Action Items!

Actions for Week of December 29, 2024

• Provide Feedback to Gov. Lee – Gov. Lee supports 47’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants and is pledging to use the National Guard to do so. Consider providing the governor feedback on his position by calling (615-741-2001) or emailing him at https://www.tn.gov/governor/contact-us/share-opinion.html.

• ACLU’s Trump Memos – The ACLU is gearing up to fight the next regime’s efforts to restrict civil rights and liberties. They have prepared a 130 page booklet that can be downloaded here that explains how they plan to deal with issues such as Immigration, LGBTQ rights,  abortion, anti-discrimination measures, voting rights, surveillance/protests/free speech, and the criminal legal system.

• Good News!

  1. Pres. Biden created a national monument honoring Frances Perkins, the 1st woman to serve in the US cabinet.

  2. University Colorado-Boulder has agreed to pay hundreds of female faculty members $4.5 million because wages were not equitable.

  3. Research shows that biodiversity improves under large scale solar photovoltaic arrays.

  4. Sixty years after the state of TN confiscated its land, the Highlander Research & Education Center is getting it back.

  5. New York passed a law that will make fossil fuel companies pay $75 billion for pollution.

  6. A judge blocked the Arkansas bill that would allow criminal charges to be brought against librarians.

  7. The proposed 211-mile Ambler mining road through the Brooks Range in Alaska was blocked a 2nd time.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Did you know that since 2020 Elon Musk’s SpaceX company has received $2.5 billion in defense contracts?

  2. Letter grades for TN schools in all counties are provided in this article.

  3. Check out the app, Goods Unite US, which allows you to see political donations made by companies and different brands.

  4. Learn about Common Power, a family of organizations the supports education and organizes volunteers for field work.

  5. Have you visited the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery AL and followed the Civil Rights Trail?

  6. Companies are lining up to fund 47’s inauguration. Think it will stop 47 from eventually coming after them?

  7. Read the Economist’s predicted 10 trends for 2025.

Actions for Week of December 22, 2024

• Petitions to Sign

  1. This petition opposes the Energy Permitting Reform Act that weakens critical environmental protections.

  2. This petition opposes approval of new LNG permits.

  3. This petition asks Congress to restore stolen SNAP benefits.

  4. You can send a thank you note through this link to the plaintiffs (i.e. trans youth, families, doctors) fighting for gender affirming care in TN in US v Skrmetti.

  5. This petition asks Pres. Biden to commute all federal death sentences before he leaves office. Also visits commutenow.org to sign the Innocence Project petition.

  6. This Amnesty International petition asks Pres. Biden to take 5 specific actions.

  7.  Ask the Senate to pass the EXPLORE Act before they adjourn.

• Book to Read – Valley So Low: One Lawyer’s Fight for Justice in the Wake of America’s Great Coal Catastrophe by Jared Sullivan. Published by Knoph Doubleday, Oct 2024. This book tells the story of the Knoxville lawyer who battled for justice for the workers who developed health problems and/or died after being exposed to coal ash during the Kingston Plant clean up. The book features the outcomes for several individual workers. 

• Good News!

  1. The Montana Supreme Court temporarily blocked the state law prohibiting transitional health care for minors.

  2. Oregon has approved the state’s largest solar farm on 10,000 acres of farmland.

  3. Mexico has added wildlife welfare and protections to its constitution.

  4. SCOTUS declined to block Pres. Biden’s coal waste rule.

  5. Pres. Biden has appointed more people of color to federal judgeships than any other president. He has appointed 63 Black judges to the federal bench, including 40 Black women.

  6. Because of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) the rate of uninsured rural Americans has dropped from 23.8% in 2010 to 12.6% in 2023.

  7. UT has been awarded $750,000 for East TN Works, a regional green jobs initiative.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. A North Dakota judge has ruled that DACA recipients are ineligible for ACA health insurance in 19 states, including TN.

  2. This FCC website provides a map and statistics on maternal health by state.

  3. Did you know that hospitals gave women pain medications during childbirth, then reported them of using illicit drugs?!?

  4. Extremists in South Carolina have introduced a bill mandating the death penalty for women who seek an abortion.

  5. Will bird flu become the next pandemic?  Louisiana reports is 1sthuman case and more are occurring in California. See CDC data on infections in dairy cattle.

  6. Appalachian Voices conservation group has accused TN of illegally issuing permits for the TVA Kingston gas plant.

  7. Kansas has agreed to permanently stop enforcing a voter suppression law that made it harder for civic groups to register voters.  

Actions for Week of December 15, 2024

•  Read the new Indivisible Guide – The guide is available as a google doc here.

• Support Black Monument Bill – S.3543 is a bipartisan bill that establishes the Historic Greenwood District as national monument. Please ask our Senators to co-sponsor and support the bill. Their contact information is below. 

• Good News!

a. The federal government is purchasing the Kelly Parcel, 640 acres that will be added to Grand Teton National Park. 

b. An abandoned mine in Idaho was opened on October 21st to allow it to become a protected habitat for bats.

c. Michigan passed a law banning open carry of firearms at polling places.

d. The number of unhoused veterans dropped to the lowest on record under the Biden-Harris administration. 

e. Maryland has reduced its carbon emissions by 35% since 2005, more than any other state. 

f. Pres. Biden created a national monument marking the history of oppression at Indian boarding schools. 

g. US Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed that monarch butterflies receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. 

•  Educate Yourself 

a. Read about American Renaissance Conference, a white-supremacist group using TN State parks as their meeting place.

b. Read about what cities and towns can do about climate change under the next administration. 

c. In November Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to an abortion and now the state legislature is trying to add new restrictions.

d. Did you know that a majority of Puerto Ricans want the island to become a state?

e. Georgia dismissed all members of its Maternal Mortality Committee after ProPublica published the story of how two women died because they were deprived of medical care while miscarrying? 

f. The Defense spending bill (NDAA) passed by the House removes insurance coverage for all transgender dependents of military personnel. You can send a petition opposing the ban to Congress via this link. 

g. Watch this video visualization of wealth inequality.

Actions for Week of December 8, 2024

• Send a Postcard Supporting the ERA – Vote Equality and the Women’s March are sponsoring a postcard writing effort requesting President Biden publish the Equal Rights (28th) Amendment. The Amendment passed in 38 states but during his 1st term, 45 refused to publish it as an addition to the Constitution, despite a congressional joint resolution that supports it being enforced as the 28th Amendment. It is important that these words be included in the Constitution: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” By Tuesday, December 10th,please send a postcard/note to President Biden at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20500 or email the White House at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/share/ . Talking points are in the Vote Equality link. 

• Request TN Sen. Yager Resign – State Republican caucus chair and state Senator Ken Yager of Kingston was arrested in Georgia on a drunk driving charge after a hit-and-run-accident. He ran a stop sign and had a blood alcohol level of 0.14% at 5PM in the afternoon. He also used campaign funds to lease the car he was driving. So far, TN Republicans are not calling for his resignation, but you can! Consider calling his office at 615-741-1449 or email him through this link.

• Good News!

  1. The US Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed listing all 4 species of giraffes as endangered, which would offer them protections under the Endangered Species Act.

  2. The Nashville mayor has launched the city’s 1st Office of Youth Safety.

  3. A judge in Missouri struck down 4 portions of the voter suppression law there.

  4. US Governors have formed a coalition to protect their states from the in-coming administration.

  5. New York passed a prenatal leave policy bill.

  6. US Wind received approval to build a major offshore wind project off the coast of Ocean City MD.

  7. A Wisconsin judge struck down a law restricting collective bargaining rights for public employees.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Read how school librarians had to drop everything and remove or retrieve 150 book titles from Rutherford County Schools.

  2. Knox County has issued a list of 48 books to remove from its libraries. It includes titles, such as The Kite Runner, Slaugherhouse Five, Perks of Being a Wallflower, A Light in the Attic, Wicked, Out of Darkness, etc.

  3. TN Ethics Commission ruled that Gov. Lee violated state statue when he accepted an all-expenses paid trip to Florida from a group with close ties to the gun lobby.

  4. Learn about Indivisible’s Truth Brigade, an effort to combat disinformation.

  5. Environmental groups are suing Celine TN for polluting Cordell Hull Lake, Cumberland River, and Obey Rivers.

  6. Learn about racial disparities in maternal and infant health.

  7. Read how scientists are scrambling to save climate data from 47 and his EPA nominee.

Actions for Week of December 1, 2024

• Pledge to Fight Back 

  1. This petition asks Congress to protect Medicare from the new administration’s plans as outlined in Project 2025.

  2. This petition pledges to fight back against actions that could adversely affect the climate.

  3. This petition requests Pres. Biden put as many safeguards for vulnerable communities and civil servants as possible in place before he leaves office.

  4. This letter asks Senators to support the MOMS Act for women serving in the military.

  5. This petition asks SCOTUS to rule in favor of trans rights as they listen to arguments on Dec 4th in the US v. Skrmetti (TN) case.

  6. Urge US Senators to investigate closely and demand background checks on all of 47’s nominees by signing this petition.

  7. This petition asks Pres. Biden to act on climate change before leaving office.

• Oppose Capitol & DC Trans Bathroom Bans – Speaker Johnson has banned trans women from using female bathrooms in the Capitol building.

  1. This petition asks the House Democratic Caucus to oppose the ban.

  2. Rep. Mace has filed a bill that would ban trans people from bathrooms on federal property, including Dulles Airport, National Park and museum bathrooms in DC. Please ask Rep. Burchett to oppose the bill (contact information below).

  3. Contact the Architect of the Capitol, which oversees the building, to request they disavow the trans bathroom ban and/or make all Capitol bathrooms unisex. You can email them here: https://www.aoc.gov/contact-form

• Good News! 

  1. Several childcare ballot initiatives passed in the Nov. election.

  2. All three gun control/safety measures passed in Memphis.

  3. The Los Angeles City Council is now comprised of a majority of women.

  4. California has elected a record number of women to its legislature, and in Colorado and  NM women also won a majority of legislative seats.

  5. MIT will waive tuition for students for families making <$200,000.

  6. Biden administration is forgiving $4 billion in loans to Ukraine.

  7. Data show that few 3rd and 4th graders are being retained under TN’s reading law.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Learn about NOPE, an organization that works to elect people who will defend democracy.

  2. What is the global water cycle and why is it alarming that it is off balance for the first time ever?

  3. Learn about the fees inflating grocery bills.

  4. Checkout the Resisting Project 2025 Substack.

  5. Read how segregation academies are receiving millions of taxpayer dollars in the South. This is one goal of Gov. Lee’s voucher bill.

  6. Learn about the immigrant population in TN.

  7. Read about the 4B Movement and how it is taking hold in the USA.

Actions for Week of November 24, 2024

• Oppose School Voucher Bill – On Nov. 6th a new bill was filed in the TN House and Senate to expand the governor’s private school voucher plan. This time the bill in both chambers is identical, which makes it easier for it to pass. In addition, the bill contains a bribe to teachers, i.e. a one-time $2000 bonus. Read details of the bill here.

  1. Consider contacting Rep. Moon, Rep. Stinnett and Sen. Hatcherwith your feedback. They can be emailed, and their phone numbers are listed in each of the links.

  2. You can also send a letter to them through this link.

  3. You can contact city and county commissioners through this link.

  4. For more information on the school privatization effort, read the book: The Privateers – How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers by Josh Cowen published by Harvard Education Press.

  5. Consider joining the Public School Strong Movement. You can sign up here.

  6. Please plan to attend the January 30, 2025 Huddle Meeting, where the voucher bill will be discussed in detail.

• Delete Twitter/X Account – Consider joining the hundreds of thousands who are deactivating their Twitter/X accounts and joining BlueSky and/or Threads. Also consider protecting yourself from potential surveillance through steps outlined in this article.

• Good News!

  1. SCOTUS refused Mark Meadow’s request to move the Georgia election interference case to federal court.

  2. Farmers are temporarily turning their fields into wetlands to help migratory birds.

  3. Most Texas school board candidates who supported book bans lost their elections.

  4. Dolly Parton made a $4.5 million gift to the Nashville Public Library. It goes toward improving reading literacy for kindergarten-age kids.

  5. Read about the success the Center for Biological Diversity is having in getting M44 cyanide bait bombs banned.

  6. A new law in Massachusetts bars circuses from using elephants, lions, giraffes, and other animals.

  7. A judge struck down Wyoming’s abortion ban laws, which included a ban on medical abortion.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Consider reading these op-eds on Surviving Another 4 Years of DJT and How to Hope in a Near-Hopeless Time.

  2. Republicans in the House have rejected Sen. Stabenow’s farm bill and will try to pass a 1-year extension to the existing bill instead.

  3. Did you know that TBI proposes testing sewage from high schools and dorms for drugs?

  4. Gov. Lee supports 47’s plan to get rid of the Dept. of Education, if it doesn’t cost the state money.

  5. The Heritage Foundation has flooded federal agencies with thousands of FOIA requests. Read about the nefarious reason for it here.

  6. Read about the efforts by Leonard Leo to bankrupt Planned Parenthood.

  7. David Huitema was confirmed as the head of the Office of Government Ethics and will serve a 5-year term. He’s going to have his work cut out for him!

Actions for Week of November 17, 2024

• Oppose Senate Recess Appointments – With the nomination of folks like Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard and others who are not good candidates for Cabinet positions and face opposition in the Senate, 47 is proposing the Senate recess so he can by-pass the Senate confirmation process. You can send a letter to our Senators opposing this idea through this link. Their contact information is also listed below.

• Pledge to March – The Women’s March Coalition is calling for marches to be held on January 18, 2025 in Washington DC and locally. Visit this website to pledge to march. If you know of folks organizing marches or buses to Washington on this date, please bring the information to Thursday’s meeting or email it to maryvilletnhuddle@gmail.com .

• Support Grants, Oppose Loans - TN Sen. Rusty Crowe is urging Gov. Lee to issue grants from the state’s $2.5 billion rainy day fund (instead of loans taken from TennCare funds) to the 13 counties affected by Hurricane Helene. Consider letting Sen. Crowe know you support this idea. You can email him through this link and his phone number is 615-741-2468.

• Good News!

  1. LGBTQ+ candidates that made it to the general election had an 80% success rate.

  2. With the backing of the family of the Sandy Hook School shooting, the Onion has purchased (at auction) Alex Jones’ Infowars platform, social media accounts, studio, trademarks, and video archive.

