Actions for the Month - July 2020
ACTION #1 - The “HEROES Act” (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act)
This expansive bill continues to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in the United States and provides a measure of ongoing relief for its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. Among other things, the bill
• provides additional direct payments of up to $1,200 per individual;
• expands paid sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, nutrition and food assistance programs, housing assistance, and payments to farmers;
• modifies and expands the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans and grants to small businesses and nonprofit organizations;
• establishes a fund to award grants for employers to provide pandemic premium pay for essential workers;
• expands several tax credits and deductions;
• provides funding and establishes requirements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing;
• eliminates cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments;
• extends and expands the moratorium on certain evictions and foreclosures; and
• requires employers to develop and implement infectious disease exposure control plans.
Call Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Dial (518) 431-4070 or (607) 772-6792
Suggested Script: Hello. My name [is __]. My address [including ZIP is __]. My phone number [is ___]. I’m calling Senator Schumer in his role as Senate Minority Leader. Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
Call Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Dial (859) 578-0188 or (270) 781-1673
Suggested Script: Hello. My name [is __]. My address [including ZIP is __]. My phone number [is ___]. I’m calling Senator McConnell in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader. Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
Call Senator Elizabeth Warren- (413-788-2690) or (202-224-4543)
Suggested Script: Hello. My name is ___. My address (including zip code) is ___. My phone number is ___. I am calling Senator Warren because Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
Call Senator Ed Markey- Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742 Boston (617) 565-8519
Suggested Script: Hello. My name [is __]. My address [including ZIP is __]. My phone number [is ___]. I’m calling Senator Markey because Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
Call the Senate Finance Committee (503) 326-7525 or (541) 431-0229
Suggested Script: Hello. My [Name is __]. My [Address and ZIP is __]. My [Phone number is __]. I’m calling to get a message to “both” Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden in their capacities as Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
Call the Senate Banking Committee Dial (440) 242-4100 or (614) 469-2083
Suggested Script: Hello. My name [is __]. My address [including ZIP is __]. My phone number [is ___]. I’m calling to get a message to “both” Senators Mike Crapo and Sherrod Brown in their capacity as Chairperson and Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee. Americans are suffering devastating impacts from the COVID-19 crisis and I want more done to help them. The House of Representatives responded courageously by passing the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) to help alleviate some of the worst challenges from the crisis. Now, I want the Senate to move with similar boldness and urgency to pass the HEROES Act. Thank you.
ACTION #2 - Support Voting Rights Protections
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a requirement designed to ensure minority voters across the country are able to participate equally in the electoral process, which prohibited discriminatory voting practices and removed many barriers to voting. But in Shelby County v. Holder in June 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the formula for deciding which states and localities have a history of voting discrimination (and were therefore required to pre-approve changes in voting laws and practices) was unconstitutional. This severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
Since the Supreme Court’s decision, states and localities have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices. These laws especially disenfranchise people of color, the elderly, low-income people, transgender people, and people with disabilities.
Fortunately, the Supreme Court’s decision was limited in scope and recommended Congress create a new formula. The Voting Rights Advancement Act does just that and restores the protections of the Voting Rights Act by:
• Modernizing the formula determining which states and localities have a pattern of discrimination;
• Ensuring that last-minute voting changes do not adversely affect voters by requiring officials to publicly announce all voting changes at least 180 days before an election; and
• Expanding the government’s authority to send federal observers to any jurisdiction where there may be a substantial risk of discrimination at the polls on election day or during an early voting period.
Call: Senator Elizabeth Warren Springfield 413-788-2690 DC 202-224-4543; Senator Ed Markey Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742
Script: Hi. My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [ADDRESS, MASSACHUSETTS, ZIP] because I want to thank the senator for co-sponsoring the Voting Rights Advancement Act - S. 561 to protect every citizen’s right to vote, and to urge the senator to do everything to get it advanced to the floor for a vote. Thank you.
Call: Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: (202) 224-2541
Script: Hi. My name is [NAME] and I’m calling Senator McConnell due to his role as the Majority Leader. I’m call from [ADDRESS, MASSACHUSETTS, ZIP] to ask the Majority Leader to advance the Voting Rights Advancement Act - S. 561 immediately for a vote - nothing is more patriotic than voting and every citizen should be able to vote safely and easily. Thank you.
ACTION #3 - Speak up for Accessible Voting at the National Level
The Accessible Voting Act, S. 3206, is a bill that establishes new protections and improves access for individuals with disabilities and older Americans, and provides greater support for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and language minority voters. The legislation establishes specific procedures, technical assistance, and guidance to election administrators and voters alike to help all Americans vote privately and independently. The bill enacts new federal accessibility requirements, increases federal and state support for these voters, improves access to online voter registration, makes absentee balloting and in-person voting more accessible, and improves the availability of election information and voting resources. No individual should be denied the right to vote due to disability, age, or minority status.
Call: Senator Elizabeth Warren Springfield 413-788-2690 DC 202-224-4543; Senator Ed Markey Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742
Script: Hi. My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [ADDRESS, MASSACHUSETTS, ZIP] because I want the senator to co-sponsor the Accessible Voting Act of 2020 - S. 3206, which will provide resources to address inaccessible polling places at the state and local levels.
