Tag Archives: West Virginia

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Judy Waxman, National Women’s Law Center


National Women's Law Center
Abortion opponents just won’t stop! In the past few years, they tried to restrict women’s reproductive health care at the federal level — again and again — but we joined with millions of people across the country to speak out, work hard and stop them in their tracks. When you get to the states, things are even worse — and the results are truly frightening.
Please help the Center fight back and protect women’s reproductive health — including access to abortion. Please donate $10 to support our work on these and so many other issues vital to women and families.
Honestly, I’m hopping mad — and here’s why:

  • In just the past few weeks, Arkansas and North Dakota passed bans severely limiting when you can get an abortion, and many other states are considering similar measures. Arkansas’s ban limits abortion at 12 weeks, while North Dakota’s goes even further, limiting abortion after just 6 weeks, a time when many women don’t even know they’re pregnant.
  • Nearly all private insurance plans include abortion coverage, but 22 states have banned this coverage and Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia are considering similar bans, threatening women’s health and well-being.
  • These attacks come after states ALREADY enacted the highest number of restrictions on women’s reproductive health care EVER in 2011 and 2012.

We can’t stand for this! Please donate $10 to support the Center’s work on reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
All these bans have one important thing in common — they take decision-making away from women and their families and put it in the hands of politicians. The last time we checked, only you know what’s best for your body, your family and your future. We need to put a stop to this, and with your help we will.
Please donate $10 to support our work on women’s reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
Thank you again for all the work you do — we know we can count on you in the fights ahead.
Sincerely,
Judy Waxman Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National Women’s Law Center    

P.S. Please join the fight — donate $10 to support the Center’s work on women’s reproductive health and so many other issues vital to women and families.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Rainforest Action Network


 

Rainforest Action Network
 

This December 1st, our friends EQAT will be visiting PNC Banks all over the region with samples of drinking water taken directly from a contaminated well in Eunice, West Virginia.

This is an opportunity to challenge PNC on its record as a ‘Green Bank’ with a tangible example of the consequences of mountaintop removal affecting thousands of families in Appalachia, and to emphasize that our work isn’t just about the environment, it’s about human rights.

EQAT has a group of action organizers ready to lead demonstrations in over 10 different locations. The only question now is: Will you join them, or will you be leading an action of your own?

Go here to get more info on how you can get involved and to view a full list of actions.

EQAT is an organization committed to building a movement to stop climate change. Anyone who cares about the future of this planet should stand up on December 1st and take action in their area to send PNC a message—the people of Appalachia are more important than a corporate bottom line.

Participants are bringing samples of contaminated water to branch managers, holding fake ‘taste tests’ outside of the bank to educate passersby, taking nonviolent direct action inside and outside of bank branches, and closing their accounts to protest PNC’s investments. What type of action is right for you? Maybe you and 2 friends want to visit your local PNC on December 1st. Maybe it’s you and your whole community.

Either way, if you’d like to hold an action at a PNC in your area (and hook up with EQAT for support and resources to make it easier), or just want to find an action to attend, let them know by emailing eqateam@gmail.com.

Amanda Starbuck

For the mountains,
Amanda Starbuck
Energy & Finance campaign
Black History

Congress: the Republican led House the Senate considers HR3606,Capitol Formation/IPO bill and Judicial nominees


the Senate Convened at 9:30amET March 15, 2012

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 11:00am with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Majority controlling the first half hour and the Republicans controlling the second half hour.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R.3606, the Capital Formation bill.
  • At 1:45pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations with 15 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees:

At 1:45pm today, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations with 15 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees:

– Cal. #408, Gina Marie Groh, of West Virginia, to be US District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia

– Cal. #461, Michael Walter Fitzgerald, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California

Upon the use or yielding back of time (approximately 2:00pm), there will be 2 roll call votes on confirmation of the nominations in the order listed above.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.3606, the Capital Formation/IPO bill:

  • Reed-Landrieu-Levin-Brown(OH) amendment #1833 (substitute)
  • Reid amendment #1834 (date change)
  • Reid amendment #1835 (date change) to amendment #1834
  • Cantwell-Johnson-Graham-Shelby, et al, amendment #1836 (Ex-Im Bank)
  • Motion to commit H.R.3606 with instructions (date change)
  • Reid amendment #1839 to the instructions (date change)
  • Reid amendment #1840 to amendment #1839 (date change)

2:02 pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Gina Marie Groh, of WV, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia; Confirmed: 95-2

2:23pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Michael Walter Fitzgerald, of CA, to be US District Judge for the Central District of California; Confirmed: 91-6

There will be no further roll call votes this week.

Senators should expect the next roll call vote on Tuesday, March 20th prior to the weekly caucus meetings.