     1. EveryTown for Gun Safety is the new website’s exclusive launch advertiser.

     2. They plan to repurpose the intellectual property into a tool to combat disinformation and extremism.

  3. Mississippi voters retired the Supreme Court justice who voted to kill the ballot initiative system.

  4. The Biden administration will allow American military contractors to deploy to Ukraine to repair broken equipment and is going to rush more military equipment to the country. In addition, new sanctions were placed on Russian entities and people.

  5. Colorado voters approved Proposition KK, which applies a 6.5% tax on guns and ammunition.

  6. A federal judge ruled the Louisiana law requiring the 10 commandments be displayed in schools is unconstitutional.

  7. Governors are gearing up to protect their constituents from action of the new administration, and a special session is planned in California.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Check out the People’s Guide to the 2024-25 SCOTUS term.

  2. Learn how gun manufacturers have given sensitive data on their customers (without their consent) to gun-friendly politicians.

  3. Will Cost-Benefit rules put in place by the Office of Management and Budget during the Biden administration be abandoned by the 47 regime?

  4. Tennessee’s refusal to take federal monies for HIV prevention/treatment and funding programs on its own is causing damage.

  5. The New Yorker has published an article on Five Thought Experiments Concerning the Underlying Disease as part of their post-election reflection series.

  6. The continuing resolution passed by House Republicans to keep the government open strips veterans of their disability pay if they want to receive their pensions.

  7. The 47 transition team has declined so far to sign ethics agreements that are required to move the transition process forward.

Actions for Week of November 10, 2024

What a devastating week it has been!! In 2016 when 45 was elected we were stunned, shocked, dismayed, disgusted, and yet hopeful that it was an “aberration” (in the words of RBG). Now 8 years later we must deal with the reality that 74 million Americans support what the man is peddling, i.e. a repudiation of the very ideals upon which our country was founded. It is so hard to understand and to believe that friends, family, neighbors, co-workers – for whatever reason – voted for him again.  And so very disheartening to know that next year we will once again face a continuous onslaught of harmful actions and insane decisions that endanger not only everyone in the USA but also people and countries across the globe.

The 45-47 regime is more organized this time but so are we. Out of the 2016 election grew a resistance movement that encompasses hundreds of groups and tens of thousands of people. When we marched and created the Maryville Huddle in January 2017, we developed a mission statement based on unity principles that still apply today…

• Ending Violence/Common Sense Gun Control

• Reproductive Rights

• LGBTQIA Rights

• Worker’s Rights

• Civil Rights

• Disability Rights

• Immigrant Rights

• Environmental Justice

• Civil Justice Reform

• Universal Healthcare

• Freedom of the Press/Combatting Disinformation

• Economic/Opportunity Equality

• Supporting Public Education/Arts

• Strengthening Democracy/Election & Judicial Reform

• Improving Foreign Relations

• Promoting Unity/Ending Divisiveness

Over the last 8 years we have discovered people who support these issues locally, across Tennessee, and nationwide that we didn’t know existed. Think of the friends we’ve made and the communities we’ve built. We’ve seen organizations form in Blount and Knox Counties (e.g. Welcoming Immigrant Neighbors-BC, A Place to Stay, Alcoa-Blount NAACP, SURJ, Knoxville Immigrant Allies, Appalachian OUTReach, etc.), and across the nation to address these issues and to protect vulnerable, marginalized people. Allied groups here and abroad are in place, networked, and already starting to prepare for the 45-47 regime, e.g. Women’s March, Sunrise Movement calls held this past week. See events list below for organizing calls scheduled next week.

Although we will never look at our country and fellow countrymen the same again, the USA we hope and dream for is not yet dead. Separatists in the Confederacy tried to kill the USA once before and they failed. It is estimated that the American Civil War resulted in 1.5 million casualties, affecting every family in the country. The 620,000 lives that were lost equate to 6 million souls today.  Don’t we owe it to them to not give up on the country they sacrificed so much for? How can we let hate and bigotry prevail?

Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and the time it takes for each individual to recover from a blow to the heart is different. It is natural to want to withdraw and to spend time healing. If you're up to it, we hope you will consider joining us on Thursday, November 21st, at 7PM for a discussion on where we go from here. Please save the date:

Nov 21st, Thurs 7-8:30PM: Maryville Huddle Meeting. Join us for a discussion on What Now/ Where Does the Huddle go from here based on the outcome of the 2024 election. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89545888666?pwd=ZlMyQ2pBYVQwMG5pblNVdGt5RTdwUT09 . Meeting ID: 895 4588 8666, Passcode: 061690. One tap mobile +1646558865. Bring a friend. 

Also note that not all election news was bad.

Good News

1. Shaundelle Brooks, whose son was killed in the 2018 Waffle House mass shooting has been elected to the TN State House.

2. For the first time, the US Senate will have two women serving. Lisa Blunt Rochester was elected in Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks was elected in Maryland.

3. The Michigan Supreme Court now has a Democratic majority that supports gun sense laws.

4. Democrats keep control of the Pennsylvania House.

5. Pamela Goodwine is the first black woman elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court.

6. Abortion-rights ballot measures passed in 7 of 10 states (AZ, MO, MD, MT, NV, CO, NY). In Florida, the ballot received 57.2% of the vote but 60% was required for it to pass. In Nebraska, abortion in the first trimester was protected, with later terminations possible under certain circumstances.

7. Marriage equality amendments passed in California and Colorado.

8. Zooey Zephyr (a trans woman) who was censored when she spoke against an anti-trans bill in the Montana House was re-elected.

9. Eugene Vindman, the twin brother of Alexander Vindman, was elected to the Virginia State House.

10. Sarah McBride was elected as the first openly transgender person to the US House.

11. Utah has elected John Curtis to the US Senate (Mitch Romney’s seat). He’s a moderate that supports climate issues and Ukraine.

12. Yassamin Ansar is the first Iranian-American to be elected to the US House.

13. Kentucky voters rejected an Amendment allowing private school vouchers.

14. Jannel Bynum was elected as the first black woman from Oregon to the US House.

15. Wick Thomas was elected as the first nonbinary member of the Missouri legislature.

Actions for Week of November 3, 2024

• Vote!  - Election day is finally here (Tuesday, November 5th)! Please remind family and friends who may have not yet voted to get out and vote on Tuesday!

• Join a Watch Party – A watch party is planned at The Bird and The Book on Tuesday, November 5th, from 7-10 PM. Location: 1509 E. Broadway Ave, Maryville. RSVP here.

• Be Ready! – Read Americans of Conscience’ Guide on What Comes After November 5th.

• Good News!

  1. The new national marine sanctuary on the West Coast will be led by members of the Northern Chumash Tribe.

  2. You should no longer see plastic air pillows in packages from Amazon.

  3. Danco Laboratories is going to seek FDA approval for Mifeprex’s (mifepristone) use in managing miscarriages.

  4. Renewables now comprise 30% of US utility-scale generating capacity.

  5. EPA has denied Alabama’s plan for coal ash waste.

  6. Elevated Access offers free flights to patients needing abortions or gender-affirming care and don’t have access where they live.

  7. At least 10 countries are on track to get 2/3 of their energy from wind and solar by 2030.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Wilson County TN (includes Lebanon, Mt. Juliet) has removed more than 400 books from its school libraries. Scroll down the document in this link. The list begins on page 5 and is alphabetized by author and school.

  2. Learn how dirty money is distorting the market for homebuyers.

  3. Read how the far right has risen to power in the county where Fort Worth TX is located.

  4. Learn how proposed cost-cutting measures by the US Postal Service could affect delivery of rural mail.

  5. Read why Arizona’s low-income families are not using private school vouchers.

  6. Did you know there is a database that allows you to look up who has paid SCOTUS justices and given them gifts?

Research shows school board conflicts cost counties $3.2 billion last year.Actions for Week of October 27, 2024

• Last Chance to Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Tuesday, Oct 29th, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Saturday, Nov 2nd, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. Meet at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

• Still Time to Text Bank – Slots are available to text bank with MomsRising through November 1st. Visit this website for details.

• Petitions to Sign

  1. This petition asks Pres. Biden to speed up the transition to clean energy before he leaves office.

  2. This petition asks that rhino trophies from two black rhinos killed in Namibia not be allowed entrance to the USA.

  3. This petition asks YouTube to stop promoting gun-related content to children.

  4. This petition asks media outlets to mention climate change when covering natural disasters.

  5. You can email members of Congress to ask they support the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 through this link.

  6. This petition demands accountability for TN’s underfunding of TN State University by $2 billion.

• Good News!

  1. Welcome Corps has helped resettle 1800 LGBTQ+ people seeking refuge in the USA.

  2. See the preliminary list of $2 generic drugs that will be made available to Medicare recipients.

  3. The number of candidates receiving an “A” rating from the NRA declined this year for the 7th election cycle.

  4. A mega geothermal energy project in Utah has been approved.

  5. Learn about the return of critically endanger Loa water frogs to their natural habitat in Chile and the birth of 4 rare Sumatran tigers in a zoo in Poland.

  6. TBI is making progress in laboratory testing of rape kits. Turnaround time is down to 10 weeks from 45 weeks two years ago.

  7. Michigan recently passed a bill boosting school safety and mental health support.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Did you know that on December 4th SCOTUS will hear oral arguments on the lawsuit United States v. Skrmetti against the 2023 TN law banning gender-affirming care for transgender people?   An ACLU lawyer, Chase Strangio, will be the first openly transgender lawyer to argue before SCOTUS.

  2. Read the embarrassing explanation by the publisher of the Washington Post as to why they didn’t allow the editorial board to endorse Kamala Harris for president and the meeting of CEO of (Bezo-owned) Blue Origin with 45 around the same time. The Post has endorsed a presidential candidate every election since 1970. Instead, their humor columnist wrote an endorsement that is worth reading.

  3. Learn about the fake Project 2028 being used to discredit VP Harris that is sponsored by dark money.

  4. The Catholic Tribune is not a church-associated paper at all. It is actually pink slime.

  5. Learn how oil subsidies skew markets and stifle clean energy.

  6. Read how most Floridians prefer leaders committed to climate action.

  7. Learn why domestic violence, child abuse, and DUI cases are being dismissed en masse in Anchorage AK.

Actions for Week of October 20, 2024

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Sunday, Oct 20th, 3-6PM: Canvassing and pizza party. Meet at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Tuesday, Oct 22nd, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at DC Democratic Party, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Wednesday, Oct 23rd, 5-7PM: Canvassing neighborhoods. Meet at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  4. Thursday, Oct 24th, 4-6PM: Canvassing neighborhoods. Meet at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  5. Saturday, Oct 26th, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. Meet at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

• Still Time to Text Bank – Slots are available to text bank with MomsRising through November 1st. Visit this website for details.

• Good News!

  1. A 3-judge panel in TN temporarily blocked the state’s medical board from disciplining doctors for providing emergency abortions and outlined 4 pregnancy-related conditions that qualify as medical necessities for the procedure. The ruling will remain in place until the case is resolved.

  2. Forest Hills in Davidson County TN won a ruling allowing them to rename Confederate-themed city streets.

  3. SCOTUS declined to block EPA’s rules on methane emissions, mercury and other pollutants.

  4. Public libraries are helping with hurricane relief efforts.

  5. Pres. Biden announced a new rule requiring removal of all lead pipes in the USA within 10 years.

  6. South Carolina’s Supreme Court declared the state’s K-12 school voucher program unconstitutional.

  7. Supreme Court of Montana has blocked abortion restrictions while a suit against the law proceeds.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Did you know that the US weakened a UN declaration on antibiotic resistance?

  2. Learn how two billionaire preachers have built the most powerful political machine in Texas.

  3. Read how the Inflation Reduction Act is readying national parks for climate change.

  4. Learn how the TN legislature’s failure to enact standards for developers is allowing sewage to leak into new neighborhoods.

  5. SpaceX’s rocket flights are polluting Texas wetlands with industrial waste.

  6. Ten states have education-related measures on the ballot this year.

  7. Learn about microstamping and why the gun industry opposes it.

Actions for Week of October 13, 2024

1. Provide Feedback on HEAL Program – Gov. Lee is establishing a $100 million loan program to help counties affected by Hurricane Helene to clear debris and repair damaged water systems. This is an interest-free loan designed to help communities while they wait for FEMA reimbursements. The question is whether any of the counties involved can afford to pay back such loans. Why doesn’t Gov. Lee help these communities by giving them money from the State’s Rainy Day fund, which currently has $2.1 billion in it? Or why doesn’t he use the $144 million allocated in this year’s budget to expand school vouchers that can’t be used for that purpose because the bill was defeated? Please contact the governor to request he give these communities (free of charge) the money they need. Phone: 615-741-2001 or email at https://www.tn.gov/governor/contact-us/share-opinion.html. 

2. Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

a. Sunday, Oct 13th 3-5PM: Phone banking and canvassing at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

b. Monday, Oct 14th 10AM, 1-4PM, 4-7PM, 6-8PM: Phone banking for Gloria Johnson. RSVP here.

c. Tuesday, Oct 15th 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BCDemocratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

d. Wednesday, Oct 16th 5-7PM: Canvass neighborhoods. RSVP here.

e. Thursday, Oct 17th 4-6PM: Canvassing from BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

f. Saturday, Oct 19th 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. RSVP here. 

3. Drive Voters to the Polls – RideShare2VoteAware.org is signing up volunteers in TN and other states to drive folks to the polls and serve in dispatch and outreach capacities. You can volunteer here. If someone needs a ride to the polls, they can visit this website. 

4. Petitions to Sign

a. Please ask TVA to stop the expansion of Illinois’ Sugar Camp coal mine by sending this letter by October 15th.

b. This petition asks Congress to protect Medicare.

c. This petition asks data centers and tech companies to transition to clean energy. 

d. This ACLU-sponsored petition asks Congress to protect the right to dissent, especially for pro-Palestine protests. 

e. This petition supports reproductive freedom.

5. Good News!

a. World Central Kitchen has distributed tens of thousands of meals to folks in Western NC affected by Hurricane Helene.

b. The Wild Reauthorization Act passed the Senate. It reauthorizes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program that enables wildlife and habitat conservation in all 50 states, and the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, which support the global conservation of imperiled species, including rhinos, elephants, tigers, great apes, and turtles. It had already passed the House. 

c. California is going to spend $790 million on affordable-housing and sustainability projects.

d. Two Wisconsin Tribes have received $13 million to invest in renewable energy sources through the IRA.

e. A federal court struck down a portion of Texas bill SB1 that interfered with voter canvassing and education efforts.

f. The USDA has doubled its funding for climate mitigation projects.

g. Zion National Park’s shuttles are now all electric vehicles.

