Congress: Make Trump's tax returns public. After Trump's praise for Putin, Americans deserve to see his tax returns immediately

After the shocking spectacle of Trump siding with Putin over U.S. intelligence about Russian influence in America's election, Congress should have no choice but to force Trump to finally release his taxes.

Petition to Congress: “Trump's praise for Vladimir Putin makes it even more urgent that Americans understand the scope of Trump's financial dealings. Make Trump's tax returns public by passing the Presidential Tax Transparency Act or using existing subpoena power.”

Trump has broken with decades of precedent and refused to release his tax returns. So Americans have little idea who his business partners have been, how much money foreign entities are paying him even as he occupies the White House – or how indebted he may be to Russian interests.1 Think about this for a second: Vladimir Putin may know more about Donald Trump's business dealings than the American public. Tell Congress: Make Trump's tax returns public. Sign petition. Even some Republicans are demanding to see Trump's tax returns after his disturbing performance in Helsinki, where he sided with Putin and praised the brutal autocrat.2 Sen. John McCain declared it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory,” and conservative Rep. Mark Sanford admitted he does not know if Putin has damaging information on Donald Trump.3,4 Without a look at his tax returns, the American public cannot know whether Trump’s current debt or his previous business partnerships obligate him financially to Russian oligarchs aligned with Vladimir Putin. Trump’s debt load increased from $350 to $630 million in 2016, when American banks were reluctant to extend Trump credit.5 In 2008, Trump’s son is claimed to have said, “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.”6 What's more, a government watchdog filed a lawsuit just days after the inauguration claiming that Trump is in violation of the Constitution because any payments to Trump from foreign entities violates the anti-bribery “emoluments” clause of the Constitution.7 It appears clear that Trump is using his position to enrich himself and his family, but without his tax returns, Americans are left wondering if Putin has dirt on the man occupying the White House. Tell Congress: Make Trump's tax returns public. Click here. Congress has multiple options to give the American people access to Trump's tax returns. Chief among them is Sen. Ron Wyden’s Presidential Tax Transparency Act, which would require candidates to release their last three years of tax returns within 15 days of being nominated, or the Federal Election Commission would do it for them.8 Key committees may also have the power to subpoena and release Trump's tax returns to the public. The American people deserve the truth about Donald Trump's businesses and to whom he owes money. If Trump has something to hide, it raises the possibility of intentional Russian blackmail. If not, there's no reason for his tax returns not to be public. Tell Congress: Make Trump's tax returns public. Sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/helsinki_trump_taxes?t=8&akid=29411%2E3130208%2Egbj_8p Heidi Hess, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Avery Anapol, "GOP lawmaker renews call for Trump to release tax returns after Putin summit," The Hill, July 17, 2018. Ibid. Ibid. Sarah Hallam, "John McCain: Trump gave 'one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory,'" CNN, July 16, 2018. Josh Marshall, "Trump & Putin. Yes, It's Really a Thing," Talking Points Memo, July 23, 2016. Tom Hamburger, Rosalind S. Helderman and Michael Birnbaum, "Inside Trump’s financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Vladimir Putin," The Washington Post, June 17, 2016. Kim Bellware, "President Trump Has Already Violated The Constitution, Lawsuit Claims," HuffPost, Jan. 23, 2017. Amber Phillips, "Want your presidential candidates to release their taxes? There’s a bill for that." The Washington Post, Oct. 3, 2016.

Call Sens. McCain and Flake: Block Trump's Putin-linked pick for this key DOJ post

The Senate could vote to confirm Trump's unqualified, Russia-linked nominee to head the DOJ's Criminal Division any day now. Brian Benczkowski would be disastrous for the integrity of Robert Mueller's investigation. Call Sens. McCain and Flake now to demand that they vote against this confirmation. Click below for a sample script and the number to call:

