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a message from Senator Patty Murray

11/11/2011 Nativegrl77

“Veterans Day is a time to honor and celebrate the courage and commitment of our nation’s heroes.

“When these brave men and women signed up to serve our country, we agreed to take care of them. They kept their part of the bargain. Now we need to keep ours.

“With the President’s recent announcement of a complete troop withdrawal from Iraq by the end of this year, and the thousands of troops returning from Afghanistan by the end of 2012, it is as critical as ever to support veterans’ programs and services.

“That’s why I am fighting to pass a bipartisan and comprehensive approach to getting our nation’s veterans back to work.

“The “VOW to Hire Heroes Act” includes Republican and Democratic ideas because getting our veterans the financial security and dignity a job provides should never be partisan.

“For too long in this country we have patted our veterans on the back for their service and then pushed them out into the job market alone.

“With this bill we are giving our veterans the job skills to get their foot in the door and incentivizing employers to make sure that door is open to them.

“Day after day our men and women in uniform have responded to the call of duty with honor and integrity.

“They are our family, our friends,our neighbors and our heroes.

“And for this, we must show our gratitude – not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

“As Chairman of the SenateVeterans Affairs Committee, I will continue to fight on their behalf to ensure that America’s veterans are cared for both on and off the battlefield.”

Yesterday, by a vote of 95-0, the Senate passed landmark legislation I helped author to put America’s veterans back to work. I introduced the basis of this comprehensive bill in May of this year after traveling throughout Washington state to talk to veterans, employers, and experts about the barriers veterans face in finding employment. The legislation is designed to help put veterans back to work by providing job skills training as they leave the military and by easing the training and certification process veterans face. After serving our country honorably, all veterans deserve the chance to earn a paycheck and support their families.Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan remains stubbornly high.Borrowing from the American Jobs Act proposed by the President, the bill will offer a tax credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans, and will increase existing tax credits for companies that hire veterans with service-connected disabilities.

This is a huge victory for our veterans who have returned home only to have to fight to find work to support themselves and their families . Our veterans have the drive,discipline, and self confidence to succeed in any workplace. But for too long at the end of their career we’ve patted them on the back for their service and pushed them out into the job market alone. This bill takes a huge step forward in rethinking the way we treat our men and women in uniform after they leave the military by helping them to translate the skills they learned in the military into careers and by giving employers even more incentive to hire veterans. Veterans across Washington state were instrumental in crafting this bill and deserve tremendous credit today.

a message from Alex Wilks – Avaaz.org

11/11/2011 Nativegrl77

Ahmad picked up a bright metal object in a park where he was celebrating his 5th birthday in Lebanon. It was an unexploded cluster bomblet, which blew up in his face, killing him slowly in front of his family.

Three years ago, public pressure pushed through a ban of these cruel bombs. But now the US is lobbying nations to quietly sign a new law that allows their use — signing the death warrant for thousands of other children. Most countries are still on the fence on how to vote. Only if we raise the alarm across the world can we shame our governments to block this deadly decision.

Positions are being drawn up now. We only have days until countries meet to send our leaders a clear message: stand up for the cluster bombs ban and keep our children safe. Click below to sign the petition — it will be delivered directly to delegates at the Geneva conference:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/cluster_bombs_ii_b/?vl

Thousands of people — many of them children — have been maimed or killed by these bombs. When they are fired, they spray small “bomblets” over a wide area, many of which fail to explode. Years later, people disturb them in their fields or school playgrounds not knowing what they are, and they explode.

In 2008, over half of the world’s governments outlawed these weapons by signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions. But now, shockingly, countries like France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK, who all signed the Convention, are under pressure from the US, China and Russia to run rings round the ban by signing a separate agreement that would allow them to use cluster munitions. Only Norway, Mexico, Austria and a few others are fighting this horror.

Negotiators at the Convention on Conventional Weapons meet in Geneva next week. Most governments don’t really want this protocol and have not said which way they will vote, but they are under severe pressure from the US to comply and will only object if the global public persuades them.

There’s no time to lose — the conference starts on Monday. Let’s call on our governments to reject this deadly and cynical US campaign to legalize cluster killing. Click below to sign the petition and forward this email widely — we’ve done it before, let’s do it again:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/cluster_bombs_ii_b/?vl

Cluster bombs and land mines were banned because citizens raised the alarm across the world — with victims and survivors leading the way. For their sakes and to ensure no more lives are lost, let’s not allow these cruel weapons back and join together now to demand a more peaceful world.

