On October 27, 2018, a gunman killed 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the deadliest attack on Jews in American history. Urge your elected officials to visibly and consistently act to legitimize anti-Semitism, white, supremacy, and other forms of bigotry.
As Reform Jews, it is our duty to demand that Congress pass common sense gun legislation and save countless innocent lives, like the 11 tragically lost in Pittsburgh on October 27. Call on your legislators to take action to end the unacceptably high rates of gun violence in our country.
Last month, the Trump Administration announced a proposed regulation that will force choices no family should have to make – between accessing essential public benefits and advancing their immigration status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently accepting comments from the public on this "public charge" proposal. This is your opportunity to make it clear that this proposal is antithetical to our country’s legacy as a nation of opportunity, built by immigrants.
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) have reintroduced the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act (S.1917) in the Senate. The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act (SRCA) includes provisions that seek to address the problems of mass incarceration and over-criminalization by reducing mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenses and granting judges greater discretion in sentencing decisions. The legislation represents the most significant attempt at criminal justice reform in years.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs and the most important anti-hunger program in America, which is why we must defend it from harmful restrictions and limitations. Urge Congress to defend SNAP and all those who benefit from the vital program by writing a letter today.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is the United States' most comprehensive resource for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWA is up for reauthorization every five years - including this year. Each reauthorization provides a new opportunity to enhance these safeguards and ensure survivros of gender-based violence have access to the resources and protections they need.
In the 115th Congress, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017. The bill would improve the voting process in the United States by modernizing the preclearance formula to cover states with a pattern of discrimination that puts voters at risk, protecting voters from the types of voting changes
For more than 50 years, a crucial provision, known as the “Johnson Amendment,” has safeguarded the integrity of both religious institutions and the political process through protecting the separation of church and state. Any effort to weaken or repeal the prohibition on partisan politicking undermines synagogue’s independence and the First Amendment principle of religious freedom and must be opposed.
Currently, federal law does not explicitly prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, federal funding, education, credit, and jury selection based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equality Act would amend existing civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination.