Trump and his lapdogs are planning to ram through the confirmation of an unqualified Russia-linked lawyer to head the Department of Justice Criminal Division while the media and public are focused on Trump's Supreme Court nomination. If the Senate votes to confirm Brian Benczkowski, it could have disastrous implications for the Mueller investigation. Benczkowski said he will not recuse himself from the investigation despite his work for Putin-linked Alfa Bank, and he could become a conduit for information on the investigation to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is recused from the investigation.1 Benczkowski's nomination was confirmed out of committee on a party-line vote months ago but has been stalled. Now Mitch McConnell is moving him forward for a floor vote this week.2 Call your Republican senators, Sens. McCain and Flake today. Call Sens. McCain and Flake now: Block Trump's unqualified and Russian-linked nominee to head the DOJ's Criminal Division. Not only is Benczkowski – who has virtually no prosecutor experience – massively underqualified to head the DOJ's Criminal Division, his appointment could come at a disastrous time as Trump is increasingly threatened by the Mueller investigation.3 If Trump did move to fire Mueller's boss Rod Rosenstein, he could temporarily appoint any Senate-confirmed official in his place. But even without such a bold move, Benczkowski would have major access to inside information from the Mueller investigation. Mueller may even have to seek input from the Criminal Division for some aspects of his work. After Benczkowski's nomination hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse noted that Benczkowski's previous work in the Senate under then-Senator Sessions' leadership, as well as his elusive answers to probing questions, were deeply troubling: I remain concerned he could provide a back channel to his old boss and to the man in the Oval Office who’s declared open war on the Mueller investigation, and that procedures in place are not adequate to detect or prevent this.4 If just a few Republicans stand up to Trump on this disastrous pick for a crucial DOJ post, we can stop him. Call Sens. McCain and Flake now: Block Trump's unqualified and Russian-linked nominee to head the DOJ's Criminal Division. Click the link below to get started with your calls: https://act.credoaction.com/call/Block_Benczkowski/?t=7&akid=29210%2E3130208%2EOjxf8D - Kaili Lambe, CREDO Action Click below for a sample script and the number to call: References: David Ignatius, "Could this Trump nominee interfere with Mueller?," The Washington Post, March 22, 2018. Sen. Dick Durbin, "Tweet," July 5, 2017. Pema Levy, "If Trump Fires Rosenstein, This Man Could End Up With Power Over the Russia Investigation," Mother Jones, April 11, 2018. Ibid.

Call Sens. McCain and Flake on the Senate's anti-mother rules

Senator Tammy Duckworth's vote in the Senate could be taken away simply because she will be giving birth soon.¹ 

Sen. Duckworth is due in less than one month--that's how long we have to convince the Senate to modernize its archaic rules meant for a time when only white men were allowed in office. 

Will you help push the Senate by calling your senators? Kindly ask them to support changing Senate rules for Sen. Duckworth and all working women in Congress.

You can choose from one of these numbers to call:

• • Senator John McCain
    • Phoenix, AZ: 602-952-2410
    • Tucson, AZ: 520-670-6334
    • https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form
  • Senator Jeff Flake
    • Phoenix, AZ: 602-840-1891
    • Tucson, AZ: 520-575-8633
    • https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff

It's always best to speak in your own words, but here are some points to guide you.

• Hi, my name is __, from ___. I'm calling to let the senator know that I support modernizing Senate rules so that new mothers like Sen. Tammy Duckworth aren't barred from the Senate floor simply for giving birth or nursing a newborn. Please pass this onto the senator, thank you!

• The rules barring new mothers in the Senate from voting are a built-in disincentive to women who might run for office.

• Penalizing pregnant employees is the definition of pregnancy discrimination. If she takes maternity leave, she'll lose her vote. If she doesn't, she'll likely miss key votes since her nursing infant will be banned from the Senate floor.

• Employers often fail to accommodate women's pregnancies before and after giving birth.² How do we expect to change this widespread problem when it goes unaddressed in the highest offices?

• Will the senator please publicly support Sen. Duckworth and modernize Senate rules for working mothers? Thank you!

- the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. Tammy Duckworth Will Spend Her "Maternity Leave" Fighting The Patriarchy, Bustle, February 2018

2. Why Are Workplaces Still Not Ready For Pregnant Workers? Think Progress, January 31, 2014

Call Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake: Support the resolution of disapproval to save net neutrality.

