~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A climate presentati​on in your hometown …


The Climate Reality Project

We couldn’t be more excited. People from all over the world have told us they want to work in their community to help solve the climate crisis. And we are responding. Today, I invite you to join us and host a climate presentation where you live.

Our Chairman and Founder, former Vice President Al Gore, has personally trained more than 3,000 people to deliver a multimedia presentation based on our worldwide event, 24 Hours of Reality. This is a powerful story about how climate change is affecting us now and what we can do to solve it. People across the globe have asked to bring a Climate Presenter to their communities. Now, you can too.

Join us today. Host a free Climate Reality presentation where you live.

Request a Presentation

Hosting a presentation is easy. Fill out our simple online form, and we’ll contact you shortly to match you with a trained Climate Presenter in your area. You can host a presentation in your workplace, your place of worship, your local school, or another location of your choice.

When you host a presentation, you’ll hear about how climate change is affecting us around the world. You’ll engage your community. You’ll learn about the reality we face. And I think you’ll have some fun in the process.

Take action now. Click here to get started and host a Climate Reality Presentation:

http://forms.climaterealityproject.org/request

Thanks for all you do,

Maggie L. Fox
President and CEO
The Climate Reality Project

P.S. Want to learn more? Visit the Climate Reality blog and read about a few simple steps you can take to host a great presentation where you live.

Black History

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate debates/votes HR2112


the Senate Convened at 10:00amET October 20, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill.
  • At 12:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Heather Higginbottom to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget with two minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Conrad and Sessions or their designees.
  • At approximately 12:02pm, the Senate will conduct up to 3 roll call votes in relation to the following:
  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #78, the nomination of Heather A. Higginbottom, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Vitter amendment #769, as modified (drug importation) (60-vote threshold);
  • Webb amendment #750 (Criminal Justice Commission) (60-vote threshold);
  • At approximately 2:00pm, the Senate will conduct up to 4 roll call votes in relation to the following:
  • Merkley amendment #879, to be modified with the changes at the desk (freight and rail products made in the US)
  • Brown amendment #874, to be modified with the changes at the desk (Fair Housing Initiatives Program) (60-vote threshold)
  • Moran amendment #815 (Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act)
  • Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants) (60-vote threshold)
  • Additional roll call votes in relation to amendments H.R.2112 are expected during Thursday’s session in an effort to complete action on the bill.  As a reminder to all Senators, Senator Reid filed cloture on the substitute amendment and the bill during Wednesday’s session of the Senate.
  • Also during Wednesday’s session of the Senate, Senator Reid filed cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #204, S.1723, the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act.  Additionally, Senator McConnell filed cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #205, S.1726, the Withholding Tax Relief Act.

The filing deadline for all first degree amendments to the Inouye substitute amendment #738 and H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill is 1:00pm today.  If your Senator has a germane first degree amendment and would like to preserve his or her right to offer, please send a signed copy of the amendment to the cloakroom prior to the deadline.  If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill:

  • Inouye substitute amendment #738 (text of the 3 appropriations bills)
  • Kohl amendment #755 (spending plan)
  • Landrieu amendment #781 (farmer program loans)
  • Coburn amendment #791 (prohibit funds for direct payments to individuals with income over $1M)
  • Coburn amendment #792, as modified (end payments to slumlords)
  • Ayotte amendment #753 (prohibit funds for prosecutions of enemy combatants in Article III Courts)
  • Crapo amendment #814 (derivatives – Dodd-Frank)
  • Merkley amendment #879 (freight and rail products made in the US)
  • Moran amendment #815 (spending levels for Watershed Protection)
  • Bingaman amendment #771, as modified (funds to investigate trade violations)
  • Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants)
  • Menendez amendment #857 (extend loan limits for FHA, VA and others)
  • Lee motion to recommit H.R.2112 (FY11 levels)
  • Sessions amendment #810 (prohibit funds to allow categorical eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program)
  • DeMint amendment #763 (epinephrine)
  • DeMint amendment #764 (eliminate increase in funding)
  • Lautenberg amendment #836 (Economic Development Assistance Program)
  • Gillibrand amendment #869 (increase funding for emergency conservation/emergency watershed protection programs)

The following amendments have been considered:

