Letter to Rodney Davis on Russia sanctions bill, July 2017
If you’d like to add your signature to this letter, please send an email with your name and city to jwb713@yahoo.com. We’ll send it on Monday, July 24.
Rep. Davis-
We write to encourage you to support the bill coming before the House this week that would sanction Russia for its interference in the 2016 U.S. elections and for its annexation of Crimea.
Despite President Trump’s resistance, these sanctions are important to our national security and our standing in the world. Despite his attempts to cast doubt on Russia’s interference and its significance, Congress must act. We acknowledge that there are still many questions about the details of Russia’s behavior and its impact. But we strongly believe that many aspects are settled — hacking of local election authorities and national political parties, as well as aggressive disinformation campaigns, being the most striking examples. Further delay is unwarranted.
Reportedly, the bill limits the president’s ability to change or end these sanctions. We ask that you support and protect these limits during any debate or amendment process. President Trump clearly believes himself beyond the traditional bounds of the office’s powers. His administration’s relationships with Russia are purposely obscured and extravagantly complicated — at best. Limits like those in the bill are necessary, even if they are unusual.
Your support for investigations into the Trump administration’s ties to Russia has been grudging and come slowly. That implies you do not find the administration’s misleading and evasive behavior as troubling as we do. We hope this sanctions bill will signal a bipartisan and aggressive commitment checking the Trump administration’s lack of respect for democratic norms and long-established ways of protecting our democracy from foreign influence. It’s time for you and the Congress to take a much stronger stand, and that can start with this bill.
Susan Ansell, Springfield
Deborah Baker, Monticello
Bill Bell, Champaign
Georgiean Benson, Monticello
Alice Berkson, Champaign
Linda Braden, Champaign
Matthew Burack, Champaign
Ann Burger, Urbana
Hsiao-Ching Chen, Champaign
Dorian Cosmedy, Urbana
Alan Cook, Champaign
Jeannie Covert, Urbana
James Divilbiss, Champaign
Mary Jo Divilbiss, Champaign
Ryan Flanagan, Urbana
Sheree Flannigan, Monticello
Jeffrey Friedman, Champaign
Robin Goetel, Urbana
Alex Goodlad, Champaign
Ryann Grove, Champaign
Susan Guironnet, Urbana
Elly Hanauer, Champaign
Mary Lucille Hays, White Heath
Amy Heggemeyer, Champaign
Pamela Hill, Urbana
Darlene Hoffman, White Heath
Sara Hook, Champaign
Deborah Insana, Urbana
Michael Insana, Urbana
Catherine Jackson, Champaign
Lois Kain, Urbana
Andrew Kerins, Champaign
Todd Kinney, Urbana
Joseph Klaus, White Heath
Eileen Kohen, Urbana
Cheryl Koranda, Homer
Megan Kuhlenschmidt, Champaign
Ming Kuo, Urbana
Ellen Leyerle, Champaign
Mike Leyerle, Champaign
Melissa Libert, Urbana
J. Michael Lillich, Champaign
Yu-Feng Lin, Champaign
Samantha Lindgren, Champaign
Natalie Lloyd, Champaign
Suzanne Linder, Champaign
Sylvia Mandel, Champaign
Gayle Matteson, Hillsboro
Mike Marlow, Champaign
Patricia Marlow, Champaign
Charlotte Martin, Champaign
Jeremy Martin, Edwardsville
Jill Martin, Edwardsville
Julia Maxwell, Springfield
Vida Mazzocco, Champaign
Rebecca McBride, Seymour
Rosemary McLeese, Monticello
Ingrid Melief, Urbana
Therese Millet, Urbana
Georgette Moore, Champaign
Mary Murphy, White Heath
Tom Murphy, White Heath
Crystal Newman, Urbana
Allison O’Dwyer, Urbana
Diane Ore, Champaign
Andrew Orta, Urbana
Debbie Owen, Glen Carbon
Patrick Patterson, Savoy
Sheila Patterson, Savoy
Lyn Petrie, Urbana
Renee Pollock, Urbana
Lisa Powers, Urbana
Ann Prisland, Champaign
Jennifer Putman, Urbana
Ann Quackenbush, Champaign
Mary Rivers, White Heath
Connie Roux, Savoy
Mary Severinghaus, Mahomet
Alexander Scheeline, Champaign
Alison Schmulbach, Champaign
Kathy Shannon, Champaign
Linda Sims, Champaign
Casey Smith, Urbana
Karen Steiner, Champaign
Todd M. Sweet, Savoy
Kathryn Tessin, Urbana
Trenna Thomas, Champaign
Nathan Tolbert, Champaign
Laurel Treat, Brighton
Renée Trilling, Champaign
Pamela Van Wyk, Champaign
Alice Thompson Vaughan, Urbana
Joan Volkmann, Urbana
Elliot Weinberg, Urbana
Barry Weiner, Champaign
Linda Weiner, Champaign
David White, Bement
Geraldine K. White, White Heath
Jane G. White, Bement
Kirstin Wilcox, Urbana
Rebecca Wilting, Urbana
Kate Winkler, Champaign
Matt Winters, Urbana