The FCC voted to kill the open internet, but Congress has the power to overrule it. Fifty senators have already signed onto a resolution of disapproval that would overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. We need just one more, and Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake has not yet signed on to save the internet. Call now. Click below for a sample script and the number to call:

Fifty senators signed on to the resolution of disapproval to overturn the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and save net neutrality.1 We need just one more. If Sens. McCain and Flake sign on, the resolution will pass the Senate and move on to the House. Call Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake: Support the resolution of disapproval to save net neutrality.  When the FCC voted to kill the open internet, they ignored millions of Americans and gave big cable companies control of what we say and do online. But this fight isn't over. Congress has the authority to overturn the FCC's vote. Congress can use a "resolution of disapproval" to reverse this disastrous decision and restore the rules that protect the open internet.2 Thanks to the Congressional Review Act, Congress can review new regulations (in this case, the FCC's Orwellian-sounding “Restoring Internet Freedom” rule) and overrule them by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. Republicans in Congress used the process last year when they repealed important broadband privacy protections. And in the Senate, even the minority party can force a resolution of disapproval to a vote – making every senator go on the record for or against net neutrality. Trump's FCC chair has shown that he is in the pocket of Big Telecom companies. But unlike the FCC, our senators are elected and they must answer to us. Call Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake: Support the resolution of disapproval to save net neutrality.  Sample Script:  Hello my name is ____________ and I live in Tucson, AZ. I'm calling to ask Sens. McCain and Flake to sign onto the resolution of disapproval that would overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. Will Sens. McCain and Flake sign on and stand up for a free and open internet? Sen. John McCain P. 202-224-2235 (Got a recording. Left a message) F. 202-228-2862 Phoenix Office P. 602-952-2410 F. 855-952-8702 Tucson Office P. 520-670-6334 (Reached a staffer here.) F. 855-952-8702 https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form Sen. Jeff Flake P. 202-224-4521 (Got a recording. Left a message.) F: 202-228-0515 Phoenix Office P: 602-840-1891 F: 602-840-4092 Tucson Office P: 520-575-8633 (Reached a staffer here.) F: 520-797-3232 https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff - Brandy Doyle, CREDO Action References: Brian Fung, "The Senate’s push to overrule the FCC on net neutrality now has 50 votes, Democrats say," The Washington Post, Jan. 15, 2018. Kate Conger and Dell Cameron, "Wait, Can Congress Stop the FCC From Trampling Net Neutrality?" Gizmodo, Dec. 14, 2017. Here's a petition you can sign too.

Days Left to Save the EPA

Contact your members of Congress now! 

We're at the home stretch. Congress is fast-approaching Friday’s funding deadline, and they have a choice to make: Pass legislation that decimates the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget; or compromise (and avoid a government shutdown) by extending current funding levels until a better budget is proposed.

We can’t let the budget pass as it stands right now—because it’s a clear attempt by the Trump Administration to hobble the EPA, leaving only (as the President himself put it) “little tidbits” of the agency whose sole purpose is to protect Americans’ health and safety.

We deserve strong protections from the pollution that puts us at risk. Use our easy tool (link below) to call your Senators today, and demand that they protect the EPA—and oppose the bad budget bill.

This is a fight we can win. Because when the President proposed his budget, cuts to the EPA were so outrageous that even members of his own party spoke out against them.

Here’s what President Trump is pushing to cut:

*Clean water: The budget would eliminate funding to mitigate runoff pollution from roads, parking lots, and farm fields. Grants that protect water and soil from tanks that leak chemicals would disappear. And water pollution control grants and state public water system supervision would be slashed by nearly a third.

*Clean air: EPA grants for local air quality monitoring would also be cut by a third—putting Americans’ health directly at risk. These are the grants that allow your local officials to keep track of whether or not the air you and your loved ones are breathing is safe—and to warn children and the elderly to stay inside when it’s too dangerous to breathe outside.

*Climate action: President Trump’s budget would eliminate basically all funding for EPA’s work on climate—including the Clean Power Plan, international climate programs, and eviscerating all climate research.

- Heather Shelby, Action Network Manager

Use this link to be connected with your members of Congress.

The link above forwarded me to Sen. McCain's office - where they encouraged me to leave a message on his website (see link below.) I left a message in both places.

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

Here is my personalized message for inspiration...

Dear Senator McCain,

Please, don't let the budget pass as it stands right now—because it’s a clear attempt by the Trump Administration to hobble the EPA - an agency whose sole purpose is to protect Americans’ health and safety.

Here in Tucson we have annual flood damage from monsoon storms. We rely on funds from the EPA to fix our roads and underpasses.The budget would eliminate funding to mitigate runoff pollution from roads, parking lots, and farm fields.

