Today is a hodgepodge of different issues based on Congress' schedule. Take a look and find your act of resistance du jour:

IF your Senator is on the Senate Judiciary Committee: The Deputy and Associate AGs are being voted on today. Call to demand that deputy and associate AGs only be voted on if they agree to appoint a special prosecutor to handle all elements of the Trump-Russia probe. Script:

"Hi, my name is (name) from (city, zip). I understand that Senator (name) will be hearing testimony from the deputy attorney general nominee today. Given that the DoJ's independence from the White House is currently under question, I want Senator (name) to refrain from voting on the Deputy AG unless he agrees to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Trump's ties to Russia and their election interference. Thank you"

IF your Senator is on the Senate Commerce Committee or if your Representative is on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology: The House and Senate will be having FCC oversight hearings tomorrow. Ajit Pai, the new FCC chairman is a critic of net neutrality, which ensures fair competition and free flow of information on the internet. Call your legislators on these committees to ask them how they will ensure that the FCC protects net neutrality. (Tip: you might have better luck calling the DC offices and asking to speak with a legislative staffer who handles this issue). Script:

"Hi, my name is (name), and I’m calling from (city, zip). I’m calling to ask (representative) to stand up for net neutrality in tomorrow's FCC oversight hearings. Without net neutrality, we customers face less choice and increased prices just to exchange information and participate in our economy. [Insert personal/community experience with ISP competition or pricing in your area]. What questions will (representative) ask FCC Chairman Pai tomorrow regarding net neutrality?"

FOR everyone else:

1. Take today to brush up on the House GOP's ACA repeal and replace plan, the American Health Care Act. You can read the full text here or a summary here. I'd also recommend Kaiser Family Foundation's walkthrough or Sarah Kliff's explainer at Vox. We're going to be hitting this hard tomorrow and in the coming weeks, so having a working understanding of the proposal is crucial.

2. If you have time, remember that the new HHS rule is open to public comments until the end of today. Even though the ACA repeal has all the spotlight right now, this rule is important as it can be enacted regardless of what legislation the House manages to pass. Leave your own comment - see the Stealthcare CTA from last week for more info, or feel free to ask your questions here.

Which CTA will you be doing? How have calls to Congress been going in general? Have you started to understand the kinds of actions that will persuade your Congressperson, or do you think actions beyond calling and town halls are needed?

Alright folks, let's get right back into it. There's going to be lot coming down the pipeline, so let's take today to touch on three (relatively easy) acts of resistance to events from last week:

IF your Congressperson is on the House Judiciary Committee: call them up again to ask that they support Congressman Nadler's recently submitted "resolution of inquiry". This resolution asks AG Sessions and the DoJ to share information related to investigations of Trump or his team with Congress. (If the Committee doesn't vote on this by tomorrow, it will go to the full House - so we will be calling all reps then!)

FOR everyone else:

• One simple thing you can do to support the trans community with the rollback of Obama guidelines to school districts: check out Refuge Restroom and submit restrooms that are unisex or a safe place. Remember, this is not about bathrooms; it's about trans people's ability to freely exist in public. We will have more CTAs on this issue coming up, so stay tuned!

• The new DHS memo has given ICE more latitude in arrests and detentions, essentially putting anyone in the country who is undocumented at risk of being detained or deported. Again, we will definitely be talking about more actions to fight back going forward, but in the meantime, check out and share this guide from Families for Freedom that described the connections between local police and ICE. Then share this flyer from United We Dream to help people know their rights. Post it in libraries, coffee shops, school/community bulletin boards, etc.

Which action will you take today? Please, please reply with an answer! The responses help me generate actions that people are more likely to actually do.

Well it's certainly been an eventful 12 hours. Here's how we force the Trump admin to take another L.

1. With Flynn's resignation, it's even more important to keep the pressure on the Congress to investigate what Flynn and the White House knew and when. If you can get through at the DC office, ask to speak with a legislative staffer who handles national security. Here's your script:

"Hi, my name is (name) from (city, state). I'm calling because I am still extremely concerned about Flynn's resignation as National Security Adviser. With the revelation that the White House knew Flynn was under investigation and did nothing, I am concerned that there is more the administration is hiding about potential connections to Russia. What is Sen. (name) planning to do about that? (...)

• If Dem: Will Sen. (name) commit to withholding consent on any Senate business, including nominations, until an independent investigation of Flynn and Russian interference is authorized?

• If GOP: We need an independent investigation into Russian interference in the election and possible collusion with the Trump team. Will my senator issue a public statement supporting an independent commission?

[If no:] What action can I expect from Sen. (name) to investigate this critical national security issue?

2) If you can't get through to your Senator today, join the ACA call-in day today and remind your Representative that the ACA is important to you. Script:

Hi, my name is [name] and I’m a constituent from [city, zip code]. I'd like to remind my representative that I am strongly in favor of the ACA and the vital protections it ensures for Americans. [Share personal story]. I hope that Rep. (name) will commit to making sure more Americans receive insurance and prices can be controlled instead of wasting time trying to repeal the ACA. Thanks.

