Coconino County Democrats and Democrats of the Red Rocks
RE: THANKS JOE FOR ISSUING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER OF JULY 9, 2021 PROMOTING ACCESS TO LOWER-PRICED CANADIAN DRUGS. On July 9, 2021, Pres. Biden signed a large executive order which, among other things, directs the federal government to work with states to devise plans to import drugs safely from Canada where they are sold at lower prices. See Washington Post, July 9, 2021 “Biden Calls For Efforts to Lower Drug Prices”, (It also urges better oversight of insurance plans and hospital mergers). Such a move has long been opposed by Republican Senators and even some of our Democrats who have been long in the pockets of Big Pharma. Ironically, allowing increased access to Canadian drugs was supported by Pres. Trump. Let’s thank President Biden.
Sample text or message for President Biden: My name is XXXX and I live in XXXXX. I want to thank you for the courage of issuing the recent executive order promoting plans that will allow the importation cheaper medications from Canada. Big Pharma has gotten away with fleecing America with high drug prices for far too long. In a state like mine – Arizona – we seniors really appreciate your efforts!
FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN: email to https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ or leave a message on the comment line at (202) 456-1111.
FOR OUR SENATORS AGAIN: SUPREME COURT ATTACK ON VOTING RIGHTS/END FILIBUSTER/PASS S1 AND S4. (This is so important and affects Arizona so directly we are repeating our alert a second time.)
On Thursday, July 1, 2021 the US Supreme Court gutted one of the only remaining provisions of the Civil Rights Voting Act of 1965. As you know, it upheld an Arizona law criminalizing the act of a non-family member or non-caregiver driving a ballot to a polling place. On the Navajo Nation, we know that many thousands of people live in remote areas with little access to transportation. Post offices and polling places are very far away. Arizona’s law is part and parcel of the Republican attack on minority voting rights and to suppress a solidly Democratic voting block. The only way to “fix” the problem is by enacting the For the People Act (S1) and the John Lewis Voter Protection Advancement Act. Our Senators support both acts but are unwilling to do what is required to pass the bills – namely reform or eliminate the filibuster.
Sample voice mail for either Senator: “My name is XXXX and I live in XXXXX.
I am disgusted by the Supreme Court’s decision over a week ago upholding the Arizona law criminalizing the act of driving a ballot to a post office or voting station if it is not a family member or a caregiver. This hugely impacts, in fact, disenfranchises, many on the Navajo and Hopi Nations where people live very remotely from post offices and ballot stations. Our last chance to defeat this assault on our democracy is now, by reforming or eliminating the filibuster and passing the voting rights protections in S1 and S2. Please take action as the window for stopping these outrages is closing. Thanks for listening.
Sen. Mark Kelley: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC), Email via his website at http://www.kelly.senate.gov Tag the Senator at @senmarkkelly
Sen. Sinema: Call (202) 224-4521 (DC) or (602) 598-7327. Email via her website at “http://www.sinema.senate.gov” Tag the Senator at @senatorsinema,
FOR OUR CONGRESSMAN TOM O’HALLERAN
S 914, Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021
Passed Senate (89 – 2! Senator Mark Kelly was a co-sponsor) in late April; now is going to the House for consideration.
Contact Rep. O’Halleran – ask that he co-sponsor this bill.
Sample script: “Hello – my name is XXX and I am a voter and constituent in XXX, northern Arizona. I am calling/writing to encourage you to support S 914, the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, when it comes to the House for action. Water is a precious resource here in Arizona and throughout our country. Safe drinking water is also a foundational issue of social justice – so many marginalized communities still lack access to safe, affordable, and convenient drinking water supplies. Here in Arizona we have problems of polluted and unsafe groundwater in many tribal communities and increasingly in other areas where industrial and agricultural activities are affecting the wells from which rural water supplies are drawn. Meanwhile even municipal wastewater receiving treatment (before being released and/or allowed to infiltrate back into the groundwater) is not being treated for the many hundreds of industrial, household, and pharmaceutical compounds for which there are no current EPA standards or treatment requirements. As climate change and drought continue to stress our water supply, complete and safe treatment of wastewater will be increasingly urgent.”
Drinking water and wastewater facilities are key components of infrastructure and should be funded generously in President Biden’s planning for infrastructure. We urge you to explore opportunities to strengthen this legislation when it comes to the House – for example, expanding grants for advanced wastewater treatment pilot projects. All Arizona communities – rural, urban, tribal – are dependent on access to clean water, and investing in water infrastructure will pay off in health and economic activity. I ask you to take a leadership role in ensuring that the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act is passed in a strong form, with sufficient funding, and in a timely fashion. It passed the Senate with very strong bipartisan support, and I hope you will co-sponsor and help bring it to the same conclusion in the House.”
(It’s best to personalize this with your own examples – from Snowbowl to uranium on the Navajo Nation to PFAS contaminating water supplies in the Valley – and feel free to mention the Flagstaff Water Group which has been advocating on this issue and this legislation for a long while.)Rep. O’Halleran: Call (202) 225-3361 or send an email via his website at http://www.ohalleran.house.gov
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