National Senate Call-in Day for Healthcare
Wednesday, June 14th
(Adapted from Rogan's List and Indivisible)
The Senate is trying to do what the House of Representatives did in May: jam through its TrumpCare bill in secrecy, without public hearings, without a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score, and without knowing its full impact on American families.
The Senate is trying to do what the House of Representatives did in May: jam through its TrumpCare bill in secrecy, without public hearings, without a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score, and without knowing its full impact on American families.
TrumpCare bill (American Health Care Act, or AHCA) would strip coverage from at least 23 million people and cut Medicaid by $800 billion, in order to give hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations. It would also undermine critical protections for people with pre-existing conditions, defund Planned Parenthood, and raise premiums for American families.
Action You Can Take Today
All day on June 14th, call our US Senators and tell them to reject TrumpCare and the Senate Committee's closed-room deal to take health care away from 23 million people. Get started at: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/stop-trumpcare-senate-call-script/
Contact information:
Bonus Action
Once you've called our senators, you can join the ACA Defenders in making sure folks in key states call their senators too here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMiCjyVEprsCak0eifPbNorKx-C86ygqSasdbbLaA4gX874g/viewform
Protect Disability Benefits (SSDI) From Trump Budget Cuts
Saturday, June 10
(Adapted from 5 Calls)
Protect Disability Benefits (SSDI) From Trump Budget Cuts
During his campaign, Trump made repeated promises to preserve Social Security benefits. Despite these promises, his 2018 budget proposal recommends cutting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments to disabled workers by $72 billion over the next 10 years.
Trump's administration argues that SSDI budget cuts will address wasteful and fraudulent access to these benefits. However, SSDI applicants must meet a host of eligibilty criteria to qualify for benefits. They must have worked a set number of years, have accumulated Social Security credits, and be under the age of 65. SSDI benefits are not overly generous (the US places 30th out of 34 peer countries for this type of benefit), nor are they easy to access - 60% of applications are denied. Despite these hurdles, there are nearly 9 million disabled workers currently receiving benefits; for 80% of beneficiaries, SSDI is their sole source of income.
These proposed SSDI cuts, particularly if combined with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and budget cuts to Medicaid, would devastate millions of Americans who are already struggling to stay afloat in the face of health issues and economic insecurity.
The House and Senate Budget Committees will use Trump's budget proposal as guidance when finalizing their own budget recommendations. Constituents must make it clear to our members of Congress that SSDI and other social safety net programs represent our core values of supporting those most in need, and must not be eliminated in order to provide tax breaks to corporations and the most wealthy Americans.
Action You Can Take Today
Call Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and let them know you care about protecting the vulnerable.
[Script]
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [TOWN].
I’m calling today because I’m strongly opposed to the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) cuts proposed by Trump - millions of Americans benefit from this important program. I ask that Senator [Schumer / Gillibrand] strongly oppose cutting the SSDI budget and continue to support this and other critical social safety net programs.
OPTIONAL: Share story of how you or someone you know benefited from SSDI
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]
Tell Sen. McConnell: Private Meetings On AHCA Are Wrong
Friday, June 9th
(Adapted from Rogan's List)
Rather than hosting open discussions and gathering expert testimony, Senator Mitch McConnell is trying to push the AHCA ahead through closed-door meetings with fellow GOP members. (Read more: http://nbcnews.to/2qWJses)
Action You Can Take Today
- It's time to contact Senator McConnell and tell him that we want public hearings before the AHCA is brought to a vote. Give him a call (202) 224-2541.
- Also contact our own senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.
- Sign the National Partnership for Women and Families' form letter http://bit.ly/1nnhhgh
- Sign a petition from Social Security Works.
Good People Don't Have Pre-existing Conditions?
Friday, May 5th
(Adapted from Rogan's List)
Action You Can Take Today
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) in an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN distinguished people with pre-existing conditions from those “who lead good lives”: http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2017/05/01/lead-brooks-interview-live.cnn
Please take a moment to let Rep. Brooks know what you think of his perspective.
Washington, DC Office2400 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4801
|
Decatur Office302 Lee Street
Room 86
Decatur, AL 35601
Phone: (256) 355-9400 |
Huntsville Office2101 W. Clinton Avenue
Suite 302
Huntsville, AL 35805
Phone: (256) 551-0190 |
Shoals Office102 South Court Street
Suite 310
Florence, AL 35630
Phone: (256) 718-5155 |
Twitter: @RepMoBrooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepMoBrooks
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RepMoBrooks
And while you're at it, here's a list from Daily Kos of the "24 Most Vulnerable House Republicans Who Voted to Destroy Health Care". Write to them, donate to their opponents, let them know that this term will be their last.
Tell Congress Your Own Healthcare Story
Wednesday, May 3rd
(Adapted from Rogan's List)
Jimmy Kimmel’s healthcare story on Monday about his newborn son’s heart condition is touching and revealing of so many concerns we all have about making sure our own families have heathcare when they need it. (Watch now · Read more)
We have healthcare stories, too. Let’s make sure we tell those stories to our legislators so they can see and retell what these changes in the ACA will do to real people. Let them know how important this is to all of us and our families: remind them that healthcare is a human right.
Even if we don’t have a compelling healthcare story, we know that we can keep pushing to get better care for more people. The efforts to repeal and replace the ACA seem to be coming to a head. (Learn more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/331478-gop-struggles-to-find-obamacare-repeal-votes)
Action You Can Take Today
Reach out to your members of congress with your concerns.
Residents of Phillipstown: click links below for contact info:
Senator Chuck Schumer · Senator Kirstin Gillibrand · Representative Sean Patrick Maloney
If you live somewhere else, you can use this link: https://www.callmycongress.com/
