Action Items: Week of May 18, 2025
Remember "courage" comes from the French word for "heart." And we have plenty of both.
“Those who are in great fear are so intent on their own passion that they pay no attention to the suffering of others.” - Thomas Aquinas
This Week’s Newsletter Contains…
Top 5 Things You Can Do This Week
IGGR Events
Events From Other Organizations
What We’re Monitoring
Top 5 Things You Can Do This Week
Call Senators Peters, 202.224.6221 and Slotkin 202.224.4822 (see Resources for You for more contact info)
Vote NO on HR 22 SAVE Act when it comes to the floor and work to convince other senators to vote no. Would require proof of citizenship in the form of a certified birth certificate or passport with state issued picture identification with name matching on all documents.
Speak out against the firing of the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, Shira Perlmutter Director at the U.S. Copyright Office, and Cameron Hamilton, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Background: The Librarian of Congress is identified as part of the legislative branch of the government by the U.S. Government Manual which was first published in 1935. To replace the Librarian the president should have to nominate someone and there should be a nomination and confirmation process. The firing of the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) followed his testimony before Congress stating the administration’s plan to dismantle FEMA.
Don’t let Trump and Stephen Miller, suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus.
Background: The Writ of Habeas Corpus is provided for in the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 9, Clause 2. Only the Congress can suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus and it cannot be suspended unless there is a rebellion or invasion. The Writ has only been suspended four times including, during the Civil War, in a limited area of North Carolina during Reconstruction because of out of control Klux Klux Clan violence, the 1905 insurrection in the Philippines and in Hawaii after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Trump cannot, under the Constitution, suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus by Executive order but he will probably try.
Condemn Trump for accepting the Qatar royal family gift of a 747 jet to replace Air Force One. Trump’s private companies have several projects pending in Qatar. Urge Senators to use this Qatar gift as leverage to road block and slow down confirmations of U.S. Attorneys and other lesser known cabinet confirmations.
Condemn Department of Justice letters to medical journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Obstetrics & Gynecology accusing them of taking partisan possessions on medical issues and questioning their tax exempt status. (Reported by National Public Radio).
Oppose the following nominations -- No more confirmations for Trump appointees:
Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of Army
Matthew Napoli, Deputy Administrator of Defense regarding Nuclear Proliferation
James O’Neil, Deputy Secretary of HHS
Gary Andres, Assistant Secretary of HHS
David Fink, Administrator of Federal Railroad Administration
David Fogel, Assistant Secretary and Director General of U.S. and Foreign Commercial Services
Pierre Gemtin, General Counsel of Department of Commerce
Robert Gleason, Director of Amtrak Board of Directors
Call Representative Rep. Scholten, 202.225.3831 and Moolenaar 202.225.3561
Vote against budget cuts to essential services in H.Con.Res 14 Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Oppose $5 billion designated in the Budget Reconciliation Bill for private school vouchers, home schooling and for profit online learning sites. This provision was voted on by the House committees reviewing the Budget Reconciliation. (Federal School Voucher Proposal Advances, A Milestone For Conservatives.)
Oppose any attempts by the Executive branch to undermine the Writ of Habeas Corpus. (see info above in the Senate section)
Speak out against the firing of the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, Shira Perlmutter Director at the U.S. Copyright Office, and Cameron Hamilton, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Condemn Department of Justice letters to medical journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Obstetrics & Gynecology accusing them of taking partisan possessions on medical issues and questioning their tax exempt status. (Reported by National Public Radio).
Condemn Trump for accepting the Qatar royal family gift of a 747 jet to replace Air Force One. Trump’s private companies have several projects pending in Qatar.
Support H. Res 353, Articles of Impeachment of Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. Introduced by Rep. Thanedar,, D.In the House Judiciary Committee. (We can dream, right?)
Vote NO on HR 2607 Afrikaner Act, when it comes to the Floor (it is in the House Judiciary Committee). It would give white South African farmers an immigration advantage over other immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers.
Vote NO on HR 1702 Judges Act, when it comes to the Floor (it is in the House Judiciary Committee). It would increase the number of federal district court judges by 66, giving Trump an opportunity to load the federal district courts with MAGA sympathizers.
Call your State Representative before May 20 (find your State Rep here)
Vote NO on House Bills 4066 and 4069, Anti-trans legislation targeting transgender youth, attacking transgender youth participation in high school sports, promoting the harmful idea that trans students pose threats to their peers, and sending a message to trans youth that they do not belong. Michigan Republicans aim to ban gender-affirming medication, surgery for minors
Vote NO on HJR B if is re-introduced (Michigan GOP’s version of the SAVE Act)
Extra Credit: Call District of Columbia Mayor Bowser, 202 727 2643, to block Trump’s military parade on June 14, 2025 by demanding that all the parade permits anyone else would have to secure are applied for. Require that all expenses for the parade are to be paid for by the Trump administration, including security, set up and clean up.
Please consider donating to Indivisible Greater Grand Rapids via this link. Your funds will help us sponsor the No Kings Protest in Grand Rapids on June 14 and cover costs of the event, which include sound system rental and other expenditures. Thank you for your donation!
Good news! Kent County residents can now recycle Styrofoam at the North Kent Recycling & Waste Center on 10 Mile Road and US-131. Accepted items include packing foam, foam coolers, foam cups, and takeout containers, and should all be white in color. They do not accept packing peanuts, colored foam, meat trays, or items with food residue.
