Rogan's List

7/1/17

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STATE & FEDERAL legislative rep phone numbers.

1. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) not only insures more than 20 million more Americans. It also is a driver of economic growth, helping the health care sector to add an average of 31,000 to 39,000 jobs per month. The Republican health care bill could kill nearly one million jobs by 2026, and the ripple effects could slow the entire economy. Let’s share this story on social media,  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-risk-from-obamacare-repeal-no-one-is-talking-about-jobs-2017-06-28 , and let’s tell our MoCs that this is yet another reason why we oppose the Republican bill.

2. Now Trump is saying that if the GOP can’t get a replacement healthcare bill passed that maybe they just need to repeal the ACA and work on a replacement later.  http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-endorses-repeal-first-strategy-if-health-care-deal-not-n778501 Let’s let our senators know that we do not like the idea of insurance being taken away from anyone. In fact, we want more people enrolled with good coverage.

3. Until the Russian investigation is over Trump should not be having any private meetings with Putin. It's apparent from this news article that he still wants to please Putin and cares little for what our country wants in regard to Russia. "President Donald Trump has asked National Security Council staff to come up with "deliverables" that he can offer to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany next week, The Thursday. The news comes on the heels of a report published by The Associated Press last week that said Trump had been pushing for a full bilateral meeting with Putin rather than just an informal "pull-aside" on the sidelines of the G-20 summit." http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-putin-meeting-sanctions-russia-2017-6 The White House is not commenting. The sanctions need to stay in place and we should not be offering "deliverables" to Putin. Let's tell the White House and Congress and the National Security Council no to any ”gifts" for Putin.  

4. Officials in at least 24 states have said they won’t turn over all voter roll data to Trump’s voter suppression commission, and in at least five states they’ve made it clear they won’t turn over any. (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/340262-ny-governor-we-wont-comply-with-voter-fraud-myth) For those of us living in those states (this list), let’s contact our elected officials and thank them for standing up against this farce. For those of us who aren’t, let’s reach out to our secretaries of states or election boards and  tell them we want them to stand up. We can use this script here: https://twitter.com/Celeste_pewter/status/880531418350198784.Their contact information is here:https://www.rockthevote.com/get-informed/elections/contact-sos/..

5. The federal Election Assistance Commission helps states improve their voting systems, addressing issues like cybersecurity and poll-worker training. The GOP would like to scrap the agency, and it is slated to be defunded by the end of 2018. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) has introduced an amendment to HR 115 (the Financial Services Appropriation Bill) to appropriate $9.2 million to fund it. In this time of cyberattacks, Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election claims by Trump that the election was rigged, voter suppression, and more, an agency that helps to strengthen our voting systems sounds like a good idea. http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/340143-house-dem-seeks-to-restore-funding-to-the-election-assistance-commission Let’s tell our MoCs to support the Quigley amendment.

6. As the news of Trump’s tweets about Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough continues to sink in, Ms. Brzezinski and Mr. Scarborough have delayed their vacation to take time to respond: http://time.com/4840932/mika-brzezinski-joe-scarborough-respond-trump-tweets/ and their response includes a Washington Post op-ed titled “Donald Trump is Not Well”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-is-not-well/2017/06/30/97759ee0-5d0f-11e7-9b7d-14576dc0f39d_story.html?utm_term=.7af85e55fc6b  Let’s make sure our representatives know that this behavior is unacceptable for the President of the United States. Period.

7. -While we are distracted by Trumpcare and the meaning of “bona fide” relationships among immigrants, Mitch McConnell is fast-tracking S 1460, the “Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017,” ironically, in the name of bipartisanship:  http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/340097-senators-introduce-new-bipartisan-energy-bill   Food & Water Watch warns us that this bill would lock in our dependence on fossil fuels, undermine efforts to stave off the worst effects of climate change, speed approval of exports of liquefied natural gas, give FERC new authority to approve pipelines, authorize millions to explore for methane hydrates. The "Renewables" section of the bill doesn't mention solar or wind energy.  A nearly identical version of this bill passed the Senate (though not the House) last year with 85 votes.  Before the end of the current recess, let’s ask about this bill at town meeting AND tell Chuck Schumer—202-224-6542—that we’re counting on Democrats to oppose this, or any, dirty energy bill.

8. On Thursday, the House passed two laws—“Kate’s Law” and the “No Sanctuary for Criminals Act”—the first, designed to increase prison sentences meted out to undocumented immigrants who reenter the US illegally and the second, to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities:  Opponents have called “Kate’s Law” an effort to stoke fear of immigrants, despite the lack of evidence that undocumented immigrants commit more crimes than others; despite Republican claims that sanctuary policies endanger “the entire U.S.,” a University of California analysis of federal data found that sanctuary cities were in fact safer than non-sanctuary ones:   http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/house-immigration-crackdown-n778141  The fate of these bills in the Senate is uncertain, but given current anti-immigrant rhetoric, we should make sure our senators staunchly oppose their passage.  Let's contact our senators and let them know that we want them to oppose these attacks on immigrants https://5calls.org/issue/reckGd5UvIShAViX9

9. The Tax March team and Stand Up America are working together to launch an "Email Orrin" campaign http://bit.ly/2soQP36 Senator Hatch is the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and has recently asked for input from stakeholders on tax reform. To help inform our feedback, Five Thirty Eight has some helpful ideas on what the Republican plan could look like: http://53eig.ht/2ttwkSd Let's tell Senator Hatch how we feel about tax reform and tax cuts for the wealthy; we can e-mail and/or send a tweet directly from the Tax March website http://taxmarch.org/emailorrin/

