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Even if today’s chilly weather makes it hard to believe, Spring is here! We’ve had a great time gathering with supporters and allies for safe, socially-distanced outdoor actions like last week’s Rally for Environmental Justice, and we’re excited to announce more upcoming opportunities to hit the streets! Read on for more...

Tomorrow morning, we’re joining partners in the fight for health justice bright and early in Washington, DC to Rally for Medicare for All ahead of the U.S. House Oversight & Reform Committee’s hearing on “Pathways to Universal Healthcare.” This is a major opportunity to put the federal Medicare for All Act back on the table, and we’re ready to make the case for why the single-payer model is the best way to address the injustices of our current healthcare system. 

Can’t make it tomorrow? We’ll be back in DC next Monday, April 4 for a Day of Action to Cancel Student Debt! We’re meeting activists from across the country at the Eisenhower Memorial, just off the National Mall, where we’ll call on President Biden to cancel student debt through executive order before the pause on federal student loan repayments expires on May 1.  

Whether you love showing up for rallies or prefer to participate virtually, there are opportunities for everyone to get involved in the fight for a better future. Check out this week’s memo for plenty of updates, events, actions to take, and news you can use! 

Quick Actions:

2022 Maryland Elections

There’s a new date for the Maryland primary! The Court of Appeals has rescheduled the Gubernatorial Primary Election for Tuesday, July 19. Mark your calendars today with the key dates in the new election timeline: 

  • Tuesday, June 28: Last day to register to vote in the primary
  • Thursday, July 7 – Thursday, July 14: Early voting from 7 AM – 8 PM
  • Tuesday, July 12: Last day to request a mail-in ballot (But there’s no need to wait! Click here to learn how you can request a mail-in ballot today)
  • Tuesday, July 19: Election Day

Progressive candidates are running for state and local office across Maryland, and people power can make the difference in their races. Visit pgmd.us/electionvolunteer to get involved with our election team and join our efforts to support candidates fighting for transformative change!   

Don’t forget to check out our Throwdown Thursday phonebank, happening again this week from 6–8 PM. Click this link to let us know you’ll join! You’ll meet some great folks, and we’ll provide training and support. 

Note to Candidates: If you’re running for office, have already filed for candidacy, and are interested in being considered for our endorsement, you may complete a candidate questionnaire here.

 

đź—ł Candidate Corner

Januari McKay, candidate for State Delegate in District 23, is co-hosting A Celebration of Women: Purpose, Power, and Politics on Zoom TONIGHT at 7 PM! This event will celebrate women leaders fighting for political change in Maryland, and will feature guests including Krystal Oriadha, who we’ve endorsed for Prince George’s County Council in District 7! RSVP here to attend this evening!

Progressive Maryland is hosting a virtual Meet & Greet TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 29 from 7–8 PM with two outstanding candidates for Montgomery County Council! Join us to meet Natali Fani-González, candidate for the District 6 seat, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, candidate for an At-Large seat, and learn how these progressive champions plan to create a more inclusive and community-responsive County Council. RSVP at pgmd.us/MoCoMeetAndGreet!

Ruben Amaya, candidate for State Delegate in Baltimore County’s District 10, is hosting a Happy Hour Reception TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 29 from 5–8 PM at the Golden Dragon Bar and Grill (8109 Liberty Rd, Milford Mill, MD 21244). Join us to enjoy great food, learn about Ruben’s vision for the district, and hear how he plans to move our communities forward — RSVP here to attend!

Join us to support Krystal Oriadha, in a Day of Action this Saturday, April 2 from 10 AM – 2 PM! We’ll be canvassing in the district to talk about why Krystal is the right choice for PG County, so be sure to bring comfortable shoes — RSVP here to join us!

Learn more about all of our endorsed candidates for 2022 on the Progressive Maryland website! Go to pgmd.us/2022endorsements for candidate bios and links to support their campaigns.

Statewide & Federal Updates

🩺 Medicare for All: Tomorrow! 

The powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee of the U.S. House Of Representatives is holding a hearing tomorrow to explore "Pathways to Universal Healthcare." Medicare for All legislation (H.R. 1976) will be a main focus of the proceedings, and M4A champion Ady Barkan is among the panelists planning to testify. This is a major opportunity to put the Medicare for All Act back on the table and make the case for a single-payer healthcare system. 

Progressive Maryland is gathering with our friends from the Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition, Our Revolution, and other allies outside the Rayburn House Office Building (45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515) in Capitol Hill TOMORROW at 8:30 AM to rally for Medicare for All before & during the hearing. Be sure to dress warmly and bring a sign or wear something (button, shirt, etc) that lets folks know you’re there to support M4A— we want to have visibility with lawmakers and the press. This is the first hearing on Medicare for All since 2019! RSVP here to join us in DC!

 

đź’ś Paid Family & Medical Leave

The Time to Care Act of 2022 (SB275) has passed the Maryland State Senate! This critical bill would establish a statewide paid family and medical leave program. But our work isn’t over yet! The bill is facing some major challenges in the House of Delegates, and we’re calling on supports to take 3 easy steps today to secure paid leave for working Marylanders: 

1. Take a minute to use this email tool to write to Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones asking her to uphold her commitment to passing paid leave legislation this session. 

2. Share your story about why we need Time to Care. Our stories are powerful! Share why you support paid family & medical leave at pgmd.us/mycarestory. Not quite sure what to say? Fill out the form and one of our organizers will reach out!

3. Take the Time to Care #MyCareStory challenge. Post a photo of someone you need time to care for (a family member, your child, or yourself!) on social media and share why you support paid leave using the hashtags #MyCareStory and #TimeToCareMD. Here’s a toolkit to get started!

đź“Ł Student Debt

Join Progressive Maryland in Washington, DC on Monday, April 4 from 12pm–4pm for a Day of Action to Cancel Student Debt! We're coming together with groups from across the country at the Eisenhower Memorial (540 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20500) to call on President Biden to cancel student debt through executive order before the emergency moratorium on federal student loan repayments expires on May 1. The agenda for the afternoon includes a Debtors' Assembly, performances from brass bands, and plenty of dancing. It's going to be a great time — we hope you'll join us! RSVP today at pgmd.us/CancelStudentDebt!

 

🏥 Medical Debt

HB694, a bill introduced by Del. Charkoudian to reimburse low-income hospital patients who were overcharged for care, was amended and passed out of the House ahead of last week’s crossover deadline. The bill has been significantly modified in the amendment process, but it will still create a process by which to address the problem of low-income patients being charged by hospitals when they legally qualify for free care. The Senate Finance Committee will hear the bill this Wednesday at 1:00 PM, with supportive testimony from Progressive Maryland and our allies — watch the hearing livestream at this link on Wednesday!

 

⚖️ Reentry Work Group

We’d like to thank everyone who joined us for candidate listening sessions during February and March as part of our Reentry: Where Do You Stand? event series. Thank you for helping us make the issue of reentry services for returning citizens a priority in this year’s elections! If you’d like to get involved with our Reentry Work Group going forward, please take a moment to fill our our interest form — one of our organizers will be in touch! And keep an eye on this space for more on a possible Reentry Forum with 2022 gubernatorial candidates in the coming weeks. 

 

🌱 Environmental Justice 

Thank you to all the supporters who joined us last Friday for a Rally for Environmental Justice in Annapolis! We were thrilled to come together with activists from across Maryland to demand that lawmakers make environmental justice a priority this MGA session. Working class communities and people of color have suffered disproportionately as a result of overreliance on dirty energy and the growing climate crisis, and Marylanders need meaningful legislation that addresses this injustice. Be sure to check out the great coverage the rally received from the Washington Informer and the Intersection Magazine! Ready to get involved with our environmental justice work? Contact Yves to join our Environmental Justice Task Force!

 

Become a Progressive Maryland Member 

If you care about the issues and priorities shared in this memo, please support our work by becoming a Progressive Maryland member today! We have flexible membership categories — members can choose to waive dues or sign up to give a monthly donation. You can find more details about the benefits of membership and how to join at pgmd.us/join.

PS. Just in case you needed another reason to join — members have the opportunity to participate in a Progressive Maryland fantasy baseball league this year! Fill out this form if you’d like to participate!

 

State and National News:

Governor Hogan and leaders of the Maryland General Assembly struck a deal today (Monday, March 28) on a tax-cut package that incorporates social spending. There’s movement on the big climate bill in Annapolis, updates on the impact of the gas tax holiday, and more. Also: plenty going on in Congress and federal agencies that caught our eye — it seems that some version of Build Back Better may still have a chance. Check out our weekly roundup of News You Can Use to stay current on federal, state and local government activity. Alas, none of our updates this week featurr cute animals, but we’ll keep looking!

 

Events From Progressive Maryland & Our Allies:

Tuesday, March 29 | 8:30 AM (Washington, DC) — Join PM as we rally for Medicare for All at the Rayburn House Office Building in Capitol Hill (45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515). We need all hands on deck at this critical moment in the fight for single-payer healthcare — RSVP here to attend!

Tuesday, March 29 | 7 PM (virtual) — Progressive Maryland is hosting a virtual Meet & Greet with two outstanding candidates for Montgomery County Council! Join us to meet Natali Fani-González, candidate for the District 6 seat, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, candidate for an At-Large seat — RSVP today at pgmd.us/MoCoMeetAndGreet.

Thursday, March 31 | 9 AM – 12 PM (International High School – Largo, MD) & 1 PM – 3PM (International High School – Langley Park, MD) — The Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools in Prince George’s County (AROS-PG) has been hosting a truck tour for their education issue voting campaign From Pandemic to Promise: Vote Your Dreams. The final day of the tour will be this Thursday, and we’ll be at International High School in Largo in the morning, then at International High School in Langley Park in the afternoon. Students in Prince George’s County are encouraged to stop by at either location to complete the survey on their top priorities for strengthening our school system and receive goodie bags and snacks! 

Monday, April 4 | 12 PM (Washington, DC) — Join Progressive Maryland in Washington, DC for a Day of Action to Cancel Student Debt! We’re coming together with groups from across the country at the Eisenhower Memorial (540 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20500) to call on President Biden to cancel student debt before the moratorium on student loan payments ends on May 1. RSVP to join us at pgmd.us/CancelStudentDebt!

Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:

We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design, etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator Woody at [email protected]

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woody woodruff

About

M.A. and Ph.d. from University of Maryland Merrill College of Journalism, would-be radical, sci-fi fan... retired to a life of keyboard radicalism...