6. Educate Yourself

a. Read how gerrymandering is skewing the 2024 race for the House.

b. Learn how the public-sector pay gap is widening but unions may help shrink it. 

c. Did you know that Norway now has more electric cars on its roads than gas-powered ones?

d. Are young voters driven or disillusioned?

e. Read the remarkable story of how Jason Kander started Operation Bella for saving Afghan allies when the Taliban took over.

f. Read what you need to know about certification of the 2024 election.

g. Learn how voter suppression makes the racist, anti-worker Southern model possible.

Actions for Week of October 6, 2024

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Tuesday, Oct 8th, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BCDP Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Wednesday, Oct 9th, 5-7PM: Canvass neighborhoods. Meet at BCDP headquarters 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Thursday, Oct 10th, 4-6PM: Canvass neighborhoods. Meet at BCDP headquarters 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  4. Friday, Oct 11th 4-6PM: Get Out the Vote Rally with Gloria Johnson at Everett Senior Center, 702 Burchfield St. Maryville. RSVP here or just show up.

  5. Saturday, Oct 12th, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. Meet at BCDP headquarters 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  6. Sunday, Oct 13th, 2-4PM. Postcard writing at Blount County Democratic Party Headquarters , 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

• There’s Still Time to Write Postcards 

  1. Postcards for America

  2. Blue Wave Postcard Movement (postcards to Nebraska)

  3. Grassroots Democrats

• Good News!

  1. The Lower Sioux Indian community has opened a plant that will construct homes with hempcrete.

  2. A rural NC county is reopening its hospital with help from a new federal program.

  3. Colorado’s cash for gas-guzzler program is more popular than expected.

  4. In Delaware, Sarah McBride won the Democratic primary for the Congressional House seat, and if elected will become the first openly transgender person in Congress.

  5. The city of Hague has banned advertisements promoting fossil fuel products.

  6. California has banned anti-coagulant rat poisons. Did you know cats and wildlife can be poisoned by eating rodents that have ingested these products?

  7. Utah Supreme Court voided an amendment passed by the legislature that would have allowed them to repeal or alter voter-approved ballot measures.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Learn about Respect My Vote, the longest running, most successful Hip Hop voter engagement campaign ever.

  2. Check out LoWV’s Vote411 website.

  3. In this era of disinformation, check out these fact checking websites. Encourage friends and relatives who believe misinformation and conspiracy theories to visit these sites:

     1. Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/

     2. FactCheck: https://www.factcheck.org/

     3. Polifact: https://www.politifact.com/

     4. NPR Fact Check: https://www.npr.org/sections/politics-fact-check

     5. On Threads follow verifythis.

  4. Learn about the difficulties Tribal Nations are encountering with accessing the federal grant of $32 million for solar installations.

  5. Tennessee needs $3 billion by 2027 to repair, replace & expand wastewater treatment systems in the state.

  6. Would you believe numerous Republicans voted against FEMA funding before Hurricane Helene hit and Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to address supplemental funding despite another hurricane forming in the Gulf?

  7. Learn about Congressional Stock Trading by members of the 118thCongress.

Actions for Week of September 29, 2024

• Support Hurricane Relief Efforts – The devastation in northeastern TN and western NC is apocalyptic. Needed supplies include water, nonperishable food, person hygiene items, first aid kits, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, gloves, baby supplies (e.g. diapers, wipes, formula), pet items (e.g. food, crates, kitty litter, litter pans), flashlights, batteries, cell phone chargers/charging devices, and large trash bags. Supplies for east TN can be dropped off these locations:

  1. The Walnut Kitchen, 606 High St. Maryville from 12-4 PM Tues through Fri

  2. Yassin’s Falafel House, 212 Hamilton Crossing Dr Alcoa and 706 Walnut St Knoxville

  3. Towsend KOA Holiday Sweet Shoppe, 8544 State Highway 73, Townsend

  4. The Birdhouse, 800 N. 4th Ave Knoxville on Monday, Sept 30th9AM-7PM

• For a list of places to donate money and supplies for North Carolina, see this article.

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Today, Sunday Sept 29th, 2-4 PM: Postcard writing at BD Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here or just show up.

  2. Tuesday, Oct 1st, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BD Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Wednesday, Oct 2nd, 5-7PM. Canvassing neighborhoods. Meet at Party Headquarters. RSVP here.

  4. Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 6-8PM: Phone banking party is also taking place at home in Maryville. RSVP here.

  5. Saturday, Oct 5th, 10AM-Noon. Canvassing neighborhoods. Meet at Party Headquarters. RSVP here.

  6. Saturday, Oct 5th, 1-7PM: To volunteer at the BC-Knox-Sevier Dems booth at the Knox Pride event at World Fair Park, Knoxville, visit this website. Even if you don’t volunteer, please stop by.

  7. Sunday Oct 6th, 2-4 PM: Postcard writing at BD Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

• Send Voter Registration Forms – Civitech New Voter Initiative has an interactive map that allows you to send voter registration forms to unregistered voters for $2 each. If you click on TN, you’ll see they are concentrating on 5 high-impact counties. Click on each county to see how much help they need.

• Good News!

  1. The CDC is sending $62 million to state and local health agencies for free vaccines.

  2. Several states (CO, CA, MN, OR, WA) will offer healthcare regardless of immigration status.

  3. This past week the White House announced additional measure to reduce gun violence.

  4. $18 million federal dollars are being sent to southern border communities to help them provide humanitarian services to migrants.

  5. Read about the positive impact the 1964 Wilderness Act has had across the Southern USA.

  6. A Minnesota law that criminalizes the spreading of election disinformation and participating in voter intimidation has been upheld.

  7. A Haitian organization has filed criminal charges against 45 and Vance and seeks their arrest for disrupting public services with their lies about Springfield OH.

• Educate Yourself 

  1. Learn about the wealthy white Christian donors who have formed Ziklag, a secret organization working to remove voters from the polls in swing states and to re-elect 45.

  2. A federal judge dismissed a challenge to TN’s bathroom bill.

  3. Check out Ballotpedia’s 2024 Voter Toolkit.

  4. Read about the 6 books banned in schools in Rutherford County, and how books are quietly disappearing across TN.

  5. TN lawmakers may try to remove protections from thousands of acres of wetlands during the next session of the General Assembly.

  6. Did you know that during the 45-era EPA officials were pressured to downplay harm from chemicals?

     1. Learn how 3M executives convinced a scientist that forever chemicals found in human blood were safe.

     2. Also read why some believe plastics are the biggest threat to climate change.

Actions for Week of September 22, 2024

• Please Contact Gov. Parson (MO) Today – Marcellus Williams was proved innocent of a murder conviction by the Innocence Project and Missouri State Prosecutors agree that his trial was constitutionally unfair. However, Marcellus is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, Sept 24th. The only person who can commute his sentence and save Marcellus is the governor. Please call him at 417-373-3400 ASAP. More details are available at this website.

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Tuesday, Sept 24th, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BD Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Tuesday, Sept 24th, 7-8PM: BC Democratic Party is hosting a postcard writing party 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Wednesday, Sept 25th, 5-7PM: Canvassing Neighborhoods. RSVP here.

  4. Saturday, Sept 28st, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. RSVP here.

• Check out the Harris-Walz Volunteer Website – Plug your zip code and state into the search box to learn about volunteer opportunities.

• Amber Nicole Thurman & Candi Miller – Say their names. They didn’t need to die.

• Good News!

  1. Clingman Dome’s name will be changed officially to Kuwohi, which means Mulberry Place. Thanks to Kim Smith and others who worked hard on this issue.

  2. Rep. Jason Zachary’s (R, Knoxville) bill criminalizing helping a minor obtain an abortion has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.

  3. A Nashville judge restored the voting rights of 4 people from Davidson County, which may pave the way for more former felons to restore their voting rights. Amazingly, the ruling hinges on gun rights.

  4. The TN Dept of Health has changed course and will resume offering birth control, STD testing, etc. to unaccompanied teens.

  5. Based on a Chalkbeat survey, teens are beginning to pay more attention to politics and elections.

  6. UAW successfully unionized workers at the Spring Hill TN Ultium battery plant.

  7. A judge overturned North Dakota’s abortion ban.

• Educate Yourself – 

  1. Watch this video on how TN keeps ~500,000 people from voting.

  2. Did you know that the week of Sept 9th, TN Dept of Safety and Homeland Security investigated 125 school threats?

  3. Learn about the 50 agriculture commissioners in the USA.

  4. Learn about the ATTIS Microsimulation Model and how much poverty would decrease in each state (interactive map) if every eligible person received their safety net benefits. Based on 2022 Tennesseans would have received $3.4 billion under full funding.

  5. A new law in Louisiana is forcing hospitals to pull misoprostol off their emergency response cars for miscarriages and postpartum hemorrhaging.

  6. Did you know that agriculture emissions in the USA are dropping? Some Black farmers are changing their crops with climate in mind.

  7. Since the abortion ban was enacted in Texas, the numbers of pregnant women dying has increased dramatically.

Actions for Week of September 15, 2024

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Tuesday, Sept 17th, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BD Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Tuesday, Sept 17th, 7-8PM: BC Democratic Party is hosting a postcard writing party 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Tues, Sept. 17th, tba: Help register voters on National Voter Registration Day. Contact Marilyn at 973-903-8331 for details and to sign up.

  4. Saturday, Sept 21st, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. RSVP here.

• More Phone Banking Opportunities –

  1. Sept 17th, Tues 6-7:30 PM: Join March For Our Lives to call young voters in Michigan.

  2. Center for Common Ground is reaching out to voters in various states, such as NC, VA, GA, WA, etc.

  3. Phone Banking for Night Owls takes place 9-11PM EDT on Monday evenings. Calls are made to Nevada.

  4. Tennessee is part of  Vote Save America 2024’s Team East and they have phone banking opportunities for Harris-Walz and down ballot candidates.

• Support Haitian Immigrants – Sign this petition denouncing the racist attacks on Haitian immigrants in Springfield OH. You can also send a note of support to the Haitian Community Center there through their website.

• Support Retirees in NYC – Mayor Adams is attempting to force thousands of retirees in New York City off traditional Medicare and onto Medicare Advantage plans. Consider signing this petition opposing that move.

• Good News!

  1. Rep. John Ragan (Oak Ridge) lost his bid to throw out the primary results where he was defeated. Hurrah! He was the author of 2 diversify concepts bills and several horrible anti-LGBTQ+ bills.

  2. A federal ruled that folks can register to vote online with an electronic signature.

  3. Dept. of Energy will spend $5 million to put solar panels on homes on Navajo Nation, and BLM will expedite permitting of solar energy production on public lands.

  4.  A deal is in the works to create a new state forest in western TN that would protect the Memphis water supply.

  5. A University of Maryland study showed that many (73-80%) of folks in six swing states do not want to criminalize abortion.

     1. The study also found that 64-71% supported continued military aid to Ukraine.

     2. 74-83% were in favor of keeping tax credits for EVs and clean energy.

     3. 71-76% felt Congress, SCOTUS, POTUS and the VP should not trade stocks

  6. Did you know Tornado Alley is shifting east and north?

• Educate Yourself - Learn More About Project 25

  1. Listen to some of the 14 hours of video obtained by ProPublica on the Project’s development and goals.

     1. One goal is to remove all equity plans from federal and executive orders and eliminate all jobs related to equity oversight.

     2. Another goal is to eradicate all references to climate change where ever they appear.

  2. Learn about the Project’s connections to TN legislators and legislation.

  3. Read the National Urban League’s take on Project 25.

  4. Project 25 calls for major cuts to SNAP and WIC.

  5. And here’s the Sierra Club’s op-ed on Project 2025.

  6. Sign this petition and this petition against Project 2025.

Actions for Week of September 8, 2024

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for more details.

  1. Tuesday, Sept 10th, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Tuesday, Sept 10th, 7-8PM: BC Democratic Party is hosting a postcard writing party at 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Tuesday, Sept 10th, 9-10:30PM: Presidential Debate Watch Party at The Bird and The Book, 1509 #. Broadway Ave, Maryville. RSVP here.

  4. Saturday, Sept 14th, 10AM-Noon: Canvass neighborhoods. RSVP here.

  5. Tues, Sept. 17th, tba: Help register voters on National Voter Registration Day. Contact Marilyn at 973-903-8331 for details and to sign up.

• Consider Text Banking – Text banking events are available through Mobilize. Scroll down in this user guide to learn how to participate. You can also sign up for text training any day of the week at 7PM EDT at this website, which is sponsored by the Harris-Walz team in Virginia.

  1. Register dems in swing states – Thursdays 6PM EDT and Saturdays 1PM EDT.

  2. Text unregistered voters in key states – Every day of the week at various times.

  3. Text Young Voters with NextGenAmerica – Tuesday Sept 10 1PM EDT and Wednesday Sept 11 at 1 PM EDT.

  4. Bookmark this website and revisit it often to see upcoming opportunities as they are posted.

• Post-it Notes for Kamala – Join the thousands of women every where that are putting up post-in notes inside bathroom stalls in women’s’ bathrooms, with the following script:

                                   Woman to Woman                                                         

            No one sees your vote at the polls.

                                  Vote Harris Walz!

                                  Register at TurboVote.org      

• Good News!

  1. A federal judge temporarily blocked a new law in NH banning transgender athletes.

  2. The largest solar farm in the world (in Xinjiang China) was just switched on.

  3. The Lilly Endowment Fund is donating $100 million to the National Park Foundation of the National Park Service.

  4. TN is receiving $813 million federal dollars to expand broadband in rural areas. See map of underserved areas, which includes Blount County.

  5. A federal judge ruled that Missouri’s law declaring all federal gun laws invalid and not to be enforced is unconstitutional.

  6. New Mexico is building an abortion clinic to serve neighboring states.

  7. The Brazilian Supreme Court upheld the decision to suspend X (formerly Twitter) in the country.

• Educate Yourself  

  1. Read about the DOJ investigation into CoreCivic’s Trousdale County TN prison.

  2. Learn about the right-wing groups trying to remove millions from voter rolls. Encourage everyone you know to double check their voter registration status.

  3. Check out Swipe Blue, an app that finds your progressive friends and helps you make sure they are registered and will vote.

  4. Learn about Every State Blue, an organization with projects in TN, MO & OH to flip seats from red to blue.

  5. The Arizona bill that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote is currently blocked but an emergency petition has been filed to US Supreme Court to reinstate the law.

