deny the request for his taxes. Let's contact Secretary Mnuchin and tell him to allow the House to fully investigate the legality of Trump's financial practices by approving their request to review Trump's personal tax returns.

11.   In yet another head-scratching enigma, Trump claims to want to stop HIV, but has not presented the plans or interest in doing so.  https://www.bustle.com/p/trump-wants-to-stop-hiv-from-spreading-after-cutting-funding-for-prevention-15928784  Let’s make sure that our MoCs know that we want actual spending and planning to continue to try to eradicate this disease.

Election/Voting

1.      “So far in March, there are 22 elections scheduled. If one of these is your district, make sure you vote! For everyone else, please share this with your network to spread the word in order to increase awareness and turnout!” Let’s let  Political Charge tell us about them and then let’s help where we can:  https://politicalcharge.org/2019/02/28/elections-in-march-2019/

2.     Postcards to Voters has launched Campaign 147: Brendan Csaposs for Baton Rouge, Louisiana Metro Council. The special election will be held on Saturday, March 30. The city’s Metro Council has had a Republican majority of 7 to 5. This Special Election has created an opportunity to change that by moving to a 6-6 even split and giving progressives greater footing to enact reforms in the state’s second-largest city. Let's request 5 addresses for this campaign today. If we are new, we can get started here.

3.     There’s a special election on April 2, 2019, in Wisconsin for a seat on the state’s Supreme Court. Let’s help Lisa Neubauer, who is currently Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, defeat Brian Hagedorn, former chief legal counsel to Wisconsin’s infamous Republican Governor Scott Walker, and start shifting the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a more progressive direction.  https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court_elections,_2019 Let’s sign up with Vote Forward, https://votefwd.org/ , and send letters to Democratic-leaning Wisconsin voters to urge them to vote. Even sending just five letters can make a difference!

Other Actions

1.      When Together Rising learned that there were 90 deported parents whom the US government could not find to follow through on the court order to reunite children in detention, they took action.  They raised $4,236,367.69 from 76,168 givers and started looking for these parents.  They found them all and some have been reunited.  29 of the parents, however, wanted to re-try for the asylum for which they originally came to the USA.  Generally, anyone who has been deported cannot re-enter the US.  However, Together Rising, working with Families Belong Together and Al Otro Lado changed that for these parents and they have been admitted and are now all in the asylum process.  https://www.facebook.com/TogetherRising/posts/1230860890425249?__tn__=K-R and https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/29-parents-separated-from-their-children-and-deported-last-year-arrive-at-us-border-to-request-asylum/2019/03/02/38eaba7a-2e48-11e9-8781-763619f12cb4_story.html?utm_term=.bb6acfca487d  and https://abcnews.go.com/US/29-deported-parents-return-us-hope-reunite-separated/story?id=61433118  Let’s thank these organizations for the work they do and do what we can to contribute to their causes. 

2.     National Bail Out is a collective of organizations, including Color of Change, Dream Defenders, The Movement for Black Lives, and others, who focus on pretrial detention and mass incarceration. They provide fellowship and run projects such as the National Mama's Bail Out Day, which posts bail for mothers who would otherwise be separated from their children on Mother's Day. To help prepare for this year's Mama's Bail Out Day, National Bail Out is asking for those interested in doing a bail out to let them know by completing this survey. We can read more about the U.S. money bail system here.

3.     There are several organizations that connect techies to activists who need technology to advance their causes. If we’re technologically inclined, or if we need tech support for our groups, let’s use this resource: https://technicalmajority.com/

4.     Experts in authoritarianism advise us to keep a list of things subtly changing around us, so we’ll remember.  Amy Siskind is keeping that list for us.  Amy writes, "This week the country was riveted by the public testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump’s long-time attorney and fixer, before the House Oversight Committee — the first public testimony in the new Democrat-controlled Congress." Let's review Amy Siskind's list Week 120 and keep aware of all that is changing.

State Actions

1.      AL: The group Woke Vote, which mobilizes historically disengaged voters of color, is holding an open house on March 4, 5PM to 8PM, at Tutwiler Bar & Grill, 2001 Park Pl, Birmingham, AL. 
https://www.facebook.com/wokevote/photos/a.189057525006788/385740405338498/?type=3&theater Let’s go see how we can get involved. RSVP wokevote@gmail.com

2.     CA:  If we are or know any CA-34 high school students, Congressmen Jimmy Gomez wants to see what makes us proud to call Los Angeles “my city”! We can submit original artwork to the Congressman’s L.A. office by April 5 for a chance to have it displayed at the U.S. Capitol! We can find more details here: https://gomez.house.gov/constituent-services/arts-competition.htm

3.     ME: Governor Janet Mills has just come out in support of Central Maine Power’s proposal to build a 145-mile transmission line through the Maine North Woods, https://www.pressherald.com/2019/02/21/read-mills-statement-on-her-support-of-cmps-controversial-transmission-line/, an action strongly opposed by the Natural Resources Council of Maine and other environmental activists. https://www.nrcm.org/projects/climate/proposed-cmp-transmission-line-bad-deal-maine/. CMP is claiming that this project is environmentally beneficial because it utilizes hydropower from Quebec, but environmentalists are claiming that the damage to wildlife and habitat far outweigh the benefits, and that the overall impact of the project could actually increase climate change emissions.  LD 640 would require the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to investigate the environmental impacts before permitting the project. Let’s sign a petition against the project here and also encourage our state legislators to support LD 640.

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.      If we are elected women or self-identifying women activists, we can check out the free Power Through Education webinar series, presented by Rep19 and Vote Run Lead. Organizers inform us that presenters will include, “our country’s top thought leaders, elected officials and political experts.” We can for as many webinars as you would like. but some webinars are limited exclusively to elected women. All webinars will be at noon EST / 9am PST, starting on March 6. Information will be sent out prior to the event. We can find out more and register here. https://rep19.com/events

2.     On March 15 there will be Youth Climate Strikes all over the world.  Let’s keep an eye on this site for updates of where and when we can attend and help: https://www.youthclimatestrikeus.org/ 

3.     There’s a free webinar to learn about grassroots campaigning offered by the Association of State Democratic Committees. Let’s sign up by April 14 and learn what we can do to help Democratic candidates win. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeirXkMJHmn1PS7-v-OZ8yVAmn4Mx0In-tEik-TDi8oRLKB3w/viewform

Reading/Watching


1.      GOP Senators Struggle to Escape No-Win Border Vote - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/analysis-gop-senators-struggle-to-escape-no-win-border-vote

2.     The neo-Nazi plot against America is much bigger than we realize -
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/02/christopher-hasson-coast-guard-neo-nazi-far-right

3.     What You Need To Know About Security Clearances, Inside And Outside The White House - https://www.npr.org/2019/03/01/699407475/what-you-need-to-know-about-security-clearances-inside-and-outside-the-white-hou

4.      Mark Meadows Showed Us The Six Stages White Men Go Through When Getting Called Out For Racism - https://newsone.com/3847507/mark-meadows-white-men-racism/






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