Phone/Email Templates for Asking Senators To Kill the Anti-Trans Provisions with the Byrd Rule
Instructions:
These template letters are meant to be a guideline for helping you express what you believe to your Senators (contact info here), rather than a published editorial opinion of MadyCast News. Copy and paste the template of your choice, and replace all words in [brackets] with the appropriate phrase of your choice. You’re also free to completely rewrite the templates or use your own words, as that can often be an even more effective strategy.
IMPORTANT: Find the correct template by reading through the following table of contents and clicking the header link for that section to find a specific script for your Senator. You can click their names to go to their website and find their contact info.
Table of Contents
Democrats on Budget and Finance Committees
Keep note whether your Senator is on the finance or budget committee for the template!
Budget committee
Ranking Member: Jeff Merkley (OR)
Patty Murray (WA), Ron Wyden (OR), Bernie Sanders (VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Mark R. Warner (VA), Tim Kaine (VA), Chris Van Hollen (MD), Ben Ray Luján (NM), Alex Padilla (CA),
Finance committee
Generic Democrat
We need all Senate Democrats to vote NO on overruling the Parliamentarian, as well as NO on waiving the Byrd rule on these provisions, to ensure that the provision is killed. Click the header for the template!
Susan Collins (R) (Maine Residents)
Susan Collins is a special case since she is up for reelection in a liberal state, and a very important Senator for killing this legislation by ensuring the Senate does not vote to overrule the parliamentarian. If you live in Maine, click the header for her template.
Generic Republican
We must pressure ALL Senators, including Republicans. Some Republicans are facing difficult reelection campaigns next year. Please especially consider reaching out if you are represented by one of the following: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC). Click the header if you have any other Republican Senator than Susan Collins.
Script for Democrats on Budget and Finance Committees
Please make sure you know which Committee your Senator is on from the section at the top, and select the correct one in the brackets. Find contact info here.
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I’m [writing/calling] to you today to express my horror at the total ban of federal funding of gender affirming care for Medicaid and ACA plans for ALL AGES included in the GOP’s extreme reconciliation bill. This bill would [directly impact me/impact many of my friends] and take away our rights to accessing lifesaving healthcare. It is a violation of basic human rights.
As a member of the [Finance/Budget] Committee, I understand you have particular sway on budget reconciliation bills, and have the ability to request the Parliamentarian to rule certain provisions violate the Byrd rule. This provision specifically violates subsection 313(b)(1)(D) and 313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. I implore you to please convince the Parliamentarian that this provision is clearly not related to the budget—it is meant to strip care from [me and other trans people, because we are trans/my trans friends and family, because they are trans.] It’s clearly an unconstitutional and discriminatory provision that you MUST kill before the Senate votes to approve the bill.
In addition to being an attack on human rights for no reason other than cruelty, it also has a minimal budgetary impact. Trans people are a small percentage of the population, and trans-specific care is a small portion of our healthcare costs—but a vital one. The Byrd rule is an essential component to restraining the power of the majority in the Senate, and allowing this provision to pass uncontested would effectively end the filibuster. Force the Republicans to strike this provision or go on the record overruling the Senate Parliamentarian. In addition, you should consider slowing down daily business by denying unanimous consent on routine motions. At the very least, you MUST speak out against this provision on social media, in committee hearings and on the Senate floor—we will be watching.
Make sure to raise a point of order about this, and emphasize how small of a portion of Medicaid gender affirming care is to the Parliamentarian—likely under $1 billion. Please reply to this email with the Senator’s plans to challenge this provision of the legislation. It is a matter of life and death for me and my friends.
Thank you,
[Your Name], one of your constituents
Generic Democratic Senator
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I’m [writing/calling] to you today to express my horror at the total ban of federal funding of gender affirming care for Medicaid and ACA plans for ALL AGES included in the GOP’s extreme reconciliation bill. This bill would [directly impact me/impact many of my friends] and take away our rights to accessing lifesaving healthcare. It is a violation of basic human rights.