  6. Learn how abortion bans and other bills are affecting children who are victims of rape or incest.

  7. Read about the importance of teacher diversity.

 Actions for Week of September 1, 2024

• Get Involved Locally – See BC Dem website for details.

  1. Tuesday, Sept 3rd, 4-5:30PM: Phone banking at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  2. Tuesday, Sept 3rd, 7-8PM: BC Democratic Party is hosting a postcard writing party, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  3. Sunday, Sept 8th, 3-5PM: Postcard writing, headquarters training, voter outreach at BC Democratic Party Headquarters, 523 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Suite 11, Maryville. RSVP here.

  4. Tues, Sept. 17th, tba: Help register voters on National Voter Registration Day. Contact Marilyn at 973-903-8331 for details and to sign up. 

• Introduce NextGen America to 18-35-Year-Olds –  NextGenAmerica.org has resources on its website for making plans to vote in the battleground states, which is particularly important for college/university students. They ask this age group not only to register to vote but also pledge to vote. They are very active on social media. Please urge all your college-age students to make a plan for voting in the upcoming election.

• Offer Comments - The US Forest Service is currently working through the National Environmental Policy Act process to develop an Environmental Impact Statement on managing old-growth forests. The proposed amendment is intended to provide consistent direction to conserve and steward old-growth forest conditions in response to rapidly changing climate conditions. See this website and this website for details. Comments can be offered here.

• Good News!

  1. Oklahoma has rescinded the contract for the nation’s first taxpayer funded religious charter school.

  2. Montana’s supreme court ruled minors don’t need parental permission to obtain an abortion.

  3. As many as 11 states will have abortion-related measures on the ballot this year, including AZ, CO, FL, MD, MO, NV, NY, SD, AK, MT, and NB.

  4. Did you know that wind and solar are on track to overtake coal this year?

  5. Pres. Biden has made the site of the 1908 Race Riot in Springfield IL a national monument.

  6. A federal court upheld Maryland’s handgun license requirements. Oregon’s ban on ghost guns goes into effect today, and America’s largest ghost gun company (Polymer 80) has closed.

  7. An Ohio court just blocked several Ohio laws that force abortion patients to make an unnecessary, in-person visit to a clinic to receive stigmatizing information and then wait a minimum of 24 hours before obtaining an abortion.

• Educate Yourself – TN bills and actions made a lot of news recently & it is mostly bad.

  1. Learn about the impact of the new TN “threats of mass violence” law and how it is being used to arrest students at school.

  2. Also learn about the adverse effects of the new parental consent laws on teenagers and teachers.

  3. A federal just ruled TennCare illegally terminated healthcare coverage for 1.5 million Tennesseans. Read the press release from TN Justice Center.

  4. A federal court upheld TN’s US House map stating that although it is politically gerrymandered, it is not racially gerrymandered. 

  5. Rep. John Ragan (Oak Ridge) was defeated in the primary by a moderate Republican. He is challenging the outcome by claiming that crossover voters “immorally” voted for his opponent. 

  6. TN lost its bid to have federal dollars for family planning reinstated. These funds were lost when TN enacted its abortion ban.

  7. A federal review found dozens of cases of sexual harassment and assault in the Memphis school district from 2020-2023.

Actions for Week of August 25, 2024

• Request a Voting Day Holiday – Consider contacting the President to request he declare November 5th (election day) a national holiday to encourage folks to vote. You can send an email here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/share/  

• Donate a Yard Sign – You can donate a yard sign to be sent to rural areas in battleground states through this link. This effort is sponsored by RuralVote.org.  

• Petitions to Sign – 

  1. This petition asks local communities to invest in community safety measures.

  2. This petition asks Congress to protect old-growth forests.

  3. This petition asks Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

  4. Send a letter to Congress here encouraging them to approve TVA Board members that are climate leaders.

  5. This petition asks Congress to save the Grand Canyon water from uranium mining.

  6. This petition urges Congress to prioritize public health funding in the 2025 budget. See funding fact sheet here.

  7. Painted wooly bats are being killed in the wild, stuffed, and offered for sale on Ebay, Amazon, Etsy and other sites. This petitionrequests those sites suspend sale of these bats.  

• Good News!

  1. The number of overdose deaths in the USA has started to decline for the 1st time in 5 years.

  2. Massachusetts will continue to provide free school meals for another year.

  3. The National Forest Foundation planted more than 8 million trees in 2023 over 21,000 acres.

  4. The Administration is granting 3 of South Dakota’s Native American reservations $30 million for infrastructure projects.

  5. One million claims have been approved for veterans exposed to toxic substances since the PACT Act was passed.

  6. After years of legal battles, Williamson County TN can remove the Confederate flag from it’s official seal.

  7. 350 mayors are pledging to electrify 50% of their city fleets by 2040 and increase EV infrastructure by 2035.  

• Educate Yourself

  1. Learn about the Progressive Turnout Project.

  2. Visit the ACLU’s 2024 Election Tool website.

  3. By law, all 95 TN counties must have a sexual assault response team but only 15 do.  Blount, Sevier, Knox, Anderson, Monroe, and Loudon counties do not.

  4. 40 TN counties are now considered economically distressed or at risk.

  5. Read how Hillsdale College is sending mailers seeking donations to put “the Constitution back into TN public schools”.

  6. Climate change is stressing thousands of aging dams in the USA.

  7. TN Attorney General, Skremtti, is joining 25 other AGs to challenge the federal rule allowing transgender women and girls to complete as student athletes.

Actions for Week of August 18, 2024

• Consider Phone Banking for Candidates – It’s fun! SURJ provides phone banking training on Tuesdays. Visit this link for details.

  1. TN’s Planned Parenthood phone banks every Tues evening. For more information, click here.

  2. For Gen Z members of your family or friends, Voters of Tomorrow phone bank on Tuesdays from 6-8PM; Wednesdays from 7-9PM; and Thursdays from 6-8PM. Visit the links to see dates available.

  3. Field Team 6 has phone banking sessions available on Saturdays for calling eligible voters in Arizona and in Georgia on Wednesdays.

  4. You can sign up for phone banking and other volunteer activities for VP Harris here and here (Sundays & Wednesdays).  

  5. Zoom phone banking for Democrats has sessions available every day at a variety of times. See this link for options.

  6. Environmental Voter Project also has phone banking sessions available.

• Become a Poll Worker – See TN Secretary of State website for general information on becoming a poll worker.

  1. For Blount county, visit this website.

  2. For Knox county, visit this website.

  3. For Sevier county, visit this website.

  4. For Loudon county visit this website.

• Check Your Voter Registration Status – If you have not voted recently or know someone who has not, please visit Vote.org to check the status of your registration. Note that mass purges are taking place in several states (OH, GA, TX, VA, etc.). These efforts are one way to suppress the vote.

• Good News!

  1. Michigan’s community colleges will be free starting this fall.

  2. Protection for Delaware Bay’s horseshoe crabs has been strengthened.

  3. Athens TN school district is introducing electric buses.

  4. 1500 Black and minority TN farmers that were discriminated against for USDA loans will receive federal grants. Across the USA, $2 billion in grants will be awarded.

  5. Bloomberg Philanthropies is giving $600 million to 4 HBCU medical schools.

  6. The 4th Circuit Court upheld Maryland’s ban on assault weapons in a 10-5 vote.

  7. Trans employees of the state of FL won a lawsuit against Gov. DeSantis for banning their care.

• Educate Yourself

  1. The UN’s food insecurity report is bleak.

  2. See the status of the National Popular Vote bill in each state.

  3. Read how the Seattle Aquarium will partner with the Muckleshoot Tribe to improve cultural and marine science education opportunities.

  4. The US Congress has passed only 78 laws this year, with only 35 days left. Usually, hundreds are passed each session.

  5. Did you know that undocumented immigrants paid $227 million in taxes in Oklahoma alone last year?

  6. The Library of Congress and Story Corps are building an audio archive of American experiences with COVID-19. Speaking of COVID-19, cases are high right now in TN, and the disease is on the rise across the USA.

  7. Read how Scott County TN has changed its approach to managing domestic violence.

Actions for Week of August 11, 2024

• Send Postcards, Write Letters – There are lots of opportunities to contact voters while relaxing at home in the evenings, such as the following:

  1. Get out the Vote with MomsRising.org – get free preaddressed, pre-stamped postcards

  2. Send postcards to swing states and key House districts with Progressive Turnout Project. Donation is requested but not mandatory. See also Postcards to Florida  and Postcards to Michigan.

  3. Send postcards to Black voters in targeted states with Center for Common Ground.

  4. Blue Wave Postcard Movement is sending postcards to Nebraska.

  5. Sign up to write printable letters with Vote Forward here. They are sending letters to battle ground states and key House Districts.

• More Down-Ballot Candidates to Support – You can see who these folks are running against by visiting this website.

  1. Aftyn Behn – TN House District 51 (Nashville): https://www.aftynbehn.com/

  2. Sam McKenzie – TN House District 15 (Knoxville): https://www.mckenziefortn.com/

  3. Lauren Carver – TN House District 16 (Knoxville): https://www.lauren4tn.com/

  4. Bryan Goldberg: TN House District 18 (Knoxville): https://www.votebryangoldberg.com/

  5. Cary Hammond: TN House District 89 (Knoxville): https://www.caryfortn.com/

  6. Amanda Collins – TN House District 14 (Knoxville): https://www.amandafortn.com/

  7. Domonica Bryan – TN Senate District 6 (Knoxville):  https://www.domonica4tn.com/

• For Republican Family & Friends – They can sign up for Republicans for Harris here.

1. Women For Harris – If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so hereor text WOMEN to 30330.

• Good News!

  1. Gov. Whitmer of Michigan signed a bill banning the gay or trans panic defense and Maine’s abortion and transgender care bill is now in effect.

  2. Georgia has reversed itself and school districts can now use state funding to teach AP Black studies courses.

  3. Jim Kohlberg is making a $30 million donation to the Brennan Center for Justice of NY University to study and advocate for overhaul of SCOTUS.

  4. Burrowing owls in California are a step closer to being protectedand the tiger population in Thailand has increased 250%.

  5. The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the law restoring voting right to 55,000 people with felony convictions.

  6. The ACLU has filed suit against TN’s law that prohibits judges from considering one’s ability to pay when setting bail.

  7. A judge ruled that the TN law cutting Nashville’s Metro Council in half is unconstitutional. Sadly, TN attorney general says he will appeal this ruling.

  8. Utah’s State Supreme Court ruled the 6-week abortion will remain blocked until a constitutionality review is completed by a lower court.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Learn how individual states score on women’s health and reproductive care.

  2. Elon Musk is misdirecting potential voter registrants in swing states to a private website supporting 45!

  3. Learn how election deniers are positioning themselves in swing states so they can potentially refuse to certify election results.

     1.  Read what happens if election official refuse to certify results.

     2. Here’s information on the Georgia Election Board rule that could delay election certification.

  4. Read about the proposed SCOTUS reforms. It is the opinion of the Brennan Center that Congress can set term limits for the justices.

  5. Did you know that rural TN counties have the most room for voter turnout & registration growth?

  6. 45 may have received a $10 million bribe from Egypt in 2017 and the investigation into was squashed by Bill Barr.

Actions for Week of August 4, 2024

• Support Down-Ballot Candidates – Congratulations to these women who won their primaries. You can see who these folks are running against by visiting this website. Let’s support them! Also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, TitTok, Threads and X.

1. 1. Sue Dubois – TN State House District 8: https://www.votesuedubois.com/

   2. Karen Gertz – TN State House District 20: https://karengertztn.com/

   3. Patti Young – TN State Senate District 2: https://www.pattiyoungforsenate.com/

   4. Jane George – USA House District 2: https://janegeorgetn.com/home

   5. Gloria Johnson – USA Senate: https://www.votegloriajohnson.com/

• Get Involved in Swing State Races – Consider supporting candidates in important races in Swing States. SURJ provides phone banking training on Tuesdays. Visit this link for details. Consider phone banking for Cori Bush. Visit this link for details.

• Good News!

  1. The number of LGBTQ+ people that have won elected office has increased by 200% since 2017.

  2. The Administration is investing $2 billion to reopen closed auto factories to make EVs.

  3. A federal court has gutted Florida’s “stop woke” law.

  4. Michigan will receive $129 million in federal fund for renewable energy projects for local and tribal governments.

  5. Pres. Biden recently signed the bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act.

  6. Val Demmings has been nominated to serve on the USPS board.

  7. Newburn AL will be able to hold its first election since 1965, and the black mayor (Patrick Braxton) has assumed office after being blocked by white town leaders.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Did you know that TWRA allowed oak trees in Cheatham Wildlife Management Area without a contract and while timber sales were on hold?

  2. School vouchers have blown a hole in the Arizona budget and the state is now facing cuts to critical state programs and projects.

  3. Senate Republicans blocked expansion of the child tax credit this past week.

  4. Read how years of racist and anti-workers policies in the South have kept pay and job quality low.

  5. Can Pres. Biden top 45’s number of judicial appointments?

  6. Learn about the Movement Voter Project.

  7. Nebraska’s attorney general and secretary of state are refusing to recognize laws restoring voting rights to people with past convictions.

Actions for Week of July 28, 2024

• Answer the Call 2024 – In 2016 & 2020, a majority of white women in the USA voted for 45. White women cost Hillary Clinton the election in 2016 and Biden won in 2020 despite losing this demographic group. It is imperative we get more white women to vote blue this year. We are being asked to speak with white women about the election and what is at stake.  We are encouraged to stress the positive goals of Democrats (e.g. affordable childcare, lower drug costs, more affordable healthcare and housing, climate mitigation measures, common sense gun control) that many people in the USA support. When the conversation occurs with a 45 supporter, consider directing them to Project 25 and query whether they really want to live in that world. In addition, consider taking these steps.

  1. Donate money, host a fund raiser

  2. Write postcards

  3. Phone bank

  4. Plan a rally (Women’s March wants to organize rallies and marches on November 2nd in support of reproductive freedom.)

