Many families are facing economic hardships due to the impacts of COVID-19 and should not have the added stress of paying off their child’s school lunch debt. Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5) and Deb Haaland (D-NM-1) recently introduced H.R. 6430, the Suspend School Meal Debt Act. This bill will suspend collection of all student meal debt during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

School meal debt results in students going hungry, experiencing lunch shaming, and financial pressure on their families. This bill would suspend any late fees associated with unpaid meals, cancel the meal debt for families, and require the Department of Agriculture to reimburse each school food authority and local educational agency. Families deserve support during this time, and this bill will provide much-needed economic relief.

We urge members of Congress to co-sponsor the Suspend School Meal Debt Act and to include it in the next stimulus package. 

We need your voice: Tell Congress to support suspending school meal debt during COVID-19!

Check if your Representative is a co-sponsor of the bill. Call your Representative if they have not co-sponsored the bill (call 202-224-3121) and urge them to support the Suspend School Meal Debt Act. 

Sample Call Script:
Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of Representative _____. I’m calling to ask you to support the Suspend School Meal Act, recently introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Deb Haaland. Many families across the nation are facing economic hardships during the COVID-19 crisis and should not be burdened by the stress of paying off their child’s school lunch debt. Families deserve support during this time of crisis, not added economic burdens. I urge Representative _____ to support the passage of this bill. Will the Representative do so?

Let us know how your advocacy went and feel free to ask us any questions by emailing us at info@poligonnational.org.

Stay active,
Zayn Hasan, Legislative Fellow

The House of Representatives adjourned Friday, March 13th for their recess and from now until Sunday, March 22th, your members of Congress will be back in your home state. The Senate canceled its planned recess and will remain in session this week as Congress attempts to pass legislation to mitigate the coronavirus outbreak. It is a great opportunity to call or email your members of Congress directly to tell them about the issues that are most important to you!
​
Here’s how:
Who are your members of Congress?
Click here to find out who represents you, how to contact them, and where their in-district offices are located. Click here to find contact information on your Senate members.

Not sure what to talk about?
We've got you covered. Our policy briefs and action alerts on Islamophobia, bullying, and civil rights are great to look over and bring along to a meeting. You can also stay up to date on legislation going through Congress with our Hill Happenings newsletter.

Here are a few ideas for issues to address:
NO BAN Act: The House postponed the vote on the NO BAN Act, which was scheduled on March 12, due to the urgent coronavirus stimulus package. The bill will repeal the Muslim Ban and reunite families that have been separated by the ban. Urge your members of Congress to schedule a vote as soon as possible and support the bill. 

Coronavirus Package: The House voted to pass H.R.6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which aims to directly provide support for America’s families. The bill includes free coronavirus testing, enhanced unemployment insurance, increased federal funds for Medicaid, and strengthened food security initiatives. Urge your Senator to vote and pass this bill and aid families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Democracy for All Amendment: Urge your House representative to support H.J.Res 2, which will overturn Supreme Court cases like Citizens United v. FEC and get big money out of politics. The legislation proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set limits on money spent by candidates to influence elections. 

Let us know at info@poligonnational.org how your visit goes, or make a post about your visit on social media. Be sure to tag @poligonnational on Twitter and Instagram!

Stay active,
The Poligon Team

TAKE ACTION:
It’s been almost a year since the House introduced the NO BAN Act (H.R. 2214), which would repeal the Muslim Ban. Finally, the House of Representatives announced there will be a vote on the bill the week of March 9th. Poligon has worked tirelessly with partners in the NO BAN Act coalition to support the introduction of the bill in the House and Senate.

On February 21, 2020, the expanded Muslim Ban went into effect, which includes six additional countries, bringing the total to 13 banned countries. The Muslim Ban continues to separate tens of thousands of American families and violates our country’s constitution of religious freedom and equal rights under the law. Congress must pass the NO BAN Act and #RepealTheBan!

We need your voice: Tell Congress to speak out against the Muslim Ban and to pass the NO BAN Act!

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:

1. Sign our sponsored petition to send Congress a message to end Trump’s Muslim Ban and guarantee immigrants equal treatment under the law. Click here to sign the petition.
   
