Weekly Justice Highlights

U.S. Debt and Budget Update: Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 2560, Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011. The bill would cut spending across all areas, cap spending in successive years of the budget and submit to states a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution mandating that each year spending be no greater than tax receipts and be limited to a decreasing percentage of the Gross Domestic Product. Urge Senators to oppose this bill. 

Care of Earth: To protect individuals’ health from the effects of global warming, individuals are invited to urge President Obama to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency releases strong standards to curb emissions from our nation’s dirtiest coal plants and oil refineries.

Urge Secretary of State Clinton and Ambassador Rice to support Palestine’s membership in the UN Security Council.

To date, the UN Security Council has remained silent on the situation in Syria. Three critical members of the UN Security Council need to join other members to call on the Syrian government to stop the use of tanks, snipers and torture to suppress peaceful dissent. Urge these members to support the current draft resolution to end the bloodshed and ensure accountability for crimes committed.  

Urge U.S. Senators to become co-sponsors of S. 1346, Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act.  This bill would work to close the loopholes that exist when corporations hide money in accounts outside the U.S., in nations which have very low or no taxes on income by foreign companies. This avoidance of tax responsibility means small businesses and individuals have to cover more of the nation’s expenses.

As part of Mind the Gap! Campaign, a petition to President Obama is available for signatures that would call for a White House Summit on the wealth gap.

How clean is U.S. air? The Sierra Club Beyond Coal campaign has launched an online air pollution map that shows how much air pollution there is where you live, how many people are at risk for health problems from coal pollution and how many asthma attacks and premature deaths are caused by coal-fired power plants.

A study researched by the Chinese examines birth defects as a result of coal smoke and pesticides.

The Journey of the Universe book has been released and is now available.   A collaboration of Brian Thomas Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, and John Grim, the Journey of the Universe project also includes a film (available late July 2011) and an educational series (available October 12, 2011).