Talk Talk Vote!

Rachel and Anne talk spending bill, SAVE Act, local involvement (mutual aid!), and how to make your voice heard when you're calling an elected official who isn't your own (hint: money).

Call Congress (the switchboard number): 202-224-3121

Five for Democracy

1. Call to express your disappointment about voting on the spending bill: Sen. Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sen. Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Fetterman (D-PA), Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Hassan (D-NH), Sen. Peters (D-MI), Sen. Schatz (D-HI), Sen. Schumer (D-NY), and ESPECIALLY Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) who voted to pass the bill, not just to advance the bill to a vote.
2. Call Sen. Rand Paul and thank him for voting against the spending bill.
3. Call your congressperson to ask them to speak out against the SAVE Act.
4. Local Involvement: Search for your local mutual aid group “Cityname mutual aid” and find out how to get involved!
5. Reminder Political Revolution – they have lists of protest events happening in person and online. https://events.pol-rev.com/

Join Anne and Rachel for a reminder about what society's different sectors can actually do, an up date on cabinet nominations, and a couple of topics to keep an eye on.

Five for Democracy

1. Call on your Senators to vote NO on: UN Ambassador Nominee Elise Stefanik.
2. Call Senators Hawley (R-MO) and Sanders (I-VT) to thank them for introducing the bipartisan bill to cap credit card interest rates at 10%.
3. Check out: Political Revolution – they have lists of protest events happening around the country.

Follow litigation: www.justsecurity.org

Know thine enemy's goals and you can mess with them.

Keep thinking critically about the news you hear.

1 – Give your senators a call to ask them to vote no on:

• Attorney General Nominee: Pam Bondi
• Secretary of Energy Nominee: Chris Wright
• Secretary of Health and Human Services Nominee: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• UN Ambassador Nominee: Elise Stefanik

2 – Also, give Costco a call to say thank you for keeping their DEI programs in spite of the administration!

• 425-313-8100 (6am-6pm Pacific) **updated number from the recording**
• If you're a Costco shareholder, let them know!

We're back, baby.

Hello! We're back for a short series in the lead up to the November 2024 election. Over the coming weeks we'll address some of the whys and hows of voting.

This week: Election Integrity

Tune in to hear more about the integrity and security of our elections. Brace yourselves for a throw back to the hanging chad era.

Want to know what voting methods your jurisdiction uses? Check out https://verifiedvoting.org/

Hello! We're back for a short series in the lead up to the November 2024 election. Over the coming weeks we'll address some of the whys and hows of voting.

This week: Why Vote?

Rachel has 10 really good reasons why you should vote in this (and every) election.

H.R. 354: LEOSA Reform Act – OPPOSE

• This bill broadens the authority for certain law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines.
• Specifically, the bill allows qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms and ammunition (including magazines) in school zones; in national parks; on state, local, or private property that is open to the public; and in certain federal facilities that are open to the public.
• Further, the bill permits states to reduce the frequency with which retired law enforcement officers must meet certain qualification standards.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote NO on HR 354
• Read more here

H.R. 4814: Consumer Safety Technology Act – SUPPORT

• This bill establishes a pilot program to explore the use of artificial intelligence to support the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Specifically, the CPSC must consult with relevant stakeholders, such as data scientists and product manufacturers, and use artificial intelligence for a least one of the following purposes: (1) tracking trends in injuries involving consumer products, (2) identifying consumer product hazards, (3) monitoring the sale of recalled consumer products, or (4) identifying consumer products that do not meet specified importation requirements related to product safety.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 4814
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 5390: Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act – SUPPORT

• This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study and report on products that are in high demand across the critical infrastructure sectors. Critical infrastructure sectors are those whose assets, systems, and networks are vital to national security, the economy, public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 5390
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 6571: Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2023 – SUPPORT

• To establish a critical supply chain resiliency and crisis response program in the Department of Commerce, and to secure American leadership in deploying emerging technologies, and for other purposes.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 6571
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

• Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2025 for Indian Country.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (or watch after!)

Foreign Relations

• Hearings to examine the future of arms control and deterrence.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (or watch after!)

Budget

• Hearings to examine climate change and the costs to national security.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (or watch after!)

Where to find other Senate hearings!

• https://www.senate.gov/committees/hearings_meetings.htm

Drop us a line: [email protected]

H.R. 7109: Equal Representation Act – OPPOSE

• To require a citizenship question on the decennial census, to require reporting on certain census statistics, and to modify apportionment of Representatives to be based on United States citizens instead of all persons.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote NO on HR 7109
• Read more here

H.R. 2925: Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2024 – OPPOSE

• This bill sets forth a process to allow mine operations to use, occupy, and conduct operations (e.g., construction of roads and other mining infrastructure activity) on public land regardless of whether a mineral deposit has been discovered on the land.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote NO on HR 2925
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

S. 2073: Eliminate Useless Reports Act of 2023 – SUPPORT

• A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to require agencies to include a list of outdated or duplicative reporting requirements in annual budget justifications, and for other purposes.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on S 2073
• Has already passed through the Senate
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

Judiciary

• Hearings to examine the urgent need to protect immigrant youth.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (or watch after!)

