Produced by the Legislative Committee of the Coconino County Democratic Party and Democrats of the Red Rocks
THIS WEEK’S ALERTS: Demand our reps support the Reproductive Freedom for
All Act!! Insist Congress pass the President’s budget request to increase funding
for the Social Security Administration; Demand legislation to cap the price of
Insulin for ALL!!
A. Get our Senators to support the Reproductive Freedom for All Act! The
Reproductive Freedom for All Act would codify the core protections of Roe into
federal law. It would also guarantee access to contraceptives and enshrine elements of
other Supreme Court decisions involving reproductive rights.
According to the text of the bill, the court has long held that the provisions of equal
protection and due process under the law contained in the 14 th Amendment guarantee
the right to make certain reproductive decisions without government interference.
Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Maine’s Susan Collins along
with Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine, and Kristin Sinema are co-sponsors.
Supporters say the bill is crucial in order to protect people’s ability to make their own
healthcare decisions regardless of where they live. Demand our Representatives do
all they can to get this act passed!!
B. Demand our Representatives fulfill the President’s budget request for the Social
Security Administration (SSA) – to tear down the wall of red tape and let the SSA
serve the people. Republicans who are frustrated by their inability to cut benefits
have instead cut administrative funding, forcing office closures, long wait times, and
worse service. Their hope is that by making it harder to access the benefits they can
drive down Social Security’s overwhelming popularity. The SSA processes benefit
claims, operates field offices, and provides customer service for people. It is funded
by working people with every paycheck. Total SSA admin costs are 0.6% of annual
benefits – a hugely efficient rate!! In 2019, for example, SSA offices assisted over
174,000 visitors per day – 40 million in that year, they handle 145 million phone calls
each year. Since 2010, the SSA operating budget has gone down 14% while the
number of Social Security beneficiaries has grown by 21%! Insist our
Representatives support the President’s budget that increases SSA funding!!
C. Demand our Representatives enact legislation to cap Insulin prices for all and save
lives!! The Inflation Reduction Act placed a $35 cap on insulin for people 65 and
older and on Medicare but not for anyone else. Republicans voted against the cap in
the private market and caved to Big Pharma and against American citizens. Insulin
costs about seven times as much in the US as it does in peer countries. Costs have
tripled in the past decade. About 14% of diabetics in the U.S – about 1.2 million
people spend at least 40% of their income (outside of food and housing) on insulin.
Many people are forced to ration their doses or simply can’t afford insulin at all. This
can be deadly for people. Insist our Representatives place a cap on the price of
insulin for all!!!
Sen. Mark Kelly: 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.
Rep. Tom O’Halleran: Call (202) 225-3361 (DC) or email via website at
https://ohalleran.house.gov/contact Tag the Congressman @RepOHalleran