If you’re reading this email it means I’m clinging to the side of London’s Shard – attempting something that’s never been done before: scaling Europe’s tallest skyscraper.

If we make it to the top, we plan to install a giant piece of art in direct view of Shell‘s three London headquarters down around me. We can see them, so I know they can see us.

WATCH LIVE and share this page to show the whole world that we don’t want Arctic drilling.

I’ve been climbing for years, but this is the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on.

Am I scared? Hell yeah. But I know that fear is only what you make of it. For me this is a personal act of bravery, and I hope that beyond all else it can encourage anyone hesitating over taking action – no matter what scale – to take that step today.

There are only six of us up here, but there are millions of us in every corner of the world who want the Arctic protected.

The most effective action we can do now is to make everyone else care for the Arctic as we do, and to do that we need to make it news. This is not a niche subject. This affects every single person on our shared planet.

Everyone should know that we’ve lost 80% of the Arctic sea ice in the last 30 years, and that should make people want to protect it. Not to drill for more oil, one of the fossil fuels causing the melting in the first place.

Follow our progress on LIVE TV and please share this page with everyone you know on Facebook, Twitter and over email. Let’s make this as big as we can.

Shell doesn’t want us talking about their dangerous Arctic oil drilling plans. Together we can shout about them from the rooftops 😉

Wish us luck,

Victo (and Sandra, Sabine, Liesbeth, Wiola and Ali)

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Immigration Reform

07/12/2013 Nativegrl77

Hi, all —

Here’s one of the best things about immigration reform: It’s going to make our economy a lot stronger.

Sometimes important facts like this get lost in the hubbub of the debate. So, to make sure folks understand just why immigration reform will make our economy stronger, we put together this really wonderful video showing exactly how it works — how fixing our broken system will create jobs, boost wages, and foster innovation. I know, a video explaining public policy doesn’t exactly scream cool (well…it kind of does to me) but this one is different. It’s something you’ve never seen from us before, and it’s definitely worth your time.

So check it out, then share it to help spread the message.

Not enough people are talking about the economic benefits of immigration reform, but it’s exactly the conversation that will help us win the national debate on this issue.

We need people to know that the legislation the Senate just passed represents the best chance that we’ve had in years to strengthen our economy by securing our borders and creating a way for 11 million people to come out of the shadows and earn citizenship.

But it’s going to take all of us working together to make sure that everyone gets the facts.

So will you take a minute to watch this video, then pass it along?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/immigration-and-economy

Thanks!

Cecilia

Cecilia Muñoz Director, Domestic Policy Council The White House

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Stop the obstructionism

07/12/2013 Nativegrl77

What we need in a Secretary of Labor is a commitment to public service, to health and safety legal protections for women and all workers, and to enforcing our discrimination laws. With Tom Perez, this is what we would get.
Throughout his career, including most recently as head of the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice, Tom Perez has shown that he is committed to enforcing the laws upon which women, and all workers, rely. He’s combined his commitment with extraordinary skill and competence, both in the federal government and when he served as Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
We can’t let a minority of Senators hold up his nomination. We need your help. Tell your Senators to allow a yes-or-no vote on Tom Perez for Secretary of Labor.
Here’s why this vote matters: The Department of Labor plays a critical role in ensuring opportunities for women in the workplace. It enforces laws enabling workers to take job-protected family and medical leave, wage and hour protections that shield workers from exploitation and abuse, and rules requiring federal contractors to advance equal opportunity in their workforces, including equal pay. The Department also houses the Women’s Bureau, whose mission is to improve pay and working conditions for women. The next Secretary of Labor will have the opportunity to continue the important progress toward fairer workplaces for women and for all workers.
Tom Perez has a proven track record of protecting and advancing legal rights and protections crucial to women. Tell your Senators to allow a yes-or-no vote on the nomination of Tom Perez for Secretary of Labor.
Thank you for everything you do to advance the rights of women and their families.
Sincerely,

Marcia Greenberger Co-President National Women’s Law Center

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What kind of love do you stand for?

