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White House
contact: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/white-house
1.
THIS WEEK ON THE HILL: The House
will consider ten (10) bills this week starting Monday. On Tuesday, the House
will take up the Consideration of the Veto Message on H.J.Res. 46 – Relating to a national emergency
declared by the President on February 15, 2019. Let's review the
week's agenda at The Weekly Leader. On Monday, the Senate will resume
consideration of the nomination of Bridget S. Bade to be United
States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.We can read Alliance For Justice's
summary and background report on Bade here. The Senate updates their schedule daily. We
can check out the next day's events on the Senate Floor Schedule.
2.
MUELLER REPORT: Yesterday AG William Barr wrote a letter to Congress
outlining the “principal conclusions” of the Mueller Report. Barr claimed that
the report found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and
Russia, and that while it did not exonerate Trump from obstruction of justice,
there was not enough evidence to bring forth obstruction of justice charges. https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/435523-mueller-findings-do-not-conclude-trump-committed-crime. We have only Trump loyalist AG Barr’s word on what
the report said, and only his interpretation on whether there’s enough evidence
to pursue obstruction charges. The American people need to know the whole
truth, not just what AG Barr wants to tell them. The Mueller report must be
released to Congress and the public. Let’s call the DOJ (202-353-155) and
our MoCs and tell them we will not relent, nor will we be satisfied with the
findings, until we hear the whole truth.
3.
ENVIRONMENT/PUBLIC HEALTH: The Center for Food Safety has filed a petition with
the EPA to regulate pesticide-coated seeds. Let’s go to their website to learn
more about the issue and then submit a public comment to the EPA to ask
them to regulate this practice.
4.
SACRED LAND DRILLING: Native American tribes are urging lawmakers to
extend protections around sacred land in New Mexico that are being threatened
by the administration’s push for expanded drilling. https://www.apnews.com/86208697e43842b5b3b7128578964ef6?fbclid=IwAR14URnnwQBxOZCTYifNatnHg1W8Duqdaec2KOK9-7qd5TFf1kE99WoDx-Q. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) is planning to
introduce legislation protecting the area around Chaco Canyon. Let’s tell
our MoCs that we support this attempt to protect sensitive and sacred land from
drilling.
5.
CARBON TAX: From one of our own:
The Energy innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR763) re-introduced in the new Congress in January, with
an expected companion bill to hit the Senate soon. (Both were introduced in the
last Congress). This has grown out of much hard work, and many years of
building political will and forging bipartisan ties over the shared values of a
sustainable planet and sound economic strategies. https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060127655
Let’s tell our MoCs that we want them to
support this approach to help address climate change.
6.
HATE CRIMES: While Trump does not believe white nationalism is
on the rise, the data show otherwise. https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2019/mar/20/donald-trump-doesnt-think-white-nationalism-rise-d/ Hate crime are also on the rise, particularly in places
where Trump held rallies https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/435458-hate-crimes-rose-by-226-percent-in-counties-where-trump Let’s ask our MoCs what they are doing to
address this growing national/international problem.
7.
ROBERT MUELLER: On Friday, at 5pm, Special Counsel Robert Mueller
released his report to Attorney General William Barr who is now deciding how
much to release to Congress:
https://www.apnews.com/f4f1ea3c16884b49ae853e12e78e42ad During this taut time of waiting,
let’s take a moment to thank Mr. Mueller for his service in these unprecedented
circumstances:
8.
CLIMATE CHANGE: After
exploiting the developing world for resources, including energy resources, and
using fossil fuels to drive their economies higher while creating the current
climate change crisis, rich nations like the US are now failing to keep their
promise to help fund preparation/mitigation efforts in the countries most
affected. For instance: Cyclone Idai has devastated Mozambique, a nation
that contributed almost nothing to the climate change crisis, and yet the
developed world has so far barely managed to provide 10% of funding to the
UN Green Climate Fund, the purpose of which is to help nations like Mozambique
meet exactly these kinds of threats. Let's tell our MoCs to push harder for
full funding of the Green Climate Fund.
9.
DECONSTRUCTION: While he
may no longer be part of the Trump administration, it is pretty clear that they
are still following Steve Bannon's deconstruction of the federal government
playbook. https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article134553909.html When we look at the big picture and see the
misfits in charge of various departments and agencies and the weakening of
regulatory entities, it should give us pause. http://fortune.com/2017/02/25/bannon-trump-cabinet-cpac/ Let's make sure our MoCs know that we are
counting on them to preserve our democracy. Let's remind them that we
view regulations as protections.
