ACTIVE NONVIOLENCE AND PEACEMAKING |
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TAKE ACTION: Tell Your Senators to Repeal the 2002 AUMF
Last week, the House took a critical step toward ending our endless wars by passing legislation to repeal the outdated 2002 Iraq war authorization. President Biden has signaled his support to get rid of outdated laws like the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). That means there’s just one thing between making this repeal a reality: the Senate. Win Without War asks us to tell the Senate to repeal the 2002 AUMF. TAKE ACTION
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The Baltimore Group That Steers Kids Off the Streets and Away from Violence
In the last 15 years, 16- to 25-year-olds accounted for the largest share of Baltimore’s fatal shooting victims. Roca, a violence prevention program, is part of a public health response to violence within this age group, an approach that isn’t new nationally or in Baltimore. They approach violence interruption as a long game, targeting youth who have had at least brushes with the criminal justice system. MORE
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Biden Lays Out Plan to Combat Gun Violence in the U.S.
President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland laid out a plan to curtail gun violence across the country, which includes several measures focused on stemming the stream of firearms used in crimes. The president has long sought gun control measures pushed by most Democratic lawmakers, including an assault weapons ban and universal background checks for gun purchases. MORE
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Biden Says ‘Iran Will Never Get A Nuclear Weapon’ During Israeli Presidential Visit
President Biden sought to assure Israel that he would not tolerate a nuclear Iran as he met with outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin amid a major shakeup in Israeli politics and growing angst in Tel Aviv over the U.S. administration’s effort to reenter the Iran nuclear deal. “What I can say to you is that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch,” Biden said at the White House meeting. MORE
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Russia, China Pledge to Not Use Nuclear Weapons First, Avoid Firing Missiles at Each Other
Russia and China reaffirmed their friendship treaty amid increasing concerns about their growing relationship and the two countries continued a vow not to fire strategic missiles at each other. The agreement is an extension of a pact that's set to last for five years, with both countries promising to use "peaceful means" to resolve their differences, not the use of force, threat of force, or economic pressures. MORE
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Congress Proposes Legislation to Expedite and Expand Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan Allies
As military troops withdraw from Afghanistan, Afghan nationals that supported the operations of the U.S. government—as translators and other vital roles—are in danger of violent retribution from Taliban forces. The Department of State offers resettlement to eligible Afghans through the special immigrant visa program, but slow processing and significant backlogs have failed to address the urgent protection risks. MORE
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They Were Deported by Trump. Now Biden Wants to Bring Them Back.
The Biden administration is planning an organized review of the cases of thousands of people claiming they were unjustly deported, senior immigration officials said. Many deportations in recent years were considered unduly harsh with little law enforcement benefits. MORE
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Business Leaders on Texas-Mexico Border Say State Politicians Ignore Community Needs While Calling for a Wall
Texas Governor Greg Abbott claims about $400,000 has been donated by the public towards the completion of a border wall in that state. Some local officials and business leaders say that the state is ignoring the actual needs of communities near the border, which were hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Many locals are more concerned with boosting the local economy than stopping migration because their sales and tax revenues depend on Mexican shoppers. MORE
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TAKE ACTION: Support Clean Car Standards
The transportation sector is the biggest source of global warming pollution in the United States. We have the opportunity to cut vehicle air pollution right now as the EPA moves to restore states' rights to more protective standards (which had been rescinded by the Trump EPA) and considers new federal Clean Car Standards. Interfaith Power & Light invites us to tell the EPA to support stronger state and federal clean car safeguards. TAKE ACTION
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Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Omits Big Climate Measures
President Biden and a bipartisan group of senators reached a $579 billion infrastructure deal last week that will fund efforts to repair the nation’s roads, rails, and bridges. But the plan does little to fight the climate crisis, a top campaign issue that Biden pledged to use infrastructure legislation to address, the New York Times reports. MORE
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Florida Governor Signs a Bill That Mandates Cities Keep Using Fossil Fuels
Florida just took a huge step backward in the clean energy revolution. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a piece of legislation into law earlier this week that requires Florida cities and towns to keep using fossil fuels and could strangle their ability to set clean energy goals and mandates. It’s part of a flurry of public lobbying and private panic from the industry in response to the growing number of cities moving to ban natural gas hookups in new construction. MORE
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16 Suspected Sex Trafficking Victims Among 20 Children Rescued in Metro Atlanta
Authorities announced last week that 20 children in metro Atlanta, 16 of whom are suspected victims of sex trafficking, were recovered during a two-week multi-jurisdictional operation in May. The state Attorney General’s Office partnered with several other federal, state, and local agencies, to recover the children as part of “Operation Not Forgotten 2021”. The 20 children ranged in age from 6 weeks to 17 years old. MORE
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Facebook Failed to Protect Against Teen Sex Trafficking, Court Rules
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that Facebook can be held liable for sex traffickers that use its platform to recruit and prey on child victims. The ruling followed three local lawsuits involving teenage victims who had met their traffickers through Facebook's messaging tools. The plaintiffs said Facebook was negligent and did not attempt to key sex trafficking off its technology. MORE
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT |
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Connecticut Governor Signs “Jennifers’ Law,” Expanding Definition of Domestic Violence
A bill known as “Jennifers’ Law”, which expands the definition of domestic violence in Connecticut, is now law. The bill had been introduced following the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos in 2019. The goal is to expand the definition of domestic violence to include “coercive control,” which is described as a pattern of threatening, humiliating, or intimidating acts that harm a person and deprive them of their freedom, autonomy, and human rights. MORE
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Court Overturns Bill Cosby’s Sex Assault Conviction, Bars Further Prosecution
Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction will be overturned and the 83-year-old comedian will be released from prison after the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court issued an opinion to vacate his conviction. Cosby had been accused of drugging and molesting a woman at his estate in 2004. He was charged in 2015 for the alleged attack and arrested just days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. MORE
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HUMAN RIGHTS AND INCOME INEQUALITY |
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TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act
Purging of voter rolls, closing down polling stations, efforts to sabotage mail-in voting ... voting rights are under attack. The late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis dedicated his life to fighting for democracy so that every American has equitable access to vote and participate in our elections. People for the American Way urges us to carry on Lewis's legacy by telling Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act this year. TAKE ACTION
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Corporations That Paid Nothing in Taxes Spent $450 Million to Influence Public Policy
The 55 large corporations that paid $0 in federal corporate income taxes in 2020 spent $450 million lobbying and political contributions in recent years, according to a new report. These companies also received $3.5 billion in tax rebates which can be spent to influence tax policy. For example, each of the top 25 recipients of money from the corporations that paid zero in taxes in Congress voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which lowered the corporate tax rate. MORE
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UN Rights Chief: Reparations Needed for People Facing Racism
The United Nations human rights chief urged nations to take action to root out systemic racism against people of African descent this week, as she released a report calling for measures to dismantle discrimination and for sweeping changes to policing, as well as reparations. The report spotlights the deaths of 190 people of African descent who died at the hands of law-enforcement officers, most of them in the United States, pointing out that few of the victims posed a threat. MORE
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Zane Floyd is scheduled to be executed the week of July 26, 2021 (the exact date has not been announced) by the state of Nevada for the murders of Thomas Darnell, Carlos "Chuck" Leos, Dennis Troy Sargent, and Lucille Tarantino. Please hold Zane, Thomas, Carlos, Dennis, Lucille, their families, and the people of Nevada in prayer. TAKE ACTION
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