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LET ZOOEY SPEAK
For over a week, Montana's Republican legislature has been lashing out at Representative Zooey Zephyr since she spoke out against a bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth. Representative Zephyr, who is trans, pointed out that anyone who voted for the bill would have "blood on their hands," and her Republican colleagues have responded by punishing her. They have banned “Zephyr from attending or speaking during floor sessions. She will only be allowed to vote remotely in the remaining days of the legislative session. It's a lesser punishment than expulsion, which was also on the table according to House leadership.” We can all support Rep. Zephyr and trans Montanans by signing this petition to the Montana House Speaker, Matt Regier, pushing him to #LetHerSpeak and considering a donation to cover legal fees for the protesters. We can also contact the Speaker by phone: (406) 444-3064 or email: Matt.Regier@legmt.gov. Then, let's be sure to share our messages of support for Representative Zooey Zephyr on Twitter and Instagram: @ZoAndBehold. Those of us in Montana can also sign this petition and contact our state legislators encouraging them to back lifting the gag order and opposing anti-trans bills (scripts here).
DEBT CEILING BILL WITH SEVERE SPENDING CUTS PASSES HOUSE
Late yesterday afternoon, the House voted 217 – 215 to pass the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) which will raise the debt ceiling for a single year and avoid a government default crisis, but at the cost of sweeping cuts to essential programs over the next decade. “Even as the bill makes these drastic, damaging cuts [veterans, Medicaid, Social Security, childcare, farmers], it protects the wealthy from paying what they owe in taxes by repealing IRS funding enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act.” The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to languish or fail. Let’s tell our senators not to pass this bill should it come to them. Let’s also tell all our federal MoCs that we know that the debt ceiling and future spending are two totally different issues and should not be conflated.
PROTECTING CITIZENS FROM POLICE MISCONDUCT
As explained in this article, the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 permits lawsuits against state and local authorities for acquiescing or participating in acts of racial violence. That law was substantially weakened when, in 1967, the Supreme Court invented the doctrine of qualified immunity. Qualified immunity protects police officers from liability for violating citizen’s legal and constitutional rights, including the use of excessive force. The Ending Qualified Immunity Act is a bill that will, if passed, allow citizens to hold police officers accountable for violating their rights. Let’s tell our U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S.1196 and our U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor the as yet unnumbered House version.
HEALTH INSURANCE FOR DACA RECIPIENTS
Fighting continued efforts by Republicans to terminate special protections for “dreamers” in the DACA program, who immigrated to the U.S. as children and have no other known home, the Biden Administration is proposing a new rule that would allow DACA recipients to apply for government-funded health insurance. Let’s make sure to comment favorably on this proposal when it appears in the Federal Register and also tell our MoCs that it’s time to codify DACA protections into law.
TELE-MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNDERSERVED
Telehealth-delivered behavioral health services spiked 45-fold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The need continues, particularly in rural areas with limited mental health resources. Doctors and patients found it beneficial and want to continue, but Congress has not caught up with the need. The bipartisan Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023 would, if passed, create a grant program for expanding telehealth services for mental health and substance use care in rural areas. Let’s tell our U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S.1077.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
MOST: SUPPORT GENDER AFFIRMING CARE FOR TRANS YOUTH
At a time when trans youth suicide is at an all-time high, several states are continuing to pass bans on gender-affirming care, putting them at even greater risk. Recently, North Dakota became the latest state to pass anti-trans legislation, and Washington became the latest state to pass a shield law or executive order that offers protection to trans people fleeing other states and those who are helping them. . This article from the National Institute of Health gives clear evidence-based guidelines why gender-affirming care is essential in protecting the health of our trans youth. Let’s check our own state policies and push for more states to extend protections that are currently found in WA, CA, MA, NJ, CO, NM, IL, MN, and CT
Removing qualified immunity is important for a lot of reasons but to reframe the issue as best I can. The ending of slavery, the passing of the 14th amendment, and ku klux klan act of 1871 was enacted to make it clear that everyone was a human being and deserved dignity. The irony is by removing qualified immunity, we are essentially reminding police officers that they too are human beings and yes may make mistakes, but because a very select few police officers for so long have been able to do things that shielded them in a way that their fellow human beings didn’t have, it set them above all of us, but we can’t do that in our democracy. We need to support our law enforcement because they deserve respect, better pay, mental health care, and we need to support them by making society better so they don’t have to respond to all our crisis that we are allowing. Let’s just remind everyone that they are human, let’s let everyone have a voice and rebuild trust amongst all of us to strive for a better future.