5 Things You Can Do This Week

Tips for making phone calls to your Electeds

Remember to use the 5Calls App. Go to wherever you get your apps, find 5Calls, and download it. Here’s more info about 5Calls:

• Sometimes the materials listed in the calls section of IGGR’s weekly report will be the same or similar to what 5Calls suggests. Sometimes it will be other issues that also seem important.

• The 5Calls App gives a well summarized outline about the issue in question and a script you can use when calling senators and representatives.

• Best of all, the App provides a link to your senators’ and representative’s phone numbers so you don’t have to dial them.

• You can make multiple calls about the issues that concern you or you can summarize your concerns and list them in your call. Representative Scholten’s staff has expressed a preference for one call listing multiple issues.

• Whichever way you decide to call, always give your name and street address so the staff will know you are a constituent. Unfortunately, senators and representatives only want to hear from constituents, which seems counter intuitive when the issues in question are national but they want to get reelected, so they only want to hear from constituents.

Reliable and trustworthy sources of information can be found by visiting the websites for the Library of Congress, Congress.gov, and Senate.gov. The Bridge is an online newspaper about Michigan issues which is also a good source.

1) Call Your Senators

Senator Gary Peters: (202) 224-6221 

Senator Elyse Slotkin: (202) 224-4822 

• • (see Resources for You for more contact info). The Senate is recessed until April 13.

• Support HR Con Res 75 directing the President, pursuant to Section 5 of the War Powers Act, to remove US armed forces from hostilities against Iran. End this illegal war.

• Support imposing a windfall tax on oil and gas companies who are profiting from the war in Iran. Shell Reports $7 Billion Profit Amid ‘Unprecedented Disruption.

• Vote NO to increase military funding to pay for the Iran war. Voters understand that funding the war means supporting the war.

  • The war costs $1 billion per day. Watch the price tag increase: Iran War Tracker. The human cost of the war includes about 3600 deaths, food and medical shortages and major oil and chemical pollutants. The Human and Environmental Cost of War in Iran.

• Demand voting protection for midterm elections. Trump has fired, transferred or demanded resignations from career employees of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), replacing those employees with people who are sympathetic to or active in the claims that the 2020 election should have been overturned in favor of Trump. (The article cited here provides detailed information about the challenges we will face in the midterm elections: Eight Things You Should Know About Trump’s Effort to Take Over Midterm Elections)

• Oppose the new GOP effort to shovel billions more dollars to ICE and Border Patrol. The GOP is using the budget reconciliation process to attempt to force Congress to shower even more taxpayer funding on these unaccountable agencies. We need every Democrat loudly united against this legislation. (More info here)

• Oppose the $1 billion included in the budget reconciliation bill for Trump’s ballroom. Republicans Want to Add $1 Billion for Trump’s Ballroom Security to ICE Funding Plan

• Oppose Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) demanding a stop to warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): 2026 Resource Page

• Oppose HR 7567, the Farm bill. Demand a reversal of funding cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides food to low income people, demand renewable energy financing by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and oppose the “Save Our Bacon’ provisions of the farm bill that prohibits states from regulating out of state livestock sales which could endanger food safety. House Passed Farm Bill Falls Short.

2) Call Your Representative

Be sure to give them your home address so they know you are a constituent. Scholten’s staff has indicated that one call succinctly listing the multiple issues that concern you is preferable to multiple calls addressing one issue for each call.

Representative Scholten: (202) 225-3831

Representative Moolenaar (202) 225-3561Thank Representative Scholten for voting against HR 7567 and for attempting to add amendments to the bill, including language to facilitate small farmers’ access to federal nutrition programs.

• Call for a vote in favor of H.Con.Res 75, directing the President, pursuant to Section 5 of the War Powers Act, to remove Armed forces from hostilities against Iran.

• Vote NO to increase military funding to pay for the Iran war. Voters understand that funding the war means supporting the war.

  • The war costs $1 billion per day. Watch the price tag increase: Iran War Tracker. The human cost of the war includes about 3600 deaths, food and medical shortages and major oil and chemical pollutants. The Human and Environmental Cost of War in Iran.

• Call Representatives to take efforts to protect the integrity of the midterm elections to counteract Trump’s efforts to take over the midterm elections. Eight Things You Should Know About Trump’s Effort to Take Over the Mid Term Elections.

• Call for windfall taxes on profits made by oil and gas companies from the war in Iran. Shell Reports $7 Billion Profit

3) Call Your State of Michigan Electeds 

(contact information here)

Call State Representatives and Senators (contact information here), the Governor, State Attorney General, and State Secretary of State to take action to protect the midterm elections from interference from the Trump administration. Eight Things You Should Know About Trump’s Effort to Take Over Midterm Elections

• • Governor Gretchen Whitmer: 517.335.7858 or email

  • Attorney General Dana Nessel: 517.335.7622 or miag@michigan.gov

  • Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson: 517.335.2436 or secretary@michigan.gov

4) Make a Public Comment: Oppose EPA Proposal on Ethylene Oxide. Deadline Extended to May 15.

• Ethylene Oxide is a highly flammable, colorless gas primarily used to manufacture textiles and detergents and to sterilize over 50% of all medical devices in the U.S. It is a known human carcinogen linked to lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. Exposure occurs through industrial emissions or inhalation, requiring strict safety controls to prevent cancer and reproductive and developmental damage. Two years ago, a rule was put in place setting emission limits and requiring operators to use advanced monitoring systems to confirm controls were working effectively. The current EPA is now proposing relaxing the limits and making the installation of new monitoring systems or adjustments to ventilation systems voluntary. Submit a comment opposing the weakening of standards and regulations that will affect healthcare workers and communities alike. Public comments can change outcomes and are also powerful evidence in any ensuing legal challenges to changes in regulatory rules. Read submitted comments and submit your comment here.

• Consider adopting a pet this month! This May, the BISSELL Pet Foundation will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Empty The Shelters event May 1 through May 17, bringing reduced-fee adoptions to the Kent County Animal Shelter! During this campaign, you will be able to adopt a spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped pet for only $70. Our shelters are in crisis, and pets need you now more than ever. Let’s make this our biggest event yet. To see all of the adoptable pets, please visit here.

Extra Credit: 

• Donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center as they fight the specious indictment the DOJ has filed against them. What’s Wrong With The SPLC Indictment

• Consider volunteering and supporting organizations whose goals are to protect the integrity of the voting process. The Election Protection Corps is discussed below. The Kent County Democratic party has its next protect the voter protection training program on May 20 at 7 pm and the focus will be the post election canvass and certification process. To register, call the Kent County Democratic Party at 616.406.1573 or register here.

• Read the online materials by “Protect the Porkies, Stand with Superior.” Protect the Porkies includes information about contacting the lenders and officials for Highland Copper Mine.