Without the EPA, we would not have found out about the dioxin that leaked into Tucson's aquifer. The EPA forced the guilty parties to clean up our water. We still need our wells to be tested for poison toxins. But the Grants that protect water and soil from tanks that leak chemicals would also disappear under the President's budget.

As you know, sewage is leaking into Arizona from the border town of Naco. We need the EPA to clean up that mess.

Please, don't put our lives at risk by passing a budget that cuts funds from the EPA. Your constituents are counting on you to protect them. Please, vote no to any budget that cuts much needed funds for the EPA.

Thank you,
Jana Segal

#GOPtaxscam up for a vote today! Contact your senators now!

This is it. The #GOPtaxscam is supposed to go for a vote in the Senate TODAY. Time to bombard them with faxes, tweets, facebook posts and messages on their websites! 

Call 202-224-3121 to tell your Senators to vote no.

Click here to send a letter to your senators today. - Scripts from Trumptaxscam.org

*to tweet - see links below

If you have a cell phone, you can contact your senators on RESISTBOT.
Text the word resist to 50409 and answer the questions it asks. You'll be talking to a bot, not a person when you text, so answer just as asked or it won't understand you. 

Arizona constituents: When I tried to call Sen. Flake's office Wednesday afternoon the mail box was full. (520) 575-8633. They are answering today!  Time we bombard Sens. Flake and McCain with phone calls, faxes, tweets and messages! Let's make 'em listen to us!

You can fax for free on the internet at:  freefax.com

Here's Sen. Flake's fax numbers: 

Washington, D.C. Office fax: 202-228-0515
Phoenix Office fax: 602-840-4092
Tucson Office fax: 520-797-3232

Tweet Flake at: @SenFlakeStaff

Here's Sen. Flake's website contact form:
https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff

Sen. McCain's phone: (520) 670-6334
Here's Sen. McCain's fax numbers:

Phoenix Office fax: (855) 952-8702
Tucson Office fax: (855) 952-8702
Washington Office fax: (202) 228-2862

Tweet him @SenJohnMcCain

Here's Sen. McCain's website contact form:
https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

----

Six key senators haven’t decided whether or not to support a tax bill that puts health coverage on the line for millions — and they could cast a deciding vote this week.

Our Arizona senators are two of the six senators — so make sure you speak out today. These key lawmakers need to hear from as many of us as possible before they vote. Here's an easy way to tweet them — to make sure they reject any tax bill that puts health coverage at risk.

Sens. McCain and Flake: Listen to our calls!

All week, you’ve made calls, you’ve shown up… you’ve gotten loud. Now it’s time for us to get M-A-D.

Yesterday, in a razor-thin, party-line vote, the Senate Budget Committee passed the #TrumpTaxScam out of committee 12 votes to 11. The bill now heads to the Senate floor where it’s likely Members will vote on a Motion to Proceed (a pre-vote vote) this afternoon and will likely take a final vote on the bill this week.

We’re going to be honest, this will be close. It appears that Republicans have the votes to pass this wretched bill and they could vote on the full Senate floor as early as Friday afternoon. But this is the same exact scenario we experienced right before defeating the health care repeal in July. We can still do this.

Senators Flake and McCain must keep hearing from you. In Arizona alone, 1,017,100 families will see a tax increase by 2027. On top of that, 282,000 families would lose their health coverage by 2025 and many others would see their premiums increase by $2,060 in 2019.

We’re running out of time to stop this bill. So keep up the hard work:

1. Show up. Visit your Senator’s in-district office as often as you can between now and the final vote. Use our event organizing guide to plan your event and then register your event so others can find it here.
   
2. Make a call. Jam those phone lines. Get your friends and family to call. Make sure your voice is counted before your Senators go to vote.

Use our call scripts to inform your conversation with Senators Flake and McCain, and let them know just how much you hate this bill. We’ve set up a toll-free number (1-855-980-2350) to make it easier to call your Senators. It’ll randomly dial one of your Senators on the first call. Then, if you call back, you’ll get your other Senator.

