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AvaazpixThe pressure on a few of my staff at Avaaz is reaching a breaking point: they’ve received death threats, had their computers and emails hacked, been threatened on television and radio, and one even had his car tampered with! Our campaigner Wissam was detained at the Cairo airport while delivering our call to stop Egypt’s largest mass execution in recent history, taken into a windowless room and interrogated for hours — drilled with chillingly well-informed questions about his personal life, travel, and work with Avaaz!

I’ve gotten threatening messages and hacks, but nothing compared to the threats these campaigners face. Let’s stand behind these brave people who speak our community’s truth to power.

The threats will get worse as we become larger and more effective, taking on some of the most entrenched and powerful players on the planet. That’s why Avaaz needs to triple-reinforce our security systems, including legal counsel to stand ready for emergencies, media support to raise the alarm if people are threatened, better encryption, and the resources to move staff to a safe location when the pressure gets to be too much.

The campaign we’re running to Egypt right now — opposing the mass execution of hundreds of people — has been hugely powerful, reaching the highest levels of the government. Wissam had permission to enter Egypt and had a meeting scheduled with the Grand Mufti Allam, who has the moral power to stop the mass killings. This is why we came under attack — Wissam says the two generals who interrogated him knew everything about Avaaz, our campaign, and his own life and travel. The government was clearly watching us closely.

And as soon as Wissam was sent home, news outlets around the world from the Washington Post to Al-Arabiya picked up the story immediately, putting more pressure on the Egyptian government to act to protect human rights.

But we know the threats will get worse as we get more effective. Our people-powered campaigning has taken on the world’s worst actors directly, in ways that genuinely hurt them — from the Syrian and Russian regimes to Rupert Murdoch, Big Oil, and organized crime. The Syrian dictatorship even called our campaigner ‘the most dangerous man in the world’.

We’re not backing down, and our team is focused on winning the campaign in Egypt — but we also need to keep the team and the movement safe. That’s why there was broad legal, media, and diplomatic pressure lined up in case Wissam wasn’t freed in Cairo — and I want to make sure we always have what we need to respond to emergencies like these. With all of our small pledges added up now, we can:

  • Build industrial-scale security and hire top technologists, so that no attack can stop us from campaigning.
  • Increase the physical security of our most at-risk staff and action teams in places like Lebanon, Russia and Uganda.
  • Have lawyers ready to leap into action to ensure we have the legal and diplomatic support needed when our team is under threat.
  • Build a direct-response media team, which brings global attention to such incidents right away and ensures that the voices of the people aren’t silenced.
  • Take a range of other actions to improve the security of our team and our members, such as installing home security systems and arranging transport when threats are imminent.

With 35 million members, we’ve become the largest global civic movement of our kind ever, and our campaigns pose a real threat to brutal regimes and corrupt corporations. Two years ago, our website came under massive attack, threatening our ability to keep campaigning. Our community came together and donated to protect it and now our tech systems are reinforced and fully prepared for almost any kind of cyber-attack. But now they’re coming after a few of our staff. Let’s prove that no matter what tactics they use, attacking our movement only makes us stronger.

With hope and gratitude,

Ricken and the Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION:

Egypt: Stop the Mass Execution (Avaaz)
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_mass_execution_loc/?fr

Egypt deports man lobbying against mass death sentences (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/04/us-egypt-deported-idUSBREA330RY20140404

Egypt Bars Lebanese Man over Death Sentence Petition (Almanar)
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=144362&frid=21&seccatid=19&cid=21&fromval=1

Egypt bars Lebanese activist over death sentence petition (AlArabiya)
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2014/04/04/Egypt-bars-Lebanese-activist-over-death-sentence-petition-.html

Hundreds of Egyptians Sentenced to Death in Killing of a Police Officer (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/world/middleeast/529-egyptians-sentenced-to-death-in-killing-of-a-police-officer.html

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 5/28~~ the House


obamacapitol_300

The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, June 2, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #633, the nomination of Keith M. Harper, of Maryland, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the UN Human Rights Council.  There will be 2 minutes of debate prior a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Harper nomination.

During Thursday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the following items in the order listed:

–        Executive Calendar #633, Keith Harper, of Maryland, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Representative to the UN Human Rights Council (up to 8 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);

–        Executive Calendar #755, Sharon Bowen, of New York, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (up to 8 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);

–        Executive Calendar #691, Mark G. Mastroianni, of Massachusetts, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);

–        Executive Calendar #692,Bruce Howe Hendricks, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of South Carolina (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided);

–        Executive Calendar #733, Tanya S. Chutkan, of the District of Columbia, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia (up to 2 hours of post-cloture debate equally divided); and

–        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).

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Last Floor Action:5/27
12:19:41 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess.

