UPCOMING BUDGET AND DEBT CEILING CRISES

ACTION ONE: CALL YOUR SENATORS

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN AND MERKLEY:

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
I have three comments for the Senator: 
  • I support a budget that protects non-defense discretionary spending 
  • Please oppose any funding for a border wall, either from the defense budget or in the DHS budget.  
  • Please call for an immediate impeachment inquiry.  

ACTION TWO: CALL YOUR HOUSE REPS

Not sure who your U.S. Representative is? Find out here. 

SAMPLE SCRIPTS FOR REPRESENTATIVES:

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR BLUMENAUERBONAMICI, DEFAZIO and SCHRADER
…I have three comments for the Representative:  
  • I support a budget deal with the Senate that protects non-defense discretionary spending. 
  • Thank you for passing a military budget that prohibits transfer of funding for a border all. I oppose any money to go for a border wall in the DHS budget.   
  • Please call for an immediate impeachment inquiry.  

 SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WALDEN
…I have three comments for the Representative: 
  • I support a budget deal with the Senate that protects non-defense discretionary spending.   
  • I am sorry to see that you opposed a military budget that prohibits transfer of funding for a border all. I oppose any money to go for a border wall in the DHS budget.  
  • Please put country over party and call for an immediate impeachment inquiry.  

ACTION THREE: HELP REGISTER VOTERS

INDIVISIBLE OREGON IS ORGANIZING LETTER-WRITING PARTIES USING SWING LEFT TOOLS TO CONTACT VOTERS WHOSE VOTER REGISTRATION DATA MAY NEED UPDATING. 
FIND A LETTER WRITING PARTY NEAR YOU OR ORGANIZE ONE YOURSELF:HTTPS://SWINGLEFT.ORG/EVENTS

BACKGROUND:

While we focus on an impeachment inquiry, a new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, three months away.  
The basics: 
  • Unless Congress extends current budget caps, discretionary spending will automatically drop 10% under “sequestration” (a fancy word for automatic cuts).   
  • Unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, America will default on loans and likely trigger a worldwide financial crisis. (We have some time. Treasury has borrowed Peter to pay Paul until early 2020.)
Recent developments: 
  • On Tuesday, the full House passed all appropriations bills except DHS and congressional operations. A new rule allows both houses to “deem” or guess future budget caps. The House assumes current caps plus inflation.  
  • The Senate deemed lower budget caps and has yet to write any appropriations.  
  • The WH is demanding a new debt ceiling first. (Even McConnell says that’s out.) Dems are holding out for parity between increases in defense and non-defense spending first.
The bottom line: 
Trump could veto any congressional deal, as he did for FY 2019.  
The House defense bill forbids transferring money for a border wall. 
We need to tell our MoCs where we stand. Protect non-defense spending. No money for a border wall. Start an impeachment inquiry now.  

SOURCES: