November 30, 2023

Border extremism, community-based health care funding, subpoenas for Crow and Leo, and more!

• DO NOT GIVE IN TO REPUBLICAN EXTREMISM AT THE BORDER
  Senate Republicans are attempting to use critical funding for our allies in Ukraine as a vehicle to force through devastating changes at the border. They are proposing a deal based on the House Republicans’ cruel HR2 – gutting asylum access and humanitarian parole, actually narrowing legal pathways that are working to alleviate pressure at the border and returning to Trump’s failed barbarities like the border wall. Let’s reach out to our members of Congress and to the White House and tell them to stand strong against GOP brinksmanship and to reject Trump-Stephen Miller restrictionism in favor of real solutions for our flawed immigration system.

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• HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH CARE FUNDING

  The freedom to live in one's own home and to engage in their community, as desired, should be a given for every individual. Yet many people with disabilities are forced into institutions because Medicaid does not have the funding it needs to provide Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for all who need it. As of 2021, over half a million people in the U.S. were on waitlists to receive services, with an average wait of 44 months. In March of this year, Senator Bob Casey and Representative Debbie Dingell introduced the HCBS Access Act (S. 762/H.R. 1493), which would make HCBS a mandatory Medicaid benefit, increase funding for HCBS, and improve staffing and training for direct care workers. Last month, Senator Casey and Representative Dingell came through for the disabled community again by introducing the HCBS Relief Act (S. 3118/H.R. 6296), which would provide the extra funding that would be needed in order to achieve the goals of the HCBS Access Act. Let's contact our MoC and tell them that we want our disabled community to be able to live with dignity and respect, and that we want our MoC to pass the HCBS Access and HCBS Relief acts now.

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• SHOW SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN/PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS SHOT IN VERMONT

  By now, most of us have seen news coverage about the 3 Palestinian/Palestinian-American college students who were shot in Burlington, Vermont while visiting family for Thanksgiving. If we are able, let’s donate to the fund set-up (in conjunction with their families) to help defray medical and travel expenses.

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• SEND THE SUBPOENAS FOR CROW, LEO
  The Senate Judiciary Committee vote on subpoenaing conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo and right-wing billionaire Harlan Crow as part of the inquiries into Justice Clarence Thomas’ corruption, pulled in early November in the face of Republican machinations, is back on the schedule for this Thursday. The delays of this crucial investigation have gone on too long. Let’s contact our senators, especially if they’re on the committee, and insist they get these subpoenas authorized this time, move forward and subpoena Justice Thomas as well, and fight to undercover the truth and hold the guilty accountable whatever it takes. Let them know we’re watching closely.

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• HOW TO BE A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER

  Red Wine and Blue which engages women at a grassroots level and drives media narratives to better reflect issues faced by the "everyday woman", is hosting one of its noted Troublemaker Trainings - this one on how to become a social media influencer.  The Zoom training will be tonight, Thursday, November 30, 2023 from 7:30 PM to  8:30 PM ET.  Let’s sign up here.  

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