KEEP AMERICA SAFE AT HOME AND ABROAD

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…
The Senate Armed Services Committee just voted to expand law enforcement’s access to military-grade equipment under Program 1033.  This despite strong, demonstrated public support to stop militarizing police.  I ask you to support the Schatz-Paul amendment to remove Program 1033 from the National Defense Authorization Act.
I also want you to call for censure of Trump for his failure to protect the troops from Russia’s bounty hunting.  This is a treasonous act by him and his Administration.
[For Merkley only:  As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, please use your power to have the committee to go on record that it will not investigate this issue]


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, Bonamici, DeFazio and Schrader:
Please ask the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee to make sure that the FY’21 NDAA does not expand Program 1033.  The Senate committee just voted to expand 1033, which gives law enforcement access to military-grade equipment.  It would be unbelievably tone deaf for the Democratically-led House to allow Program 1033 to expand given strong public opposition to militarizing the police.
I also want you to call for censure Trump’s failure to protect the troops from Russia’s bounty hunting.  This is a treasonous act by him and his Administration.  We must refuse Trump a second term and flip the Senate in November.

ACTION THREE:  ACT FOR AN ANTIRACIST FUTURE

Work to get out the vote now and get ready to phone bank soon!
 Right now we are hosting host virtual letter writing events every Saturday. Sign up at:   Indivisible Oregon
Write letters to voters from home, whenever it’s convenient for you. Register with Vote Forward to get started at:   Vote Forward 
Host your own virtual letter-writing party. Get started here:  Virtual Letter Writing
Challenge ourselves together on the issues of racial justice. This week we are watching a Ted talk, “Let’s get to the root of racial injustice” with Megan Ming Francis.  https://www.youtube.com/Meghan Ming Francis

BACKGROUND:

Today we are calling about a domestic issue that Congress can fix now, and a foreign policy issue that probably won’t be fixed until we vote.
At Home:  The Senate is on track to expand the flow of military-grade weapons to law enforcement under the 1033 program, despite massive public support for demilitarizing the police.  Recently 1033 was in the news when the LA County Schools Police returned three grenade launchers.  The Senate will likely add “disaster-related emergency preparedness” as a law enforcement justification.  This is mission creep, not sensible policy.  We need to ask House Reps to 1) allow no companion amendment in the House bill; 2) ensure the Senate amendment is dropped in reconciliation.
Abroad:  In another world, Congress would impeach the President and Cabinet for sitting on proof that Russia paid the Taliban to kill US soldiers.  Instead of protection our troops, Trump invited Russia into the G7 and began withdrawing American troops from Germany.  Trump says he wasn’t briefed.  Either the President, his advisors or both are committing treason.  Senate Republicans are doing nothing.  We must speak out, but even more we must double down on unseating the President and flipping the Senate.

SOURCES: 

NYT article that broke the story: NYT Russia-Afghanistan-bounties
Follow-up WaPo article that confirmed the story:  Russian operation targeted coalition troops in Afghanistan, intelligence finds
About Program 1033:  War Comes Home
About use of military equipment in quelling the uprising: Lawmakers Begin Bipartisan Push to Cut Off Police Access to Military-Style Gear