HEROES ACT GOES PART WAY TO SAVING US.
ACTION ONE: CALL YOUR HOUSE REP
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 support funding in the new stimulus bill for 1) state and local governments; testing and contact tracing; 3) Medicaidsubsidies; 4) election safety and voting by mail; 5) bailing out the USPS.
For Blumenauer:
I thank you for supporting the Progressive Caucus proposal for 100% guaranteed paychecks for people making less than $100,000.I ask that you also support Medicaid for undocumented workers; and ending the $160 billion tax break for millionaires that was tucked into the CARES Act.
For all other Reps:
I would like [my Rep] to support 1) the Progressive Caucus proposal for 100% guaranteed paychecks for people making less than $100,000; 2) Medicaid for undocumented workers; 3) ending the $160 billion tax break for millionaires that was tucked into the CARES Act.
Finally, please oppose the provision that allows business and trade groups, plus advocacy groups to receive funders under the Paycheck Protection Program. Groups like American Health Insurance Program and the Koch Brothers’ network Stand Together should not get taxpayer money to lobby Congress.
Please keep working to make this a better bill. And I pledge to work hard this election so that we can flip the Senate and change Presidents. 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)
ACTION TWO: 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…
Since the Senate is unlikely to take up another rescue package until June, I am calling to ask the Senator to focus on attacks on our by the current Attorney General. Barr’s decision to drop charges against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn is a direct assault on rule of law. Barr says “history is written by the winners.” But might makes right isn’t how a democracy works. Keep up the calls for Barr to resign. And I pledge to work hard this election so that Barr will never be seen on the public stage again.
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
ACTION THREE: FLIP THE SENATE! REPLACE THE PRESIDENT!
Organizing for the 2020 Election is now VIRTUAL!
We’re hosting virtual letter writing events to Get Out The Vote every Saturday and every fourth Tuesday – sign up at https://swingleft.org/group/indivisible-oregon
Write letters to voters from home, whenever it’s convenient for you. Register with Vote Forward to get started at votefwd.org.
Stay tuned — more activities to come!
BACKGROUND:
Nancy Pelosi released $3 trillion+ stimulus package yesterday. Much is welcomed relief. But we need to call now to make parts more progressive. The vote could be tomorrow.
Provisions to direct payments to people are still weak. The Progressive Caucus wants a three-month guarantee of 100% of pay for people earning below $100,000, to be renewed automatically until consumer demand returns to pre-pandemic levels.
- Businesses can keep workers on the payroll and start up without having to re-hire.
- Workers don’t have to search for another job.
- The Progressive Caucus may have the votes for a negotiation with leadership.
Undocumented workers must be included in Medicaid. Everybody needs health insurance in a pandemic or we won’t stop the virus.
Eliminate:
- $160 billion tax break for millionaires that was slipped into the CARES Act.
- Expansion of the PPP to business, trade groups and advocacy groups. Our taxpayer dollars should not support lobbyists to lobby Congress.
We thank the leadership for a bill that does so much right: funding for state and local governments; protection for elections and funds for the Post Office; money for testing and contact tracing, subsidies for Medicaid. But strengthen the bill before negotiations with the Senate begin.
SOURCES:
Progressive Caucus proposal: https://jayapal.house.gov/2020/04/10/jayapal-announces-the-paycheck-guarantee-act/
Indivisible’s Coronavirus People’s Bailout: https://indivisible.org/resource/tell-your-members-congress-we-need-coronavirus-peoples-bailout
Lobbyist’s bailout: https://prospect.org/coronavirus/unsanitized-k-street-bailout-practically-every-trade-group/
