Category: Lobbying - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

Lobby Day for Abortion - After Action Report

4/10/2023

Lobby Day in Des Moines for Abortion Rights -
After Action Report
Tuesday, March 21st

PAG Gender Equity Forum

Two Gender Equity Forum facilitators, Dr. Alta Price (me) and Dr. Carolyn Martin, traveled to Des Moines for the Planned Parenthood Lobby Day on March 21st. A van of folks came from the Iowa Quad Cities as well. There were well over a hundred activists talking with their legislators.

Although none of the anti-abortion restrictions proposed so far this year has a chance of passing, this is only because Republican leadership is waiting on a case before the Iowa Supreme Court that could reinstate a 6 week abortion ban passed in 2018 that was enjoined by the Iowa Supreme Court. Governor Reynolds has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its injunction. So we lobbied our legislators to support “over-the-counter birth control pills” (actually pharmacist-prescribed oral contraceptives) and expanding Medicaid coverage for pregnant people to extend for 12 months after delivery. There were two other legislative proposals we asked them to oppose.

For me the most interesting part was meeting the other activists. I was especially impressed by the medical students from the University of Iowa.

It was also great to meet and talk with my new Iowa State Senator, Scott Webster. He was very friendly and receptive. He was in support of the over-the-counter birth control pills; in fact, he had already voted in favor of that proposal. Carolyn did a great job of explaining that people need insurance coverage for at least 12 months after delivery to deal with any pregnancy complications. He seemed to appreciate the information she gave him.

Here is some WHO 13 television coverage of the event.

Alta Price

After Action Report - Civil Rights Forum Met with Bobby Schilling

2/1/2020

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border
Visit with Bobby Schilling
Monday, January 27th at 5 pm

The PACG Civil Rights Forum organized a visit with Bobby Schilling, who is running in the Republican primary for the Congressional seat of retiring Congressman, Dave Loebsack. Immigration activists from the many organizations in the Quad Cities working on immigration issues met with Mr. Schilling to deliver our message, beginning with: "Children do not belong in detention." At the PACG Blog you can read our complete "ask" and some proposed legislation.

We are trying to set up a similar meeting with Republican candidate, Mariannette Miller-Meeks. We will also visit with other candidates or elected officials in both Iowa and Illinois. Contact Alta if you want to participate.

Alta Price

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation - Updated

2/1/2020

The Crisis at the Southern Border:
Principles and Proposed Legislation

Representatives from various organizations in the Quad Cities have been meeting to address immigration issues. Our organizations include Progressive Action for the Common Good (Civil Rights Forum), One Human Family (Immigration Task Force), the Quad Cities Sanctuary Coalition, the Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, Quad Cities Interfaith (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Many of us are concerned about the humanitarian crisis at the border. We are opposed to locking up children and separating them from their adult family members.

Principles

Although we may differ on the problems we address and our proposed solutions, we agree on the following principles regarding the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees who come across our southern border. We call upon all members of Congress and candidates for Congress to consider these principles when devising legislative approaches to fixing the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

Children should not be locked up in detention centers.

Children should not be separated from their adult family members, or used as bait in immigration enforcement actions.

For-profit private prisons or detention centers should not be used to detain asylum seekers or refugees. Any immigrant in a detention facility should receive adequate food, water, medical care, soap, toothpaste, bedding and access to legal representation.

Asylum seekers and refugees should be protected from sexual abuse.

Alternatives to incarceration should be prioritized for families and other asylum seekers who pose no risk to the community. Bring back and expand the Family Case Management program started as a pilot program under the Obama administration.

Develop new ways to streamline processing of asylum seekers and refugees. Follow international and U.S. laws on treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, and ensure they are treated fairly and receive due process.

Provide aid to countries like Guatemala and Honduras to help them address the problems that cause their citizens to flee their homes.

Proposed legislation on the crisis at the southern border:

Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019 - Would establish immigration judges as independent judges so that they are not under the Department of Justice, which prosecutes immigration cases. https://www.aila.org/advo-media/press-releases/2019/aila-joins-senators-in-call-for-immigration-court

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019 - Would require legal counsel for indigent asylum seekers, children and other vulnerable groups who cannot afford a lawyer.
https://www.aila.org/advo-media/press-releases/2019/aila-joins-senators-in-call-for-immigration-court

Other legislative approaches to help resolve the crisis at the border:

Many problems combine to create what we call the border crisis. So, there is neither one cause nor one solution. Political attacks focused on fear of the other interfere with finding solutions. Attempts to enforce a narrow vision in response to the border crisis add to the complexity of the problem and may result in long-term undesired consequences. Legislative approaches to immigration must consider U.S. labor and security needs, the vast differences in the standard of living between the U.S. and other nations, and the level of violence in those nations.