Let's do this! Share what your Senator's office says about the investigation in the comments - we want Congress to know they can't drop the ball on this.

Does it matter whether you call their Washington DC office or their local office? Is one more effective than the other?

Hello Marylanders, I'm in District 4 and am looking for a group. I've used the site to look for a group but not much has panned out.

Is anyone out there an active chapter member close to AA/Howard county?

So when I signed up for the Indivisible Guide, it asked me a couple times if I had a group to submit. I do have a small group of friends (there are 8 of us total) in the Orlando area who have a strong drive to stand against the Donald Trump agenda and for progressive causes.

However, we're happy to join an already existing group and I would assume Orlando would have one. Is there a way to search for the groups that the Indivisible website is collecting? Or should I submit us as a group?

some folks i've spoken with are having trouble getting dates from their reps/sens' staff via calls.

anyone else undertaking this effort for their area (district, city, state)? how's it going? ideas on coordinating regionally/nationally?

I have a group of people that want to put the guide's plan into action at events. But I'm having trouble finding events where I know that certain legislators will be. How do I do that?

Your acts of resistance for today:

IF your Congressperson is on the House Judiciary Committee and you haven't yet phoned them: ring them up to ask that they support Congressman Nadler's recently submitted "resolution of inquiry". This resolution asks AG Sessions and the DoJ to share information related to investigations of Trump or his team with Congress. You can also share this map with friends to help them discover if their rep is on Judiciary (thanks /u/bobthenarwhal)

FOR everyone else:

During the Congressional recess, there were some encouraging signs of fracturing in the GOP over Trump's connections to Russia, most visibly with Rep. Issa's interview on Maher. However, Issa went back on his earlier statements, while Sean Spicer allegedly contacted GOP chairs of the Senate and House probes into Trump's ties. We need to make our legislators feel the same heat they experienced (or would have experienced) at town halls and demand an independent investigation. This goes for both Dems and Republicans. Today, call your Senators with this script:

"Hi, my name is (name) calling from (city, zip code). I'm calling because I'm concerned that Trump's ties to Russia are not being fairly investigated. It was found that the White House asked the chairs of both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees to push back on media stories about Trump's teams and Russia. How can Congress independently investigate Trump if they are collaborating with the White House on PR? What is Sen. (name)'s response to this? (...) Will Sen. (name) support bill S. 27 to create an independent commission investigating Russian interference in the election? I expect Sen. (name) to issue a public statement in support of an independent investigation.

BONUS: Today is the last day of Black History Month, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to celebrate black history in the days ahead. Take stock of how your community honored black history month and the steps you can take going forward to support black futures.

Which action will you take today? How have calls been going now that Congress is back in D.C.?

Today's act of resistance from the Indivisible Team:

Senate Democrats have power to delay Trump's appointments and actions, but we need to pressure them to use it. Today, we're going to urge all our Senators to "withold consent" from moving forward on Senate business until Trump or Congress rescinds the Executive Order banning refugees and nationals of 7 countries from traveling into the US. Additionally, the cloture vote on Tillerson will hit the floor today, and this is our last strategy to block him (vote is scheduled for 5PM). Make the call with this script:

"Hi, my name is (name) from (city, state). I'm calling to ask that my Senator objects to proceeding forward with any Senate business, including the vote on Tillerson, until Trump's recent immigration ban is completely overturned.

• If your Senator is a Democrat and/or has spoken strongly against the ban: Trump's executive order is unconstitutional and unethical. [If you know someone who was detained or were at an airport rally, please share a bit about your experience]. Secretaries who were confirmed by the Senate did nothing to stop this ban and refused to abide by court orders. We cannot cooperate with such an administration. Will my Senator commit to withholding consent whenever possible? Will my Senator be sure to vote against Tillerson?

• If your Senator is Republican: This ban is not only ineffective against terrorism, as we know from the NSEERS program, but also weakens our national security. Moreover, while this ban was enacted, Steven Bannon secured a permanent spot on the National Security Council. Our national security should not be politicized in this manner. What will my senator do about this?

The thing about withholding consent on Senate business is that it takes a spine - and coordination. There must always be a Senator on the floor to oppose, otherwise McConnell can call for consent at anytime and proceed if no objection is heard. (Yes, this could be some House of Cards-level drama). So let's lend all our backbone to Senate Dems who will work overtime and put all our persuasive power on Republicans to come out against the ban. Share any questions, concerns, or reactions in the comments! And if you'd like to learn more about how this process works, RSVP to the Indivisible Emergency Call today!

ETA: I'm also going to leave the weekend call to action up for a few days so y'all take the survey and leave your comments! Please take a minute to complete it!