Indian Affairs

• To receive a briefing on the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission's Report on Native Children.
• Tune in at 2:30pm ET, Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (or watch after!)

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

• Hearings to examine consumer protection, focusing on examining fees in financial services and rental housing.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Thursday, May 9, 2024 (or watch after!)

Where to find other Senate hearings!

• https://www.senate.gov/committees/hearings_meetings.htm

Drop us a line: [email protected]

H.R. 4016: Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act – SUPPORT

• For those veterans who become unable to manage their VA benefits, the VA has a program in which another person can serve as a fiduciary to help the veteran. However, as with anything, there's the potential for fraud. This bill would provide for reimbursement to veterans defrauded by fiduciaries.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 4016
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 4824: Carbon Sequestration Collaboration Act – SUPPORT

• This bill would direct the Secretary of Energy to start performing carbon sequestration work and evaluating the effects of it. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, carbon sequestration can be divided into geologic and biologic sequestration. The former often can assist oil wells which are no longer producing at high levels to produce more oil. Geologic sequestration involves forcing CO2 into geologic formations while biologic generally refers to growing more vegetation, like trees, which can capture and store carbon.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 4824
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 6093: Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2023 – SUPPORT

• This bill would reauthorize funds to be used to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather research, support improvements in weather forecasting and prediction, expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data, and for other purposes.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 6093
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 3195: Superior National Forest Restoration Act – OPPOSE

• This bill would reauthorize mining in specified Forest Service lands in Minnesota.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote NO on HR 3195
• Read more here

H.R. 6285: Alaska’s Right to Produce Act of 2023 – OPPOSE

• This bill would ratify and approve all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental take statements, and any other approvals or orders issued pursuant to Federal law necessary for the establishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, and for other purposes.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote NO on HR 6285
• Marginal Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

Budget

• Hearings to examine Big Oil's evolving efforts to avoid accountability for climate change.
• Tune in at 9:00am ET, Wednesday, May 1, 2024 (or watch after!)

Foreign Relations

• Hearings to examine conflict and humanitarian emergency in Sudan; focusing on an urgent call to action.
• Tune in at 10:30am ET, Wednesday, May 1, 2024 (or watch after!)

Where to find other Senate hearings!

• https://www.senate.gov/committees/hearings_meetings.htm

H.R. 4016: Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act – SUPPORT

• For those veterans who become unable to manage their VA benefits, the VA has a program in which another person can serve as a fiduciary to help the veteran. However, as with anything, there's the potential for fraud. This bill would provide for reimbursement to veterans defrauded by fiduciaries.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 4016
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

H.R. 4824: Carbon Sequestration Collaboration Act – SUPPORT

• This bill would direct the Secretary of Energy to start performing carbon sequestration work and evaluating the effects of it. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, carbon sequestration can be divided into geologic and biologic sequestration. The former often can assist oil wells which are no longer producing at high levels to produce more oil. Geologic sequestration involves forcing CO2 into geologic formations while biologic generally refers to growing more vegetation, like trees, which can capture and store carbon.
• Call Your Representative: tell them to vote YES on HR 4824
• Bipartisan Support
• Read more here

Foreign Relations

• [Many more items than listed here] Business meeting to consider...to impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in the import of petroleum from the Islamic Republic of Iran, to impose sanctions with respect to foreign support for terrorist organizations in Gaza and the West Bank, to impose sanctions with respect to the Supreme Leader of Iran and the President of Iran and their respective offices for human rights abuses and support for terrorism, to address the threat from the development of Iran's ballistic missile program and the transfer or deployment of Iranian missiles and related goods and technology, including materials and equipment, to require a strategy to counter the role of the People's Republic of China in evasion of sanctions imposed by the United States with respect to Iran
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (or watch after!)

Judiciary

• Hearings to examine eliminating the abuse of solitary confinement, focusing on a legacy of harm.
• Tune in at 10:00am ET, Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (or watch after!)

Judiciary: Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law

• An oversight hearing to examine AI, focusing on election deepfakes.
• Tune in at 2:00pm ET, Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (or watch after!)

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Investigations

• Hearings to examine Boeing's broken safety culture, focusing on firsthand accounts.
• Tune in at 2:00pm ET, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 (or watch after!)

Where to find other Senate hearings!

• https://www.senate.gov/committees/hearings_meetings.htm