Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable source of information, inspiration, and action for the post-election period. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it.

It’s Wednesday, November 13, 68 days before Inauguration Day. Even as races for various offices around the country have yet to be called, it’s time to look ahead to what the second Trump administration could have in store for the United States and the world. Today, we look at some of the worrisome demands and announcements Trump has already made regarding the staffing for his administration, what President Joe Biden’s team is doing to protect its climate legacy, and the defeat of an alarming bill that could have harmed the free speech of nonprofit organizations. We’ve also included opportunities to take action to help save condemned prisoners and care for the women and girls in your life. Finally, we’ve found some new resources to help you and yours sustain each other on the road ahead.

– Rev. Adam Taylor and Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners

In the News

Here’s what we know at the time of writing:

1) President-elect Donald Trump has demanded Senate Republicans allow him to sidestep the confirmation process for his nominees, raising fears that he will be even less inclined to respect checks and balances than he was in his first term. The use of recess appointments to fill open positions in the executive branch while the Senate is out of session is not unprecedented, but it would ignore an important protection built into the Constitution to guard against unfit and unqualified nominees serving in the Cabinet and other top positions. This is particularly relevant given Trump’s intentions to nominate Pete Hegseth — a FOX News commentator who one veterans group leader characterized as “the least qualified nominee ... in American history” — as Secretary of Defense and Mike Huckabee — who once said “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian” — for the role of U.S. ambassador to Israel.

2) The Biden administration is attempting to “Trump-proof” its accomplishments on climate policy, hoping to stymie Trump’s pledge to reverse many of Biden’s environmental policies. Since the election, the administration has already moved to limit oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and environmentalists expect Biden’s team to approve California’s toughest-in-the-nation vehicle emissions standards, among other measures.

3) Yesterday, the House of Representatives failed to pass a bill that would have granted the U.S. Treasury Department the power to punish nonprofits it deemed to be “terrorist supporting organizations” by revoking their tax-exempt status. The bill failed to reach the two-thirds majority required to pass it under special fast-track rules, though it could be brought back in the future under regular rules requiring a simple majority. Opponents of the bill warned that it could be used to punish the incoming Trump administration’s political opponents, especially pro-Palestinian nonprofits. Current law already prohibits and provides penalties for material support to terrorist organizations.

Take Action

Urge government officials to grant clemency to people on death row. In the closing months of Trump’s first term, he pushed through the executions of 13 people. He plans to continue federal executions and even expand which crimes could qualify for capital punishment. Take action with our partners at Red Letter Christians to stop the executions of people in Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Indiana, and learn more about what Biden can do to protect the lives of the forty men on federal death row in his final months of office.
Check in with the women and girls in your life. We condemn the misogynistic and harmful rhetoric that has increased against women and girls since last week’s election. We must not forget the promise of Psalm 139 that we are beautifully and wonderfully made. Ask the women and girls in your life how you can help them feel safe during this time. Remind them of their sacred worth, and stand up against hate of all forms in your schools, churches, families, and communities.

Deep Breaths

For today’s spiritual nourishment, we pull from Sojourners’ daily Verse and Voice newsletter. Sign up for Verse and Voice here.

Verse:
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35

Voice:
Those who follow Jesus should love our neighbors to such a degree that we are willing to accept the consequences that come from struggling for shalom and true justice in the public square.
Drew G.I. Hart, Who Will Be a Witness: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020)

Prayer:
Creator, give us the courage to love and serve our neighbors, welcoming the stranger and working for justice.

We know the work of justice is not easy. Check out this resource to help you find steady ground amid the struggle.

— Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners

The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff:
President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor
Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris
Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson
Senior Adviser and Director to the President’s Office: Elizabeth Denlinger Reaves
Director of Campaigns and Mobilizing: Sandy Ovalle Martínez
Director of Congregational Outreach & Education: Rev. Andrea Saccoccio
Digital Communications Associate: Lexi Schnaser
Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims

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