10. The travel ban has gone into effect, and the State Department has an incredibly limited scope of who will be allowed into the country based on which family members count as having a "bona fide relationship" http://bit.ly/2t4N0NI Let's give the State Department a call and tell them to broaden their definition of "close family members": https://5calls.org/issue/recSc5YHT1dukbJF1

11. On July 12th, numerous websites, including Amazon, Etsy, Netflix, Reddit, and Twitter, will be participating in the Internet-Wide Day of Action to fight back against the FCC's attack on net neutrality. Those of us with web pages can participate by embedding one of the sample alert modals into the header of our websites https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/?org=dp In the meantime, we can also use Battle For the Net to send a letter to the FCC and share our thoughts on net neutrality  https://www.battleforthenet.com/

12. Resolutions have been introduced in both the House and Senate to recognize June as LGBTQ Pride Month http://bit.ly/2ur6HyI Let's call our MoC and ask that they support H.Res. 419 and S.Res. 212.

13. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the Reverse Mass Incarceration Act on Wednesday. (bill number to be assigned.) http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/339906-senate-dems-propose-incentives-to-reduce-state-prison-populations  Let's call our both of our senators to ask that they co-sponsor this legislation. Prior to the Trump administration, we had bi-partisan and public support for prison population reduction.  Let's get that back on track.

14. Trump's review of national monuments continues with our marine monuments. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) gives us a good overview as well as a petition to sign and, most importantly, the link to submit public comments about the monuments under review.  https://www.nrdc.org/experts/your-marine-monuments-need-your-help   If we have special stories about amazing places, the public comment form is one place where we need to tell them. Let's use our voices.  https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=DOI-2017-0002-0001  Now is the time to tell our stories.

State-level actions

1. MA: Trump’s Muslim ban is back in place, and that means the lawyers at the front lines of the Resistance are heading back to the airports. http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/supreme-court-reinstates-trump-travel-ban/ At Logan Airport, the Open Boston team is looking for both attorneys AND non-attorneys to volunteer. Those of us who are available can sign up here:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U_7VxEIoq5KeO05bky7h6uRb3x3Q0I09w8UGfuC2JDc/edit#gid=0 

2. From RISE Stronger:  RISE Stronger works at the national, state, and municipal levels. Our State Chapters approach the work of civic and political engagement from the ground up, starting in communities around the country. RISE Stronger's state chapters are building a dialogue by discussing practical solutions to real problems, providing support to civic organizations, working collaboratively with other like-minded grassroots organizations, and engaging state legislators and local governments. We hope you'll join us - get involved, roll up your sleeves, and get to work to build the communities we need, want, and deserve!  https://risestronger.org/state_chapters

Other Actions

1. On Thursday evening, a number of protesters with "ADAPT, a Colorado-born organization that works nationally to promote disability rights," were arrested by police in Senator Cory Gardner's office, where they had been staging a sit-in since Tuesday morning. While the Senator has met with the group several times over the past year and a half to discuss the retention of Medicaid, it is unsurprising that, given GOP behavior over the past two weeks, the group would feel that they had not been listened to. We can do two things to support their action: 1) share this Denver Post article on social media to encourage this key senator to vote NO on the Republican healthcare bill,  http://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/29/cory-gardner-office-protest-removal/ and 2) support ADAPT with a contribution, here: http://adapt.org/donate/ 

2. The Hispanic Federation with the support of Lin Manuel-Miranda, the star of Broadway’s Hamilton, has convened the Immigrants: We Get the Job Done Coalition which includes 12 essential nonprofit organizations that provide life-changing support – legal representation, advocacy and social services – to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers throughout the United States. Together, we're helping to build stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger nation.  We can watch the music video about their work here:  http://www.npr.org/event/music/534746532/watch-lin-manuel-mirandas-stunning-new-video-for-immigrants-we-get-the-job-done  For a donation to the cause we can be entered into a drawing for tickets and more to see Hamilton in LA:  https://www.prizeo.com/campaigns/lin-manuel-miranda/ham-4-all

Petitions

1. From one of our own:  Under Trump's proposed budget all long distance Amtrak passenger train services would lose federal support and could be discontinued. The national passenger train network would be destroyed. It would no longer be possible to cross the United States by train. And I depend on Amtrak several times a year to be with my family and sometimes to travel for work.  The amount of federal support for these Amtrak services is very small compared to the rest of the federal budget. Many more tax dollars are spent in supporting the White House fleet of airplanes than is spent on the entire Amtrak budget. For more information on this issue go the the website of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) at https://www.narprail.org/ Let’s help save this vital transportation source:  https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/save-amtrak-3.fb48

2. There is NO COMPELLING reason to deport a young mother with dependent US children.   Let’s sign this petition to help this mom:  https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-the-deportation-13.fb52

Marches/events to attend/organize

Reading

1. The House Armed Services Committee passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NRAA) on Thursday with a 60-1 vote. Here's what we need to know:  http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/space-corps-lcs-survive-as-house-panel-passes-696-billion-defense-authorization-bill/article/2176693

2. This week’s United States of Resistance: “This Independence Day, let us remember: "Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance." -Woodrow Wilson “ https://www.risestronger.org/newsroom/historyofliberty

3. And, our weekly dose of Small Victories:  http://www.peaceisloud.org/blog/small-victories-issue-26

Rogan’s List is a participant in and strategic partner of the Action Alliance,

         a loosely-federated group of organizations that, in the wake of the

2016 election, are sharing daily or weekly calls to action.

Other member sites are listed here: https://www.actionalliance.co/  --scroll down and click through and you'll find many more opportunities to make a difference.

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Rogan’s List is also part of RISE Stronger’s United States of Resistance

https://risestronger.org/resist