Black History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress:

04/23/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, April 23, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.743, the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013. All time during adjournment, morning business and recess will be counted post-cloture on the motion to proceed.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to request a conference with the House and name conferees on the Budget resolution.

Senator Toomey objected on behalf of Senator Sessions.

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent the Senate take up and pass S.788, a bill to suspend the fiscal year 2013 sequestration and offset with funds from the Overseas Contingency Operations. Senator Coburn objected. Senator Coburn then asked consent to take up and pass an Inhofe-Toomey bill, Calendar #19, S.16, a bill to provide for a sequester replacement. Senator Reid objected.

The Senate reached an agreement that if the Senate receives H.R.475 from the House of Representatives and the bill is identical to the text of which is at the desk, then the bill be read three times and the Senate proceed to a vote, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Minority Leader, with no intervening action or debate. H.R.475, a bill to amend the internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include vaccines against seasonal influenza within the definition of taxable vaccines.

At 10:30am tomorrow, Wednesday, April 24, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations:

– Executive Calendar #60, the nomination of Jane Kelly, of Iowa, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit; and

– Executive Calendar #64, the nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

There will be 90 minutes of debate, with time from 10:30 until 11:00am on the Kelly nomination and the time from 11:00am until 12:00 noon on the Burwell nomination. At approximately 12:00 noon, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations. If all time is used, the votes would begin at approximately 12:00 noon. The first vote will be a 15 minute vote and the second vote will be a 10 minute vote.

WRAP UP FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.105, designating April 2013 as “Financial Literacy Month”.

Adopted S.Res.106, commending rehabilitation counselors and supporting the goals and ideals of National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day.

Adopted S.Res.107, honoring military children during the National Month of the Military Child.

Adopted S.Res.108, designating April 2013 as “National 9-1-1 Education Month”.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.788, to suspend FY2013 sequestration. (Reid)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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April 2013
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7	8	9	10	11	12	13
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21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

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Watch Live House Floor Proceedings

12:00:17 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:32 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Kerry L. Bentivolio to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:00:54 P.M.		MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
12:15:25 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

2:00:24 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 23.
2:00:49 P.M.		Today‘s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:01:59 P.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Ms. Foxx demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Foxx made a point of no quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.
2:02:53 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. McCollum to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:03:25 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:19:05 P.M.		BRITISH-AMERICAN INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP – Pursuant to 22 U.S.C 276L, and the order of the House of January 3, 2013, the Speaker appointed the following member of the House to the BRITISH-AMERICAN INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP: Mr. Holding.
2:19:10 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 4:30 P.M. today.
4:29:19 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 23.
4:30:26 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
4:30:40 P.M.	H.R. 1067	Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1067 — “To make revisions in title 36, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current and make technical corrections and improvements.”
4:30:55 P.M.	H.R. 1067	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:30:56 P.M.	H.R. 1067	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1067.

4:34:53 P.M.	H.R. 1067	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
4:35:03 P.M.	H.R. 1068	Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 1068 — “To enact title 54, United States Code, “National Park Service and Related Programs”, as positive law.”
4:35:21 P.M.	H.R. 1068	Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:35:28 P.M.	H.R. 1068	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1068.
4:40:49 P.M.	H.R. 1068	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
4:41:20 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 6:30 P.M. today.

6:30:18 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 23.
6:30:47 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:31:25 P.M.	H.R. 1067	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 1067 — “To make revisions in title 36, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current and make technical corrections and improvements.”
7:00:50 P.M.	H.R. 1067	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 – 0 (Roll no. 118).
7:00:51 P.M.	H.R. 1067	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:00:51 P.M.	H.R. 1068	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 1068 — “To enact title 54, United States Code, “National Park Service and Related Programs”, as positive law.”
7:08:40 P.M.	H.R. 1068	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 409 – 0 (Roll no. 119).
7:08:40 P.M.	H.R. 1068	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:08:43 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUESINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and put the question on agreeing to the Journal de novo.
7:16:33 P.M.		On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 285 – 118, 1 Present (Roll no. 120).
7:17:13 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

9:31:18 P.M.		Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.
9:31:33 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
9:31:34 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 24, 2013.

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America Stands with the City of Boston

04/22/2013 Nativegrl77

President Obama speaks to the American people about the act of terror at the Boston Marathon that wounded dozens and killed three innocent people on Monday, and says that through it all, Boston‘s spirit remains undaunted and Americans have proven they refuse to be terrorized.

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Women Deserve the Truth! Expose Crisis Pregnancy Centers

04/22/2013 Nativegrl77


	Expose the Truth!



	Check out our state-by-state information and resources on how to file a complaint in your state.

Have you seen the advertisements: “Pregnant? Scared? We can help?” They’re everywhere. Unfortunately, far too often a woman finds herself with an unintended pregnancy, isn’t sure what her options are, and calls the number on the billboard. These numbers often lead to “crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs)” or “pregnancy resource centers.” Not always, but more often than not, these centers are set up to look like legitimate health clinics. But, they aren’t; instead, many give misleading information or flat out lie to the woman about her pregnancy in order to dissuade her from getting an abortion.

Do you think women deserve honest, unbiased medical information when they are seeking care? So do we. These crisis centers can only be stopped if women speak up about the false information they are receiving during their visits. If you, a family member, or friend was tricked or lied to by a CPC, we have an easy way for you to file a consumer protection complaint to help document the harmful practices of these clinics.

For help filing this complaint, you also can contact the National Women’s Law Center at 1-855-CPC-FACT or cpcfact@nwlc.org. Filing a complaint is a first and very important step in helping other women, including your family and friends, protect their health.

When women ask questions about their health or seek services, they deserve to get complete, unbiased, and medically accurate answers. Dishonest CPCs prevent women from making informed health care decisions and threaten their health. When you’re facing a decision about a pregnancy, time is crucial. Lies, inaccurate facts and delays can be harmful to your health.

It’s important to speak up — for the sake of all women.

For more information about CPCs, check out our state-by-state resources. Thank you for all that you do to protect women’s reproductive health.

Sincerely,

Kelli Garcia
Senior Counsel
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Your generous donation allows us to continue to stand up for women and their families.

Support our work today.

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Birth control makes you “sterile or dead”?

04/22/2013 Nativegrl77

Katelyn Campbell deserves our respect and encouragement for speaking out against failed “abstinence-only” programs.

Tell her county’s Board of Education to censure her principal for threatening her.

High school principal George Aulenbacher should be ashamed of himself.

First, Aulenbacher and his school district decided to subject his students to a misleading “abstinence-only” program. And then he threatened student Katelyn Campbell when she spoke out against it. To make matters even worse, right now the Kanawha County Board of Education is siding with Principal Aulenbacher.¹

This is no way to treat a brave young woman who’s speaking out for what’s right.

Help us put pressure on the Board of Education to censure Aulenbacher, and tell them that students need comprehensive sex education. Your message today will go directly to the Kanawha County Board of Education and superintendent of schools, where it can make a big impact.

Aulenbacher’s school recently brought in an “abstinence educator” who says taking birth control can lead to becoming “sterile or dead.”²

Katelyn fought back against these outrageous lies. She talked with the local newspaper, and even went on CNN.

How did Aulenbacher respond? He tried to shut her down. Katelyn says Aulenbacher called her into his office to berate her, even threatening to call her future college to tell them she has “bad character” and is a “backstabber.”³

At a Board of Education committee meeting last night, it’s been reported that members of the board stuck up for Aulenbacher and the misleading “abstinence-only” program.

It’s ridiculous that a principal would threaten a student like this, and absurd that the Board of Education would stand for it. Tell the Board of Education to censure Aulenbacher and provide students with comprehensive sex education.

Katelyn knows, like we do, that teens need accurate information about abstinence and birth control so that they can make responsible decisions that are right for them. One in four teen girls has an STD, and one third of young women will become pregnant before they’re 20 years old. These young women need information that will keep them healthy.

I applaud Katelyn for speaking out for what she knows is right. She deserves our respect and encouragement, not threats and intimidation.

Thanks for standing up for Katelyn and helping make choice real for young people like her.

Ilyse Hogue
Ilyse G. Hogue
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

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Eight Percent ~ Help S.T.O.P. Sexual Assault in the Military

04/22/2013 Nativegrl77

Bear with me for a moment as I share some numbers:

More than 200,000 women are in the active-duty military, making up 14.5 percent of the active-duty force.
Nearly 3,200 cases of sexual assault in the military were reported in 2010, yet the Department of Defense estimates the actual number of assaults to be at least 19,000 since most cases are never reported.
Of the sexual assault cases reported to military officials, only 8 percent of the attackers in those cases were prosecuted in the military court system – compared with 40 percent of similar offenders prosecuted in the civilian court system.

Eight percent. And even if the military justice system convicts a perpetrator of sexual assault, the perpetrator’s commander, someone with no legal training whatsoever, can throw out that conviction at their own discretion – even the president of the United States cannot overturn their decision.

Yesterday I stood with two of our nation’s veterans as they recounted their experiences with sexual assault in the military. When Kelly Smith first reported her assault at age 19, investigators interrogated her for eight hours and accused her of lying. Although her attacker eventually signed a confession, Smith says he never appeared before a court martial and instead retired with full honors and benefits.

I also stood next to Jeremiah Arbogast, a retired Marine Corps member, who told his story from a wheelchair. He was left a paraplegic after his failed suicide attempt – a desperate action he took after he was sexually assaulted by a fellow Marine. As Arbogast said, we still have the world’s finest fighting force – but it is being threatened by too many sexual predators who are protected and allowed to stay in the military.

I joined these truly courageous veterans and our congressional champions on Capitol Hill yesterday to call for passage of the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act, or STOP Act, which would create an independent, professional office within the military to investigate, and prosecute sexual assault, instead of leaving the decisions in the hands of commanders who can act at their own discretion. The STOP Act would still keep the authority over sexual assault cases in the military—just not in the hands of individual commanders who are not trained to handle these cases. AAUW believes the result will be the kind of confidential and thorough investigative process necessary in the face of such crimes.

Join me in urging your representative to cosponsor the STOP Act and fundamentally change how sexual assault is handled in the military.

We have to do something about those numbers I mentioned. We have to do something to prevent experiences like those of Kelly Smith and Jeremiah Arbogast from happening again. Urge your representative to cosponsor the STOP Act (H.R. 1593) today.

Thank you,
Lisa Maatz
AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations