Calls - Indivisible Jax Riverside

July 21, 2017

FEDERAL DAILY ACTION — Friday, July 21, 2017 THE CALL — Russia Sanctions

woman makes a phone call despite her fears

Find your representative: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/…/Repr…/myrepresentative.aspx
Representative Rutherford: (202) 225-2501 or (904) 831-5205
Representative DeSantis: (202) 225-2706 or (386) 302-0471
Representative Yoho: (202) 225-5744 or (904) 276-9626

The Senate approved a measure in June by a 98-2 vote that would further sanction Russia for their interference in our election and constrain Trump from unilaterally lifting any Russia sanctions. The legislation is currently being considered by the House and the administration is lobbying Republicans to water it down. The House has been stalling on the bill, claiming various procedural issues, but Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, dismissed those claims saying “there is no issue, except do they want to pass a bill.”

The latest bombshell on the Donald Trump Jr. emails setting up a meeting with a Russian government lawyer to get dirt on Clinton is closely connected to sanctions and suggests a possible quid pro quo. The Trump administration has been been trying to lift sanctions on Russia since shortly after taking office. Currently, they are looking to return Russian compounds that President Obama closed as retaliation for Russian election interference.

Trump continues to minimize Russian interference in our election, and while he claims he raised the issue with Putin at the G20 meeting, he appears to accept Putin’s denial and wants to “move forward” with Russia. The revelation this week that Trump had a previously undisclosed meeting with Putin with no American officials present gives further credence to a Trump quid pro quo deal with Russia.

It is likely Trump will veto strong Russia sanctions legislation and while the Senate has the votes to override a veto, it will be critical that the House pass the legislation with the 2/3 majority necessary to override a presidential veto.
————–

Sample Script:
This is [NAME] and I’m a constituent in [ZIP].
I want [Rep____] to support legislation immediately to increase sanctions on Russia for meddling in our election.
It’s critical to make sure the president cannot lift any Russia sanctions without Congress’s consent.
I don’t trust this administration to do the right thing on Russia sanctions.
Where does the Rep currently stand on this issue?
[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Exxon Mobil Fined for Violating Sanctions on Russia

While Rex W. Tillerson, now the secretary of state, led the energy giant, “Exxon Mobil demonstrated reckless disregard for U.S. sanctions requirements,” the Treasury Department said.

NYTIMES.COM

July 18, 2017

FEDERAL DAILY ACTION: Tuesday, July 18, 2017 THE CALL–Demand Congress Fund the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis

woman makes a phone call despite her fears

CALL:
Representative John H. Rutherford
(202) 225-2501 or (904) 831-5205;
House Appropriations Committee
(202) 225-2771

DEMAND CONGRESS FUND THE FIGHT AGAINST THE OPIOID CRISIS
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under 50, and these deaths rose by an unprecedented 19% between 2015 and 2016. Although opioid epidemic is growing unabated, Republicans have failed to allocate sufficient funding to combat this crisis. In fact, the House Appropriations Committee’s draft for its 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill would reduce funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding by almost $200 million and fails to increase funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s Substance Abuse Block Grant.

Additionally, the funding bill prohibits the use of discretionary funds to implement the Affordable Care Act, including compensation for ACA Navigators, who play a critical role in helping people secure health insurance coverage. Access to health insurance is absolutely essential for people with substance use disorders, especially since under the ACA ‘s mandates, insurers must cover substance abuse treatment in exchange plans.

Sample Script:
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].

[IF COMMITTEE, ADD]: I’d like to pass along a message for the Chairman and committee members.

I’m calling to express my concern about reductions in funding for the CDC, SAMHSA, and other public health agencies in the 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. These agencies are essential in combatting the growing opioid epidemic, and their resources should be increased, not reduced, for the next fiscal year.

Thank you for your time and attention.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

As opioid overdoses exact a higher price, communities ponder who should be saved

Narcan can revive overdose victims, but some local officials wonder if it’s worth the cost.

WASHINGTONPOST.COM

July 17, 2017

FEDERAL DAILY ACTION: Monday, July 17, 2017 THE CALL–ADVOCATE FOR A BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO REPAIR THE ACA

CALL: Senator Marco Rubio (202-224-3041 or 904-398-8586);

Senator Bill Nelson (202-224–5274 or 904-346-4500).

The delayed vote on Senate GOP’s new ACA-repeal bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), represents an opportunity for Republicans to abandon their partisan obsession with dismantling the ACA and instead partner with Democrats to shore up the law. One major Republican critique of the ACA has been that the individual insurance markets are unstable and have increasingly high premiums. However, all analyses of these markets have shown that the markets are stable overall and that consumers have largely been shielded from premium increases thanks to tax subsidies. In fact, most of the instability of the insurance markets have stemmed from insurance company uncertainty about whether Republicans will continue paying the cost-sharing reductions that allow them to insure sicker people at lower cost. Healthcare spending has also slowed under the ACA, and people have objectively benefited from increased access to healthcare, especially preventive services.

The Senate repeal bill actually maintains much of the ACA’s structure while cutting things like premium subsidies and funding for Medicaid expansion. Instead of trying to adopt a worse version of the ACA, Republicans should work with Democrats to implement a package of ACA fixes, from insurance market stabilization to negotiation of lower pharmaceutical costs, that would preserve (and even increase) access to affordable health insurance while still containing healthcare spending. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has already called on Trump to meet with Democrats to find a bipartisan way forward. Now, it’s on Republicans to do the right thing and shift their focus from repealing the ACA to fixing the ACA.

Sample Script:
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from Saint Augustine.

[IF REPUBLICAN]: I’m calling to encourage Senator Bill Nelson to abandon their ACA repeal efforts and instead advocate for a bipartisan approach to healthcare reform. The majority of Americans want the ACA repaired, not replaced, and it makes far more sense to repair the existing bill than to replace it with a law that introduces a host of new problems while fixing none of the current problems.

[IF DEMOCRAT]: I’m calling to encourage Senator Bill Nelson to pursue a bipartisan effort to repair the ACA. The Republican plan to repeal the ACA is cruel and unacceptable, and the best way forward for the American people is to find a way to fix the ACA’s problems than introduce new ones.

Thank you for your hard work answering the phones.

[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/joe-biden-as-a-nation-we…/…