Dear MoveOn member,
Take a moment to look at what MoveOn members accomplished together in 2021.
From the start, 2021 was a momentous year, with historic highs and lows for our country. Every day from January through December, MoveOn members took meaningful action to push for needed COVID relief and community investments, defend our democracy, fight back against authoritarianism, and press for a more progressive America. Check out this video and read on to see just some of what we accomplished together.
10. We took back the Senate with run-off election wins in GA.
In January, MoveOn members, and particularly Black organizers and Black voters, helped power the victories of Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock in a run-off election in Georgia. More than 65,000 MoveOn members in Georgia voted, organized their friends, families, and communities to vote, volunteered for the candidates, and MoveOn members across the country donated nearly $1.5 million directly to the campaigns and to critical organizations on the ground in Georgia, including Fair Fight Action and the New Georgia Project Action Fund. These victories were critical to passing historic legislation throughout the year.
9. We pushed for and helped pass the American Rescue Plan, President Biden's historic COVID-19 relief bill.
In March, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan. This $1.9 trillion package brought direct and immediate relief to millions of Americans through $1,400 stimulus checks, tax breaks for low-income earners and families with children, billions of dollars for vaccines and testing, and extended unemployment benefits. Despite obstructionism by Republicans, MoveOn members made thousands of calls to push Democrats in the House and Senate to make this a priority, demonstrating that our collective power has impact and elections do indeed have consequences.
8. We mobilized for jobs, care, climate, and justice during #RecoveryRecess.
While Congress was home on recess in April, MoveOn members and allies joined together at Recovery Recess events nationwide in support of President Biden's bold agenda to make transformative investments to deliver jobs, care, justice, climate solutions, tribal sovereignty, and real democracy for all people.
In the midst of COVID-19, we were able to come together safely, both in the streets and virtually, to ensure our voices were heard by those elected to serve us in Congress. This video highlights some of the 200+ events that took place all across the country.
7. We held Republicans accountable for supporting Trump's attempted coup and the deadly Capitol Insurrection on Jan. 6.
Throughout the year, MoveOn members repeatedly fought back against the GOP's lies, demanding that they be held accountable for their abhorrent actions. In January, days before Trump left office, we helped push congressional leaders to urgently impeach Trump for a historic second time, following his incitement of the deadly January 6 insurrection.
And while we're still learning about the depths of Republican leaders' lies about January 6, it's critical that we hold them accountable for inciting this deadly insurrection. MoveOn members raised more than $1 million to hold seditionist senators Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and Ron Johnson accountable; made thousands of calls to the GOP Treason Caucus to demand their resignation; effectively removed Marjorie Taylor Greene from committee assignments; and called out Ron Johnson during the NBA finals for his support of conspiracy theories and corporations over constituents. And together, we expressed vehement protest against corporations like General Motors, which broke its promise to stop donations to insurrectionists; AT&T, which supported the dangerous disinformation of the right-wing OAN; and Apple, which has given a platform to Donald Trump.
6. We advocated for diplomacy and human rights.
MoveOn members have a long history of pro-diplomacy and anti-war activism, and we once again demonstrated that commitment. In May, as the crisis between Israel and Palestine escalated, we mobilized to push the Biden-Harris administration to call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the decadeslong occupation of the Palestinian people. And we celebrated leaders like Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar for defending the rights of all people.
This year President Biden ended America's longest war. MoveOn members had long called for the end of our military presence in Afghanistan—and we supported the end of the war while also pushing to ensure America had a plan in place to support the Afghan people. MoveOn members prioritized the protection of vulnerable communities by lifting refugee caps, increasing humanitarian aid, and ensuring safe evacuation from the country. MoveOn members showed up with monetary support when it was needed most, raising more than $800,000 to support the work of Doctors Without Borders in both Afghanistan and Haiti, where a a devastating earthquake struck in August.
We'll continue to advocate for a more progressive foreign policy, one that centers diplomacy and human rights. We'll continue to elevate the interconnected issues that inform our foreign policy, from climate change to health care, racial justice to economic justice.
