Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A federal holiday since it was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1983, MLK Day met some resistance. It was not officially observed in all 50 states until 2000. It's a good time to reflect on the past year and the Black Lives Matter movement, a movement that calls for an end to the systemic racism that allows a culture of corruption to go unchecked.
Recent events further expose the fragility of multiracial democracy in America, which Adam Serwer argues is only 55 years old and which may finally remit the famous “I have a Dream” promissory note, as embedded in our Constitution. Let’s resolve to make democracy work for everyone. Let’s work to end systemic racism and invest in our communities to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive. Join the Maine NAACP today for a day-long teach-in and call to action.
NEWS:
Working with the New Administration: The League of Women Voters of the U.S. sent a memo to President-elect Biden two weeks ago. The memo was shared with the U.S. Congress and members of Biden’s transition team to express our priorities and to begin the hard work of repairing our democracy — together. You can read the full statement here.
Watch the Inauguration Live: On Wednesday, January 20, you can tune into the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, starting at 9:00 AM. President Trump will not be in attendance, the first president in 152 years to skip the ceremony of his successor. And according to NPR, "Thousands of National Guard troops have been pouring into the capital, and by Wednesday's ceremony, up to 25,000 troops will be in place to guard against security threats."
Here in Maine: It's been an "Inaction Under the Dome" kind of week, and by contrast, maybe that's a good thing. Bills are starting to be printed, and while some committee hearings are being deferred, some committee orientation meetings have been scheduled this week. You can see the full legislative calendar here.
How to Participate: Legislative committees will not be receiving testimony at the State House until further notice. Committee meetings will be conducted electronically. To provide oral testimony over the electronic platform or via a toll-free phone number, contact the committee clerk no later than 30 minutes prior to the posted start time of the meeting. Committee meetings may be heard at www.mainelegislature.org or viewed at www.youtube.com/
WHAT IS THE LEAGUE WORKING ON?
The U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced H.R. 1 on January 4, 2021. The For the People Act is a once-in-a-generation democracy reform package to clean up our political system. Over 400 Maine people have signed our petition urging Congress to support and pass H.R. 1. We've just issued a press release this morning, urging our Congressional leaders to support and pass H.R. 1.
Read more about H.R. 1 from the Brennan Center here. Sign our petition. Then, contact Representative Chellie Pingree, Representative Jared Golden, Senator Angus King, and Senator Susan Collins and urge them to support H.R. 1.