07/12/2013 Nativegrl77

In Tuesday’s Eye on the Amazon we told you about a dark love affair that’s long been going on between Chevron and Judge Kaplan; a scandalous kind of love that perverts justice and promotes persecution, enables human rights violations and compromises the health of entire communities in the Amazon. It’s a dirty ordeal perpetuated by Chevron’s ruthless efforts to protect itself from the $18 billion legal judgment it’s on the hook for. The company has engaged an army of relentless legal sharks – comprised of 60 law firms – and Judge Kaplan seems love-struck by his Big Oil partner as he thwarts justice in the case of Chevron’s desecration of the Amazon. But he’s just another tool in Chevron’s box.

Now we’re all for love here at Amazon Watch. In fact, it’s our love for the Amazon that motivates us daily to do everything we can to protect it and to support the rights of indigenous peoples there – the traditional stewards of the magnificent forest upon which we all depend. It’s why you support us. It’s this love that drives us, and it’s why we ask for your support.

We continue to fight for the clean kind of love and passion that flows through communities in the Amazon, like that which radiates from Servio Curipoma, an Ecuadorian farmer who came to seek justice at the Chevron shareholder meeting last May, calling for Chevron CEO John Watson to be fired. We stand for the love of people like Emergildo Criollo, a Cofán leader whose love for the children he lost to poisoning due of Chevron/Texaco’s willful negligence impels him to keep fighting against the company that destroyed his family. We stand for the love of the rainforest shown by the indigenous people who have lived in harmony with the Amazon for millennia. This is the kind of love story that gets us up in the morning, and that we ask you to be a part of.

In the face of scandal like the Chevron-Kaplan love affair, we need your help to keep writing this positive love story. Stand with us for the kind of love that celebrates life and a future we can all look forward to, that overpowers the dirty love between a massive corporation and a judge bent on shirking responsibility and continuing to put profits over people. We cannot allow them to hijack the ending of this story.

Please help us to continue our fight for these people and for the Amazon with your support. Will you make a contribution today so that we may keep fighting for justice in the Amazon?

You make this possible – together, we are powerful!

For the Amazon,

Branden Barber
Director of En

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

CONGRESS breaks until 7/15

07/12/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in adjournment until 2:00pm on Monday, July 15, 2013.

Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized. It is expected he will renew the motion to proceed to S.1238, the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013. Following the remarks of the two Leaders, the time until 5:30pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
The Majority Leader will be recognized at 5:30pm. A live quorum and subsequent roll call vote on the motion to instruct the Sergeant at Arms to request the presence of absent Senators is expected at 5:30pm.
Additionally, there will be a joint-special caucus for all Senators at 6:00pm on Monday.
During Thursday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the following items in the following order:
- Executive Calendar #51, the nomination of Richard Cordray, of OH, to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection;
- Executive Calendar #100, the nomination of Richard F. Griffin, Jr, of DC, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board;
- Executive Calendar #101, the nomination of Sharon Block, of DC, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board;
- Executive Calendar #104, the nomination of Mark Gaston Pearce, of NY, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board;
- Executive Calendar #178, the nomination of Fred P. Hochberg, of NY, to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States;
- Executive Calendar #99, the nomination of Thomas Edward Perez, of MD, to be Secretary of Labor; and
- Executive Calendar #98, the nomination of Regina McCarthy, of MA, to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
If no agreement on the nominations can be reached, the first cloture vote would occur early Tuesday morning. If cloture is invoked on any of the nominations, there would be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination, except for the Perez nomination, which would have up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate. If cloture is not invoked on a nomination, the Senate would proceed to vote on cloture on the next nomination.

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July 2013
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21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

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9:00:25 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
9:00:39 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Mark Meadows to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
9:01:01 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Dr. Paul Binion II, Westside Church of God, Fresno, California.
9:03:08 A.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Thompson (PA) 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. Mr. Thompson (PA) objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the approval of the Journal until a time to be announced. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
9:03:20 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Wittman to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
9:05:44 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.
9:19:35 A.M.		Ms. Sewell (AL) moved that the House do now adjourn.
9:47:08 A.M.		On motion to adjourn Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 125 – 260 (Roll no. 346).
9:47:16 A.M.	H. Res. 295	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 295 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2642) to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.”
9:48:04 A.M.	H. Res. 295	DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 295.
10:02:26 A.M.		The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate to H.R. 588, and passed H.R. 251 and H.R. 254.
10:02:27 A.M.	H. Res. 295	DEBATE – The House resumed debate on H. Res. 295.
10:02:28 A.M.	H. Res. 295	During the course of debate on H. Res. 295, the Chair stated that it was not in order to embellish a unanimous consent request with additional remarks in the form of debate.
10:49:32 A.M.	H. Res. 295	POINT OF ORDER – Mr. Hoyer raised a point of order against the ruling of the Chair regarding what constitutes embellishment of a unanimous consent request. The point of order was overruled.
10:51:04 A.M.	H. Res. 295	<action_description>Mr. Hoyer appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.
10:51:16 A.M.	H. Res. 295	Mr. Sessions moved to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair.
11:17:51 A.M.	H. Res. 295	On motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the chair Agreed to by recorded vote: 226 – 196 (Roll no. 347).
11:18:04 A.M.	H. Res. 295	DEBATE – The House resumed debate on H. Res. 295.
11:59:18 A.M.		Ms. Fudge moved that the House do now adjourn.
12:22:11 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 138 – 265 (Roll no. 348).
12:22:36 P.M.	H. Res. 295	DEBATE – The House resumed debate on H. Res. 295.
12:41:37 P.M.	H. Res. 295	The previous question was ordered without objection.
1:02:24 P.M.	H. Res. 295	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 223 – 195 (Roll no. 349).
1:02:25 P.M.	H. Res. 295	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:03:00 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 295. H.R. 2642 — “To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.”
1:03:05 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2642 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.
1:03:34 P.M.	H.R. 2642	DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2642.
1:40:00 P.M.	H.R. 2642	POINT OF ORDER – Mr. Watt raised a point of order against the ruling of the Chair regarding what constitutes embellishment of a unanimous consent request. The point of order was overruled.
1:41:49 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Mr. Watt appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.
1:42:09 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Mr. Lucas moved to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair
2:09:13 P.M.	H.R. 2642	On motion to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 226 – 189 (Roll no. 350).
2:20:00 P.M.	H.R. 2642	made to have words taken down. Subsequently, the demand was withdrawn.
2:28:11 P.M.	H.R. 2642	DEBATE – The House resumed debate on H.R. 2642.
2:32:54 P.M.	H.R. 2642	POINT OF ORDER – Mr. Thompson (MS) raised a point of order against the ruling of the Chair regarding what constitutes embellishment of a unanimous consent request. The point of order was overruled.
2:33:28 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Mr. Thompson (MS) appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.
2:34:45 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Mr. Lucas moved to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair
2:54:15 P.M.	H.R. 2642	On motion to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair Agreed to by recorded vote: 221 – 181 (Roll no. 351).
3:06:28 P.M.	H.R. 2642	The previous question was ordered without objection.
3:06:46 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Ms. Esty moved to recommit with instructions to Agriculture.
3:07:14 P.M.	H.R. 2642	DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Esty motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct annual audits of the food regulatory systems for each country that is eligible to export meat, poultry, or egg products to the United States. The motion would also give the Secretary the authority to transfer funds from any Department of Agriculture account to the Food Safety and Inspection Service account in order to address any food safety emergency.
3:32:49 P.M.	H.R. 2642	On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 198 – 226 (Roll no. 352).
3:40:29 P.M.	H.R. 2642	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 – 208 (Roll no. 353).
3:40:31 P.M.	H.R. 2642	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
3:41:39 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 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.
3:41:58 P.M.		On approving the Journal Agreed to by voice vote.
3:55:32 P.M.		Mr. Cantor asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Thursday, July 11, 2013, it adjourn to meet at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 15, 2013. Agreed to without objection.
3:56:01 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
4:51:56 P.M.		Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.
4:52:07 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
4:52:08 P.M.		The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on July 15, 2013.