What to Do Wednesday
Your Weekly Guide to Staying Politically Active—From Abroad
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Dear Democrats Abroad Italy members,
Welcome to another edition of What to Do Wednesday, your weekly dose of crucial information and calls to action! With the political landscape constantly shifting, it's more important than ever to stay informed and make our voices heard.
ACTION ALERT: Protect FEMA Funding Now!
As we've seen with the recent extreme flooding, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and devastating. Yet, alarming reports indicate proposed cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) budget. These cuts threaten the very agency responsible for helping communities recover and rebuild after natural disasters, putting countless lives and livelihoods at risk.
It's time to act! Your elected representatives need to hear directly from you. We urge you to contact your Senators and Representatives immediately to voice your strong opposition to any cuts to FEMA funding. Remind them of the critical role FEMA plays in disaster response and recovery, and emphasize that investing in preparedness and resilience is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Here are a number of ways to contact your Members of Congress use whatever tool is most convenient for you but do reach out! Never doubt that our collective voices can make a difference!
- Use the ready made DA Italy email templates. You can find the full list of ready-made email templates here.
- Call your MOCs using 5Calls – an excellent tool with ready-made call scripts and contact information at your fingertips.
- Use Democracy.io to send emails to all of your MoCs in one go!
Understanding the New Remittance Tax
A new tax is on the horizon that could impact many Americans, particularly those sending money abroad. The recently passed Budget Law includes a modified version of a tax on remittances. Set to take effect on January 1, 2026, this tax will apply a one percent rate to certain remittances from senders in the United States to recipients in foreign countries. It applies regardless of the sender's citizenship or immigration status and covers a wide range of personal, family, or household transfers, although specific payment methods may be exempt.
The Democrats Abroad Taxation Taskforce has prepared a detailed explanation the newly enacted remittance tax, detailing what the tax is and its possible impact on US citizens abroad. See the full blog post here. A Summary of the Remittance Tax for Americans Abroad (current as of July 12, 2025) - by Rebecca Lammers
Global AAPI Caucus Event: Understanding the Current Immigration Crisis
Don't miss this important event from the Global AAPI Caucus!
What's Happening: Understanding the Current Immigration Crisis in the U.S.
- Speaker: Andy Kang, an attorney with extensive experience in immigrant rights. Andy is currently the National Director of Anti-Hate at The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and previously served as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition.
- Date: Today, July 16, 2025
- Time: 6pm CET
- What you'll learn: Gain a deeper understanding of the current state of immigration affairs, including recent ICE raids, the future of birthright citizenship, and what is being done to fight against government efforts.
This is a vital opportunity to get informed and engage with these critical issues. Look for details on how to join this event on the Democrats Abroad Italy events page or the Global AAPI Caucus channels.
RSVP Here! What's Happening: Understanding the Current Immigration Crisis in the U.S. - Democrats Abroad
Support Our Get Out The Vote Efforts: Attend the Annual Gala Dinner!
Mark your calendars! Democrats Abroad Italy will be holding our much-anticipated Gala Fundraising Dinner on September 21st. This will be a wonderful evening to connect with fellow Democrats and raise crucial funds to support our GOTV efforts. More details, including venue and ticketing information, will be announced soon.
For more information about the Gala, please contact Joyce at [email protected]
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"The only way out is through. The only way to win is to keep fighting." - Robert Frost
Let's continue to fight for a better future, together.
With Gratitude,
Leyani Redditi
As always I welcome suggestions for future editions of What to do Wednesday. Please email me at [email protected]
Ps. Are you a voter Georgia or do you know someone in Georgia? Please pass this information on: Georgia is conducting a major purge of its voter rolls in the summer of 2025. State officials have begun the process of removing approximately 478,000 “inactive” voters—the second largest such action in state history. Check your voter registration status today! mvp.sos.ga.gov