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Tag Archives: Congress
Iran … it’s working
Last week, the United States agreed to extend nuclear talks with Iran for an additional seven months.
Congress should support that decision and refrain from passing any new sanctions that would encourage Iran to resume its uranium enrichment program.
The initial deal reached last November resulted in the dilution of Iran’s stockpile of uranium that could be easily converted into weapons-grade fuel, and an agreement that they would not install any new centrifuges.
Last week’s extension is proof that the process is working. To give into the John McCain’s of the U.S. Senate now would be a grave mistake.
The purpose of sanctions was always to open the door to negotiations with Iran — now that we’re making progress it would be counterproductive to ratchet up the punitive measures even further.
And if it turns out that Iran is not serious about the talks, there’s always time to revisit sanctions.
During President Obama’s first campaign, he pledged to enter into a dialogue with Iran about halting their nuclear ambitions.
He’s done that … and it’s working.
Thanks for making your voice heard,
Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran & Chairman
VoteVets.org
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NFL: Stand UP for Women
Tell NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:
“The shamefully insufficient two-game suspension of Ray Rice for his documented assault of Janay Palmer sends a terrible message about how the NFL views violence against women. You need to take a strong stand and implement guidance–including appropriate discipline–for how the league will handle domestic violence, sexual assault, and any other violence against women in the future.”
Add your name:
Earlier this year, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was arrested for the aggravated assault of Janay Palmer, his fiancee. The assault was especially newsworthy because video of Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer off an elevator went viral, but it’s hardly the only incident of violence against women involving NFL players. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has complete discretion in punishing players who violate the league’s personal conduct policy. Last week, he gave Rice a two-game suspension and a $58,000 fine. His decision to dole out such a weak punishment, which is lighter than what players who smoke marijuana receive, has sent shockwaves through the league and the media. On Monday, the NFL doubled down when NFL senior vice president of labor policy Adolpho Birch went on the radio and defended Goodell’s decision as “appropriate.” The NFL’s leadership is sending a clear but terrible message that violence against women doesn’t matter to the league. Violence against women is an obvious, long-term problem facing the NFL.1 But as high-profile arrests of players for domestic violence and sexual assault continue, the league has done little or nothing. Most players involved in domestic violence incidents have received suspensions of one to three games. Commissioner Roger Goodell has issued longer suspensions for pot smoking, taking Adderall, DUI’s, illegal tattoos, and dogfighting.2 The commissioner has unilateral authority to punish people whose behavior is viewed as “detrimental to the welfare” of the league. But while players who are caught using marijuana or performance enhancing drugs are routinely issued serious punishments of four or more games, the NFL has consistently shied away from meaningful punishments for domestic abuse, sexual assault, and violence against women in general. What does it tell young men and women about women’s value when players receive harsher punishment for smoking pot than for violence against women? The “boys will be boys” culture that spawned the Steubenville tragedy and many a rape and abuse case in football programs around the country is reinforced by a ruling like this. When the NFL fails to deal seriously with incidents of violence against women, it sends a message to every league employee and fan that violence against women is OK. Tell Commissioner Goodell it’s time for a change. Click the link below to sign the petition. http://act.credoaction.com/sign/NFL_women?t=5&akid=11311.5370530.j3BLbi Thanks for standing up for women. Heidi Hess, Campaign Manager Add your name:
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Her case made it to the Supreme Court
Right now, hundreds people are gathered outside the Supreme Court because they believe no woman should have to choose between her job and the health of her pregnancy.
I’m at the Supreme Court today too, but this morning I’ll be inside the building, listening to oral arguments in Young v. UPS. The question the Court is taking on is whether UPS violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act when it refused to let pregnant delivery driver Peggy Young follow her health care provider’s orders to avoid heavy lifting — even though UPS gave a break to other workers who had similar limitations, but who weren’t pregnant.
When Peggy Young found out she was pregnant, her midwife recommended she avoid lifting more than 20 pounds. But UPS refused her request for “light duty” — even though the company provided accommodations to people with disabilities or on-the-job injuries, and even though it gave breaks to delivery drivers who had lost their drivers’ licenses as a result of DUI convictions.
Peggy was pushed onto unpaid leave for the duration of her pregnancy, and lost her employer-provided health care.
The Supreme Court’s decision in Young v. UPS will impact working women across the country. And because many families rely on mothers’ earnings, when pregnant women are forced off the job and lose their paychecks and health care, their families suffer as well.
Thank you for all you do for women and their families.
Sincerely,
Emily J. Martin
Vice President and General Counsel
National Women’s Law Center
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