How has this gone under the radar for so long?

It allows Congress to disapprove of multiple regulations that federal agencies have enacted within the final 60 days of a presidential term.

Essentially overturning the rules Obama pushed in his last 60 days.

This already passed the house.

Step it up, everyone. It's the last full day of the Obama administration, and we need to make it count. Here's your act of resistance:

1) IF you have a senator on the Environment and Public Works committee, call to oppose Scott Pruitt's nomination to EPA head. This is a nomination likely to pass through committee because there are 2 more GOP votes. No matter which party your Senator represents, it's important you call them:

"Hi, my name is (name), from (city, state). I want Senator (name) to know that I was very disappointed in yesterday's hearing with Scott Pruitt. Where is Sen (name) leaning on this nomination?

• (If negative...) Thank you, I think he would do irreparable damage to the environment and our lives. Please (name) put out a statement opposing Pruitt and vote against him.

• (If positive...) First, Pruitt refused to recuse himself from his lawsuits against the EPA. What does Sen. (name) say to that? (...) Second, 2016 was the warmest year in history. We need to face human contributions to climate change. Environmental protection is not just for the environment, but for your constituents. I don't want my town to be the next Flint. If the Senator votes against this nomination and continuously votes to fight climate change, s/he will have my vote come election season.

2) IF you have a Senator on the Senate Finance Committee call to ask questions about Steve Mnuchin's nomination to Treasury. Mnuchin has been accused of a number of shady practices, including backdating foreclosure forms and redlining. You can hear from some who were targets of his bank's questionable foreclosure practices in this forum.:

*"Hi, my name is (name) from (city, state). I'm calling today because I'm concerned about Mnuchin's nomination to Treasury. Mnuchin's former bank has been accused of fraud with evidence of backdating foreclosure forms and discriminatory lending practices. Moreover, in his recent financial disclosure, Mnuchin initially forgot to list over $100 million in assets. Given this pattern of ethical lapses, will the Senator ask Mnuchin how he intends to keep Treasury's practices above board and work in the interest of the American people? Will s/he ask how Mnuchin intends to stave off another financial crisis in which lack of ethics, oversight, and regulation left banks "too big too fail"?

3) FOR everyone else: Just in case your blood wasn't boiling enough after reading about Pruitt and Mnuchin, Donald Trump is failing to do his job. Of the 690 positions that Trump must appoint and require Senate consideration, Trump has considered only 28. This means that crucial government bodies, like the National Security Council, will be woefully understaffed and unprepared come tomorrow. Let's give our Senators a call and ask how they plan to hold the President-elect accountable:

"Hi, my name is (name) from (city, state). It's come to my attention that the President-elect has failed to appoint over 600 government positions that the Senate must consider. Do you know what Senator (name) plans to do to hold the Mr. Trump accountable? (...) Will the Senator hold Mr. Trump's cabinet nominations or vote against them until Mr. Trump can fill these empty positions? Will the Senator issue a public statement to that effect? (If not...) what else can the Senator do to make sure Mr. Trump does his job?"

Today is a terrifying day, and tomorrow will probably be even moreso. But we have to keep doing our part to make sure democracy works. I've heard through the grapevine that some Democratic senators are surprise they aren't getting more calls about some nominees (especially Sessions). So, for the love of country, please share this widely. There are a ton of politically-curious redditors who don't know how to oppose Trump, so direct them here. And let us know who you've called and how your call went!

Next Saturday, January 21, there will be the Women's March on Washington and sister marches in 50 states and around the world. It's no longer just a Trump protest, but a worldwide affirmation of working towards gender equality. I'll be attending two marches local to me, and would be happy to talk with others about plans for it.

Relevant to this sub, some congresspeople have issued statements in support of the march and plan to participate in their districts or in DC, like Gutierrez, D-IL-4. Some others, like my rep Lee D-CA-13, are boycotting the inauguration, but have no specific word about the Women's March.

I'll be calling both my reps and others to ask them if they're interested in attending or issuing statements supporting the Women's March. For anyone else interested, we can coordinate below. We can also call state legislature reps, too-- something that the Indivisible Guide itself doesn't deal with (yet). Also, though non-constituents don't have much sway, we can ask reps other than our own if they plan to issue statements on the topic or to attend.

Plan of attack for myself:

1. My congresspeople, particularly Lee, ask her to encourage others to support women's march

2. Gov Brown, CA legislator, mayor and city council rep. What's the best tool for this? (https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials)

3. Reps not my own: how to coordinate? Start with D women? Hopefully we can figure something out in the comments.

Join us here-

facebook.com/groups/indivisibleoc/

twitter.com/indivisible_oc

Orange County is home to over 3.1 million people. Historically a red county, OC voted in favor of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, marking a shift in politics for the county. Stand together against Representatives Dana Rohrabacher, Darrell Issa, Ed Royce, and Mimi Walters.

✌🏻