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S.1 For The People Act – What You Can Do To Help Save Democracy
Indivisibles,
Another week, another update on the fate of our democracy.
Over the weekend, you may have seen some reporting on the chances of passing S. 1, the For the People Act. We know that getting this bill through the Senate has been a real roller coaster ride, but Senator Klobuchar, who’s been in the negotiating room hammering out the details of the bill with Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Merkley, Senator Manchin, Senator Warnock and others had this to say:
“I think that we’ve made actual progress. If we were just going to say, ‘Nope, can’t do this because of Senate rules,’ we wouldn’t keep going.”
Translation: This bill is very much still alive, and we are still on track to pass it. That’s why this week we’re joining with partners across the progressive ecosystem in the Recess Can Wait Week of Action, running ads offline to push people to contact their senators, and supporting Indivisible Groups every way we can to ensure every senator hears that the American People insist they pass this bill.
With that, here are your weekly to-dos:
Your Weekly To-Dos
- Call your Senators and tell them to pass the For the People Act (S. 1) no matter what. Tell them they can’t let the filibuster, August recess, their vacation plans or anything else get in the way. There’s a National Call In Day on Wednesday, so be sure to call then — but call every other day too. We’ll send you a free “No Filibuster” sticker when you make a call.
- RSVP for our next monthly National Activist Call on Thursday, August 5. The National Activist Call is a space held on the first Thursday of every month for activists, group leaders, and new members alike. Join Indivisibles across the country as we celebrate successes, discuss our national strategy, and take time to create connections while building community with each other.
- Make a call about the Recovery package. The Senate has released their draft budget resolution, and we’re glad it includes many of our top priorities. But the $3.5 trillion offered by the Senate is the floor, not the ceiling, and House Democrats must use the power of their majority to augment this proposal to truly meet the scale of the current crises. Read the resource about the recovery package, then pick your top issue and make a call, and make sure they are included in budget resolution before going on recess.
- Make a monthly donation to support this work.Indivisible runs on grassroots donations, and when you make a monthly gift — even a small one — it helps us know what resources we can plan on, which makes it easier to prepare for the fights ahead. Please, consider making a gift today.
This Week On The Hill
We’re watching two major fights on the Hill right now, and they both have one thing in common: It’s crucial that the Senate take action before they leave for august recess. That’s why all our call scripts this week include reminding you to tell your senators not to go home until they’ve done their jobs. Here’s what’s up:
- As it has been for many months now, passing S. 1, the For the People Act, is our top priority.Right now, a small group of Democratic Senators are negotiating the details of the final bill, and Senate leadership is showing signs of optimism that they’ll agree to a package and be able to bypass the filibuster (by abolishing or changing it) to get it passed. This week we’ll be watching Leader Schumer and Senator Klobuchar for clues as to what may come next, and working hard not to let Senator Manchin or Senator Sinema make us worry (remember — people power works.)
- A close second priority is kickstarting the budget process so Congress can pass a robust recovery reconciliation bill — again, before recess. After passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF) we expect the Senate to introduce their budget resolution. This resolution is the first step in the budget process and sets top-line spending numbers for the reconciliation bill and gives committees instructions for what to include.The Senate must pass the budget resolution before leaving for August recess so that committees can start drafting the reconciliation bill over the August recess and pass a robust recovery. Confused? Need a refresher? Check out our Budget Reconciliation 101 explainer.
A couple other things you may be hearing about and want to keep an eye on:
- Leader Schumer is expected to schedule a vote on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF) this week, now that the legislative text was finally released over the weekend. This is a bipartisan Senate package about physical infrastructure (think roads and bridges). This is separate from reconciliation — but progressives in the House are withholding their support for the bill until we get a vote on a robust recovery package. So if you see folks online talking about the BIF, know that it’s a bill progressive legislators are using to exert pressure on moderates.
- The national eviction moratorium was set to expire July 31st, and unfortunately the White House waited until the 11th hour to call on Congress to act (though the White House could have done this themselves). Progressives in the House pushed for a vote on a bill to extend the moratorium and prevent millions of evictions. Unfortunately moderate Dems prevented that bill from getting a vote, and the House went on recess. Rep. Cori Bush and others participated in a sleep-in at the steps of the Capitol over the weekend, demanding that the House come back to pass the bill. We support their efforts, and extending the moratorium.
National Events
RSVP for our next monthly National Activist Call on Thursday, August 5. The National Activist Call is a space held on the first Thursday of every month for activists, group leaders, and new members alike. Join Indivisibles across the country as we celebrate successes, discuss our national strategy, and take time to create connections while building community with each other.
Watch — or join — tomorrow’s Recess Can Wait – Our Democracy Can’t event at the Capitol building in D.C. In states across the country the freedom to vote is under attack by extremist lawmakers. State legislators have been on the front lines of the fight to protect our democracy, but they are running out of options, and need Congress to step in and take on this fight. State legislators from across the country will join us for a rally outside the Capitol on August 3rd from 12-2pm ET, to demand that Congress stay in session until they pass the For the People Act.
IndivisiWin of the Week
Georgia Indivisibles rally every Saturday to support S. 1!
The news is changing fast, so be sure to text INDIVISIBLE to 97779 to join our rapid response team, and to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagramfor the latest news.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team
P.S. — Just as we were getting ready to send this email, our co-Executive Director, Ezra Levin, was arrested along with hundreds of other people rallying for voting rights at the U.S. Capitol. It’s the second time in a month there have been mass arrests of peaceful protesters at Poor People’s Campaign eventsat the Capitol. Think about that for a minute. Arrested for rallying to support voting rights. Please, pick up your phone and call your Senator today.
Indivisible Project is a locally-led, people-powered movement of thousands of local groups in red, blue, and purple states, and in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Our mission is to power and lift up a grassroots movement of local groups to defeat the Trump agenda, elect progressive leaders, and realize bold progressive policies.
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Sad Day For Michigan. A Great Michigan Senator Passes Away
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2021
Press@Michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Releases Statement on Passing of Former U.S. Senator Carl Levin
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today issued the following statement on the passing of former United States Senator Carl Levin.
“Senator Carl Levin was a champion for Michigan. His 36 year tenure in the United States Senate, the longest in state history, was marked by a tireless commitment to our auto industry, Great Lakes, and men and women in uniform. Carl paved the way for a safer planet, helped pass several nuclear weapons and missile treaties, and spoke out courageously against entering the war in Iraq. He made Michigan a safer and better place for our families, securing funds to create the Detroit Riverwalk and writing the bill that established Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. Carl would often wear his glasses on the tip of his nose, but he saw the best in us. He saw what we were capable of when we came to the table as Michiganders, as Americans, to get things done. Carl devoted his life to public service, and it us up to us to follow his example. My thoughts are with his family, many of whom are lifelong public servants, including his brother, former Congressman Sander Levin and his nephew, Congressman Andy Levin. Carl, we miss you.”
Sen. Carl Levin has passed away.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/07/29/carl-levin-dies/7983742002/
Michigan’s own Lion in the US. Senate has passed. May his family find peace during this loss of a great man.