THRIVE AGENDA REQUIRES A JUDICIARY THAT REFLECTS AMERICA’S DIVERSITY

Jump to today’s actions:

Call the Senate
Call the House

Background

The THRIVE Agenda’s economic renewal plan can only succeed if supported by a strong progressive judiciary.

Unless Biden and Congress immediately institute reforms, the GOP’s previous success in packing federal courts at all levels with rightwing ideologues committed to furthering its racist, corporate-friendly agenda will doom the THRIVE Agenda.

At present, Biden has 100 current and announced vacancies to fill. His commitment to rebalancing the federal bench by gender, ethnicity, experience and ideology is reflected in his first 11 nominees: 9 women, 4 Asian-Americans, 1 Muslim-American, 6 African-Americans, and 4 public defenders. Future nominations drawn from a similarly diverse pool will reduce the influence of partisan judges and ensure that those hearing citizens’ cases not only look like them and have similar life experiences but understand the need for this economic renewal plan.

So will dramatic expansion of the number of judgeships to keep up with exploding caseloads and filling them with the same kind of judges.

The THRIVE Agenda requires a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. Congress must create sufficient judgeships and fill them expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice.

How you can help: Attend a Town Hall (virtually)

We will update this list with new links as they become available. You can check your MoCs’ websites for town halls as well.

Senator Wyden’s Recovery Recess town hall:

https://www.wyden.senate.gov/town-halls

Represetative Bonamici’s Recovery Recess town hall: https://bonamici.house.gov/about/events

Representative Schrader’s Recovery Recess town hall:

https://oregoncitizenslobby.org/events/us-rep-kurt-schrader-virtual-town-hall-3-29-21/

1. Call the Senate.

Script for 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]

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships, and the Senate must fill them and existing vacancies expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. These must be high priorities moving forward.

Script for 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].

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships, and the Senate must fill them and existing vacancies expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. These must be high priorities moving forward.

Script for Republican Senators

America’s courts are so overworked that they cannot meet the needs of the American people for justice. I expect the Senator to put partisanship aside and support necessary court expansion. I also expect him to support the quick confirmation of Biden’s 11 highly qualified judicial nominees, rejecting the GOP’s practice of opposing nominees who are women or people of color.

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 am calling because…

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships to keep up with the exploding caseload and the Senate must fill them expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. Court expansion must be a high priority moving forward.

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].

America’s courts are so overworked that they cannot meet the needs of the American people for justice. I expect the Representative to put partisanship aside and support necessary court expansion.

Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

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

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships to keep up with the exploding caseload and the Senate must fill them expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. Court expansion must be a high priority moving forward.

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].

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships to keep up with the exploding caseload and the Senate must fill them expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. Court expansion must be a high priority moving forward.

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].

For the THRIVE Agenda to succeed, we need a judiciary that understands its important role in fighting our public health disaster, racial injustice, the climate crisis, and economic inequity. To counteract the GOP’s court-packing, Congress must create sufficient judgeships to keep up with the exploding caseload and the Senate must fill them expeditiously with diverse judges committed to equal justice. Court expansion must be a high priority moving forward.