Public comment needed: Student Loan Relief
Since 2020 one of the key promises of the Biden administration has been to forgive federal student loans. After the original student debt relief plan was blocked by the Supreme Court, the Biden Administration has looked for opportunities to partially or fully forgive federal student loans wherever it can.
Now the administration is proposing to cancel years of accrued interest—up to $20,000 in automatic cancellation. The proposed rules would also eliminate student debt that is more than twenty years old and discharge loans for people who are eligible for loan forgiveness under earlier plans but are not enrolled in those plans.
These rules have been formally published in the Federal Register, and we need your public comments in support of student loan relief.
Simply follow the link to the Federal register and click the green Submit a Formal Comment button.
Use your own words and personal stories. If you have had student debt forgiveness already, explain how it has helped you.
The California Legislature is bowing to PG&E on Rooftop Solar: let them know you are disappointed
We have been asking you to support Rooftop Solar bills AB 1999, AB 2256, and AB 2619. Unfortunately, all of these bills are struggling in the California legislature. Here’s the status of the bills as of now, and what you can do to support them.
- AB 1999 was shelved without a vote Friday in the Rules Committee by Assembly Speaker Rivas. This bill would have stopped the big Utility Tax by capping it at $10/month and prohibiting it from rising any faster than inflation. We need to call Speaker Rivas and Governor Newsom and tell them: this bill is important! Don’t act as hatchetmen for PG&E.
- AB 2256 was gutted Monday. Originally, this bill would require the CPUC to include all the benefits of rooftop solar when deciding how much credit solar users receive. Now, it simply requires the CPUC to conduct an independent cost-of-service analysis of the net billing tariff. We need to ask Phil Ting to restore this bill to a useful state.
- AB 2619 is still delayed. This bill would repeal the current system of solar credits and require the CPUC to revise their net metering decision to realign with the state’s clean energy goals.
We need your calls today: Contact Assemblymember Ting, Assembly Speaker Rivas, and Governor Newsom to tell them they are letting us down on these bills and ask them to restore and support them.
Tell your friends in swing districts: Register for Neighbor2Neighbor!
Indivisible National announced a door-to-door relational organizing program in swing districts that’s ready for registration now! Neighbor2Neighbor activates friends and locals in critical electoral regions. We’ve said many times that the road to 2024 runs through California, and Neighbor2Neighbor is targeting CA-13 (Modesto), CA-22 (Hanford), CA-27 (Antelope Valley), CA-40 (Anaheim Hills), CA-41 (Palm Desert), and CA-45 (Westminster) along with several districts in other states.
If you know people living in these districts who want to help us build the Blue Wave, tell them to register now for Neighbor2Neighbor via Indivisible National. You can also encourage your friends in other swing states to participate in Neighbor2Neighbor.
Watch (or rewatch) the “Power in the House” event
Our friends at the California Grassroots Alliance had their launch event last week. Joined by speakers Ben Wikler of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Rep. Katie Porter of CA-47, and Jess Craven of “Chop Wood, Carry Water,” the Alliance unveiled its “Sweep Six” campaign: electing Democrats to Congress in six of California’s purple districts so that we can take back the House Majority and hold off the MAGA arsonists.
The event opened with a preview of an early version of the Alliance’s upcoming ad, “Firebreak,” which can be viewed standalone on the Alliance website. You can also watch the full event on YouTube.
Volunteers welcome: We’re looking for a social media person!
This year is going to be busy and we’d love a volunteer to help with publishing social media posts. We would like someone to help us create, schedule, and monitor posts on the Meta Suite (Facebook and Instagram) and Threads. No prior knowledge required—we can train you!
We’re also always on the lookout for more editors, or any other help you can provide! Our newsletter team meets every Tuesday night, and we would love for you to join us.
If you’re interested in volunteering, let us know at contact@indivisiblesf.org.
If you’re interested in participating in activities like drafting letters to our Members of Congress and developing our strategy for influencing them, the Indivisible SF Federal Working Group is where it happens. Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 PM.
TODAY: Bay Area Coalition Phone Banks to CA, NV, and AZ: Wednesday, May 1, 5–7 PM (and every Wednesday through October 30). Join to help elect Adam Gray in CA-13 and Rudy Salas in CA-22. This phone bank also calls into swing states Nevada and Arizona. RSVP here.
Indivisible East Bay Phone Banking Workshop: Saturday, May 4, 2–4 PM. This workshop will help shift negative feelings you may have about phone banking, and it will provide concrete guidance that will help you to have truly rewarding conversations. RSVP here.
Indivisible SF Federal Working Group: Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 PM. Join us to discuss strategy to influence our Members of Congress and the Biden administration to enact a progressive agenda. RSVP here.
About this week’s photo
If you’ve seen our newsletter posts on social media, you might have noticed that we include a photo or graphic with each issue.
Today’s graphic is a photo of a worker working on a rooftop solar panel by Rachel Bujalski for a NYT article on California’s rooftop solar policies.
Keep Fighting,The Indivisible SF Team
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