There have been no action items in 2015. This is because…
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New Congressional offices are slow to update their systems. It's nearly February, and some STILL aren't ready to take your letters!
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The Downsize DC Team has been working overtime for our sister organization. The venture we've been working on is the new Zero Aggression Project. I'll have a LOT more to say about that, shortly.
But our work hasn't stopped.
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We've updated many Congressional offices in our database, so you can use our system to send your letters.
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And we've got Good News…
The One Subject at a Time Act (OSTA) is going to be re-introduced in the 114th Congress. I know this because…
I've just spoken with the office of Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA). Mr. Marino has introduced this bill in the two previous Congresses, thanks to a partnership we've had with the Williamsport Tea Party. But…
This February roll-out will be the earliest he's ever introduced it. And that's not all…
They also told me it's one of his three legislative priorities this term!
Both the early roll-out and the high prioritization can work to our advantage.
In the 112th Congress, we had nine co-sponsors. But five of those members didn't return, and in the 113th, we fell short of that mark.
But with such an early launch and a new level of focus by Congressman Marino, we're in the best position possible to break that mark. In fact, if we doubled it, there's every reason to believe we'd get a committee hearing for it.
A pre-sponsorship step, for any legislator introducing a bill, is the Dear Colleague letter. That letter, seeking initial co-sponsors for the OSTA, will be sent, shortly. You can pave the way and make it more successful.
In fact, there are two, simple things you can do, before you leave your chair, that will make a difference.
First, ask your Congressman to co-sponsor OSTA. Our system will “CC:” your Senators, who should see your letter, anyway.
Please go to our One Subject at a Time Act campaign, and use our Educate the Powerful system to send your letter. There, you'll find a hardwired start to the letter…
“I would notice and appreciate your co-sponsorship of the 'One Subject at a Time Act' (OSTA). Its bill numbers, in the 113th Congress, were HR 2113 and S 1664.”
Your letter will be more powerful if you add personal comments after this beginning. See MY sample letter below. You can copy it, edit it, or write one of your own…
You will soon receive a “Dear Colleague” letter from Representative Marino of Pennsylvania. It will ask you to co-sponsor OSTA. Doing so could help you solve a problem you face each election year…
Your opponents are often able to accurately accuse you of voting for things you would have preferred to oppose. This happens because you are constantly forced to vote on issues that were part of a clustered bill. Some parts of the cluster you liked, and some not. But you had to make a decision to vote for or against the whole cluster.
This also leaves your constituents inadequately represented. Citizens are responsible for everything you pass. They either have to obey these laws or pay for them. But most of these cluster bills contain bad proposals that could never have passed on their own merits, had they not been packaged with more popular and important measures.
That's why bills should be limited to one subject, clearly stated in the title of the bill.
This piece of legislation was created by Downsize DC, which, along with Mr. Marino's office, will be doing MORE THAN EVER to bring attention to it. Therefore…
You can benefit from co-sponsoring this populist, transpartisan approach to better government. Both Downsize DC and I will tell others that you're a sponsor.
I want you to keep your eyes open for this Dear Colleague letter, and respond to Mr. Marino's office with an enthusiastic, “Yes, I'll co-sponsor the One Subject at a Time Act.”
–END OF SAMPLE LETTER–
Send your letter using DownsizeDC.org’s Educate the Powerful System.
Next, please share this email with your friends. Ask them to do exactly what you did…
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Send a version of the above letter to Congress
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Forward this email to friends asking them to do the same. MAKE THIS GO VIRAL!
The more messages your Congressional office receives, the more likely they are to co-sponsor.
Thank you for helping us get this bill sponsored,
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.