Immigration and Refugee Policies that Reflect U.S. Labor Needs
U.S. labor needs are the main reason that our nation supports a population of ten million undocumented immigrants, many of whom have been here for 20 years or more. Legislative approaches that provide a measured response to labor needs, while also protecting our security needs, would be a start for addressing the crisis at the border. Iowa needs immigrant workers to address workforce shortages. Nationally, immigrant workers are needed to address the nation’s aging population and the decline in workers paying into our Social Security and Medicare programs.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) - A good place to start the movement to a sane immigration policy is Congressional establishment of a form of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was started by the Obama Administration by executive order and ended by the Trump Administration by executive order. ICE is preparing now to deport these 700,000 young workers if the courts rule against them. DACA recipients were brought to this country as children and in the U.S. we do not punish children for the actions of their parents. And, the U.S. needs these young people in the workforce.

Farm Workforce Modernization Act - This bill, passed by the House with bi-partisan support, is significant because it is the first Congressional response to the labor needs of farmers and ranchers, including dairy and vegetable growers. It is not perfect legislation, and the American Farm Bureau wants to modify some provisions of it as it passes through the Senate; however, it reflects America’s need for workers. Meatpacking plants, which are vital to Iowa’s Ag sector and economy, continually advertise for workers with a starting salary of $16-17 per hour. Nationally, hand-planted and hand-harvested crop work pays two to three times the minimum wage. Even with such high wages, farmers and ranchers struggle to fill these difficult jobs in the absence of immigrant workers.

For further information:

National Immigration Forum: Working Paper: Addressing the Increase of Central American Migrants, updated May 2, 2019
https://immigrationforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Border-Solutions_Revised_Final.pdf

Migration Policy Institute: Policy Solutions to Address Crisis at Border Exist, But Require Will and Staying Power to Execute, April 2019
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/policy-solutions-address-crisis-border-exist-require-will-staying-power

Bipartisan Policy Center: Policy Proposals to Address the Central American Migration Challenge, July 26, 2019
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/policy-proposals-to-address-the-central-american-migration-challenge/

Human Rights First: Testimony of Michael Breen, President and CEO, Human Rights First at the Hearing Entitled: “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border” before the House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/MB-Written-Testimony-House-Kids-In-Cages.pdf

Note: There are many other pertinent articles at Human Rights First. https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/

American Civil Liberties Union: Immigrants’ Rights and Detention
https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention

NPR: ACLU: Administration Is Still Separating Migrant Families Despite Court Order to Stop,
July 30, 2019
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/30/746746147/aclu-administration-is-still-separating-migrant-families-despite-court-order-to-

Southern Poverty Law Center: No End in Sight, October 3, 2018
https://www.splcenter.org/20181003/no-end-sight

WOLA: Beyond the Wall: A Campaign Defending Human Rights and Migrants in the Trump Era and Migration & Border Security
https://www.wola.org/beyondthewall/
https://www.wola.org/program/migration-border-security/

Note: There are many useful resources at WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America), with up-to-date analyses of new Trump Administration policies. WOLA advocates for human rights in the Americas. https://www.wola.org/

Farm Progress: https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/farmworker-bill-clears-house-way-senate
A brief, but balanced report on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

The Crisis at the Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

8/22/2019

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

Representatives from various organizations in the Quad Cities have been meeting to address immigration issues. Our organizations include Progressive Action for the Common Good (Civil Rights Forum), One Human Family (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Interfaith (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Many of us are concerned about the humanitarian crisis at the border. We are opposed to locking up children and separating them from their adult family members.

Principles:

Although we may differ on the problems we address and our proposed solutions, we agree on the following principles regarding the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees who come across our southern border. We call upon all members of Congress and candidates for Congress to consider these principles when devising legislative approaches to fixing the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

Children should not be locked up in detention centers.

Children should not be separated from their adult family members, or used as bait in immigration enforcement actions.

For-profit private prisons or detention centers should not be used to detain asylum seekers or refugees. Any immigrant in a detention facility should receive adequate food, water, medical care, soap, toothpaste, bedding and access to legal representation. They should be protected from sexual abuse.

Alternatives to incarceration should take priority for families and other asylum seekers who pose no risk to the community. Bring back and expand the Family Case Management Program started as a pilot program under the Obama administration.

Invest in infrastructure and develop new ways to streamline processing of asylum seekers and refugees. Follow international and U.S. laws on treatment of asylum seekers and refugees and ensure they are treated fairly and receive due process.

Provide aid to countries like Guatemala and Honduras to help them address the problems that cause their citizens to flee their homes.

Proposed legislation on the crisis at the southern border:

Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019 - Would establish immigration judges as independent judges so that they are not under the Department of Justice, which prosecutes immigration cases. Read the details of the Act here.

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019 - Would require legal counsel for indigent asylum seekers, children, and other vulnerable groups who cannot afford a lawyer. Read the details of the Act here.

