Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino County Democratic Party
THIS WEEK’S ALERTS:
Support the Rural Prosperity Act of 2022. Preserve our Constitutional Right to Boycott – Even If Against Israel. Support Pres. Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee.
A. Support the Rural Prosperity Act of 2022. This act is long overdue and is sponsored by our own Senator Mark Kelly in the Senate (S. 3803) and co-sponsored by Rep. Tom O’Halleran in the House (HR 7019). Let’s prod Sen. Sinema to be sure she is on board. Currently, there are more than 400 federal programs dedicated to helping rural communities spread out across 13 departments and 50 different offices. This is a nightmare for small rural jursidictions. The Act would provide more of a one stop shopping site for rural communities and help eliminate duplication. It applies to tribes who, as you know, and 90 years after FDR’s Rural Electrification Plan (which bypassed them), suffer the worst in terms of lack of basic services such as electricity and water.
Sample email or voice mail to Sen. Sinema: “My name is XXXX and I live in XXXX, Arizona. I notice that you are not yet a co-sponsor of the Rural Prosperity Act of 2022 (S. 3803) sponsored by your colleague Sen. Mark Kelly. I’m asking you to sign on as a co-sponsor. This Act will help rural towns, counties and tribes in accessing federal funding for development and help them avoid the maze and person hours required to navigate dozens of federal bureaucracies in a one stop shopping center. Arizona’s tribes can in particular benefit from this Act. Sincerely, XXXX.
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.
Thank Sen. Kelly and Rep. O’Halleran: My name is XXXX and I live in XXXX, Arizona. I want to thank you so much for taking a leadership role in the Rural Prosperity Act of 2022. This is so important, in particular in Arizona, where local rural governments and tribes struggle to navigate the maze of federal agencies just to get the federal support they deserve.
Sen. Kelly: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC). Email via website at Home » Senator Mark Kelly (senate.gov) Tag the Senator @SenMarkKelly
Rep. Tom O’Halleran: Call (202) 225-3361 (DC) or email via website at https://ohalleran.house.gov/contact Tag the Congressman @RepOHalleran
B. Oppose the Israel Anti-Boycott Act/Combatting BDS Act and the Efforts to Take Away Your Constitutional Right to Boycott: Ten Protestant Denominations in American representing some 80 million Americans have passed resolutions boycotting or divesting from companies supporting illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank and due to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. (See Amnesty International’s recent report on Israel and Apartheid here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MDE1551412022ENGLISH.pdf). Now Republicans in Congress seek to criminalize boycotting and prevent government contracts with boycotters. They only need a few Democrats to join them. The right to engage in political boycotts of anyone or anything as private citizens expressing our political speech has long been upheld as a central tenant of the 1st Amendment. The Israel Anti-Boycott Act (HR6940) amends existing law and calls for fines of up to $300,000 in civil actions and up to $1 million in criminal actions for those that boycott Israel using a UN prepared list of companies that are actively supporting the infrastructure of the illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank and reports actions to them. (The West Bank is not even Israel). The Combatting BDS Act (S2119 Marco Rubio) supports States in the blacklisting of boycotters preventing them from obtaining government contracts. Democrats need the courage to stand up to the powerful right wing Israeli lobby (AIPAC). which is not always easy, to preserve our constitutional rights. J-Street, a liberal pro-Israel group opposes these bills and we need to join forces.
Sample email or voice mail for our Senators: My name is XXXX and I live in XXXX, Arizona. Please oppose Sen. Marco Rubio’s Combatting BDS Act of 2021 (S2119) and similar efforts to take away our 1st Amendment rights to boycott. The Act would blacklist people who boycott Israel because of its treatment of Palestinians and support states’ efforts to refuse them government work. This is just wrong. Some ten Protestant denominations in America are deeply troubled by Israeli treatment of Palestinians and they either boycott or divest from illegal Israeli settlement products or companies that support them. Don’t support taking away their jobs as government contractors when they boycott as an act of conscience.
Sen. Kelly: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC). Email via website at Home » Senator Mark Kelly (senate.gov) Tag the Senator @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.
Sample email or voice mail for Rep. O’Halleran. My name is XXXX and I live in XXXX, Arizona. Please oppose the Anti-Israel Boycott Act (HR6940) and similar efforts to take away our 1st Amendment rights to boycott. Punishing people who boycott as a matter of conscience is wrong, un-American, and smacks of McCarthyism. Some ten Protestant denominations in America are deeply troubled by Israeli treatment of Palestinians and they either boycott or divest from illegal Israeli settlement products or companies that support them. Please don’t turn them into criminals.
Rep. Tom O’Halleran: Call (202) 225-3361 (DC) or email via website at https://ohalleran.house.gov/contact Tag the Congressman @RepOHalleran
C. Push senators for rapid confirmation of Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. President Biden has nominated an exceptional and experienced, thoughtful juror to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court, in the process fulfilling his promise to nominate a Black woman – the first in the Court’s long history. While our Senators have been supportive of the President’s nominees for other court positions, it is crucial that this nomination be swiftly confirmed by the Senate. Senator Sinema has met with Judge Brown Jackson and made some positive comments, but has stopped short of saying she will confirm. Senator Kelly has not issued any statements other than that he looks forward to meeting with the nominee.
Sample voice or email to our people:
My name is xxx and I’m a voter and constituent in YYY, Arizona. I’m calling to urge you to support the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as our newest Supreme Court Justice. Her credentials and experience are outstanding – and her nomination is also an exciting chance to continue bringing more diversity of backgrounds and perspectives to the Supreme Court. I know and appreciate that you’ve been supportive of the President’s judicial nominees over this past year – but I wanted to let you know that I really hope this nomination will move swiftly from the Judiciary Committee to the Senate floor, and I hope you will help complete her confirmation as soon as possible. Thank you.
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.
Sen. Kelly: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC). Email via website at Home » Senator Mark Kelly (senate.gov) Tag the Senator @SenMarkKelly
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