5. We supported Sha'Carri Richardson and future Olympians fighting for marijuana reform.
Sha'Carri Richardson captivated the entire nation when she won the Olympic trials for the 100-meter sprint this past summer. However, due to an outdated and arbitrarily enforced rule banning marijuana, the United States Anti-Doping Agency handed down a harsh punishment forcing her to miss the 2021 Olympic games. In response, nearly 600,000 MoveOn members and allies signed a petition calling upon USADA, the International Olympic Committee, and the World Anti-Doping Agency to let Sha'Carri run, garnering national media attention and calling into question outdated marijuana policies.
4. We endorsed progressive champions running for office.
MoveOn is made up of millions of active members, representing nearly every single ZIP code across the country. And when we come together, we can have a powerful impact on elections up and down the ballot. A MoveOn endorsement helps drive donations, volunteers, and a network of support to campaigns.
As we look toward the 2022 midterms, MoveOn members have so far voted to endorse progressive champions Stacey Abrams for governor of Georgia, Beto O'Rourke for governor of Texas, Mandela Barnes for Senate in Wisconsin, and Brittany Ramos DeBarros for Congress in New York's 11th District. Watch for more endorsements in the coming weeks.
3. We supported critical movement infrastructure at key moments.
Together, MoveOn members have also supported incredible local organizations that are on the ground fighting for their communities. Most recently, following the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, MoveOn members collectively raised more than $50,000 for Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, a Black-led Wisconsin-based organization, for their racial justice organizing. Together, we also donated $45,000 to Equality Florida to fight against an anti-trans bill that was moving through the state legislature, and we donated more than $600,000 to the Workers Defense Project in Texas to provide direct relief to those impacted by lost work or damage to their homes in the wake of the state's power grid failure.
2. We worked to protect democracy by fighting for voting rights and to abolish the filibuster.
In 2021, 19 states enacted 33 laws that will make it harder to vote. The threats to our democracy and our fundamental freedom to vote are increasing every day, especially in states where right-wing extremist Republicans hold power. That's why MoveOn members fought for democracy reform on a national level throughout 2021, along with our allies. MoveOn members made tens of thousands of calls to their elected officials, attended hundreds of events in their communities, sent thousands of letters to senators demanding swift action, and more. This video on the racist history of the filibuster helped ground everyone on why it's far past time to change Senate rules and stop a minority from aggressively blocking debate and progress on legislation supported by the vast majority of Americans.
This battle is not over, and we'll continue the fight for free and fair elections through the championing of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. Next up: Martin Luther King III has partnered with MoveOn to petition Senate Democrats and President Biden to abolish the filibuster in order to pass voting rights legislation. His father, Martin Luther King Jr., knew that we cannot achieve racial equality without voting rights. We cannot celebrate and honor his legacy this MLK Day until action is taken to protect and expand our freedom to vote. Add your name here.
1. We went all-in on the Build Back Better Act, which promises a transformational and historic investment in all Americans.
The Build Back Better Act could be a once-in-a-lifetime investment in our social safety net, our children, our health care, and our planet. And MoveOn members truly helped propel this bill forward, demanding that Democrats hold the line, finish the job, and deliver for the American people—in spite of Republican obstruction and misinformation. Together, we held lobby visits, wrote tens of thousands of letters, made tens of thousands of calls, and confronted senators at their offices, in airports, and on Capitol Hill to demand real action on climate, tax fairness, the care economy, and so much more!
When MoveOn members come together, we can have real impact. Together, we helped pass the Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives. And though the Build Back Better Act hasn't passed the Senate yet, we're not giving up. We're going to continue to work for this agenda in the new year to ensure the White House and Democrats in Congress deliver for the American people. And when we win, we will be able to show voters the power of progressive policies as we approach the midterms, where we'll work to maintain the Democratic majority in both chambers of Congress and hold Republicans who've doubled down on obstruction, disinformation, division, and dysfunction accountable.
None of this could have happened without your support, and we are so grateful to be in this work with you. Thank you for being a part of the MoveOn community. Let's continue to accomplish great work together in 2022!
Thanks for all you do.
–Rahna, Heather, Isbah, Justin, and the rest of the team
P.S. 2022 is going to be a big year with the midterm elections and our collective work to create a more equitable country. Here are some ways you can start your new year by taking action:
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