For further information:

National Immigration Forum: Working Paper: Addressing the Increase of Central American Migrants, updated May 2, 2019

Migration Policy Institute: Policy Solutions to Address Crisis at Border Exist, But Require Will and Staying Power to Execute, April 2019

Bipartisan Policy Center: Policy Proposals to Address the Central American Migration Challenge, July 26, 2019

Human Rights First: Testimony of Michael Breen, President and CEO, Human Rights First at the Hearing Entitled: “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border” before the House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Note: There are many other pertinent articles at Human Rights First.

American Civil Liberties Union: Immigrants’ Rights and Detention

NPR: ACLU: Administration Is Still Separating Migrant Families Despite Court Order to Stop,
July 30, 2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: No End in Sight, October 3, 2018

WOLA: Beyond the Wall: A Campaign Defending Human Rights and Migrants in the Trump Era and Migration & Border Security

Note: There are many useful resources at WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America),
with up-to-date analyses of new Trump Administration policies. WOLA advocates for
human rights in the Americas.

Call Your Reps - Voter Suppression Bill in Iowa - What You Can Do Now

3/24/2019

Contact Your Iowa State Legislators Regarding Voter Suppression Bill

Iowa Senator Roby Smith has introduced Senate File 575 that impacts Iowans' ability to vote. Read more about it at:

Senate File 575

PACG members kept the focus of the March Scott County Legislative Forum on the voter suppression bill. Read this excellent article in the Quad-City Times for coverage of the reactions of the audience and legislators when questioned about the bill. The article also provides in-depth information about the threat to voting rights included in this legislation.

Call your Iowa State legislators to express your views on NOT restricting the voting rights of Iowans.

Senate Switchboard: 515-281-3371
House Switchboard: 515-281-3221

To find your representative's email information click here.

Breakfast Before Legislative Forum - March, 2019

3/18/2019

Breakfast and Legislative Forum -
Saturday, March 23rd at 9:00 am

Fresh Deli - 421 W. River Drive, Davenport, IA (map)

Out and About

Join PACG Out and About for breakfast before the Legislative Forum on Saturday, 3/23. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. at Fresh Deli in Davenport to socialize and to discuss strategies for effective questioning during the forum.

If you cannot make breakfast, be sure and show up to the Legislative Forum at Davenport Central High School - 1120 N. Main Street in Davenport (map). Social at 10:00, forum starts at 10:30.

Check our newest Facebook group - PACG Out & About! It's a way that we can appreciate and create culture TOGETHER. See our Blog Post here for more information.

Allison Ambrose

Contact Iowa State Legislators Regarding Environmental Issues! - March 4, 2019

3/3/2019

What You Can Do Now -
Iowa State Conservation Efforts at Risk!

Environmental Forum
It feels overwhelming trying to keep up on the devastation being rained down upon us daily by the present Administration. One of the best ways for us to feel empowered as individuals is by contacting our legislators. I do this on a regular basis. A simple, polite call expressing my concerns makes me feel better, and it is an established fact that constituent input is extremely effective in the ways legislators vote, both locally and nationally.

With everything that is going on at the national level, do not forget about what is happening in your own state. For Iowa's environmental issues, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a good resource. The article below expresses concerns about two pieces of legislature that threaten conservation efforts in Iowa. Call your state representatives today to express your concern over the passage of these bills.

Action needed: Two bills threaten conservation in Iowa
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
written by Joe Jayjack
Two bills were introduced this week in the Iowa legislature that threaten the future of conservation in Iowa. We need your voice to make sure these bills are stopped. We need to pack the Capitol on Monday for subcommittee hearings on these bills at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to show legislators that Iowans care about public land! If you can't make it, call or email your legislators and the subcommittee members and ask them to oppose the bills.

House File 542
Subcommittee hearing: 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 4, House Lobby, Iowa State Capitol
Subcommittee members: Rep. Robert Bacon (R-Story County), Rep. Tom Jeneary (R-Plymouth County), Rep. Scott Ourth (D-Warren County)
HF542 is a direct attack on public lands and conservation in Iowa. It should be opposed in its entirety.

In this bill, counties would be prohibited from expanding parks, wildlife habitat areas and trails by any amount. Funding the cities and counties have relied on would be restricted, and could not be used for expansion of open spaces and new recreational amenities, including public museums. The state would not be able to purchase land for state parks, wildlife areas or strategic water quality projects.

This bill would also strip private landowners of tax incentives for protecting their land by eliminating the Charitable Contribution for Conservation Tax Credit.

Senate Study Bill 1221
Subcommittee hearing: 12:30 p.m., Monday, March 4, Room 217, Iowa State Capitol
Subcommittee members: Sen. Dan Zumbach (R-Delaware County), Sen. Jerry Behn (R-Boone County), Sen. Nate Boulton (D-Polk County)

SSB1221 is more narrow in scope, but would also have wide ranging impact on conservation. The bill eliminates the Charitable Contribution for Conservation Tax Credit that helps make it possible for many private landowners to protect their land or to donate it for public use. The bill also eliminates the use of State Revolving Fund for public land acquisition for water quality purposes.

