INFRASTRUCTURE COLLISION AHEAD

Jump to today’s actions:

Call the Senate
Call the House

BACKGROUND

News: A “hell of a fight” looms as Democrats rush to bring a “historic” $1.2 trillion infrastructure package to a vote in the Senate

Context: America’s infrastructure is poor and decaying. A bipartisan fix would inject $1 trillion into the economy. The fight is over how to pay for it.

Why it matters: The plan would, among other things:

Modernize decaying roads and dangerous bridges
Extend broadband into rural counties
Rejuvenate transit systems
Strengthen the power grid
Replace lead water pipes that cause lifelong intellectual disabilities primarily in poor children.

Flashpoint: The plan to pay for it with higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy will be fiercely opposed by the GOP.

The opposition: Trump has ordered Senate Republicans to reject it, perhaps to protect his massive tax cuts for the rich.

Collateral damage: The focus on infrastructure turns the nation’s attention away from bills vital to democracy including protecting voting rights and ending the GOP’s weaponization of the filibuster.

What’s Next: Infrastructure 2.0, President Biden’s families plan will focus on “human infrastructure” with an emphasis on education, working families, and rural America.
What you can do: Call and support our Senators. Join an Indivisible group near you.

1. Call the Senate.

Script for Oregon Senators

SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753

My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

2. Call the House.

Look up your rep.

Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please tell our Senators to eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations.

Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please tell our Senators to eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please tell our Senators to eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)

Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I support the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I believe it should be paid for with higher taxes on the rich and corporations. Also, please tell our Senators to eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

3. Take Action

Join the Bentz Postcard Brigade Calling all ORD2 postcard writers: We need you to join our Bentz Accountability Team Postcard Brigade! From the COIN network - you will get a topic and talking points each Wednesday. You'll write one postcard each week to our congressman, Cliff Bentz, letting him know how we, his constituents, feel about that one issue. Sign up here.