April 21, 2023
Mental health workforce, agricultural greenhouse emissions, child/caregiver executive order, and more
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE CRISIS
Nearly half of all Americans live in areas where there are not enough mental health professionals to provide the care they need. To incentivize people to choose a career in mental health, the bipartisan “Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act” would, if passed, cover up to $250,000 in student loans for mental health professionals who work in mental health workforce shortage areas. Let’s tell our U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S.462.
NET-ZERO EMISSIONS IN AGRICULTURE
The agriculture industry was responsible for 10% of total US emissions in 2021. The Agriculture Resilience Act, should it pass, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture industry to zero by 2040. Let’s tell our U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S.1016 and our U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor H.R.1840.
CHILD CARE AND CAREGIVER EXECUTIVE ORDER
Earlier this week, President Biden issued a much-need and well-received executive order “to increase access to child care and improve the work life of caregivers.” We’ve long known about our national child care crisis, but many people do not fully understand its far-reaching ramifications. Likewise, there is a national caregiver crisis that was worsened during COVID. There are not enough trained caregivers for primarily the elderly and the disabled. Economic issues include the fact that pay and working conditions are often undesirable, and many people are leaving the workforce to care for family members. This executive order will benefit many families. Since Congress has not been able to address this growing issue, let’s thank President Biden for his responsiveness.
SUPPORT CHEROKEE REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS
In 1835, the United States signed a treaty with the Cherokee Nation in which we agreed that they could send a delegate to Congress. This promise has never been kept, but for the first time in almost 200 years there was momentum in the last Congress to seat a non-voting member. While it’s unlikely that Republican leadership will act on this, we can’t just let these next two years go without keeping up the pressure. Let’s contact our members of Congress and tell them we support them seating the Cherokee Nation delegate.
CALL OUT TRUMP AND THE DEFUND THE FBI CAUCUS
Trump and his allies have called for the FBI and the Justice Department to be defunded in retaliation for his indictments, and Democrats in Washington are working to hold them accountable for it. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer will force a vote on a resolution condemning Trump’s proposal, making Senate Republicans choose between loyalty to Trump and stopping federal crime. Let’s call on our senators and let them know we’ll be watching the results of this vote and ask our reps in the House to get their colleagues on record with a similar vote.
My essay, “Listen to Guardianship’s victims” published in Mad in America on Tuesday. https://www.madinamerica.com/2023/04/listen-victims-senate-guardianship/