The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

12:00:35 P.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
12:00:45 P.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable Frank R. Wolf to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
12:01:06 P.M. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
12:19:41 P.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

2:00:08 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 28.
2:00:28 P.M. Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
2:02:02 P.M. The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
2:02:07 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Takano to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
2:02:35 P.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.
2:12:51 P.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 4:00 P.M. today.
4:00:15 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 28.
4:00:21 P.M. The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
4:00:31 P.M. H.R. 4587 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 4587 — “To impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for carrying out or ordering human rights abuses against the citizens of Venezuela, and for other purposes.”
4:00:41 P.M. H.R. 4587 Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:00:42 P.M. H.R. 4587 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4587.
4:25:43 P.M. H.R. 4587 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
4:27:06 P.M. H.R. 4028 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 4028 — “To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to include the desecration of cemeteries among the many forms of violations of the right to religious freedom.”
4:27:37 P.M. H.R. 4028 Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:27:39 P.M. H.R. 4028 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4028.
4:39:06 P.M. H.R. 4028 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
4:39:18 P.M. H. Res. 599 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution. H. Res. 599 — “Urging the Government of the People’s Republic of China to respect the freedom of assembly, expression, and religion and all fundamental human rights and the rule of law for all its citizens and to stop censoring discussion of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations and their violent suppression.”
4:39:37 P.M. H. Res. 599 Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:39:39 P.M. H. Res. 599 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 599.
5:14:49 P.M. H. Res. 599 At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
5:15:52 P.M. H.R. 3366 Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 3366 — “To provide for the release of the property interests retained by the United States in certain land conveyed in 1954 by the United States, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for the establishment of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston, Oregon.”
5:16:06 P.M. H.R. 3366 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:16:08 P.M. H.R. 3366 <action_description>DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3366.
5:25:27 P.M. H.R. 3366 <action_description>On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
5:25:58 P.M. H.R. 503 <action_description>Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 503 — “To authorize the National Desert Storm Memorial Association to establish the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial as a commemorative work in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.”
5:26:09 P.M. H.R. 503 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:26:11 P.M. H.R. 503 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 503.
5:34:17 P.M. H.R. 503 At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
5:34:43 P.M. S. 611 Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. S. 611 — “To make a technical amendment to the T’uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, and for other purposes.”
5:34:59 P.M. S. 611 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:35:01 P.M. S. 611 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 611.
5:39:09 P.M. S. 611 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
5:40:05 P.M. H.R. 2527 Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 2527 — “To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans with counseling and treatment for sexual trauma that occurred during inactive duty training.”
5:40:18 P.M. H.R. 2527 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:40:20 P.M. H.R. 2527 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2527.
5:45:18 P.M. H.R. 2527 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
5:45:49 P.M. H.R. 2942 Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 2942 — “To amend title 38, United States Code, to reestablish the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
5:46:02 P.M. H.R. 2942 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:46:05 P.M. H.R. 2942 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2942.
5:55:29 P.M. H.R. 2942 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
5:55:58 P.M. H.R. 4261 Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 4261 — “To improve the research of Gulf War Illness, the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses, and for other purposes.”
5:56:11 P.M. H.R. 4261 Considered under suspension of the rules.
5:56:12 P.M. H.R. 4261 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4261.
6:08:25 P.M. H.R. 4261 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
6:08:52 P.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 6:30 p.m. today.
6:30:21 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 28.
6:30:31 P.M. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:31:27 P.M. H. Res. 599 Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 599 — “Urging the Government of the People’s Republic of China to respect the freedom of assembly, expression, and religion and all fundamental human rights and the rule of law for all its citizens and to stop censoring discussion of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations and their violent suppression.”
6:31:54 P.M. H. Res. 599 On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Roll Call 241 – 2/3 Yea and Nay vote pending.

