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Ecuador Breaks Its Amazon Deal


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Is this the future of Ecuador’s Yasuní-ITT?


Ecuador Breaks Its Amazon Deal
An OpEd by Kevin Koenig, Amazon Watch Ecuador Program Director

In 2007, Ecuador pledged to refrain from oil drilling in the Amazon’s Yasuni National Park in exchange for financial compensation from several foreign governments. The so-called Yasuni-ITT initiative, named for the park’s Ishpingo, Tambococha and Tiputini oil fields, which together contain some 846 million barrels of heavy crude, sought to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, prevent deforestation and protect one of the world’s most biodiverse areas. To offset the renounced revenue, then estimated at over $7 billion, Ecuador requested $3.6 billion to be paid over a period of 13 years by some of the world’s richest nations. It was the first time a country had proposed keeping such a large reserve permanently in the ground.

The initiative, managed through a trust fund administered by the United Nations Development Program, was popular in Ecuador. But in 2013, with only $13 million in cash raised, President Rafael Correa pulled the plug. Last month, the same week Mr. Correa condemned Chevron for its toxic legacy in Ecuador’s northern Amazon, the Environment Ministry approved plans for drilling in Yasuni by Petroamazonas, a subsidiary of state-run Petroecuador. The first crude could flow by early 2016.

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Tell Congress to End the Overuse of Antibiotics on Factory Farms


California Legislature passes $156.4-billion 2014-15 budget


Los Angeles Times | June 15, 2014 | 6:23 PM

The Legislature on Sunday passed a $156.4-billion budget, approving new funding for preschool, the bullet train and welfare payments. The budget includes a plan for eliminating the shortfall in the teacher pension fund.

For the latest information go to www.latimes.com.

Key teacher job protections violate California’s constitution, judge rules


 

An L.A. County Superior Court judge ruled today that key job protections for California teachers violate the state’s constitution.

The ruling came in a lawsuit challenging laws governing the process for laying off, granting tenure and dismissing teachers.

A Silicon Valley-based group called Students Matter brought the lawsuit on behalf of nine students, contending the targeted laws hinder the removal of ineffective teachers and disproportionately hurt low-income and minority students.

For the latest information go to www.latimes.com.

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 6/11 ~~ the House


embassy attcksThe Senate stands adjourned until 9:15am on Wednesday, June 11, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2432, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans.  The time until 10:00am will be divided as follows: Senator Alexander will control up to 15 minutes and the remaining time will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.

 

At 10:00am, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2432.

10:00am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2432, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans;

Not Invoked: 56-38

 

For procedural reasons, Senator Reid changed his vote and entered a motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote at a later time. The Senate continues consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2432.

 

S.Con.Res.37, a concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the United States Capitol in commemoration of the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.

The Senate has reached an agreement to vote at 4pm today on a motion to waive the budget, if a budget point of order is made, and on passage of Calendar #206, H.R.3230, as amended with the text of the Sanders-McCain veterans bill, S.2450, Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. No amendments, other than the veterans substitute amendment, are in order to the bill.

4:00pm –up to 2 roll call votes

–        Motion to waive the budget act points of order (if point of order is made); and, (if made and waived then)

–        Passage of H.R.3230, as amended with the text of the Sanders-McCain veterans bill.

Senator Sessions made a point of order against the emergency designation provision contained in section 802(b) of H.R.3230, the vehicle for S.2450, the Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014; and Senator Sanders moved to waive the applicable points of order.

 

At approximately 4:00pm, there will be up to 2 roll call votes on the following items:

 

  1. Sanders motion to waive applicable points of order with respect to H.R.3230, the vehicle for S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014; and, if waived then,
  2. Passage of H.S.3230, as amended with the text of S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014.

4:06pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on Sanders motion to waive applicable points of order with respect to H.R.3230, the vehicle for S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014;

Waived: 75-19

 

Next:

  1. Passage of H.S.3230, as amended with the text of S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014.

4:34pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on Passage of H.R.3230, as amended with the text of S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014;

Passed: 93-3

The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

 

On Thursday, June 12, 2014, at 11:30 am, the Senate will execute the previous order to consider the Nix-Hines nomination. There will be up to 30 minutes for debate prior to a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination. Upon disposition of the nomination, the Senate will proceed to and vote on confirmation of the McCord, Chu, and Batta nominations.

 

As a result, we expect 1 roll call and 3 voice votes at 12:00 noon tomorrow on confirmation of the following nominations:

 

  1. Executive Calendar #523 Crystal Nix-Hines, of California, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization;
  2. Executive Calendar #710  Michael J. McCord, of Ohio, to be Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (voice vote expected);
  3. Executive Calendar #782 R. Jane Chu, Missouri, to be Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts for a term of four years (voice vote expected); and
  4. Executive Calendar #776 Todd A. Batta, of Iowa, to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture (voice vote expected).

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2432, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans; Not Invoked: 56-38

2)     Sanders motion to waive applicable points of order with respect to H.R.3230, the vehicle for S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, as amended; Waived: 75-19

3)     Passage of H.R.3230, as amended with the text of S.2450, Veterans’ Access to care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, as amended; Passed: 93-3

 

Additional Legislative items

Passed S.1681, An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes with a Feinstein substitute amendment by voice vote.

 

Placed the following resolution on the Legislative Calendar and ordered the Senate to adopt the resolution upon the enactment into law of S.1681:

–        S.Res.470, Amending Senate Resolution 400 (94th Congress) to clarify the responsibility of committees of the Senate in the provision of the advice and consent of the Senate to nominations to positions in the intelligence community.

 

Adopted S.Con.Res.37, a concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the United States Capitol in commemoration of the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.

 

Adopted S.Res.471, Honoring former President George H.W. Bush on the occasion of his 90th birthday and Barbara Bush on the occasion of Her.89th birthday and extending the best wishes of the Senate to former President Bush and Mrs. Bush.

 

Adopted S.Res.472, Honoring Dr. James Schlesinger, former Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Energy, and Director of Central Intelligence.

 

No Additional Executive items

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House Floor Activities
Legislative Day of June 11, 2014