June 30, 2023 - 1000th edition!
Voting rights, affirmative action, striking nurses, 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:
** HELP WANTED **
Rogan’s List is looking for a few new contributors to help us create this ever-popular resource. These are voluntary positions for all of us, but if you think you’d be a good addition to the team and could help out on a regular basis, please send an email indicating why to sgrogantc@gmail.com to learn more. Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you!
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION—A PETITION TO SIGN
The Supreme Court has ruled that colleges and universities must use “colorblind” admissions policies, reversing decades of precedent allowing affirmative action. This decision will likely lead to precipitous declines in Black and Hispanic enrollment in selective colleges and universities. As all the implications of this decision become clearer over time, there will be many actions we can take to stop the damage and work toward progress. For now, however, we can sign a this petition from the racial justice organization Color of Change, telling U.S. colleges, and corporations to “take meaningful action to reduce racial bias and discrimination” in “admissions and hiring processes, and to combat racism in all forms.”
NO CONFIRMED MARINE COMMANDANT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)’s hold to block military promotions, which he is using to object to the military’s policy to cover travel costs for service members seeking reproductive care, is having growing consequences. More than 250 promotions are already stalled, and on July 10th, the U.S. Marine Corps will be led by an acting commandant for the first time in 164 years as a result of Tuberville’s stunt. It is time for Democrats to stop letting him hold our national security hostage. Let’s contact our senators and push them to force floor votes on these promotions and make Republicans publicly go on record as to whether they back Tuberville’s holds or not. Since this will take extra floor time, let’s also ask them to cancel the August recess so they can move these and other stalled nominees if the holds are not lifted.
VOTING RIGHTS LAWSUITS CONTINUE
Democracy Docket, founded by Marc Elias, who won 64 cases against Trump following the 2020 election, is now tracking over 600 voting rights, election and redistricting lawsuits. Its content, including the summaries, filings, and updates for the cases, is available to everyone. Since the weakening of the Voter Rights Act ten years ago, voter suppression and resulting lawsuits continue. Let’s check it out Democracy Docket to keep up with what’s happening.
HELP OUR PUBLIC DEFENDERS DEFEND THE PUBLIC
Public defenders play an enormous and crucial role in American courts, where around 80% of criminal defendants cannot afford to hire their own lawyer. They are expected to ensure these folks get a fair trial while notably under-paid and with a fraction of the resources of prosecutors’ offices, contributing to inequities in our criminal justice system. A bipartisan group led by Rep. Jasmine Crockett, one of the rare former public defenders to serve in Congress, has proposed legislation that would help them get the support they need. The Equal Defense Act (H.R. 3758) would create federal grants for public defenders, establish workload limits, install pay parity with prosecutors and give more assistance to public defenders with student loans. Let’s let our members of Congress know we support this bill.
SUPPORT STRIKING NURSES
Newly unionized nurses at two Ascension hospitals in Wichita, Kansas and one in Austin, Texas (approx. 1800 nurses in all) held a one-day strike on Tuesday. The main issue, over which the nurses have been negotiating, is staffing levels; the strike comes amid a nationwide nursing shortage and on the heels of a New York Times investigation in December into the Ascension chain’s years of cutting staff to increase profits. Ascension is a nonprofit health care chain with about 139,000 employees in 19 states and more than $1.7 billion cash in hand as of June 30, 2022. Nonetheless, Ascension has now locked out the striking nurses. Let’s write to our MoCs supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (S.567/H.R.20) and tell Ascension executives what we think of their labor practices--CEO Joseph Impicciche, 4600 Edmundson Rd, St. Louis, MO 6313, 314-733-8000.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
MA—UPDATE THE BOTTLE BILL
The 40-year-old Massachusetts bottle bill, an environmental measure intended to incentivize beverage-bottle recycling, is long overdue for an update. Today, Massachusetts recycles 37% of its beverage containers, which is less than it did 30 years ago. Several bills pending in the state legislature will revise the old law by increasing the bottle deposit price and expand the types of beverage containers covered by the bill, with a goal of reducing waste, litter, and greenhouse gas emissions. If we’re in Massachusetts, let’s tell our state legislators to co-sponsor and pass S.2104, H.3690, and H.3676.
1000!!! What an accomplishment, Susan! Thank you!
Wow! 1000! Congratulations. What an accomplishment.