Weekly Justice Highlights

Good News:  Last week the Mulvaney-Frank amendment to reduce military spending for fiscal year 2013 (reduce by $1.1 billion) was passed with bipartisan support.  While this returns the level to FY 2012 at $518 billion and exempts spending on military personnel, the Defense Health Program and the Global War on Terror. Congressman Frank states, “I believe is still far higher than it needs to be, but it does represent an important first step in making clear that military spending cannot be exempted from a responsible deficit reduction package.”

Urgent:  Adapt a message to U.S. Senators to support the Middle Class Tax Cut act (S. 3393) and urge them to oppose Bush-era tax cuts only to taxpayers whose income is less than $250,000.  Urge them to support raising reasonable revenue for responsible programs.  (Act today)

Care of Earth:  Urge Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the State Department to include climate impacts in their analysis of Keystone XL and reject this tar sands pipeline once and for all at (Act before July 30)

Promoting Peace: Urge Secretary of State Clinton to reinforce the unequivocal opposition of the United States to actions that undermine a two-state solution to the Holy Land conflict, make Israel less secure, and create more obstacles to a viable and independent Palestinian state.

Urge President Obama and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to deny Shell’s permit to drill in the Arctic if its fleet cannot meet the legally required standard for air pollution.

Families USA has released a document to help advocates in the Healthcare institution in implementing the Affordable Care Act within your state.  The document, entitled, Designing the Essential Health Benefits for Your State: An Advocate’s Guide is available here. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently unveiled an updated version of Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass, a digital resource detailing the USDA’s involvement in local and regional food.  The site includes local food projects in 50 states, farmers markets, food hubs, wholesale markets among other data. 

Louisville Peace Performance:  On July 28 at 1 p.m.(Highland Baptist) or 8 p.m. (Clifton Center), a peace performance/dialogue of peace activists spanning 60 years will be held.  Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at St. Williams, St. Agnes, Carmichael’s Bookstore, or at the door.  More information is located here   or louisville@som.org or 502.452.2501 

About 55 percent of the continental United States is now designated as in moderate drought or worse. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared more than 1,000 counties in 26 states as natural disaster areas.  Individuals and faith groups are invited to petition our patron saint, Isidore the Farmer, to intercede on their behalf and we invite our network to pray the Novena to St. Isidore is located here.