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Have you had enough of lawmakers attacking reproductive rights?


National Women's Law Center
Just in the last few months we’ve seen countless attempts to restrict women’s reproductive health care. Opponents have tacked anti-abortion provisions onto unrelated bills and passed restrictions in special secret, last-minute sessions. They’ve mocked pro-choice protesters by handing them cookies. And they continue to tell women we don’t know what’s best when it comes to our own reproductive health care.
I’ve had enough. Have you?
This August, we’re declaring 31 Days of Unity. It’s a time to come together, join our voices, and tell lawmakers we will not stand for more attacks on our reproductive rights.
This year, despite all the attacks, we’ve seen support for women’s health care grow. There have been inspirational filibusters, rallies across the nation, and unprecedented activism — proving that when our community stands together, we have the power to enact change.
Will you add your voice?
Every day this August, reproductive rights, health, and justice groups across the nation are uniting to call on lawmakers to stop the attacks on equal access to safe, legal, affordable reproductive health care for all women. Together, we know we can make our voices loud enough to be heard.
Raise your voice! Tell lawmakers to end the attacks on reproductive health care.
Summer may be coming to an end, but unless we speak up, attacks on reproductive health care will continue. Demand that your representatives in Congress and in the states defend women’s reproductive health care.
Thank you for all you do.
Sincerely,
Judy Waxman Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National Women’s Law Center
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ACA


Calvin Goings, Regional Administrator Regional Administrator Calvin Goings

Affordable Care Act, Part 2

America’s 28 million small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating two out of every three net new jobs and employing half of America’s workforce. From mom-and-pop stores and restaurants, to high-tech startups and productive manufacturers, small businesses are helping to drive our economy and create jobs in our local communities.

Many small business owners consider their employees to be part of their family, and providing benefits such as health care is one important tool they have to help retain their talented workforce and compete for skilled employees.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is committed to giving small business owners the resources they need to start and grow a business– including access to critical information about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) works.

Under the Affordable Care Act, small employers will have more options.

First, starting January 1st, 2014, small businesses with generally up to 50 full-time equivalent employees will be able to purchase health insurance through the online health insurance marketplace for small businesses, known as SHOP.

The SHOP Marketplace will offer employers a choice of qualified health plans from different private health insurers and make it easier for employers to make side-by-side comparisons between these plans, based on price and benefits.

SHOP also offers employers and their employees access to health insurance plans that must include a package of “Essential Health Benefits” like coverage for doctor visits, preventive care, hospitalization and prescriptions.  Any many small employers may be eligible for tax credits of up to 50% of their premium costs if they choose to purchase coverage through SHOP.

Enrollment starts on October 1st for coverage beginning January 1, 2014.

The Affordable Care Act allows small employers to offer health coverage in a way that makes sense for their business and works for their bottom line. And the SBA is committed to leveraging our resources and federal partnerships to connect you with the facts and resources you need to understand the law.

I hope you have found this information useful.  Please feel free to forward this to your friends and colleagues. If you have comments or questions for me, please contact Connie Marshall in my office at connie.marshall@sba.gov.      Sincerely, Calvin CALVIN W. GOINGS

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Bring Back the Voices of the Xingu!


Amazon WatchHelio Alves da Silva, a fisherman who until recently made his living from the Xingu River.
Bring Back the Voices of the Xingu!Yesterday we sent you Voices of the Xingu, a powerful video collage of voices uniting to stop the Belo Monte dam in the Brazilian Amazon. Did you watch it yet?If you haven’t, stop right now and click here. I’ll wait.

These are the voices, the faces, the people who you are supporting through your support of Amazon Watch. These are the people who have been suffering as the Brazilian government and dam builders Norte Energia have pushed forward the Belo Monte dam project. These are also the people who have been fighting for their rights and for justice in this struggle. We must continue to support and stand with them.

Over 3,000 people joined demonstrations in Altamira calling for Justice Now! and a halt to construction of the Belo Monte dam. But their voices continue to be silenced and ignored. We can help change this!

The dam builders are up against the ropes – they’re facing fines and possible construction delays for violating social and environmental conditions. They’re under investigation for corruption, for harboring an illegal brothel holding underage sex slaves, and they recently admitted that the dam project has gone over budget by $1 billion dollars.

Add your voice to the chorus for justice and help continue to bring support to the frontlines through advocacy, organizing and activism. Amazon Watch is bringing allies together across river basins, proposing viable alternative energy pathways and bringing the world’s attention to issues that the Brazilian government has the responsibility and the power to change now.

So skip the latté or lunch out today, or simply invest in this great effort to bring hope to the people of the Xingu, to people like Helio. Help nurture this active resource that grows as we all chip in together. Give today for a free-flowing Xingu River and the people who depend on it.

For the people of Xingu,

Branden Barber
Branden Barber
Director of Engagement

P.S. I promise you that every dollar you give is going make a difference, add strength to these voices, and help the people of the Xingu stay strong in the face of such challenges.

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