ANOTHER CALL FOR ACTION
We need your help to get eight more targeted Congress Members to co-sponsor the FAIRtax. Here’s the story. Last week we identified six Members of Congress who co-sponsored the bill last year but who have not yet signed up this year. This week we are taking the project further afield.
Here’s the arithmetic. Last year we had Rob Woodall, GA-07, plus 47 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives on our bill, HR25. This year so far we have Rob Woodall plus 29. That’s a difference of 18.
Of those 18, six returned to Congress. Those are the members we identified last week for you, the grassroots, to go after.
Twelve did not return. Among those twelve, four were replaced by Members from the other party. But that still leaves eight who were replaced by Members of the same party. We think the eight replacement Members from the same party would be good Members for you to target because the transition was likely friendly and peaceful. Here they are – with their predecessors:
| New Member | Party | District | Member Replaced | Phone | Website | DC Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hern, Kevin | R | OK-01 | Bridenstine, Jim | (202) 225-2211 | https://Hern.House.Gov | 1019 Longworth |
| Burchett, Tim | R | TN-02 | Duncan, John J. | (202) 225-5435 | https://Burchett.House.Gov | 1122 Longworth |
| Lesko, Debbie | R | AZ-08 | Franks, Trent | (202) 225-4576 | https://Lesko.House.Gov | 1113 Longworth |
| Crenshaw, Daniel | R | TX-02 | Poe, Ted | (202) 225-6565 | https://Crenshaw.House.Gov | 413 Cannon |
| Gooden, Lance | R | TX-05 | Hensarling, Jeb | (202) 225-3484 | https://Gooden.House.Gov | 425 Cannon |
| Cloud, Michael | R | TX-27 | Farenthold, Blake | (202) 225-7742 | https://Cloud.House.Gov | 1314 Longworth |
| Riggleman, Denver | R | VA-05 | Garrett, Thomas A | (202) 225-4711 | https://Riggleman.House.Gov | 1022 Longworth |
| Waltz, Michael | R | FL-06 | DeSantis, Ron | (202) 225-2706 | https://Waltz.House.Gov | 216 Cannon |
If you live in the Member’s district, the Member will be more apt to listen to you. And the member will think there are other supporters in the District who have not taken the trouble to reach out, especially if your message is personalized. Point out to the Member that the Member’s predecessor was a co-sponsor of HR25 in the previous Congress. Then say whatever you want in support of the FAIRtax and ask the new Member to co-sponsor the bill.
The rest of you who do not live in the Members’ Districts will need to call or write the Members’ offices. (New Members appear to be shunning faxes. The mailing address will be [the above DC Office], Washington DC 20515.) If you call or write the office, identify yourself as a FAIRtax supporter so that the Member’s office will understand why you are contacting a Member who does not represent your geographical district – and why you are contacting a Member for whom you cannot vote.
Just in case you missed last week’s Grassroots Corner, here again are the six Members who were co-sponsors in the last Congress who have not yet signed onto the bill:
| Member | Party | District | DC Phone | DC Fax | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson, Drew A | R | GA-03 | (202) 225-5901 | (202) 225-2515 | http://Ferguson.House.Gov |
| Flores, Bill | R | TX-17 | (202) 225-6105 | (202) 225-0350 | http://Flores.House.Gov |
| Graves, Sam | R | TN-02 | (202) 225-7041 | (202) 225-8221 | http://Graves.House.Gov |
| Long, Billy | R | MO-07 | (202) 225-6536 | (202) 225-5604 | http://Long.House.Gov |
| Marchant, Kenny | R | TX-24 | (202) 225-6605 | (202) 225-0074 | http://Marchant.House.Gov |
| Olson, Pete | R | TX-22 | (202) 225-5951 | (202) 225-5241 | http://Olson.House.Gov |
Co-sponsorship is one of the better indicators we have of our strength. Please help us to get these Congress Members up on our scoreboard and make us look strong. Send me a note to let me know what you attempted and how, if anything, you did.
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CALL FOR PICTURES AND WRITEUPS
We need MORE of you to send in pictures and news. If you have anything to share, please send your material to me at jim.bennett@fairtax.org, or text me at (908) 578-4975, or fax me at (908) 598-2888. When others see your activity, they are inspired, and the process snowballs. When the process snowballs, Congress Members and Senators and, yes, even the President start to listen.