This month, DA's newly-elected leaders from every country committee will gather in Washington, DC, to elect our international executive committee, debate charter amendments, and much more.
One tradition at our Washington meeting is to visit our members' Congressional delegations in what we call the Congressional Door Knock. This year, we've set five priorities for this effort, based on member input:
- strengthening overseas voting rights, especially for US children born abroad;
- reforming FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act);
- pushing for RBT (Residence Based Taxation);
- maintaining and refunding the Election Assistance Commission, and advocating for local, publicly available recordkeeping on overseas voter participation; and
- hindering the proposed State Department budget cuts (including funding for American Citizen Services, educational exchanges, USAID, etc.).
While we're on the Hill advocating for our members' shared interests, we would love to hand-deliver your personal messages as constituents directly to your Senators and Representatives.
Please send your letters and emails directly to your Congressional delegation, but also send a copy with the title DOOR KNOCK in cc: to [email protected]. We will print and hand-deliver those messages to any delegation member on our meeting schedule.
In order to be included, your message must be received by May 13, 2017.
Don't hesitate to use our resources if you're not sure who your Representative or Senators are, you need some guidance on how to best craft a letter, or you'd like a short calling script on our door knock issues. We've got you covered!
If you've got FIVE MINUTES:
- Check out how your U.S. representative voted on the devastating "Trumpcare 2.0" AHCA bill and call their office to either thank them for voting NO on its passage or express your strong displeasure with their YES vote.
If you've got TEN MINUTES:
- Call or write your Representative and Senators about any one of the five issues listed above related to the Congressional Door Knock visits. If you send a letter or email before May 13, don't forget to cc: [email protected].
- Join DA in a Memorial Day action to honor our wounded service members by sending a nonpartisan card of appreciation (and, if you like, any chocolate except Kinder eggs) to Jennifer Sargeant/Woody Woodard, The USO Warrior Center (BLDG 3750), Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Dr. Hitzelberger Strasse, D-66849 Landstuhl, Germany.
If you've got THIRTY MINUTES:
- Call and write your Representative and Senators about all five issues listed above related to the Congressional Door Knock visits. If you send a letter or email before May 13, don't forget to cc: [email protected].
If you've got A FEW HOURS:
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Register to observe DA's Annual General Meeting in Washington, DC, from May 12-15. Remote attendance for leaders and members is made possible via WebEx; while all meetings are free, a donation is requested to cover the technical costs of providing universal access.
Stay tuned for new actions in June, when PRIDE and taxes will be our focus. We're glad you're a part of our team!