- Indivisible 

Fight for a humane tax plan and healthcare: Share your personal story with these maverick senators

First, Senator Ron Johnson, an arch-conservative from Wisconsin, came out against the Republican Party's misguided plan to cut taxes for the wealthy and sabotage Obamacare.1 Then, 13 Republicans voted against the House tax bill. Now, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski seem to be leaning our way, and a new analysis shows the Senate tax plan will actually RAISE taxes on the poor and the middle class--a huge political blow to the bill's chances.2,3

If Sens. Collins, Murkowski, and Johnson vote no, the bill is dead. That's why we're making Senate phones ring off the hook in Washington, D.C., and organizing our members in key states to tell their stories about what this tax DEFORM plan would mean for them.

Desperate for a win, Senator Mitch McConnell and Trump are pushing to pass their rich-person giveaway when they come back after Thanksgiving. That means we've got just one week to raise hell in Maine, Arizona, Nevada, and Alaska--the same kind of organizing that helped us kill Trumpcare earlier this year.

But just like this summer, we have to keep the pressure on senators from these states. We've got the cold hard facts: 13 million will lose their health insurance.4 Americans earning less than $75,000 a year will see their taxes INCREASE.5

We have to back up those facts with the stories of real people, real voters, who can't afford for this dangerous tax plan to become law.

- UltraViolet Action

Sources:

1. GOP tax plan in trouble after Republican senator says he won’t back it, The Washington Post, November 15, 2017
2. Why Republicans may have lost Susan Collins in their tax reform fight, Bangor Daily News, November 16, 2017
3. Murkowski Tax Vote Contingent on Stabilizing Individual Health Insurance Market, Roll Call, November 17, 2017
4. Repealing the Individual Health Insurance Mandate: An Updated Estimate, Congressional Budget Office, November 8, 2017
5. $1.5 Trillion Tax Cut Passed by House in Mostly Party-Line Vote, The New York Times, November 16, 2017

Does the #GOPTaxPlan treat corporations and individuals the same in terms of who gets to keep deductions and who doesn’t? Nope, not even close. WATCH VIDEO.

Contact Republican Senators Susan Collins
https://www.collins.senate.gov/contact
Washington office (202)224-2523

Contact Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/contact/email

Phone: (202)-224-6665
Fax: (202)-224-5301

Tax reform roadblocks emerge in Senate: Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski have been wildcards, avoiding taking a public position on the proposal.

Senator McCain is also also a key player in this fight. 

You can contact Sen. McCain at his Tucson Office:

(520) 670-6334
Fax: (855) 952-8702

One way to reach him is to share you personal stories on his website:

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

Here's mine for inspiration:

Dear Senator McCain,

I live in Tucson where so many of your constituents are living paycheck to paycheck. They are one medical emergency from going bankrupt and losing their homes. Everyday I see more and more homeless people - some vets, some people who had to quit their jobs to care for a sick loved one, some who had a medical emergency. I'm urging you to take care of vulnerable Tucsonans. It is just heartless to pass a huge tax cut for the wealthiest Americans on the back of the most vulnerable. Why are you raising taxes on married couples who make less that $19050 a year? When my husband left me, I struggled to get by on spousal support. No one would hire me because I had been a stay at home mom. I could have easily become homeless. So many of us are just one emergency away from being homeless.

My parents in Missouri are just getting by on their limited retirement plan and social security.  My dad recently had gallbladder surgery. He could not have had that surgery without the help of Medicare.  They finally had to get a home health aide. That is also paid for by Medicare. This immoral tax plan even cuts the dependent deduction that enables families to take care of their elderly parents at home AND the deduction for their medical expenses. How are people supposed to get by? 

Senator McCain, please, don't take away our healthcare or make it even harder on the poor. I know you are a moral man; vote your conscious. Vote no on that cruel tax bill.

The Republican tax plan can still be stopped, and your senator, Senator John McCain, is a key player in this fight. Act now.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives just passed Trump's dumpster fire of a tax plan yesterday, jeopardizing millions of families' financial stability and health care in one swift blow.¹

The Republican tax plan can still be stopped, and your senator, Senator John McCain, is a key player in this fight. But we have to act fast.²

Can you sign up to visit Senator McCain's office at 407 W. Congress St., Tucson, AZ with a few friends to stop the Republican tax plan from moving forward in the Senate?

