What can I do RIGHT NOW?
SUBMIT A PUBLIC COMMENT
SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program PUBLIC COMMENT DUE SEPTEMBER 23:
The Trump administration has proposed new regulations for how states must determine eligibility requirements for nutrition assistance, which could lead to as many as 3 million people losing eligibility. The newly proposed regulations (see attached for details) are in direct opposition to the bipartisan Farm Bill that passed in 2018 and through which the House and the Senate made it clear that they wanted to protect the SNAP program. The 2018 Farm Bill preserved States' ability to continue SNAP benefits for people who begin working, to allow time for savings and stability. Under the proposed regulations, which include provisions that Congress refused to include in 2018, working families with children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities would likely lose nutrition assistance. The proposal is open for public comment until September 23. You can Click on this link to submit your comment (see the attached document for guidelines on how to submit an effective comment). You can also contact your Representative and your Senators and let them know how concerned you are about the administration's continued efforts to make things harder for our citizens most in need of help. Ask them to fight to make sure that those in poverty do not go hungry..
Source: VOICES: Issues and Actions for the Weeks of August 26 and September 2, published by Laurie Evans
Pass the Equality Act Now:
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear 3 cases concerning workplace discrimination of LGBTQ Americans. In response, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a voluntary brief this past week in support of discrimination, claiming that LGBTQ people can be fired and are not covered by sex discrimination laws under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is clearly time to contact your Senators and insist that the Equality Act finally be brought to the floor for a vote immediately upon their return from recess. H.R. 5, the Equality Act, passed in the House with a 236-173 vote this past winter; IT WAS FORWARDED TO THE SENATE WHERE IT HAS SAT SINCE THAT TIME.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, skin color, sex, religion, and national origin. However, it does not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Thus, in the 30 states without strong LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws, LGBTQ people can legally be fired, harassed at work, barred from businesses, denied housing, and more because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The Equality Act would provide necessary national-level protections for LGBTQ people by updating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly ban discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The law would also revise the Civil Rights Act to ban sex-based discrimination in public spaces and services, such as retail stores, pharmacies, and transit systems, as well as in federally funded programs. Americans across almost all demographic groups (including political party) support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans. It is absolutely unconscionable that our own Department of Justice would claim that LGBTQ people do not have any standing under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This is why it is time to secure national-level protections for LGBTQ people and to pass the Equality Act. Contact your Senators and tell them to fight for this vote.