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This holiday season, let’s fix our kids’ schools
This holiday season, Earth Day Network is working to protect over 50 million children at our nation’s K-12 schools, and we are asking for your help.
Studies prove that a green and healthy school means higher test scores, less violence, high teacher retention, fewer sick days, and children who are more optimistic about life. That’s why Earth Day Network has made a commitment to green every school in America.
In 2014, with your generous donation, we will:
- Install solar on thousands of schools to reduce energy; teach kids about green technologies; and reduce schools’ energy bills.
- Bring healthier foods to hundreds of low-income school districts and work with their parents and communities to ensure that our kids are eating right every day.
- Bring environmental and civic education to thousands of schools to teach our kids about the challenges and opportunities that climate change and other environmental issues present.
We’re working in cities and towns across the US to build cleaner, greener, more efficient schools and we need your help. For every dollar you donate Earth Day Network will work around the clock to make sure our children inherit the future they deserve.
Thank you for your support! Happy holidays from Earth Day Network.
PS. Check out our special gifts with every donation
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A gift that can save a life
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the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 12/20 ~~ the House
The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:00am on Friday, December 20, 2013.
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, post-cloture. There will be one hour of post-cloture debate remaining, equally divided and controlled between Senators Carper and Coburn.
At approximately 10:15am, there will be 6 roll call votes:
– Confirmation of the Mayorkas nomination,
– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue
– Confirmation of the Koskinen nomination
– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
– Confirmation of the Davis nomination and
– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #452, Janet Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
At approximately 10:03am this morning, there will be 6 roll call votes:
1) Confirmation of the Mayorkas nomination,
Live quorum
2) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue
3) Confirmation of the Koskinen nomination
Live quorum
4) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
5) Confirmation of the Davis nomination and
Live quorum
6) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #452, Janet Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
9:45am The Senate began a 15-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, of DC, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; Confirmed: 54-41
10:22am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Invoked: 56-39
10:38am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue Confirmed: 59-36
10:52am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
Invoked: 56-36 with 2 Senators voting present
11:09am The Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Confirmed: 68-26
11:25am The Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #452, the nomination of Janet Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve;
Invoked: 59-34
Under the previous order, the vote on confirmation of the nomination will occur at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, on Monday, January 6, 2014.
The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
Senator Durbin moved to proceed to Calendar #265, S.1845, A bill to provide for the extension of certain unemployment benefits, and for other purposes. He then filed cloture on the motion to proceed. Senators will be notified when the vote is scheduled.
Senator Schumer asked unanimous consent the Senate up and pass S.1882, a bill to extend the exclusion from income for employer-provided mass transit and parking benefit.
Senator Hatched asked the request be modified and that the bill be referred to the Finance Committee.
Senator Schumer objected to the modification and Senator Hatch objected to the original request.
Senator Durbin asked unanimous consent that all nominations received by the Senate during the 113th Congress, First Session, remain in status quo notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 31, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
Senator Graham objected.
By unanimous consent, the Senate confirmed the following military nominations and all nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Air Force, Army, and Navy:
AIR FORCE
#460 Brig. Gen. Paul S. Dwan – to be Major General
#461 To be Major General-
Brigadier General Catherine A. Chilton
Brigadier General Stayce D. Harris
Brigadier General William B. Waldrop, Jr.
Brigadier General Tommy J. Williams
#462 Col. Josef F. Schmid, III – to be Brigadier General
#463 To be Brigadier General-
Colonel Talentino C. Angelosante
Colonel James R. Barkley
Colonel Thomas G. Clark
Colonel Michael J. Cole
Colonel Samuel C. Mahaney
Colonel Brett J. McMullen
Colonel Jose R. Monteagudo
Colonel Randall A. Ogden
Colonel John P. Stokes
Colonel Stephen D. Vautrain
#464 Col. Stephen E. Rader – to be Brigadier General
#465 Col. Michael T. McGuire – to be Brigadier General
#466 Maj. Gen. John W. Raymond – to be Lieutenant General
ARMY
#467 Brigadier General Charles A. Flynn – to be Major General
#468 Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins – to be General
#469 To be Brigadier General-
Colonel James T. Iacocca
Colonel Daniel G. Mitchell
Colonel Kurt L. Sonntag
#470 Col. Anthony L. Hall – to be Brigadier General
#471 Col. Paul S. Wilson – to be Brigadier General, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
#472 Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell – to be Lieutenant General
#473 Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson – to be Lieutenant General
NAVY
#474 Rear Adm. (lh) Rebecca J. McCormick-Boyle – to be Rear Admiral
#475 Vice Adm. Michelle J. Howard – to be Admiral
#476 Adm. Mark E. Ferguson, III – to be Admiral
#477 Rear Adm. Joseph P. Mulloy – to be Vice Admiral
The Senate discharged the Commerce Committee from further consideration and confirmed the following nominations:
PN877 – To be Rear Admiral (Lower Half); Coast Guard
Capt. Francis S. Pelkowski
PN878 – All to be Rear Admiral (Lower Half); Coast Guard
Capt. Meredith L. Austin Capt. Peter W. Gautier Capt. Michael J. Haycock Capt. James M. Heinz Capt. Kevin E. Lunday Capt. Todd A. Sokalzuk Capt. Paul F. Thomas
WRAP UP
Roll Call Votes
1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; Confirmed: 54-41
2) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Invoked: 56-39
3) Confirmation of the Koskinen nomination; Confirmed: 59-36
4) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida; Invoked: 56-36 (2 Present)
5) Confirmation of the Davis nomination; Confirmed: 68-26
6) Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #452, Janet Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Invoked: 59-34
Legislative items
Passed H.R.3343, to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to clarify the rules regarding the determination of the compensation of the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia.
Passed H.R.3487, the FEC Administrative Fines Program Extension.
Adopted S.Res.75, condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha’l minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights with committee-reported amendments to the resolution and the preamble.
Adopted S.Res.325, designating the week of December 22 through December 28, 2013, as “National Toy Week”.
Adopted S.Res.326, Congratulating the 2013 Southern New Hampshire University men’s soccer team on winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Men’s Soccer Championship.
Adopted S.Res.327, Congratulating Sporting Kansas City for an outstanding 2013 season in Major League and for winning the Major League Soccer Cup 2013.
Adopted S.Con.Res.30, the adjournment resolution.
Completed the Rule 14 process of:
– S.1859, a bill to amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions and for other purposes. (Reid)
– S.1881, a bill to expand sanctions imposed with respect to Iran and to impose additional sanctions with respect to Iran and for other purposes. (Menendez)
Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.2109, to eliminate taxpayer financing of political party conventions and reprogram savings to provide for a 10-year pediatric research initiative through the Common Fund administered by the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.
Indefinitely postponed H.Con.Res.72, Providing for corrections to the enrollment of H.J.Res.59 and H.R.219, the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013.
Executive items
Discharged the Commerce Committee and confirmed:
PN877 – To be Rear Admiral (Lower Half); Coast Guard
Capt. Francis S. Pelkowski
PN878 – All to be Rear Admiral (Lower Half); Coast Guard
Capt. Meredith L. Austin
Capt. Peter W. Gautier
Capt. Michael J. Haycock
Capt. James M. Heinz
Capt. Kevin E. Lunday
Capt. Todd A. Sokalzuk
Capt. Paul F. Thomas
Confirmed all nominations on the Secretary’s desk in the Air Force, Army and Navy and the following items:
AIR FORCE
#460 Brig. Gen. Paul S. Dwan – to be Major General
#461 To be Major General-
Brigadier General Catherine A. Chilton
Brigadier General Stayce D. Harris
Brigadier General William B. Waldrop, Jr.
Brigadier General Tommy J. Williams
#462 Col. Josef F. Schmid, III – to be Brigadier General
#463 To be Brigadier General-
Colonel Talentino C. Angelosante
Colonel James R. Barkley
Colonel Thomas G. Clark
Colonel Michael J. Cole
Colonel Samuel C. Mahaney
Colonel Brett J. McMullen
Colonel Jose R. Monteagudo
Colonel Randall A. Ogden
Colonel John P. Stokes
Colonel Stephen D. Vautrain
#464 Col. Stephen E. Rader – to be Brigadier General
#465 Col. Michael T. McGuire – to be Brigadier General
#466 Maj. Gen. John W. Raymond – to be Lieutenant General
ARMY
#467 Brigadier General Charles A. Flynn – to be Major General
#468 Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins – to be General
#469 To be Brigadier General-
Colonel James T. Iacocca
Colonel Daniel G. Mitchell
Colonel Kurt L. Sonntag
#470 Col. Anthony L. Hall – to be Brigadier General
#471 Col. Paul S. Wilson – to be Brigadier General, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
#472 Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell – to be Lieutenant General
#473 Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson – to be Lieutenant General
NAVY
#474 Rear Adm. (lh) Rebecca J. McCormick-Boyle – to be Rear Admiral
#475 Vice Adm. Michelle J. Howard – to be Admiral
#476 Adm. Mark E. Ferguson, III – to be Admiral
#477 Rear Adm. Joseph P. Mulloy – to be Vice Admiral
======================================================
Last Floor Action:12/19
11:05:00 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn pursuant to H. Res. 438.
The next meeting is
scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on December 23, 2013.
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My dad needs your help
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Amnesty for my father Kenneth Bae, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in a North Korean Special Labor Camp |
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My father Kenneth Bae, an American citizen, is being imprisoned in a North Korea (DPRK) labor camp. Please sign my petition to free him now.
My father—like any other American father—was working hard to provide for his family. Through his tour company that he started, he was able to show the natural beauty of North Korea to many. My father was arrested on November 3, 2012 while working as a tour operator in Rason (Rajin-Sonbong), one of North Korea’s special economic zones for foreign investors. My father is a good man with the biggest heart for the people and nation of North Korea, and now he has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for what the DPRK identified as anti-government activities.
On July 3, 2013, the eve of two important events—America’s Independence Day and my grandfather’s 70th birthday—a video of my father was released from the North Korean labor camp. My family was shocked to see him! He had lost a significant amount of weight, and his time in prison has clearly taken a toll on his health—and this was only two months into his 15-year sentence. The video showed my father working eight hours of physical labor in the fields, plowing and farming six days a week. He has chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart problems and back pain, which require close monitoring and medical treatment. We don’t know how quickly his health will deteriorate and how much longer his body can withstand the impact of the labor camp.
In my father’s prison interview, he asked for help from the United States government. He tells us that the only way to bring him home will be for the United States government to take more proactive action to secure Special Amnesty from the DPRK. My father had hopes of being home to celebrate his father’s 70th birthday, which was on the Fourth of July. I can only imagine that his hope now is to make it through another day, one day at a time until he is finally reunited with his family.
My family and I have hopes, too. We have been distraught by my father’s deteriorating health and his sentence of hard labor. However, we have not given up hope because we have faith in our government to represent and protect American citizens here and abroad.
Please sign my petition asking the Obama Administration to pursue every course of possible action, without delay, to secure Special Amnesty for my father and allow him to come home to his family and friends.
Be a Seed for Change 
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