This Week’s Actions
Action 1: Time-sensitive: Support low-income families hit hardest by Texas floods.
Thank you to the 141 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Devastating flash floods affected parts of Central Texas on July 5, taking away lives and entire neighborhoods. Low-income families—many stranded or displaced—face the greatest barriers to recovery. Our allies at GiveDirectly provide them with cash to meet their urgent needs with dignity. Their first cash infusions are being distributed today.
Donate: to GiveDirectly’s cash relief program for low-income survivors.
Source: GiveDirectly
Action 2: Support students—demand lawmakers restore school funding now.
Thank you to the 321 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and one House representative (call, write, or email).
Script: Hi, my name is _____ and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] because the Department of Education has illegally frozen more than $6 billion in federal K-12 education funds. Without this essential and congressionally approved funding, districts cannot hire educators and support staff, special education and mental health services are disrupted, and rural and low-income schools are left without basic resources. I’m calling on [Sen./Rep. NAME] to assert their constitutional authority and demand the immediate release of all frozen federal education funds.
Source: MomsRising, National Education Association
Action 3: Demand ICE release professional rugby player Vincent Jobo from custody.
Thank you to the 305 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Vincent Jobo is a South African professional rugby player seeking asylum in the U.S. After being wrongfully arrested and transferred to ICE custody in 2023, a judge denied his asylum claim and ordered his removal to South Africa in October 2024. ICE has still not released him from detention, where he continues to endure abuse and declining mental and physical health.
Sign: the Immigrant Justice Network petition demanding ICE release Vincent back to his community in Austin, TX. (Click Edit Subscription Preferences and uncheck the box to be removed from mailing lists.)
Action 4: Support bipartisan legislation to stabilize and depoliticize the Supreme Court.
Thank you to the 250 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your one House representative (call, write, or email).
Script: Hi, I’m ____ from [ZIP], calling to ask Rep. [NAME] to co-sponsor and pass the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization Act of 2025 (H.R. 3544). This proposal has strong bipartisan support, with two-thirds of Americans across all political affiliations approving of term limits. Passing this bill would bring stability and predictability to new justice nominations, increasing public trust in our highest court. Thank you.
Source: Brennan Center
Action 5: Urge Congress to pass a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.
Thank you to the 223 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and your one House representative (call, write, or email).
Script: Hi, I’m ____ from [ZIP] asking [Sen./Rep. NAME] to co-sponsor and pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2025 [S. 1814/H.R. 3513]. Supreme Court justices are the only judges in the U.S. not bound by a code of ethics, and judicial conflicts of interest have already damaged the court. Instituting a binding code of conduct is crucial to restoring legitimacy to our highest court. Thank you.
Source: Brennan Center
Action 6: Empower 2.2 million young people to register to vote.
Thank you to the 27 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: High school educators and students returning to school in August/September.
Voter registration rates for 18-year-olds are lower in years without Congressional midterm elections. Counter this trend by urging your local high school to hold a Voter Registration Week when school starts this fall. Encourage teens and educators to use The Civics Center’s free trainings to make youth voices heard at the ballot box.
Bonus: Donate to The Civics Center to support their nonpartisan voter outreach to teens nationwide.
Source: The Civics Center
Action 7: In hard times, choose empathy and connection.
Thank you to the 28 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Every day, more Americans are struggling under harmful federal policies—including the recently-passed budget bill that cut vital programs. Although it’s human to retreat into blame or division, healing our democracy starts with conversation. Crossing Party Lines offers free trainings on how to have open, respectful dialogue across differences—building understanding, trust, and a more resilient democracy.
Action: Sign up for a free class and commit to having one openhearted conversation in the next two weeks.
Source: Crossing Party Lines
Action 8: Count the actions you take in your own community.
Thank you to the 153 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
It’s our hope that using the Checklist inspires you to become more involved in specific issues and/or local action. In the last two weeks, did you volunteer, advocate, or support a cause? Check the box to let us know!
