Legislative Accomplishments July to November 2012

In July, the U.S. Senate voted to allow the Bush tax cuts on households earning over $250,000 to expire yet the House has failed to pass the legislation. 

In late August, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted on the final rules necessary to implement the Cardin-Lugar Amendment, a vital move that allows citizens, especially in developing nations, access to information to hold their governments accountable and fight corruption.  This means that the SEC will be required to disclose any and all payments to the US and foreign governments, country-by-country, every year thus empowering citizens to greater services from their government. 

In late summer, Nicaragua bécame the 6th country to withdraw troops from the School of the America’s (SOA/WHINSEC).

In mid-September, CWA and IBEW members successfully reached a tentative agreement with Verizon after slashed health benefits, pension elimination, outsourcing of jobs and undermining collective bargaining for its workers. 

In late September, an SOA Watch delegation went to Ecuador and met with President Correa. In conjunction with granting Julian Asange asylum, Correa agreed to no longer send his troops to the SOA/ WHINSEC.

In late September, Damon Thibodeaux was exonerated in Louisiana and freed from death row. 

In late September, the International Monetary Fund Executive Board approved the final 2.7 billion dollars from gold sale profits to support the world's poorest - we have now moved the total gold sales windfall, nearly 4 billion dollars to benefit the most vulnerable.  Advocacy efforts pushed the IMF to approve the first 1.1 billion dollar distribution AND the second 2.7 billion dollar distribution to support concessional lending in the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) and extend a 0% interest rate that will make this trust available for future generations beyond 2014.

In early October, the EPA agreed to reconsider its polyvinyl chloride rule and put it out for public comment. 

In early October, Hershey announced that it would move its chocolate to 100% certification by 2020, though the company remains vague on which certifications, and on incremental benchmarks.

In early October, Chipotle agreed to join the Fair Food program and signed the agreement with members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.  The agreement will improve wages and working conditions for farmworkers in Florida who pick tomatoes. 

In mid-November, an SOA Watch delegation met with Denis McDonough, President Obama's Deputy National Security Advisor.  McDonough promised to look into the release of the names of those killed by graduates of the SOA.         

11 States, 24 Senators, and 73 US Representatives have called for an amendment to overturn Citizens United

Weekly Justice Highlights

Challenging Unjust Systems:  Urge WalMart to join an independent fire safety inspection program to prevent tragedies such as the November 24 massive fire in a Bangladesh textile factory that killed 112 workers due to locked emergency exits.

Immigrants: Urge U.S. Representatives to OPPOSE the STEMS Job Act of 2012 (H.R. 6429) that would eliminate the diversity immigrant program in order to provide visas to immigrants with advanced degrees.  

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. Senators to co-sponsor Senator Brown’s 21^st Century Trade Agreements Act (S.3347) that would place trade negotiations in the public eye, protect American jobs, and ban imports of food that doesn’t meet our safety standards.   Additionally, Senator Al Franken has drafted a letter to President Obama demanding that the TPP Free Trade Agreement include enforceable obligations to protect fundamental labor rights and safeguard against investment and service sector rules that provide incentives for offshoring.  Action urging Senators to sign Senator Franken’s TPP letter. (Currently the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement is being made in secret)

Help educate girls in Pakistan by watching this slide show.  

Urge U.S. Senators and Representatives to eliminate the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% in America, and fund social safety net programs that allow people who need them to live in dignity.

Urge U.S. Senators and Representatives to seriously consider extending Unemployment Insurance benefits to the two million Americans who are long-term unemployed and whose benefits expire December 31.  

Call (1.202.244.3121; charges apply) and urge U.S. Representatives to sign on to a bipartisan letter (Sponsored by Reps. Barbara Lee and Walter Jones) to the president calling for “an accelerated withdrawal to bring to an end the decade-long war as soon as can safely and responsibly be accomplished.

Sign a petition for incoming Senator Elizabeth Warren to oversee activities of the financial sector and serve on the Senate Banking Committee.

Urge U.S.Senators to honor the legacy of protecting the human rights of the disabled by ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Urge President Obama NOT to accept corporate money for his inauguration.

Organizations Only: In the coming weeks, the School of America’s Watch will deliver a letter to Congress urging them to include the School of America in their mandatory budget cuts.  Organizations are invited to sign on to the SOA Watch Congressional letter by clicking here.  

KY Residents: On November 28, several Faith Leaders from throughout Kentucky  including representatives from Asbury Theological Seminary, the Kentucky Council or Churches and the Presbyterian Church will travel to Washington DC to meet with Senator Mitch McConnell’s senior staff around the Circle of Protection Campaign as congress debates the budget and  negotiates the fiscal cliff.  I invite all KY citizens to be in solidarity and prayer with those traveling to Washington by calling Senator McConnell’s DC office (1.800.826.3688 – ask for Senator McConnell’s office; NO charges apply).  After you have shared your name, share a message similar to: “Senator McConnell, As a Kentuckian , I urge you to work with your colleagues to develop a bipartisan plan to address our deficits AND clearly protects programs for hungry and poor people including SNAP, WIC, the EITC and poverty-focused international assistance.  Please form a Circle of Protection around the programs that serve poor and hungry people. Thank you.” (Act by end of November 30) 

 

Weekly Justice Highlights

Promoting Peace: Urge President Obama to exert diplomatic pressure on Israel for an immediate cease-fire and initiate an investigation into Israel’s misuse of U.S. weapons.

Immigration: Urge President Obama and Speaker Boehner to follow through on promises to put immigration reform at the top of their agenda.  

In the Spirit of St. Vincent: With 40% of the world’s population living on less than $2/day, urge U.S. legislators to oppose any budget cuts to foreign aid.  

Care of Earth: Thank Heroes of Proposition 37 (CA proposition to label GMO food) who helped increase awareness of GMO in food.  

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. legislators to support legislative measures for responsible lending and borrowing at the IMF, World Bank and other International Financial Institutions. 

Urge U.S. legislators to renew the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program before December 31^st (when over 2 million workers benefits will be cut off). 

Urge President Obama to sign the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture that sets up mechanisms that prevent torture and abuse in any place of confinement including jails, prisons, detention centers, police stations, mental health facilities and more. 

Urge Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to prioritize ending mountaintop removal coal mining over the next four years.  

Urge BP to stop stalling, take responsibility and pay the maximum Clean Water fines for the Gulf oil spill which they are liable.

Sign a petition urging Congress to protect Social Security and Medicare. 

Louisville:  The Metropolitan Housing Coalition invites residents to send a postcard to their Metro Councilperson to support changes to the Land Development Code that increases opportunities for multi-family housing and smaller lot sizes and that allow increased density in residential use of land.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Human Trafficking: The November 2012 issue of StopTrafficking Newsletter co-sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge President Obama to support and advance human rights through the closing of Guantanamo, stopping the unlawful killing with drones, and ensuring the UN adopts a strong Arms Trade Treaty.  (International action available)

Care of Earth: Urge the Prime Minister of South Korea to stop the needless slaughter of whales through opposition to the reinstatement of commercial whaling. (International action available and act by December 3)

Care of Earth:  Urge President Obama to protect clean air standards and move toward a clean energy future in holding polluters accountable for the life-threatening pollutants put into our air every day. 

Offer Congratulations to President Obama and urge PresidentObama to set a goal and work with Congress to enact a plan to end hunger. 

Urge U.S. legislators (888.497.9539; no charges apply) to end the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2% or those earning over $250,000/year. 

The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia have a prayer service available in solidarity with those participating in the School of Americas Vigil in Fort Benning, GA on the weekend of November 16-18. 

On November 19, the 83rd Texas LegislativeSession is ready to vote in anti-immigration legislation.  Urge those politicians in favor of this legislation to stand on the right side of history. 

Weekly Justice Highlights

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge U.S. Senators to oppose the Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act (S. 3468) that would undermine the ability of independent federal agencies to carry out the work they were created to do.  Individuals may call (202.224.3121) or edit a message here (scroll down the page for the action)

Promoting Peace: Urge President Obama to cancel next week’s Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launch and work to decommission these dangerous, destabilizing missiles.

Immigration: Urge U.S.legislators to support the DREAM Act (S. 952 and H.B. 1842). 

Urge U.S.legislators to take current policy with regard to the “drug war” in Honduras in a positive direction that reflects a commitment to human rights.  

Urge U.S.legislators to support a fair and balanced approach to reigning in the debt, one that requires the Pentagon to cut at least $1 trillion from its budge over the next 10 years.  

The World Health Organization and World Meteorological Organization unveiled the Atlas of Health and Climate, a joint project intended to assist governments in managing ecosystems and responding to health threats related to climate change. 

A discussion guide to the world book on sustainability is located here (scroll down the page to look for the guide). 

Resilience.org is both an information clearinghouse and a network of action-oriented groups. Our focus is on building community resilience in a world of multiple emerging challenges: the decline of cheap energy, the depletion of critical resources like water, complex environmental crises like climate change and biodiversity loss, and the social and economic issues which are linked to these. We like to think of the site as a community library with space to read and think, but also as a vibrant café in which to meet people, discuss ideas and projects, and pick up and share tips on how to build the resilience of your community, your household, or yourself.

Oxfam is working with various international organizations taking a closer look at classroom practices related to educating for global citizenship.  View a variety of educator resources here.