Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you got some rest this weekend. I know a lot of you were busy at activist events of various kinds, and I celebrate you for it. I was at one myself! But I still hope you had time to put your feet up and enjoy family and friends.
The House is now on recess, so our focus this week will mainly be on the Senate. (Next week, by the way, I am on vacation!)
Jay Clayton’s confirmation hearing is today—I fear he may be confirmed despite how awful he is; Todd Blanche’s is pending—although as of this writing he still doesn’t have the votes. We should focus on both, but Blanche’s will be easier to stop. Please keep leaning on Senators Tillis and Cornyn if one of them represents you—they are the two who can stop him. They have absolutely nothing to lose—they’re both leaving the Senate—so they should stand on principle and stop this horrible nominee.
The Senate has lots of other stuff on the docket for its last two weeks, but Majority Leader Thune seems focussed on getting a Continuing Resolution passed to keep the government open. Good! My hope is that this effort will eat up all of their remaining time, saving us from votes on the NDAA, the reconciliation bill, or the stock trading “ban” bill. ALL of these bills are bad in their own right, of course, but they also all contain elements of the SAVE Act, so the longer we can delay votes on them the better. The CLARITY Act is also waiting in the wings; that’s another bad bill that would allow Trump to continue using crypto to make corrupt deals for immense profit.
There are also surveillance bills like CORCA, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, to oppose. You can read more about it here. And I just learned this weekend that Republicans are try to sneak a provision through in the NDAA that would allow the federal government to seize land on the California coast for an oil pipeline the state opposes. Yikes!
There’s a lot to stop, in other words, and I’m hoping the CR buys us a little time. Because the closer we get to the midterms, the less inclined Republicans will be to pass hugely unpopular legislation. So let’s make sure we keep calling, even if we feel sick of repeating the same things day in and day out.
Today on my 4PM PT / 7PM ET live I’m going to be interviewing a fantastic candidate named Donovan McKinney. He’s running for Congress in Michigan’s 13th district. Right now he’s in a primary, running against Democrat Shri Thanedar, “a pharmaceutical entrepreneur who has spent millions of dollars from his personal fortune on several campaigns,” as the Detroit Metro Times reported. Thanedar is a supremely lackluster Congressman; Donovan would be a strong progressive representative for Detroiters! I’m really excited to talk to him and hope some of you will join me.
OK, all. It’s time to work. So let’s do that! Thank you for who you are and all that you do!
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, please ask the Senator to co-sponsor and vote for S. 4814, which would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals for three years. They are almost out of time—please protect our Haitian friends and neighbors now!
Second, please ask the Senator to oppose S. 1404, otherwise known as CORCA. It would create a mass public-private surveillance network that does not promote public safety. Horrifying.
Third, please ask the Senator to vote NO on Jay Clayton and Todd Blanche. They’re both unqualified and unfit.
Finally, please ask the Senator to work to strip the Sable Offshore land-seizure rider, or the Hunt Amendment, from the final NDAA. This amendment would let the Pentagon seize California state parkland for a pipeline company that's currently facing criminal charges. This has nothing to do with national defense and shouldn't be in the NDAA. Thank you.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling about three terrible provisions in the NDAA. I know that it has already passed the House and is now in the Senate, but if these items don’t get stripped out there then I want them removed in conference.
The first provision is the Israel/US military partnership—Section 219 in the House. That has got to go. I don’t think there is a single American anywhere who supports it.
The second is the Hunt amendment, which allows Sable Oil to seize land on the California coast despite the state’s own opposition to it. Absolutely not.
Finally, I know the amount being requested for the DOD is 1.15 trillion. This is insane and unacceptable. Congress must not allocate a penny more for this illegal, disastrous war.
I’m asking the Congressmember to plan on fighting to strip everything I’ve just mentioned from the NDAA in conference. Thank you.
Extra Credit ✅
As you saw above, a terrible amendment tucked into the defense bill (NDAA) lets the Pentagon seize any land Sable Offshore needs for its CA pipeline, including state parks. This is the same faulty pipeline that caused the 2015 Santa Barbara oil spill. Sable’s already been criminally charged by California over it.
We still have a small window to have the Senate strip this rider before it becomes law. Please call Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker and Ranking Member Jack Reed. They’re the ones leading negotiations right now. THEY HAVE THE MOST POWER TO STRIP THIS AMENDMENT!
Wicker’s phone is (202) 224-6253 or (228) 871-7017
Reed’s phone is (202) 224-4642 or (401) 943-3100
Say something like:
Hi, my name is______. I'm calling the Senator in his leadership capacity on the Senate Armed Services Committee. I just learned about a provision in the House-passed NDAA called the Hunt Amendment. It would let the Pentagon seize California state parkland for Sable Offshore's pipeline. Sable is the same company facing criminal charges over the 2015 Refugio oil spill. I'm asking the Senator to make sure this rider is stripped out during negotiations. This kind of land-seizure authority for a private company's benefit—especially against the state’s wishes—is wrong. It also doesn't belong in defense legislation. Thank you.
Get Smart! 📚
From Black Voters Matter:
We’ve all had ENOUGH of our broken healthcare system—and we’re ready for something better. Join One Nation, Overcharged for a Virtual Rally on Wednesday, July 29 at 8PM ET for one powerful night of action.
Featuring stories from across the country, special celebrity guests, outspoken activists, and others who believe healthcare should be a right—not a luxury. Everyone is welcome!
Special Guests Include:
⭐ Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
⭐ Dr. Mike Varshavski (Doctor Mike)
⭐ Jason George (Grey’s Anatomy)
⭐ Shavon Arline-Bradley (National Council of Negro Women)
⭐ Dom Kelly (New Disabled South)
⭐ Dr. Rich Besser (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
This is more than a call—it’s a movement. And we need you.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
NEW REPORT: FAMILIES HAVE HAD TO SPEND $3,500+ MORE UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP
The Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a new report on rising costs. The report finds that as of June 2026, the average household in the United States has had to spend $3,500+ more on goods and services under President Trump despite his repeated pledges on the campaign trail that his administration would “end inflation” and bring down costs. View the state-by-state fact sheets to see how your state is being impacted by rising costs. Then share that info widely!
Give 💰!
On June 11, the FBI raided the offices and staff homes of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, the sister organization of the Ohio Organizing Campaign. Alarmed and outraged at this baseless attempt at intimidation, Flip the Vote is proud to stand in solidarity with OOC and to financially support its impactful work of registering and mobilizing more than 100,000 voters in Ohio.
From them:
We invite you to hear from partners on the ground in Ohio and to learn how you can support OOC’s efforts to defend against this authoritarian tactic, continue building democracy, and win critical elections in Ohio this year. Join us in conversation with OOC board member Prentiss Haney and Misha Barnes of the Ohio Progressive Collaborative on Zoom on July 30 at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
The DeFlock National Week of Action Against Automated License Plate Readers is an opportunity for all of us who oppose surveillance to stand up together and say no! DeFlock has received an overwhelming response to the call for a Week of Action as thousands of people, from coast to coast and across the political spectrum have already registered.
During the Week of Action, which is from August 16-22, thousands of people in cities across the country will participate in a variety of public meetings, townhalls, and other events intended to raise awareness about the use of ALPRs in their communities, the harms of these cameras, and how we can work together to end their use.
Sign up here to be kept in the loop. If you scroll down you can also find a map of planned events! I found one near me!
Win Races! 🗳
If you’ve been looking for a way to make a difference this year, Vote Forward letter-writing campaigns in Nevada and North Carolina are the perfect place to start.
They’re experimenting with a range of tactics. Some are previously studied and established, and some are newer pilots. All are based on what they know works, though they continually test and adapt our tactics to make sure we’re scaling what’s effective in today’s environment and add to our knowledge base.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: your Senators] [H/T] [Text SIGN PIQRGP to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
I urge you to vote NO on the CLARITY Act, oppose cloture, and support a filibuster to stop this dangerous crypto industry bill from moving forward.
This legislation is fundamentally flawed. It fails to provide consumers and investors with strong protections against fraud, scams, and abuse. It subverts long-standing securities law and undermines the SEC’s authority as the principal federal securities regulator. It threatens financial stability and economic health. It enables illicit finance, money laundering, and trafficking. It also sanctions crypto corruption at the exact moment elected officials, including President Trump and his family, have deep and troubling crypto conflicts.
Crypto billionaires and industry lobbyists are trying to pressure the Senate into passing legislation that benefits them regardless of the risks to everyday people across the country, including people who do not own crypto. Congress should not reward that pressure. It should not give risky digital asset products a federal stamp of legitimacy while leaving workers, retirees, investors, and the economy exposed.
This vote is an opportunity to stand up for the fidelity of the financial system and protect workers’ retirement, the economy, and public trust. Senators should listen to the public, not crypto billionaires trying to buy the rules they want.
Please vote NO on the CLARITY Act, oppose cloture, and support a filibuster of this latest crypto industry scam.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Trump and his minions have made it clear they will try to steal the election November 3 using whatever means they can find, including intimidation and seizing ballots, to do so.
What if, when they showed up to intimidate voters or to steal the ballot boxes and voting machines, they were met by millions of citizens waiting to resist their efforts? What if we showed up outside the polling places in daylong non-violent demonstrations of our commitment to the constitution and to free and fair elections?
Past No Kings days shows that people will turn out.
Just an idea. But I think it's a pretty good one.
Peter S.
I live in Santa Barbara County and am somewhat familiar with the Sable Oil Company issue. I lived here in 2015 when the oil spill occurred and it was horrific the damage it did to our beaches, marine life and birds. Since then Sable has been trying to get a new permit from our Board of Supervisors to start operations again. Those requests have been refused because they have provided no proof that they did repairs to the pipeline that were adequate enough to (hopefully) prevent another oil spill. They have continually ignored restraining orders to stop work on the pipeline from the BOS and from the California Coastal Commission. The last restraining order they received was lifted by the Federal Government which allows them to begin operations again. Obviously transparency is not their middle name and have made a bargain with the devil.