4/2/20
NATIONAL
ISSUES
Contact all Federal
Members of Congress
(includes contact info and
links to social media)
Fax
legislators for free:
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
|
COVID-19
RELIEF PACKAGE: Members of
Congress have begun discussing what will be in the next relief package, even as
the White House rejects the idea of a fourth relief bill (https://cnb.cx/2yrinc9).
Indivisible, the Sunrise Movement, Working Families Party, MoveOn, and others
have created the People's Bailout which includes a set of specific policy
requests, call scripts, and letter templates (https://peopleoverprofits.indivisible.org/).
While this is a great start, it has left out the disability community, who were
also neglected by Congress in the three previous relief bills. Let's
contact our MoC about the next relief bill using the People's Bailout hub to
get started, then let's make sure to include the policy proposals recommended
by The Arc in our calls and letters, and send out a tweet to our MoC.
TRAIN
ONLINE TO BE A VOLUNTEER CERTIFIED NURSES AID TO HELP FIGHT COVID-19: As the fight against the Coronavirus
escalates, Volunteer Certified Nurse Aides(CNA) can help take up the
slack, allowing more RNs and MDs to focus on critical care. If we are
interested in helping out, VolunteerSurge
is ready to train and place 1,000 Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). If
we choose to sign up, we’ll get an online learning system with a Red
Cross-licensed 40-hour CNA training program, and ADP's WorkMarket platform to
match us with opportunities in communities all across the country. They
will build a profile that includes our special skills and areas of interest,
and pair us with a volunteer assignment that fits our needs. As the need for
volunteers surges, we can scan postings in WorkMarket for assignments that
touch our heart or inspire us. We can come together as a country, fight
hard and save lives when we sign up to train as Volunteer CNAS here: https://volunteersurge.com/ Thanks for answering the
call!
CONTINUED
UPREPAREDNESS: “. . . after
reports of the disease developing in China emerged at the end of December 2019,
U.S. intelligence agencies repeatedly warned Trump in January and February in
classified briefings what was coming; he continued to downplay it. Senate
Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) asked the administration to declare a
public health emergency in late January to free up money to fight the
coronavirus. But as late as February 24, Trump tweeted: “The Coronavirus is
very much under control in the USA. Stock Market starting to look very good to
me!”” https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-31-2020 Now that COVID-19 is fully blossoming in the
US, we learn that while our healthcare workers are running low or even out of
PPE (personal protection equipment) we have been sending such overseas. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-democratic-national-convention-scheduled/ Other countries, in similar binds, have
stopped exports of medical equipment and supplies. Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) has
asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to impose a temporary ban on all exports
of critical medical supplies. https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-urges-trump-administration-ban-exports-medical-supplies-needed
It is becoming clearer that there is no
one overseeing the supplies/needs of this essential gear. https://www.barrons.com/articles/federalize-the-medical-supply-chain-before-its-too-late-51585665386
and https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/hhs-holding-up-delivery-of-2000-u-s-ventilators-pentagon-says
and https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/31/pence-task-force-coronavirus-aid-157806 Let’s join in that ask of Sec. Pompeo (https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/u-s-department-of-state)
Then, let’s tell Pence to get this supply change fixed so it can save
lives: Vice President: Mike Pence, Comments:
202-456-1111, Switch Board: 202-456-1414, TTY/TTD: 202-456-6213
ZOOM
CYBERATTACKS: As more people are
staying connected for work, education, and socialization through
videoconferencing, there has also been an uptick in "Zoom bombing,"
or cyberattacks through Zoom. The attacks range from racist, to pornographic,
to host doxxing, and have earned a warning from the FBI (https://abcn.ws/2wVeL1t).
While there are some measures we can take to prevent this from happening in the
first place, it is also important that Zoom take responsibility for its
platform's vulnerabilities and the company's inadequate handling of these
attacks. Let's read through the account of Dr. Dennis L. Johnson,
Jr., who experienced one of these racist attacks, check out his proposed
solutions, and sign his petition: https://bit.ly/2URL89r We can also contact Zoom
headquarters directly: 55 Almaden Boulevard, 6th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113,
Phone: 1-888-799-9666, E-mail: info@zoom.us, and Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan @ericsyuan on
Twitter. In the meantime, let's check to see what we can currently do to try to
protect ourselves on Zoom: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-prevent-zoom-bombing
REMOTE
ORGANIZING: Swing Left has created a
hub where we can find ideas and tools needed to beat Trump, turn the Senate
blue, and flip state legislatures, all from home. We can write letters, call
voters, attend trainings, host fundraisers, or join local virtual events. Let's
check out Virtual Organizing and get to work: https://swingleft.org/p/virtual-organizing
PEOPLE WHO
HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 NEDED TO DONATE PLASMA: Columbia is looking for volunteers who have
recovered from COVID-19 to donate blood for treatment of others with this
virus. To help out, we can send an inquiry through RecruitMe by
clicking the "Do You Qualify" button: https://recruit.cumc.columbia.edu/clinical_trial/1929
SUPPLY/DEMAND
OF PPE: While our frontline healthcare workers struggle
to save lives, without adequate protective equipment (PPE), they are not safe.
