74 weeks to Midterm Elections
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.
If you only have 10 minutes, take our top three suggested actions:
- Action 1: Supply Indian Country with PPE (Personal Protection Equipment).
- Action 2: Demand an end to militarized policing in the U.S.
- Action 5: Oppose warehousing asylum seekers during a pandemic.
In this edition of the AoC Checklist:
- Senate actions: What we’re calling our senators about.
- House actions: What we’re calling our House reps about.
- Action 1: Supply Indian Country with PPE (Personal Protection Equipment).
- Action 2: Demand an end to militarized policing in the U.S.
- Action 3: Support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers.
- Action 4: Act in solidarity with Indigenous migrants.
- Action 5: Oppose warehousing asylum seekers during a pandemic.
- Say Thanks: Acts of Gratitude
- Check out Good News from around the nation
- How you can support and share the AoC Checklist
Call your senators
Calling your senators’ staffers with multiple concerns is more efficient for both of you. They don’t mind, but be sure to call both progressives and conservatives. They need to hear from you. Then check the box that you called–whether for one issue or all–so we can count your action.
Your script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] calling/writing about several issues. I’d like Sen. [NAME] to:
- Pass S. 1, the For the People Act, which enjoys broad bipartisan support, will limit dangerous voter suppression efforts, and will establish sensible national standards for reforms like enfranchising returning citizens and election-day registration. [Source: When We All Vote]
- Include a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers in the upcoming jobs and infrastructure reconciliation bill. [Sources: National Immigrant Justice Center, Families Belong Together]
- Make the expansion of the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits permanent to reduce child poverty and provide income support for millions of people. [Source: Center on Budget]
- Pass the NO BAN Act to prevent harmful and racially discriminatory executive actions and future abuse of executive power. [Source: No Muslim Ban Ever]
- Support the American Dream and Promise Act to provide a path to citizenship for millions of Dreamers, as well as DED and TPS holders. [Source: AILA]
- Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to confront and prevent misconduct, excessive force, and racism in law enforcement. [Sources: Public Citizen, Democracy Now!]
- Pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act to ensure support and legal protections against domestic violence and gender identity discrimination. [Source: National Congress of American Indians]
- Pass the Driving for Opportunity Act (S. 998) to provide financial grants to states that don’t punish drivers for failure to pay a civil or criminal fine or fee. [Source: Fines and Fees Justice Center]
- Move past partisan obstructionism and find a way to fully and fairly investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and provide Americans with the answers we deserve. [Source: League of Women Voters]
- Enfranchise more than 700,000 U.S. citizens (more than the populations of either Vermont or Wyoming) by passing S. 51 to grant statehood to Washington, DC. [Source: 51 for 51]
- Reintroduce and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens and updates the Voting Rights Act for the 21st century. [Source: Brennan Center]
Call your House representative
Calling your representative’s staffers with multiple concerns is more efficient for both of you. They don’t mind, but be sure to call both progressives and conservatives. They need to hear from you. Then check the box that you called–whether for one issue or all–so we can count your action.
Look up your House representative here.
Your script: Hi, I’m from [ZIP] calling/writing about several issues. I’d like Rep. [NAME] to:
- Include a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers in the upcoming jobs and infrastructure reconciliation bill. [Sources: National Immigrant Justice Center, Families Belong Together]
- Make the expansion of the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits permanent to reduce child poverty and provide income support for millions of people. [Source: Center on Budget]
- Pass H.R. 2453 to provide financial grants to states that refrain from punishing drivers who owe civil or criminal fines or fees. [Source: Fines and Fees Justice Center]
- Move past partisan obstructionism and find a way to fully and fairly investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and provide Americans with the answers we deserve. [Source: League of Women Voters]
- Enfranchise more than 700,000 U.S. citizens (more than the populations of either Vermont or Wyoming) by passing S. 51 to grant statehood to Washington, DC. [Source: 51 for 51]
- Reintroduce and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens and updates the Voting Rights Act for the 21st century. [Source: Brennan Center]
I value equality
Support the dignity of your rainbow of neighbors from every religion, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, age, and ability.
Action 1: Supply Indian Country with PPE (Personal Protection Equipment).
Source: AoCC
According to our friends at Indigenous Environmental Network, “While more and more people are being vaccinated every day, our communities are still in need of PPE, particularly those members without easy access to protective resources or to health care services in general, which is why we are still receiving urgent requests from the network for masks and other support. Now is not the time to let our guard down and ignore the needs of our most vulnerable relatives.” Show your solidarity with our Indigenous neighbors throughout Turtle Island and get them PPE today. AoCC will match up to $1000 in donations!
