Accomplishments on Legislation

January to March 2012

The Hyatt Boycott calling to uphold the dignity of women (reinstate the Reyes sisters) received boosts from the CA Democratic Party, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Gloria Steinem who pledged to boycott Hyatt. In Indianapolis where the Super Bowl was held, the NFL Players Association Leader, DeMaurice Smith and Maggie Lewis, President of Indianapolis City-City Council joined Indy Hyatt Workers.

During the KY General Assembly, the House Health and Welfare Committee passed the Smoke-free KY Act. The legislation (HB 289) was transferred to and didn’t make it out of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee.

A March 1, Nuclear Missile Test was cancelled. This was the second time in less than six months that the Air Force cancelled a nuclear missile test after pressure from the concerned citizens. The first cancellation was on International Peace Day.

In early March, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act, a landmark bill that will dedicate 80% of BP’s Clean Water Act fines where they’re needed most- to restore the Gulf Coast economy and the wildlife and communities who live there.

In March, the U.S. Court of Appeals blocked further implementation of two provisions of Alabama’s discriminatory anti-immigrant law, HB 56. These provisions, which criminalized any interaction between undocumented immigrants and state or local government officials, and made contracts between undocumented immigrants and any other person unenforceable, have wreaked havoc on all Alabamians, citizen and non-citizen alike.

In March, the Senate voted to save clean air by supporting a rule limiting mercury and other toxic air pollution from industrial boilers. This rule prevents up to 8100 premature deaths/year and reduces toxic mercury pollution that is known to cause brain damage in kids.

In March, the world’s largest private agro-chemical corporation, Arysta LifeScience, announced it would immediately pull methyl iodide off the shelves in California and across America thus increasing safe food production and farm worker safety.

In March, the Senate rejected a bill fast-tracking the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project, which would transport dirty tar sands oils from Canada’s boreal forest to American refineries in Texas.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: Citizens from anywhere in the world are invited to urge Apple CEO Tim Cook to use renewable energy to power Apple’s technology.

Water: Urge Pepsi executives to release Aquafinas’ water quality reports as public water systems are required to do. (International Action available)

Immigration: On May 17, immigrant youth, along with allies from around the U.S., will issue our declaration of DREAMS. Call on President Obama for real and lasting relief for DREAMers and their communities.  

Care of Earth: Trans Canada has submitted a permit application for the Southern portion of the Keystone XL Pipeline to the Army Corps of Engineers. Urge EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson not to “rubber stamp” the permit application and allow for a meaningful review.  

The Senate is expected to act on the student loan interest rates soon. Urge Senators to call for the protection of low interest rates for student loans.  (Act as soon as possible)

The House Committee on the Budget is expected to vote on a proposal to eliminate funding for the Social Services Block Grant (i.e. funds used to provide services to the disabled, homeless, elderly, victims of abuse and others marginalized members of society). Urge U.S. Representatives to protect funding for the Social Services Block Grant. 

Urge Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase to adopt a genocide-free investing policy to avoid investments like PetroChina. 

Dina Meza, a Honduran journalist and human rights activist, has been threatened repeatedly with sexual violence. Urge Honduran authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.  

Urge federal legislators to stand up for the people of Sudan by co-sponsoring the Sudan Peace, Security and Accountability Act.

Urge Jeff Wojahn, the president of Encana (CO) to abandon a well that is being fracked next to an elementary school.  

Urge President Obama, U.S. Senators and House Representatives to end the war in Afghanistan and remove the troops. 

Please join me in urging the Egyptian authorities not to amend the minimum age of marriage law and the custody on divorce law in accordance with Egypt’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as its own Constitution.

Bill Moyers most reent episode entitled, Between Two Worlds: Life on the Border, highlights the border culture between Mexico and the U.S. Luis Alberto Urrea has written a series of acclaimed books that were removed from Tucson School District earlier this year. View the episode. 

Louisville, KY: The 28th annual Memorial Day Interfaith Service honoring civilian and military victims of war will be held Monday, May 28 at 11 a.m. at a NEW location- the Highland Presbyterian Church (1011 Cherokee Road, Louisville).

Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: Urge Chevron to report on the risks of its fracking operations by reporting on hazards, community effects and necessary precautions surrounding its hydraulic fracturing operations.

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge G8 leaders to take a stand against hunger and poverty at this years summit at Camp David where they will discuss a variety of issues, including agriculture in the developing world.  

Stand with the citizens of New York and urge Governor Cuomo to ban hydraulic fracking and lead ambitiously towards a clean energy economy.  

Sign a petition urging President Obama to stop the destruction at the Spruce Mine in West Virginia.

Urge Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to stand with the Sudanese people for peace.    

Urge Congress to hear the cry of poor people as it works on the budget.

Urge U.S.officials to make negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement transparent. (Act by May 4)

Urge Apple to power its data centers from clean energy sources.

Elections 2012: Catholics Vote for the Common Good- If you did not get the chance to participate in a discussion group at the state level, NETWORK is still collecting input.

A new documentary on water entitled, Last Call at the Oasis is opening this weekend in New York City. The documentary presents a powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century. The trailer can be viewed here.

Care of Earth in Louisville: Join citizens concerned about the environment this Derby weekend for Climate Days of Action Connect the Dots (between carbon pollution and climate change).  A group will gather on May 4 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and May 5 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Churchill Downs (700 Central Avenue, Louisville- meet under big billboard near Central and Rodman).  RSVP’s can be made here.

KY:  Residents of KY are urged to contact Senator McConnell’s office with regard to an article he wrote on the Affordable Care Act filled with misinformation on March 23 in the Courier Journal.  An April 16 letter by Congressman Yarmuth corrected the errors in an article in the Courier Journal.  Keep pressure on Senator McConnell to correct these errors publicly by contacting his DC office at 1.866.338.1015 (Charges apply and ask for Senator McConnell office) or his Louisville office at 1.502.582.6304 (Charges may apply depending on where calling from).

A new resource for those working with immigrants and ICE entitled, "The All-In-One Guide to Defeating ICE Hold Requests" is located here.  Toolkits are also available in English and Spanish.

View Bill Moyers episode on big money and big media here.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Good News: Connecticut abolished the death penalty yesterday. Express your gratitude to CT Governor Dannel Malloy and other Connecticut leaders for doing the right thing for human rights.  

Immigration and Confronting Unjust Structures: Yesterday the Supreme Court discussed AZ SB 1070 (deciding whether local police can ask us our immigration status). Tell corporations not to fund the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the organization of legislators and corporations that meet to draft secret “model” legislation such as that of SB 1070. Many corporations have begun to dis-associate themselves from ALEC, keep the pressure by clicking here. 

Challenging Unjust Structures: Thank 60 minutes for airing “Christians of the Holy Land” with Bob Simon that shed light on the struggles of Palestinian Christians living under Israel’s brutal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The 2012 Farm Bill is currently in process. It is a highly important bill with pieces that address domestic hunger and international food aid.  Action to legislators can be taken on behalf of those who live with food insecurity and who need food in emergency situations.

The U.S. Senate is schedule to vote on the Violence Against Women Act (S. 1925) that would protect women from violence and exploitation. At the current moment, those women most at risk are in danger of being left out. Urge Senators to support this legislation.

Urge U.S. Senators to hold to the spending limits in the Budget Control Act as they set spending limits for the FY 2013 budget.

Urge Norway, Canada and the U.S. to participate in the negotiation of a new plan to save the world’s oceans.

Urge Shell CEO to continue the clean up of the Niger Delta where a 2008 oil spill left land wasted, unsafe drinking water, and livelihoods destroyed. 

Last week over a thousand people pledged to stop doing business with Bank of America until they stop financing the dirty coal industry. Individuals who are active in business with the bank are invited to join in solidarity through this same pledge located here (the pledges will be taken to the shareholder meeting on May 9th).