In the absence of federal coordination there are organizations trying to fill
the gaps. Protect A Nurse aims
to get PPE directly to them as quickly as possible, by connecting people and
companies to help out healthcare workers that are putting themselves in harm's
way to fight COVID-19. When we click this link, we will find a US
map. #GetUsPPE, Mask Match, and Find The Masks all help to
coordinate, too. https://mailchi.mp/thedemlabs/findingppe
Let’s check these out and see how we
can share these with people who can help or benefit.
ICE HAS PPE
THAT HEALTHCARE NEEDS: “On the first day of California’s “shelter-in-place”
lockdown, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents raided
immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Different from other raids, they
carried N95 medical masks to protect themselves from Covid-19. Also different
from previous raids, the Ice agents broke state
regulations that ordered everyone to stay home except to do
“essential” activities necessary to survive (eg buying food or medicine).” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/31/ice-raids-coronavirus-n95-masks
Despite the US Surgeon General’s statement that N95 masks be reserved for frontline
medical workers, ICE is using these and risking making the pandemic worse. Let’s contact our MoCs and Trump saying that
this is a misuse of life-saving equipment during a national emergency.
EPA SUSPENDS POLLUTION REGULATIONS: In yet another ruthless attempt to use the pandemic to justify the Right’s agenda, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency has indefinitely ceased enforcement of key industrial air and water pollution rules: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/489943-critics-blast-epa-move-as-license-to-pollute-during-pandemic and https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/31/trump-epa-obama-clean-car-rules-climate-change On Tuesday, this took the additional form of rolling back the vehicle emissions standards that are key to the US’s attempts, such as they are, to prevent climate change: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-31/trump-rolls-back-fuel-economy-standards We have all seen the maps showing the dramatic effects on pollution worldwide as a result of reductions in air and car travel during this pandemic; let’s insist that the EPA not destroy this progress toward a greener future: (202) 564-4700 or Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460.
ABORTION
BAN ALLOWED: Naomi Klein
has predicted that “in times of crisis seemingly impossible ideas become
possible” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=niwNTI9Nqd8&feature=emb_logo The
only question is WHOSE ideas. The governors and attorneys general of
Ohio, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Alabama have demanded the
closure of their states' abortion clinics, calling abortions
"non-essential" medical procedures, and the 5th Circuit Court of
Appeals has now upheld Texas's abortion ban; since the 5th Circuit covers
Louisiana and Mississippi as well, it is expected that their bans will be able
to go into effect immediately as well: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/490415-appeals-court-allows-texas-to-implement-ban-on-abortion-during-pandemic These
“temporary” bans are, pretty obviously, a calculated attempt to use the
pandemic as an excuse to further the longstanding right-wing effort to ban
abortion. We should let the governors of Ohio, Texas, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Alabama know that we are not fooled by their rhetoric.
TRUMP
WRESTS CONTROL OF RELIEF “OVERSIGHT”: In a “signing statement” released Friday - https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-by-the-president-38/
- Trump made it clear that he intends to exert "presidential
supervision" over the oversight committee responsible for doling out
federal coronavirus relief money and over who is informed of the distribution
of these funds; he also made it clear that he would reject a newly created
inspector general questioning how Mnuchin chooses to dole out the bailout
money: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/us/trump-signing-statement-coronavirus.html or https://thehill.com/policy/finance/490287-democrats-trump-set-to-battle-over-implementing-2t-relief-bill We
must demand that our MoCs stop this latest executive power grab.
CORRECTION FROM
POST ON 3/31: CALL TO RELEASE IMMIGRANT DETAINEES: The New
Sanctuary Coalition call script for people who aren’t faith leaders to
ask jails to release detained immigrants can be found here. If we are faith leaders we can use this
script instead. Detained immigrants have been released in Massachusetts and New Jersey, so we need to keep up the pressure.
PROTEST
ROLLBACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS: Just as dolphins are returning to previously polluted waters and the
air in China is clearing, due to shutdowns caused by the pandemic, the
administration announced a rollback of Obama era fuel efficiency regulations. https://apnews.com/98f311a6d4275334a9e4d3a804cd2e1a.
This will ultimately cause more deaths from air pollution and exacerbate the
climate crisis. President Obama stated in response to the announcement, We’ve
seen all too terribly the consequences of those who denied warnings of a
pandemic. We can’t afford any more consequences of climate denial.” Since the
automakers themselves have lobbied for a middle ground between Trump’s new rule
and Obama’s, let’s contact, Ford,
GM,
Chrysler, and other auto makers by phone, mail,
or social media and ask them to put the health of the planet before profits and
keep the standards as close as possible to the Obama-rule levels. Let’s also
ask our MoCs if they can do anything about this.
SPEAK OUT AGAINST
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR INMATES AS A SOLUTION FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING: Instead of releasing non-violent offenders to
lessen the potential of COVID-19 transmission, as many cities and states are
doing, the federal government is putting inmates in solitary confinement for
two weeks. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/490537-federal-inmates-to-be-confined-to-cells-for-two-weeks-amid.
