Daily Archives: 10/02/2013

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

What a shutdown means for veterans


VoteVets.org

Add your name to VoteVets’ petition calling
for an end to the government shutdown

The Republican-sponsored government shutdown promises to have a drastic, and immediate, impact on veterans and military family members.

Starting today, the Department of Veterans Affairs may be forced to furlough up to 20,000 claims processors — wiping out all of the recent progress made reducing the backlog.

We could also begin to see immediate lapses in care. During the 1995 shutdown, some military hospitals canceled appointments and even some surgeries.

From there, things only get worse…

The VA believes that after two or three weeks “benefit checks it issues, including disability claims and pension payments will be disrupted.”

Worse still, the toll sequester has already taken on military readiness will be multiplied with each passing day.

But nothing ends this shutdown faster than the voices of veterans and military family members, particularly those personally impacted.

Add your name to mine on VoteVets’ petition calling for an end to the government shutdown, and let them know if you expect it to impact your family.

http://action.votevets.org/shutdown

In their zeal to deny coverage to the one million-plus uninsured veterans who will qualify for health care under the Affordable Care Act, Ted Cruz and his Tea Party allies are disproportionately placing the burden of a shutdown on military families.

We have an extraordinarily unique voice in this fight. It’s critical that you make yours heard today.

All the best,

General (Ret.) Wesley Clark

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell Mars, Inc. to set an example for the Snack Food 20


Ran

by RAN

Today I visited the corporate headquarters of Mars, Inc. with Strawberry, an orphaned orangutan from Indonesia, to let the company know that consumers all across the world want Mars to stop using Conflict Palm Oil in its products.

Tell Mars and the rest of the Snack Food 20 to cut Conflict Palm Oil!
Image Description

Mars and all of the Snack Food 20 companies need to hear from you too!

Unlike some of its fellow Snack Food 20 companies, like Kraft and Smucker’s, Mars is on the move. We have a chance to push Mars, the maker of wildly popular brands like M&Ms, Snickers, and Combos, to become an industry leader in sourcing responsible palm oil.

After RAN put the snack food sector on notice last April, Mars, Inc. responded by strengthening its palm oil commitment. The company has committed to working towards sourcing 100% of its palm oil from traceable sources that are not associated with deforestation, expansion on carbon-rich peatlands and the violation of human and labor rights.

Mars needs to hear from you right now—the power is in your palm! Tell Mars to turn its new commitments into a global palm oil policy and take action to cut Conflict Palm Oil from its products immediately.

At the Mars HQ, Strawberry and I gave representatives of the company a copy of the RAN report Conflict Palm Oil: How US Snack Food Brands are Contributing to Orangutan Extinction, Climate Change and Human Rights Violations and outlined RAN’s demand to cut Conflict Palm Oil. We’re confident the company is getting the message.

But Mars won’t change unless it hears from enough of us that we expect it to cut Conflict Palm Oil from its products. Tell Mars and the rest of the Snack Food 20 to cut Conflict Palm Oil from their products!

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 10/2 ~~ the House


shutdownohnolook

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:30am on Wednesday, October 2, 2013. 

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for debate only until noon with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

The period for morning business for debate only has been extended until 2:00pm.

There period for morning business has been extended until 5:00pm.

Senator Toomey asked that the Murray request (found below) be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a budget conference report that includes reconciliation instructions to raise the debt limit and to go to conference on the continuing resolution.

Senator Murray declined to modify her request and Senator Toomey objected to the original request.

UC Request

Murray:           I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate receives a Message from the House that they have passed H.J.Res.59, as amended by the Senate, the Senate then proceed to the consideration of     Calendar #33, H.Con.Res.25; that the amendment which is at the desk, the text of S.Con.Res.8, the budget resolution passed by the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; that H.Con.Res.25, as amended, be agreed to; the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the Senate proceed to vote on a motion to insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses; and authorize the Chair to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate; with all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate.

Toomey:          I object

The Senate reached an agreement that if the Senate receives a bill from the House which is identical to S.1566, a bill providing a short term extension of Iraq special immigrant visas, as passed by the Senate, then the bill be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

 

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

If the Senate receives a bill from the House which is identical to S.1566, a bill providing for a short-term extension of Iraq special immigrant visas, as passed by the Senate, the bill will be passed by the Senate.

If the Senate receives from the House any of the following joint resolutions or bills by 11:00am on Thursday, October 3rd, the measures will be placed on the Legislative Calendar under the provisions of Rule 14 during Thursday’s session:

–          H.J.Res.70, Open Our National Parks and Museums Act

–          H.J.Res.71, Provide Local Funding the District of Columbia Act

–          H.J.Res.72, Honoring Our Promise to America’s Veterans Act

–          H.J.Res.73, Research for Lifesaving Cures Act and

–          H.R.3230, Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Last Floor Action:
10:01:10 A.M. – MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate.

At the conclusion of Morning-Hour Debate, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

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