The AoC Checklist features clear, well-researched actions for Americans who value democracy, equality, voting, and decency. We are a big tent for all people who want a kinder, flourishing nation.
This Week’s Actions
Action 1: Be ready to vote in all 2024 elections.
Source: When We All Vote
Thank you to the 212 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
The 2024 election season is underway. Make sure you can vote in your state’s primary election.
Take action:
- Register to vote for the first time (make sure you meet your state’s deadline).
- Update your address or re-register if you’ve recently moved.
- Confirm that your voter registration is still valid.
- Find out who and what is on your ballot.
Action 2: Advocate for checks to presidential power in deploying military force.
Source: Brennan Center
Thank you to the 98 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and one House representative (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] asking you to reform the Insurrection Act, which gives the president the power to deploy military force domestically during a crisis. To prevent presidential abuse of power, this act must be amended to provide checks against abuse. I’m asking you to introduce and support legislation that follows nonpartisan expert recommendations to:
- Narrow and clarify criteria for military deployments.
- Specify what actions are authorized or prohibited when the law is invoked.
- Empower Congress and the courts to serve as checks against abuse or overreach.
Action 3: Ensure vital housing initiatives are fully funded.
Source: The National Alliance to End Homelessness
Thank you to the 81 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Step 1
Contact: Your one House representative (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m a constituent from [ZIP] concerned about the dramatic rise in homelessness due to soaring rent costs and the loss of emergency assistance and protections. The Senate version of the FY24 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill (S. 2437) includes nearly $180 million more in homelessness funding than the House version (H.R. 4820). I urge you to strongly support the Senate’s positions on homelessness policy and funding in the face of this national crisis.
Step 2
Contact: Your two Senators (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m a constituent from [ZIP] concerned about the dramatic rise in homelessness due to soaring rent costs and the loss of emergency assistance and protections. I urge you to vote yes on the proposed FY24 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill (S. 2437).
Alternate: Use the National Alliance to End Homelessness form (uncheck the box to sign up for email updates).
Action 4: Ensure that insurance companies comply with contraception mandates.
Source: AoCC
Thank you to the 80 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Write: Mike Tuffin, President & CEO
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
South Building, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20004
Or via email at ahip@ahip.org
Script: Hello, I’m a resident of [STATE] concerned about barriers women face in securing the proper birth control for their needs. [Share why this issue is important to you.] Many U.S. insurers are not abiding by the Affordable Care Act, which requires plans to cover FDA-approved contraceptives at no out-of-pocket cost. Please urge your members to comply with the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirements and to adopt the therapeutic equivalence standard outlined by the Departments of Health & Human Services, Labor, and Treasury.
Action 5: Oppose the warrantless government surveillance of Americans.
Source: Brennan Center
Thank you to the 49 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Step 1
Contact: Your two senators (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] asking you to end the civil rights violations enabled by flaws in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Section 702 is due to expire on April 19 unless it’s reauthorized. I’m asking you to support the bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act of 2023 (S. 3234), and oppose the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 3351), which would expand our government’s ability to spy on Americans.
Step 2
Contact: Your one House representative (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] asking you to end the civil rights violations enabled by flaws in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Section 702 is due to expire on April 19 unless it’s reauthorized. I’m asking you to support the bipartisan Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (H.R. 6570), and oppose the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 6611), which would expand the government’s ability to spy on Americans.
Action 6: Share words of support to LGBTQ+ youth.
Source: Human Rights Campaign
Thank you to the 65 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
The tragic assault and death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary high school student, shines a light on the bullying and violence young LGBTQ+ people experience nationwide, and its psychological toll. Feeling seen, known, and loved can make a critical difference to youth encountering hateful extremism.
Share public words of support in the HRC open letter to LGBTQ+ youth. (Note: You will be added to the HRC mailing list).
Action 7: Urge your state to replace outdated voting machines.
Source: Brennan Center
Thank you to the 37 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
If you live in AL, AZ, CT, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, VA, or WI: Contact your state legislators (look up).
Script: Hi, I’m one of your constituents in [ZIP] calling because I’m concerned that some of [STATE]’s voting equipment is more than 10 years old and needs to be replaced. I’m asking you to take full advantage of federal grants to make sure our voting machines are up-to-date before the November elections. Thank you.
If you live in AK, AR, CA, CO, DE, GA, HI, KY, MD, MI, ND, NE, NJ, NV, PA, RI, SC, UT, VT, WA, WV, or WY: Your state is using updated voting machines. Thank your state legislators (look up) for securing elections, or donate to the Verified Voting Foundation to support its nonpartisan educational work.
