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Hi, all, and happy Monday,

Welp. The next week or two are going to be all about the SAVE America Act. Trump is simply obsessed with it, as are the Republican base and a large number of far right influencers. Majority Leader Thune is therefore being forced to bring the bill up for a vote despite having said repeatedly that the votes aren’t there to pass it.

This new version of what was formerly the SAVE Act not only requires proof of citizenship to register to vote, but photo ID to vote as well. It would also require a photocopy of ID be included when you vote by mail and require states to give their voter rolls to the federal government to be checked for noncitizen voting (which is, again, already illegal and almost nonexistent). It would cause chaos and enormous expense for election administrators across the country, who would have seven months to change pretty much everything about how voting works in their states before the midterms. And it would disenfranchise millions of Americans who lack the proper ID, acting like a poll tax on those who simply can’t afford the fees to get a passport or new birth certificate.

I say all of this would happen, because the likelihood of this bill passing is still vanishingly slim. The votes simply aren’t there.

Nevertheless there will be a marathon Senate session starting today and going, likely, all week. The Senate will first have to pass a motion to consider the bill. We are hearing that Senator Tillis will be a no on that, and that Senators Murkowski and McConnell may be as well. Even without them, however, the motion can pass with Vance as a tiebreaker. Then the bill will go to the floor for an amendment process during which Republicans will try to add all kinds of awful provisions, several of which will be anti-trans and all of which will fail, and Democrats will float amendments to make the bill less destructive. Those will fail as well.

This will go on for a while. At some point, the vote will be called on a bill that will very likely be the same one they started out with, for much of the amendment process will have been performative.

Then it will all come down to the filibuster. Every Democrat (except for maybe Fetterman) is on record as opposing the bill. It therefore won’t pass unless Republicans are willing to either get rid of the filibuster completely or try some kind of “talking filibuster.” Everything we’re hearing is that Thune doesn’t have the votes to do either.

Still, the pressure on him is immense. Trump, as I said at the beginning, is literally obsessed with passing this bill. He imagines—wrongly, I think—that it will guarantee Republicans a win in the midterms. Because of that he’s fixated on it. He’s like a trapped animal gnawing at his cage. He’ll never chew through iron bars, but he’s too dumb to know that, so he’ll never stop trying.

Meanwhile, Trump has said he won’t consider any other legislation until the SAVE America Act is passed. This dooms any possible progress in Congress, including on the pretty decent housing affordability bill that just passed overwhelmingly in the Senate. Trump, in fact, told Mike Johnson not to prioritize that bill, not only because he wants the SAVE America Act passed, but because “nobody gives a [expletive] about housing.” Wild, right? In a country where housing is a top issue for a vast swath of the populace Trump is killing a housing affordability bill because he’s a) so out of touch that he thinks no one cares about housing and b) he’s so intent on rigging elections he can’t think about anything else.

One other thing that will be bubbling up this week: the DHS shutdown. It’s getting more attention as TSA lines grow worse and Republicans try to pin that on Democrats. It is really, really important for us to stress that Democrats tried to pass a bill that would fund TSA—in fact, fund everything in DHS except for ICE and CBP—and Republicans blocked it. This is a political ploy for them. TSA agents could be paid today. It is because of Republicans that they’re not. We should make sure everyone knows it.

I’m told that Hakeem Jeffries is about to launch a discharge petition to accomplish the same thing—pay for everything DHS-related except for ICE and CBP—so we will call our House members and demand they support it.

Wild times, folks. Our job is laid out before us very clearly, so enough talk. Let’s get to work!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, I’m calling to oppose the SAVE America Act. This bill is a solution to a non-problem. All the data shows non-citizen voting is vanishingly rare. Rather, this bill will sow chaos. It’s essentially a poll tax, as millions of eligible voters will have to pay for a passport—or another copy of their birth certificate—in order to vote. This bill would especially burden military voters, tribal voters, rural voters, survivors of natural disasters, communities of color, and married women who have changed their last names. I adamantly oppose it. Vote no! [H/T]

Second, I want the Senate to pass funding for all of the agencies under DHS EXCEPT FOR ICE AND CBP.

[If Republican add:] TSA needs funding and so does FEMA. Democrats have proposed several bills to give it to them. Republicans have blocked them. Either pass those bills or agree to Democrats’ terms on ICE reforms and get everything passed. This situation is unacceptable and we absolutely blame the GOP. Thanks.

[If Dem add:] Please stay strong and do not cave until Republicans have agreed to Democrats’ ICE reforms. We have your backs. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

First, I understand that House Democrats are going to file a discharge petition to fund TSA, FEMA, and everything else under DHS except for ICE, CBP, and the DHS Secretary’s office. I expect the Congressmember to support it. We want these departments funded AND we want major ICE reforms. In fact, we insist on it.

Second, I am enraged at the treatment of children in Dilley Detention center, and of ICE detainees in general. An Afghan man who assisted the U.S. military during the war just died after only 24 hours in ICE custody. He was 41 and healthy when he went in. This makes the 12th death in ICE custody just in 2026! All children need to be freed from detention and we need real oversight in these facilities. We need them to treat detainees humanely. America can not be the country that brings concentration camps back. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

YOUR SIGNATURE NEEDED!!

There’s a Supreme Court case coming in April that goes straight to the heart of what America actually is.

You’ll remember that on his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order trying to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the US to parents without permanent legal status. It was one of the most blatantly unconstitutional things he did that day — and that’s saying a lot.

The ACLU sued the day the order came out and they’ve been fighting it ever since. They’ll be in that courtroom on April 1st. I’m collaborating with them and going to DC to cheer them on. It’s literally that important to me.

So here’s the one easy thing I’m asking you to do: sign the ACLU’s petition supporting birthright citizenship. They’re bringing every signature into that courtroom with them. It’ll take you thirty seconds.

Sign your name. Let’s show those justices exactly how many Americans are willing to fight for this principle. Let’s show them the America we believe in. It’s never mattered more.

Get Smart #1! 📚

Join COURIER on Tuesday, March 17 at 2:30 ET/ 1:30 CT for a virtual conversation with Judge Chris Taylor, Supreme Court Candidate, Representative Greta Neubauer, Democratic Leader in the Wisconsin Assembly, and Pat Kreitlow, Founding Editor of COURIER’s UpNorthNews.

The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court special election on April 7 will have far-reaching consequences on key issues across the state. With decisions on voting rights, reproductive rights, election administration, and fair representation potentially before the court, the outcome will shape the legal landscape in one of the nation’s most pivotal battleground states.

Please use this link to register.

Get Smart #2! 📚📚

Organizing to Win the Midterms—the DNC and grassroots finally talk!!

Winning the midterms is the most powerful and realistic way to limit the power of Trump and MAGA next year. The Democratic National Committee and Swing Left have innovative new programs targeting Congressional Districts most likely to decide whether we win the House. Join the DNC’s Chair Ken Martin, the DNC’s Organizing Director Lorenza Ramirez, Swing Left’s Executive Director Yasmin Radjy and its Managing Director Zack Malitz on March 18th at 5 p.m. PT, 8 p.m. ET, to help us win the midterms.

We’ll have much better chances of winning Democratic majorities in Congress this year if the DNC works collaboratively with the hundreds of volunteer groups and tens of thousands of volunteers who work on elections. This meeting will be a big step in that direction.

The more people who attend, the more momentum we will build for victory in November, so please sign up here.

Give 💰!

Remember our 5K matching campaign last week for Movement Voter Project? We made it! And now I’m back with another! My generous donor also agreed to do a 5K match for Run For Something, one of my very favorite places to direct political donations. RFS recruits young people to run for office. Because of them we have Maxwell Frost, Jasmine Crockett, James Talarico, Danica Roem, and so many other extraordinary young leaders. And they’ve got thousands more in the pipeline!

I can’t overstate how important the work they do is. Can you give? And if you need some incentive read their latest Feel Good Update—it’ll blow your mind! Run for Something has 16 candidates on the ballot in Illinois tomorrow running for seats from county board to the State Senate—you can read about them in the update.

Then give here if you can.

Get in the Streets! 🪧

No Kings is coming up on March 28!! Have you invited three friends via text or email?

You can simply say something like:

Hi! Friendly reminder that there is a HUGE nationwide protest on Saturday, March 28, and we’re really hoping that everyone who’s upset about this war, or the Epstein files, or the economy, or Trump’s corruption, or anything else, will come out. These protests are SO FUN, entirely peaceful, and extremely uplifting. We need this one to be bigger than any of the others before. Please look up your local No Kings protest at nokings.org and let me know if you need help brainstorming a sign! Thanks!

Win Races! 🗳

Urgent: Misinformation Is Targeting Black Voters in Virginia—Help Us Reach Them —Join the Phone Banks Today.

Republicans have sunk to a new low. They know that if Virginians understand what the redistricting referendum actually does, they can’t win—so instead of telling the truth, they’re trying to confuse voters.

Over the weekend they sent mailers and texts—primarily targeting Black communities—urging people to vote no by falsely comparing the referendum to Jim Crow laws. In reality, it does the opposite: it’s about pushing back against election rigging.

This is deliberate misinformation, and we can’t let it stand.

We need your help to reach Black voters across Virginia and make sure they know the truth—that these mailers are nothing more than desperate bully tactics meant to mislead voters.

Join Center for Common Ground for their guided phones banks Tuesday & Thursday at 6pm ET to Black and Brown voters across Virginia. Just a few hours of your time can help cut through the lies and make sure voters have the facts before they cast their ballots. Register here.

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PSBFYS to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)

President Donald Trump and Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr are crossing a dangerous constitutional line.After unfavorable coverage of the war with Iran, Chair Carr warned that broadcasters running what he called “hoaxes and news distortions” must “correct course” before their license renewals. He suggested that stations could lose their licenses if they fail to operate in the “public interest.” President Trump then publicly said he was “thrilled” that Carr was looking at the licenses of some news organizations. Taken together, these statements amount to a clear threat of government retaliation against protected journalism.The FCC was not created to punish editorial decisions or coerce favorable war coverage. Broadcast licensing authority exists to ensure technical compliance and service to the public—not to intimidate journalists or influence news coverage. Using that authority to pressure stations because of their reporting would represent a serious abuse of regulatory power.

[Read the rest of the letter here.]

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

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