I just wanted to let you know that we are $4,500 dollars away from our goal! As Earth Day Network’s tree planting program coordinator I routinely hear stories of thanks and gratitude from the men, women, and children who are impacted by our plantings. Recently, I was told by Henry Kunduba, a farmer from Uganda, that the trees EDN helped him plant has already improved his crop yields – “I’m happy to have planted Calliandra trees as a fence on my land. I also use them to feed my goats. I need more Calliandra so that I can plant on all my land.” Through your support, we can continue to help people like Henry improve their livelihoods and provide for their families.

— John

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Help us fight poverty and plant trees in Haiti and Senegal!

We have some good news! An anonymous donor has pledged $15,000 to help us plant trees IF we can match that gift with another $15,000! Please help us reach that goal. Here’s what your donation will do right now:

In Haiti: In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck in 2010, Haiti has worked hard to rebuild and has made significant strides in agriculture, education and economic growth, but there’s much more work to be done. Erosion and a dependence on wood for cooking and heating have devastated the country’s tree canopy. Less than 2% of Haiti’s original forests remain, and most of its people are desperately poor.

Earth Day Network works with local partners to integrate tree planting with farming and community training. Fruit trees and fast-growing plants provide food and biofuel, harvested through sustainable agroforestry practices. Each dollar donated helps Haiti feed its people.

In Senegal: Since 1990, Senegal has lost over 675,000 hectares of pristine primary forest, the equivalent of cutting down a forest the size of Delaware. Each year more and more trees are cut to fuel timber and biofuel industries. As a result, Senegal’s soil has been destabilized and its thousands of species of flora and fauna are being threatened.

By planting trees, The Canopy Project helps restore Senegal’s tree canopy, providing habitats for threatened animals, and fruits used to produce sustainable electricity to run homes, produce goods, and improve family livelihoods.

But we need your help now! The tree planting season in Senegal must coincide with the short rainy season of July through September. Each dollar donated helps preserve biodiversity and adds trees in the most needy villages and farms of Senegal.

Time is short and there is much work to be done. Please help us reach our goal today!

— The Earth Day Network Team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Support Tom Perez

07/16/2013 Nativegrl77

Tomorrow, the Senate has a chance to do something that could help every single woman in the United States. But we have to make sure they know we care.
This is our last chance. Tell your Senators to support the nomination of Tom Perez for Secretary of Labor.
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 this 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.
The U.S. Department of Labor 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. This critical 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 ensuring fairer workplaces for women and for all workers.
Tom Perez is committed to the needs of women and their families. Tell your Senators to support 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

Rallies, Not Riots

07/16/2013 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Rallies for Trayvon Martin Sweep the Nation

While many right-wing pundits predicted riots if George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin, what we saw instead were moving rallies meant to honor Trayvon’s memory and the ongoing pursuit of justice for him and his family.

Here are some of the most moving images from across the country.

NYC, NY via AP

NYC, NY via AP

NYC, NY via @shokufeyesib

NYC, NY via @IrvingDeJohn

Miami, FL via AP

Oakland, CA via @shadirahimi

Milwaukee, WI via AP

Newark, NJ via AP

Atlanta, GA via AP

Atlanta, GA via AP

Detroit, MI via AP

Seattle, WA via seattlepi.com

Seattle, WA via seattlepi.com

Milwaukee, WI via @ShantTHEGREAT

Jacksonville, FL via AP

Black History

the Senate considers Executive Calendar CONGRESS the House considers HR2289

07/16/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in recess until 10:00am on Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

Senator-elect Markey will be sworn into office at 10:00am on Tuesday.
As a reminder to all Senators, 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.
We anticipate the first cloture vote to begin at 11:00am. 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.

11:02am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #51, the nomination of Richard Cordray, of Ohio, to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection;

Invoked: 71-29

The Senate invoked cloture on the Cordray nomination by a vote of 71-29.

There will now be up to 8 hours for debate, with the time equally divided, prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. By consent, the Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings. The time during the recess will count post-cloture. Senators will be notified when the next vote is scheduled.

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Last Floor Action:
10:03:41 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on
July 16, 2013.

12:00:08 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:26 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Kerry L. Bentivolio to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:00:45 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.
12:11:01 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

2:00:21 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 16.
2:00:41 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:01:52 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
2:01:55 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Foxx to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:22 P.M.		ADJUSTMENT OF THE WHOLE HOUSE – Under clause 5(d) of rule 20, the Chair announced to the House that, in light of the resignation of the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr. Markey, the whole number of the House is 434.
2:02:31 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:10:25 P.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on July 16, 2013 at 1:25 p.m.: Appointments: World War I Centennial Commission.
2:10:50 P.M.		HIT Policy Committee – Pursuant to section 13101 of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act (Public Law 111-5), the Democratic Leader reappointed Mr. Paul Egerman of Weston, Massachusetts for a term of three years.
2:11:35 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. today.
5:00:20 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 16.
5:01:43 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
5:03:10 P.M.	H.R. 1848	Mr. Petri moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 1848 — “To ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration advances the safety of small airplanes, and the continued development of the general aviation industry, and for other purposes.”
5:03:16 P.M.	H.R. 1848	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:03:18 P.M.	H.R. 1848	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1848.

5:19:56 P.M.	H.R. 1848	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.
5:20:07 P.M.	H.R. 2611	Mr. Petri moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 2611 — “To designate the headquarters building of the Coast Guard on the campus located at 2701 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue Southeast in the District of Columbia as the “Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building”, and for other purposes.”
5:20:37 P.M.	H.R. 2611	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:20:39 P.M.	H.R. 2611	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2611.
5:28:31 P.M.	H.R. 2611	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.
5:28:43 P.M.	H.R. 2576	Mr. Petri moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 2576 — “To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify requirements relating to the availability of pipeline safety regulatory documents, and for other purposes.”
5:28:58 P.M.	H.R. 2576	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:28:59 P.M.	H.R. 2576	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2576.
5:36:59 P.M.	H.R. 2576	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.
5:37:34 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 6:30 p.m. today.

6:30:10 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 16.
6:30:14 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:31:15 P.M.	H.R. 2576	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2576 — “To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify requirements relating to the availability of pipeline safety regulatory documents, and for other purposes.”
6:59:52 P.M.	H.R. 2576	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 – 2 (Roll no. 354).
6:59:52 P.M.	H.R. 2576	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:00:09 P.M.	H.R. 1848	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 1848 — “To ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration advances the safety of small airplanes, and the continued development of the general aviation industry, and for other purposes.”
7:07:31 P.M.	H.R. 1848	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 411 – 0 (Roll no. 355).
7:07:32 P.M.	H.R. 1848	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:08:03 P.M.	H.R. 2611	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2611 — “To designate the headquarters building of the Coast Guard on the campus located at 2701 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue Southeast in the District of Columbia as the “Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building”, and for other purposes.”
7:16:01 P.M.	H.R. 2611	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 411 – 0 (Roll no. 356).
7:16:05 P.M.	H.R. 2611	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:18:17 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
7:31:45 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
8:11:11 P.M.		Mr. Burgess filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 300.
8:12:36 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House resumed with Special Order speeches.