Tag Archives: election

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from POTUS …


Pinterestwh_climate_bannerI just proposed a plan that cuts carbon pollution from existing power plants 30 percent by 2030.

That’s a responsible, common-sense step to address climate change.

But we’re already getting intense opposition from polluters and special interests who like things the way they are.

OFA is fighting back to show there’s broad support for these new EPA standards.

If you want action to combat climate change, you can add your name today.

Climate change is happening, and it’s happening now. As a president and as a father, I feel a moral responsibility to do something about it. The world our children grow up in depends on what we do today.

Carbon pollution is threatening our health right now. Over half of all Americans already live in areas where air pollution too often makes it unhealthy to breathe — it’s time to cut carbon pollution the same way we already regulate toxic chemicals in our air.

Modernizing our power plants so they pollute less will also spark homegrown clean energy innovation, creating jobs and growing our economy.

I’m not going to wait to take action on this.

Right now, big polluters are going to do everything they can to derail this momentum. They’ve been fighting these EPA standards since before they were even announced.

Your voice on this issue is the most powerful thing you’ve got in this fight. I need you to use it.

OFA is stepping up and gathering names in support of these EPA standards — you can add your name:

http://my.barackobama.com/Support-Carbon-Pollution-Standards

Thanks,

Barack Obama

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

$65 airline tickets that actually cost $750?


By Charles Leocha, Travelers United
Boston, Massachusetts

Congress wants to remove regulations that protect you from deceptive airline ticket advertising. Don’t let it.

The House Transportation Committee acted with alarming speed last week to move its bill out of committee. Airline lobbyists are working hard, as you read this, to find sponsors for this bill in the Senate Commerce Committee. We need a groundswell of consumer outrage about this airline-engineered congressional attack on truth in advertising.

I’m Charlie Leocha and I have been running Travelers United (formerly Consumer Travel Alliance) in Washington, DC, for the past five years. I collaborated closely with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on shaping the current full-fare advertising rule. I was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections as the consumer representative by the Secretary of Transportation. I have been working inside the system with congressional staff, testifying before both houses of Congress, coordinating with the aviation industry and working with regulators.

Remember when airlines advertised $19 fares — which, after taxes and mandatory fees were added, cost almost $50. And, international tickets once advertised for $65 actually cost $750 after taxes and fees? That ended a few years ago when government regulators added a reasonable full-fare advertising rule.

Now, Congress wants to void that rule.

Airlines have already bulldozed a proposed bill, bizarrely called the Transparent Airfare Act of 2014, through the House Transportation Committee with no comments, no debate and no consumer input.

Make no mistake: there’s nothing “transparent” about this bill. It would effectively legalize airline bait-and-switch pricing, especially online, where most airline tickets are bought.

If the full-fare advertising rule goes “buh-bye,” you lose. You’ll think your airfares are cheaper than they are. You’ll have a harder time comparison-shopping. And what’s worse, these price shenanigans could spread to other businesses. Imagine being quoted $2 a gallon for your fuel but paying $4, instead?

Tell Congress to keep the current truth-in-advertising rule. Airlines shouldn’t be allowed to lie about their prices. We like knowing how much something we buy actually costs — that’s real transparency.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Reducing Carbon Pollution in Our Power Plants …


Climate Change
And President Obama’s Action Plan
President Obama has announced a series of executive actions to reduce carbon pollution, prepare the U.S. for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to address global climate change.

Modernizing Our Power Plants

Watch President Obama explain why we need to cut carbon pollution from power plants
On June 2, the EPA released a proposal that will set the first-ever national carbon pollution standards limits for America’s existing power plants.
Find out how the rules will make our communities healthier, and learn more about the President’s plan to cut carbon pollution in America.

The National Climate Assessment

On May 6, the Administration released the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment, the most authoritative and comprehensive source of scientific information to date about climate-change impacts across all U.S. regions and on critical sectors of the economy.
Explore the report
Watch the Video above
 learn more about the effects of climate change and President Obama’s plan to combat and prepare for it.
Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 6/4 ~~ the House


embassy attcks

Schedule for Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Wednesday, June 4. Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 11:00am with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each and the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees. The Republicans will control the first 30 minutes and the Majority will control the next 30 minutes. At 11:00am, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and begin a series of up to 4 roll call votes related to the following:

 

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #691, Mark G. Mastroianni, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts
  2. Confirmation of  Executive Calendar #692,Bruce Howe Hendricks, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of South Carolina
  3. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia
  4. Cloture on Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate)

This morning, Senator McConnell asked unanimous consent that the Environment and Public Works Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.2414, the Coal Country Protection Act and the bill be read a third time and passed.

 

Senator Reid objected to the request.

 

The unofficial transcript is below.

 

MR. McCONNELL: I’D INDICATED TO THE MAJORITY LEADER I WAS GOING

TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST, AND I’M GOING TO PROPOUND

THAT NOW. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE ENVIRONMENT AND

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE BE DISCHARGED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION

OF S.2414, THE COAL COUNTRY PROTECTION ACT, AND THE SENATE

PROCEED TO ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION. I FURTHER ASK CONSENT

THAT THE BILL BE READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED, THE MOTION TO

RECONSIDER BE LAID ON THE TABLE.

MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT, RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. MR.

PRESIDENT, THE RULE WILL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE FOR A LONG TIME.