  5. Run an event venue for a candidate

  6. On social media use #AnswerTheCall2024, #WomenforHarris, #HarrisforTN, etc.

• Get Involved Locally – Consider volunteering with Blount Count Dems. Visit the website or contact sodubois@gmail.com . Phone banking with TN Planned Parenthood is available every Tues: https://www.mobilize.us/tappactioncouncils/ or https://www.mobilize.us/tappactioncouncils/event/627289/

• Get Involved With National Organizations – Check out these organizations and movements provided by Marilyn and Sue:

a.https://www.momsrising.org/campaigns/momsvote(postcards supplied)

b.https://votefwd.org

c.https://www.voteriders.org/volunteer /

d.https://whenweallvote.org

e.Zoom Phone Bank for Democrats sponsored by DNC

f.https://www.nopeneighbors.org/

g.https://www.red2blue.org

h.https://www.turnoutpac.org

i.https://swingbluealliance.org/about-us/

j. Indivisible Neighbor2Neighbor (only in certain states)

• Good News!

  1. Since Pres. Biden withdrew from the race, vote.org has registered 100,000 new voters, of which 84% are between the ages of 18-34 and 18% are 18 years old. The top ten states for new voters are TX, CA, FL, NY, IL, OH, GA, NC, PA, and NJ. In addition, Voto Latino has seen a 117% increase in voter registrations. Top states for Latino registrations were GA, NC, AZ, FL and TX.

  2. A federal judge ruled that Lizelle Gonzalez can proceed with a lawsuit against the local sheriff and prosecutors in TX who jailed her and charged her with murder after a medical abortion.

  3. Enough signatures have been obtained in Arkansas to put an abortion rights amendment on the ballot.

  4. The Delaware law banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines has been upheld in court.

  5. California’s power grid has held up well in the recent heat wave, with clean energy and powerful batteries playing a big role.

  6. A federal court rejected the RNC’s challenge to Nevada’s mail-in ballot deadline.

  7. A federal court overturned the sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Cook Inlet to protect beluga whales.

• Educate Yourself

  1. School Freedom Fund PAC is spending millions to back candidates who support Gov. Lee’s school vouchers and oust representatives like Rep. Richey & Niceley who opposed them.

  2. In a recent candidate forum, TN Rep. Cepicky (who championed the school voucher bill in the last House session) called the original bill “terrible” and that it would have cost the state $1billion. So… what is he going to say when Gov. Lee introduces a new bill in 2025?

  3. The National Low Income Housing Coalition has an interactive map on its website that shows the wage needed in Blount County and the greater Knoxville area to be able to afford a 2-bedroom apartment or housing unit.

  4. Did you know that House Republicans are trying to cut funding to the ATF, especially for community violence intervention and prevention programs?

  5. Learn how pharmacy benefit managers are driving up the cost of drugs.

  6. Learn about United for Democracy, an organization pushing for Congress to rein in the extremists on SCOTUS.

  7. A new TN law allows developers to hire their own building safety inspectors.

Actions for Week of July 21, 2024

• Familiarize Yourself about Project 25  –  Visit the Democracy Forward website to see the People’s Guide to Project 2025. If you want more details, visit the Project 2025 website. Be forewarned….it’s gruesome. Thanks to Donna for sharing these resources from Red Wine & Blue:

  1. Project 25 Explained

  2. Project 25 Toolkit

  3. Project 25  Slide Presentation

  4. YouTube Video of Heather Cox Richardson’s presentation on Project 25.

• Petitions to Sign – 

  1. This letter asks Congress to defend the Public Lands Rule. The final Public Lands Rule was released by the Biden Administration on April 18, 2024, and puts conservation on par with extractive uses on our nation’s public lands.

  2. This petition objects to the Louisiana law requiring the ten commandments be posted in public schools.

  3. This petition sponsored by the Women’s March asks Congress to investigate and expand SCOTUS.

  4. This petition urges the Biden Administration to protect the Western Artic from oil and gas drilling.

  5. You can send a letter to the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee through this link asking them to vet and approve clean energy supporters to the TVA.

  6. This petition asks the US Fish & Wildlife Service to ban imports of elephant trophies from the Amboseli (Kenya)-West Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) population. Having seen some of these tuskers in person, it is imperative we stop letting trophy hunters kill them.

• Good News!

  1. Acadia National Park will use a $23 million federal grant to electrify its bus fleet.

  2. A federal court struck down Mississippi’s legislative maps that discriminate against Black voters.

  3. A new mRNA vaccine against melanoma in people is showing great promise. People with Stage 3 or 4 disease have a 49% lower risk of dying or of recurrences after 3 years.

  4. A solar-covered canal is being built on tribal land in Arizona. Learn about “solar wool”.

  5. The ACLU is likely to sue the state of TN over the letters it has sent out requesting voters prove they are US citizens.

  6. The Administration is proposing new rules to protect workers from extreme heat.

• Educate Yourself

  1. A US appeals court has upheld TN’s ban on drag shows, and another appeals court upheld the ruling that prevents transgender folks from changing the sex on their birth certificates.

  2. Blount County students had mixed results on their TCAP reading and math test scores.

  3. A class action complaint accuses TN Dept. of Children’s Services of abusing disabled kids.

     1. Deaths of TN kids from abuse or neglect increased almost 30% in 2023.

     2. This report ranks childhood well-being in each TN county.

     3. DCS is placing kids indefinitely in group homes indefinitely for adults with disabilities as they await evaluation for disabilities and mental health issues.

  4. YourVoiceMatters.com is working hard to register new graduates to vote. See data on youth voter turnout in TN.

  5. Did you know that if TN were a country, it would have the 9thhighest incarceration rate in the world?

  6. Learn how conservatives in TN disagree on school vouchers.

  7. Did you know the TN Dept. of Health is denying teens preventative healthcare because of the new parental consent law passed this past spring?

Actions for Week of July 14, 2024

• Request No Access to Intelligence Briefings – As soon as the former president accepts the Republican nomination for president this week, he is eligible to start receiving intelligence briefings. There is great concern about his handling of classified information and the likelihood he will use the information for his personal and political gain. After the January 6thinsurrection, President Biden barred 45 from receiving intelligence briefings. Please contact the White House and request that an Executive Order be issued to prevent 45 from receiving briefings based on his criminal felony convictions. You can contact the White House here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

• Offer Comments on Farm Bill – Bayer is lobbying Congress to advance legislation in the Farm Bill (legislation that Bayer crafted) that would shield the company from billions of dollars in lawsuits over their weedkiller, Roundup. Please contact Rep. Burchett to ask him to oppose this effort, which is sponsored by Rep. Dusty Johnson and Rep. Jim Costa. Contact info for Rep. Burchett is below.

• Good News!

  1. In a follow up to an Huddle action from June 30th, a Missouri judge has set an Aug 21st hearing date to determine whether Marcellus Williams is innocent.

  2. Within 24 hours of Louisiana enacting a law requiring the ten commandments be posted in every classroom, the ACLU filed a lawsuit.

  3. SCOTUS will hear a challenge to the TN law banning transitional care for transgender minors.

  4. Rep. Aftyn Behn and attorney, Rachel Welty, have filed a federal lawsuit against the TN law that makes it a criminal offence for people to help minors leave the state to obtain an abortion.

  5. In an effort to keep families together, the Administration has started a new program that will allow certain spouses of US citizens to receive temporary protection status and work permits in the USA.

  6. SCOTUS declined to hear a challenge to an Illinois law that bans assault weapons and large capacity magazines, keeping the law in effect.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Learn about the new laws that went into effect in TN on July 1st. Here is some additional information on new bills. Of all the bills that passed through the General Assembly last session, 25 House members passed over half of them. That included 24 Republicans and 1 Democrat.

  2. Do you know what an economic termite is? 

  3. Read about the 122-mile gas pipeline that would go through 8 TN counties.

  4. Check out Ballotpedia’s AI Deepfake Legislation Tracker.

  5. Download TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition’s Toolkit on how to effectively canvass voters.

  6. Read how partisan the TN Attorney General is, and how AG Skrmetti is ignoring state law to keep 45 on the ballot.

  7. Restrictions on transgender health care have been slipped into the Senate’s defense spending bill.

Actions for Week of June 30, 2024

• Support Measures to Prevent Gun Violence – In light of the recent SCOTUS decision allowing bump stocks, please ask our Members of Congress to pass a bill banning them. Contact information below. Please also consider signing these petitions from Everytown for Gun Safety that encourage Congress to support universal background checks, ban assault weapons, and require gun dealers to be accountable. 

• Support Marcellus Williams – The Missouri Supreme Court has set an execution date of Sept 24, 2024 for Mr. Williams despite the County Prosecutor’s belief the man is innocent. The Innocence Project says that DNA evidence proves he did not commit the crime. Please consider signing this petition asking the Missouri governor to stop the execution.

• Good News!

a. Connecticut will cancel medical debt for eligible residents.

b. Molly Cook was elected as the first openly gay state Senator in TX.

c. The Center for Biologic Diversity is suing to protect Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area from off-roading damage.

d. The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously ruled the State Dept. of Education was wrong in forcing the removal of The Kite Runner and The Glass Castlefrom school libraries.

e. The Queer Liberation Library was started by 9 volunteers to provide free digital LGBTQ books, and so far 50,000 readers have signed out books.  Visit the website to learn more.

f. KUB is offering some Knox County students free internet at home.

• Educate Yourself

a. Read how Gibson County Sheriff, Paul Thomas, in West TN directed $1.4 million to a company he created through an inmate labor scheme. 

b. Since 2015 19,000 unaccompanied migrant children have ended up in TN, most with family. 

c. More than 3% of Native American babies born in South Dakota last year had syphilis, and Indigenous people are asking the US Health and Human services to declare the disease a public health emergency. 

d. Read what EPA employees are doing to try and protect the agency in case 45 is re-elected. 

e. Learn about Stop the Coup 2025, which is a mobilization campaign to counter Project 2025. 

f. Did you know that state-run homes in TN are evicting disabled adults to make room for kids in foster care?

Actions for Week of June 23, 2024

• Support SCOTUS Ethics & Investigation Act – This House bill would create an investigative body that reports to Congress and establish an ethics counsel to advise justices on ethics rules, including recusal and disclosure requirements. The goal is to provide transparency and accountability after recent incidents raised ethical concerns about some members of the Court. Pease ask Rep. Burtchett to support and cosponsor these bills. Contact information is below.

• Support Bill Creating More Judgeships – The Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the JUDGES Act, which creates 63 new permanent district court judges. The bill now goes to the full Senate. Sen Blackburn supports the bill, so let’s give her some positive feedback and ask her tovote for it on the Senate floor, as well as ask Sen. Hagerty to support it. Contact information is below. 

• Good News!

a. Reduced use of cars in Paris has resulted in a 40% reduction in air pollution.

b. North Dakota voted to amend its constitution and has set the maximum age of 81 years for anyone from there to serve in the US Congress.

c. RuPaul recently raised $2 million for ACLU’s Drag Defense Fund.

d. Ohio passed a bill that funds initiatives to decrease maternal mortality and strengthen pre- and postnatal health care access.

e. TN 4th graders showed significant gains on state literacy tests, while 3rd graders held steady. Knox County 3rd graders outperformed their peers.

f. All Saints Immigration Services in West TN is providing low-cost legal service for pathway to citizenship applicants.

• Educate Yourself

a. Check out TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition’s new website.

b. Read how the Electoral College increases disinformation risks. 

c. In several states (CA, FL, LA) homeowners are finding it almost impossible to purchase homeownersinsurance, and premiums are skyrocketing because of natural disasters fueled by climate change. 

d. TN Attorney General continues his pro-discrimination campaign. He has warned the American Bar Association over its new diversity and inclusion rules for law schools. 

e. Do you know what IDA is and why it needs replenishing? 

f. A federal judge blocked the Administration’s protection for LGBTQ students under Title IX in LA, MS, MT, and ID.

Actions for Week of June 16, 2024

• Support AI-Generated Campaign Videos Bills – Three bipartisan bills have been filed in the House to address the risk of voter deception, Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act (S.2770), AI Transparency in Elections Act (S. 3875), and Preparing Election Administration for AI (S. 3897). Pease ask Rep. Burtchett to support and cosponsor these bills. Contact information is below.

• Petitions to Sign, Comments to Offer –

  1. This petition asks US Fish & Wildlife Service to protect Okefenokee Swamp from a proposed titanium dioxide mine.

  2. You can ask Congress to support a price on carbon through this link.

  3. Support asking the National Park Service to not fence in elk at Point Reyes Tule. Open this link for further information, then click on this link to offer comments.

  4. This petition asks the EPA to strengthen air quality standards.

  5. This petition asks NOAA to help save endangered orca whales from noise pollution.

  6. This petition asks President Biden to create more new National Monuments.

• Good News!

  1. A coal producer in Wyoming is planning to build a $1.2 billion solar farm.

  2. $2.1 million is being invested for measuring surface ocean carbon.

  3. The lawsuit file by a Knox County Jewish couple denied foster care due to their faith will be allowed to proceed.

  4. A federal judge in North Carolina ruled that women can take abortion drugs at home, blocking part of a new state law.

  5. A bakery in West Virginia has turned nasty anti-LGBTQ+ social media messages into decorated cookies to raise money for queer-allied charities.

  6. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled that abortion providers can challenge the state ban on Medicaid coverage for abortions.

  7. A federal judge struck down Florida’s ban on transgender transitional care for minors and adults. Now let’s do TN.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Hospital surgical teams with more women have improved patient recoveries.

  2. Thousands die from opioid overdoses in FL and TN each year. Could Medicaid expansion save some of those lives?

  3. A recent report by TACIR concludes that single-family zoning is a hurdle for making TN’s housing market affordable.

  4. Read about the plan by the Republican party of Texas to control state government there forever.

  5. Learn how abandoned farmlands could help mitigate climate change and where they are located.

  6. As the House calls for deep cuts in SNAP, advocates prefer the Senate version of the Farm Bill.

Actions for Week of June 9, 2024

• Support the Gas Price Gouging Prevention Act – HR7688 recently passed the House. This bill prohibits any person from selling, during a proclaimed energy emergency, a consumer fuel at a price that (1) is unconscionably excessive, and (2) indicates that the seller is exploiting the emergency to increase prices unreasonably. Rep. Burchett voted against it. Please ask our Senators to support the bill. Contact information is below.

• Survey on Housing – The TN Housing Development Agency is conducting a statewide survey on housing needs in our zip codes. You can fill out the survey here.

• Good News!

  1. So far, 4 states (CO, FL, ED, SD) will be voting on abortion-related ballot measures in November.

  2. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly deleted millions of dollars for anti-abortion pregnancy centers and sending national guard to Texas from the state budget, the opposite of Gov. Lee’s actions in TN. In New York the Attorney General is suing pregnancy centers for lying to patients, which is allowed in TN.

