What to Do Wednesday

Your Weekly Guide to Staying Politically Active—From Abroad

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Dear Democrats Abroad Italy Member, 

The government funding fight is here, and our healthcare is on the line. Congress is in a budget battle, and Republicans are pushing for cuts to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid. This isn't just a political game; it's a real threat to millions of American families.

As Senator Elizabeth Warren said, "Health care is a basic human right, not a privilege for those who can afford it."

Here's the situation:

• Medicaid "Unwinding": Over 25 million people have already lost Medicaid coverage after pandemic protections ended.
• ACA on the Brink: If Congress doesn't act, enhanced ACA subsidies expire in December, which could cause premiums to jump by 75% or more.
• Veterans' Benefits at Risk: VA healthcare is also being targeted with staffing cuts and reduced services, which could mean longer wait times for the care our veterans deserve.

Your Action is Needed Now

Even from Italy, your voice has power. Please take a moment to contact your members of Congress and tell them to:

• Protect ACA subsidies and Medicaid funding.
• Renew the enhanced ACA subsidies.
• Defend Medicare's drug price negotiation power.
• Oppose any budget deal that cuts VA benefits.

Find the contact information for your Members of Congress at congress.gov Use one of our ready-made email templates today and let your members of Congress know what actions you want them to take. The templates are drafted especially for either Democratic or Republican members of Congress or use the ready-made scripts at 5calls.org to speak with your Congress members and let them know what you think. Our collective voices have power!

Upcoming Events

• DA Italy Speaker Series Kickoff
  • October 15, 2025: Join us to hear journalist Alexander Stille discuss threats to a free press. RSVP Here!
• Global Day of Protest: No Tyrants / No Kings
  • October 18, 2025: Stand for democracy with allies in Rome, Florence, Milan, Bologna, Venice and Torino. Keep your eye on our Events page for details in the coming days.  
• Inaugural Democracy Circle in Lucca
  • October 14, 2025: Get involved in grassroots organizing! This is the first of many events for the Lucca Democracy Circle. Learn more and consider starting one in your area.
• Smart Trouble Virtual Events  
  • Held virtually every Tuesday evening, led by the folks at Good Trouble Firenze, they are a series of online events focusing on building community through resistance activities.  See more information and the schedule of upcoming events here.

Get Involved!

We are stronger when we work together. Here's how to plug in:

• Connect Locally: Join a local chapter or precinct Signal chat to meet other Democrats in your area. Want to learn how? Write to us at [email protected]
• Join a Caucus: Our caucuses bring together members with shared interests and identities. Find your community in one of our groups, write to us at [email protected] and we'll put you in touch!
  • AAPI Caucus 
  • Black Caucus
  • Disability Caucus
  • Environment & Climate Crisis Council
  • LGBT+ Caucus
  • Veterans & Military Families Caucus
  • Women's Caucus
  • Youth Caucus
• Get Trained: Learn how to be a more effective activist by joining our training sessions for phone banking, GOTV (Get Out the Vote), and Democracy Circles. Learn more here!

Are you vote ready? 

Even in an “off year,” there’s no such thing as a small election. From the mayoral race in New York City to Proposition 50 in California, important decisions are being made at every level of government— and your vote matters. The clock is ticking—ballots for the upcoming elections in November have already been sent out to overseas voters! Don’t wait or risk missing your chance to have a say. Act now: check what’s on the ballot in your home state here Ballotpedia then request your overseas ballot today at Vote from Abroad: Request Absentee Ballots for US Citizens. You can find extremely detailed instructions for every step of the way here: How to Vote from Italy 

Your participation is what makes Democrats Abroad so powerful. Let's make our voices heard!

With Gratitude,

Leyani Redditi