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Orangutans

Over the past months, I’ve been working on a report documenting the practices of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK), one of the most notorious producers of Conflict Palm Oil on the planet. I knew when I started that KLK’s practices were devastating, but nothing could have prepared me for what RAN has uncovered.

The sheer magnitude of the abuse that KLK has engaged in—from destruction of pristine tropical forest in Indonesia, to attempted land grabs from Indigenous communities in remote areas of the island of Papua New Guinea, to outright slavery and child labor—was shocking.

The worst part? Cargill is buying palm oil from KLK and then selling it to consumer product companies that make some of the most popular brand-name products in the world.

The expanse of this egregious behavior is breathtaking. And unfortunately, due to the murky world of palm oil traders and suppliers, KLK is able to continue to operate with absolute impunity while major traders like Cargill continue to purchase the palm oil it produces to sell to food manufacturers in the United States and around the world.

Tell Cargill’s new CEO, David MacLennan, that it’s time for his company to cut Conflict Palm Oil from its supply chains.

As long as Cargill continues to purchase Conflict Palm Oil, no questions asked, from reprehensible companies like KLK, KLK and its peers have absolutely no motivation to change. Why stop using child labor or stealing land when nobody is holding them accountable?

This has to change, and it will with your help.

Cargill needs to implement a responsible palm oil sourcing policy that blacklists any company that produces Conflict Palm Oil and engages in horrific human rights abuses immediately. Time is running out. Cargill is lagging behind other traders that have realized that business as usual is no longer tenable.

Tell Cargill that its dirty secret of cheap Conflict Palm Oil is out, and you won’t tolerate the human rights abuses from Cargill’s trading operations and partners.

Please send your message to Cargill’s new CEO. It’s crucial that Cargill hears from you.

 

For the forests and the people that call them home,

Robin Averbeck
Senior Forest Campaigner

Restore Our National Parks


Our national parks have seen several years of cuts and declining funds. President Obama recently introduced the Centennial Initiative to restore national parks, but it needs Congressional support.
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the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 4/3 ~~ the House


matthew 25

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Thursday, April 3, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3979, the legislative vehicle for the Unemployment Insurance Extension Act.

 The time during adjournment will count post-cloture on the Reed amendment #2874.

 We hope to reach an agreement on the Unemployment Insurance bill as well as some Executive nominations during Thursday’s session.

The Senate has reached an agreement on H.R.3979, the legislative vehicle for the Unemployment Insurance Extension bill.  Under the agreement, there will be up to 3 roll call votes (2 expected) at 2:30pm today and one roll call vote at 5:30pm on Monday.  The details of the agreement are below.

 

At 2:30pm today, all post-cloture time on the Reed amendment #2874 will be considered expired. The following amendments will be withdrawn: #2875, #2877 and #2878.

 

Senator Sessions or his designee will then be recognized to raise a budget point of order against the Reed amendment #2874; once the budget point of order is raised, Senator Murray or her designee will be recognized to make a motion to waive.

 

At 2:30pm today, there will be up to 3 roll call votes (2 expected):

1)      Murray or designee motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Reed amendment #2874 (60-vote threshold)

2)      If the motion is successful (which is expected), adoption of the Reed amendment #2874, as amended, if amended (expected voice vote)

3)      Motion to invoke cloture on H.R.3979, as amended, if amended (60-vote threshold)

 

If cloture is invoked on H.R.3979, all post-cloture time will be expired at 5:30pm on Monday, April 7th and the Senate will vote on passage of H.R.3979, as amended, if amended.

2:33pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Murray motion to waive the Sessions Budget point of order;

Agreed To: 60-36

The motion to waive the Budget point of order was agreed to 60-37. The Senate then agreed to Reed amendment #2874 by voice vote.

 

At 3:02pm, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on H.R.3979, Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension Act;

Invoked: 61-35

This will be the last vote of the week. The next vote will be at 5:30pm on Monday, April 7. That vote will be on passage of H.R.3979, as amended.

Senator Walsh asked unanimous consent to take up and pass H.R.2559 and S.255, as amended with the Committee-reported amendment. Senator Toomey objected to both requests on behalf of Senators Cruz and Coburn.

 

H.R.2559, To withdraw certain Federal land and interests in that land from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws and to preserve existing uses.

 

S.255, A bill to withdraw certain Federal land and interests in that land from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and disposition under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws.

The Senate ratified the following fisheries treaties by division votes:

 

112-4 Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Un reported, and Unregulated Fishing

113-1  Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean

113-2  Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean

113-3 Amendment to the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

The Senate ratified the following fisheries treaties by division votes:

 

112-4 Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Un reported, and Unregulated Fishing

113-1  Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean

113-2  Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean

113-3 Amendment to the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

The Senate passed S.404, Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, as amended with the Committee-reported amendment.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Murray motion to waive on the Sessions Budget point of order with respect to the Reed substitute amendment #2874 to H.R.3979; Waived: 60-37

2)     Motion to invoke cloture on H.R.3979, the legislative vehicle for the Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension Act, as amended; Invoked: 61-35

 

Additional Legislative items

Passed S.404, a bill to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmi National Forest with a committee-reported amendment.

 

Adopted S.Res.384, A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the humanitarian crisis in Syria and neighboring countries, resulting humanitarian and development challenges, and the urgent need for a political solution to the crisis by voice vote.

 

Discharged the Judiciary committee and adopted S.Res.394, designating April 5, 2014, as “Gold Star Wives Day”.

 

Adopted H.Con.Res.88, to authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

 

Executive items

Ratified the following treaties by division vote:

Executive Calendar #1, treaty document #112-4, Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Un reported, and Unregulated Fishing

Executive Calendar #2, treaty document #113-1, Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean

Executive Calendar #3, treaty document #113-2, Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean

Executive Calendar #4, treaty document #113-3, Amendment to the Convention on Furure Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

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