Indivisibles, 

The American Rescue Plan is a testament to the influence of a unified Congressional Progressive Caucus. Despite the weakening of a few provisions in the Senate, progressives wielded their collective power to secure the wins that make this the most consequential relief package in decades. 

Here are a few examples of where pressure from progressives paid off:  

• $1,400 direct checks for American families trying to make ends meet -- including mixed-status families, 
• $350 billion in state and local aid to pay for frontline healthcare workers like nurses, doctors, and EMTs fighting COVID-19,
• Expanded unemployment insurance despite Republican calls to limit benefits further than they already have, 
• A new-and-improved Child Tax Credit, a push progressives have been making for years, that will significantly reduce child poverty.

These represent major wins for our movement and for progressive values, but our work is far from over. Now that the American Rescue Plan has covered a significant part of the relief needed by hundreds of thousands of people, we're moving onto recovery -- that's where democracy reform and the THRIVE Agenda come in. The THRIVE Agenda imagines a COVID-19 recovery package that tackles the overlapping crises of mass unemployment, racial injustice, public health, and climate change to transform our society. 

With March recess on the horizon (March 29 through April 11), we have an opportunity to make a bold statement about the need for a transformational recovery plan. Start applying pressure on your members of Congress right now by calling your representative to ask them to support our March recess asks. Then, call your senators. 

And with that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. Prepare for Recovery Recess (March 29 to April 11) by signing up to attend or host an event. This March recess, or “Recovery Recess,” we’re asking our MoCs to respond to the needs of our communities. We need a bold recovery package that delivers real climate solutions and advances racial, Indigenous, gender, and economic justice. Along with a recovery bill, we’re applying pressure on MoCs to pass the democracy-saving reforms we care about, like the For the People Act and the D.C. statehood bill. Get involved by signing up to attend an event or host one near you.
2. Ask your representative to co-sponsor the THRIVE Resolution. With the climate crisis continuing to intensify, the economy entering a deep recession, and the need for racial justice and healing being felt as acutely as ever, the case for Green New Deal-style policymaking is stronger than ever before.
3. Take action for democracy reform with the For the People Project. H.R. 1, the For the People Act, is heading to the Senate on Wednesday! This is the first of the democracy reform bills we’re watching in Congress, including the D.C. statehood bill (H.R. 51), that will start the process of unrigging our democracy and making it work for everyone. Check out our For the People Project page as your one-stop shop to learn more about our plans and find ways to take action.
4. Check out our Save Democracy Sinema hub. If we hope to eliminate the filibuster, we need every Senate Democrat on board. Senator Sinema (AZ) is one of the senators we need on our side and we’re doing everything we can to support Arizonans in their effort to hold her accountable. Keep reading for more details below.

 Moving on the Hill 

Earlier this month, the Dream and Promise Act was reintroduced in the House. The bill expands on the DREAM Act to put millions of people on a path to citizenship -- providing immigrant youth and other immigrants with temporary humanitarian protection. This bill could do more, especially to ensure that immigrants with convictions from the racially biased criminal-sanctions system aren’t separated from their families, but it’s a step in the right direction. This week, we have an opportunity to push our representatives to act. 

This bill would expand protections for at least 3 million people caught in our broken immigration system. There’s no time to wait -- call your representative to tell them to deliver on immigration reform by passing the Dream and Promise Act before the March recess.

And, since so much is moving at once, here are a few dates to look out for in the coming weeks: 

• The For the People Act (S. 1) is being introduced in the Senate this Wednesday, March 17. 
• The committee hearing for the D.C. statehood bill (H.R. 51) is next Monday, March 22. 
• The For the People Act (S.1) hearing will be in the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday, March 24.
• March Recess will run from March 29 to April 11. 

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.

 National Events 

THRIVE Agenda 101
The THRIVE Agenda presents a bold new vision to revive our economy. It outlines the policies we need to enable dignified work, healthy communities, a stable climate, and racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice. Join us to learn how the THRIVE Agenda meets these needs and ushers in a new era for American workers. Leave equipped to talk to anyone about THRIVE and why we must rise to this occasion and support this agenda.
Dates: March 23 at 3 pm EST -- Register here. 
March 27 at 1 pm EDT -- Register here.

 IndivisiWins 

Arizona Indivisibles are working hard to push back against the voting restrictions introduced in their state legislature this year -- and they’re getting noticed. Check out this article from the New York Times that features Cathy Sigmon, a leader of the Indivisible group Civic Engagement Beyond Voting in AZ:

 Women's History Month 

Happy Women’s History Month! This month, we’re sharing some extra content that honors the women who have paved the way and continue to drive the work left to do. Here’s what we’re reading and streaming:

🎧 Breonna Taylor Was Killed By Police 1 Year Ago. What's Changed Since Then? One year since her death, we still don’t have justice for Breonna Taylor. Listen to this short podcast for an update on what has happened since. (Consider This, March 12).

📝 The Women Powering Biden's Economy Are Rewriting The Course Of American History Learn more about three women driving economic policy from inside the Biden administration: Cecilia Rouse, Janet Yellen, and Janelle Jones (NPR, March 15). 

💻 Sojourner Truth Legacy Project Virtual Program: Celebrating the Rise in Black Women Political Leadership Celebrate Black women in leadership by attending this panel on March 30.  

We hope these selections motivate and inspire you to take action -- we need all hands on deck to pass a meaningful recovery package and the first of many democracy-saving reforms. 

In solidarity, 
Indivisible Team