You should attempt to challenge the part of the reconciliation bill that seeks to restrict gender affirming care under the Byrd rule. In addition to being an attack on human rights for no reason other than cruelty, it also has a minimal budgetary impact. This provision specifically violates subsection 313(b)(1)(D) and 313(b)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Please also make sure you vote NO on overruling the Parliamentarian, and NO on waiving the Byrd rule on this provision if it is struck down.
Trans people are a small percentage of the population, and trans-specific care is a small portion of our healthcare costs—but a vital one. The Byrd rule is an essential component to restraining the power of the majority in the Senate, and allowing this provision to pass uncontested would effectively end the filibuster. Force the Republicans to strike this provision or go on the record overruling the Senate Parliamentarian. In addition, you should consider slowing down daily business by denying unanimous consent on routine motions. At the very least, you MUST speak out against this provision on social media, in committee hearings and on the Senate floor—we will be watching.
Make sure to raise a point of order about this, and emphasize how small of a portion of Medicaid gender affirming care is to the Parliamentarian—likely under $1 billion. Please reply to this email with the Senator’s plans to challenge this provision of the legislation. It is a matter of life and death for me and my friends.
Thank you,
[Your Name], one of your constituents
Call script (can also be reformatted as an email!):
Hi, I wanted to leave an extremely important and urgent message for the Senator today.
[Staffer reply]
Thank you! I’m calling today because I am terrified at how the gender affirming care ban could [impact me personally/impact many of my friends and loved ones].
[Optional: Include personal anecdote for how Medicaid or ACA plans have improved or even saved your life].
I know that you can’t stop the bill passing alone, but we want you to strike the provision by raising a Byrd Rule point of order with the Senate Parliamentarian. This provision has almost no real impact on the federal budget, so it clearly is not in line with the Byrd rule, which requires all measures to be more than “merely incidentally” related to spending and revenue. In addition, the Senator should consider slowing down daily business by denying unanimous consent on routine motions. Clearly a ban on trans healthcare is not about the budget, it’s about trying to harm or even kill trans people [like me]. Can you confirm that you will inform the Senator of this important information, and to email me back what his plans are regarding this point of order? It is a matter of life and death for me and my friends.
Script for Susan Collins
Phone or email contact info here.
Dear Senator Collins,
I’m reaching out to you today to ask you to vote NO on any further votes to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian, or votes to waive Byrd rules. I am disappointed to hear you voted to skirt the Parliamentarian last week to overturn California EPA waivers, as this action violates your commitment to upholding the filibuster. I know you are up for reelection next year, and you need to consider very carefully whether you choose to help the GOP overturn the filibuster in future votes in the budget reconciliation bill.
Particularly, many people in the trans community are highly concerned about the provisions targeting care for trans people on Medicaid or ACA plans. This is a provision that would be deadly for many trans people [like myself]. In addition, the provisions are policy-focused, rather than budget focused, and thus clearly violate subsection 313(b)(1)(D) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, also known as the Byrd rule. You should be well aware that all budgetary provisions must be focused on the budget, and the impact of a provision on the budget cannot be “merely incidental.” And you should commit to me in writing that you will NOT vote to overrule the parliamentarian if she rules against the GOP on this or any other provision.
Thank you,
[Your Name], one of your constituents
Script for Generic Republican Senators
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I’m reaching out to you today to ask you to vote NO on any further votes to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian, or votes to waive Byrd rules. I am disappointed to hear you voted to skirt the Parliamentarian last week to overturn California EPA waivers, as this weakens the filibuster and Senate norms that restrain the power of the majority. I think you may regret this decision when Democrats return to power and use the same techniques, so you need to consider very carefully whether you choose to further overturn the Parliamentarian and the filibuster in future votes regarding the budget reconciliation bill.
Particularly, many people in the trans community are highly concerned about the provisions targeting care for trans people on Medicaid or ACA plans. This is a provision that would be deadly for many trans people [like myself]. In addition, the provisions are policy-focused, rather than budget focused, and thus clearly violate subsection 313(b)(1)(D) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, also known as the Byrd rule. You should be well aware that all budgetary provisions must be focused on the budget, and the impact of a provision on the budget cannot be “merely incidental.” And you should commit to me in writing that you will NOT vote to overrule the parliamentarian if she rules against the GOP on this or any other provision.
Thank you,
[Your Name], one of your constituents