The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
Mary Tomlinson Oct 2021, Cape Town
The pen is mightier than the sword is a motto that we Democrats should all adopt. For Democrats living abroad, who feel totally locked out of our political system, putting concerns, frustrations and recommendations to paper, or in this day and age sending an email, can be an antidote to the anxiety, dread and fear we are feeling about the slow death of our democracy.
I practically have my representatives, Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman Susan DelBene, on Speed Dial. All of the members of the U.S. Congress have a web page and somewhere on it you will find a CONTACT ME link. I would highly recommend you use it. I have written many times about issues I am upset about, for example, the unfairness of taxation laws for people living overseas; police brutality; the need to bring the perpetrators of 6 January to justice and so on.
In fact justice, or what I see as a lack of it in our so-called Criminal Justice system is one of my recurring topics. I have even written to Chief Justice John Roberts about the issue. And I must say, that except for Justice Roberts, I always receive a well thought out response to my concerns. Below is the most recent response to a request that the federal government find a way to ensure Americans living overseas are able to access vaccinations.
You can write to your representatives quickly and easily using https://democracy.io
From the office of Suzan DelBene, Member of Congress – 25 October 2021
Dear Ms. Tomlinson,
Thank you for contacting my office regarding COVID-19 vaccines for Americans living abroad. I appreciate hearing from you.
On February 19, 2021, President Biden announced that the United States would contribute $4 billion to COVAX, a vaccine alliance run by the WHO to distribute vaccines to 92 low- and middle-income countries. Since then, the U.S. government has expanded global vaccine access by donating and shipping more than 170 million doses of the vaccine to other countries. As of October 3, 2021, more than 215 million people in the U.S. and over 2.6 billion people worldwide have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Biden Administration has stated that U.S. citizens living abroad must follow the vaccination protocols of the country in which they are living or visit the U.S. to get vaccinated. This policy follows longstanding State Department policy to provide no direct medical care to private citizens outside the U.S. Some argue that the U.S. government should provide the COVID-19 vaccine to Americans abroad as they may live in countries with limited vaccine access or are unable to travel to the U.S. due to health or financial reasons.
You may be pleased to know that I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration asking them to use U.S. embassies and consulates to provide the COVID-19 vaccines to Americans living abroad. Like you, I understand that ensuring equitable vaccine access is essential in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, and I also understand the frustration some may have with the varying vaccine availability for Americans living abroad. Should legislation regarding vaccine access for Americans living abroad come before the full House of Representatives for a vote, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts and concerns. I invite you to visit www.delbene.house.gov to subscribe to my newsletter and follow @RepDelBene on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on my work in D.C. and my events at home in Washington. Please know that my staff and I stand ready to assist you if you require help with a federal agency, such as the VA, IRS, or USCIS. You can request casework assistance by visiting https://delbene.house.gov/constituent-services/casework/ or by leaving a voicemail with my District Office at (425) 485-0085. As always, my office is here to serve you, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Suzan DelBene
Member of Congress (WA)