Urge Democrats: Fight for a progressive plan to crack down on Big Pharma

Petition to the House Ways & Means, Education & Labor and Energy & Commerce Committees: "Fight for the most progressive plan to crack down on predatory Big Pharma. At the very least, any proposal to negotiate drug prices must include more than 25 drugs per year with no ceiling on the total number and policies to address high prices at initial launch." Add your name: Under pressure from House progressives, Speaker Pelosi just unveiled a better-than-expected plan to crack down on predatory Big Pharma prices.1 But this plan still isn't as strong as what we need to bring drug prices down and stop Big Pharma's out-of-control greed. And there's a real risk it gets watered down even more in fruitless negotiations. We can't let that happen – we need to keep up the pressure for the most progressive plan possible.  Tell Democrats: Fight for a progressive plan to crack down on Big Pharma. Click here to sign the petition. Sen. Warren's plan would direct the government to manufacture generic drugs. Sens. Sanders and Merkley and Rep. Ro Khanna's plan would force companies to follow international average prices or face tough consequences. Rep. Lloyd Doggett's bill would allow Medicare to negotiate discounts and let the government issue a license to produce a generic version of the drug if Big Pharma refuses to negotiate in good faith.2,3 Democratic leaders took these bold plans off the table. Their plan is weaker than the progressive options, but tougher than some of the draft plans that were floated by some of Speaker Pelosi's closest allies. It instructs HHS to negotiate the prices of only a minimum of 25 pharmaceutical drugs each year, with an unnecessary maximum of 250. It leaves room for prices above international standards and for Big Pharma to launch new medicines with absurdly high prices only to "bargain" them down. It levies penalties instead of creating competition when Big Pharma refuses to negotiate. It does include important protections to cap out-of-pocket pay under Medicare Part D and repeal some recent price hikes, and it does not include Pelosi's horrible earlier idea to let corporate-friendly arbitration panels set drug prices.4 Our voices helped block a terrible Big Pharma-friendly Democratic proposal, but we need to fight to improve the new Democratic plan and keep pushing for progressive plans that actually crack down on Big Pharma and deliver lower prescription drug prices for the American people. Tell Democrats: Fight for a progressive plan to crack down on Big Pharma. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/big-pharma-pelosi-sep19?t=9&akid=34223%2E3130208%2EdmyTA1 - Heidi Hess, Co-Director, CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Li Zhou, "House Democrats just introduced an ambitious plan to take on prescription drug prices," Vox, Sep. 19, 2019. Zach Carter and Daniel Marans, "Democrats Ran On Lowering Drug Prices. Now They Could Cut A Bad Deal With Donald Trump." HuffPost, April 19, 2019. David Dayen, "Nancy Pelosi's Drug-Pricing Talks with the Trump Administration Are About Mediating Fights Between Corporate Interests," The Intercept, April 22, 2019. Zhou, "House Democrats just introduced an ambitious plan to take on prescription drug prices." More Information Pelosi's new drug plan pressures Trump on campaign pledge - Politico

Tell Congress: Everyone deserves clean water. Support the WATER Act

The petition to Congress reads: "Everyone deserves access to affordable, clean, safe water. But private water corporations are threatening this most basic of human rights by treating our water as a commodity to be bought, sold, and contaminated for profit. I urge you to pass the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (WATER) Act to provide much-needed investment in our water systems and promote democratic community control." Add your name:

And the tragedy goes far beyond Flint. Thousands of American neighborhoods have childhood lead poisoning rates that far exceed those found during the peak of Flint's contamination crisis.1 In all, at least 4 million households with children are exposed to high levels of lead.2 Five years after it started, the Flint water crisis is far from over. More than 100,000 residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to toxic levels of lead in their drinking water, and thousands of families whose children were affected are still dealing with the tragic aftermath, including irreversible brain damage and lifelong physical effects. Reps. Brenda Lawrence and Ro Khanna recently introduced a vital bill to reinvigorate our public water systems and advance water justice, called the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (WATER) Act, which will provide much-needed investment in our water systems and promote democratic, community control. We must build massive grassroots support demanding Congress to support the WATER Act now. Tell Congress: Pass the WATER Act now. Click here to sign the petition. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to young children, who can suffer permanent damage to their brains, nervous systems and vital organs. Lead exposure in children can cause learning disabilities, hyperactivity, and developmental delays, and a recently released analysis found that more than 24 million school children are at risk of losing IQ points due to lead in school drinking water.3 Lead poisoning isn't only a public health crisis, but it's also a racial justice one, because communities of color are disproportionately affected. In fact, Black children are 1.6 times more likely to have elevated lead levels in their blood and are three times more likely than white children to have "extremely high" lead blood levels.4 Clean drinking water is a basic human right, yet despite the crisis in Flint and in communities across the country, the EPA under Donald Trump has repeatedly refused to strengthen lead regulations, likely at the urging of water utility lobbyists.5 That's why passing the WATER Act is so critical. If Trump's industry-friendly EPA is unwilling to protect children, Congress must force them to act. No family should fear that turning on the tap could poison their child and harm them for life. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/water-act-2019?t=9&akid=32038%2E3130208%2Ep8GpNO - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action Add your name: References: M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer, "Special Report: Thousands of U.S. areas afflicted with lead poisoning beyond Flint's," Reuters, Dec. 19, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Lead," accessed March 22, 2019. John Rumpler and Emma Dietz, "Get the Lead Out," Environment America Research & Policy Center, March 2019. Erin Schumaker and Alissa Scheller, "Lead Poisoning Is Still A Public Health Crisis For African-Americans," HuffPost Life, Dec. 6, 2017. Arthur Delaney, "EPA Promises, Yet Again, That It Will Do Something About America’s Lead Pipes," HuffPost, March 21, 2019.

Tell Congress: End U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen

We have a chance to save lives in the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Petition to Congress: “Co-sponsor and support Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Bernie Sanders' resolution to end U.S. military involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen.” Add your name:

With massive U.S. support, Saudi Arabia has waged war in a Yemen for more than three years, resulting in around 50,000 direct casualties of violence and more than 113,000 children – 130 a day – dying of malnutrition and preventable disease.1,2 Progressive champions in the House of Representatives and Senate, led by Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Bernie Sanders, just introduced a bipartisan resolution to end the U.S. military involvement in Yemen.3 CREDO is joining a coalition of progressive partners that includes Demand Progress and Win Without War to support this War Powers Resolution, end American complicity in the Saudi-led war in Yemen – and save countless lives. Tell Congress: End U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Click here to sign the petition. Las December, the Senate approved an identical resolution – but former Speaker Paul Ryan blocked it in the House of Representatives. Now, with Democrats in charge of the House and bipartisan backing in both chambers of Congress, we have a shot at a life-saving victory.4 Trump's coziness with the Saudi regime is unacceptable, whether it's supporting the regime's war in Yemen or refusing to hold its leaders accountable for assassinating Jamal Khashoggi. It is Congress' responsibility to debate, vote on and authorize military action. But unless Congress asserts its authority and supports this new War Powers Resolution, it will continue allowing Trump to make the United States complicit in Saudi atrocities.5 Since the start of the war in 2015, the United States has provided the Saudis with weapons and logistical and intelligence support. We have helped refuel coalition jets as they dropped bombs on Yemeni civilians under the guise of confronting Iran, which has limited ties to Yemen's Houthi rebels. Despite a bus bombing that killed 29 children and calls for greater U.S. oversight, the United States is still supporting the Saudi war – all without explicit congressional authorization.6 This unauthorized war started under the Obama administration. But Donald Trump overturned a ban on selling precision-guided munitions to the Saudis and gave the regime a green light to double down.7 The death toll in Yemen has been heart-wrenching – but right now, a massive public outcry to end United States support for these atrocities could finally bring an end to this brutal war. Tell Congress: End U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Click here to sign the petition. Beyond the direct violence, the ongoing war in Yemen has forced millions to flee their homes. It contributed to a fast-moving cholera outbreak – the largest documented in modern history – that is affecting more than 1.2 million people.8 It has also led to widespread starvation: 400,000 Yemeni children are at risk of death from starvation while the United Nations estimates that as many as 13 million people in Yemen are on the verge of famine.9,10 Saudi forces are using food as a weapon of war by enforcing a blockade that is stopping much needed food, medicine and supplies from entering the country.11 Lives are at stake. We must do all we can to push Congress to pass the new War Powers Resolution to reassert its constitutional authority and end our complicity in mass murder. Tell Congress: End U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/yemen-war-powers-2019?t=8&akid=31443%2E3130208%2EN7HHYr - Heidi Hess, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Shireen Al-Adeimi, "Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance has accomplished what 50,000 Yemeni deaths could not," NBC News, Oct. 16, 2018. Kareem Fahim, "The deadly war in Yemen rages on. So why does the death toll stand still?" The Washington Post, Aug. 3, 2018. Rebecca Kheel, "Lawmakers renew fight with Trump over Saudi Arabia, Yemen," The Hill, Jan. 30, 2019. Ibid. Mohamad Bazzi, "The United States Could End the War in Yemen If It Wanted To," The Atlantic, Sept. 30, 2018. Ibid. Samuel Oakford, "U.S. Doubled Fuel Support for Saudi Bombing Campaign in Yemen After Deadly Strike on Funeral,” The Intercept, July 13, 2017. Reuters, "Yemen cholera outbreak accelerates to 10,000+ cases per week: WHO," Oct. 2, 2018. Hannah Summers, "Yemen on brink of 'world's worst famine in 100 years' if war continues," The Guardian, Oct. 15, 2018. AFP, "Yemen war: 5,000 children dead or hurt and 400,000 malnourished, UN says," The Guardian, Jan. 16, 2018. Clarissa Ward, “In Yemen, the markets have food, but children are starving to death,” CNN, Dec. 19, 2017.

