From the ASPR Blog: Securing health at our nation’s most symbolic events
Last week, hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall to celebrate the 4th of July. People saw the fireworks and the moving performances, but they didn’t see what goes on behind-the-scenes. The work that goes into protecting the health of those attending and working at these events is extensive. ASPR takes many variables into consideration as we plan to protect people’s health as they celebrate. Learn More >>
CDC Suspects Female-to-Male Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus
A routine investigation by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has identified the first suspected case of sexual transmission of the Zika virus from a female to her male partner. CDC’s current guidance on preventing sexual transmission of Zika virus is based on the assumption that transmission occurs from a male partner to his partner. Ongoing surveillance is needed to determine the risk for transmission of Zika virus infection from a female to her sexual partners. Learn More >>
Zika Virus Response Planning: Interim Guidance for Schools
What happens if Zika transmission happens at your child’s school? Does the school have a plan? CDC has issued guidance to help address concerns about the risk for Zika virus infection in K–12 schools in the continental United States and Hawaii. As part of this guidance, CDC provides school districts with information for planning school-related activities, and recommend actions that can be taken to reduce the potential risk for Zika virus transmission at school and among students. Learn More >>
Save the Date: Youth Preparedness Council Summit Goes Live
Got questions about youth preparedness? Just ask! Youth Preparedness Council members will answer your questions live from the Youth Preparedness Council Summit!
On Wednesday, July 20 at 11:45 AM ET, FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council members will broadcast on Facebook Live and Periscope from the 2016 Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, DC.
From the ACL Blog: Be Prepared for Extreme Heat
As summer is upon us, it is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for extreme heat. Whether you are an older adult, an individual with a disability, or a family member caring for a loved one with functional needs, each person’s requirements and abilities are unique. During periods of extreme heat, every individual can take important steps to put plans in place and prepare for potential risks, such as power outages. Find out how you can evaluate your own personal needs and making an emergency plan. Learn More >>
Donald Trump Will Be Joined By Other Extremists At Next Week’s Convention
With a racist, misogynist reality TV star Donald Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee, it was always likely that the upcoming Republican National Convention would be extreme. And now, after the Republican National Committee released a partial list of the people who will speak at next week’s convention—which is full of anti-immigrant, anti-abortion, and pro-NRA speakers—it is almost certainly guaranteed that next week’s Republican National Convention will be as extreme as its headliner Donald Trump.
Below is an overview of the RNC’s extreme speakers from Think Progress’s Josh Israel. For an analysis of more of the speakers, check out his full article inThink Progress:
Pam Bondi, Florida’s Republican attorney general: Bondi’s relationship with Trump has drawn criticism from ethicswatchdogs and state newspapers. Four days after she announced she might join an investigation into Trump University, one of Trump’s family foundations gave $25,000 to a group supporting Bondi’s re-election. Soon after, she announced she would not pursue a lawsuit.
David Clarke: The African American sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, and nominally a Democrat, Clarke has emerged as the go-to critic of the Black Lives Matter movement. He has called groups protesting the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri “vultures on a road side carcass” and claimed that homes with single mothers were the real cause of police shootings of black men. Clarke has also predicted that Black Lives Matter “will join forces with ISIS” to bring down the United States. A strong gun-rights advocate, he has also proposed adding a semi-automatic rifle to the nation’s seal.
Chris Cox, the chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association: Cox is a staunch opponent of efforts to reduce gun violence and haswarned that those lawmakers who seek to blame his organization for the epidemic of gun violence “will pay a price for it.” At his group’s May convention, he made a series of sexist attacks on Hillary Clinton, calling her a “horse” and playing an out-of-context video of her barking.
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor: Huckabee is best known for his staunch opposition to LGBT rights, claiming marriage equality will lead to legalized polygamy and prostitution. He emerged last year as achief defender of Rowan County, Kentucky clerk Kim Davis and her illegal refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples,comparing her to Abraham Lincoln. He also has suggested using federal troops to stop women from accessing abortions, claimed that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be “appalled” by the Black Lives Matter movement, and warned that some immigrants only come to America “because they heard there is a bowl of food just across the border.”
Jeff Sessions, U.S. Senator from Alabama: Before being elected a Republican U.S. Senator from Alabama, Jeff Sessions was a rejected nominee for a federal judgeship. The reason: senators were concerned about his history of racially insensitive remarks, including reportedlycalling the NAACP an “un-American” and “Communist-inspired” organization that “forced civil rights down the throats of people.” Today, he uses his perch in the Senate to attackimmigrants, who he says “create culture problems.”
BOTTOM LINE: Between their presidential nominee and their cast of speakers, the Republican National Convention will likely be full of extremism. TNow more than ever, the United States needs its leaders to demonstrate that they’re committed to uniting the country, not spreading more hate and fear.
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