You Have Right to Know if You’re Eating Genetically Engineered Foods
Tell the FDA to Require GMO Labeling on Nutrition Labels!

You Deserve the Right to Know What’s In Your Food

Tell the FDA to include GMO Labeling on the New Nutrition Labels!

Recently Vermont became the first state to require genetically engineered (GMO) foods to be labeled!

This is a huge victory: it makes Vermont the first state to require labels on GMOs and thus gives consumers the right to know what they’re eating. It also puts their neighbors in Connecticut and Maine that much closer to meeting their own requirements for labeling. Meanwhile, ballot initiatives to label GMOs are heating up for the fall in Oregon and Colorado, and the movement to label genetically engineered foods at the state level has never been stronger!

It’s great that people in these states will soon know what’s in their food, but what about the rest of us? Tell the FDA to include genetically engineered ingredient labeling on the new nutrition labels!

So why should we even care if we’re eating GMOs? Well, genetically engineered crops have been altered in a way that could never happen in nature. Companies like Monsanto and Dow (chemical companies) take genes from one plant, animal or virus, and shoot it into the DNA of another organism, like taking genes from a fish, and inserting them into a tomato. This is drastically different than how crops have been adapted since the beginning of human civilization, and these genetically engineered crops have been largely untested, and are unregulated by the U.S. government. They could have higher rates of allergenicity, and have unintended consequences for people and the environment.

Many other countries around the world ban or limit GMO foods entirely, and 64 countries including Russia, China, Japan, Australia, and the countries of the European Union all require labeling. So why doesn’t the U.S. have a federal labeling law?

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), with about 300 member companies like Monsanto, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Smithfield, represents the largest food, beverage and biotech companies, and has spent $54.7 million (on behalf of its Big Ag members) to defeat ballot initiatives on labeling genetically engineered foods in California and Washington. Instead of taking this fight state by state, the GMA would like to pass a bill through Congress that will stop all genetically engineered food labels nationally, and they’ve got a lot of money from their corporate members to spend to try to pass their bill.

The good news is, the Food & Drug Administration has the authority to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered ingredients, and they could do it now. They’re already considering new content and designs on the nutrition labels that are required on every food package, and they could just include a requirement to label genetically engineered ingredients. We know that more than 90% of people want labeling on foods that contain GMO ingredients, and recently more than 20 states have considered their own labeling laws, so it’s time for the FDA to require GMO labels on all foods in the U.S.!

The FDA is accepting comments until June 3. Please take action now to let the FDA know that you want labels on all genetically engineered foods.

Thanks for taking action,

Sarah Alexander
Deputy Organizing Director
Food & Water Watch
act(at)fwwatch(dot)org

Monsanto, Nestlé, Dow and Pepsi don’t want genetically engineered foods to be labeled, but more than 90% of Americans do.

The Food and Drug Administration could require mandatory GMO labeling as part of their new nutrition label, and give people the right to know what’s in their food.

Please join Food & Water Watch in telling FDA to require labeling of all genetically engineered ingredients on the new nutrition label.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

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Progressive Breakfast: Rigging the Rules: The Next Corporate Sting

02/02/2015 Nativegrl77

MORNING MESSAGE

Robert Borosage

Rigging the Rules: The Next Corporate Sting

Global corporations have managed to create a perverse tax dodge in the U.S. tax code. Any profits they make or report abroad can be squirreled away – deferred – tax-free until they are “repatriated” – brought back for use in the U.S. … Then they lobby fiercely for a one-time tax “holiday” to bring the money back home, promising it will produce jobs and investment … Corporations want a tax holiday; the country desperately needs to rebuild its infrastructure. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to plot the new sting … The president [in his budget] has accepted the principle of a tax holiday to pay for badly needed infrastructure spending. Now the question is simply a matter of price … This is how the rules get rigged.

Obama Seeks Corporate Tax-Infrastructure Deal

Obama budget proposes multinational tax break tied to funding infrastructure. Bloomberg:“President Barack Obama will propose that U.S.-based companies pay a minimum 19 percent tax on their future foreign earnings … Obama will also seek a 14 percent mandatory tax on about $2 trillion in stockpiled offshore profits … creating a revenue stream the president would use to pay for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects … Obama is offering U.S. companies the kind of system they have sought — one with lower corporate marginal tax rates and with future foreign profits subject to little or no extra U.S. tax when brought home. However, he’s offering to do so on terms that are less favorable than companies would want…”

Obama proposes more infrastructure than in previous proposals. WSJ:“Mr. Obama’s corporate tax proposal … would pay for part of a six-year, $478 billion infrastructure upgrade … The plan represents a significant expansion of Mr. Obama’s previous four-year, $300 billion infrastructure proposal. He also seeks more revenue from U.S. multinationals to pay for it—about $238 billion, compared with about $150 billion last year.”

Republicans reject. W. Post:“…Michael Steel, a Boehner spokesman, expressed skepticism Sunday about Obama’s infrastructure proposal. ‘Everyone agrees that we need to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, but absent real tax reform, this sounds like a tax hike that will cost more American jobs,’ he said …”

Obama Budget Ends Deficit-Cutting Obsession

Budget maintains size of deficit. NYT:“The deficit number would creep up each year, to $687 billion by 2025. But measured against the economy, the deficit would remain stable. The debt, while growing every year, would creep down to 73.3 percent of the gross domestic product in 2025 from 75 percent this year and next. Those levels are higher than at any time in the nation’s history except for World War II and its immediate aftermath.”

Sets up fight with Republicans. Bloomberg:“The plan challenges Republicans to make politically thorny choices between defending current tax rates for the wealthy and Obama’s proposals to boost spending for the middle class, the Pentagon and companies that build domestic infrastructure.”

“Obama’s new budget will put pressure on Republicans” says W. Post’s E. J. Dionne:“…the Republicans are [now] responsible for passing a budget through two houses of Congress, so differences within the GOP that could be finessed in the past will have to be dealt with openly … The president is aware that the most damaging alliance in Washington has been the one between establishment deficit hawks [and] Republican conservatives … The president will call this bluff by putting $1.8 trillion in long-term deficit reduction on the table. But most of it will come on the revenue side…”

NYT’s Paul Krugman hopeful budget will end obsession with austerity:“Faced with mass unemployment and the enormous waste it entails, for years the Beltway elite devoted almost all their energy not to promoting recovery, but to Bowles-Simpsonism … it’s refreshing to see signs that Mr. Obama is willing to break with the long-termers and focus on the here and now.”

Higher Capital Gains Taxes, More Child Care

Obama budget seeks higher capital gains taxes. Politico:“Obama’s budget will be full of nonstarters for Republicans … including the higher capital gains tax rate and the closing of what White House officials call the ‘trust fund loophole,’ a provision that allows huge amounts of inherited capital gains to go untaxed.”

And proposes to transform child care. HuffPost’s Jonathan Cohn:“Obama’s budget will call for a set of targeted tax breaks and spending initiatives for working families that would represent a commitment of more than $200 billion over 10 years … the federal government would provide matching funds to states that set up programs to provide 3- and 4-year-olds with day care … [and] increase the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit … tripl[ing] the allowance and let[ting] more families claim it.”

But also tries to entice Republicans into breaking budget caps. Politico:“…Obama has crafted his numbers so that two-thirds of the additional money would go to defense, veterans and international affairs — all priorities for key Republican players on the Senate Budget Committee …. the president’s new populist rhetoric about ‘middle-class economics’ seems to apply more to how he would pay for the new appropriations — not the spending itself.”

Black History

the Senate ~ CONGRESS 2/2 ~ the House

02/02/2015 Nativegrl77

When #114thCongressionalReality sets in:

#MidtermsMatter and #WeThePeople continue to get sold out

The Senate stands adjourned until 4:00pm on Monday, February 2, 2015.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 4:30pm with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each and with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees. At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #6, H.R.203, Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. The time until 5:30pm will be equally divided in the usual form. At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to vote on passage of the bill.

This morning Senator McConnell moved to proceed to Calendar #5, H.R.240, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and filed cloture on the motion.

By consent, the cloture vote will occur at 2:30pm on Tuesday, February 3. If cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time will be yielded back and the Senate would proceed to a vote on the motion to proceed to the bill.

Monday, February 2, 2015—5:30pm:

Passage of H.R.203, Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015—2:30pm:

Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.240, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015; and, if cloture is invoked,
Motion to proceed to H.R.240.

The previous order with respect to H.R.203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, has been modified so that the Senate proceed to its consideration of the bill at 11:00am on Tuesday, February 3. At 11:00am tomorrow, there will be 1 hour for debate equally divided prior to a vote on passage of the bill.

Tuesday, February 3

Approximately 12:00 noon (may be moved to 12:15pm):

Passage of H.R.203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

2:30pm:

Cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.240, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations

Tuesday, February 3

Approximately 12:00 noon (may be moved to 12:15pm):

Passage of H.R.203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

2:30pm:

Cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.240, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

Legislative Business

Adopted S.Res.62, designates the week beginning on February 8, 2015, as “National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week”

Began the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business S.338, Reauthorize Land and Water Conservation Fund (Burr)

Began the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business S.339, ObamaCare Repeal Act (Cruz)

Executive Business

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Last Floor Action:
8:45:07 P.M. – The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 3, 2015.

Last Floor Action:
2:27:08 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess.

The next meeting is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. today.

Last Floor Action:
2:04:35 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on February 2, 2015.

12:00:20 P.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:25 P.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Tom Emmer to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:00:52 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.
12:19:05 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 February 2.
2:00:24 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:01:46 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
2:01:48 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Foxx to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:34 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:09:52 P.M.		The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting hard copy volumes of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget – referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 114-3).
2:27:08 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. today.

5:04:15 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 2.
5:04:21 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
5:04:31 P.M.	H.R. 361	Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 361 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify authority under existing grant guidance authorizing use of Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for enhancing medical preparedness, medical surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities.”
5:04:58 P.M.	H.R. 361	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:04:59 P.M.	H.R. 361	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 361.
5:19:09 P.M.	H.R. 361	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.
5:19:25 P.M.	H.R. 615	Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 615 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take administrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable communications capabilities among the components of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.”
5:19:40 P.M.	H.R. 615	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:19:43 P.M.	H.R. 615	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 615.
5:36:32 P.M.	H.R. 615	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.
5:37:00 P.M.	H.R. 623	Mrs. Brooks (IN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 623 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to establish a social media working group, and for other purposes.”
5:37:16 P.M.	H.R. 623	Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:37:18 P.M.	H.R. 623	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 623.
5:54:52 P.M.	H.R. 623	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.
5:55:14 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 P.M. today.
6:31:48 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of February 2.
6:31:53 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business would be on motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:32:31 P.M.	H.R. 361	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 361 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify authority under existing grant guidance authorizing use of Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for enhancing medical preparedness, medical surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities.”
6:59:56 P.M.	H.R. 361	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 377 – 2 (Roll no. 51).
6:59:56 P.M.	H.R. 361	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:00:06 P.M.	H.R. 615	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 615 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take administrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable communications capabilities among the components of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.”
7:07:45 P.M.	H.R. 615	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 379 – 0 (Roll no. 52).
7:07:45 P.M.	H.R. 615	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:07:52 P.M.	H.R. 623	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 623 — “To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to establish a social media working group, and for other purposes.”
7:16:42 P.M.	H.R. 623	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 328 – 51 (Roll no. 53).
7:16:42 P.M.	H.R. 623	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:17:08 P.M.		Mr. Sessions filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 70.
7:17:55 P.M.	H. Res. 71	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 71 — “Electing Members to a certain standing committee of the House of Representatives.”
7:18:05 P.M.	H. Res. 71	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
7:18:08 P.M.	H. Res. 71	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:18:25 P.M.	H. Con. Res. 12	Mr. Davis, Rodney asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
7:18:27 P.M.	H. Con. Res. 12	Considered by unanimous consent. H. Con. Res. 12 — “Authorizing the use of the rotunda of the United States Capitol for a ceremony to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Jack Nicklaus.”
7:18:54 P.M.	H. Con. Res. 12	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
7:18:58 P.M.	H. Con. Res. 12	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
7:19:15 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
7:27:43 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
8:45:05 P.M.		Mrs. Beatty moved that the House do now adjourn.
8:45:06 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
8:45:07 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 3, 2015.

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Astronomy Events – February 2015

02/02/2015 Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

BREAKING NEWS: Our fight to protect walruses in the Arctic

02/01/2015 Nativegrl77

Stop Shell Oil from harming walruses in the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea!

In recent weeks, 35,000 walruses were observed crowded together on Alaska’s Arctic coast—forced ashore because their sea ice home is literally melting away. (Corey Accardo / NOAA)

Chip in to support our critical efforts in court.

Their homes are literally melting away due to extreme climate change. They’re being forced ashore, where they are far from food and vulnerable to injury. Their calves are dying in stampedes caused by disturbances at these coastal aggregations.

And now our government is giving Shell Oil and other oil companies the green light to drill and conduct deafening seismic surveying in their home, chasing them from feeding and resting areas and adding to their mounting misfortunes. Will you help us fight back?

Walruses are the Arctic’s canary in a coal mine. And now more than ever, they are struggling to survive.

Recently my team and I filed a lawsuit to challenge a U.S. Fish and Wildlife rule permitting companies like Shell Oil to harm Pacific walruses during reckless Arctic Ocean oil drilling. Help us see this fight through.

Make a tax-deductible gift today to support our efforts in court.

Pacific walruses—which the government has determined need protection under the Endangered Species Act—depend on Chukchi Sea ice in the spring and summer for resting, raising their young, feeding, and avoiding predators. But in recent years this sea ice has shrunk substantially—and with it, much of the walruses’ prime habitat.

Now Big Oil wants to drill offshore and disturb these majestic creatures with seismic testing; risky, dirty, and loud drilling; ice-breaking; and airplane and helicopter use during the time of year they’re most vulnerable, and in the region most critical to their survival.

Adding insult to injury, the drilling would accelerate climate change, which is already putting this species at risk.

We at Earthjustice are doing everything we can to fight back and save walruses from oil drilling and the worst effects of climate change, but we need you to stand with us.

Together we can fight back.

In 2012, Arctic sea ice shattered previous low records, covering only about half the area covered on average from 1981 to 2010. The extent of Arctic sea ice is declining faster than predicted, in a dramatic change that is a major stress on walruses.

Without sea ice, walruses are flocking to land in large numbers, where food becomes scarce. Loud noises or disturbances can cause herds to become alarmed and stampede into the water, trampling and killing small walruses and baby calves in the process. Reckless and irresponsible oil development could make things much worse.

Walruses are struggling—they need a good lawyer. We’re fighting multiple battles to stop reckless and irresponsible drilling in the Arctic. Help us win this and other critical fights!

Thank you for all that you do,