Indivisibles,

It’s been a little over a month since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris entered the White House with the promise of building back better. But, even though they were ready to get started back in December, their starting line was pushed further and further away as Trump stalled Biden’s transition team from receiving crucial COVID-19 data. Trump’s failures during his administration and during Biden’s transition process meant that the Biden Administration has inherited a country in crisis. Over the weekend, the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus reached 500,000. This number becomes even more shocking in context: more than a fifth of all COVID-19 deaths worldwide have occurred in the U.S., which has less than 5% of the global population. 

We’re all anxiously awaiting the passage of the COVID-19 relief package, and here’s what to look out for this week:  

• We need to hear from the Senate parliamentarian, the person who assesses how the bill conforms to the rules of budget reconciliation. 
• Depending on the parliamentarian's advice, some House Democrats may get cold feet and look to water down the bill (think: removing the provision to increase the minimum wage), even though they are not required to use the same rules as the Senate.
• We’re expecting a vote in the House very late this week (could come on Friday or Saturday). From there, the bill moves to the Senate.

We won’t know what the final package looks like until we hear from the Senate parliamentarian, but we’re calling on the House to keep as many progressive priorities as possible (like raising the minimum wage and survival checks that are not further restricted) instead of stripping them preemptively before it heads to the Senate. Call your representative and ask them to pass the strongest possible COVID-19 relief bill to send to the Senate. 

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. Call your representative and ask them to pass the strongest possible COVID-19 relief bill to send to the Senate. While we wait for the Senate parliamentarian’s report, it’s crucial that Democrats remain firm on their priorities for a COVID-19 package that meets the moment. They should know we expect them to pass the bill without making any preemptive concessions.
2. Take action for democracy reform with the For the People Project. Now that we have a Democratic trifecta, we have to move quickly to unrig our democracy so all of our other priorities can be within reach. To start, that means pushing our MoCs to pass the For the People Act (H.R. 1/ S. 1), make D.C. the 51st state (H.R. 51/ S. 51), and eliminate the filibuster. Our For the People Project page is your one-stop shop to learn more about our plans and find ways to take action.
3. Call your representative to ask them to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act. Immigration reform is one of our core priorities and, while this bill needs some improvements, it’s a step in the right direction. Namely, it provides a path to citizenship for most, but not all, undocumented immigrants living in the United States as of this year. Let your representative know they should immediately advance this bill -- and work to make positive changes -- so immigrants can know by spring that they are welcomed to citizenship.
4. Check out this directory with details about how to help communities in Texas. This guide provides information about different ways to provide support to the people of Texas. It’s a long list of organizations all over the state that are working tirelessly to get people the help they need. If you are able, consider making a donation to any one of these organizations today.  
5. Sign up for our March Indivisible National Activist Call. After a busy few weeks, be sure to join group leaders, group members, and other Indivisible activists on our March National Activist Call. On the call, we’ll cover legislative updates and a few ways to get involved in our current and upcoming fights.

 Moving on the Hill 

Democracy: H.R. 1, the For the People Act and H.R. 51, the DC Statehood bill are moving! These democracy reform bills are the first step to ensuring our democracy works for all and that we have a functioning government to pass all our other priorities. The House will vote to pass H.R. 1 the week of March 1 and there's a hearing for H.R. 51 scheduled for March 11. Call your representatives and ask them to move swiftly to pass H.R. 1 and H.R. 51. Then, call your senators and tell them not to let the filibuster get in the way of vital democracy reform. Since the vote for H.R. 1 is coming up soon, be sure to check out our For the People Act explainer video by clicking here.

Civil Rights: The Equality Act was reintroduced in the House. This landmark legislation for LGBTQIA+ rights would amend existing civil rights law to include protections for sexual orientation and gender orientation. While we expect the bill to pass the House imminently, the bill will likely face staunch opposition in the Senate from Republicans and will be unlikely to clear the 60-vote threshold to bypass the filibuster. Bills like the Equality Act are exactly the reason why we must eliminate the filibuster or risk leaving communities vulnerable to attack. 

