Chop Wood Carry Water 12/8

So many calls to make--so little time!

Hi all and happy Wednesday!

I'm done with surgery and feeling right as rain. (If rain had a sore left arm with very swollen fingers. Lol.) 😁

And that's a good thing because boy is there a lot to do! There are so many great bills coming up for a vote in the next few days that I can barely keep my head screwed on straight! As a result, our scripts are a little longer than usual today—especially the one for your House member. Bear with me and try to get it all out if you can. Every one of the items we’re calling about is pretty critical.

As for the Senate script, I'll say it again for those of you who are newer to this email: I know it feels like we're repeating the same stuff over and over again. We are. But I promise, this is how we win. Our Senators—on both sides of the aisle but especially Democrats— need to hear a wall of noise about our priority bills. Calling every day works because every day Congressional staffers start a new tally of support and opposition. They don’t care who is calling; they only care who is for and who is against what bill.

We have made such incredible progress using this tactic. It's how we got Build Back Better through the House, it's how we passed the American Rescue Plan, and it's how we're going to pass everything else.

Persistence, persistence, and more persistence.

So even though we've made these calls 1 million times please please make them again. We're in the final days of a terribly important legislative period. Let's go out with a bang!

Thank you for all you do and for everything that you are. Our country will survive and thrive because of folks just like you. 🥰

Call Your Senators (find yours here)

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, I understand that Senator Schumer is committed to bringing the Build Back Better Act up for a vote before recess. Good. I want the Senator to support it in its strongest possible form. I especially want the Senate version to keep the Child Tax Credit extension in. If it fails to, then the last child checks payment will be on December 15th. I don't want to see 3 million children go back into poverty; I'm sure the Senator doesn't either.

There is one other bill that absolutely must be passed before the Senate goes on recess. That is the Freedom to Vote Act. This is absolutely essential if our democracy is to function any longer. Again: there is no excuse for going on break until this bill is passed. [if Democrat add:] Reform the filibuster and get this done or you will have have failed us in the most profound way imaginable. Sorry to sound harsh but we are really running out of time. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here)

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I’m calling for a couple of reasons today. First, I want the Representative to sign on to a letter that their office just received from Rep. Pramila Jayapal. It’s addressed to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, and asks him to immediately end the Medicare Direct Contracting program, which opens the door to venture capitalists and other for-profit entities to privatize Medicare. Do you know whether or not s/he has seen that letter yet and or whether s/he has signed on? Also are they a co-sponsor on H.R.3 – Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would protect Medicare enrollees from excessive costs and unfair prices? I hope so. [h/t and more info]

Two more bills are coming up for a vote this week that I would very much like the Congressmember to support. They are: H.R.1155 the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act [ensuring that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China do not enter the United States market] and H.R.5314 the Protecting Our Democracy Act [see more details below]. Thanks.

Extra Credit

The Protecting Our Democracy Act will strengthen the guardrails of our democracy against presidents who seek to abuse their power for personal gain. This comprehensive reform package is a key pillar of Congress’ Democracy agenda – an effort to protect, support, and restore faith in our democratic institutions.

It's getting voted on tomorrow and we know it's going to hit a lot of resistance from Republicans. So a bunch of advocacy groups are doing a social media storm right now to amplify how much support there is for it.

Demcast has put together a great tool here. Simply click and choose the social media platform you like the best, then post away!

Extra Extra Credit!

Can y'all please sign this petition I am working with Parents Together to amplify? It asks the Senate to keep the child checks in the Build Back Better Act. It's time sensitive and needs as many signatures as possible. Share it with your friends? Your neighbors? Your book club? Anyone you can, please. This is about feeding hungry kids. Sign here.

Get on the Phones! ☎️

The West Virginia Working Families Party is holding a phonebank tomorrow and they need volunteers! You’ll be calling constituents in Joe Manchin’s home state and asking if you can patch them through to his office to leave a message about the Freedom to Vote Act! It sounds harder than it is, and they’ll train you thoroughly.

Also? Its easier than living in a fascist country!

Sign up here.

Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)

[to your Senators] [Resistbot quick send: text SIGN PAKDUI to 50409]

Like all Americans, I am desperately worried about the gun violence epidemic we’re living through. Congress must prioritize legislation that works to keep our communities safer. I support all of the below:

The “Break the Cycle of Violence Act” (S. 2275), introduced last Congress by Senator Cory Booker, would create a nationwide strategy to build safer communities by providing federal grants to communities for evidence-based gun violence intervention and prevention programs designed to interrupt cycles of violence. This legislation has not yet been reintroduced in the 117th Congress. I would like it to be.

I also want you to support legislation in the Senate to expand background checks and keep firearms from falling into the wrong hands, like S. 529, the “Background Check Expansion Act,” and S. 591, the “Background Check Completion Act.”

Finally, I am deeply frustrated that we still don't have an ATF Director. We had an excellent candidate in David Chipman; I am extremely frustrated that he wasn't confirmed. Please put pressure on President Biden to nominate someone equally competent and qualified. There is hardly a single cabinet position that is more important than this one right now. For it to remain unfilled is unacceptable. Thanks.

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OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk tomorrow.

Jess