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Gerrymandering, Cont’d Yesterday we contacted our senators asking them to support Senate Bill S. 2226 which would require states to have bipartisan, independent redistricting commissions to draw fair statewide district maps after each census. There is a similar bill in the House, H.R. 3572, Redistricting Reform Act of 2019. Action: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to support H.R. 3572, Redistricting Reform Act of 2019. If they are already a cosponsor, send them a message of thanks. Gerrymandering Senate Bill S. 2226 would require states to have bipartisan, independent redistricting commissions to draw fair statewide district maps after each census. The bill would set out eligibility requirements for membership of such commissions to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure fair representation. Districts would have to be drawn to ensure equal population per representative, compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, equal opportunity for all racial, ethnic, geographic, economic, etc. minorities, and NO GERRYMANDERING. Action: Contact your Senators and ask them to support S. 2226, Redistricting Reform Act of 2019. If your senator is already a cosponsor, send them a message of thanks. Private Prisons The California legislature has just passed a bill banning private prisons and ICE detention centers in the state. The Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, is expected to sign the bill into law next month. Action: Contact your state legislators and governor, asking them to ban private prisons and ICE detention centers in your state. If you live in California, contact Governor Newsom to say you’re looking forward to AB32 becoming the law of the state. Forced Arbitration Many contracts and agreements contain forced arbitration clauses which require disputes to be decided by arbitration, preventing the complainant from taking the issue to court. Such contracts and agreements include employment contracts, cell phone contracts, leases, cable tv contracts, loan agreements, etc., etc. The American Association for Justice says, “Americans are more likely to be struck by lightning than win in forced arbitration.” This week the House will vote on H.R. 1423, the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, which would invalidate forced arbitration agreements involving employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights disputes. Action: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to support H.R. 1423, the FAIR Act. If they are already a cosponsor (all Dems, with one noble Republican, Florida’s Matt Gaetz), thank them. ICE Detention Centers H.R. 2842 would prohibit any limitation on the entry of a Member of Congress to any ICE detention center for the purposes of oversight. The bill also prohibits temporary modifications to facilities to make them look better to a visiting MoC. Action: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to support H.R. 2842. If they are already a cosponsor, thank them. FEMA $ Misappropriated The Trump administration is diverting $271 million from FEMA to be used to fund immigration detention centers. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-admin-pulling-millions-fema-disaster-relief-send-southern-border-n1046691 Action: 1) Contact your Senators and state your opposition to the reallocation of disaster relief funds to ICE detention centers. 2) Contact your Member of Congress with the same message. Bahamanians A number of Bahamanians escaping from Hurricane Dorian were denied entry to the U.S. Most authorities and legislators seem to agree that Bahamanian hurricane survivors should be allowed into the U.S. with or without travel documents, but Trump is waffling on the issue. beta.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/09/bahamas-survivors-visa-ferry-stranded-cpb/ Action: Call or email the White House and state strongly that Bahamanian hurricane survivors should be allowed into the U.S. with or without travel documents. (888) 807-0331 www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ |
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November 2019
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