  • Cornyn amendment #775, as modified (Operation Fast and Furious); Agreed to: 99-0
  • McCain amendment #740 (eliminate TAA funding for firms); Not Agreed to: 44-55
  • Collins amendment #804 (vegetables in school meal programs); Agreed to by Voice Vote
  • McCain amendment #739 (critical surface transportation); Tabled: 59-39
  • McCain amendment #741 (ethanol blender pumps and storage facilities); withdrawn
  • Sanders amendment #816 (energy efficiency programs for small businesses); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Coburn amendment #793 (transparency in federally attended and funded conferences); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Coburn amendment #798, as modified (prohibit funds for purchase of new passenger motor vehicles); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Murray amendment #772 (reconstruction of highway facilities damaged by natural disasters or emergencies); Withdrawn
  • Vitter amendment #769, as modified (drug reimportation) Not Agreed To: 45-55 (60-vote threshold)
  • Webb amendment #750, as modified (National Criminal Justice Commission)  Not Agreed To: 57-43 (60-vote threshold)

At approximately 12:00pm today, the Senate will conduct up to 3 roll call votes in relation to the following:

  • Confirmation of Executive Calendar #78, the nomination of Heather A. Higginbottom, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Vitter amendment #769, as modified (drug importation) (60-vote threshold);
  • Webb amendment #750 (Criminal Justice Commission) (60-vote threshold);

1:00pm filing deadline for all first degree amendments.

At approximately 2:00pm today, the Senate will conduct up to 4 roll call votes in relation to the following:

  • Merkley amendment #879, to be modified with the changes at the desk (freight and rail products made in the US)
  • Brown amendment #874, to be modified with the changes at the desk (Fair Housing Initiatives Program) (60-vote threshold)
  • Moran amendment #815 (Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act)
  • Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants) (60-vote threshold)

Additional roll call votes are expected today in an effort to complete action on H.R.2112.

We also hope to vote on confirmation of John Bryson to be Secretary of Commerce.

Additionally, cloture was filed on the motions to proceed to S.1723, the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act and S.1726, the Withholding Tax Relief Act.  Unless an agreement is reached, these cloture votes will occur on Friday.

By unanimous consent, the Murray amendment #772 (reconstruction of highway facilities damaged by natural disasters or emergencies) was withdrawn.

VOTES

12:52pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Webb amendment #750 (To establish a National Criminal Justice Commission) Not Agreed To: 57-43

12:02pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the Merkley amendment #879 (rail freight manufactured in the US) (60-vote threshold) Not Agreed To: 55-44

The Senate agreed to the Moran amendment #815 by voice vote.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill:

  • Inouye substitute amendment #738 (text of the 3 appropriations bills)
  • Kohl amendment #755 (spending plan)
  • Landrieu amendment #781 (farmer program loans)
  • Coburn amendment #791 (prohibit funds for direct payments to individuals with income over $1M)
  • Coburn amendment #792, as modified (end payments to slumlords)
  • Ayotte amendment #753 (prohibit funds for prosecutions of enemy combatants in Article III Courts)
  • Crapo amendment #814 (derivatives – Dodd-Frank)
  • Bingaman amendment #771, as modified (funds to investigate trade violations)
  • Menendez amendment #857 (extend loan limits for FHA, VA and others)
  • Lee motion to recommit H.R.2112 (FY11 levels)
  • Sessions amendment #810 (prohibit funds to allow categorical eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program)
  • DeMint amendment #763 (epinephrine)
  • DeMint amendment #764 (eliminate increase in funding)
  • Lautenberg amendment #836 (Economic Development Assistance Program)
  • Gillibrand amendment #869 (increase funding for emergency conservation/emergency watershed protection programs)

The following amendments have been considered and VOTES taken

  • Cornyn amendment #775, as modified (Operation Fast and Furious); Agreed to: 99-0
  • McCain amendment #740 (eliminate TAA funding for firms); Not Agreed to: 44-55
  • Collins amendment #804 (vegetables in school meal programs); Agreed to by Voice Vote
  • McCain amendment #739 (critical surface transportation); Tabled: 59-39
  • McCain amendment #741 (ethanol blender pumps and storage facilities); withdrawn
  • Sanders amendment #816 (energy efficiency programs for small businesses); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Coburn amendment #793 (transparency in federally attended and funded conferences); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Coburn amendment #798, as modified (prohibit funds for purchase of new passenger motor vehicles); Agreed to by Unanimous Consent
  • Murray amendment #772 (reconstruction of highway facilities damaged by natural disasters or emergencies); Withdrawn
  • Vitter amendment #769, as modified (drug reimportation) Not Agreed To: 45-55 (60-vote threshold)
  • Webb amendment #750, as modified (National Criminal Justice Commission)  Not Agreed To: 57-43 (60-vote threshold)
  • Merkley amendment #879 (freight and rail products made in the US) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed to: 55-44
  • Brown (OH) amendment #874, as modified (Fair Housing Initiatives Program); Agreed to by Voice Vote
  • Moran amendment #815, as modified (spending levels for Watershed Protection); Agreed to by Voice Vote
  • Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants)(60-vote threshold); Not Agreed to: 46-54

