FEDERAL ACTION ALERT – Sept. 17, 2021
Produced by Democrats of the Red Rocks and Coconino County Democratic Part
Important Note: SIGN THE PETITIONS - ONE WEEK LEFT! While the struggle for voting rights at
the federal level is critical, there is something you can do right now here in Arizona: Sign the
petitions to reverse the voter suppression legislation passed by the Arizona legislature this Spring.
Getting a sufficient number of signatures will stop the Arizona legislation in its tracks. But time is
short. The Coconino Democrats have scores of events scheduled over the next week where you can
find an opportunity to sign. Find out about the events at CoconinoDemocrats.org. The petitions are
also available for Yavapai and Coconino counties at the DORR Office, 105 Roadrunner Dr. Sedona
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 11-3. Call and check that they are open before coming to the office
928.212.1357
THIS WEEK’S ALERTS: Push the compromise Freedom to Vote Act finally supported by Sen.
Manchin, and the Native American Voting Rights Act; pull out the stops on the social and
climate provisions in the infrastructure bill
SUPPORT THE COMPROMISE “FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT” & AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN
VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AND MODIFY FILIBUSTER TO ENSURE PASSAGE
After months of negotiations Senate Democrats have come up with a scaled back “For the People
Act” to protect voting rights bringing along Senator Manchin. It is sponsored by Senators Klobuchar,
Manchin, Kaine, Warnock and others. The bill contains a raft of measures designed to support
access to the ballot, including automatic voter registration and online registration; designating
Election Day as a federal holiday; same-day registration; at least 15 days of early voting; uniform
standards for voting by mail and for drop boxes; rules for voter-roll purges; requirements for counting
provisional ballots in whatever precinct they are cast; voter-ID standards; the enfranchisement of
former nonviolent felons after they have served their time; and new rules to ensure access for voters
with disabilities. While it doesn’t require independent commissions on redistricting, it attempts to set
up criteria that are enforceable in court.
After a meeting with Sen. Manchin, Senate Minority Leader McConnell stated the scaled back bill
will not have a single Republican supporter. This is a must pass for Democrats and has the potential
to change Senators Manchin and Sinema’s reluctance to modify the filibuster – at least as to voting
protections.
This week also saw the introduction of the Native American Voting Rights Act, aimed specifically
at ensuring fair access to the ballot for citizens of tribal nations (you can read more about this bill at
Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA) - Native American Voting Rights (narf.org) ). S 2702 in the
Senate, HR 5008 in the House call for provisions that would address key challenges for Native
American voters (e.g., allowing tribes to designate buildings to serve as physical addresses for those
reservation residents lacking a home address, requiring acceptance of tribal ID if voter identification is
required, mandating access to registration and voting locations in reasonable distance of tribal
residents). Many civil rights and justice organizations have endorsed this bill as a complement to
other voting rights legislation.
SAMPLE VOICE MAIL FOR SENATORS:
“I’m a lifelong Democrat living and voting in XXXXX, Arizona. I’m am very happy that Senators
Manchin and Klobuchar have co-sponsored voter protection legislation in the “Freedom to Vote Act.”
Now that we finally have 50 senators on board it MUST be passed to help preserve American
democracy. With Minority Leader McConnell promising not a single Republican senator’s vote it will
be time to look at modifying the filibuster in terms of voter protection legislation. While I appreciate
the bi-partisan spirit, if you can’t find 10 Republicans to come along, its time to consider other options.
This bill is just too important to our democracy to let slip away under archaic procedural rules. I also
believe our Native American neighbors in Arizona deserve improved access to the ballot! The
provisions of the recently proposed Native American Voting Rights Act make a lot of sense to me.
Please do all you can to make sure the Freedom to Vote Act includes these provisions, or that the
Native American Voting Rights Act passes separately.”
FOR BOTH SENATORS AND REP. O’HALLERAN: SUPPORT AMBITIOUS ACTION ON SOCIAL
PROGRAMS WITH FULL FUNDING IN THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION PROPOSAL: Dems
must deliver major provisions of President Biden’s infrastructure plan, far beyond the minimal “hard
infrastructure” included in the bipartisan package. The broader view of infrastructure includes
expansion of the “care economy” (support for child care and home care, paid family leave); expansion
of Medicare coverage; investments in fair and affordable housing; creation of clear pathways to
citizenship for immigrants; and substantial progress toward a clean energy future. 7/10 Americans
support these programs, our Senators and representatives should also. No cutting back on new
legislation to provide paid family and medical leave, establish a universal Pre-K program, expand
Medicare coverage for seniors to include dental, vision, and hearing coverage, lower health care
costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, provide tax breaks for clean energy, and
expand the Child Tax Credit for most families with children. Pay for it with tax adjustments that make
our tax system fair. Both Senate and House committees have been working to determine exactly
which programs should be part of the broader infrastructure proposal.
Sample text or message for both Senators and Rep. O’Halleran: “My name is XXXX, and I’m a Democrat living
and voting in XXXXX. As a Democrat I’m imploring you to support and fully fund ambitious social/climate
programs in the infrastructure proposal. 7 of 10 Americans support these plans and you should too. I am
especially urging you to support the most expansive proposals on [see below – choose one of these:
immigration, climate, care economy, housing, Medicare and drug prices]. The bipartisan infrastructure bill,
focused on physical infrastructure investments, is fine as a start but by itself will not build the recovery we
need! We can pay for a true and fair recovery for Americans with lower drug prices, tax adjustments, and a
repeal of the awful Trump tax cuts that unfairly enriched the super-rich and corporations.”
Immigration: creation of clear pathways to citizenship for DACA recipients, essential workers, and other
specific classes of immigrants.
Climate: creation of clean energy jobs and employment, including a Civilian Climate Corps; an ambitious Clean
Energy Standard and use of both incentives and penalties to speed up the move away from fossil fuels to true
renewables; and ensuring that 40 % of these climate investments go to historically disadvantaged
communities.
Care economy: affordable childcare benefits for all, paid family and medical leave, improved quality of and
access to home and community-based care for seniors and those with disabilities.
Housing: expanded housing choice vouchers, expanded investment in construction and upgrades of public
housing facilities.
Healthcare: a lowered age for eligibility for Medicare, expansion of Medicare to cover vision, dental, and
hearing, ability for Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs [this provision would go far in saving the
federal government dollars to be used in paying for the expansion of coverage]
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 . Senator Sinema sits on the Commerce
Science and Transportation Committee (drug prices, Medicare), and on Banking Housing and Urban Affairs
(housing proposals).
Sen. Mark Kelley: Call (202) 224-2235 (DC), Email via his website at http://www.kelly.senate.gov Tag the
Senator at @senmarkkelly . Senator Kelly sits on the Environment and Public Works Committee and the
Committee on Aging.
Rep. O’Halleran: Call (202) 225-3361 or send an email via his website at