John,

You’re probably hearing a lot about the “big, beautiful” budget bill making its way through the Senate right now, but there are two provisions that aren’t getting as much attention that absolutely cannot make it into the final version.

Here’s what’s at stake:

• One provision would allow “the executive branch to reorganize federal government agencies, which could include the transfer, consolidation, or elimination of whole agencies or functions, immediately and without congressional oversight.” [1]
• The other provision would weaken the judicial branch’s authority to uphold the rule of law by making it harder for a court to hold the government — including the executive branch — in contempt and compel compliance with lawful rulings. [2]

We can’t believe we have to say it, but empowering the president to reorganize or eliminate entire agencies with no oversight is just plain wrong. We’ve seen the havoc that such power has already caused through DOGE. And limiting the judicial branch is a perilous precedent to set. These provisions rip apart the very concepts of separation of powers and threaten to destroy our longstanding system of checks and balances.

The Senate Parliamentarian has already ruled against both of these provisions being included in the final package due to violation of a Senate rule, but this doesn’t mean it’s out of the bill. In fact, the ruling should be a clear sign for all senators that there’s no place for these alarming provisions in the bill.

Now we need them to hear from you! Tell your senators to stand up against both Section 90107 and Section 70302, and vote no if these provisions are included when the bill heads to the Senate floor.

Our democracy only works if all three branches of government can function independently.

Let’s make it clear to Congress that we will not stand by while our system of government is dismantled behind closed doors.

Tell the Senate to stand up for the foundations of our Constitution and against these dangerous power grabs!

We can’t do this without you,
The Issue One Team

^{[1] https://www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-member/newsroom/press/one-big-beautiful-bill-has-more-provisions-that-violate-the-byrd-rule-according-to-senate-parliamentarian}

^{[2] https://issueone.org/press/issue-one-urges-the-removal-of-reconciliation-provisions-that-undermine-judicial-independence-and-the-rule-of-law/}