HOUSE MUST USE APPROPRIATIONS POWER TO PROTECT PROGRAMS AMERICANS NEED
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…
Trump’s trying to force a vote on raising the debt ceiling, putting off budget talks until after the August recess. It is imperative that Congress simultaneously
- raise the debt ceiling
- increase budget caps to avoid the indiscriminate slashing of $125 billion from discretionary spending
The Senator must do everything in his power to protect non-defense spending parity and must keep calling for an immediate impeachment inquiry. Thank you.
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
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…
For Blumenauer and Bonamici: because Trump’s trying to force a vote on raising the debt ceiling, putting off budget talks until after the August recess. It is imperative that Congress
- simultaneously raise the debt ceiling
- increase budget caps to avoid the indiscriminate slashing of $125 billion from discretionary spending and to create parity between the defense and non-defense budgets.
The Representative must keep pushing House leadership to remain committed to this strategy and must continue calling for an immediate impeachment inquiry. Thank you.”
For DeFazio, Schrader, and Walden: because Trump’s trying to force a vote on raising the debt ceiling, putting off budget talks until after the August recess. It is imperative that Congress
- simultaneously raise the debt ceiling
- increase budget caps to avoid the indiscriminate slashing of $125 billion from discretionary spending and to create parity between defense and non-defense spending.
The Representative must keep pushing House leadership to remain committed to this strategy and must join the 85 Reps calling for an immediate impeachment inquiry. Thank you.”
CALL SUZANNE BONAMICI (OR-01)
CALL GREG WALDEN (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL KURT SCHRADER (OR-05)
BACKGROUND:
Congress is in the final stages of the appropriations process—determining funding that federal agencies will receive next year—but before October it must also
- raise debt ceiling so the government can pay its bills
- increase two-year spending caps to avoid automatic sequestration which would slash defense and non-defense and safety net spending by $125 billion
- fund the government to avoid shutdown
Dems, controlling appropriations for first time in 8 years, seek parity between defense and non-defense (including safety net) spending—with increased funding levels of $17 billion and $34 billion respectively. Dems have more power if the debt ceiling and spending caps increases are passed together—but Trump and his base oppose this.
We reached debt ceiling in March, but through “extraordinary measures” have not yet defaulted. Lower-than-expected tax revenues—due to Trump’s $1.5 billion tax scam—stokes fear of running out of money before the August recess over. While this might be a ploy to get Dems to sever debt ceiling raise and later force a continuing resolution at same budget caps, Pelosi’s so far holding firm.
We can’t repeat what happened with emergency DHS funding. Our MoCs must pressure leadership and colleagues to stand strong and protect non-defense and safety net spending.
