THE RECESS CAN WAIT; SAVING OUR DEMOCRACY CANNOT

Jump to today’s scripts:

Call the Senate
Call the House

BACKGROUND

The GOP is engaged in an all-out war against voting rights--passing 30 laws restricting access to the ballot and over 12 election subversion and nullification laws

The situation will worsen in mid-August, when release of the census results generates another round of extreme gerrymandering.

The most effective shields protecting our democracy are the For the People Act (S.1), languishing in the Senate, and the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act, being introduced in the House this week.

While Majority Leader Schumer previously vowed failure to pass S.1 wasn’t an option and the Senate would stay in session until then, now he’s promising only passage of infrastructure legislation.

We must remind him and our Senators that saving our democracy is even more important.

Sens. Merkley, Klobuchar, Warnock, Padilla, and Manchin recently met with Schumer to discuss crafting scaled-back voting rights legislation. Merkley promises it will protect the ballot box and deal with dark money, ethics reform, and gerrymandering.

Recessing in the midst of this voting rights crisis is unconscionable. To protect and defend the constitutional right to vote--the bedrock of our democracy--the Senate must cancel the recess, end the filibuster, and pass this legislation. Otherwise, our democracy will die.

1. Call the Senate.

Oregon Senators

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. Without legislation making voting easier, safeguarding the vote counting, and preventing gerrymandering before mid-August, when the census results are released, millions of eligible voters will be disenfranchised. Thank you for working tirelessly both to make such legislation possible and to push for the changes to the filibuster that will allow its passage. To get this legislation through the Senate, the August recess must be postponed.

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. To prevent the disenfranchisement of millions of eligible voters caused by GOP voter suppression legislation and by extreme partisan gerrymandering that will begin in mid-August, when the census results are released, I exhort you to:

Definitively endorse either a voting rights carve-out or the filibuster’s elimination
Work for Senate passage of voting rights legislation that, at a minimum, protects our right to vote and have our votes counted, safeguards the integrity of the voting process, and prevents partisan gerrymandering
Push Senate leadership to stay in session until this legislation passes both Houses and our democracy is protected.

GOP SENATORS

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121 Voter suppression in any form is wrong. The right to vote is at the heart of democracy and must be protected for every voter, regardless of party--a position that is popular with your constituents.Do the right thing and vote for the passage of the soon-to-be-introduced legislation making voting easier, safeguarding the vote counting, and preventing gerrymandering.

2. Call the House.

Find your rep..

Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. To reverse the slide, I urge you to quickly pass the John Lewis Voter Enhancement Act once it is introduced this week, and to return to Washington immediately upon the Senate’s passage of voting rights legislation so that a final bill can be on the President’s desk by the time census results are released.

Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

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

Voter suppression in any form is wrong. The right to vote is at the heart of democracy and must be protected for every voter, regardless of party--a position that is popular with your constituents. It is time for you to talk up Oregon’s successful vote-by-mail system and to work to protect our democracy--by voting for the John Lewis Voter Enhancement Act and whatever voting rights legislation passes the Senate.

Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. To reverse the slide, I urge you to quickly pass the John Lewis Voter Enhancement Act once it is introduced this week, and to return to Washington immediately upon the Senate’s passage of voting rights legislation so that a final bill can be on the President’s desk by the time census results are released.

Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. To reverse the slide, I urge you to quickly pass the John Lewis Voter Enhancement Act once it is introduced this week, and to return to Washington immediately upon the Senate’s passage of voting rights legislation so that a final bill can be on the President’s desk by the time census results are released.

Kurt Schrader (OR-05)

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

Our democracy, under incessant attack in state legislatures, is hanging by a thread. To reverse the slide, I urge you to quickly pass the John Lewis Voter Enhancement Act once it is introduced this week, and to return to Washington immediately upon the Senate’s passage of voting rights legislation so that a final bill can be on the President’s desk by the time census results are released.

3. Take Action

To preserve our freedom to vote, Congress must hear from constituents across the country. Please email/text this action to 5 friends in other states – especially those in red states – and ask them to call today.