The message
As Iowa strives to attract and maintain people to live, work and raise families in our state, we need to provide quality of life features that they demand. At the top of list —along with good jobs — is a clean, healthy environment and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Public land plays a special role in the lives of Iowans. For generations, Iowans have made memories in parks, on trails, in woodlands and prairies. We need to continue that legacy for future Iowans. We need to support our existing parks, trails and wildlife areas and continue to look for ways to expand our outdoor opportunities.

Rural communities rely on the jobs, consumer spending and public health benefits that outdoor recreation provides. Iowa is already 47th in the nation in the percentage of public land available to its residents. These bills puts us in a race for the bottom.

Instead of strangling our ability to grow healthy, strong communities, we should be embracing the opportunities the outdoors present. We should be investing more in conservation, not less.
If you have questions about these bills, contact INHF Public Policy Director Anna Gray at [email protected] or at 515-288-1846.

Find tips for connecting with your legislators in our Nature's Advocate policy guide.

Jeannie Price

Green New Deal Demonstrates Real Climate Leadership

2/4/2019

Green New Deal Week - Monday, Feb 4th - Friday, Feb 8th

Friends of the Earth
Nationwide Event

From February 4th to 8th, help bring the call for Real Climate Leadership to your Congressperson’s doorstep. We will ramp up our call for a Green New Deal by calling on our Representatives to:

Halt all new fossil fuel extraction, infrastructure and subsidies, and transition power generation to 100% renewable energy by 2035 or sooner.
Rapidly decarbonize agriculture and transportation sectors and expand access to public transportation.
Ensure a Fair & Just Transition led by impacted workers and communities, including low income and communities of color, without relying on corporate schemes or market-based mechanisms.
Uphold Indigenous Rights
Pass a national jobs guarantee, creating good jobs with collective bargaining and family-sustaining wages.

News from the Environmental Forum

1/28/2019

Here's What We Are Working On! Join Us!

The PACG Environmental Forum welcomes newcomers to our Forum, which meets on the first Monday of each month.

We are discussing upcoming goals for 2019 and reviewing primary efforts including:

Partnering with other area groups to host a PACG Environmental Forum Earth Day weekend event on April 20 (9:00 to 1:00) at The Freight House (outdoor event including speakers and displays).
March 2019 - PACG Environmental Forum will host a last-Thursday-of-the-month (5:00-7:00 p.m.) Green Drinks networking opportunity at Fresh Deli at the Freight House.
Expanding our networking to local colleges, specifically their environmental groups, professors teaching courses in environmental science, and administrative staff who control the college's energy systems.
Meeting with Iowa and Illinois state legislatures and federal representatives and meeting with volunteers from specific districts to join us when we meet with congresspersons. We will listen and share our concerns about environmental issues.

Join us for this planning meeting!

Shirley Johnson
[email protected]

A Message from the Health Care Reform Forum

1/14/2019

Have You Contacted Your Senators Lately About the ACA?

A month ago, we were all alarmed about a Texas judge’s ruling that the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. He ruled that, since the requirement for all to carry health insurance was eliminated in the 2018 tax law, the entire Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. If upheld, his ruling would strip away quality, affordable health insurance from millions of Americans, including protection for over 133 million Americans from losing coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Fortunately that ruling was widely criticized as faulty, or even frivolous, and Attorneys General of 17 states, including Illinois AG Lisa Madigan, have challenged the ruling in court. This and other legal appeals insure that the ACA benefits will remain in effect for the foreseeable future. So for now at least, the over 8.4 million Americans who signed up for insurance in 2019 on the ACA marketplaces will continue to have the security of good health insurance.

The midterm elections changed the political dynamics in the House of Representatives, and the new membership has already begun to take actions to support the ACA and to address the issue of the rapidly increasing cost of prescription drugs. The majority in the new House has formally authorized attorneys to join those who are challenging the ruling of the Texas judge, and this past week 235 members voted to support the ACA protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

We recognize that actions by the people’s House will probably be buried in the Senate and/or be vetoed by the President, but they will send an important message to all legislators, and to the public, that quality, affordable health insurance is supported by most Americans.

Our forum will continue to monitor developments in health care and inform you of actions you can take to support positive reform proposals. In the meantime, continue to contact your legislators and urge them again to recognize the popular support for quality, affordable health care, including coverage for pre-existing conditions, and to add their voices and votes to legislation that moves toward the goal of effective, accessible, affordable health care for all Americans.

Thank you for all you have done—and keep up the good work!

Frank Samuelson,
Health Care Reform Forum
[email protected]