Tell Congress: Support Sen. Sanders' "Stop Walmart Act"

Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Rep. Ro Khanna, introduced legislation called the "Stop Walmart Act

The petition to Congress reads: "Massive corporations like Walmart that do not pay a living wage to their employees should not be allowed to buy back stocks to reward wealthy shareholders. Support the 'Stop Walmart Act' now." Add your name:

When Donald Trump and Republicans enacted their $1.5 trillion tax scam late last year, they promised voters higher wages and more good-paying jobs. Instead, Trump's tax scam made the rich richer and failed to raise wages or create new jobs. That's because, over the last year, massive corporations used the huge windfall to buy back their own stocks, propping up their own share prices and rewarding their wealthy investors. In fact, stock buybacks are expected to reach $1 trillion by the end of 2018.1 Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, has rewarded its shareholders with more than $120 billion over the last decade, including an additional $20 billion through 2019, while it continues to pay most of its employees poverty wages.2 Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Rep. Ro Khanna, introduced legislation called the "Stop Walmart Act," to prevent wealthy corporations from buying back its stock unless it pays employees at least $15 per hour. If Walmart won't raise wages for its employees, we must stand with Sen. Sanders and pressure Congress to take action. Tell Congress: Support Sen. Sanders' "Stop Walmart Act." Click here to sign the petition. The Waltons, who own about 50 percent of Walmart stock, are the richest family in the country with a net worth of roughly $180 billion.3 In 2017 alone, Walmart made more than $13 billion in profits, yet 55 percent of its more than 1 million employees are food insecure, and the company's starting wage for full time workers is below the federal poverty line.4,5 According to the Roosevelt Institute, if Walmart redirected $10 billion of its stock buyback plan to raise wages, the average Walmart employee would see an hourly wage increase of more than $5.66, raising the starting wage for all employees to at least $16.66 per hour.6 Sen. Sanders' bill would prevent these outrageous buybacks by Walmart and other wealthy corporations by: Ensuring all employees, including part-time employees, contractors and franchisees, are paid at least $15 per hour, Allowing employees to earn up to seven days of paid sick leave; and Prohibiting the CEO or highest paid employee from making more than 150 times the median company salary.7 With so many Walmart employees and underpaid workers across the country struggling to make ends meet this holiday season, we must stand with them and pressure Congress to support this critical legislation to stop Walmart's corporate greed and help lift millions of workers out of poverty. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/stop_walmart_act?t=7&akid=30911%2E3130208%2EKfYU_p Thanks for everything you do. Josh Nelson, Co-Director CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Jamie Condliffe, "The Stock Market’s Next $1 Trillion Milestone: Buybacks," The New York times, Aug. 6, 2018. Emily Stewart, "Walmart is paying $20 billion to shareholders. With that money, it could boost hourly wages to over $15." Vox, May 30, 2018. Forbes, "The World's Billionaires," accessed Dec. 14, 2018. MarketWatch, "Annual Financials for Walmart Inc." accessed Dec. 14, 2018. Michael Sainato, "'They Obviously Can Afford to': Workers Call On Walmart To Raise Minimum Wage to $15 an Hour," Common Dreams, Nov. 19, 2018. Lenore Palladino and Adil Abdela, "Making the Case: How Ending Walmart’s Stock Buyback Program Would Help to Fix Our High-Profit, Low-Wage Economy," Roosevelt Institute, May 22, 2018. Office of Sen. Bernie Sanders, "Summary of The Stop WALMART Act," accessed Dec. 14, 2018.