Call: Senate Special Committee on Aging
Susan Collins, Chair, (202)224-2523; Senators Bob Casey, Ranking Member, (202) 224-6324
Script: Hi. My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [ADDRESS, MASSACHUSETTS, ZIP] because I want [Senator Collins, as the Chair]////[Senator Bob Casey, Ranking Member]of the Senate Special Committee on Aging to support the Accessible Voting Act of 2020 - S. 3206, which will provide resources to address inaccessible polling places, especially for our senior citizens, at the state and local levels.
Call: Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Roy Blunt, Chairman, (202) 224-5721; Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member, (202) 224-3244
Script: Hi. My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [ADDRESS, MASSACHUSETTS, ZIP] because I want [Senator Blunt, as the Chair]////[Senator Klobuchar, Ranking Member]of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to support the Accessible Voting Act of 2020 - S. 3206, which will provide resources to address inaccessible polling places at the state and local levels.
ACTION #4 - Advocate for a crucial safeguard for secure elections. [h/t Verified Voting]
With the threat of foreign interference in our elections and a President who keeps trying to undermine the public’s faith in our elections, having systems in place that ensure election security and increase the public’s faith in the trustworthiness of our elections is crucial. Experts agree that post-election oversight in the form of a “risk-limiting audit” is the strongest and most cost-effective defense against malfunctioning or hacked voting systems. A "risk-limiting audit" means an audit protocol that makes use of statistical principles and methods and is designed to limit the risk of certifying an incorrect election outcome. If the margin is larger, fewer ballots need to be counted. If the race is tighter, more ballots are audited.
• 4 states have a statutory requirement for a risk-limiting audit: Colorado, Nevada (pilots in 2020, all counties in 2022), Rhode Island, and Virginia.
• Georgia and Indiana have statutory requirements to conduct risk-limiting audit pilots.
• California, Ohio, Oregon and Washington provide options for counties to run different types of audits, one of which being a risk-limiting audit.
Call: Senator Jo Comerford (617) 722-1532; Senator Eric Lessor (617) 722-1014; Senator John Velis (617) 722-1415; Natalie Blais (617) 722-2400 or (413) 362-9453; Lindsay Sabadosa (617) 722-2460 or (413) 270-1166; Mindy Domb (617) 722-2400 or (413) 461-2060; Thomas Petrolati: (617) 722-2575 or (413) 589-7303; Aaron Vega: (617) 722-2011 or (413) 650-2727
Script: Hi, my name is [_________], I’m calling from [address with ZIP] to urge [Senator or Representative ___________] to support mandatory Risk-Limiting Audits in Massachusetts ahead of November’s presidential election. Thank you.
ACTION #5 - Massachusetts Police Reform Bill
At 4:00 am Tuesday, July 14th, the Massachusetts House passed a police reform bill to ostensibly address the concerns raised about police conduct in the wake of the killing of George Floyd (Senate bill S.2800). The reality is that police and their supporters in Massachusetts managed to water down the measures in that bill so that it is of very limited value. It is now the House’s turn to craft its bill before those bills go to reconciliation. The overall bill has to be to the Governor by July 31st so now is the time to call.
Please call your representative and ask them to ensure four things are in the House Omnibus bill addressing Police Reform:
Lindsay Sabadosa: (617) 722-2460 or (413) 270-1166 or email: lindsay.sabadosa@mahouse.gov
Mindy Domb: (617) 722-2400 or (413) 461-2060 or email: mindy.domb@mahouse.gov
Thomas Petrolati: (617) 722-2575 or (413) 589-7303 or email: thomas.petrolati @mahouse.gov
Aaron Vega: (617) 722-2011 or (413) 650-2727 or email: aaron.vega@mahouse.gov
Script: Hi, my name is [_________], I’m calling from [address with ZIP] to urge Representative ___________] to support the following policing reform measures following passage of a Senate bill 2800.
1. Police standards that restrict excessive force, including complete bans on chokeholds, attack dogs, and using tear gas against protestors – measures at least as strong as those set out in Rep. Miranda's bill, An Act to Save Black Lives.
2. A complete repeal of qualified immunity, not the watered-down version that was passed in the Senate.
3. Prohibit pre-textual traffic stops.
4. Remove the sunset provision on the ban on facial-recognition technology that is in the Senate bill and extend that ban to prohibit its use by the Registry of Motor Vehicles, a use that is currently carved out of the Senate bill’s ban.
Action #6 - Prevent Online Voter Suppression
Call: Senator Elizabeth Warren Springfield 413-788-2690 DC 202-224-4543
Senator Ed Markey Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742
Representative Jim McGovern Northampton 413-341-8700 DC 202-225-6101
Suggested Script: Hello. My [Name is __]. My [Address and ZIP is __]. I’m calling [Senator [Warren/Markey]// Representative McGovern] because online political ads need to be subjected to the same disclosure requirements as TV and radio ads. The Honest Ads Act would mandate such disclosures, preventing the spread of false information about elections and voting and other forms of digital voter suppression. Can I count on [Senator [Warren/Markey]///Representative McGovern] to co-sponsor the Honest Ads Act (S. 1356/HR 2592) which already has strong bipartisan support? Thank you.