Health Care Several states are bringing a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the ACA on the grounds that the Republican tax bill eliminated the penalty for being uninsured. In the event of the demise of the ACA, Republicans have come up with what they claim is a good alternative protection to ensure that those with pre-existing conditions are not denied coverage: the Ensuring Coverage for Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions Act, S. 3388. The problem with this legislation is that it does NOT prevent insurers from refusing to cover care costs, and it does allow insurers to discriminate on the basis of gender, occupation, and age, and in some cases on the basis of pre-existing conditions. The Justice Department will not defend the ACA against the states’ suit. And of course we know what side Kavanaugh would be on if he makes it to the Supreme Court and if the case comes before him. Action: 1. Contact your Senators and ask them to reject S. 3388, the Ensuring Coverage for Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions Act. 2. Contact the Department of Justice and let them know what you think of their failure to defend ACA against the states’ suit. Call the comment line at (202) 353-1555, or send a message on their contact form: www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice.
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Refugees The Trump administration has lowered the number of refugees to be admitted into this country in 2019 to 30,000, which is the lowest level ever. This is unacceptable. Action: Use the Sisters of the Good Shepherd National Advocacy Center website to send messages to your representa-tives asking them to raise the number of refugees admitted and to do everything they can to preserve and ex-tend the refugee resettlement program. www.congressweb.com/gsnac/247/ The U.N. Refugee Agency has an overview of the world refugee situation: www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html Keep At It Here’s a bit of a timeline to help sort through the Ford/Kavanaugh issue: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-latest-on-brett-kavanaugh-nominee-denies-accuser-allegation-live-updates/ Without prejudging the truth of the matter, we already know that Kavanaugh almost certainly lied about the Kozinski emails and that Trump almost certainly wants him on the Supreme Court to get him out of trouble. So let’s keep hammering. Action: 1. If your Senators are YES or Undecided on Kavanaugh, contact them again. If you’ve called before, email or fax; if you’ve emailed, call or fax; if you’ve faxed, call or email. If you’ve done all three, do it again. www.senate.gov http://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php 2. If your Senators are both NO on Kavanaugh, keep contacting one or more of the undecideds: Doug Jones (D-AL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO). Kavanaugh Must Be Stopped Washington Monthly puts it very well: “We don’t know whether Kavanaugh himself is corrupt, but we do know his Supreme Court nomination was made with corrupt intent.” Kavanaugh has fawned on Trump in the recent past and has indicated that he would be inclined to hold him immune from prosecution. And now we have Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation that she was sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh. To push through his nomination at this time would be reprehensible. The Republicans are going to impugn Christine Ford’s credibility, so no matter to whom you talk, make sure to stress that you will not tolerate attacks on Ford and that she must be allowed to testify. Action: 1. If your Senators are YES or Undecided on Kavanaugh, contact them and express your outrage. You might try calling each and every one of their phone numbers. 2. If your Senators are both NO on Kavanaugh, contact one or more of the undecideds: Doug Jones (D-AL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO). Continue Opposing Kavanaugh Here’s a point to make to Republican Senators: how would they have acted if Obama or Clinton had nominated a Supreme Court justice after having been named, under oath, as a co-conspirator in a federal crime? They would have protested loudly, and to give Trump a pass in the same situation is rank hypocrisy. Action: 1. If your Senators are YES or Undecided on Kavanaugh, contact them and make this point. If your Senators are NO on Kavanaugh, contact one or more of the undecideds with the same point: Doug Jones (D-AL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO). 2. The Women’s March is organizing a rally in DC on September 20 - the day that the vote on Kavanaugh is due to take place.
Kavanaugh In his nomination hearings, Brett Kavanaugh is being mendacious and/or evasive in his replies to questions regarding whether or not he received sexually explicit emails from Judge Alex Kozinski. Judging by this article in Slate, it is highly unlikely that he did not receive such emails and also highly unlikely that his claims of “not remembering” whether he did receive them are anything other than deliberate lies. The mere fact of receiving these emails should not exclude him from consideration, as by all accounts everyone who was unfortunate enough to work for this judge was subjected to his inappropriate behavior. But for Kavanaugh to lie and evade in order to avoid discussing this troubling episode in his past absolutely disqualifies him as a candidate. Action: If your Senators are YES or Undecided on Kavanaugh, contact them and make the point that his lies regarding the Kozinski emails disqualify him as a candidate. If your Senators are NO on Kavanaugh, contact one or more of the undecideds with the same point: Doug Jones (D-AL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO). Susan Collins, Be a Hero Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) is a key vote in the Kavanaugh nomination. Her vote may decide whether or not he goes forward to sit on the Supreme Court. Mainers are calling upon Collins to Be a Hero and vote Kavanaugh’s nomination down. Not only that, they are raising money with the purpose of funding Collins’ opponent in 2020 if she lets them down. Action: Contact Senator Collins and ask her to vote NO on Kavanaugh: www.collins.senate.gov/contact faxzero.com/fax_senate/C001035 AND/OR Donate to the crowdfunding effort to fund a potential opponent to Collins if she fails to vote NO on Kavanaugh: www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387413/either-sen-collins-votes-no-on-kavanaugh-or-we-fund-her-future-opponent They’ll only charge your card if Collins votes for Kavanaugh. Protect Voting Rights: Stop Kavanaugh If confirmed, Brett Kavanaugh will tip the balance of the Supreme Court completely against voting rights. In 2013, in a 5-4 decision, the court gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As his record demonstrates, Kavanaugh will likely side with Roberts and the conservative justices in any future voting rights cases. Action: Contact your Senators and ask them to oppose Kavanaugh on the grounds that he will undermine voting rights. www.senate.gov http://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php Keep Children Safe This is to follow up on our September 4 Action on H. Con. Res. 72. This bipartisan legislation aims to equip courts to deal with custody adjudications so that the safety and well-being of the child is given first priority. This week, volunteer lobbyists are on the Hill, meeting with their congressional representatives to educate them about this issue and to ask them to support H. Con. Res. 72. Action: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to welcome their constituents who are in Washington to lobby for H. Con. Res. 72. Ask your MoC to meet with these people in order to learn more about the issues from those who have had first-hand experience, and ask them to co-sponsor the Resolution. If your MoC is already a co-sponsor, send them a message of thanks. www.house.gov http://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php |
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November 2019
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