Tell Congress: Stop letting Big Pharma rip off Americans

Rep. Ro Khanna's and Sen. Bernie Sanders' bill would force pharmaceutical companies to reduce their prices or lose their lucrative monopolies.

Petition to Congress: "Support the Prescription Drug Price Relief Act, which would stop Big Pharma from ripping off the American people and lower drug prices by more than 40 percent." Add your name:

Big Pharma knows it can count on Donald Trump to make noise about drug prices but stay loyal to pharmaceutical companies. After all, Trump appointed Alex Azar, whose company tripled the price of insulin and faces an investigation, as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.1 But the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has real plans to crack down on Big Pharma. At the top of the list is a new bill from Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Bernie Sanders that would force pharmaceutical companies to reduce their prices or lose their lucrative monopolies.2 We need to show how many Americans support bold action against Big Pharma by getting behind this progressive proposal in a big way. Tell Congress: Stop letting Big Pharma rip off Americans. Click here to sign the petition. America, unlike most other countries, allows Big Pharma to set its own prices, hold exclusive patents with no limit and corner the market on a particular drug and jack up the price.3 So far in 2018, for every one cut in pharmaceutical prices, there were 96 drug price hikes. Pfizer already announced it will jack up prices on 41 more drugs in 2019. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 Americans cannot afford the medicine they need.4 No more. That's why we are standing with our friends at Social Security Works to support the big, bold, progressive Khanna-Sanders plan. The Khanna and Sanders bill is simple. It says that Big Pharma must sell medicine for the same price or cheaper in the United States than it does in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Japan. If companies don't, the government will take away their monopoly – allowing other companies to produce cheaper, generic versions of the exact same drug.5 Almost every politician claims to want to do something about skyrocketing drug prices. Now we have a progressive plan that could lower prices by more than 40 percent across the board.6 Members of Congress must choose between Big Pharma's deep pockets and the American people's health. Tell Congress: Stop letting Big Pharma rip off Americans. Click here to sign the petition. One recent study found that taxpayer funding helped develop every single one of the 210 new FDA-approved medicines between 2010 and 2016. We are investing in new cures while Big Pharma spends more on advertising than research and development and ridiculously claims that companies need obscene profits to fund new cures.7 Big Pharma cannot keep charging Americans more for the same drugs – and members of Congress must take a clear stand to stop it. Tell Congress: Stop letting Big Pharma rip off Americans. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/sanders_khanna_big_pharma?t=8&akid=30787%2E3130208%2EnM-cm7 - Josh Nelson,CREDO Action Add your name: References: Alex Lawson, "Sanders and Khanna have a plan to lower your drug prices," The Hill, Nov. 18, 2018. Sen. Bernie Sanders, "Sanders, Khanna to Introduce Legislation to Drastically Lower Prescription Drug Prices," Nov. 20, 2018. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Zach Carter, "Bernie Sanders And Ro Khanna Have A New Plan To Tackle Prescription Drug Rip-Offs," HuffPost, Nov. 19, 2018.

