Saturday, May 15, 2010

Push in Senate for SA 3795 Amendment . . .

[Note: As always any sample messages, letters, etc. that we provide are just that, “samples.” The samples are just what we’re sending out from this end and you are strongly encouraged to use your own judgment, voice and perspectives. Our prose, tone and approach can always be improved upon and quite frankly a good mix of perspectives is better than following our samples verbatim. We don’t do messaging for the group (nor do we aspire to) or ever speak for the group, but instead merely facilitate our members’ ability to speak at once for more power and volume. If you’re a “professional communicator” or would like to help with recruiting, research, administration, etc. shoot us a note and we’ll be happy to get you involved. There is no lack of work to be done.]

As mentioned on our wall this past week, SA 3795 that would ban employment credit checks http://www.kstreetresearch.com/documents/050410Amendments/FEINSTEINAMENDMENTSA3795.pdf is a proposed amendment to S. 3217. Known generally as the Financial Reform Bill, S. 3217 is now being hotly debated in the Senate. Google S. 3217 and you’ll get 4+ million opinions, so we’re not going to add ours and will simply focus strictly on SA 3795. Don’t get confused, HR3149 is in the House and SA 3795 is in the Senate. In short, it’s the same legislation to ban employment credit checks but just another potential path to get there. SA 3795 will move fast by either remaining in S. 3217 as an amendment or will be removed by Senator Dodd when he introduces what’s called a “managers package.” (Basically what bill S. 3217 will have in it when it’s introduced for full Senate debate) Our goal is simply to push to ensure that SA 3795 makes the cut and is part of the “manager’s package.” If it stays in, this is a much faster path to protection from employment credit reports versus the HR3149 route, but even if it doesn’t stay in, the fact that it was introduced is great for our cause and supporting it with everything we can muster is to our advantage. Some “experts” say it has a good chance of making the cut if and only if it gets support by the people. As expected the credit bureaus are mobilizing all their numbers and forces to keep SA 3795 from staying in S. 3217 as an amendment. So our goal is to make more noise and deliver bigger numbers than they do . . . so let’s get started.

Senate Outreach to Include SA 3217 in S. 3217

1) Link to contact form for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
http://banking.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

We urge every member to also place a call to the committee as well at (202) 224-7391.

2) Senate Majority Leader, link below, add name add personal info., etc. copy and paste sample letter below into form, edit to suit you and send.

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/

3) Senate Minority Leader, link below, add name add personal info., etc. copy and paste sample letter below into form, edit to suit you and send.
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm

For #4 below, you'll need your 9 Digit Zip Code. Simply go to the link below and plug in your address and it will provide your full 9 digit zip.
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

4) Contact YOUR Senator(s)
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Simply click on the link above, choose your state, choose your senator(s), go to their website(s) and navigate their website looking for “contact info.” then follow their steps, copy and paste in the sample message below, edit if you wish and hit “send.”

[Sample Letter]

Any debate on S. 3217 without including SA 3795 (to restrict employers from using a “consumer’s creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity” in making any employment decision or for the basis of taking any adverse action) would be disingenuous to the basic foundation of S. 3217. Wall Street’s greed and lack of oversight by Congress is directly responsible for this horrible economy, 8+ million lost jobs and the vast majority of the ruined personal credit reports in America. More than 100 million Americans (almost ½ of the entire workforce) now have damaged personal credit reports and 25+ million Americans are either under or unemployed. More than half of all jobs and 80+ percent of all white collar employers discriminate based upon personal credit reports. Putting a manhole cover on the Wall Street sewer without first freeing almost half the working population damaged with bad credit would be nothing short of cruel.

We the people can clearly see through any congressional show for the cameras to demonstrate ire against Wall Street just to get votes in November. By delivering a way out of the damage caused by Wall Street by including SA 3795 as an amendment to S. 3217 you'll demonstrate real concern for the people. More than 48 percent of African Americans, 34 percent of Hispanics and 27 percent of Caucasians are now suffering from “bad credit” and they come from every political party and socio-economic background. Even more compelling is the fact that 90 percent of Americans support a ban on workplace credit checks. Jobs and the economy are No. 1 in the minds the voter even though Washington has been focused on every thing else and SA 3795 is all about jobs. With damaged personal credit there are no jobs.

A recent AP-GfK poll projects that 63 percent of Americans are preparing to vote against incumbents in November and the lack of any help on the jobs front is the primary reason. Not only do “we the people” care about SA 3795 being included as an amendment to S. 3217, but we’ll vote on the issue in November. SA 3795 gives the people some hope NOW, while S. 3217 is about the future.
The American people are suffering by the millions and we hold incumbents and Wall Street 100% directly responsible. This November, we’re voting on the economy, jobs and protection from workplace discrimination based upon personal credit reports.

I urge you to provide the people with a way out of the financial ruin caused by Wall Street and Congress by including SA 3795 as an amendment to S. 3217. Anything less simply locks “the people” into a financial death spiral and ensures a vote against incumbents in November.


[End Sample Letter]

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