With hope,

Alex, Stephanie, Alice, Ricken, Laura, Nicholas, Wissam, and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

Fourth Review Conference of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Weapons:
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/%28httpPages%29/43FD798E7707CE5AC12578B20032B630?OpenDocument

UK backs bid to overturn ban on cluster bombs (The Independent):
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/uk-backs-bid-to-overturn-ban-on-cluster-bombs-6259139.html

CCW – the potential to cause more humanitarian harm than good (Stop Cluster Munitions.org):
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/ccw/

The Past and Future of the CCW (Arms Control.org):
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2011_03/LookingBack

No backsliding on cluster bombs (The Indepedent):
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-no-backsliding-on-cluster-bombs-6259009.html

Raed Mokaled and the story of Ahmad (Handicap International):
http://www.handicapinternational.be/en/raed-mokaled

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Stop Michigan’s “license to bully” bill … Eden James, Change.org

11/11/2011 Nativegrl77

Stop Michigan‘s “license to bully” bill

When Katy Butler was in junior high, bullies who called her a “dyke” slammed a locker door on her hand. Katy never reported the assault because she was afraid her school wouldn’t do anything to help.

If the Michigan state Senate has its way, Katy’s school won’t have to help students bullied in the future, either.

Last week, the Michigan state Senate passed an anti-bullying bill. But minutes before they voted, Republican lawmakers inserted special language into the bill to create a huge loophole: Bullying done because of a “sincerely held religious or moral conviction” isn’t covered by the law.

Rather than protecting students, the new law actually provides a road map that teaches kids how to bully — and how to get away with it.

Katy and her friend Carson Borbely know what it’s like to be bullied for who they are. They started a Change.org petition demanding that the state legislature enact a strong anti-bullying law with no exceptions. Click here to sign their petition.http://www.change.org/petitions/help-michigan-students-stop-the-license-to-bully-bill?

The Michigan House of Representatives will consider the Senate’s weak anti-bullying bill soon. Katy and Carson want them to strengthen the bill and eliminate the religious exemption inserted by the state Senate, and Change.org members are rallying around their demand.

Some legislators are wavering in the face of public outrage, and Republican Speaker of the House Jase Bolger is now said to be considering a stronger, more comprehensive version of the bill. But Katy and Carson need your help to keep up the pressure.

Please sign Katy and Carson’s petition demanding the Michigan House of Representatives pass an anti-bullying law that will actually protect students:

http://www.change.org/petitions/help-michigan-students-stop-the-license-to-bully-bill

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Eden and the Change.org team

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10Cost Estimate for S. 27, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

11/11/2011 Nativegrl77

S. 27, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

Cost estimate
for the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on July 22,
2011

The document above is in pdf form so if clicking on it fails Please click and open in new window… Thank you

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Congress: On Veterans Day … the Republican led House :both back on 11/14: – the Senate Considers HR2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

11/11/2011 Nativegrl77

the Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET November 14, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 3:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R.2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, for debate only.

The next roll call votes will be Tuesday morning in relation to two US District Judges.

————————————————————————————————

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF NOVEMBER 10, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

. -The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order.

The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on November 14, 2011.2:35:26 P.M.

-The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the Iran emergency declared in Executive Order 12170 on November 14, 1979, is to continue in effect beyond November 14, 2011. – referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-72).2:34:55 P.M. -The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a sealed envelope from the White House on November 7, 2011, at 3:50 p.m., and said to contain a message from the President whereby he submits a copy of the notice filed earlier with the Federal Register continuing the emergency with respect to Iran first declared in Executive Order 12170 of November 14, 1979.2:33:48 P.M. -The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a notification of the continuance of the national emergency with respect to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that was declared in Executive Order 12938 of November 14, 1994, as amended. – referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-71).2:33:22 P.M. -The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a sealed envelope from the White House on November 9, 2011, at 12:54 p.m., and said to contain a message from the President whereby he transmits a notice concerning the national emergency with respect to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.2:32:45 P.M. -The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on November 10, 2011, at 11:23 a.m. stating that that body had passed H.R. 2447.2:32:14 P.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.2:32:09 P.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.2:31:03 P.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Dr. Alan Keiran, Office of the United States Senate Chaplain.2:30:42 P.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Andy Harris to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.2:30:27 P.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.