Donate online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ienppe
Donate by mail: Write checks to Indigenous Environmental Network with “PPE” in the memo line and send to P.O. Box 485, Bemidji, MN 56619
Or purchase swag here. (100% of purchase price goes towards mask orders)
Then email AoCC to share how much you donated so we can match it!
Action 2: Demand an end to militarized policing in the U.S.
Source: Black Lives Matter
Black people in this country already face disproportionate violence at the hands of police, and, since January, the flow of military equipment to police has accelerated. The Law Enforcement Support Office, a.k.a. the 1033 Program, allows the transfer of surplus military-grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies across the country, including school and campus police.
Check: Project 1033 for law enforcement gear acquisition in your area.
Sign: The End 1033 petition (Note: this petition is sending messages to the White House beyond the first 100 days of the Biden administration).
Action 3: Support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers.
Sources: National Immigrant Justice Center, Families Belong Together
Contact: President Biden via the White House contact form or through the We Are Home petition (Note: email updates must be selected to submit the form).
Script: Hello, I’m writing from [ZIP] to support a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans. Despite campaign promises and the will of the people, the number of individuals detained by ICE has risen 50% since January. I’m asking President Biden to include a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and essential immigrant workers in the upcoming jobs and infrastructure reconciliation bill, and to recognize these community members as the Americans they are.
Action 4: Act in solidarity with Indigenous migrants.
Sources: NISGUA, CARECEN LA
Read and sign: The Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights in Migration petition.U.S. immigration agencies consistently violate international human rights standards for Indigenous peoples who migrate, including the rights to exist as distinct peoples, speak their primary language, and be afforded due process. It’s time for this administration to recognize, consult, and directly engage with the leadership of Indigenous and Black migrants to promote more inclusive policies.
Action 5: Oppose warehousing asylum seekers during a pandemic.
Source: Detention Watch (DWN)
Call: The White House at (202) 456-1111 and ICE Headquarters at (202) 732-3000.
Script: Hi, I’m calling from [ZIP] supporting the release—not transfer—of people in ICE custody at the recently-closed Bristol County and Irwin County Detention Centers, as well as other ICE detention centers. Over 15,000 people are currently in ICE custody and face imminent danger of contracting COVID-19. I urge you to release everyone in ICE detention so they can navigate their cases in community, not behind bars during a deadly global pandemic. Thank you.
Acts of Gratitude
Get out your stamps, postcards, and sparkle markers for some gratitude mail.
Tell Sens. Bill Cassidy (R–LA), Susan Collins (R–ME), Lisa Murkowski (R–AK), Rob Portman (R–OH), Mitt Romney (R–UT), and Ben Sasse (R–NE) as well as your Democratic senators (look up) why you are grateful to them for voting in favor of a bipartisan independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Addresses:
BC: 520 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
SC: 413 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
LM: 522 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
RP: 448 Russell SOB, Washington, DC 20510
MR: 354 Russell SOB, Washington, DC 20510
BS: 139 Russell SOB, Washington, DC 20510
Tell TX state House Democrats why you are grateful to them for blocking a vote on a restrictive voting access bill by leaving the House floor.
Address: ℅ Caucus Chair Rep. Chris Turner, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768
Tell Sen. Susan Collins (R–ME) and your Democractic senators (look up) why you are grateful to them for voting to confirm Kristen Clarke to lead the DOJ’s civil rights division.
Address: 413 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
Tell Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R–IL) and Earl Blumenauer (D–OR) why you are grateful to them for introducing the Afghan Allies Protection Act, which will allocate an additional 4,000 visas for Afghan interpreters and others who aided the U.S. in combat.
Addresses:
AK: 2245 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515
EB: 1111 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515
Good News
Decent people everywhere are speaking up and working together. Just look. #GoodNews
National
- Congress passes and the president signs the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which aims to make reporting hate crimes more accessible at the local and state levels.
- Congress passes and the president signs the TRANSPLANT Act, which reauthorizes the National Marrow Donor Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory through 2026.
- Congress reintroduces the Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA), banning almost all kinds of restraint and all kinds of seclusion across all 50 states.
- Thousands of children are transferred out of CBP custody to the Dept. of Health and Human Services, an agency with more child-appropriate housing and services, while they await placement with family or sponsors.
- Eligible people from Haiti living in the U.S. can apply for a new, 18-month Temporary Protected Status designation.
- ICE deports the fewest people on record in April 2021 following a Biden administration rule change limiting who is eligible for arrest and deportation.
- Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas orders ICE to discontinue use of two immigration detention centers in GA and MA amid allegations of abuse against detained individuals.
- The Passamaquoddy Tribe reacquires sovereignty over Kuwesuwi Monihq (Pine Island), which was stolen from them in the 19th century.