2.  Call Congress to pass the NO BAN act: Call your Representative (call 202-224-3121) now and urge them end the Muslim Ban.
   
   1. Sample Call Script: Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of Senator/Representative _____. I’m calling to ask you to oppose the latest expansion to the Muslim Travel Ban and to vote to pass the NO BAN Act. The Muslim Travel Ban does not represent American values and it violates our Constitution. This ban must not be tolerated as it harms the Muslim and faith community. I urge Senator/Representative _____ to speak against the Muslim Ban and repeal the ban by supporting the No Ban Act. Will the Senator/Representative do so?
      
3. Make a donation to help fight this discrimination: Become a donor so we can continue to increase Muslim American engagement on Capitol Hill. You can also make a bigger impact by sharing our donation page on your social media platform.
   
4. Stay updated: Click here for resources on the Muslim Ban, which includes guides of what countries are currently restricted, ban exemption and waivers for entry. 
   

President Trump recently retweeted an Islamophobic post which portrayed leaders of the Democratic party in traditionally Islamic garb. The White House defended the President’s action by stating the image depicts that Democrats are on the side of terrorists. This message is harmful and dangerous for Muslim communities, as it promotes Islamophobia and an environment where physically and verbally attacking Muslims is acceptable. 

A few Members of Congress have spoken out but not nearly enough, setting the precedent that this sort of rhetoric is acceptable from the President and other elected officials. It's not.

We need your voice: Tell Congress to speak out against the use of anti-Muslim hatred in political discourse!    

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:​
Call your Representative and Two Senators (call 202-224-3121) now and urge them to speak out against this bigoted rhetoric. 

Sample Calling Script:
Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of Senator/Representative _____. I’m calling to ask you to oppose the use of Islamophobic rhetoric or any sort of religious bigotry in political discourse. The President recently displayed on Twitter an Islamophobic image, seen by millions of his followers. This action must not be tolerated as it harms the Muslim and faith community, setting the precedent that this anti-Muslim rhetoric is acceptable. I urge Senator/Representative _____ to speak against these actions. Will the Senator/Representative do so?
Let us know how your advocacy went and feel free to ask us any questions by emailing us at info@poligonnational.org.

Stay active,
The Poligon Team

2020 is a significant year for our diverse Muslim American communities to form a cohesive platform that will inform presidential candidates on the top issue areas that are important to our community.

Poligon is partnering with MPOWER Change, CAIR National, Emgage USA, and JETPAC to gather this information to present to presidential candidates. 

Please fill out this quick survey to help us better understand and advocate  the issues that are impacting our communities! After you fill it out, please share the survey with family and friends and on your social media platforms to make a bigger impact! CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY
​
This survey is only a small piece of the larger listening and power-building work that we must do to create the best future for Muslim Americans communities in the 2020 election cycle and beyond. Thank you for your participation!

Stay active,
The Poligon Team

​​Congress adjourned Friday, December 20th for their Winter recess and from now until Sunday, January 5th, your members of Congress will be back in your home state. It's a great opportunity to directly tell them about the issues that are most important to you! Schedule your visits today!

Here’s how:
Who are your members of Congress?
Click here to find out who represents you, how to contact them, and where their in-district offices are located.

Want to visit them in person?
Learn how to schedule a meeting and make the most impact with our Office Visit How-to Guide. Try to schedule your meeting as early in advance as possible.

Want to attend a town hall instead?
Town Hall Project has a simple search engine to find the nearest town hall meeting to you. Just enter in your zip code. Use our Town Hall How-to Guide to help you prepare. Bring your friends and family to make your voice heard!

Not sure what to talk about?
We've got you covered. Our policy briefs and action alerts on Islamophobia, bullying, and civil rights are great to look over and bring along to a meeting. You can also stay up to date on legislation going through Congress with our Hill Happenings newsletter.

Here are four ideas for issues to address:
Muslim Ban: Ask your members of Congress to support the No Ban Act. Your representative can support Rep. Judy Chu's (D-CA-27) H.R.2214 in the House and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)'s S.1123 in the Senate. The bill is aimed to repeal the Muslim Ban and prevent faith-based discrimination in immigration.