10. PUBLIC
COMMENTS NEEDED: From one of our own: For this week, two documents. The first is
the list for week ending 3/31/2019.- new items include new
regulation/redefinition of university "credit hours" and overtime
rules. The second document deals solely with massive energy drilling plans for
coastal zones and continental shelf, including both oceans and Gulf of Mexico
and would overrule state regulations - massive oil drilling/exploration leases
as well as opening up on Tribal Lands to fracking, in what some have described
as an onslaught. Here is the first doc - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pgeLkqlJZAR594nhmMv5n_y-Hi1u1je4 and here is the second - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hCbGJDEJ3znC0gGXXts8MXbbQP8ShgH6
Elections
1.
VIRTUAL TEXTBANKING: We can join
a text team to chat with Wisconsin voters about the Supreme Court special
election on April 2. When we sign up
here, we’ll be sent what we need to do: https://www.mobilize.us/dnc/event/88317/
2.
POSTCARDERS NEEDED: Postcards
to Voters' volunteers are still working hard to reach every registered Democrat
in Wisconsin for Campaign 146: Judge Lisa Neubauer for state Supreme Court. The special election
is next Tuesday, April 2 so we are in the final push to reach as many voters as
we can. Let's request 5 addresses today to help finish this campaign.
Other Actions
1.
TRACKING DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ON TWITTER: Activist
@DHSTokyo (also the author of Political Charge) has made it easy for us Twitter
warriors to see what all of the 2020 presidential candidates are tweeting.
Subscribing to the list she put together also helps us amplify the messages of
the candidates. So easy: just go here and click "subscribe" and
their tweets will appear in our feeds: https://twitter.com/DHStokyo/lists/prez-candidates-2020
2.
CAMPAIGN TRAINING FOR FUTURE BLACK LEADERS: The Collective PAC is gearing up to train the
next generation of Black political leaders. If this could describe us (or
a friend), we can check out one of the six Black Campaign School trainings
across the nation this year. Top political operatives from across the
country are ready to help us on our journey -- regardless of whether we want to
run for a local, state or federal office.
We can find out more and sign up to attend a training here: https://collectivepac.org/blackcampaignschool
3.
SURVIVORS GUILT/GETTING HELP: “After a second Parkland shooting survivor died by
suicide in a week’s span, Florida’s emergency chief is calling for the state
Legislature to dispatch more mental health resources for the Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School community.” https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article228350134.html “The aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School continues to ripple through the community around the school
and beyond. The journey to healing is unique for each person, but no one should
have to walk that path alone. WLRN has compiled a list of mental health
resources to help. We will periodically update it.”
4.
POSTCARDING WRITE-UPS: From one of
our own: Here are the national write-ups
I did for my postcarding group this week:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gq_xAkDZedO659fHw1M03tXF2Sd9O8NioSahO11SE4k/edit
State Actions
1.
CA: CHLORPYRIFOS: Chlorpyrifos is a neurotoxin that was banned
in Obama’s EPA, then reallowed under Pruitt because of his relationship with
Dow. The EPA still won’t ban it because Andrew Wheeler is just as compromised
as Pruitt was. This in spite of ample evidence that it’s absolutely heinous.
California crop growers use more of it than anyone else in the country—over a
million pounds a year. It causes birth defects and has been proven to lower the
IQ of babies exposed to it in utero. You can read more about it here: https://earthjustice.org/features/what-you-need-to-know-about-chlorpyrifos Let’s ask
our senators to support Senate Bill 458 (Protect Children from Brain-damaging Chlorpyrifos
Act of 2019). (h/t Jess Craven)
2.
FL: CENSORSHIP: “The Florida Citizens Alliance is getting behind a
bill that would make it easier to remove books they deem pornographic or
obscene.” https://www.nbc-2.com/story/40154633/florida-group-wants-to-ban-certain-books-from-schools Let’s ask our representatives to oppose HB 855. https://bookriot.com/2019/03/19/florida-bill-would-make-banning-books-easier/
Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to
attend/organize
1.
MUELLER REPORT/MOVE ON RESPONSE: If Barr/Trump hides Mueller’s full, original
report from the public, we will take the streets to demand that they
#makeitpublic & #releasethereport. Make sure we’re ready: sign up right
now for a rapid response protest near us:
Reading/Watching
1.
How to Understand the End of the Mueller
Investigation (Hint: You Can’t Yet) - https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-understand-end-mueller-investigation-hint-you-cant-yet
2.
Beyond Mueller report, Trump faces flurry of legal
perils - https://apnews.com/d167ccfd3b1c45a9bc15f91033c113f1
3.
Top oil firms spending millions lobbying to block
climate change policies, says report - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/22/top-oil-firms-spending-millions-lobbying-to-block-climate-change-policies-says-report
4.
This Is How Borrowing Things From Our Neighbors
Strengthens Society - https://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/dirt/community-relationships-borrowing-from-neighbors-strengthens-democracy-20190318