Attend any of the events below!
Please Volunteer! We need help with Social Media posting and moderating, Public Relations, Event Planning and lots of other skills. If you can spare an hour a week - we’d be grateful! Click the button below and fill out the form. THANK YOU!!
IGGR Events
IGGR members attended the Grand Rapids Power Analysis Workshop this past Thursday. For those who couldn’t attend, you can access the presentation slides at this link: https://griid.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/grand-rapids-power-analysis-slides.pdf
Wednesday, May 21 at 12 pm. Protect Social Security Rally at the Social Security Office, 3045 Knapp St NE, GR.
Friday, May 23 at 4:30 to 6 pm. Bridge Takeover Protest. Hall Street over US 131. Future Bridge Takeover dates: May 31 at 54th Street over US 131. June 6 at Fuller Ave over I-196. June 13 at Hall Street over US 131.
Thursday, June 5 at 7:00 pm. Sign Making Social. Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE. Come join us as we make protest signs around the "NO KINGS" theme. Bring your favorite beverage and a snack to share. We will supply the cardboard signs, some suggestions for wording, and some paints. Feel free to bring some of your favorite art supplies! Ideas for signs can be found in this article.
Saturday, June 14 from 10 to 11:30 am. No Kings Rally at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. Watch this space for more details!
Wednesday, June 18 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. "State of Civil Rights and What You Can Do to Protect Them," Fountain Street Church Chapel, 24 Fountain Street SE. Lily Eggers from the ACLU will present an overview of the status of legislation, executive orders and current lawsuits and how they affect our civil rights and civil liberties. Get a better understanding of these rights and freedoms at this moment and learn what you can do to protect them.
Lily Eggers is an Organizing Strategist for Southwest Michigan at the ACLU of Michigan. Lily joined the ACLU of Michigan in October of 2022 as an organizer, contributing to the passing of Proposal 3- 2022 (Reproductive Freedom for All) to secure access to reproductive rights in Michigan. From 2023-2024, she worked on a voting rights and democracy project to ensure Michiganders knew about their newly won voting rights and worked with election officials to implement new policies and ensure folks had access to the ballot. In her current role as an Organizing Strategist, Lily works with people in their own communities to educate and organize in pursuit of civil rights and civil liberties protections.
Wednesday, June 25 at 6 pm. IGGR Meetup. Third Nature Brewery. 7733 Childsdale Ave NE, Rockford, MI. Dogs are welcome on the patio! Other meetups scheduled: Wednesday, July 16 at Broadleaf Brewery, 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd SE, Kentwood and Wednesday, August 13 at The Mitten 527 Leonard St NW, GR
EVENTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Monday, May 19 at 12 pm. Tesla Takedown. Tesla Showroom in Grand Rapids, 2919 29th St SE.
Wednesday, May 21 at 7 pm. Do Something Now: Standing Up For Ukraine, 301 Fuller Ave NE, GR. Featuring Guest Speaker Matthew D. Pauly, Assoc. Prof. of History, Michigan State University. This event will also be livestreamed via Facebook! Sponsored by the Kent Dems.
Wednesday, May 21 at 7 pm. Stop Voter Suppression Town Hall. Online. Anti-voter lawmakers and supporters of the SAVE Act and HJR B have introduced two petition drives that would make it harder for Michiganders to exercise their right to vote by introducing oppressive voter registration requirements. Learn how VNP is fighting back against these harmful petitions and what you can do to protect voting rights in Michigan. Sponsored by Voters Not Politicians. Register here.
Saturday, May 24 at 12 pm. Support Our Veterans and VA Rally. Michigan Veterans Home, 2950 Monroe Ave NE, GR. Gather at the flagged Entrance. (Alternating on Saturdays with Veterans Park in Greenville, MI (on M-57 (Washington St.) between Bower Street and Luray Street; rally on north side of M57; next Greenville rally: May 31). Sponsored by the Support Our Veterans and VA Facebook group.
Monday, June 2 at 5:30 - 7:30 pm. D2 SummerFest Presented by John Moolenaar for Congress, Lakeside Park, 370 N. Lake Street, Caledonia. Cookout fundraiser for John Moolenaar ($40). Time to protest, maybe? (It's not clear if he'll be attending or not....)
Ongoing. Sundays at 1 pm. Join the Protest for Progress - a weekly demonstration hosted by the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation in Monument Park on Fulton Street, GR
What We're Monitoring
Following is information about introduced Bills that our Research Committee is keeping an eye on. Come back here as often as you’d like to find an update. We’ll edit this at least once a week.
Legislation To Watch
Federal Updates
Michigan Representative Shri Thandar (District 13) has introduced articles of impeachment for Don Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors in H.Res.353
Vote NO on HR 1526 NORRA when it comes to the floor in the Senate. It is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It would severely curtail federal courts from issuing injunctions or temporary restraining orders against executive orders.
Vote NO on House Joint Resolutions (HJ Res) 87, 88 and 89 when they come to the floor in the Senate. The resolutions would negate California’s clean air regulations regarding automobile and truck emissions.
State Updates
House and Senate Republicans have introduced bills to ban gender-affirming care (SB289 and HB 4467) Michigan Republicans aim to ban gender-affirming medication, surgery for minors
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