CONGRESS, COME BACK TO WORK
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 am appalled that the Senate is in recess until April 20. This is no time for a holiday from governing. Our medical workers are not taking vacations. Our state’s emergency response teams are still at work. I ask you to publicly and repeatedly call for the Senate to return to session. And come back to DC yourself, whether McConnell ends the recess or not.
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…
I am appalled that the House will go on recess for two weeks beginning next week. This is no time for a holiday from governing. Our medical workers are not taking vacations. Our state’s emergency response teams are still at work. Please press the leadership to suspend the recess. Show the Senate how it’s done. Stay in DC and keep working for America.
CALL SUZANNE BONAMICI (OR-01)
CALL GREG WALDEN (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL KURT SCHRADER (OR-05)
ACTION THREE:
HELP REGISTER VOTERS FROM YOUR HOME
Organizing for the 2020 Election is going VIRTUAL!
- Find virtual events at http://swingleft.org/
- Host a virtual letter-writing party! Get started here: http://swingleft.org/p/virtual-letter-writing-party
- Call voters in Wisconsin about their April 7th election. Sign up for training and call info here. http://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/263614/
Stay tuned — more activities to come!
BACKGROUND:
Congress passed a hard-fought stimulus package and promptly packed up for vacation. The Senate left town last week for three weeks. The House is scheduled to leave April 1 for 2+ weeks. Neither returns until April 20.
COVID-19 is predicted to peak while they are gone. Trump is alone with no one to watch over him, even nominally. Congress will not hold hearings, require reports and testimony from agency heads and cabinet secretaries, or even publicly show it cares while the country lurches through a global pandemic.
What will Members of Congress be doing while away from Capitol Hill? They can’t hold town halls or fundraising parties in Oregon under Gov. Brown’s Stay At Home/Stay Safe rules unless people stay six feet apart.
Congress needs to think like our first responders. Work safely, but work.
