LET'S GET TO WORK: Civic action to-do list for 9-11-17
3. Demand justice at your alma mater
At a time when reports of sexual assault on college campuses are appallingly frequent, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has placed the federal government on a path to potentially eliminate the federal protections for survivors in high schools and on college campuses. Rolling back these 2011 "Dear Colleague" guidelines would harm the rights of survivors of violence, insult the lives that have been harmed by violence, and impede the national effort to change campus culture. Write to the president or provost of your alma mater, and tell them to keep following the Dear Colleague guidelines to ensure that survivors of violence are protected on their campus. (Read JWI's statement.)
2. Protect “Dreamers”
The Trump Administration’s repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program deports over 800,000 young people back to countries they haven’t lived in for at least ten years. DACA recipients, also known as "Dreamers," are part of our communities: they attend American colleges, serve in our military, and work as health care providers. We should be celebrating these young people and their achievements, instead of forcing them to leave the only country they've ever called home. This month Congress has an opportunity to protect Dreamers from deportation by passing the DREAM Act, which will make immigrant communities safer and help survivors of violence feel safe reporting crimes without the risk of deportation. Call your senators and representatives to demand a vote! (Read JWI's statement.) To better understand just how complicated this issue is, we recommend the book Tell Me How It Ends by Valeria Luiselli.
1. Support bipartisan healthcare reform!
Health insurance premiums could increase by up to 25% on the individual marketplace if the Trump Administration does not commit to funding cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurance companies by the end of September. Without CSR payments, companies are likely to stop providing health insurance to millions of Americans, and raise premiums for millions more. On Capitol Hill last week, a bipartisan group of state insurance commissioners and governors testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that immediate federal action is needed to stabilize insurance markets. The time for playing politics with Americans' healthcare is over, and Congress and the Administration should move forward with commonsense, bipartisan solutions to ensure access.
And for you...
On this anniversary of America's darkest day, many hurricane victims in Florida are facing tremendous material loss - and millions are in the dark, without power. Take a moment to hug your family and friends, and appreciate what truly matters.