TODAY’S ROLL CALL VOTES

1) Confirmation of the nomination of Gina Marie Groh, of WV, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia; Confirmed: 95-2

2) Confirmation of the nomination of Michael Walter Fitzgerald, of CA, to be US District Judge for the Central District of California; Confirmed: 91-6

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Agriculture Committee and passed H.R.473, the Help to Access Land for the Education (HALE) of Scouts Act.

Discharged the Banking Committee and passed H.R.886, the United States Marshals Service 225th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act with a Boozman-Pryor amendment.

Adopted S.Res.398, Recognizing the 191st anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrating Greek and American Democracy.

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.2191, to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit the Attorney General from administering or enforcing certain accessibility reglations relation to pools at public accommodations or provided by public entities (DeMint).

The filing deadline for all first degree amendments to the Reed-Landrieu-Levin-Brown (OH), et al, substitute amendment #1833 and H.R.3630 is 4:00pm on Monday, March 19th.

If your Senator has a germane first degree amendment and would like to preserve his or her right to offer, please send a signed copy of the amendment to the cloakroom prior to the deadline. If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.

————————————————————————————————————-

 The next in the House  meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 16, 2012.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Save Black Mountain …Amanda Starbuck, Rainforest Action Network


Everyone reading this email knows that we need to switch to a clean energy economy. It will create jobs, protect vulnerable communities, and save our ailing climate.

This obvious logic is an abomination for coal corporations like Massey Energy. Though Massey was bought earlier this year by Alpha Natural Resources, Massey’s corporate charter still exists. This means business as usual for Appalachia‘s most notorious mountain destroyer

Nestled at the base of Eastern Kentucky‘s rugged Black Mountain are two historic mining towns working hard to define a future beyond coal. Local residents of Lynch and Benham are in the midst of reinventing their towns as historic tourist destinations of Appalachia.

Much to their dismay, the coal barons at Massey Energy have other plans for Black Mountain. The same company whose negligence contaminated countless Appalachian waterways and took the lives of 29 coal miners just last year is one of several companies attempting to mine coal on Black Mountain.

Putting a coal mine on Black Mountain means putting the health and culture of local communities on the line.

Local Lynch city councilmember Bennie Massey explains, “The biggest thing is our water resource. Our water is really good now. You’re not just taking out the coal, you’re destroying generations of people who could live here and raise their families here.”

For a clean energy future,

 
Amanda Starbuck
            Energy & Finance Program Director

Twitter: @DirtyEnergy

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Deadline TONIGHT: Fight for marriage in 2011


We’re looking for just 403 more new HRC members to help start 2011 strong – and there are only hours left before our midnight deadline.

Your membership gift right now could decide whether we see new federal assaults on equality and new bans on same-sex couples marrying – or whether millions of couples will have their love recognized for the first time.

I hope you’ll read this email to find out how and then stand with us.

Help us reach our NEW goal of 3,000 new members before MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. Join HRC now – and add your voice to thousands of other straight supporters.

In the wake of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the far-right is furious – and re-energized.

Here’s what’s happening: In New Hampshire and Iowa, they’re focused on ending marriage equality. In West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Minnesota, constitutional bans on same-sex marriage could be on the table. And just last week, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) announced that it would spend $100,000 on ads opposing marriage equality in Rhode Island.

In Congress, a host of radical new representatives and senators are ready to follow through on their hateful, anti-LGBT campaign promises.

And we’ve learned from experience that right-wing groups like NOM will stop at nothing – and spare no expense – to block our very real chances of winning marriage equality in New York and Maryland and securing civil unions in Hawaii and Delaware. Meanwhile, we are gearing up to help Washington and Oregon achieve marriage equality in 2012.

Our movement must have the strength to overcome extremist lies, support pro-equality champions in Congress, invest in state campaigns, and expose radical hate groups.

After years of fighting for equality, I know I’m not the only one that feels the weight of this moment of opportunity – our opponents feel it, too. Their ads and literature are desperate. They sense the cultural shift. They’re afraid of our momentum.

But they still have a chance to do terrible damage. I believe you know what’s at stake. The only question now is: Will you help us fight?

ONLY HOURS LEFT before our midnight deadline. Become an HRC member now.

NOM can count on their tiny band of massive donors. Right-wing politicians can count on hateful activists with limitless energy. We rely on our members for 85 percent of our funding, not foundations or grants – and I know we can count on you.

Thank you for believing in equality, and being willing to fight for it.

Just hours to go,

Joe Solmonese

President

P.S. If you’ve already put a check in the mail or given to HRC through some other means, thank you. If you’ve yet to contribute, though, please consider making a gift now. Your gift is critical to maintaining our fight against hate and bigotry in all its forms.