Advocacy Committee

You don’t have to do everything. Just do one thing, something, anything & then do the next right thing.

If you’re interested in joining this committee or have questions about their work, let us know here.

KEEP CALLING, KEEP WRITING

Senator Elissa Slotkin was in Ypsilanti when she asked this question: “What is keeping you up at night?”  May I suggest you think about that and use it as your own prompt to contact your representatives.  

5 Calls App: Pick 2 or 3 topics to focus on. Use their script or use their research material and write your own/paraphrase theirs. 

• Rep. Parker Fairbairn: (517) 373-2629

• Senator John Damoose: (517) 373-2413

• Govenor Gretchen Whitmer: (517) 335-7858

• Rep. Jack Bergman: (202) 225-4735, Traverse City  (231) 944-7633

• Senator Elise Slotkin: (202) 224-4822, Traverse City (231)  929-1031 

• Senator Gary Peters: (202) 224-6221,  Traverse City  (231) 947-7773

Advocacy Committee Subgroups

Voter Services/Voting Rights

Petitions:

• Voters Not Politicians has handouts   Decline to Sign any petition that mentions citizen voting.  Susan H & Marcia have these handouts

• Action Alert LWVMI: House Joint Resolution B- oppose requiring verification of citizenship.

• LWVMI has joined the NoRedTapeForMI campaign with the Promote the Vote (PTV) Action Committee to advocate against signing petitions requiring Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC) for voter registration. 

• Know What you Sign -statewide petitions    

JLVRAA

John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

This restores and modernizes the original protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Immigration

Now that federal, state and local administrations are targeting immigrant communities, what can you do?

• Know Your Rights  training: Learn what 287(g) agreements are and why they matter; understand how these agreements impact everyone in the community, not just immigrants; and explore concrete steps you can take to protect your neighborhood and help build trust and safety for all.

• The Petoskey Chamber, has expressed interest in working with LWVNLM to educate the community and inform our businesses to be proactive regarding ICE, immigration and worker’s rights.

• We have been distributing red cards in our community and we plan to deliver signs of solidarity to businesses. 

Health/Medicaid/SNAP

• Post information at places in our community that may be affected by Medicaid cuts.  Many of our care facilities depend on Medicaid money and will be diminished, as well as individuals will lose benefits. Medicaid informational flyers can be obtained from Marcia M. or Sue V. or contact info@lwvnlm.org

• Stop the pilot program requiring senior citizens to have prior authorization for some health care services. AI will be used to make these decisions.

• One Big Beautiful Bill Act - Get a better understanding of how the new law will affect the lives of everyday Americans, including defunding Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and Planned Parenthood.  While the actual impact of Medicaid cuts is not yet known, the potential impacts include:

• Rural hospitals, nursing homes and clinics will be hardest hit because we have a higher number of Medicaid participants in rural counties.

• The inability of our state taxes to be used to leverage federal funding for MA is scheduled to begin in 2028. 65% of MI’s MA funding currently comes from federal dollars. That is about $20 billion of the state’s $28 billion MA budget.

• It is anticipated that everyone’s health care and health insurance costs will go up. see Action Alerts

• School Wellness Programs: These programs pay for nurses & mental health therapists in the schools. The current SENATE budget continues funding. The current HOUSE budget rolls all of this funding into the school's per pupil funding--eliminating the FEDERAL Medicaid match (nearly $20 million) that Michigan is currently getting to operate these centers. In order for an individual school district to get enough funding in their per pupil funding they would have to have 8,333 students enrolled...which we don't in northern Michigan. Contact your State Representative to support School Wellness Programs.

• Nursing Homes: Direct Care Worker (DCW) wage support has been much needed support for nursing home and home care workers whose pay does not compete, with hospitals.  So far the DCW is NOT included in a consolidated budget proposal. Contact your State Representative to support the inclusion of DCW wage support in the FY26 budget. 

• SNAP CUTS: For every 1 meal provided by a foodbank, SNAP provides 9 meals. As of 10/1/26: The One Big Beautiful Bill requires states to pay 75% of administrative costs (up from 50%). For Michigan, this will cost the state an added $90 million annually. See Action Alerts

Environment

• Protect our Environment: Oppose HB4007, 4027, 4028, 4283- see Action Alerts above

• Carbon Capture Bills Need More Protections- see Action Alerts

• Oil & Water Don’t Mix   see Action Alerts

Education

• We will be watching how cuts are affecting our schools, classrooms, and students and taking action when we can.