Calling all DC/MD/VA residents -- and anyone else who wants to come! Celebrate DC Emancipation Day, April 16th, by marching for DC Voting Rights.

The House will be considering HR 1433, the DC Voting Rights Act, as soon as they come back from recess -- the week of April 16th. The bill would give DC, the seat of Democracy, one fully voting representative in the House.

The march:

WHERE: Gather at Freedom Plaza and March to the Capitol Reflecting Pool
 Metro Stops:  For Freedom Plaza -- Metro Center or Federal Triangle
  For the Capitol Reflecting Pool -- Federal Center SW

WHEN: DC Emancipation Day, April 16, 2007
      2:30 PM--Gather at Freedom Plaza, 13th St. & Penn. Ave., NW
      4:00 PM--Rally at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, 3rd St. & Independence        

More below...

cross-posted at dkos

Help me, PLEASE.

Some of you may have seen my previous diaries about Change the Course, DC for Democracy's national initiative to lobby Congresspeople to sign H Res 543 -- which would force a 17-hour debate to the House floor, with all amendments considered, under "open rules." [Note on link: old diary, we're at 95 sigs now.]

I have been assigned to identify and mobilize North Carolina DFA groups and others to lobby their reps...

More below...

cross-posted from dkos

[95 signers! New signers as of COB today: Udall NM-03, Neal MA-02, Strickland OH-06, Miller NC-13, Wynn MD-04, Price NC04, Obey WI-07, Pallone NJ-06, Hinchey NY-22, Serrano NY-16.]

[Ed Correction: It was pointed out to me that it is not HR 543, it is H Res 543. Big difference. I've corrected in the text.]

Lots of interesting developments on the campaign for H Res 543, which would require 17 hours of debate on Iraq by the House of Representatives. Last night was DC for Democracy's monthly MeetUp (as it was for many DFA groups around the country). We devoted the MeetUp exclusively to Change the Course.

The Good News

1. Yesterday at 11:00 am, 3 Republican Congressmen -- Walter B Jones of North Carolina, Ron Paul of Texas, and Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland - held a press conference and joined Hawaii Democrat Neil Abercrombie to sign on to H Res 543. DCFD's rep was there, along with other orgs, staffers, and major media. MTinMD blogged it  here.

   
   

2. We are currently at 85 signers - in addition to the 3 above, Adam Smith and Mark Udall surprised us!

More news and Action items on the flip...

(cross-posted from dailykos)

[Update: As keshini noted in the comments, as of COB today, HR 543 gained 3 new signatures, bringing us to 80! New signers: Benjamin L Cardin (D-MD), Michael M Honda (D-CA), and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO). If these are your guys, send them some positive feedback.]

(For background on HR 543 developments, see here, here, and here.)

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 5 is National Call-In Day, when DC for Democracy and other groups are asking you to call your Representatives to ask them to sign HR 543. HR 543 is Discharge Petition to bring 17 hours of debate to the floor of the House of Representatives, under Open Rules, which means that any and all amendments introduced must be debated and voted upon.

Also tomorrow, at 11:00 am, there will be a press conference on the Hill, where 3 Republicans will join 3 Democrats, adding 3 new Republican signatures to the DP.

Where will your Representatives be? Have THEY signed?

If you are in the DC area, come to DC for Democracy's MeetUp at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, where we will be discussing ways to take action locally. If you are elsewhere, contact your local DFA group and see what efforts they are working on for "Change the Course".

Yesterday (read on)...