Options for action June 23-28

If we could find words that made sense of all that is senseless right now, we would share them. Instead, we just ask you to persist. 

Before we list options for action, let’s celebrate our success in encouraging Governor Josh Stein’s vetoes of SB 50 permitless concealed carry and two anti-immigrant bills SB 153 and HB 318. Learn more at https://ncnewsline.com/2025/06/20/gov-josh-stein-issues-his-first-vetoes-on-concealed-carry-immigration-bills/

A few options for action this week:

1. Email your Senators to sign on to Senator Tim Kaine’s War Powers Resolution.

Kaine’s resolution would fast-track an up-or-down vote on preventing further US military involvement in war with Iran. You can use Indivisible’s form or the contact forms provided by Tillis and Budd. 

Possible Script: We cannot risk the devastating human and economic cost of another war in the Middle East. We need diplomacy with Iran, not another forever war. Please oppose war with Iran, and sign on to Senator Kaine’s War Powers Resolution. 

2. Call Senator Tillis and Budd to oppose the budget reconciliation bill

Senator Tillis (202) 224-6342 

Senator Budd (202) 224-3154

So many reasons to oppose this bill, including this: Stop the sell-off of public lands that belong to all of us, held only in trust by the federal government who does not have the right to sell it without our consent. Learn more here: https://www.wilderness.org/articles/blog/congress-making-more-250-million-acres-public-lands-available-sale

And also this: the budget reconciliation provides $45 billion dollars for more detention centers and $27 billion for ICE. Here’s an AP report on detention centers, detailing how they lack clean water and children suffer from untreated medical emergencies as well as emotional trauma from witnessing armed, masked men invade places they felt safe in order to kidnap them and their parents.

3. Let NC legislators know your priorities for public education funding

Public Schools First NC has provided a helpful petition and additional resources to speak up one last time on behalf of funding priorities for our education systems. Find out more here: https://publicschoolsfirstnc.org/engage/sign-our-petition/let-legislators-know-your-priorities/

4. Tell the NC Senate to keep funding for dam removal in HB 1012

MountainTrue shared a call to action about the urgent need for dam removal in Western North Carolina, which the NC House fortunately included in proposed hurricane funding. You can contact your Senator using Mountain True’s form: https://mountaintrue.org/nc-senate-dam-removal-funding-hb1012/

Additional Notes:

In a promising development, the federal parliamentarian ruled that parts of the budget reconciliation (the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill) could not be included under a simple majority vote, including cuts to SNAP, hollowing out CFPB, EPA rule changes, and more. 

Because it’s on our minds, we want to mention that both Tillis and Budd voted to confirm Hegseth and the others who are unwilling to guide the Republican President towards rational or legal actions. We also point out that the current Speaker of the U.S. House is strongly supporting unprovoked acts of war against Iran, and he would not be the Speaker if the NC Supreme Court hadn’t flipped to an extremist Republican majority in 2022.  Make a plan now to re-elect NC Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls in 2026. 

Saturday, June 28 is the Boone Pride Parade at noon and Festival 1- 6 pm. Find out more from the High Country Press report.