- HUD releases $5 billion to increase affordable housing and provide services to people experiencing homelessness.
- DOJ investigates the Minneapolis Police Dept. over patterns of discrimination and excessive force.
- Kristen Clarke is confirmed as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, becoming the first Black woman to lead the DOJ civil rights division since the department’s establishment in 1957.
- A federal court orders the DOJ to turn over an Office of Legal Counsel memo related to the Mueller investigation for public perusal.
- The Blackfeet tribe provides surplus COVID-19 vaccines to their First Nation relatives and others across the border in Canada.
- The Biden administration releases plans to cut carbon emissions from homes and federal buildings by setting more effective energy-efficiency standards.
- EPA orders the shutdown of a Virgin Islands oil refinery due to imminent health threats.
- The federal government approves an offshore wind project off the MA coast capable of generating enough electricity to power 400,000 homes.
- U.S. pulls funding from a hydroelectric project in Honduras fiercely opposed by local residents.
State
- RI will increase the minimum wage over the next four years.
- RI permanently codifies into law the RI Promise program, which provides two years of tuition-free education for eligible residents at the Community College of Rhode Island.
- TX state representatives leave the House floor, effectively blocking passage of a restrictive voting bill for now.
- States have passed over 140 police oversight bills since George Floyd was killed in 2020.
Local
- Voters in Allegheny County, PA approve a measure prohibiting solitary confinement in county jail for reasons other than safety.
- Voters in Pittsburgh, PA vote to bar police from executing warrants without knocking or announcing themselves.
Corporate/business
- Chipotle raises its average employee wage to $15 per hour.
- McDonald’s raises employee wages by an average of 10% across the U.S.
- Netflix will not work with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association until the HFPA improves its diversity and inclusion.
Groups and organizations
- Families of victims of police brutality call on the U.N. to launch an inquiry into police killings of Black people in the U.S.
- U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urges the U.S. to end its COVID-19 asylum restrictions.
- Over 640 Amazon tech workers demand the company commit to zero carbon emissions by 2030 and utilize zero-emissions technologies in highly impacted communities.
- Immigration rights group Families Belong Together launches their Welcome With Dignity campaign to advocate for an asylum system prioritizing compassion.
- Folk-pop duo The Doubleclicks host Roaring Rainbow, a “rockin’ all-ages online show with music and joy” to benefit the Trans Families organization and the National Center for Transgender Equality.
News with heart
- Lawyers locate the parents of an additional 54 children from families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border by the previous administration.
- Following four years of ICE detention and multiple COVID-19 infections, Karim Golding is released and can now seek appropriate medical care.
- For the very first time, the White House hosts a Vesak ceremony, a Buddhist holiday commemorating the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha.
- Vice President Harris gives the commencement address at this year’s Naval Academy graduation, becoming the first woman to do so in the school’s nearly 175-year history.
- Karine Jean-Pierre leads a White House press briefing, becoming the first openly gay spokeswoman and the first Black woman in decades to do so.
- Alex-Mariah Peter wins Germany’s Next Topmodel, becoming the first trans woman to win the competition.
- Bishop William J. Barber II writes an opinion article in support of equal rights for the LGBTQ community, urging Congress to pass the Equality Act.
- Howard University renames their College of Fine Arts after alumnus Chadwick Boseman.
- Jake Soares, 16, helps dozens of community members who need a hand to book vaccine appointments.
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Regarding action #5, the White House number listed is not currently useable because the office is closed. I could not leave a phone message. I then called the ICE headquarters number listed and the person I spoke with said the office I reached was not ICE Headquarters and was not the appropriate office to call. I asked how to reach ICE Headquarter officials and was told to contact my congress people.
This is a common tactic with ICE, unfortunately. They are circumventing the will of the current administration, so thank you for being persistent. We share with our readers the actions from targeted communities, so if the number is changed (which often happens), we’ll update it when the next checklist comes out. Thank you again for acting in solidarity with our most vulnerable neighbors!
Hi Jen. I emailed the White House about action #5 rather than calling. Do you find this is an acceptable approach, or are calls the best way to bring attention to the issue?
Emailing is a perfect alternative! Thanks for using your voice!
$25.00 to IEN. So great that you are matching!
I am sending a $30 donation to the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Just donated $50 to the Indigenous Environmental Network via ActBlue
On JUne 7 I donated $25.00 to Indigenous Environmental Network to help get PPE for Indigenous Peoples.
Per your request, letting you know so you can match it.
Thanks for all the great things that AoCC does, and for giving us ways to help !
Jennifer in rural Virginia
I just took action on item #3 on recognizing Dreamers, TPS holders, farm workers, and essential immigrant workers. I don’t see a box to check that I completed this request, so I’m letting you know this way.