Sharing personal stories with elected officials is one of the most compelling ways to influence their vote. And here's the thing: everyone, including you, has a story to share about how this tax plan negatively impacts them and those they love, because the Republican tax plan is a complete disaster for women, middle- and working-class families, and anyone else who isn't a millionaire and billionaire in the top 1%. In fact, the Senate bill is even worse than the one that passed in the House: it will also sabotage health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, which means 13 million people could lose their health insurance if this tax bill passes, including 282,000 people in Arizona.³ Here are just a few of the many ways this tax plan affects people:

• Individuals making between $20,000-$30,000 per year would be hit the hardest, with their taxes beginning to rise by 2021. By 2027, they would see a more than 25% increase in their tax bill.⁴
• Everyone making under $75,000 per year would see taxes increase throughout the next decade.⁵
• Health care premiums will rise 10% for more than 20 million people in 2019.⁶
• A typical middle-class family buying insurance through the marketplace will see a $2,000 increase in cost by 2019.⁷
• Those who rely on Medicare will also face enormous hardship--Arizona alone will lose $477 million in Medicare funding starting in 2018.⁸
• Homeowners will no longer be able to take mortgage interest deductions.⁹
• Those with student loans can no longer take student loan interest deductions.¹⁰
• The personal exemption of $4,050 for yourself, your spouse, and each of your dependents will be eliminated.¹¹

The list goes on....

The good news is that the Republicans' path to success in the Senate is becoming increasingly rocky. On Wednesday, Senator Ron Johnson (R-MN), one of the most conservative Tea Party members of the U.S. Senate, announced that he won't support Trump's $1.7 trillion tax giveaway for the wealthy.¹² That means just two more Republican senators need to say 'no' to this plan to secure a victory--and Senator John McCain is one of a few senators still on the fence.

It's highly likely that the Senate will vote on this tax bill before the end of November, which means that with the Thanksgiving holiday, there are only a few days left to show up and share your story with Senator John McCain. Once you sign up, we'll send you all the information you'll need, including talking points, tips, and tools to make sure your visit is as effective and impactful as possible. Can you make it?

Yes, I can go with a few friends to Senator McCain's office to share personal stories about how the Republican tax plan will make life harder for almost everyone.

- the UltraViolet Action team

Sources:

1. The House just passed its big tax bill. Here’s what is in it, Washington Post, November 16, 2017

2. House Approves GOP Tax Overhaul, With Senate Outlook Uncertain, NPR, November 16, 2017

3. Senate Plans to End Obamacare Mandate in Revised Tax Proposal, New York Times, November 14, 2017

4. Tax cuts in Senate bill would evaporate in a decade: JCT, The Hill, November 16, 2017

5. Senate tax bill cuts taxes of wealthy and hikes taxes on families earning under $75,000 by 2027, Washington Post, November 16, 2017

6. The Senate Tax Bill Threatens Access to Health Care, Center for American Progress, November 16, 2017

7. GOP tax bill would spike Obamacare premiums nearly $2,000 for families, trigger Medicare cuts, CNBC, November 16, 2017

8. The Senate Tax Bill Threatens Access to Health Care, Center for American Progress, November 16, 2017

9. The Republican tax plan is a dumpster fire. Let's take out the trash., NBC News, November 15, 2017

10. The GOP Tax Bill Is Bad for Students, Nation, November 14, 2017

11. House vote on taxes: Here's what's in the bill Republicans just passed, CNN Money, November 16, 2017

12. GOP tax plan in trouble after Republican senator says he won't back it, Washington Post, November 15, 2017

Tell Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain: ensure the independence of investigations into Trump’s Russia ties. Protect special prosecutor Mueller

Petition to Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain: "Protect the rule of law by ensuring the independence of current investigations into Trump’s Russia ties. Protect special prosecutor Mueller from Trump’s abuse of power." Add your name:

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Donald Trump’s Russia ties has yielded its first indictments – which may put the investigation under threat. News recently broke that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, another former Trump staffer are under indictment. On top of the indictments, Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pled guilty to lying to the FBI about his communication with Russians.1 The threat to Mueller’s independence – and a constitutional crisis – is now very real. Trump has openly mused about firing Mueller in public interviews. His team has been digging up dirt on the special prosecutor. In the days before the indictments became public, Trump allies tried to deflect blame, pushed for phony investigations of Sec. Clinton to distract Americans, and advocated to strip Mueller of his powers. 2,3 What happens next is a huge test for the so-called moderate Republicans of conscience who have recently spoken out against Trump’s reckless abuse of power – they must now put words into action to protect the integrity of existing investigations into all of Trump and his associates’ illegal ties to Russia. Sens. John McCain, Bob Corker and Jeff Flake have made headlines and earned plaudits from the elite political and media establishment for saying that Trump is a threat to our democracy, but they have done precious little to back those words up with action. Tell Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain: The investigation into Trump’s Russia ties must be truly independent. Protect special counsel Mueller from Trump’s abuse of power. Click here to sign the petition. These Republicans must immediately use all their institutional and public leverage to ensure all current investigations concerning Trump’s Russia ties continue without interference from the Trump regime and its allies in Congress. They must help pass legislation to protect an independent counsel and prevent Donald Trump from triggering a constitutional crisis. Mueller’s methodical investigation is critical and it is still in its beginning stages. We still do not know if more indictments are to come or what Papadopoulos, Manafort, or Gates will share about other Trump associates in order to spare themselves time behind bars. Not long ago, a post-Watergate law was in place that protected investigations like Mueller’s from presidential overreach. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 set up a system to ensure that special prosecutors would be totally independent officials that a group of judges could appoint and no president can fire. But in the 1990s, Republicans and Democrats teamed up to let the independent counsel statute expire.4 Mueller, instead, is a special prosecutor serving at the whim of Trump’s own Department of Justice.5 That means that Trump could order Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller, sparking a constitutional firestorm with the executive branch seeking to crush the rule of law to protect its grip on power. Congress can prevent this nightmare scenario. If Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain want to back up their strong talk with real action, they need to show that they are willing to force the White House to obey the law by protecting Mueller’s investigation and keeping it independent of Trump overreach. Tell Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain: The investigation into Trump’s Russia ties must be truly independent. Protect special counsel Mueller from Trump’s abuse of power. Click here to sign the petition. Mueller’s thorough investigation into Trump’s Russia ties has already uncovered far more than Trump would like, and as the White House has already been doing everything it can to discredit Mueller, it seems like it is only a matter of time before he lashes out to undermine the investigation by pardoning his former campaign staff, firing Mueller – or both. Unlike in the summer when Trump first contemplated firing Mueller, there are now key Senate Republicans who have spoken out and must now draw a line in the sand to protect our democracy. With an illegitimate autocrat occupying the White House, our system of laws needs the strongest possible defense – no White House is above the law. Congress must step up now to make sure we have a truly independent investigation of Trump. Tell Sens. Corker, Flake and McCain: Trump investigation must be truly independent. Click the link below to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/Protect_Mueller?t=8&akid=25795%2E3130208%2EnaF4Kr - Kaili Lambe CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Matt Zapotosky, Rosalind Helderman, Carol Leonnig and Spencer Hsu, “Three former Trump campaign officials charged by special counsel,” The Washington Post, Oct. 30, 2017. Nicholas Fandos, “Courting Democrats Ire, Republicans Open New Obama-Era Inquiries,” The New York Times, Oct. 24, 2017. Sonam Sheth, “Mueller's latest move has Trump's staunchest allies melting down on Twitter,” Business Insider, Oct. 28, 2017. Phil Helsel, “‘Special Counsel’ Less Independent Than Under Expired Watergate-Era Law,” May 17, 2017. Erwin Chemerinsky and Eric Freedman, “Naming Robert Mueller as special counsel isn't enough – because Trump can get rid of him,” Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2017.

Tell congress: Let DREAMers Stay

Last week almost 800 colleges and universities sent a letter to Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and the rest Congressional leadership to make one single request: Pass a 2017 DREAM Act.

Email and call your representatives in Washington now to let them you know you demand a long term solution for DREAMers.

TAKE ACTION:

Call your Congressperson and tell them:

"I'm [Name] and a constituent of Rep. [Name]. I urge him/her to pass a 2017 DREAM Act. DREAMers have proven that they're law-abiding, hardworking young people by submitting to rigorous background checks and serving in the military or working towards a college degree. These are exactly the kinds of immigrants we should be supporting, not deporting. This is the only country they've ever known and they deserve a chance to work towards their American Dream. Thank you"

Sierra Vista Office
Phone: (520) 459-3115

Tucson Office
Phone: (520) 881-3588
Fax: (520) 322-9490

https://mcsally.house.gov/contact

3) Call your two Senators at the numbers that appear below and tell them:

"I'm [Name] and a constituent of Senator [Name]. I urge him/her to pass a 2017 DREAM Act. DREAMers have proven that they're law-abiding, hardworking young people by submitting to rigorous background checks and serving in the military or working towards a college degree. These are exactly the kinds of immigrants we should be supporting, not deporting. This is the only country they've ever known and they deserve a chance to work towards their American Dream. Thank you"

United States Capitol switchboard  (202) 224-3121.