This is unnecessarily cruel and amounts to torture. Let’s complain to our
MoCs and to the Department of Justice (202-353-1555; 950 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20530-0001; website form; Facebook; Twitter: @TheJustice Dept.
DONATE FOR
FOOD RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVELIHOODS DUE TO COVID: The
World Central Kitchen, in conjunction with Chefs for America, is on the
frontlines in providing emergency. food relief for people who have lost their
jobs during the COVID crisis. WCK has also been a key player in providing meals
for refugees at the border. We can donate to them here.
COVID-19:
EMPOWER MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Generation Citizen educates young people by engaging them in real,
hands-on civic advocacy. While many of our students are out of school,
Generation Citizen has programs to help them advocate for the public good in
the face of this pandemic. Let’s learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/generationcitizen.org/covid19 and
here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKiqL1KWtOCuUsUIxGG1uZ0qiSc817B5IvElFM6D8bbUSl5Q/viewform
ELECTION/VOTING
WISCONSIN: “Wisconsin
has ordered residents to stay at home, shuttered non-essential businesses,
and banned "all public and private gatherings of any
number of people" — but is still planning to proceed with an election
Tuesday [April 7] amid the coronavirus crisis.” https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/wisconsin-facing-heavy-criticism-plans-tuesday-primary-despite-coronavirus-n1173361 Today is the last day to request an absentee ballot: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-US/VoteAbsentee
Tomorrow is the last day to register to vote in person to vote next week. Let’s make sure our votes count in next
week’s 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote
STATE/LOCAL
ALL: HELP FILL
MEDICAL STAFFING GAP BY SEND GOVERNOR CONTACT INFO TO CNA TRAINING GROUP: VolunteerSurge
is ready to recruit, train AND deploy 1,000,000 Certified Nursing
Assistants (CNAs) to take up the slack in the days to come, allowing more RNs
and MDs to focus on critical care. They offer an online learning
system with a Red Cross-licensed CNA training program, ADP's WorkMarket
platform to match volunteers with opportunities, and other highly visible
platforms to help the Health Care Provider entities manage this army of
volunteers. In order to start, 50 governors need to sign waivers letting
nursing homes use fully online training and waiving the state exam, which isn't
even being offered during COVID 19. Also at least some classroom training is
required in each state, which doesn't work during the COVID 19 emergency. Because
nursing homes must have new employees quarantine for 14 days before serving,
regulatory barriers to on-line training need to go RIGHT NOW or they will run
out of staff and we could have a public health disaster. If we have any
connections to Governors' offices we can contact Jonathan Dariyanani at jonathan@cognotion.com
CA: #ACTION - PRIVATE AND COSMETIC SURGERY CENTERS
NEEDED TO LOAN VENTILATORS OR DONATE PPE: In California we have rapidly become inundated
with sick patients and the need for ventilators and PPE is rapidly
increasing. If we own or work in a private or cosmetic surgery center,
or can forward this to someone who does, we can help out by loaning ventilators
or donating PPE. We can fill out this USC led survey and the data will be used
to collaborate with local health services and hospitals to provide additional
resources if needed when possible: https://redcap.med.usc.edu/surveys/index.php?s=NJT7XRK7RX
These extra ventilators will save lives !
NY: PROPOSED BUDGET: Granted that New York, like every other state,
has seen its revenues shrink dramatically as a consequence of the current
pandemic, the budget Gov. Cuomo is proposing to pass on APRIL 1st is
unconscionable, cutting hospital, education, and Medicaid funding and offering
no moratorium on sky-high NYC rents; some have called it “obscene”: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/ny-looking-at-hospital-budget-cuts-even-as-coronavirus-crisis-deepens/2347157/
or https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2020/03/30/new-york-state-budget-9-issues-watch-for-april-1-deadline-looms/2937824001/ All
New Yorkers should immediately make their views known: Cuomo 518-474-8390
AND/OR Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins 518 455-2585 (fax 518-426-6811)
AND/OR Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie 518-455-3791 (fax 518-455-5459).
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS
WISCONSIN
TEXT BANKING: Join Supermajority
in texting women voters the information we need to flex our political power at
the polls. This is a fun way to make an impact from the comfort of your own
home while in community with women from across the country! Sign up today for
our Wisconsin Text Banks on Monday, 4/6! Let’s check out and learn how we
can help: https://www.mobilize.us/supermajority/event/264674/
READING/WATCHING
U.S.
Government Coronavirus Aid for Americans Abroad - https://www.democratsabroad.org/carmelan/dems_abroad_outreach_about_us_govt_coronavirus_aid_for_americans_abroad
We Can
Finally See the Real Source of Washington Gridlock - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/republican-party-discovers-virtues-stimulus/609244/
Abortion
Care is Essential Health Care
- https://slate.com/technology/2020/03/coronavirus-abortion-ban-texas-ohio.html
Party
leaders agree with Joe Biden – the Democratic National Convention cannot
proceed as originally planned
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-democratic-national-convention-scheduled/
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We can stay up
to date on Congress by checking out their schedules. a) The House publishes
a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday)
as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates
their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule
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