  3. Researchers have developed a biodegradable plastic that can be digested by bacteria.

  4. An Idaho drag performer was awarded $1.1 million in a defamation case.

  5. SCOTUS rejected a request from the state of Ohio to block a temporary restraining order that prevents enforcement of its ban on gender-affirming care.

  6. The Bureau of Land Management has finalized a rule that aims to put conservation initiatives on equal footing with oil/gas leashing, grazing and other commercial uses of federal land.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Climate change is on track to push 1/3 of humanity out of its most livable environment.

  2. The recently passed TN law increasing penalties for juveniles may be unconstitutional. A lawsuit has been filed by parents against another law that requires zero tolerance for threats of violence.

  3. Did you know that 7 countries now generate 100% of their electricity from renewable energy?

  4. Read this interesting paper on Public School Funding, School Quality and Adult Crime.

  5. Consider watching this video of the Taking Advantage webinar the discusses that many ways corporate health insurers are harming seniors on Medicare.

  6. Do you know what the term “line-warming” refers to? See this article on a federal court ruling that overturned the ban on line-warming.

Actions for Week of June 2, 2024

• Support Elder Pride Act - Three members of the House Congressional Equality Caucus have reintroduced legislation to address a lack of resources for older LGBTQ+ Americans living in rural areas of the country. Please ask Rep. Burchett to support this bill. Contact information is provided below.

• Provide Feedback to Sen. Blackburn Threat – Sen. Blackburn is one of 8 senators who are threatening to halt all judicial nominees and Democrat sponsored bills from moving through the Senate because 45 was convicted. Please provide Sen. Blackburn some feedback on this threat.  Her contact information is below.

• Good News!

  1. The FERC is approving the biggest changes in a decade impacting the way US power lines/grids are planned and funded.

  2. The federal bill reauthorizing funding for migratory bird conservation recently passed Congress.

  3. A recent Vanderbilt poll shows a majority of Tennesseans are pro-choice; IVF and gun control legislation have bipartisan support; and 60% favor legalizing marijuana.

  4. Federal funds are being sent all over the USA for clean school buses, including Maryville TN.

  5. A new law that goes into effect October 1st allows TN towns/cities to eliminate the local sales tax on groceries, but will they?

  6. The millionaires’ tax in Massachusetts has brought in $1.8 billion so far, twice that expected.

• Educate Yourself

  1. In case you didn’t see it, here’s a link to Ken Burns’ commencement address at Brandeis University.

  2. TEP of Knox, Blount and Anderson counties chair, Aly Chapman, has prepared a report on Book Censorship in TN. Click here for a pdf.

  3. Learn about the segregation academies that were formed to defeat forced desegregation of schools in the South in the 50s & 60s and how 300 of them are still operating today.

  4. Fewer doctors are applying for obstetrics residencies in TN. The same is true of other states with near-total abortion bans.

  5. Investigate the Think Tennessee website that provides detailed information on the state of TN counties.

  6. Did you know that TN working families pay a higher effective tax rate than wealthy households? In addition, property tax burdens on homeowners is growing 50% faster than for commercial and farm properties.

Actions for Week of May 26, 2024

• Support Black Wall Street National Monument Bill – S. 3543 is a bipartisan bill that proposes to preserve the Historic Greenwood District in Tulsa as a national monument. It will commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. Please ask our Senators to support and cosponsor the bill. Their contact information is below.

• Contact SCOTUS – This past week it was revealed that an upside-down American flag representing support for the January 6th insurrection flew from the home of Justice Alito in January 2021. In addition, a second flag that rioters also carried was displayed outside the Alito’s beach home last summer. Please contact SCOTUS to request that both Justices Alito and Thomas recuse themselves from any cases related to former president 45. You can send an email through the Court’s public information office at pio@supremecourt.gov  or call 202-479-3000. You can also sign a petition here.

• Good News!

  1. SCOTUS rejected a challenge to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

  2. The only tribal medical school in the USA (Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation) has graduated its first Native American doctors.

  3. Oakland CA is the first school district to transition to 100% electric school buses.

  4. SCOTUS will allow Louisiana to use a Congressional map with 2  majority-Black districts in the November election.

  5. A federal judge ruled a lawsuit brought by a transgender child against TN and its 2021 bathroom bill can proceed.

  6. A pod of orcas is attacking and sinking boats in the Strait of Gibraltar.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Did you know that Texas governor Abbott pardoned the killer of a Black Lives Matter demonstrator and restored his firearms rights?

  2. Learn why all 9 tribes in South Dakota have banned Gov. Kristi Noem (the puppy killer) from their reservations.

  3. Big farms in TN just got a tax break. Farmers with <3000 acres don’t benefit.

  4. TN Attorney General Skrmetti is at it again. He’s joined a lawsuit against EPA rules requiring power plant pollution controls. Here’s a list of his actions affecting LGBTQ rights.

  5. Would you believe that Rep. Tim Burchett is ranked as the most bipartisan member of TN’s Congressional delegation?

  6. The Louisiana legislature passed a bill making abortifacient medications (misoprostol, mifepristone) controlled substances. Did you know that misoprostol is also used in the induction of labor, prior to certain surgical procedures on the cervix, and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage? Veterinarians use it to prevent stomach ulcers caused by NSAID drugs, treat certain uterine infections in dogs, etc.

Actions for Week of May 19, 2024

• Support Big Oil Profits Tax Act – HR1014/S408 would impose a per-barrel tax of 50% between the current price of a barrel of oil and the pre-pandemic average. It would apply to the largest companies.  Please contact our Members of Congress and ask them to support these bills. Contact information is below.

• Provide Feedback on H.R. 7109 – US House Republicans passed a bill recently that adds a citizenship question to the census and excludes noncitizens in the official headcount when determining representation in Congress and the Electoral College. Rep. Burchett voted for the bill and is a strong supporter of it. Consider providing him and our Senators feedback on this bill.  Contact information is below.

• Good News!

  1. EPA is proposing to ban acephate pesticide on foods. Acephate was banned by the European Union 20 years ago.

  2. The VA has been ordered to stop all experiments on dogs, cats, and primates by end of 2026.

  3. Molly Cook is the first LGBTQ+ person elected to the Texas state Senate.

  4. Nearly 45,000 student workers at private colleges and universities have formed unions since 2022.

  5. The Center of Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit against US Fish & Wildlife Service over its refusal to grant the rare Berry Cave salamander found most in East TN caves protections under the Endangered Species Act.

  6. A judge ruled the lawsuit by TN teachers against the law limiting instruction on race, gender and bias can proceed.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Monumental/good changes are coming to prescription drug prices ins 2025 courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act. For everyone on Medicare, out-of-pocket costs for Part D will be capped $2000 per year. Read the details here.

  2. CDC has issued a report describing how rural residents are dying prematurely from preventable deaths.

  3. TN Attorney General, Jonathan Skrmetti, is suing the federal government to protect the gun show loophole.

  4. Learn about StoptheCoup2025 a nonprofit organizing to combat Project 2025.

  5. Learn how climate change is impacting the homeowner insurance market.

  6. Gov. Lee is not backing down on school vouchers and plans to submit new legislation on the issue in January. He still believes it is wanted by parents. Read how conservative groups are joining the opposition to his voucher proposal.

Actions for Week of May 12, 2024

• Support the Pro Act – HR20 and S567 are federal bills that expand workers rights and ease unfair burdens on union organizing. Please contact our Members of Congress and ask them to support these bills. Contact information is below.

• Petitions to Sign

  1. This letter lets your local TN legislator know you are unhappy about how they voted on arming teachers.

  2. This petition urges the administration to stop dangerous exports of liquified methane gas (LNG).

  3. This petition supports better protections for health care workers from infectious diseases.

  4. This petition calls on SCOTUS to protect emergency medical care for all pregnant women.

  5. This petition supports a price on carbon.

• Good News!

  1. New Mexico is receiving $156 million to put more solar energy projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

  2. Ethiopians living in the USA have had their Temporary Protected Status extended through December 2025.

  3. The Administration is awarding $7 billion for the EPA’s Solar for All program.

  4. EPA has banned all consumer and most workplace uses of methylene chloride, which is used in paint stripping processes.

  5. Environmental groups are suing to block federal approval of a pipeline than will pass through mostly poor and Black communities in Middle TN.

  6. New school meal standards could put more local foods in school cafeterias.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Learn about how Leonard Leo and Teneo Network plan to crush liberal influences in the tech industry, Hollywood, academia, and pro sports. It wasn’t enough for him to reshape SCOTUS. 

  2. The Campaign for Accountability is asking attorney generals in ID, MN, NJ, PA & WA to investigate pregnancy crisis centers.

  3. A new law aimed (FEND Off Fentanyl Act) at fighting the fentanyl addition crisis was passed as part of the bipartisan national security package. Learn what the bill does.

  4. Thousands of American Climate Corp jobs are now open. The program is patterned after the original CCC.

  5. Read about the Turnaway Study that details how harmful abortion restrictions are.

  6. Learn about Protect our Care, a nonprofit leading the fight for better health care and lower costs, and also read about the 6 major changes regarding the cost of medications that begin in 2025 for Medicare recipients.

Actions for Week of May 5, 2024

• Offer Comments on BC Growth Plan – Development of the Blount County Growth Plan is progressing and consultants are asking for more feedback. Even if you have offered comments before, please consider visiting this website to offer more feedback and take the 2 surveys. On the interactive map you can easily offer thumbs up or thumbs down on comments offered on what priorities should be for different areas of the county. A lot of comments have been posted over the last several months and your input on them is important!

• Send Comments to TVA – TVA announced plans to replace its Kingston Coal plant with a natural gas plant, which will spew methane exhaust into the air. You can send letters urging them to convert to 100% clean energy through this link and this link. You can also read an op-ed on TVA CEO Jeff Lyash here.

• Good News!

  1. Note: So far, no Tennessee school district is planning on allowing teachers and their staff to be armed.

  2. League of Women Voters and others have refiled a lawsuit challenging TN’s “bona fide” primary voting law.

  3. The Biden administration is expanding Title IX protections for pregnant, trans and sexual assault victims. The changes roll back restrictions created by Betsy DeVos. Of course TN Attorney General and others have filed suit to block the new protections.

  4. Restrictions were announced that protect >13 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in the North Slope of Alaska from drilling. In addition, a proposed industrial road needed to mine copper in the middle of the state has been banned.

  5. HIPAA rules have been updated to protect patients seeking an abortion and providers from criminal investigations by states with strict abortion bans.

  6. In the wake of the 2023 mass shooting in Maine, the state has adopted sweeping gun-control measures.

  7. An Ohio judge has temporarily blocked the state from enacting a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Read this unflattering report on The Liminal Plan started by Chloe Akers in Knoxville.

  2. Learn how far 45 will go if he becomes 47 in this enlightening Time magazine interview. More details are included in the Project 25 booklet.

  3. TN Attorney General Skrmetti has joined with 20 other Republican states to petition the EPA from considering race when regulating pollution.

  4. Did you know that some states (such as Kentucky) are passing laws to ban ranked choice voting?

  5. Efforts to register new voters for the upcoming elections are facing hurdles in many states.

  6. Learn how the new Dept. of Labor rule is expanding overtime benefits for 4.3 million workers.

Actions for Week of April 28, 2024

•  Contact School Districts About Arming Teachers – TN HB1202 was signed by the governor on Friday. It allows school staff with 40 hours of training to carry concealed weapons in schools. Parents and other teachers will not be notified if someone is carrying a gun. The bill pertains only to public schools and allows school districts to opt out. Since the bill passed on Thursday, numerous school boards have notified parents they will not allow staff to carry guns, including Maryville City Schools. Please consider contacting Alcoa and Blount County School boards to encourage them to do the same. 

a. Alcoa City Schools: 865-984-0531; email them through this link

b. Blount County Schools: 865-984-1212

• Proposed Limitations to SNAP – The text of the federal Farm Bill is supposed to be released by the end of May. House Republicans want to cut $30 billion from SNAP benefits over 10 years. Please contact Rep. Burchett (contact information below) to provide feedback on this issue. 

• Good News!

a. New WIC rules include more money for fruits and vegetables.

b. A lawsuit has been filed in Montana against the bill that requires school staff to notify parents 48 hours in advance if they plan to teach or discuss anything with students that involves human sexuality.

c. Indigenous leaders of New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and the Cook Islands have bestowed legal personhood on whales in an attempt to save them.

d. The ACLU is suing TN for barring trans people from selecting a gender on their driver’s license.

e. A federal judge ruled that Tennessee’s felony disenfranchisement policy is unconstitutional. The ruling is considered a major victory by voting rights advocates. 

f. The EPA finalized new rules requiring power plants to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2032.

• Educate Yourself

a. Self-managed abortion increased by 26,000 in the 6 months after the Dobbs decision. 

b. Learn about teacher shortages in TN and what happened when schools started experimenting with financial incentives in Hawaii and Texas. 

c. Are billionaires becoming state oligarchs?

d. Did you know public charter schools can qualify for voucher money by going private?

e. A bill up for consideration in Louisiana would criminalize libraries and librarians who join the American Library Association. 

f. Read how global income loss is estimated to be much higher than mitigation costs for climate change.

April 21

1. Oppose HB 1202 / SB 1325 Arming Teachers remains "on the desk" in the House.  Text TN to 644-33 to be connected to your Representative this weekend, to leave a message against arming teachers.

2. Oppose HB2310 / SB2782: The Trans Care Travel and Support Ban for Minors Bill : this bill will be heard in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee on Tuesday, April 23rd 11:30 AM ET. Call and urge your representative to oppose.

3. Oppose HB1895 / SB1971: Abortion Travel and Support Ban for Minors will be heard on Monday April 22nd at 1:00 PM ET in the House Chamber. Call and urge your representative to oppose.

4. Support Community Benefits for West TN – Stanton TN is undergoing a rapid change in their community due to Ford's new EV manufacturing plant. While the plant is slated to bring good jobs to the area, we know this kind of change could take resources away from local people and even push them out of their communities.  Please sign Tennessee For All's petition asking Ford to come to the table to negotiate a legally-binding Community Benefit Agreement which can help make sure this new opportunity benefits everyone. 

5. Oppose Delisting Grizzly Bears - The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is evaluating whether to delist the Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide grizzly bear populations from the federal Endangered Species Act protections. Consider signing this letter supporting the bears remain on the list. 

6. Support Future Pandemic Global Agreement - Countries are negotiating a new global pandemic agreement to establish rules of conduct and promote cooperation against future pandemic disease threats. Consider signing this letter in support of those efforts.

Good News!

1. Wage growth is soaring under the current administration. Growth in disadvantaged groups has increased dramatically.

2. $124 million is being released for projects benefiting small farms and rural businesses.

3. The ATF has ruled that ALL gun sellers must become licensed firearms dealers and run background checks.

4. The state of Connecticut will make all children under the age of 15 from poor families be eligible for Medicaid starting July 1st, regardless of immigration status.

5. Washington state will require public schools to incorporate LGBTQ-inclusive curricula, joining CA, CO, IL, NJ, NV, and OR.

6. Two large gun parts companies will pay $1.3 million to Philadelphia and stop selling parts for ghost guns.

7. In a win for Tennesseans who have been wrongly denied a voice in their government for too long, a new ruling has affirmed that Tennessee election officials CANNOT deny voter registration to eligible voters who have past felony convictions.

8. Biden expands Title IX protections for pregnancy, trans people and sexual assault victims

Educate Yourself

1. Learn about the man behind Comstock laws who destroyed 15 tons of books in his book ban quest.

2. Home healthcare prices for the elderly increased 14.2% last year.

3. Read about cooking kudzu.

4. Twenty more women will be featured on the American quarter.

5. Republican lawmakers in Kentucky have removed the Democratic governor from any role filling future US Senate vacancies.

6. Recent robo calls from the Republican National Committee are claiming massive fraud took place in the 2020 election.

Actions for Week of April 14, 2024

• Oppose Arming Teachers - The Senate passed the bill (SB1325/HB1202) arming teachers. It was a contentious debate and members of the public were cleared from the gallery. The House votes on HB1202 on Wed April 17th. Based on data from 16 states with similar laws, arming teachers does not improve safety in schools. Please consider signing this letter sponsored by the Covenant Families opposing HB1202. They’re trying to get several thousand signatures!

• Oppose Criminalizing Aid to Minors - SB1971/HB1895 that criminalizes discussing or helping a minor leave the state to get an abortion and SB2782/HB2310 that criminalizes helping minors leave the state for transitional care without their parents knowledge passed the Senate and are before the House Finance, Ways & Means Committeeon Tues, April 16th. Here is a petition and another one asking the House to vote down HB1895. Committee members to contact are listed below.

• Support Food Tax Relief – SB0167/HB0409 exempts the sale of fruit and vegetables from the food retial sales tax and SB1934/HB2043eliminates the grocery tax altogether. They are before the Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on Mon, Apri 15th. The latter bill is before the House F, W & Means Committee on Tues, April 16th. Here is a list of committee members:

House Members:

1. Rep. Gary Hicks: rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

2. Rep. Charlie Baum: rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov

3. Rep. Karen Camper: rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

4. Rep. Mark Cochran: rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov

5. Rep. Jeremy Faison: rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov

6. Rep. Johnny Garrett: rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov

7. Rep. David Hawk: rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov

8. Rep. Patsy Hazelwood: rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov

9. Rep. Tim Hicks: rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

10. Rep. Harold Love: rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov

11. Rep. Jerome Moon: rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov

12. Rep. Johnny Shaw: rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov

13. Rep. Sam Whitson: rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov 

Senate Members:

1. Sen. Bo Watson: sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov

2. Sen. John Stevens: sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov

3. Sen. Joey Hensley: sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov

4. Sen. Ferrel Haile: sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov

5. Sen. Jack Johnson: sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov

6. Sen. London Lamar: sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov

7. Sen. Bill Powers: sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov

8. Sen. Page Walley: sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov

9. Sen. Dawn White: sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov

10. Sen. Ken Yager: sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov

11. Sen. Jeff Yarbro: sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov

• Good News!

  1. More than 3000 homes on the Navajo Nation are receiving accurate addresses for the first time.

  2. Colorado state House is considering a ban on assault weapons.

  3. A school board in Beaufort SC is returning to schools most of the 97 books that two people demanded be banned.

  4. The UN has passed a resolution supporting intersex rights.

  5. A new Biden Administration rule will lower childcare costs for the neediest families.

  6. A proposal to join the national popular vote movement is moving ahead in the Maine legislature.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Did you know that TN lost out on millions in funding for farmers and food banks because they missed the USDA grant deadline?

  2.  The Heritage Foundation has a plan to end free public school education for undocumented students.

  3. Learn about the state House and Senate races that are competitive in the 2024 election.

  4. Concern is growing that the purchase of human and veterinary health care facilities by private-equity firms is harming delivery of care and raising prices.

  5. Learn about the Best of Tennessee.

  6. TN is not alone. Rural Wisconsin is also struggling to get candidates to run for local offices.

Actions for Week of April 7, 2024

• Oppose Permit-less, Open Carry of Long Guns - SB2502/HB2082was amended to allow permit-less, open carry of long guns, including semi-automatic rifles. It lowers the age to obtain concealed, enhanced and lifetime enhanced gun permits from 21 to 18 years. It also removes the offense for a juvenile to possess a handgun. It passed the Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee last week despite testimony from Law Enforcement officials that it is dangerous and will cause panic amongst the public. It is before the House Civil Just Committee on Tues, April 9th. Here are the committee members to contact:

• Rep. Rush Bricken rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6448

• Rep. Gino Bulso rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6808

• Rep. Kip Capley rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-2190

• Rep. Rick Eldridge rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6877

• Rep. Andrew Farmer rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-4419

• Rep. Ron Gant rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6890

• Rep. Johnny Garrett rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-3893

• Rep. Rusty Grills rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-0718

• Rep. Torrey Harris rep.torry.harris@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-2239

• Rep. Darren Jernigan rep.darren.jernigan@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6959

• Rep. William Lamberth rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-1980

• Rep. Mary Littleton rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-7477

• Rep. Antonio Parkinson rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-4575

• Rep. Jason Powell rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-6861

• Rep. Lowell Russell rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-3736

• Rep. Robert Stevens rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-3830

• Rep. Chris Todd rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov  615-741-7475

•  

• Support this Good Gun Bill – SB2911/HB1600 prohibits the purchase or possession of a firearm until the age of 25 for any juvenile who at the age of 14 year or older is adjudicated as a delinquent for committing one of several listed crimes. This bill passed out of Senate Committees and will go to the floor soon for a full vote. It is before the House Civil Just Committee on Tues, April 9th. See the list of committee members above.

• Good News!

  1. Graduate assistants at the University of Memphis will now receive comprehensive medical coverage.

  2. The trade in trophy hunted animals has been banned by measures strengthening the Endangered Species Act. You can thank the administration through this link.

  3. Four voter suppression laws were struck down in Montana by the state’s supreme court.

  4. Missy Testerman is the 2024 National Teacher of the year. She teaches English in Rogersville City School TN.

  5. The all-Black Tennessee A&I basketball team that won 3 back-to-back national championships was never invited to the White House. That was rectified during Final Four weekend this year when they were hosted at the White House by VP Harris.

  6. A three-judge panel heard arguments this past week in a lawsuit brought by 2 doctors and 7 pregnant women who were denied terminations.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Analysis of TN’s A-F school letter grades show they reflect the wealth of the students’ families.

  2. Read about Bayer’s efforts to stop pesticide lawsuits in several states.

  3. Learn about the late-arriving 2024 federal budget in this article.

  4. Consider reading this op-ed on the hijacking of democracy in TN by extremist, elected state officials. This op-ed discusses tyranny in TN by White state government.

  5. The end of federal internet subsidies for low-income households threatens telehealth programs and internet access completely.

  6. Following the death of 7 World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, WCF Director Jose Andres penned this op-ed, “Let People Eat”.

Actions for Week of March 31, 2024

• TN School Voucher Bills Advance Possibly at Expense of Teacher Raises – Chalkbeat has published a detailed timeline on the progress of school voucher bills in TN. The governor released his budget last week, which means the General Assembly should wind down its work over the next three weeks. The governor did not include any money for the “good” measures to support public schools in the House version of the school voucher bill (HB1183). Legislators are now talking about cutting teacher raises to help fund the fund the vouchers. The bill is expected to be taken up by the House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee this week. Rep. Moon has expressed his opposition to the bill to several folks but money is flowing in to try and intimidate him. Please contact these committee members again. You can also send an message opposing vouchers through this easy link.

  1. Rep. Gary Hicks: rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

  2. Rep. Charlie Baum: rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov

  3. Rep. Karen Camper: rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

  4. Rep. Mark Cochran: rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov

  5. Rep. Jeremy Faison: rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov

  6. Rep. Johnny Garrett: rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov

  7. Rep. David Hawk: rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov

  8. Rep. Patsy Hazelwood: rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov

  9. Rep. Tim Hicks: rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

  10. Rep. Harold Love: rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov

  11. Rep. Jerome Moon: rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov

  12. Rep. Johnny Shaw: rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov

  13. Rep. Sam Whitson: rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov 

• Support Gun Safety Bills – Three bills are before the House Civil Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday, April 2nd. HB1667 is a gun safe storage bill. HB1712 is an Extreme Risk Protection bill. HB2350 creates a misdemeanor for knowingly or recklessly permitting a child under 12 years of age to have access to or possession, custody, or use of a firearm. Here are the committee members:

  1. Rep. Lowell Russell:  rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov

  2. Rep. Gino Bulso: rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov

  3. Rep. Kip Capley: rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov

  4. Rep. Rick Eldridge: rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov

  5. Rep. Andrew Farmer: rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov

  6. Rep. Rusty Grills: rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov

  7. Rep. William Lamberth: rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov  

  8. Rep. Antonio Parkinson: rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov

  9. Rep. Chris Todd: rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov

• Good News!

  1. The Yurok tribe of California will have 125 acres of its land returned that abuts the Redwood National and State parks.

  2. A billionaire in India is building the world’s largest clean energy plant.

  3. The EPA has banned the last type of asbestos.

  4. The Interior Department is establishing the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area to conserve more habitat.

  5. American Climate Corps will start taking applications in April.

  6. The Biden Administration is providing $6 billion in student debt relief for teachers and public service workers.

  7. A federal appeals court is requiring US Fish and Wildlife Service to do more to protect polar bears for oil and gas company harassment.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Learn about the Environmental Voter Project.

  2. Read how the Fair Food Programs is working to get around Florida’s new ban on heat protection measures for farm workers.

  3. Population growth in TN may add a 10th Congressional district.

  4. Learn how greedy grocery store chains has fueled high food prices.

  5. Check out the RetractionWatch website that publishes retractions related to scientific publications.

  6. Did you know that the Kansas City man that Rep. Burchett tweeted was an illegal alien responsible for the shooting at the Chiefs parade is now suing Rep. Burchett for defamation?

  7. TN had the 3rd highest number of accidental shootings in children last year (2023).

Actions for Week of March 24, 2024

• Oppose HB1183 – The school voucher bill is moving forward to the committee that will consider the financial problems associated with it. Although it is not officially on their calendar, we expect the bill to be taken up this week in the Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee. Dark money is flowing into the state to attack GOP House members that oppose school vouchers, so these committee members will need to have some courage to oppose the bill. This twitter post shows the resolutions filed around the state in opposition to school vouchers.

  1. Rep. Gary Hicks: rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

  2. Rep. Charlie Baum: rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov

  3. Rep. Karen Camper: rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

  4. Rep. Mark Cochran: rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov

  5. Rep. Jeremy Faison: rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov

  6. Rep. Johnny Garrett: rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov

  7. Rep. David Hawk: rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov

  8. Rep. Patsy Hazelwood: rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov

  9. Rep. Tim Hicks: rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov

  10. Rep. Harold Love: rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov

  11. Rep. Jerome Moon: rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov

  12. Rep. Johnny Shaw: rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov

  13. Rep. Sam Whitson: rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov 

  14. Rep. Ryan Williams:  rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov

• Oppose HB1054/SB0631 – This bill removes protections for 55% of Tennessee's wetlands. It was once thought to be dead but passed out of the House Ag committee this past week and is now assigned to Finance, Ways & Means Committee. It has been deferred in the Senate to Summer Study, but it is important to stop its advance in the House. Committee members are listed above.

• Petitions to Sign/Letters to Send

  1. This petition urges the government to protect Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia from plans to open a titanium mine near it.

  2. You can send a message through this link to your state Senator asking them to vote against SB2766, which is up for a full vote tomorrow, March 25th.  It removes non-discrimination protections for LGBT students.

  3. This link asks the Senate and House Committees to vote No on SB2781/HB1949, the anti-trans bathroom bill. It is before committees on Tues March 26th.

  4. This petition asks Rep. Burchett to cosponsor the bill to stop gun trafficking.

  5. This petition tells Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that you support offshore wind projects.

• Good News!

  1. Federal funding is paying for solar projects on the Navajo and Hope reservations.

  2. A new recycling center in Sparta TN will start refurbishing and recycling solar panels and electric vehicle batteries.

  3. A North Carolina court struck down the legislature’s attempt to strip the governor of appointing member to the state board of elections.

  4. Arizona will wipe out $2 billion of medical bills for almost 1 million residents.

  5. Boehringer Ingelheim will reduce the cost of most of its inhalers to $35, and AstraZeneca will do the same thing.

  6. The FCC is banning unsolicited AI robocalls.

  7. A federal court has halted wolf trapping and snaring in Idaho grizzly bear habitat.

• Educate Yourself

  1. Book bans were concerning to a TN teen, so she started a free speech club at Hendersonville High School.

  2. A court has forced Florida to walk back part of its “don’t say gay” bill.

  3. Learn about Emancipator.org that explores solutions to racial equity.

  4. Read how the meat industry infiltrated universities to obstruct climate policy.

  5. See the pdf of the recent League of Women Voters webinar on the Digital Divide.

  6. Read the Executive Order expanding the efforts to advance women’s health research and innovation.

  7. Learn how to spot fake news and misinformation, and 10 ways to spot disinformation on social media.

Actions for Week of March 17, 2024

• Please Support TN HB2350 – This bill is sponsored by Rep. Gloria Johnson. It creates a Class A misdemeanor for knowingly or recklessly permitting a child under 12 years of age to have access to or possession, custody, or use of a firearm unless the person has the permission of the child's parent or guardian, the child is under the supervision of an adult, and the firearm was used for lawful sporting activity. It is before the Criminal Justic Subcommittee on Tues, March 19th. Here are members of that committee:

Rep. Lowell Russell: rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Gino Bulso: rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Kip Capley: rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Rick Eldridge: rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Andrew Farmer: rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Rusty Grills: rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. William Lamberth: rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Antonio Parkinson: rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Chris Todd: rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov

• Please oppose HB1872/SB2770 – This bill authorizes enhanced criminal penalties up to life in prison without parole upon conviction of violent crimes by an illegal alien. This bill allows immigrants to be imprisoned for life for the same crime committed by a citizen that is only charged with a misdemeanor. It is before the House Criminal Justice Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tues, March 19th.

