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ENVIRONMENT
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 Trump Administration Wants to Make It Easier to Release Methane Into Air
The Trump administration, taking its third major step this year to roll back federal efforts to fight climate change, is preparing to make it significantly easier for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere. Methane, which is among the most powerful greenhouse gases, routinely leaks from oil and gas wells, and energy companies have long said that the rules requiring them to test for emissions were costly and burdensome. MORE
3 States to Phase Out Climate Super-Pollutants Used in Cooling
New York, Maryland and Connecticut all announced plans this week for statewide phase-outs of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, potent greenhouse gases used in air conditioners and refrigeration systems. Their moves, following a similar step earlier this year by California, will help fill a breach in climate policy created by the federal government.
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The Private Intelligence Firm Keeping Tabs on Environmentalists
 Alarming images of protesters have been distributed by Welund North America, a private intelligence firm that promises to help oil and gas operators mitigate the threat posed by an increasingly sophisticated activist movement. They purport to help companies"dramatically increase the ability to pre-empt and better manage activist engagements and minimize reputational damage." Clients include firms such as Royal Dutch Shell, Kinder Morgan, Duke Energy, Dominion, and Chevron. MORE
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING
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Debunking Five Misconceptions About Human Trafficking
Elizabeth Hutson is an attorney who led a team that represented human trafficking victim Kendra Ross in her successful lawsuit against a nationwide cult led by Royall Jenkins. The team won an unprecedented $8 million civil judgment against Jenkins and the cult. Hutson outlines several misconceptions about the scourge of human trafficking. MORE
Kids Held Hostage to Force Moms into Sex Work
Human traffickers in Mexico are holding children hostage as a tactic to force their mothers into sex work, campaigners warn. These same traffickers often lure their young female victims by posing as their boyfriends. In some cases, these men even marry and have children with their victims. When a woman forced into sex work does not earn her weekly quota, disobeys rules, or tries to escape, traffickers threaten to keep or harm their children. MORE
UNICEF: Many Kenyan Girls Pay For Sanitary Supplies With Sex
 More than 50% of girls in Kenya say they have difficulty obtaining menstrual hygiene products, and 65% of women and girls in Nairobi's largest slum have paid for sanitary products with sex, according to UNICEF research. Andrew Trevett of UNICEF says the problem is caused by poverty and the lack of supplies in rural areas. MORE
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT
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Doctor, Girlfriend Charged With Drugging, Raping Women; Hundreds of Victims Possible
A California doctor and his girlfriend have been charged with drugging and then sexually assaulting two women - and video evidence suggests there could be hundreds of other women who may not realize they were victims. Grant Robicheaux, 38, is an orthopedic surgeon in Newport Beach, Calif. In 2014, Robicheaux appeared briefly on a reality show about online dating. Before that, Orange Coast Magazine had named him a 2013 bachelor of the year. MORE
Kavanaugh Accuser's Request to Delay Hearing Denied
 The Senate Judiciary Committee will move forward with a hearing scheduled for Monday on sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, despite a request for further investigation from his accuser.
The decision follows the release of a letter from attorneys representing Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her more than three decades ago when they were teenagers.
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DEATH PENALTY
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 Scheduled
Troy Clark is scheduled to be executed on September 26 by the state of Texas for the murder of Christine Muse. Please hold Troy, Christine, their families and the people of Texas in prayer.
TAKE ACTION
Daniel Acker is scheduled to be executed on September 27 by the state of Texas for the murder of Marquetta George. Please hold Daniel, Marquetta, their families and the people of Texas in prayer. TAKE ACTION
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| CORPORATE PUBLIC STANDS |
The Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton Iowa have taken the following corporate stands:
Death Penalty Nuclear Weapons Immigration Reform Human Trafficking |
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
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Contacting your elected officials is one of the most effective ways to bring about positive change. You can find the names and contact information of your local members of congress by entering your zip code at:
Here are phone numbers for elected officials for Clinton, Iowa:
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President
Donald Trump
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(202) 456-1414
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Senators - Iowa
Chuck Grassley
Joni Ernst
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(202) 224-3744
(202) 224-3254
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US Representative
Clinton area District 2
Dave Loebsack
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(202) 225-6576 |
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Governor - Iowa
Kim Reynolds
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(515) 281-5211
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The main switchboard for Congress is: (202) 224-3121
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A movement is building among justice-minded evangelicals. To them, the suffering of Palestinian civilians, including many Christians as well as others from diverse theological and faith traditions, demands accountability regarding the Israeli occupation and government. And this movement has gathered traction in recent years among young evangelical Christians who say figures who defend the oppression of Palestinians do not speak for them. 
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons found that seven Japanese financial institutions made loans or investments to companies involved in the production of nuclear weapons, totaling around $16 billion US over a four-year period. No financial institutions in Japan have guidelines explicitly banning themselves from providing investments or loans to companies that produce nuclear weapons. 
This summer, the Trump administration transferred nearly $10 million away from the agency that responds to disasters and emergencies, redirecting it toward one of President Trump's top priorities - the deportation of undocumented residents of the U.S. The funds transfer is prompting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cut back on training, IT security and infrastructure investments. 
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act starts Nov 1. The Trump administration has shortened the open enrollment period and virtually done away with advertising campaigns and enrollment support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA Signup Project is a nonpartisan group of volunteers promoting outreach and assistance for the upcoming Open Enrollment Period so people can get the coverage that they need.