Rogan's List

1/25/19 

Contact Federal Government Officials

Addresses (District) for Members of the House of Representatives (Including Emails & Twitter)

All Addresses for All US Senators

(including District Offices, Website Emails, Twitter & FB)

Fax legislators for free: 

Reps:  https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php

Senate:  https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php 

Or use Resistbot:  https://resist.bot/

Or use StampsLicked to have messages hand-delivered to our own legislators:  https://stampslicked.org/

White House contact:  https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house

1.    Despite the two votes by the Senate yesterday, there is still no funding for a wall and there is still a government shutdown.  https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/senate-votes-on-government-shutdown-and-trump-border-wall-bill.html  Let’s continue to pressure our senators to pressure Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) into bringing to a vote the original House bill (or any of the nine others they have passed) to re-open the government.  It has the votes to pass.  McConnell is the key to ending the shutdown.

2.   “Donald Trump’s decision to change definitions of domestic violence and sexual assault has rolled back women’s rights by half a century, campaigners have warned.  The Trump administration quietly changed the definition of both domestic violence and sexual assault back in April but the move has only just surfaced.  The change could have significant repercussions for millions of victims of gender-based violence.”  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-domestic-abuse-sexual-assault-definition-womens-rights-justice-department-a8744546.html   Trump’s new definition will no longer include psychological abuse and other emotional harm, just physical harm.  Once again, women are targeted.  Let’s let our MoCs know that the more complete definition needs to be restored and codified. 

3.   Even though the Department of Agriculture has been able to provide Food Stamps through February, 2500 grocery retailers are unable to accept them, because they can’t renew their recently expired licenses during the shutdown.  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-many-stores-cant-accept-food-stamps-during-the-shutdown? Let’s remind our MoCs of this when we demand that they re-open the government and also ask what they can do to address this situation. We can also consider donating to local food programs to help recipients in our area who may not be able to get groceries.

4.   Associations representing air traffic controllers, pilots, and flight attendants wrote a joint letter with an alarming message about air safety amidst the shutdown: https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/aviation/426709-air-travel-union-leaders-release-dire-safety-warning-as   Let’s include this issue when contacting our MoC regarding the shutdown.

5.   Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, decided not to testify before Congress next month because of threats to him and his family by Trump and his current lawyer, Rudy Guiliani.   https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/michael-cohen-says-trump-s-threats-against-his-family-will-n961816  The fact that Cohen has now been subpoenaed does not negate his fear for his family’s safety.  https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/24/michael-cohen-subpoena-testimony-1124009   Let’s ask our MoCs how long they are going to let Trump get away with obstruction of justice.

6.   From one of our own:  Please call your Representatives and Senators today and encourage their support of S. 21 and H.R. 367: Pay Our Coast Guard Act.   It’s simply unconscionable our Coast Guard people are the only military not being paid during the shutdown. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/coast-guard-deploys-around-the-world-as-shutdown-creates-financial-insecurity-at-home  Who better defends our own borders than these honorable people?

7.   We've been asking our MoC to investigate the separation of immigrant families at the border, along with their subsequent treatment in shelters, and members of the House have listened. Unfortunately, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar is refusing to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/22/health-secretary-testify-seperated-children-1119744 Let's contact Secretary Azar and tell him that he should take responsibility and accept Chairman Pallone's request to testify: Phone: 877-696-6775/202-690-7000 Mailing address: Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Ave, SW, DC 20201 E-mail: Secretary@HHS.gov 

8.   Teachers on strike in Los Angeles have apparently been successful in their demands for smaller class sizes and more resources https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/22/us/los-angeles-teachers-strike-day-6/index.html, but the fight for our public schools is ongoing. It may have been lost in the news, but this week is so-called School Choice Week, "a well-funded campaign supported by Betsy DeVos's American Federation for Children, the Koch Brothers, the Walton Foundation, ALEC and others in order to promote vouchers, charters, virtual schools and schemes like ESAs and tax credits. The intent is to fund private schools with public tax dollars." Let's let our members of Congress know that we want to support our public schools instead. Here's a handy online form to do so: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-the-best-choice-is-a-strong-public-school-system

9.   From one of our own:  We are days away from the end of the commenting period for the changes to Title IX. (1/28). Please take a moment to comment here. The website isn't being updated due to the government shutdown, but you can still comment!  Comment here:  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/29/2018-25314/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-sex-in-education-programs-or-activities-receiving-federal

10. Yesterday, unions representing air traffic controllers, flight attendants, and pilots raised an alarm about air safety now that the shutdown is well into its fifth week and many airport workers are unpaid (meanwhile Southwest, JetBlue, and other airlines grumbled about lost profits):  https://wgme.com/news/nation-world/unions-express-air-safety-concerns-over-government-shutdown or https://www.wnyc.org/story/us-aviation-industry-sounds-alarm-over-concerns-as-shutdown-continues  We should be worried too.  Following the failed votes on Thursday, we must (again!) urge our senators to agree to reopen the government, if only for our safety as travelers and consumers of food, air, water, medication--and only then negotiate about border security.

11. Earlier this month, a coalition of House Democrats introduced a suite bills to protect America’s coastal communities from offshore drilling. We can read more about them in this press release from the House Natural Resources Committee. They have since been assigned numbers so we can track them. They are: a) HR341 COAST Anti-Drilling Act; b) HR291 Coastal Economies Protection Act; c) HR 279 California Clean Coast Act; d) HR287 New England Coast Protection Act; e) HR286 Florida Coastal Protection Act; f) HR310 West Coast Ocean Protection Act; g) HR337 Defend Our Coast Act. Let's support these environmentally-friendly acts. Govtrack.us provides tracking tools for us to use if we are signed into their site; they notify us via email of any activity on the bills we are tracking.

12. All three members of Montana’s Congressional delegation have signed on to sponsor the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, S60, which would ban mining on 30,000 acres of Custer Gallatin National Forest. The act had been included as a part of a public lands package that faltered at the 11th hour of Congress’ last session in December after two senators — Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky — halted the package. We can read more at The Livingston Enterprise. Let's call on our Senators to support this bill and sign on as co-sponsors.

Election/Voting

1.    Polls are now open in the primary election in the race for a Tennessee Senate seat left open when Mark Norris became a federal judge. Four Republicans are competing in the primary; Eric Coleman is running as the only Democrat. The Special Election will be held on March 12. We can write to Democratic voters in this 32nd TN state senate district with Postcards to Voters' Campaign 143: Eric Coleman for State Senate.  Or, we can text JOIN to (484) 275-2229 or email us at Join@TonyTheDemocrat.org  Early voting for this election starts Feb. 11.  Let's request 5 addresses today for this postcarding campaign. 

Other Actions

1.    Let’s make sure that tenants on public assistance programs who have been affected by the government shutdown know their rights. We can share this graphic from the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) widely on our social media networks. We can also check out the NHLP website for more information.

2.   Every week this list exhorts its readers to "call our MoCs." Certainly this gets monotonous, and some of us are probably wondering if it really does any good. Well, according to at least one former Congressional staffer, it definitely does, so let's keep it up! https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1087027543969071104.html

3.   In its most recent publication, the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance talks about menstrual equity in the classroom and in school policy: "In 'Equity, Period.' we look at how the stigma surrounding menstruation is harming students and what educators can do about it." The article discusses the history of menstrual equity, why it's so essential, and how we can advocate for equity in our schools. Let's read through Equity, Period, then check out organizations such as Period. and Period Equity to learn how we can take action to help promote menstrual equity in our communities.

4.   Even as his approval ratings plummet, Trump is looking into extending the Shutdown through April and we cannot let him do it. If we are Union members or know people who are, we can use this interactive tool to find union actions against the shutdown all over the country:  https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/shutdown-events

State Actions

1.    ALL:  Let's stay prepared for our state legislative activity by knowing when they are scheduled for regular and special sessions. We can check out StateScape which gives us a handy US Map graphic to get us started. A click on our home state will show us the start and end dates of the sessions. We can explore more information on the site. We can also sign up StateScape's newsletter "The Week Ahead" to help us stay current.

2.   CA:  Many Californians suffered terrible damage, loss of homes, lives and livelihood in the recent fires that have swept our state. PG&E faces a possible investigation for their role in threes tragedies and now, Erin Brockovich informs us, they are trying to shirk responsibility by declaring bankruptcy.  https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Does-PG-E-need-to-file-for-bankruptcy-Erin-13553334.php   We cannot let lives that have been damaged be further destroyed by this. We can speak out against PG&E’s cynical ploy here:  https://tellyourreps.com/stop-the-pge-bankruptcy/

3.   MA: The group Progressive Massachusetts has announced its 2019-2020 legislative priorities—16 bills that will advance shared prosperity, racial and social justice, good government, and a healthy environment. Let’s look at the list, https://www.progressivemass.com/191legislativeagenda, and let’s tell our state legislators that we want them to co-sponsor these bills:  https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

4.   MI:  From Justice for our Neighbors West Michigan - Our Grand Rapids office is looking for volunteer attorneys! Immigration experience is not a prerequisite. Volunteers will be trained and supervised by a JFON-MI attorney. If you are interested in learning more, please let us know.  Must be an attorney or a law student.  Will be doing immigration application prep, legal research. draft memos and briefs.  2-8 hours a week.  Contact:  Raquel@ jfonmi.org

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

1.    Ongoing Tweetstorm:  Nancy Pelosi is running an emergency Tweetstorm using the hashtag #TrumpShutdown. Please search, choose Latest on the top navigation and retweet all. We can also click on this link for prewritten tweets to send out:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1blVY_XVRIqRxs0YdRj3IN4y-r6kUlK3i0-k8lOXHQaM/edit

2.   As the government shutdown approaches day 35, it’s past time for us to weigh in.  On Tuesday, January 29 (original date of State of the Union address), if the shutdown is still on, Indivisible, MoveOn, United We Dream, and others are organizing a massive day of in-person action across the country to #ShutdownTheWall.  We can find a nearby event or plan one here: 

https://act.moveon.org/event/peoples-state-union-speak-outs/search/ 

Reading/Watching

1.    Shutdown Highlights That Many Americans Don't Have Enough Saved For A Rainy Day - https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/01/24/shutdown-rainy-day-savings

2.   Is There A Crisis At The Border? This Longtime Arizona Sheriff Says 'No, There Isn't' - https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/01/24/trump-border-wall-arizona-sheriff

3.    The Trump-Era Overcorrection -  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/covington-overcorrection/580987/

4.   Voices From the Field:  FBI Agent Accounts of the Real Consequences of the Government Shutdown - https://www.fbiaa.org/sites/default/files/downloadable/FBIAA%20Voices%20from%20the%20Field.pdf