~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Cameroon, Stop killing protected wildlife – Elephants

03/01/2012 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

In less than a month over 200 elephants have been killed in Cameroon. These poachers are going into the Bouba Ndjida National Park from Chad and killing these protected elephants.

Tell Cameroon that it has to step up to protect its wildlife. »

With Cameroon’s elephant population estimated to be a maximum of 1500 elephants, this recent slaughter is a devastating loss to the population.

Furthermore, these elephants were supposed to be protected: they were in a national park!

Mongabay.com reports that these elephants have been killed for their tusks and that these ivory poachers are Sudanese.

Tell the government of Cameroon that they need to do more to protect their elephants and to put a stop to this atrocious elephant slaughtering. »

Thanks for taking action!Kathleen
The

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

“Kill every last gay person” by Eden James, Change.org

03/01/2012 Nativegrl77

Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill has been re-introduced. Citibank and Barclays wield significant influence in the country, but have so far been silent. Tell the two banks to speak up now and help stop the terrifying bill from becoming law.

Sign the Petition

Citibank and Barclays could save the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Uganda.

The Ugandan legislature could vote any day on a so-called “Kill the Gays” bill that could result in legalizing the death penalty for any LGBT person in the country. But Citibank and Barclays together have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Uganda and wield significant influence in the country, just as banking lobbyists wield influence with Congress in the US. If Citibank and Barclays speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill, Ugandan legislators will take notice in a hurry.

Collin Burton is a Citibank customer — he’s also gay. Collin started a petition on Change.org asking Citibank and Barclays to speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill. Click here to sign Collin’s petition right now.

Citibank and Barclays are both big supporters of LGBT rights for their own employees, yet they invest money with a government that is threatening to execute LGBT people. “I expect Citibank and Barclays to live up to the values of equality and fairness, not just list them on their websites,” Collin says.

If Citibank and Barclays speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill, Ugandan legislators will see that they are risking the business relationships that keep their government afloat.

Click here to sign Collin’s petition asking Citibank and Barclays to issue strong statements condemning Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill. The bill could come up for a vote any day, so swift action is essential.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Eden and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

HCAN has a New website! Defends Affordable Care Act & Medicare&Medicaid

03/01/2012 Nativegrl77

HCAN has a cool new website!

Our goal was to create a visually pleasing site that provides unique information about our federal and state campaigns. HCAN is pushing to defend and implement the Affordable Care Act, protect Medicare and Medicaid, and hold corporations and the GOP accountable for attacking our health care, the public sector, labor unions and all things that benefit the 99%.

On our home page, we highlight our most recent actions, reports and important news items. Scroll down to see a list of the latest Press Releases, a revamped B log and our Grassroots in Action section, which highlights the work of our partners and features videos and photos of actions. The Must Read section has top news stories affecting HCAN’s work, health reform and progressive change. In the HCAN In The News area, we highlight the workHCAN and our partner organizations are doing to ensure access to quality, affordable health care and to expose the role of corporations in undermining our democracy.

Further down the page there are Resources, a little bit more about our organization, and the many ways you can connect to Health Care for America Now through social media.

One of the most useful new features on the site is the Our Issues area, where visitors will find in-depth information about the specific topics we focus on:

Hope that you enjoy using the new site!

Will O’Neill
Health Care for America Now

Black History

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate considers S.1813,Surface Transportation bill &the RoyBlunt Amndment Tabled 51 – 48

03/01/2012 Nativegrl77

Today‘s Reminder …On 2/28/2012
The Senate has reached an agreement that it be in order for the Blunt amendment #1520 (contraception) to be called up. Further, at a time to be determined on Thursday, March 1, the Senate will proceed to a vote in relation to the Blunt amendment. No other amendments are in order prior to the vote in relation to the Blunt amendment.The Blunt amendment is now pending.
Please tweet email call Senator @RoyBlunt …Tell him to Stop using Women’s Health Care Rights as a political football

the Senate Convenes: at 9:30amET March 1, 2012

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill, with the time until 11:00am equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
At approximately 11:00am, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote in relation to the Blunt amendment #1520 (contraception and health care). We will continue to work on a path forward on the transportation bill.

11:30am The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to table the Blunt amendment #1520 (moral objections to health care services) to S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill; Tabled: 51-48

The Senate is in a period of morning business until 2pm with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1) Motion to table the Blunt amendment #1520 (moral objections to health care service) to S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill; Tabled: 51-48

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Con.Res.35, a concurrent resolution to establish the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for the inauguration of the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the United States of January 21, 2013.

Adopted S.Con.Res.36, a concurrent resolution to authorize the use of the rotunda and Emancipation Hall of the Capitol by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

Adopted S.Res.387, celebrating Black History Month.

Adopted S.Res.388, commemorating the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812 and “The Star Spangled Banner”, and recognizing the historical significance, heroic human endeavor, and sacrifice of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Revenue Marine Service, and State militias, during the War of 1812.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

——————————————————————————————–

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MARCH 1, 2012

112TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

-The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on March 5, 2012.1:50:32 P.M. -On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.1:50:25 P.M. -Mr. King (IA) moved that the House do now adjourn.12:51:30 P.M. -SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House resumed with special order speeches.12:51:20 P.M. -SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD – The Chair announced the Speaker’s reappointment, Pursuant to Section 703 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 903) and the order of the House of January 5, 2011, and upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader, of the following member on the part of the House to the Social Security Advisory Board for a term of 6 years: Ms. Barbara Kennelly, Hartford, CT.11:22:29 A.M. -SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.11:12:35 A.M. -ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.11:11:01 A.M. -Mr. Cantor asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Thursday, March 1, 2012, it adjourn to meet at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, March 5, 2012, for morning-hour debate. Agreed to without objection.11:00:00 A.M. -COLLOQUY ON HOUSE SCHEDULE – The Chair recognized Mr. Hoyer for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with Mr. Cantor on the expectations regarding the legislative schedule for the House during the upcoming week.10:59:41 A.M. -H. Res. 556Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.10:59:40 A.M. -H. Res. 556On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 – 1 (Roll no. 94).10:51:23 A.M. -H. Res. 556Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 556 — “Condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, imprisonment, and sentencing of Youcef Nadarkhani on the charge of apostasy.”10:51:21 A.M. -S. 1134Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.10:51:21 A.M. -S. 1134On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 339 – 80 (Roll no. 93).10:42:30 A.M. -S. 1134Considered as unfinished business. S. 1134 — “To authorize the St. Croix River Crossing Project with appropriate mitigation measures to promote river values.”10:41:53 A.M. -UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.10:41:32 A.M. -H. Res. 562Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.10:41:22 A.M. -H. Res. 562On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 418 – 0 (Roll no. 92).10:15:22 A.M. -H. Res. 562The previous question was ordered pursuant to a previous order of the House.9:15:21 A.M. -H. Res. 562DEBATE – Pursuant to the order of the House on February 29, 2012, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 562.9:14:45 A.M. -H. Res. 562The special order of February 29, 2012 provides for the consideration of H. Res. 562. The special order specifies that the resolution shall be considered as read and that the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader or their respective designees.9:14:22 A.M. -H. Res. 562Pursuant to the order of the House on February 29, 2012, Mr. Lungren called up H. Res. 562 for consideration. H. Res. 562 — “Directing the Office of the Historian to compile oral histories from current and former Members of the House of Representatives involved in the historic and annual Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, marches, as well as the civil rights movement in general, for the purposes of expanding or augmenting the historic record and for public dissemination and education.”9:04:05 A.M. -ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches, which by direction of the Chair would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.9:03:14 A.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Farr to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.9:03:09 A.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.9:01:41 A.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.9:01:25 A.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Kevin Yoder to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.9:00:13 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.