Sen. Flake

Washington, D.C. Office
P: 202-224-4521
F: 202-228-0515

Phoenix Office
P: 602-840-1891
F: 602-840-4092

Tucson Office
P: 520-575-8633
F: 520-797-3232


Sen. McCain

Phoenix Office
Main: (602) 952-2410
Fax: (855) 952-8702

Tucson Office
Main: (520) 670-6334
Fax: (855) 952-8702

Washington Office
Main: (202) 224-2235
Fax: (202) 228-2862

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

THIS WEEK: New vote set on Arctic oil drilling CALL SEN. MCCAIN NOW

Congress is continuing its tragic push to hand over America's coasts and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to the world's biggest oil companies.

This week, the U.S. Senate is set to vote on an all-important budget resolution that contains an outrageous provision aimed at opening the Arctic Refuge and our protected coastlines to oil drilling, ostensibly to raise federal revenue that helps fund a tax break for the wealthy.

And NRDC Action Fund's legislative experts believe that Arizona Senator John McCain is a key vote that could stop these provisions. So we need thousands of supporters in Arizona to call Senator McCain now, urging him to vote against efforts to use the budget resolution to open America's coasts and the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling.

Will you please make an urgent phone call to Senator McCain's office today?

Call his Washington, D.C., office at: (202) 224-2235
If you can't get through to D.C., call his Phoenix, AZ, office: (602) 952-2410
or Tucson, AZ (520) 670-6334

Or leave a comment on his website.

When you call, here are a few tips and talking points:

Tell the senator's staff your name and where in Arizona you live
Express your opposition to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and along America's coasts.

Urge the senator to vote to strip all provisions that could open the Arctic and our coasts to oil companies from the budget resolution the Senate will vote on this week

If you've already called or emailed your senators opposing Arctic oil drilling, thank you. But with a vote set this week on the Senate floor, we need you to weigh in one more time.

Of course, this dangerous budget resolution is just the latest in an outrageously long list of assaults from President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress on our environment and our clean energy future. Just last week, the Trump administration formally kicked off its cynical campaign to kill the Clean Power Plan. And Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt continue filling key White House and EPA posts with climate deniers and fossil fuel lobbyists.

Enough is enough. We must draw a line in the sand ... and in the Arctic tundra ... to stop these latest anti-environment assaults.

-Rhea Suh
President, NRDC Action Fund

Stop the Dirty Water Attacks in Congress

President Trump and many members of Congress are engaged in an all-out assault on commonsense protections for clean water and public health. The Clean Water Rule, Clean Power Plan, and action to fight climate change are all at risk. We need to make sure our elected officials know that we expect them to represent us, not the polluters who power power their campaigns.

Take action now: Write to your Members of Congress to stand up to attacks on our health & environment.

- Clean Water Action

To send the following message to your members of Congress click here.

Subject:

I need you to support protections for public health and clean water

Message:

I urge you to support clean water, clean air and healthy communities. Please reject any attempts to weaken or dismantle our most important protections, and to oppose budget cuts to EPA and other agencies, that would threaten our water, air and climate.

Please oppose attacks on:

• The Clean Water Rule, which protects drinking water sources for more than 117 million Americans

• The Clean Power Plan, which is vital in our fight against climate pollution

• EPA’s budget for putting laws into action to protect health and natural resources and responding to crises, such as lead contamination

I urge you to stand with people, not polluters. Please oppose efforts to undermine protections for our nation’s air, land, water or wildlife.

You can also call or fax our Arizona Senators at their offices:

Rep. Martha McSally

District: AZ02

Phone:(202) 225-2542

Fax:(202) 225-0378

Sen. John McCain

District: AZS01

Phone:(202) 224-2235

Fax:(202) 228-2862

Sen. Jeff Flake

District: AZS02

Phone:(202) 224-4521

Fax:(202) 228-0515

Not your members of congress? Use your zip code to find your members of Congress here.