THE NORMAL PERIOD OF TIME TO MAKE COMMENTS WHEN A RULE IS BEING

PROMULGATED IS 60 DAYS. THIS ONE IS 120 DAYS. THE REASON FOR

THAT IS MEMBERS OF MY CAUCUS WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS TO TRY TO

IMPROVE THE SUGGESTED RULE THAT HAS COME FROM THE E.P.A. SO I

AM WAITING TO READ THIS — THE PROPOSED REGULATION MYSELF,

WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE. I HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON IT BY MY STAFF,

AND I WILL READ THIS CLOSELY, AS I’M SURE EVER SENATOR WILL. I

KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE, AND I’LL BE AS COOPERATIVE

AS I FEEL IS APPROPRIATE WITH THE REPUBLICAN LEADER. BUT AT

THIS TIME I OBJECT.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD.

11:00am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Calendar #691, Mark G. Mastroianni, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts.

Confirmed: 92-2

The next votes in this series will be 10 minute votes. The Senate also reached an agreement to vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #796 Stefan M. Selig, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, following the cloture vote on the Burwell nomination. We expect to confirm the Selig nomination by voice vote. Senators should expect 4 roll call votes in this series.

 

Next:

  1. Confirmation of  Executive Calendar #692,Bruce Howe Hendricks, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of South Carolina
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia
  3. Cloture on Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
  4. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #796 Stefan M. Selig, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade (voice vote expected)

11:29am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of  Executive Calendar #692,Bruce Howe Hendricks, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of South Carolina;

Confirmed: 95-0

 

Next:

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia
  2. Cloture on Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
  3. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #796 Stefan M. Selig, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade (voice vote expected)

11:46am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on Confirmation of Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia.

Confirmed: 95-0

 

Next:

  1. Cloture on Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #796 Stefan M. Selig, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade (voice vote expected)

At 12:05pm, the Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #798, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, of West Virginia, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Invoked: 67-28

Executive Calendar #796 Stefan M. Selig, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade was confirmed by voice vote.

Senator Menendez asked unanimous consent that at a time to be determined the Senate vote to ratify Executive Calendar #8, Treaty Document #112-8, the Tax Convention with Chile. Senator Paul objected.

Senator Cardin asked unanimous consent that at a time to be determined the Senate vote to ratify Executive Calendar #9, Treaty Document #112-1, the Protocol Amending Tax Convention with Swiss Confederation. Senator Paul objected.

 

 

 

=================================================================

Last Floor Action:6/2
12:04:20 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to section 3(b) of H. Res. 604.

The next meeting is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on June 5, 2014.

===================================================

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Acting on Climate


By

The Impact Of The New Climate Protection Proposal, By The Numbers

As reported last week, the Environmental Protection Agency unveiled the latest piece in the Obama Administration’s Climate Action Plan today: a proposed rule to dramatically cut carbon pollution from America’s coal-fired power plants in the coming decades. “Climate inaction is costing us more money, in more places, more often,” said EPA Administration Gina McCarthy in the announcement. “This is an investment in better health and a better future for our kids.”

When it comes to the importance of this rule for public health and for slowing the effects of climate change, the numbers tell the story:

  • 491: The number of coal-fired power plants in the United States.
  • 42 years old: The average age of a coal-fired power plant.
  • 1/3: The share of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions that come from coal-fired power plants, the largest source in the United States.
  • 30 percent: The amount that the new standards aim to cut carbon emissions from the power sector by the year 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
  • 150 million: The number of cars that a 30 percent reduction in emissions from power plants is equal to–that’s two-thirds of all the nation’s passenger vehicles.
  • 6,600: The possible premature deaths avoided annually when a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions is achieved.
  • 150,000: The possible number of asthma attacks per year avoided when a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions is achieved.
  • 490,000: The possible number of missed school or work days avoided when a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions is achieved.
  • $93 billion: The possible economic value of the public health benefit when a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions is achieved.
  • $7: The amount in health benefits that Americans will see for every dollar invest as a result of this plan.
  • 27: The number of states that already have energy efficiency goals or standards in place.
  • 8 percent: The average projected decrease in electricity bills for consumers due to energy efficiency (contrary to opponents who claim bills will go up).
  • 50: The number of different ways the EPA proposal can be implemented, one for each state, according to Special Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Dan Utech. “This plan is all about flexibility,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy in her announcement Monday morning. “That’s what makes it ambitious, but achievable.”
  • 70 percent: The share of Americans who say the federal government should require limits to greenhouse gases from existing power plants, including 63 percent of Republicans.
  • 63 percent: The share of Americans who want limits on greenhouse gases even if they raise monthly energy expenses by $20 a month.

Head over to Climate Progress for a more in-depth run down of the 8 things you should know about the biggest thing a President has ever done on climate change. They’ve also got some great reporting on the most ridiculous responses from political and industry opponents so far.

BOTTOM LINE: For other health threats like arsenic, mercury, and lead, we set limits on contaminants to keep people safe. But we let dirty power plants release as much carbon pollution into the air as they want. That needs to change. The new EPA rule is a huge step for public health and for our children’s futures. The companies that oppose this rule are desperate, dirty, and in denial. They were wrong in 1970 when we passed the Clean Air Act, they were wrong in 1990 when we took steps to stop acid rain, and they are wrong now.