Immigration: The House introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act, its immigration marker bill, last week. The bill prioritizes keeping families together and creates some pathways to citizenship. While the bill is a good start, Congress must do more to protect immigrant families from deportation and create pathways to citizenship for ALL undocumented immigrants. This is even more necessary after the Biden administration released a disappointing memo that effectively rescinded the 100-day deportation moratorium. Read and share our tweet thread on the memo here. 

In good news, Rep. Castro and Sen. Padilla will be introducing a proposal to get a pathway to citizenship for essential workers. We have endorsed this proposal and will be launching a call script after the bill’s introduction to get it included in the next recovery bill.  

P.S. We rely on your support to keep call pages up and running, fund ads to get the word out, and continue all the work we’re doing this year. If you’re able, click here to donate to help fund our work.

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 National Events 

POC (People of Color) Caucus Monthly Call 
Join with staff of color from Indivisible National to talk and connect around issues that directly affect POC, the work that we do, and the world in which we try to create lasting change. Please note that this is a space specifically for people of color/indigenous group leaders and members. Feel free to email [email protected] if you have any questions! 
Date: TOMORROW, Tuesday, February 23 at 7:30 pm ET -- Register here. 

February National Rural Call: Rural Talk Radio
Wondering how to penetrate the angry echo chamber of rural talk radio? Learn from rural talk radio experts how to call in and amplify your message about Democrats on the airwaves. We'll also hear from rural 3M Indivisible about their rural talk radio toolkit they're creating so you too can combat conspiracy theories and promote positive messaging about Democratic policies (perhaps even about the filibuster) on the air! Don’t miss this exciting event. 
Date: Wednesday, February 24 at 8 pm ET -- Register here.

March Indivisible National Activist Call
Join us for the monthly Indivisible National Activist Call! All group leaders, group members, and other Indivisible activists are welcome. At these calls, we provide an overview of our current top federal policies and where they stand in Congress, discuss upcoming Indivisible campaigns and actions, and more.
Date: Wednesday, March 4 at 8 pm ET -- Register here.

If you’re curious (or just trying to plan ahead) click here to take a look at our calendar with all upcoming webinars.

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 IndivisiWin: February Recess 

Indivisibles weren’t taking any breaks over February recess. After weeks talking about eliminating the Jim Crow filibuster, Indivisible Mendocino said, “We’ve got it.” 

Their challenge? Senator Feinstein is on record in favor of keeping the filibuster and, at the time, Senator Padilla hadn’t yet made a statement about his position. In response, these California Indivisibles made their demand loud and clear:

After taking this photo (masked and distanced) they sent photos to their senators, shared them online, and pitched them to local media. And it worked: because of constituent pressure, Senator Padilla is now on the record in support of ending the filibuster. Talk about rural power!

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 Black Futures Month  

This month, we’re sharing some extra content that relates to our mission and Black Futures Month. Here’s what we’re reading and streaming: 

🎞 Watch: Black Futures: An Ode to Freedom Summer
This is a short Afrofuturist film that reflects on the events of last summer and imagines a future where Black people are truly free. (The Movement for Black Lives) 

🎧Listen: The Mothers Who Raised Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin
Too often, history erases the role of women -- especially Black women. This short podcast episode tells the stories of the mothers of three civil rights legends. The episode is a conversation with Anna Malaika Tubbs, the author of her new book by the same name. (1A, February 17) 

📖 Read: Haymarket Books, a nonprofit book publisher, is offering 40% off a selection of books on the history and politics of the Black freedom movement.
This offer is only valid for the month of February, so make sure to check out their options here. 

We hope these selections motivate and inspire you to take action -- we need all hands on deck to secure meaningful COVID-19 relief, pass the first of many democracy-saving reforms, and so much more. 

In solidarity, 
Indivisible Team