7:23pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of John Edgar Bryson to be Secretary of Commerce; Confirmed: 74-26

We are close to reaching an agreement to begin a long series of roll call votes shortly—in the next 5-10 minutes or so. The first votes will be on the following:

–         Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1723, Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011

–         Cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1726, Withholding Tax Relief Act of 2011

Further, we expect to lock in an agreement on a path forward on HR, 2112, the Agriculture/CJS/THUD appropriations bill. The subsequent votes will be in relation to the appropriations bill.

When the agreement is reached, another message will be sent.

The Senate will conduct up to 27 votes, with 17 expected roll call votes, in relation to the following shortly:

– cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1723

– cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1726

– Landrieu #781, as modified, with the changes which are at the desk (expected voice vote);

– Kohl #755 (expected voice vote);

-Vitter #917 to Menendez #857 (60-vote threshold);

– Menendez #857 (60-vote threshold);

– Gillibrand #869;

– Lautenberg #836;

– Bingaman #771, as modified (expected voice vote);

– Sessions #810 (60-vote threshold);

– Coburn #791;

– Coburn #792 (60-vote threshold);

– Coburn #796 (60-vote threshold);

– Coburn #800;

– Paul #821 (60-vote threshold);

– Portman #859 (expected voice vote);

– McCain #892 (expected voice vote);

– Cantwell #893, as modified with the changes that are at the desk (expected voice vote);

– Cochran #805 (expected voice vote);

– Burr #890 (expected voice vote);

– DeMint #763;

– Inouye #918 (expected voice vote);

– Ayotte #753 (60-vote threshold);

– Crapo #814 (60-vote threshold);

– Kyl #919(expected voice vote); and

– Lee Motion to Recommit.

– Cloture on the substitute amendment #738

That there will be no amendments or points of order against any of the amendments in order prior to the votes other than budget points of order.

There will be two minutes equally divided in the usual form prior to each vote; all votes after the first vote will be 10 minute in duration.

If cloture is invoked, the substitute amendment will be agreed to and the Senate will resume consideration of the bill at 4:00pm, Monday, October 31st and proceed to votes in relation to any remaining germane pending amendments in the order they were offered; further, upon disposition of any pending germane amendments, the bill, as amended, will be read a third time, and the Senate will proceed to vote on passage of the bill with no intervening action or debate; when the Senate receives a message from the House with respect to H.R.2112, the Senate will insist on its amendment, request, or agree to, a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses; and the Chair will be authorized to appoint the following conferees – Kohl, Harkin, Feinstein, Johnson (SD), Nelson (NE), Pryor, Brown (OH), Inouye, Murray, Mikulski, Blunt, Cochran, McConnell, Collins, Moran, Hoeven, Hutchison and Shelby.

If cloture is not invoked on the substitute amendment #738, as amended, cloture on the underlying bill be vitiated; and the bill be returned to the calendar in status quo.

9:55pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid motion to proceed to S.1723, Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011. Not Agreed To: 50-50

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on October 21, 2011.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Bank of America called …Jess Kutch, Change.org


Sign Molly’s petition telling Bank of America to cancel its $5 debit card fee

When Molly Katchpole found out that Bank of America would charge $5 a month to use a debit card, she was upset — so she started a petition on Change.org.

Since then, 225,000 Change.org members have signed her petition. And now Bank of America is under enormous pressure to cancel its new debit card fee. A Bank of America executive even called Molly and told her that while cancelling the fee would be “premature,” the bank was “closely monitoring customer feedback.”

More public pressure could be enough to push the bank to cancel its new $5 debit card fee. Can you sign Molly’s petition asking Bank of America to cancel its new debit card fee? Bank of America is listening to you — and other banks are, too.http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-bank-of-america-no-5-debit-card-fees?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=CHuXxznbBT_bKwoXhePWu

In less than three weeks, Bank of America went from announcing a new $5 monthly debit card fee, to reeling under huge pressure from the media, Congress, and Change.org members. Here’s a quick review of what happened:
September 29: Bank of America announces a new $5 monthly debit card fee.
September 30: Molly creates her petition on Change.org; more than 150,000 people sign in the next 5 days.
October 5: The petition becomes a major national story. ABC News interviews Molly, then tracks down Bank of America’s CEO Brian Moynihan and forces him to respond to it.
October 6: Molly delivers 153,000 petitions to Bank of America and closes her account. She appears on ABC World News again to discuss the petition. Local media in Charlotte (where Bank of America is based) openly speculate that the growing controversy could lead to the firing of Moynihan.
October 9: Molly is featured in a major article in the New York Times as an example of the public’s frustration with big banks.
October 10: Bank of America executive Andrew Pepler calls Molly Katchpole to discuss her petition.
October 13: Molly meets with Congressman Brad Miller to discuss a bill in Congress to make it easier to switch banks. The two later appear on CNN together.
October 18: Molly’s petition reaches 225,000, as Bank of America reports a $6 billion profit. The outrage continues to grow.

Other banks are paying attention to the public reaction to Bank of America’s new debit card fee. Citibank even said its “customers made it abundantly clear” that they wouldn’t like a debit card fee.

What’s next in this campaign to cancel Bank of America’s $5 debit card fees? It’s up to you.

Please sign the petition demanding Bank of America cancel its new $5 monthly debit card fee. Click here to add your name:

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-bank-of-america-no-5-debit-card-fees

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Jess and the Change.org team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell Senator Murray to Stop giving Big Oil subsidies


Below is an email from Katrina Rosen of Environment Washington, who created a petition at SignOn.org that is getting a lot of attention and may be of interest to people in your area. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Dear Washington MoveOn member,

Despite the five biggest oil companies making astounding profits of over $67 billion in just the first half of 2011, oil and gas companies continue to receive $15.6 billion each year in federal tax breaks.
We want Senator Murray to encourage the debt-reduction Super Committee to stop these wasteful subsidies to Big Oil. That’s why I created a petition to The United States Senate on SignOn.org,which says:
Despite being the cause of pollution and oil spills, even the wealthiest oil companies continue to receive billions of dollars in federal tax breaks. Please use your leadership on the debt-reduction Super Committee to protect our environment and our economy by stopping wasteful subsidies to Big Oil.

Will you sign the petition? Click here to add your name, and then pass it along to your friends:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=265307&id=32104-17809870-eDblPqx&t=2

Thanks!

–Katrina Rosen

The text above was written by Katrina Rosen, not by MoveOn staff, and MoveOn is not responsible for the content. This email was sent through MoveOn’s secure system, and your information has been kept private. Environment Washington did not pay for this—we never sell or rent the MoveOn list.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

She came out, they told her to leave school


She was a model student and a star athlete – an honest young woman in her final year at a private Christian high school, The Master’s School, in Connecticut.

But when school administrators asked her about her sexual orientation, she answered courageously and honestly that she is a lesbian.

And then those same administrators told her to withdraw or she would be kicked out.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students across the country are back in school, many facing bullying from peers. The last thing these students need is a school administration that refuses to protect them from unfair treatment.

Thousands of equality supporters like you have already sent letters to officials at The Master’s School calling on them to make it right and protect all of their students. Will you send a letter now, too?

Tell The Master’s School: Your LGBT students deserve protection – not expulsion. Now’s the time to enact a non-discrimination policy so that all students feel safe to be who they are.

National Coming Out Day was just last week and Spirit Day is Thursday – it’s a time each year when we celebrate openness and speak out against bullying. Together, we’re striving to create a world where no student, no soldier, no employee – no one – has to fear coming out.

In too many places around this country, LGBT students risk expulsion, bullying, and harassment that jeopardizes their academic futures and their emotional well-being.

The Master’s School in Connecticut has a chance to make it right with the student they asked to leave. They have an opportunity to lead by example – to institute modern-day policies, and to bring their model student back into their community.

Will you take one minute to send a letter to The Master’s School right now? Tell them to update their policies and treat all their students fairly.

The path to equality has taken us together on a lot of twists and turns. The Master’s School, with HRC‘s help, can become a model environment for diversity and tolerance in education, but they need to take the first step now and make things right.

Thanks for standing with us now and always.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President, HRC

politics,pollution,petitions,pop culture & purses