Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/18

Wednesday mini-edition

Hi, all!

Friendly reminder that there is no “real” newsletter on Wednesdays. But I did want to send out a quick email with a few important things:

First, I want to say to all of my trans readers that we love you, we see you, and we will keep fighting for you. The ruling in US v Skrmetti is an outrage; we won’t stop until it’s overturned. As the proud mom to a trans kid I’m deeply saddened and angered by SCOTUS’s decision, but my determination is greater than ever. We won’t let the bastards win. Full stop.

Oh, and if you want to learn a bit more about why gender affirming care is so important for young people, I highly recommend my twenty minute interview with Dr. Kellan Baker, the Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Institute, and a health policy and transgender health expert. We recorded it about 3 weeks ago but it’s more relevant that ever, and provides great, factual information about transgender healthcare for youth. Find it here.

Second thing: the GENIUS Act passed the Senate yesterday, 68-30, with 2 votes absent. Boo.

Mark Hays from Americans for Financial Reform reported:

The bill now goes to the House, which will either take it up as a baseline, revert to STABLE (its version) but make changes to align with GENIUS, or wait to attempt to combine the stablecoin bill with the arguably more deregulatory crypto market structure bill CLARITY, in hopes of passing them as a combined bill in the House. Vote timing unclear; they may push for something as early as next week, but more likely timing is soon after July recess.

So it’s not over yet. One thing we should do regardless, however, is call the many Democrats who voted for it. They are: Alsobrooks, Booker, Cortez-Masto, Fetterman, Gallego, Gillibrand, Hassan, Heinrich, Hickenlooper, Kim, Lujan, Ossoff, Padilla, Rosen, Shaheen, Slotkin, Schiff, Warner, and Warnock.

You can say something like:

My name is ______ and I’m a constituent from _______. I’m calling to express my deep disappointment that the Senator voted for the GENIUS Act. This awful bill has no meaningful consumer protections or safeguards for investors. It also stands to enrich President Trump and his family personally via their many crypto business ventures. The Senator went with what was best for his/her crypto industry donors, not his/her constituents. I won’t forget it.

Finally, I know we’re all alarmed about what’s happening in the Middle East, so I’ve got a call script and Resistbot for you about that as well.

Please call all three of your reps and say:

Hi, my name is _____ and I’m a constituent from (zip). I’m calling because I’m very concerned about what’s happening with Iran – and that the president is acting as if he has the power to declare war on his own. The Constitution reserves war powers for Congress. I’m asking the Senator/Congress(wo)man to sign onto the War Powers resolutions moving through both chambers of Congress demanding that Trump seek congressional approval before going to war with Iran. These efforts could be the difference between diplomacy and disaster. Thanks.

You can also send this Resistbot letter by texting SIGN PCANGC to 50409.

OK, all. Talk tomorrow!

Jess