House Committee Members:

Rep. Bud Hulsey: rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. John Gillespie: rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Michele Garringer: rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Elaine Davis: rep.elaine.davis@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Clay Doggett: rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Andrew Farmer: rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Monty Fritts: rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Ronnie Glynn: rep.ronnie.glynn@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. GA Hardaway: rep.ga.hardaway@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Dan Howell: rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Gloria Johnson: rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. William Lamberth: rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Debra Moody: rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Lowell Russell: rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov

Rep. Joe Towns: rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov

Senate Committee Members:

Sen. Todd Gardenhire: sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Dawn White: sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Paul Rose: sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Sara Kyle: sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. London Lamar: sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Jon Lundberg: sen.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Kerry Roberts: sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. John Steven: sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Brent Taylor:  sen.brent.taylor@capitol.tn.gov

• Easy Links to Use – You can use these easy links to send messages to legislators regarding bills up for consideration this week:

  1. This link is in support of a tax on big tech to fund universal pre-K in the TN (HB2234/SB2065). It is before the Senate committee on March 20th and the House committee on March 19th.

  2. This link urges the House to vote no on the adoption/foster care discrimination bill (HB2169) that is up for a vote on March 21st.

  3. This link sends a message asking the House Civil Justice Committee to vote no on HB2310 that criminalizes helping a minor leave the state to receive transitional medical care. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Brian Richey, and it is before Civil Justice Committee on March 20th.

  4. This link sends a message in opposition to HB2165 that forces schools to “out” trans and non-binary students and HB1634 that removes sexual orientation from education policy and family life curriculum. They’re before K-12 Subcommittee on March 19th.

• Good News!

  1. A federal appeals court has ruled that South Carolina cannot cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood.

  2. SCOTUS left in place sanctions against attorneys who challenged the 2020 election results.

  3. France is the first country to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution.

  4. Michigan repealed their right to work law.

  5. A federal court dismissed a suit against North Dakota’s mail-in voting process.

  6. A Virginia law codifying same-sex marriage was signed by the governor.

  7. Oak Ridge and Maryville City schools are ranked in the top USA schools 30 in one poll.

• Educate Yourself

  1. A right-wing network of 45 allies are challenging thousands of voter registrations in battle ground states in an effort to prevent folks from voting.

  2. A breakaway region in Moldova is asking for protection from Russia, setting up potential invasion of Moldova by Russia should Ukraine fall.

  3. A federal court ruled that mining in Oak Flats can proceed.

  4. Arguments were made recently in a suit brought by folks trying to strip free preventive and reproductive health services from the Affordable Care Act. If the lawsuit succeeds, coverage for vaccines, pap smears, prenatal care, and contraception would be lost.

  5. Learn why rural hospitals are struggling because of Medicare Advantage plans and see what their usage rate is like in TN.

  6. Did you know that TN is on track to lose 2 million acres of farmland?

  7. Read how immigrant labor is fueling the strong US job numbers.

Actions for Week of March 10, 2024

• Oppose HB1955/SB2586 – This bill requires a third-party voter registration organization to register and provide certain information to the coordinator of elections before engaging in a voter registration event or program; prohibits persons and organizations collecting voter registrations from taking certain actions with regard to the voter registrations and provides civil penalties for violations. It severely hinders NAACP and others from registering voters and voter engagement activities. This means they must re-register their names for every election cycle if they want to conduct voter registration drives. This bill harkens back to the 1950s and 1960s in which NAACP members and other civil rights groups were pressured to hand over the names of their members and officers who engaged in the voter registration activities. It is before the House Elections & Campaign Finance Committee on March 13th and the Senate State & Local Government Committee on March 12th. 

Members of the Senate Committee:

- Richard Briggs, (615) 741-1766, sen.richard.briggs@capitol.tn.gov

- Page Walley, (615) 741-2368, sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov

- Mark Pody, (615) 741-2421, sen.mark.pody@capitol.tn.gov

- Ed Jackson, (615) 741-1810, sen.ed.jackson@capitol.tn.gov

- Sara Kyle, (615) 741-4167, sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov

- Adam Lowe, (615) 741-1946, sen.adam.lowe@capitol.tn.gov

- John Stevens, (615) 741-4576  sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov

- Ken Yeager, (615) 741-1449, sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov

- Jeff Yarbro, (615) 741-3291, sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov

Members of the House Committee:

• Tim Rudd, (615) 741-2804, rep.tim.rudd@capitol.tn.gov

• Jeff Burkhart, (615) 741-6804, rep.jeff.burkhart@capitol.tn.gov

• John Crawford, (615) 741-7623, rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov

• Clay Doggett, (615) 741-7476, rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov

• Esther Helton-Haynes, (615) 741-1934, rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov

• Larry Miller, (615) 741-4453,  rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov

• Jerome Moon, (615) 741-5481, rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov

• Justin Pearson, (615) 741-4295, rep.justin.j.pearson@capitol.tn.gov

• Easy Links to Speak up on Bills –

  1. Use this link to send a letter of support for the Waste Reduction & Recycling Act.

  2. Use this link to support HB1244/SB0276 that requires monitoring & reporting of FPA levels. It is before the House Ag & Natural Resources Subcommittee on March 12th.

  3. Use this link to ask legislators to end the grocery tax. It is before the Government Operations Committee on March 11th.

  4. Use this link to oppose HB1660 that prohibits higher education institutions from defining discriminatory practices and recognizing discrimination in their policies. It is before the Higher Education Subcommittee on March 11th.

  5. This link sends a message in opposition of SB2781/HB1949, a horrible anti-trans bathroom bill. It is before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 11th. and House Criminal Justice Committeeon March 12th.

• Good News!

  1. People migrating to the USA are projected to add $7 trillion to the US economy over the next decade.

  2. The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded $1.7 million in grants to boost transportation and downtown revitalization efforts.

  3. In 2023 disabled workers made substantial gains in the employment market.

  4. TN Board of Education is urging the governor/legislature to refocus their efforts on students in kindergarten rather than wait to retain 3rd and 4th graders.

  5. New Mexico has passed a bill requiring 7-day waiting period for purchasing a gun.

  6. A methane-detecting satellite has been launched that will help identify sites in need of plugging methane leaks.

  7. Denmark will build the largest rooftop solar array in the world.

• Educate Yourself

  1. TN Education commissioner admitted in General Assembly committee meeting that most children using vouchers in TN have never attended public schools.

  2. Arizona legislature has advanced a bill allowing people to legally kill migrants who trespass on their property.

  3. Did you know that there are currently no federal or state requirements for monitoring PFAs at waste water treatment plants? The FDA recently banned use of PFAs in grease-proof food packaging.

  4. Here is more information on Agenda 47. Note that 45 and his followers are increasingly calling for violence if he loses the November election.

  5. Florida recently rolled back a provision raising the age to acquire a gun to21 years that was passed after the Parkland massacre. Now folks as young as 18 can buy a gun.

  6. Did you know that daycare costs more than in-state tuition in TN?

Actions for Week of March 3, 2024

• Oppose School Voucher Bill HB1183 – This bill was rushed through the K-12 Subcommittee last Wednesday evening, 24 hours after it was released. Rep. Richey voted “present”. Only Republican Todd Warner and Democrat Sam McKenzie voted “no” on the bill. It is before the House Education Administration schedule on Wed, March 6th.  The chairman of this committee, Rep. Mark White, is a main proponent of vouchers, as well as Rep. Cepicky. These are members of the committee:

  1. Rep. Mark White rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov

  2. Rep. William Slater rep.william.slater@capitol.tn.gov

  3. Rep. Charlie Baum rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov

  4. Rep. Gino Bulso rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov

  5. Rep. Ed Butler rep.ed.butler@capitol.tn.gov

  6. Rep. Scott Cepicky rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov

  7. Rep. Monty Fritts rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov

  8. Rep. Ron Gant rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov

  9. Rep. John Gillespie rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov

  10. Rep. Kirk Haston rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov

  11. Rep. Chris Hurt rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov

  12. Rep. Justin Lafferty rep.justin.lafferty@capitol.tn.gov

  13. Rep. Harold Love Jr. rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov

  14. Rep. Sam McKenzie rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov

  15. Rep. Antonio Parkinson rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov

  16. Rep. John Ragan rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov

  17. Rep. Bryan Richey rep.bryan.richey@capitol.tn.gov

  18. Rep. Robert Stevens rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov

  19. Rep. Todd Warner rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov

• Petitions to Sign –

  1. This petition urges the Florida legislature to limit book bans and this one pertains to banned books in Rockingham VA.

  2. Visit the theShotLine.org to send a call to your representative in Congress using the voice of a victim of gun violence to demand action.

  3. This petition urges Congress to pass the Mount Blue Sky Wilderness Act.

  4. This petition urges SCOTUS to protect medical abortion methods.

  5. This petition objects to the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos are children.

  6. This petition and this petition urges our Senators/Congress to protect IVF access.

• Good News!

  1. A Ute Tribe is building one of the US’s largest solar farms in Colorado.

  2. A judge is allowing a lawsuit on behalf of survivors of the Tops Friendly Market shooting in Buffalo NY against MEANS Arms to proceed. Another judge ruled Polymer80, the largest ghost gun parts manufacturer, to pay Baltimore City $1.2 million and cease sale and advertising of kits in Maryland.

  3. An offshore wind farm near Martha’s Vineyard is generating enough electricity to power 30,000 homes.

  4. Pres. Biden canceled another $1.2billion in student loans.

  5. European Union passes a nature restoration law that aims to repair damaged ecosystems.

  6. A bill has been introduced in the US Senate to name the street in Washington DC near the Russian embassy, Alexie Navalny Way.

  7. A growing network of folks are helping women travel for abortion care.

• Educate Yourself

  1. TVA is building more gas-dependent infrastructure than any utility in the country and is denying public input at their meetings.

  2. Can micro solar leases provide new income for Black farmers in the South? Learn more about agrovoltaic land management opportunities in this article.

  3. Did you know that so far 50 members of Congress are not going to run for re-election? Seven are in the Senate and 43 in the House.

  4. Read how changing zoning rules is allowing cities to create more housing and facilitate building of affordable housing. Are 2- and 3-family homes an answer?

  5. A proposed law in Connecticut would ban religious objections to reproductive care.

  6. Read about what voters think about 10 voting policies ranging from felony rights restoration to voter roll removal.  

  7. Did you know that TN Attorney General, Jonathan Skermetti, is joining 23 other state AGs to try and overturn the SCOTUS decision that razor wire must be removed from the Rio Grande River at the southern border.

Actions for Week of February 25, 2024

• Oppose HB1054/SB0631 – This bill will remove protections for 55% of Tennessee's wetlands. This should be of concern to anyone who lives, fishes, hunts, recreates, or drinks water in Tennessee! It is before the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, Wed February 28th.  Below are the committee members. Also email Marie of the Harpeth Conservancy at mariecampbell@harpethriver.org for specific instructions on providing feedback.

  1. Rep. Chris Todd rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov

  2. Rep. Tandy Darby rep.tandy.darby@capitol.tn.gov

  3. Rep. Monty Fritts rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov

  4. Rep. Rusty Grills rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov

  5. Rep. G.A Hardaway rep.ga.hardaway@capitol.tn.gov

  6. Rep. Torrey Harris rep.torrey.harris@capitol.tn.gov

  7. Rep. Bud Hulsey rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov

  8. Rep. Chris Hurt rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov

  9. Rep. Justin Jones rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov

  10. Rep. Pat Marsh rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov

  11. Rep. Brock Martin rep.brock.martin@capitol.tn.gov

  12. Rep. Jay D. Reedy rep.jay.reedy@capitol.tn.gov

  13. Rep. Bryan Richey rep.bryan.richey@capitol.tn.gov

  14. Rep. Johnny Shaw rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov

  15. Rep. Ron Travis rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov

  16. Rep. Greg Vital rep.greg.vital@capitol.tn.gov

  17. Rep. Dave Wright rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov

• Oppose HB1652, HJR0797 and HJR0706 – HB1652 declares that no circuit, chancery, or other court has subject matter jurisdiction over any legal action, challenging any rule, regulation, or procedure of the senate or house of representatives. It basically makes the legislature an autonomous body in the state that can do what it wants without repercussions, or the ability of the public to object. HJR0797 proposes an amendment to the state constitution to prohibit an expelled GA member from being re-elected or reappointed.  HJR0706 prohibits an expelled member from qualifying for office for 4 years. These resolutions are anti-Rep. Jones/Pearson measures. In the event the House expels them again, Republicans want to make sure their political careers are over, regardless of the will of the people. 

These items are before the State Government Committee on Wed, Feb 28th. Committee members are as follows:

1. Rep. Kelly Keisling rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov

2. Rep. Rick Eldridge rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov

3. Rep. Rececca Alexander rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov

4. Rep. Rush Bricken rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov

5. Rep. Ed Butler rep.ed.butler@capitol.tn.gov

6. Rep. Michele Carringer rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov

7. Rep. Jesse Chism rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov

8. Rep. Vincent Dixie rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov

9. Rep. Kirk Haston rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov

10. Rep. John Holsclaw rep.john.holsclaw@capitol.tn.gov

11. Rep. Christ Hunt rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov

12. Rep. Darren Jernigan rep.darren.jernigan@capitol.tn.gov

13. Rep. Curtis Johnson rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov

14. Rep. Tom Leatherwood rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov

15. Rep. Mary Littleton rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov

16. Rep. Jake McCalmon rep.jake.mccalmon@capitol.tn.gov

17. Rep. Larry Miller rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov

18. Rep. Justin Pearson rep.justin.j.pearson@capitol.tn.gov

19. Rep. Jason Powell rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov

20. Rep. Dennis Powers rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov

21. Rep. Iris Rudder rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov

22. Rep. Bryan Terry rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov