TO: YWCA Leaders
FROM: YWCA USA Public Policy & Advocacy
DATE: January 9, 2017
SUBJECT: Oppose Senator Sessions for Attorney General
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) to be Attorney General. As detailed more fully in the letter sent last week to Capitol Hill by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (YWCA USA is a Steering Committee member), Senator Sessions' record with respect to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and his record on civil rights, should disqualify him from the position of the nation’s top law enforcement official.
Call your senators today, especially the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee (listed below), and urge them to vote against Senator Sessions’ confirmation. Please act now: Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings will begin on Tuesday, January 10th.
Step 1: Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator’s office, or find your Senator’s direct line here.
Step 2: Tell them:
- My name is [your name] and I am calling from [your city/state and, if applicable, your organization].
- I urge you to oppose Senator Sessions’ confirmation as Attorney General.
- Senator Session’s record demonstrates a profound lack of support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault: he opposed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and has promoted policies that harm immigrant victims and survivors.
- His record also demonstrates a history of undermining critical civil rights protections: he has promoted racially discriminatory laws and policies, and he voted against legislation that made targeted violence against LGBTQ people a hate crime.
- [Add additional concerns you may have.]
- Senator Sessions is not qualified to be our top legal advocate for victims.
Step 3: Share this action alert with your networks, allies, and constituents.
Step 4: Share your concerns on social media.
Social media posts are also a great way to make your views known. Sample tweets and Facebook posts are available below. Strengthen your message using these graphics. Find your Senators and their contact information here. Be sure to say you are a constituent! Find your Senators’ Twitter handles here.
Step 5: Let us know you’ve acted by emailing advocacy@ywca.org.
Sample Facebook Post:
[YWCA association name or I] does/do not support Senator Sessions’ confirmation as Attorney General. He opposed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013; he has promoted policies that harm immigrant victims and survivors; he has a long history of promoting racially discriminatory laws and policies; and he opposes LGBTQ rights. Senator Sessions is not qualified to be our top victims advocate.
Sample Tweets:
- [Senator’s Twitter Handle] Sen. Sessions opposed VAWA 2013 and cannot be trusted to implement and enforce it.
- [Senator’s Twitter Handle] Sen. Sessions opposed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 2013; we can't trust him to protect survivors as AG.
- [Senator’s Twitter Handle] Sen. Sessions promotes racially discriminatory laws & policies; we can’t trust him to protect all communities as AG.
- [Senator’s Twitter Handle] As AG of Alabama, Sen. Sessions fought equitable education access for poor, minority & disabled students.
Senate Judiciary Committee Members
Republicans:
Democrats:
Thank you for taking action today!
Sincerely,
YWCA USA Public Policy & Advocacy
#NationalCommunications