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Tiny Action: Help Dems Strengthen Democracy
Just weeks after the Blue Wave in November, House Dems unveiled their top priority for 2019: H.R. 1. And just last week, the bill passed the House, moving on to the Senate.
H.R.1, the For The People Act, aims to put power back in the hands of the American people by expanding voting rights, strengthening ethics rules, and limiting both gerrymandering and the influence of money in politics.
While H.R. 1 received major attention, H.R. 4 is also critically important. H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, would restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act, addressing today’s challenges of systemic voter suppression in states across the country.
These bills are high priorities for the Democratic House, and they should be for us as well. We need to loudly and consistently support both bills on their path through Congress.
This week’s Tiny Action: Read up on H.R. 1 and H.R. 4, spread the message,
and be sure your Members of Congress know why this is a priority issue for you.
- Learn about H.R. 1 and H.R. 4 and what they mean for your vote.
- Tell your elected representatives why you strongly support both bills in full.
- Be sure your friends and family know why this matters, and how they can help hold Congress accountable during the March recess next week.
Tiny Action: A Valentine That Shall Not Be Denied or Abridged on Account of Sex
Democrats Abroad has been fighting hard to help ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, enshrining into the US Constitution that “equality of rights under U.S law must not be denied or abridged on account of sex.”
We’re not alone. Americans across the country who are joining in renewed efforts to ratify the ERA across the country. But because of this momentum, Republican leaders are fighting to hold us back, through stonewalling state legislatures and launching campaigns of false and misleading information. They’re doing this despite the fact that the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans support ratifying the ERA.
This week’s Tiny Action: Tell our elected leaders - and the rest of the world - that the time to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment is NOW.
Thanks to our Global Women's Caucus for creating a range of ways you can offer your support, from wherever you are.
1. Tell your Representative and your Senators to enshrine equal rights into the constitution.
Hi my name is [NAME]. I’m a voter from [CITY, STATE], but I currently live in [LOCATION]. I am [calling/writing] to implore you to support [S.J.Res.6 / H.R.Res.38], to amend the Constitution so that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
As an American living and voting from overseas, I am troubled by the fact that 85% of the world's countries have gender equality written into them, and yet ours does not. While many may assume our constitution mentions this, I know that it does not. And I know that even Justice Scalia once pointed out that equal rights are not guaranteed by our constitution. It is not enough to assume these rights exist. We must make it so.Thanks for your time.
2. Write to state legislatures in AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, LA, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, UT, VA
You can also call or even send postcards. Even if you do not vote in these states, you can still voice your support.
3. Download and print this petition form to help us collect signatures.
Ask Americans (and only Americans) to sign our petition endorsing the Equal Rights Amendment. Once you have your signatures, send a scan or very clear photo of all pages to [email protected] We will send these to state legislature leaders to show our support.
4. Post your support on social media (and share with us, too)
Create a sign and take a photo in support. Include that you are an American and note where you live. Post on social media and share with us! Find more details, hashtags and guidance here.
Want to make an even BIGGER impact? Post and send a short 45 second video. Check out tips and a sample vid here.
5. Watch Legalize Equality
Get a group together to watch this 30 minute documentary about the Equal Rights Amendment and why it's critical that we ratify it now, or watch on your own. You'll need to RSVP at the link to get free access to watch from anywhere.
Former resident or voter from
AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, LA, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, UT or VA?
There's more you can do!
1. Pen a letter to the editor / op-ed
If you are voter in one of the states listed above or a former resident, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to solicit local awareness and support in the states where the ERA has still not been ratified (listed above).
You can find out how to submit your letter on the newspaper's website. Here is the SF Chronicle submission page, for example.
Try to keep your comments as non-partisan as possible, and use your letter to call upon citizens and state legislatures to support the ERA. Briefly share your unique perspective as a former resident of [city] now living in [country]. Consider including:
- 85% of all nations have equal rights in their constitutions. Include a comment about where you currently live.
- Women need protection under the constitution since laws supporting equal rights can be changed
- If you are not a woman, explain why you still support the ERA. Try to keep your comments as non-partisan as possible
2. Contact local city councils
If you have contacts with any city council members, or have friends that know city council members, please request that the city council member propose a resolution in support of the Equal Rights Amendment.