Friends,

The Supreme Court is back in session and hearing oral arguments in-person for the new term. There are so many important cases that will be decided this year around abortion rights, the death penalty and holding police officers accountable.

Another major case that is near and dear to my heart goes to the issue of equal access to federal benefits like Social Security and Medicare for Americans living in the U.S. Territories. This could have huge impacts for us here in the Virgin Islands.

For too long, we have been treated like second-class citizens and this treatment is not only unfair, but it’s un-American. This case will directly challenge racist rationale that keep the territories in a perpetual state of colonialism. The US government continues to base the treatment of the off shore territories based upon the “Insular Cases” decided in the early 1900s which state that people from the territories are “alien races” that can not understand Anglo Saxon law nor should be given the same benefits as those living in the states.

As a Representative in Congress, I’ve been leading the fight to overturn these racist Supreme Court rulings that still rule over millions of Americans and I’m so proud of the progress we have already made on this issue so far. Will you please join us in this fight by chipping in as much as you can so I can continue being your voice on this issue in Washington?

Earlier this year, I helped successfully pass an amendment, which if made law, will bar the Department of Justice from defending these very cases that are being used to deny the territories access to Social Security and Medicare. We need to keep this fight going!

Please chip in as much as you can so I can continue leading the fight for equal rights and access to federal benefits for ALL Americans.

Thank you for the support,

-- Stacey Plaskett