Write (Regional Commissioner Michael Grochowski, Social Security, Suite 22 T 64, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303) or call (404.562.5500; NOT toll free) urging decision- making individuals at Social Security to keep the Louisville West End Social Security Office open. The office is the 7th busiest in the state of KY and about 90% of the customers are African American. With less than half the staff of the downtown Louisville office, the West End office services 56% of the number the downtown office services. The West End office serves many disabled, elderly, homeless people, people without ID's, and people recently released from prison, At the Louisville downtown office, people cannot enter without ID's and there is no readily accessible free parking. Many West End residents are going to have problems getting to and into the Louisville downtown office. Yet, if the West End office closes, that is where the West End residents will be expected to go.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Good News:  The U.S. Bishops criticize House Budget (Path to Prosperity) cuts to food stamps and other assistance to those living in poverty.  To read an article on the topic, click here.  To thank Bishop Dolan and urge him to continue to speak out for those living in poverty and those less fortunate, call 1.212.371.1000 (charges apply). 

Urgent: Next week the Supreme Court considers the Arizona Immigration Law, S.B. 1070. Join the many who will be in prayer at the Supreme Court on Monday. For more information, click here.

Immigration: John Carlos Frey has a new documentary entitled, Bring Justice Home: Demand Respect for Life from Border Patrol. A preview is being shown on PBS with a clip located here.  Those living in the Louisville area can see at on KET1 at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20 (under the NEED TO KNOW heading). 

Immigration: Urge the House Committee on Ways and Means and your U.S. Representative (1.202.224.3121; charges apply) to reject any proposals that would exclude immigrant working families from Child Tax Credit.

Bordering on Trafficking: Urge U.S. Governors to say no to Correction Corporation of America who is looking to profit from the incarceration of human beings by sending letters to governors asking that to allow operation of state prisons. Making a profit from the labor of others borders on human trafficking. Urge governors to make a public statement by June 1.  (Click on your state, then click on governor’s name, and click “contact” tab to write a brief note.

Care of Earth: Urge National Leaders, businesses and others to enact policies that dramatically reduce wasted energy and significantly shift our power toward renewable energy sources.

Call and urge U.S. Representatives (1.202.224.3121; charges apply) to oppose H.R. 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 that provides companies and the government “free rein to bypass existing laws in order to monitor communications, filter content, or potentially shut down access to online services for ‘cybersecurity purposes.”  Action can also be taken here.

Call 1.800.826.3688 (no charges apply) and urge Senator McConnell (sits on decision-making committee) to protect and strengthen SNAP and International Food Aid programs as the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill. (Act before April 19)

A report that calls on the World Bank to stop funding the private water sector entitled, “Shutting the Spigot on Private Water: Case for the World Bank to Divest."     

On April 16, the Senate rejected the Paying a Fair Share Act (S. 2230) or Buffet rule by a 51-45 margin. This bill would have created a fairer tax system ensuring millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. Find out how U.S. Senators voted by clicking here.

Burning the Future: Coal in America is a documentary on human addiction to coal and its influence on West Virginia mountaintop removal mining. It is being aired on many PBS stations in April and May with the film available to view free online during Earth Day weekend (April 21-22).  A coal impact guide is located here.

April 22 marks Earth Day and Catholic Relief Services has put together resources for the education of young people on the responsibility to care for creation. Resources are located here.  A prayer service created by CHA is located here.  Scroll down to locate prayer service.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: Urge President Obama to RSVP for Rio+20 to protect Earth and humanity  (International Action is available)

Water: Recently a federal court overrode the Environmental Protection Agency’s veto of the Spruce Mine, despite the fact that 110 cubic yards of mining waste will be pushed into the local waterways, generate toxic pollutants and bury over six miles of stream (violation of the Clean Water Act). Urge the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to save mountains and stand up for the Clean Water Act.

Immigrants: As the US Supreme Court soon decides the fate of the Arizona anti-immigrant law (SB 1070), light a candle in solidarity with those who believe in equal treatment and equal opportunity for all families. 

Promoting Peace and Protecting Women/Children Around the World: Urge U.S. Senators, Representatives and President Obama to bring home the troops from Afghanistan as specified in the Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act (HR 780).

Urge President Obama to lead a bold new food security partnership with small farmers at the G8 that will save 15 million children from being stunted in growth and lift 50 million globally out of poverty.

On May 28, 2010, Anastasio Hernández Rojas, a 42-year old construction worker, husband, father of five US-citizen children, and long-time resident of San Diego, CA, was brutally beaten, repeatedly shot with a taser while handcuffed, and killed as a result by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego. Urge the Border Patrol to respect life rather than beat, taser, handcuff and kill individuals.

Urge President Obama to keep his promise on hydraulic fracking as stated in his State of the Union speech that drilling and fracking for natural gas would happen “without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk."

Urge U.S. Senators (1.202.224.3121; charges apply) to support the Paying a Fair Share Act of 2012 (S. 2230) that will close an array of tax loopholes that allow millionaires and billionaires to pay lower taxes than middle-class families. (Act before April 16 vote)

April 17 is a global day of action on military spending that reached $1.6 trillion in 2010.  Individuals and groups are invited to watch a video promoting the Global Day of Action on military spending.

April 22 marks Earth Day and Catholic Relief Services has put together resources for the education of young people on the responsibility to care for creation. Resources are located here. 

Chicago: As NATO meets, Peace Action, and peace and justice activists, will also meet to map out an alternative path in a Counter-Summit for Peace and Economic Justice on May 18 - 19. On May 20, meet with Afghans for Peace and support Afghanistan war veterans as they rally and march to the NATO Summit to return their military medals to the NATO Generals in a March for Justice and Reconciliation.  

Louisville: On Thursday, April 12 from 5 to 6 p.m. on Sixth and Broadway, a vigil to prevent the war with Iran will take place. Bring a sign.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: India citizens are invited to ask their Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to listen to keep India’s fish in Indian waters.

Care of Earth: Urge the Target Corporation to provide responsible take-back options for all electronics sold, promoting reuse of working equipment and safe recycling and disposal of e-waste.

Death Penalty: Sign a petition urging Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to reconsider granting clemency to Garry T. Allen who is scheduled for execution on April 12.

Promoting Peace: Urge Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to do what she can to stand with the Sudanese people for peace.

Promoting Peace: Urge President Lee Myung Bak of the Republic of Korea to save the eco-systems of Jeju Island by stopping the building of a naval base that is opposed by the citizens and is currently being built.

Holding corporations accountable: It appears as though Walmart is more interested in profits than listening to its customers who have delivered nearly half a million petitions, 8500 calls and held events at more than 150 Walmart stores in the country with regard to selling genetically engineered (GE) sweet corn. Hoping that thousands of citizens act and Walmart takes heed, individuals are asked to sign a petition refusing to buy Monsanto’s GE sweet corn located here.

During the weekend of May 18th, representatives from the largest eight economies will meet in the U.S. for the G8 summit with the G20 summit a month later in June. As the debt crisis spreads, a new way to address debt must be implemented. Sign a global petition for an international debt court that will promote neutrality and address each nation’s own reality on a case-by-case basis. 

Urge U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor and/or support H.R. 4173 (Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplomacy Act) that would promote long-term dialogue over sanctions. 

Demand respect for human rights in Columbia by contacting the U.S. Embassy in Columbia and the State Department to demand a transparent police investigation into the illegally detained and death of Manuel Ruiz and his 15 year old son Samir de Jesus de Ruiz by paramilitaries.

Urge federal legislators to co-sponsor and/or support the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (S. 952 and H.B. 1842).

The U.S. Catholic Bishops document on the topic of elections entitled, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is available here.  Many of the resources are available in Spanish as well as English including homily notes, voter registration, voter education, and liturgy/prayer suggestions.

Prayer is needed with less than 20 negotiating days left before the Rio+20 summit in June. Pray that specifics can be put forth for Sustainable Development Goals and accountability as they are implemented.

Louisville: On April 6 (Good Friday) from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for the Justice Stations of the Cross. Meet at Martin Luther King Park next to the Mazzoli Federal Building (south side of Chestnut between 6 and 7 streets).

KY: Annual rankings show where Kentucky counties do well and where they can improve on health. The Rankings, available here, include a snapshot of each county in Kentucky with a color-coded map comparing each county’s overall health ranking.  Any county in the country can also be viewed on this site.

Louisville, KY: On July 29 to August 1, a coalition of Catholic sponsors will host the Summer Social Action Institute at Bellarmine University. Registration opens in late April with tuition for the entire institute at $225. Track I will focus on the foundations of Catholic Social Teaching and Track II will address poverty today. Information for this four day institute for Catholic social justice ministries is located here.