Action Alerts – Week of January 3rd – CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity members and supporters:

Please find below the weekly ACTION ALERTS from our legislative action team. We hope that everyone had a rejuvenating New Year’s celebration with friends and family, and here’s to a new year filled with peace and justice for all.

The state legislative session opens on Wednesday in Albany. All eyes will be on the 8 IDC “Democrats” (including Sen. Dave Valesky) who continue to enable Republican control of the state Senate, and on Gov. Cuomo, who appears to be delaying the call for special elections to fill two vacant seats in the state Senate. As the session gets up and running, we’ll be renewing our push for bold state legislative action in support of health care for all, climate justice, immigrant rights, voting rights, and more.

The U.S. Senate returns to D.C. on Wednesday, while the House comes back next week. We know 2017 felt like a never-ending series of fights to fend off horrible policy changes in Congress. Unfortunately, 2018 is likely to be more of the same, but with momentum building toward the November 6 elections, when all 435 House seats and a third of the Senate seats will be in play. We’ve been saying all year that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself and rest up when you need to.

Monday (Jan. 1)

Enjoy New Year’s Day with your friends and family.

Tuesday (Jan. 2)

One phone call today

The net neutrality fight is not over!

Our free and open internet is under attack by a Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission (FCC). On December 14, the FCC voted 3-2 to remove net neutrality rules put in place under the Obama Administration just two years ago. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, joined by over a dozen other Democrats, plans to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to stop the FCC from destroying the internet as we know it. The CRA would repeal the latest FCC action and revert regulation of the internet back to the FCC’s 2015 rules. Senator Gillibrand has already signed on as co-sponsor. Today, let’s urge Sen. Schumer to do the same. Please call his office at 202-224-6542 or 315-423-5471. More details here and here (with a nice graphic and suggested phone scripts at the latter link).

Wednesday (Jan. 3)

One phone call today

Can’t believe we even need to say this, but it’s not a good idea to give sweeping surveillance authority to Jeff Sessions

The U.S. government already has a shameful history of surveillance targeting activists and marginalized communities, and the FBI’s recent report framing so-called “black identity extremists” as potential terror threats only raises fears of targeting. The good news is that a key part of the federal government’s post-9/11 surveillance authority is set to expire in mid-January unless Congress renews it. (The law that’s set to expire is known as Sec. 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.) A bipartisan bill has been introduced by Senators Wyden and Paul and Representatives Lofgren and Poe. This legislation, the USA RIGHTS Act, sets out important reforms to better protect Americans against unconstitutional searches. This is an issue on which some Republican legislators have repeatedly indicated a willingness to cross the aisle, and it should be a winnable fight. The House bill (H.R. 4124) has 7 Republican co-sponsors, but guess who’s not on the list? Today, let’s call Rep. Katko and urge him to add his name. Katko’s numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC). More details here.

Thursday (Jan 4)

One phone call today.

Please sign up for the Brooklyn Voter’s Alliance phone rally on January 4, 2018, to Governor Cuomo. During his State of the State address, Governor Cuomo highlighted some fantastic voting reforms, Automatic Voter Registration, Early Voting, and Same Day Voter registration and promised to push these pieces of legislation forward. We want to hold him to that promise.

Friday through Sunday (Jan. 4-7)

No recommended actions for now, but watch this space for updates, and be sure to make note of the upcoming events listed below.

Save the date for these upcoming events:

Thur., Jan 11, 10:30-3:30: Health Care for All New York is holding its annual winter meeting in Albany. Anyone interested in carpooling, please contact ursula.rozum@gmail.com.

Sat., Jan 13, 2-4pm: Flip NY24: Blueprint for Success, Comfort Suites Cicero, 5875 Carmenica Dr. 13039. Organized by our friends at Rise Up CNY; more details here. If anyone’s planning to attend, please contact thomas.m.keck@gmail.com so we can coordinate.

Sat., Jan 13, 10:15am-6pm: Plans are in the works for a statewide gathering of Indivisible groups in Albany, location TBD. If anyone would be interested in attending, please register here by Jan. 5 and please contact thomas.m.keck@gmail.com so we can coordinate.

CNY Solidarity Coalition meetings:

Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-5 pm Location Bishop Harrison Center

Sunday, Jan, 28, 3-5 pm TBA

Sunday, Feb. 11, 3-5 pm “ “

Sunday, Feb. 25, 3-5 pm “ “

Sat., Jan. 20: Women’s March Anniversary events in Syracuse (9:30am-2pm) and Seneca Falls (10am-2pm). If anyone is aware of other CNY-area Women’s March events, please let us know, and note that the Syracuse action is part of a full weekend of events (more details here).

Tue., Jan. 23, 12-5pm: Let New York Vote Rally & Action Day in Albany. From our friends at Easy Elections NY; more details here.

Sat., Jan. 27: Plans are in the works for a National People’s March on Washington in support of impeachment (more details here and here). If anyone is interested in organizing a Syracuse contingent to DC and/or a solidarity event here in town, please let us know.

Feb 4, 1-4pm: Our friends at Climate Change Awareness & Action are hosting a fund-raising party at The Spa at 500, 500 W. Onondaga St. in Syracuse.

Jun. 26: Election day (primaries for federal offices)

Sept. 11: Election day (primaries for state offices)

Nov. 6: Election day (general election for all offices)

Today and every day, be sure to follow us online and on social media!

Check out our website: www.cnysolidarity.org

Check us out on Flickr and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

In solidarity,

Tom