Voting Rights Advancement Act: The House of Representatives approved H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019. In Shelby County v. Holder, the court eliminated the preclearance to grant approval before making voting changes in states with a history of voting discrimination. This tool is important to prevent discrimination against minority groups who face difficulty exercising their right to vote. Tell your Senator to support restoring voting rights.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: U.S. Department of Agriculture is finalizing a rule that toughens work requirements for recipients who use the SNAP. SNAP provides effective food assistance to 42 million Americans and more than 10 times what all U.S. food banks combined can provide. These changes to SNAP could cut 700,000 recipients. This rule goes into effect in April 2020. Speak up against the rule.

New Forward Way Act: Rep. Jesús García (D-IL-4), Rep. Ayanna   Pressley (D-MA-7), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7), and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37) introduced the New Way Forward Act, a bill that would limit local law enforcement authority to act as deportation agents and end mandatory immigration detention and deportation. Ask your representative to support the bill.

​Let us know at info@poligonnational.org how your visit goes, or make a post about your visit on social media. Be sure to tag @poligonnational on Twitter and Instagram!
​
Stay active,
The Poligon Team

Congress adjourned Friday, April 12 for their April recess and from now until Sunday, April 28, your members of Congress will be back in your home state. It's a great opportunity to directly tell them about the issues that are most important to you! Schedule your visits today!
Here’s how:
Who are your members of Congress?
Click here to find out who represents you, how to contact them, and where their in-district offices are located.
Want to visit them in person?
Learn how to schedule a meeting and make the most impact with our Office Visit How-to Guide. Try to schedule your meeting as early in advance as possible.
Want to attend a town hall instead?
Town Hall Project has a simple search engine to find the nearest town hall meeting to you. Just enter in your zip code. Use our Town Hall How-to Guide to help you prepare. Bring your friends and family to make your voice heard!

Not sure what to talk about?
We've got you covered. Our policy briefs and action alerts on Islamophobia, bullying, and civil rights are great to look over and bring along to a meeting. You can also stay up to date on legislation going through Congress with our Hill Happenings newsletter.

Here are a few of ideas for issues to address:

Muslim Ban: Part of the new appropriations package includes a requirement to report to Congress about the Muslim Ban and visa waivers. This new measure will ensure that Congress studies this issue. But, it does not repeal it. Ask your members of Congress to support the No Ban Act. Your representative can support Rep. Judy Chu's (D-CA-27) H.R.2214 in the House and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)'s S.1123 in the Senate. The bill is aimed to end the Muslim Ban and prevent faith-based discrimination in immigration.

Dream and Promise Act: House Democrats have introduced the Dream and Promise Act. The bill, also known as HR6, allows children of undocumented immigrants and some immigrants with temporary humanitarian protections to apply for legal status. Ask your representative to support the bill.

Disaster Relief Funding: Places like North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, California, Puerto Rico, and other territories hit by major disasters have still not received needed funding. Please urge your Senators and Representative to fully fund disaster relief programs. 

Census Immigration Question: Ask your senators to support the Every Person Counts Act in the Senate and your representative to support the Census IDEA Actin the House. These two pieces of legislation will remove the citizenship question that many believe will make both documented and undocumented residents in the United States too afraid to respond to the survey and therefore undercount those communities. 

Let us know at info@poligonnational.org how your visit goes, or make a post about your visit on social media. Be sure to tag @poligonnational on Twitter and Instagram!

Stay active,
​The Poligon Team

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Representative Judy Chu (D-CA-27) have introduced the NO BAN Act, a historic civil rights bill that would end the Muslim Ban and prevent faith-based discrimination in immigration, in the Senate and the House respectively. Urge your member of Congress to support this bill!
Here’s how:
Who are your members of Congress?
Click here to find out who represents you, how to contact them, and where their in-district offices are located.
Want to visit them in person?
Learn how to schedule a meeting and make the most impact with our Office Visit How-to Guide. Try to schedule your meeting as early in advance as possible.