ACTION 1: STOP the privatization of Medicare — tell President Biden and your representatives to halt the ACO REACH program.
Call the White House: (202) 456-1111 AND
Send an email - go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Script: I am contacting the President to demand that he stop the ACO REACH program. Replacing the 2% administration costs of Traditional Medicare with a program that allows corporations and insurance companies to siphon off up to 40% of taxpayer dollars while denying care is not good for any of us. I want President Biden to end this wasteful program immediately.
Call Senator Ed Markey (617) 565-8519
Script: This is [name] calling from [town, zip code) I am a person [who is on Medicare now/who hopes a robust Medicare program is still there when I need it]. I want Senator Markey to educate himself on a pilot program, begun under Trump but continued by Biden, which is privatizing Medicare. The program is known as ACO REACH. It replaces the current traditional Medicare system, with its 2% administration costs, with a program that allows for corporations to siphon off up to 40% of Medicare payments … tax payer dollars … to line the pockets of corporations. It incentivizes corporations to deny needed care. Citizens are being put into these wasteful and harmful programs without their consent and with zero legislative oversight. I urge Senator Markey to speak out, as Senator Warren has done, and urge President Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra to stop this wasteful program immediately.
Call Representative Jim McGovern (202) 225-6101
Script: This is [name] calling from [town, zip code) I am a person [who is on Medicare now/who hopes a robust Medicare program is still there when I need it]. I want Rep. McGovern to educate himself on a pilot program, begun under Trump but continued by Biden, which is privatizing Medicare. The program is known as ACO REACH. It replaces the current traditional Medicare system, with its 2% administration costs, with a program that allows for corporations to siphon off up to 40% of Medicare payments … tax payer dollars … to line the pockets of corporations. It incentivizes corporations to deny needed care. Citizens are being put into these wasteful and harmful programs without their consent and with zero legislative oversight. I urge Rep. McGovern to speak out, as Senator Warren has done, and urge President Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra to stop this wasteful program immediately.
Call Senator Elizabeth Warren - (617) 565-3170
Script: This is [name] calling from [town, zip code) I am a person [who is on Medicare now/who hopes a robust Medicare program is still there when I need it]. I am calling to thank Senator Warren for educating the public about the disastrous ACO REACH program. Thank you for doing what you can to halt the privatization of Medicare. Your work is so important and very much appreciated.
ACTION 2: Support a Clean Debt Ceiling Increase
In January, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has informed Congress that the United States is using “extraordinary measures” in order to meet government obligations and not default on its debt. While these extraordinary measures will buy some time before breaching the debt limit, unless Congress acts, it is expected we will reach the limit by June.
Despite the fact that raising the debt limit is not a vote on spending but rather a vote on paying for spending that has already been approved by Congress, Republicans are using the issue as a bargaining chip to push for drastic budget cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which would have a devastating impact on millions of Americans. Furthermore, if the default were to occur, it would result in catastrophic effects to the US economy, affecting all Americans, and also a world-wide economic panic.
Demand your representatives end the political brinkmanship and support a clean, no-strings-attached, debt ceiling increase so the US can meet its debt and obligations.
Senator Elizabeth Warren Springfield 413-788-2690 DC 202-224-4543
Senator Ed Markey Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742
Congressman Jim McGovern: Northampton 413-341-8700 DC 202-225-6101
Congressman Richard Neal, Belchertown Representative, Springfield: 413-785-0325 DC: 202-225-5601
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].
I'm calling to demand [REP/SENATOR NAME] support a clean, no-strings-attached increase to the debt ceiling. We are Americans and we pay our bills. It is outrageous that members of Congress would risk our economy to gain political points.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
ACTION 3: Demand Comprehensive Police Reform
In the wake of more brutal murders at the hands of police officers, we are again reminded that police reform must be a primary goal of our federally-elected officials. In prior Congresses, major police reform legislation passed in the House, but died in the Senate. This failure cannot continue as more lives are unnecessarily lost.
We must have legislation to address the “persistent unchecked bias in policing” and “a history of a lack of accountability” that is wreaking havoc in black and other marginalized communities.
Senator Elizabeth Warren Springfield 413-788-2690 DC 202-224-4543
Senator Ed Markey Springfield 413-785-4610 DC 202-224-2742
Congressman Jim McGovern: Northampton 413-341-8700 DC 202-225-6101
Congressman Richard Neal, Belchertown Representative, Springfield: 413-785-0325 DC: 202-225-5601
Script: Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].
I'm calling to demand [REP/SENATOR NAME] introduce, cosponsor, and vocally support comprehensive police reform legislation, like that introduced and passed in the last two Congresses in the House.
Among many important steps we need to take, this legislation would:
· allow individuals to recover damages when their constitutional rights are violated; (and)
· establish a National Police Misconduct Registry;
· ban the use of choke-holds and "no-knock" warrants;
· mandate training on racial bias and the duty to intervene;
· require the use of body cameras; and
· empower state attorneys general and the Justice Department to play a much larger role in its oversight of police agencies.
While I am committed to and support my local police department, we must place reasonable limits on their power to ensure all members of our communities are safe and treated equally.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Action 4: Protect the integrity of the AP African American Studies curriculum.
Background: The Florida Department of Education rejected an Advanced Placement course in African American studies for high school students citing the “woke indoctrination” of students that would violate state laws restricting how race can be taught in the classroom. This places pressure on the College Board to alter its offerings. We are contacting the College Board to reject the unsubstantiated objections and preserve the curriculum that provides education on Black lives, intersectionality, and reparation.
Contact: The College Board at 866-630-9305 or via the College Board contact form.
Script: I’m from [STATE], urging the College Board to reject unsubstantiated objections to the proposed AP African American Studies curriculum by the Florida Department of Education. To exclude such subjects as the movement for Black lives, intersectionality, and reparation damages the integrity of this curriculum. It has been designed with the input of respected Black scholars and long-standing AP principles and practices to conform with the College Board’s standards. Preserving this outstanding curriculum is of critical importance to the education of our nation’s youth and prepares them for the real world.