As we were finishing this week’s actions, news broke of another horrifying mass murder, this time about 80 miles away in Sutherland Springs, TX. Many of us have family in the area. While we wait for details to emerge, our statement on last month’s slaying in Las Vegas, and statements on Sutherland Springs from Rep. Lloyd Doggett and Sen. Chris Murphy strike a similar note: Enough is enough. We demand action. Congress must act. Thoughts and prayers are insufficient. The time for sensible gun legislation is now.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 7.
What We’re Reading This Week:
- How Your Voices Are Making a Difference: Russian Dominoes (Indivisible Austin)
Actions
Join the Week of Action against the Trump Tax Scam
The Trump Tax Scam will transfer trillions to corporations and the wealthiest Americans, slash trillions from essential programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and it WON’T create jobs.
- Tell your representatives to vote NO!
- Tell your friends why the Trump Tax Scam is bad for Texas.
- Join us Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 12 p.m. Tell John Cornyn not to sell Texans out! Outside Chase Bank Building (John Cornyn’s office) at 221 W. 6th St.
- Download, print, and send a postcard to your representatives! (sized for Avery 8386)
Show up for DACAmented youth
- Ask your Republican Members of Congress to sign the DREAM Act.
- Ask your Democratic Members of Congress to sign the DREAMer Pledge, which states that they will vote against the “continuing resolution” until a clean DREAM Act is included.
- Thank your MOCs if they have signed on. Cosponsors can be found here and here.
- Support United We Dream’s day of action on Thursday, Nov. 9.
- More information on DACA, and sample call dialogue from the Indivisible Project
- Download, print, and send a postcard to your representatives! (sized for Avery 8386)
Help spread the word about ACA Signup
ACA/Obamacare enrollment is happening NOW through Dec. 15. Please spread the word far and wide.
- Use Cover Texas Now’s Texas toolkit to do outreach in your community.
- Outreach materials (including Spanish-language) are available here.
- Share the following messages on social media:
- The ACA is still here for us
- Financial help is available to lower your monthly costs
- Don’t wait! Enrollment ends on Dec. 15
- Plans, prices, and financial help change every year, so shop again for the best plan
- Local, in-person assistance is available to help you apply
- In Central Texas, refer people to EnrollATX to find local enrollment assistance
RSVP for Strategic Anti-Racist Direct Action Training on November 18
This training will include opportunities to deepen your anti-racist understanding and practice, develop deeper relationships with your co-organizers, and build direct action skills and tactics including risk assessment and de-escalation.
Demand a truly bipartisan CHIP funding bill
The House finally passed a CHIP bill. That should be good news, but it’s not. The bill was not bipartisan, and it extends CHIP coverage by ripping health insurance from as many 700,000 people. House Republicans once again are playing politics with our health care, and this time they are holding the lives of children in the balance.
Like many other states, Texas is going to run out of CHIP funding very soon, and families will start getting notices in December that their coverage will end soon.
- Call your member of Congress and express your displeasure at the bill passed last week which changes Medicaid income eligibility requirements and raids the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund (Carter, Flores, McCaul, and Smith voted FOR; Williams did not vote)
- Call Rep. Doggett and thank him for holding the line to protect the 400,000 Texas kids who depend on CHIP without harming others’ access to health insurance
- Call Cruz and Cornyn and demand a clean extension of CHIP with bipartisan agreement on both policy and funding
- Read more about CHIP in Texas in this recent Dallas Morning News article.
Thank you
This week we are thanking Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20) for his advocacy on behalf of Rosa Maria Hernandez. Congressman Castro released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who is recovering from gallbladder surgery:
“Finally, Rosa Maria has been released to her family where she belongs. This young girl and her loved ones have been through a traumatizing ordeal. I wish them the best, and hope Rosa Maria’s health improves.
“While this is welcome news, Rosa Maria’s future remains uncertain. The Trump Administration has not made clear whether they will proceed with deportation proceedings against her. I continue to call for Rosa Maria’s case to be administratively closed. Moving forward, we must address the Trump Administration’s callous actions. The United States should not be a place where children seeking life-sustaining medical care are at risk of apprehension. I urge the Department of Homeland Security to abide by its claims that dangerous criminals are the agency’s priority and reinforce its sensitive locations policies to employees. A case like Rosa Maria’s should never happen again.”
San Antonio District Office: 210-348-8216
Washington, DC Office: 202-225-3236
Events
Monday, November 6
- 7 p.m. ATX 25 East Weekly Meeting, Memorial United Methodist Church, 6100 Berkman Dr.
Tuesday, November 7
- ELECTION DAY!
- 6:30 p.m. Austin Justice Coalition General Body Meeting, Windsor Park Branch, Austin Public Library, 5833 Westminster Dr.
- Various times: Monthly Deputy Voter Registrar Training, Travis County Tax Office – Main, 5501 Airport Blvd. Trainings are at 10:30 a.m, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For further information or to schedule a group training, call (512) 854-9473.
Wednesday, November 8
- 12 p.m. Tell John Cornyn not to sell Texans out! Outside Chase Bank Building (John Cornyn’s office) at 221 W. 6th St. Hosted by Indivisible Austin.
Thursday, November 9
- 11:30 a.m. Support United We Dream’s day of action at John Cornyn’s office, 220 W. 6th St. (And then stay for the Rally for Peace!)
- 12:30 p.m. Rally for Peace at John Cornyn’s Office, sponsored by Indivisible Austin, TX10Indivisible and Beyond the Bomb – Austin Chapter. We will meet on the corner of 6th and Colorado promptly at 12:30 p.m.
- 5:30 p.m. Deliberative Dialogues on Safety & Justice, Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon Street, Davage-Durden Student Union. Hosted by Community Advancement Network, the dialogues will focus on how we can increase trust and goodwill between citizens and law enforcement to ensure everyone feels safe in our community
- 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Rally + Informational Against ATX’s Police Association Contract. Please support Austin Justice Coalition by rallying at city hall to show community support for ending the unjust police union contract, increasing police department accountability and transparency, and saving the city millions of dollars each year.