Tell Congress: Pass the Marijuana Justice Act

The petition to Congress reads: "End the war on drugs. Pass the Marijuana Justice Act." Add your name:

With five percent of the world's population, but a quarter of its prisoners, the United States is at a crisis point. Our criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform and it's up to us to fix it. Nearly half of the country's federal inmates are poor people of color in prison on drug related convictions.1 Democrats Sen. Cory Booker and Reps. Barbara Lee and Ro Khanna have introduced legislation that would set many of these prisoners free. The Marijuana Justice Act would put an end to the racist War on Drugs by legalizing cannabis nationwide and expunging all federal convictions for possessing or using it.2 Progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders just added his support for this bill.3Speak out now to urge every Democrat and Republican of good conscience to follow his lead. Tell Congress: End the war on drugs. Pass the Marijuana Justice Act. Click here to sign the petition. Public support for legalizing marijuana is at an all-time high. Two-thirds of Americans are in favor of ending prohibition. The Marijuana Justice Act is the most far-reaching marijuana reform bill that has ever been introduced in Congress. It would:4 Legalize cannabis nationwide. Expunge all federal convictions for possessing or using cannabis. Fund libraries and job training programs in communities torn apart by the racist War on Drugs. Cut federal funds for prison construction in states where marijuana arrests have disproportionately affected people of color and poor people. Nine states and Washington D.C. have already legalized cannabis use for adults and have allocated marijuana revenues for social good.5 In Colorado, Oregon and Nevada, cannabis revenue funds public schools and bullying prevention programs. Oregon, Washington and Alaska are funding alcohol and drug treatment programs and basic health care. California and Massachusetts will use their revenues to revitalize low-income communities of color torn apart by high drug arrests and incarcerations. If cannabis becomes legal nationwide, local government won't be the only ones benefiting. The Marijuana Justice Act legalizes cannabis and also goes one step further by radically reforming our criminal justice system. A 2013 ACLU study found that police were four times more likely to arrest and imprison Black people for marijuana possession than white people, despite similar rates of use.6 The majority of people currently serving time in prison for cannabis related convictions are Black and Brown. This important bill would give many of these prisoners their freedom and prevent millions of people from ever entering the country's broken criminal justice system. Tell Congress: End the war on drugs. Pass the Marijuana Justice Act. Click here to sign the petition. Former Speaker of the House John Boehner, who fought marijuana legalization for years, recently changed his position and announced that he had joined the board of directors of a major marijuana corporation.7 He is just the latest in a long line of wealthy white conservatives who now see legal cannabis as big business and want to profit from it. The Marijuana Justice Act will make sure that legalizing cannabis helps right the wrongs of the failed War on Drugs, not just line the pockets of corporate shills like Boehner. Reforming our criminal justice system and passing legislation to end the War on Drugs won’t happen overnight, and certainly not in this Congress. But building momentum can start now and make a big difference. Will you add your name? Tell Congress: End the war on drugs. Pass the Marijuana Justice Act. Click the link below to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/marijuana_justice?t=8&akid=28201%2E3130208%2EWNyPZD - Nicole Regalado, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Federal Bureau of Prisons, "Inmate Statistics: Offenses," March 24, 2018. Jordain Carney, "Booker introduces bill to legalize marijuana," The Hill, Aug. 1, 2017. Benjamin Fearnow, "Bernie Sanders joins Cory Booker's Marijuana Justice Act to federally legalize weed," Newsweek, April 19, 2018. Carney, "Booker introduces bill to legalize marijuana. Drug Policy Institute, "From Prohibition to Progress: A Status Report on Marijuana Legalization," Jan. 22, 2018. Dylan Matthews, "The black/white marijuana arrest gap, in nine charts," The Washington Post, June 4, 2013. Daniel Victor, "John Boehner’s Marijuana Reversal: 'My Thinking on Cannabis Has Evolved,'" The New York Times, April 11, 2018.