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Members of Congress

  • Sen. Patty Murray
    (202) 224-2621 | Email

  • Sen. Maria Cantwell
    (202) 224-3441 | Email

  • Rep. Suzan DelBene (1st)
    (202) 225-6311 | Email

  • Rep. Kim Schrier (8th)
    (202) 225-7761 | Email

  • Rep. Adam Smith (9th)
    (202) 225-8901 | Email
    		•

    For the Week of Oct 21, 2019

    🔷 “I’m going to try and make people realize that in order to live the life they are living, they need to have democracy, and it’s being threatened.” – Elijah Cummings. The longtime Baltimore congressman and civil rights leader died October 17, 2019 at age 68. A highly respected political leader, Cummings was a man who wielded unique moral authority. Cummings will be remembered for his principled stands on political issues, his belief in the good in humankind, for fighting racial injustice, and much more. His passing on is not just a loss for the people of Baltimore, but for the whole of humanity.

    🔷 Our last evening Postcards To Voters event is this Tuesday Oct 22nd near downtown Bellevue. We’ll be gathering around the TV to watch the Frontline: Zero Tolerance – How Donald Trump Turned Immigration into a Powerful Political Weapon. Sign up below in the Calendar section and see other Postcarding opportunities.

    🔷 This is the last week to fill out our 2020 State Legislative Priorities SURVEY. This will help us choose what bills to track and advocate for in the upcoming short legislative session. Deadline is Wednesday midnight so fill it out TODAY.

    🔷 What a week, from Mick Mulvany stating that quid pro quo in foreign policy is normal and to “Get Over It”, to news of a ceasefire/pause in aggressions by Turkey in northern Syria. It’s hard to keep up. If you’ve fallen behind, or are bored with TV or print media, consider trying a podcast or a blog.

    🔷 Here are your 3 actions for this week.

    ✊ Action 1 – [YOU] Vote and encourage your friends, neighbors and family to vote

    Ballots have been mailed, so if you haven’t received yours by Oct 24, contact: 206-296-VOTE (8683) or elections@sos.wa.gov .

    We’ve put together a great November Election resources document to help you learn more about who and what you’re voting for, including Information on Key Ballot Measures:

    ✅ Ref 88: Initiative 1000 (WA Fairness Approve I-1000/R88). Contrary to deceptive advertising for the No on I-1000 campaign, I-1000 RESTORES fairness and opportunity to Washington’s public employment, contracting, and education enrollment policies.

    ✅ Advisory Votes: We recommend voting “maintained” on all of these. This article is from 2017, but is still valid in explaining why voting maintained is important. (Stick it to Tim Eyman)

    ❌ I-976: Tim Eyman vehicle motor taxes and fees (Transit and infrastructure funding)

    ✅ SJR 8200: Our legislature’s “emergency” powers currently only cover emergencies resulting from enemy attack, but a more likely scenario would be a catastrophic event like an earthquake. This would fix that.

    ✊ Action:

    • Read up on candidates and issues
    • Vote
    • Share on social media that you voted
    • Talk to you family, friends, and neighbors about voting. After brushing up on the issues, you’ll be well informed and able to answer any questions they might have.

    This is all good practice for … 2020!

    ✊ Action 2 – [US HOUSE & SENATE] Add your voice to those demanding U.S. provide humanitarian support for Kurdish people in Syria

    From Seattle Indivisible

    This week the news has been full of stories on the consequences of Trump’s withdrawal of troops from Syria. Within twenty-four hours of Trump’s announcement, Turkey’s armed forces invaded Kurdish territory in Syria.

    Even though Trump trumpeted a so-called cease-fire late in the week, enormous damage has been done, creating an acute humanitarian crisis. The ethnic Kurds have suffered horrific violence, and more than 100,000 people have been displaced.

    Today we’re asking you to send a message or leave a voicemail for lawmakers in support of Kurdish people in Syria targeted by Turkey’s armed invasion.

    ☎ Sample Script:

    “Hello, I’m [NAME] from [CITY, ZIP]. I’m [CALLING/EMAILING] to express my sadness and frustration over the consequences of U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria. I’ve read that Turkey’s invasion of Kurdish territory has created an acute humanitarian crisis. I’d like to add my voice to those protesting Trump’s actions and to urge you to consider humanitarian support for the Kurdish people in Syria who have been targeted for violence by Turkey’s armed forces. Thank you.”

    ✊ Action 3 – [US Forest Service] Comment on Proposal to allow logging in the Tongass National Forest

    The Trump administration issued plans to reverse limits on logging in Tongass National Forest in Alaska. The draft environmental impact statement provides an analysis of six alternatives related to roadless management in Alaska. The alternatives range from no action, to the removal of the Tongass from the 2001 Roadless Rule. The Administration recommends Alternative 6:

    • Alternative 6 would exempt the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 Roadless Rule. The alternative would remove all 9.2 million acres of inventoried roadless acres and would convert 165,000 old-growth acres and 20,000 young-growth acres previously identified as unsuitable timber lands to suitable timber lands.

    You can read about the six options on the USDA site, or review this summary from the NRDC. The comment deadline is December 15th, 2019.

    TO SEND A QUICK EMAIL: If you only have a few minutes, you can send an email via NRDC’s site. It’s best to personalize your message – you can even grab some phrases from the ideas below.

    TO SEND YOUR OWN COMMENT DIRECTLY TO THE FOREST SERVICE, Comment on Roadless Area in Federal Register

    Message Ideas (cut/paste/edit to create your own):

    EXAMPLE OF OPENING

    I strongly oppose your proposed rollback of the important Roadless Rule to allow companies to carve roads into pristine roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest.

    EXAMPLES OF MIDDLE SENTENCES (PICK & CHOOSE, EDIT TO MAKE IT YOURS):

    It is senseless to cut down ancient, 800-year-old trees and destroy healthy forest ecosystems. This forest provides benefits of far higher value than the “profit” from selling the timber.

    Among America’s national forests, the Tongass is the largest. It is also central to the largest temperate rainforest still intact in the world.

    The Tongass is home to spectacular wildlife including bald eagles, timber wolves, brown bears, black bears, and all five species of Pacific salmon.

    Local Indigenous communities in the area of the Tongass rely on these pristine lands for traditional hunting, gathering, and cultural practices. Native Alaskans can only sustain customary and traditional use of forest and streams if roadless areas of the Tongass remain roadless.

    Destroying parts of the Tongass would also hurt the local economy. The forests support important tourism, commercial fishing, and outdoor recreation, providing many more jobs than logging can provide.

    The Tongass is crucial for protecting our climate. It is America’s most important national forest for carbon sequestration. This is a time when parts of Alaska are warming at about twice the rate of the average speed around the planet. Protecting this forest advances climate change solutions for our country and strengthens international climate-protection efforts.

    These wildlands absorb massive amounts of carbon, and nothing else can match or replace this carbon sequestration capacity. Protecting the Tongass is necessary for protecting the future of our children.

    EXAMPLES OF CLOSING SENTENCES:

    Among the proposed alternatives, I support only Alternative 1, maintaining the 2001 Roadless Rule. The Tongass should be protected, not destroyed.

    It is your responsibility to do all you can to safeguard this pristine national treasure for current and future generations. The Tongass cannot be replaced, only protected.

    I urge you to reverse the proposed rollback and protect the Tongass National Forest from destructive roadbuilding and logging.

    Thank you.

    Calendar of In-Person Events:

    … and More:

    Resources:

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