7:02:13 P.M. H.R. 503 Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 503 — “To authorize the National Desert Storm Memorial Association to establish the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial as a commemorative work in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.”
7:10:02 P.M. H.R. 503 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 370 – 0 (Roll no. 242).
7:13:27 P.M. H.R. 4660 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 585. H.R. 4660 — “Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and for other purposes.”
7:13:32 P.M. H.R. 4660 All points of order against the bills are waived. General debate shall not exceed one hour. After general debate the bills shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee of Armed Services for H.R. 4435, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 113-44 shall be considered as adopted and considered as an original bill for the purposes of amendment.
7:13:53 P.M. H.R. 4660 House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 585 and Rule XVIII.
7:13:55 P.M. H.R. 4660 The Speaker designated the Honorable Ann Wagner to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
7:14:05 P.M. H.R. 4660 GENERAL DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 4660.
8:12:27 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Lynch, to reduce the funding for operations and administration in the International Trade Administration by $3 million and to increase funding for State and local law enforcement assistance (drug courts) by a similar amount.
8:12:30 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Lynch amendment under the five-minute rule.
8:18:36 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Lynch amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
8:18:56 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mrs. Davis (CA), to increase the funding for operations and administration in the International Trade Administration by $3 million and to reduce funding for salaries and expenses of the Federal Prison System by a similar amount.
8:18:59 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Davis (CA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
8:25:21 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Davis (CA) amendment; Failed by voice vote.
8:25:36 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Reichert, to reduce funding for periodic census and programs by $110 million and to increase funding for community oriented policing services programs (hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers) by a similar amount.
8:25:54 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Reichert amendment under the five-minute rule.
8:38:48 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Reichert amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
8:39:10 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Kildee, to increase funding for operations and administration in the International Trade Administration by $8 million and to reduce funding for NASA exploration by $10 million.
8:39:16 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Kildee amendment under the five-minute rule.
8:45:28 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Kildee amendment; Failed by voice vote.
8:46:34 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Langevin, to designate $5 million for a survey on the NIST cybersecurity framework for reducing cyber risks to critical infrastructure.
8:46:36 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Langevin amendment under the five-minute rule.
8:54:24 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Langevin amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
8:54:47 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Cicilline, to allow funds to be used for grants for economic development assistance authorized under section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980.
8:54:50 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Cicilline amendment under the five-minute rule, pending reservation of a point of order.
8:59:05 P.M. H.R. 4660 By unanimous consent, the Cicilline amendment was withdrawn.
8:59:29 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Pompeo, to strike funding for Economic Development Assistance Programs and transfer the amount of $247,500,000 to the Spending Reduction Account.
8:59:32 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Pompeo amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:11:26 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Pompeo amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Rogers (KY) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
9:18:01 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Gibson, to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $4 million and to increase funding for Interagency Crime and Drug Enforcement by a similar amount.
9:18:40 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Gibson amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:24:41 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Gibson amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
9:25:18 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. McNerney, to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $3 million and to increase funding for Community Oriented Policing Services Programs by a similar amount.
9:25:20 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the McNerney amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:29:06 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the McNerney amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Fattah demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
9:29:59 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Bridenstine, to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $12 million and to increase funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of weather research by a similar amount.
9:30:02 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Bridenstine amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:35:50 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Bridenstine amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Fattah demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
9:39:54 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Nugent, to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $4 million and to increase funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (mental health courts program) by $2 million and State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (veterans treatment courts program) by $2 million.
9:39:56 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Nugent amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:46:14 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Nugent amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
9:47:09 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. McDermott, to reduce funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs by $3 million and to increase funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of salmon propagation by a similar amount.
9:47:11 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the McDermott amendment under the five-minute rule.
9:53:22 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the McDermott amendment; Failed by voice vote.
9:54:47 P.M. H.R. 4660 <action_description>An amendment, offered by Mr. Holt, to transfer $37,450,000 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the purpose of climate change research.
9:55:11 P.M. H.R. 4660 <action_description>DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Holt amendment under the five-minute rule.
10:18:48 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Holt amendment; Failed by voice vote.
10:19:08 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Bonamici, to transfer $9 million in funding within the NOAA Operations, Research, and Facilities account to the Ocean Acidification Research Program.
10:19:13 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Bonamici amendment under the five-minute rule.
10:30:27 P.M. H.R. 4660 By unanimous consent, the Bonamici amendment was withdrawn.
10:35:13 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Thompson (CA), to increase funding for the National Instant Criminal Background Check system by $19.5 million offset by reducing funding for Departmental Management ($1 million); Justice Information Sharing Technology ($3 million); Buildings and Facilities ($5.5 million); and Agency Operations and Awards Management ($10 million).
10:35:18 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Thompson (CA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
10:42:04 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Thompson (CA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Wolf demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
10:43:00 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Broun (GA), to reduce the funding for the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Commerce by $596,000 and to apply the savings to the spending reduction account.
10:43:06 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Broun (GA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
10:47:28 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Broun (GA) amendment; Failed by voice vote.
10:50:49 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Moore, to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $1 million and to increase funding for Administrative Review and Appeals by a similar amount.
10:50:52 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Moore amendment under the five-minute rule.
10:55:47 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Moore amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:00:05 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Sinema, to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration in the Department of Justice by $1 million and to increase funding for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs (College Campuses) by a similar amount.
11:00:11 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Sinema amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:03:41 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Sinema amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:04:30 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. King (IA), to reduce and then increase funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $5 million.
11:04:34 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the King (IA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:10:22 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the King (IA)amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. King (IA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
11:11:45 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Brownley (CA), to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $1 million and to increase funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance(veterans treatment courts) by a similar amount.
11:11:48 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Brownley (CA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:15:51 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Brownley (CA) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:16:07 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. McKinley, to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $1.5 million and to increase funding for Salaries and Expenses of the International Trade Commission by a similar amount.
11:16:09 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the McKinley amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:20:17 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the McKinley amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:21:33 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Lujan Grisham (NM), to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $2 million and to increase funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (mental health courts) by a similar amount.
11:21:36 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Lujan Grisham (NM) amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:25:16 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Lujan Grisham (NM) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:25:57 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Coffman, to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, General Administration of the Department of Justice by $1,044,445 and to increase funding for Salaries and Expenses, United States Attorneys by $1 million.
11:26:08 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Coffman (CO) amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:38:47 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Coffman amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:39:42 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Ms. Lee (CA), to reduce funding for Justice Information Sharing Technology by $2.5 million; reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses of the Federal Prison System by $500,000 and to increase funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (Second Chance) by $3 million.
11:39:49 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Lee (CA) amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:45:58 P.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Lee (CA) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
11:47:17 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Cohen, to increase funding for Administrative Review and Appeals by $2 million and to decrease funding for Salaries and Expenses of the Federal Prison System by a similar amount.
11:47:19 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Cohen amendment under the five-minute rule.
11:54:34 P.M. H.R. 4660 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Cohen amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Cohen demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
11:55:44 P.M. H.R. 4660 An amendment, offered by Mr. Fleming, to reduce funding for Salaries and Expenses, Legal Activities by $866,000 and to apply the savings to the spending reduction account.
11:55:47 P.M. H.R. 4660 DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Fleming amendment under the five-minute rule.
12:09:36 A.M. H.R. 4660 On agreeing to the Fleming amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
12:09:54 A.M. H.R. 4660 Mr. Wolf moved that the Committee rise.
12:10:12 A.M. H.R. 4660 On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
12:10:24 A.M. H.R. 4660 Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 4660 as unfinished business.
12:11:46 A.M. Mr. Wolf moved that the House do now adjourn.
12:11:59 A.M. On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
12:11:59 A.M. The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on May 29, 2014.

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

 

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Demand a more climate resilient electricit​y system


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Demand a more climate resilient electricit​y system


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Don’t jail climate activists just for speaking out!


Sign the petition: Stop Big Coal from censoring its opponents!

 

If they succeed, they’ll try the same thing here.Tell the Australian government: Defend our shared climate! Don’t censor climate activists!

Take action today!

 

Fossil fuel divestment campaigns are working. They’re working so well that Big Coal is scared and striking back, frantically trying to censor climate activists like you and ban these campaigns.

Our friends at 350 Australia tell us that the Minerals Council of Australia is trying to outlaw coal boycotts in their country, effectively criminalizing speaking out for the climate. [1] Australia is the world’s leading coal exporter. If Big Coal succeeds in silencing their opposition there, they will try elsewhere — including here in the United States.

Australian colleagues have told us that their government is sensitive to American opinion. That means your voice matters on this — together, we can help stop Big Coal from censoring its opponents!

Sign the petition to the Australian government: Our climate is depending on you — don’t ban divestment campaigns!

This really is as absurd as it sounds — Big Coal is trying to make it illegal for you to ask others not to invest in coal. Think about that: Ask a retirement fund or university not to include coal stocks in their investment portfolio, go to jail.

The Australian coal companies claim that only a “small number of noisy extremists” support divestment, but the true extremism comes in harming our climate and silencing the opposition. One Minerals Council executive even wrote an op-ed called “Economic vandals must be jailed.” [2] I would love to get him face-to-face and ask if he really wants to jail Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu, who just wrote an op-ed of his own called “We need an apartheid-style boycott to save the planet.” [3]

This is a desperate move on the part of greedy Big Coal, and it’s all because divestment is working. We are not small in number — thanks to the leadership of Archbishop Tutu, 350.org, and the Sierra Student Coalition, more than 20 U.S. cities, 26 churches, and nine colleges have all declared they will not invest in fossil fuels! [4] This type of campaign helped end apartheid in South Africa, and now it’s going to help bring down the corporate polluters.

Raise your voice and tell the Australian government: Don’t give into Big Coal! Censoring environmental activists fighting for our planet is wrong!

Neil deGrasse Tyson said something great on the updated “Cosmos” TV show: “The words of the powerful may prevail on other spheres of human experience, but in science, the only thing that counts is the evidence and the logic of the argument itself.” [5]

Tyson’s right. And while Big Coal may be powerful, climate science is on our side. That’s why the fossil fuel industry is terrified of you — but a terrified animal fights the hardest, so we have to remember that we have the upper hand and keep fighting back. Our grassroots voices will always overpower their deep pockets, but only if we don’t stay silent.

In it together,

Nathan Empsall
SierraRise Senior Campaigner

P.S. Five messages are even more powerful than one — after you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends, family, and colleagues!