Source: AoCC
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 House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D–NY) for holding the House floor for five hours to delay passage of and outline the harmful components within the budget reconciliation bill.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use this address: 2267 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515
Thank you to the 255 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D–AZ) for holding a read-in to outline the profound negative effects the budget reconciliation bill will have on Americans’ healthcare, environment, housing, education, and economic security.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use this address: 1432 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC, 20515
Thank you to the 223 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank Sens. Susan Collins (R–ME), Rand Paul (R–KY), and Thom Tillis (R–NC) for putting Americans’ well-being over party and voting against the budget bill.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these addresses:
SC: 413 Dirksen SOB, Washington, DC 20510
RP: 295 Russell SOB, Washington, DC 20510
TT: 310 New Bern Ave., Suite 122, Raleigh, NC 27601
Thank you to the 228 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough for enforcing the Byrd Rule, thereby removing many extreme policy proposals from the Senate’s budget bill during the reconciliation process.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use this address: Office of the Senate Parliamentarian, U.S. Senate, S-133 U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC 20510
Thank you to the 233 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!
Good news: Wins for democracy, equality, kindness, and planet.
- The U.S. Supreme Court rejects a challenge to the Affordable Care Act that could have jeopardized free preventive healthcare services.
- The U.S. Supreme Court upholds a judicial block on a Florida law attempting to make it a crime for certain aspiring Americans to enter the state.
- A federal court in DC rules that the president exceeded his authority in attempting to suspend the right to apply for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
- A federal district court in MA temporarily blocks the administration from enforcing a funding ban against Planned Parenthood and other reproductive healthcare providers.
- A federal court indefinitely blocks the presidential administration from revoking Harvard’s ability to host international students and extends a ruling preserving the university’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
- Twenty states sue the current administration for breaking federal health privacy laws by releasing Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials.
- Los Angeles and several other California cities sue to stop the current administration from carrying out unlawful and unconstitutional immigration enforcement in the region.
- A federal court rules that Florida must develop a plan to address the pollution causing an unprecedented number of manatee deaths in recent years.
- CO establishes comprehensive Black American history education standards for public schools.
- GA’s Supreme Court unanimously strikes down several rules adopted by the State Election Board that created barriers to voting and running elections efficiently.
- MA enacts a revamped solar energy incentive program despite attempts by the current administration to undermine federal support for clean energy.
- MN will preserve its Community Solar Garden program following legislative attempts to end it.
- MO: Abortion procedures can resume following a state circuit court’s temporary block on many restrictions, finding that the restrictions likely violate the state constitutional right to abortion approved by voters in 2024.
- NJ’s Dept. of Education will provide annual grants to expand access to preschool for children in districts that don’t currently have a program.
- RI: Registered voters can now sign up to automatically receive a mail ballot application for every election.
- TX’s use of solar and battery power significantly lowers the risk of summer blackouts.
- WI’s Supreme Court strikes down the state’s 1849 abortion ban.
- WI’s Supreme Court rules that state regulators can compel landowners to clean up pollutants not yet officially designated as hazardous substances.
- Bipartisan support for community solar installations grows in GA, IA, MO, and OH.
- A Knox County, OH solar project receives approval despite pushback from fossil fuel interests.
- Nearly 11,000 lead pipes in Flint, MI have been replaced.
- ICEBlock, a platform where users can safeguard their communities by sharing information about nearby ICE activity, becomes one of the Apple App Store’s most downloaded apps.
- Oregon State University purchases forest land formerly used for timber extraction in order to research the effects of logging practices and safeguard the forest’s ecological diversity.
- Activists rally in protest against the presence of ICE contractors in a Glendale, CA hospital and in support of patients’ right to heal free from intimidation.
- Environmental advocacy groups file a federal lawsuit to halt the building of an immigration detention camp until it undergoes an environmental review with a chance for public comment.
- A coalition of labor and civil rights groups organizes protests at multiple notoriously inhumane detention centers in Louisiana.
Need inspiration?
- Read the latest message from AoCC’s Founder and Director, Jennifer Hofmann: How Did We Get Here—and How Do We Get Out of This?
- Why Every Action Counts, Big or Small
- You’re Part of Something Bigger
Support democratic engagement and advance equality
The Checklist has been running since 2016, thanks to the support of our donors and patrons. Although we avoid conflicts of interest by not selling ad space, that means we need you. Consider supporting our work to advance democracy and equality with a one-time or monthly donation.
Spot an error in the Checklist?
Send us a correction and, as a thank-you for your help, you could be randomly selected to choose the organization we donate $50 to!
Want to accomplish more?
AoCC offers several classes to support and sustain your engagement in social justice and pro-democracy work. Change can be slow. To stay encouraged, learn more here.
If you’re new to the Americans of Conscience Checklist, welcome!
Sign up to receive the Checklist by email
every other week.
The Americans of Conscience 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.

