January 16, 2025
GOP power grab in Minnesota, protecting consumer protection, deadline for comments on the subminimum wage, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: Congress.gov
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, ROUND 3
Even with Kristi Noem pushed to Friday, we still had a busy – and unsettling – day of hearings on Capitol Hill. Whether it was Pam Bondi refusing to commit to not prosecuting Trump’s prosecutors or to resist illegal or unconstitutional requests from the president as Attorney General to Office of Management and Budget director nominee Russ Vought defending withholding disaster aid from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to Energy Secretary designee Chris Wright denying the link between the rise in wildfires and climate change, numerous nominees made it clear they should not be trusted with more power. The next step for each of the seven nominees who’ve appeared is a committee vote. Let’s reach out to our senators if they’re on the relevant committees and push them to vote no. We can use the linked scripts for Vought here and Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth here, along with sample language from these letters opposing Bondi, Duffy, Ratcliffe and Wright.
STOP THE STEAL IN MINNESOTA
The Minnesota House of Representatives is in a constitutional crisis. In November, voters elected 67 reps from each party, leading to a power-sharing agreement. Then residency issues cost Dems one seat and forced a special election, giving the GOP a temporary lead – but without a majority to organize the House. Republicans announced plans to go ahead and illegally vote in a speaker anyways, which they did in spite of a Democratic boycott. The secretary of state immediately challenged the GOP move in court, but if it’s upheld Republicans can set committee leadership and control the agenda for the next two years, and solidify their majority by unseating a Democrat who was narrowly elected. While there will be a lot of uncertainty ahead, we know there will be a special election on January 28th where Democrats will have a chance to secure the lost seat by electing Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party-endorsed candidate David Gottfried. It’s a deep blue district, but this is not a time for risks. Let's request addresses from Postcards to Voters and encourage Minnesotans to turn out and vote. For those of us new to Postcards to Voters, we can become approved writers by following the instructions on their website. We can also consider a contribution to Gottfried’s campaign or sign up for a virtual phonebank.
ASK YOUR ORGANIZATION TO SIGN ON TO LETTER ASKING STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS
United We Dream is circulating a letter to state and local officials asking for some key protections for immigrants such as prohibiting local law enforcement from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and expanding legal representation, worker protections and health care. The deadline for organizations to sign is TODAY AT NOON. If we’re part of an organization, let’s act quickly and sign on here. If we’re not or can’t meet the deadline, let’s use this language as the basis for a similar request for protections to our state officials.
SAVE THE $5 LIMIT ON OVERDRAFT FEES… AND THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
Overdraft fees used to be exempt from lending laws, which created a legal loophole enabling banks to charge exorbitant fees to the people least able to afford them. In December, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule limiting overdraft fees to $5, a move that is projected to save consumers $5 billion yearly – approximately $225 per low-income household. But Wall Street is fighting back – banks immediately sued, getting the implementation paused while the court battle goes on, and it’s suspected the new Congress will be asked to review and rescind this rule under the Congressional Review Act. Even more disturbing, if Elon Musk has his way, the entire CBPB will be eliminated. Let’s tell our MoCs that we approve of the $5 overdraft limit and that we want the government to protect consumers, not big banks. We can also use this template from Americans for Financial Reform to tailor our talking points or a write a letter on the site.
COMMENTS TO END THE SUBMINIMUM WAGE - FINAL DAY TOMORROW
Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that would end 14(c) certificates, also referred to as subminimum wage, for disabled workers. If adopted, the rule would stop new 14(c) certificates from being issued and create a three-year phase out period for employers that currently hold 14(c) certificates. Currently, the average subminimum wage is $3.50, preventing workers with disabilities from being able to escape poverty and live independently if desired. People with disabilities are also more vulnerable to abuse, and keeping them in poverty only exacerbates this issue. Let's check out the Center for American Progress's (CAP) walk-through on the proposed rule, how to submit a comment, and details on what we can include in our comment to make it more effective. Then, let's submit our comment to the Federal Register before the deadline TOMORROW; we can use our own words using the tips from CAP, or we can use this tool from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council and Self-Advocates of Michigan.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
ME - WHY WON’T SUSAN COLLINS MEET WITH HEGSETH’S ALLEGED VICTIM?
While Pete Hegseth’s chances of becoming Secretary of Defense look strong, any remaining hope we have of blocking him almost certainly runs through our senator, Susan Collins - again. Senator Collins has sent distressing signals, including reportedly turning down an offer to meet privately with the woman who accused Hegseth of rape, offering as an excuse that she thinks such allegations should be brought to the relevant committee. She should know she won’t get off the hook that easily. Let’s reach out to her office and tell her we demand she hear out Hegseth’s alleged victim face to face if that’s what the latter wants.
CORRECTIONS
Our action item about state-level safeguards in Tuesday’s List, encouraging folks to read Indivisible’s A Blueprint for Blue States and share it with their legislators, went out in our morning email with a broken link to the blueprint. You can read it here. We apologize for this error and thank our readers for keeping us honest!
KEEPING AN EYE ON…
Final Senate votes on the Laken Riley Act… the potential steal in North Carolina… Indivisible’s Help Over Hate MLK Weekend of Service… Oregon health care workers on strike… aid for Los Angeles…