Action 8: Advocate for U.S. humanitarian responsibilities.
Source: AoCC
Thank you to the 45 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and one House representative (look up).
Script: Hello, I’m from [ZIP] reaching out in support of the Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement Act (S. 3714/H.R. 7173) to ensure our nation annually welcomes at least 125,000 people seeking refuge. Over 30 million people around the world identify as refugees, and the U.S. has a humanitarian responsibility to offer sanctuary. I’m asking [NAME] to co-sponsor [S. 3714/H.R. 7173] and ensure our nation is a safe haven for people seeking refuge.
Action 9: Demand an end to confiscating personal items at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Source: ACLU of Arizona
Thank you to the 20 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact:
The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas at 202-282-8495 or
Secretary of Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr Ave S.E., MS: 0525
Washington, D.C. 20528
Troy A. Miller
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., MS: 1345
Washington, D.C. 20229
Patrick J. Lechleitner
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500 12th St SW
Washington, D.C. 20536
Script: Hello, I’m reaching out from [STATE] in opposition to the Border Patrol’s undignified treatment of aspiring Americans at the U.S.-Mexico border. CBP has unnecessarily confiscated items such as medications, medical devices, legal documents, articles of faith, money, and items of practical or sentimental value. [NAME] must ensure aspiring Americans retain their personal belongings and maintain access to their medications and devices before, during, and after any encounters with the CBP.
Acts of Gratitude
We believe in gratitude as a tool for change. We will print a letter of thanks from Americans of Conscience with your signature and mail it to the recipient. Your information will be removed from this website no later than four weeks after the Checklist’s publication date.
Thank Sens. Ed Markey (D–MA), Bob Menendez (D–NJ), Alex Padilla (D–CA), Bernie Sanders (I–VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D–MA) for voting against legislation that would have functionally eliminated the right to seek asylum in the U.S.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these addresses:
EM: 255 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
BM: 528 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
AP: 331 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
BS: 332 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
EW: 309 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
Thank you to the 117 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D–MN) and Jerry Moran (R–KS) for introducing a legislative amendment that would provide a path to permanent U.S. residency for certain people from Afghanistan.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these addresses:
AK: 425 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
JM: Dirksen SOB, Room 521, Washington, DC 20510
Thank you to the 89 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Good News
If you find good news for democracy, equality, and the planet, share it with us here!
- The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Spring Reservation, and the Nez Perce Tribe sign an agreement with the U.S. government and present-day Oregon and Washington states to restore salmon populations and protect their habitats.
- The Biden-Harris administration addresses the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools and on college campuses.
- To reduce health risks, the FDA ends the sale of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], the “forever chemicals” used in grease-proof food packaging.
- The DOJ outlines specific standards that hospitals and clinics must satisfy to meet the accessibility and healthcare needs of disabled patients.
- The FDA approves the first gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease addressing a “significant unmet need” for treatment.
- Venezuela will no longer accept flights of aspiring Americans deported from the U.S., a federal government tactic intended to deter migration to the U.S.
- People who immigrate to the U.S. will contribute $7T to the economy over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
- Indiana students can continue to use the school bathrooms that best align with their gender identity as a related case will not be taken up by SCOTUS.
- The town of Neodesha, KS is thriving due to the availability of tuition-free college for high school graduates.
- An appeals court blocks a motion to stop protections for Wisconsin voters who make small errors in their absentee ballots.
- 20 major tech companies sign an accord to adopt precautions against election-related deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence.
- North Dakota State University will offer free tuition for certain ND and MN students during the 2024-2025 school year.
- A coalition of solar companies and conservationists determine a set of principles to move forward with green energy projects while preserving landscapes and benefiting local communities.
- YouTube begins labeling AI-generated videos, while Instagram and Facebook will label AI-generated images.
- The Rollettes dance team features dancers with disabilities.
- Artists and environmentalists creatively repurpose ocean plastics.
- The digital library app Libby features the Queer Liberation Library, a free compilation of literature, information, and resources for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Ruth Gottesman made a $1B donation to cover students’ tuition at NYC’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
- Beautiful News Daily shares their own set of good news in free-to-use infographics.
- Thanks to wildlife corridors and conservation efforts, jaguars reappear in the American Southwest.
Need inspiration?
- Read this week’s inspiring message from Jen: Don’t Give Up: 9 Reasons Your Voice Matters More Than Ever
- Unraveling Misinformation: Navigating Truth in a Divided World
- The Power of Intent: Channeling Cynicism into Purposeful Action
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