ACTIVE
NONVIOLENCE & PEACEMAKING
Myanmar
in the Streets: A Nonviolent Movement Shows Staying Power
The
people of Myanmar have opposed military rule in the past but never like this:
In the face of horrific brutality by a lawless regime, Burmese have risen up in
a historic national movement of nonviolent resistance. Led by young women, the
fractious country has united across ethnic, generational, and class lines,
weaponizing social norms and social media in a refusal to accept the generals
February 1 seizure of power. MORE
Iowa
Governor Signs 'Constitutional Carry' Into Law
Gov.
Kim Reynolds signed into law last week a contentious measure eliminating a
requirement that Iowans obtain a permit to acquire or carry handguns and
loosening other state restrictions. House File 756 ends the state's
current system that requires an Iowan who wants to acquire and carry a handgun
to get a permit from a county sheriff, who runs a required federal background
check on the individual before issuing a permit good for five years. MORE
NUCLEAR
DISARMAMENT
Iran
and U.S. Agree on Path Back to Nuclear Deal
The
United States and Iran agreed through intermediaries this week to establish two
working groups to try to get both countries back into compliance with
the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. One working
group will focus on how to get the United States to lift harsh economic
sanctions imposed or reimposed by President Trump. The other working group will
focus on how to get Iran back into compliance regarding nuclear enrichment and
stockpiles of enriched uranium. MORE
Meet
the Future Weapon of Mass Destruction, the Drone Swarm
Drone
swarms are getting larger and, coupled with autonomous capability, they could
pose a real threat. In theory, swarms could be scaled to tens of thousands
of drones, creating a weapon akin to a low-scale nuclear device. The US
Naval Postgraduate School is already exploring the potential for swarms of
one million drones operating at sea, undersea, and in the air. MORE
IMMIGRATION
TAKE
ACTION: Tell Congress: Citizenship Now for 11 Million Immigrants
Our
elected officials now have the opportunity, the mandate, and the political power
to transform our nations immigration policies while undoing four years of
destructive and harmful actions. The National Immigration Law Center invites us
to tell Congress to create a pathway to U.S. citizenship for the 11 million
undocumented Americans who call our nation home, including millions who are
working in essential roles. TAKE ACTION
Immigration
Policies Based on Deterrence Don't Work
Over the last two months, the Biden administration has been pressured to carry
out another crackdown at the border as the number of families and children
arriving rises. But officials making these calls must grapple with one simple
fact: enforcement through deterrence doesnt work. MORE
U.S.
Ramps Up Ad Campaign in Latin America To Counter Disinformation
As
part of a stepped-up campaign to discourage migrants from heading to
the U.S. border, the Biden administration placed around 28,000 radio ads in
Latin America. It is unclear whether they have been effective, as many people
are lured by false information and rumors from smugglers. MORE
ENVIRONMENT
TAKE
ACTION: Support the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act
Last
week, a bill was introduced in the House called the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act
(H.R. 1678) to expand outdoor equity in urban areas. White communities are
three times more likely to have access to nearby nature compared to Black and
brown kids and communities. The Sierra Club asks us to tell our Representatives
to co-sponsor this H.R. 1678 to help close this "nature gap by investing $500
million to address inequities in park access.
TAKE
ACTION
Electrifying
US Buildings by 2050 Would Be Like Taking 65 Million Cars Off-Road
Replacing
fossil fuel-based heating and cooking systems with electric technologies in the
majority of U.S. residential and commercial buildings over the next three
decades would lead to a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Wind and solar power are rapidly replacing
dirty fossil fuels like coal as leading sources of our electricity. As our
electricity grid becomes cleaner, replacing the direct burning of gas with
electricity will reduce pollution. MORE
Big
Meat and Dairy Companies Have Spent Millions Lobbying Against Climate Action
Top
U.S. meat and dairy companies, along with livestock and agricultural lobbying
groups, have spent millions campaigning against climate action and sowing doubt
about the links between animal agriculture and climate change, according to new
research from New York University. Overall, animal
agriculture is responsible for more than 14 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions. MORE
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
U.S.
Marshals Recover Missing Iowa Children In 'Operation Homecoming'
A
series of investigations has been successful at recovering several missing Iowa
children. The investigations, which fall under the name "Operation Homecoming,
have led to agents locating 21 juveniles and the direct recovery of seven. The
children were between the ages of 4 and 17. A total of two people were arrested
in connection to the operation. Four different human trafficking investigations
have been passed on to other agencies for additional investigation. MORE
Texas
Bill Attempts to Crack Down on Human Trafficking by Using ATMs
Texas
lawmakers have proposed legislation that would crackdown on human trafficking
using "white label automatic teller machines which are not owned or operated
by financial institutions. Illicit businesses are typically cash-only, so
business owners will buy ATMs online and place them in the lobby of an illegal
massage location. The ATMs become a money-laundering tool as well: taking
the cash made from human trafficking and putting it back in for customers to
then withdraw to pay for more illicit sex.
MORE
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT
Biden
Administration Announces Next Steps in Overhauling Title IX Campus Sexual Assault
Rules
The
Education Department has announced plans to hold a public hearing on how schools
ought to handle sexual misconduct cases as the first step in a planned overhaul
of Title IX regulations. The hearing is described as a chance for students,
parents, school officials, and advocates to weigh in before the Biden
administration offers its proposal for how K-12 schools and colleges
receiving public funding must respond to allegations of sexual assault and
harassment. MORE
How
The American Rescue Plan Will Help Domestic Abuse Survivors
The
recently passed American Rescue Plan includes almost $50 million in
aid for service providers who assist survivors of domestic abuse. It also
includes hundreds of millions of dollars in housing assistance for survivors
who have been trapped during the pandemic with their abusers. That pool of
money will be drawn from $5 billion in housing vouchers for several at-risk
demographic groups, including those fleeing abuse and assault. MORE
HUMAN
RIGHTS AND INCOME INEQUALITY
TAKE
ACTION: Support Tax Cuts for Working Families, Not Mega-Corporations
Time
and time again moms, women, low-income families, and people impacted by
structural racism have been harmed by our unfair tax code. MomsRising urges us
to sign their letter calling on President Biden and Congress to make permanent
working family tax credits like the EITC and Child Tax Credit and to make sure
the wealthy and mega-corporations pay their fair share in taxes.
TAKE ACTION
Voters
Across Party Lines Support the American Jobs Plan
A
new poll shows that a large, bipartisan majority of voters in the United States
supports President Joe Biden's proposal to spend $2.25 trillion over eight
years to upgrade the nation's physical and social infrastructure. The survey,
conducted by Invest in America and Data for Progress, found that voters support
Biden's American Job Plan by a 52 point margin, with 73% of all
voters in favor (including 57% of Republicans) and only 21% opposed. MORE
US
Fossil-Fuel Companies Took Billions in Tax Breaks - and Then Laid Off Thousands
Fossil-fuel
companies have received billions of dollars in tax benefits from the US
government as part of coronavirus relief measures, only to lay off tens of
thousands of their workers during the pandemic. Over 75 firms involved in the
extraction of oil, gas, and coal received $8.2bn as part of a major pandemic
stimulus last year. Despite this, almost every one of the fossil-fuel companies
laid off workers, with more than 58,000 people losing their jobs. MORE
DEATH PENALTY
Ramiro
Gonzales is scheduled to be executed on April 20 by the state of Texas for the
murder of Bridget Townsend. Please hold
Ramiro, Bridget, their families, and the people of Texas in prayer. TAKE ACTION