Women's sports are winning BIG right now. The 2024 NCAA women's championship game between Iowa State and South Carolina was the most watched basketball game in history. Yet, women basketball players aren't getting properly rewarded for their excellence. After this year's tournament—for the first time ever—the NCAA will award $65 million to participating women's conferences based on the performance of their teams. That's less than HALF of the men's teams $220 million in payouts. While $65 million may seem like a lot, it's a drop in the bucket when compared to some estimates that put the women's team's valuation at $112 million. These payouts provide critical funding to team operations throughout the year for things like scholarships for student-athletes, upgrading training facilities, covering team travel expenses and more. Gender inequality has been baked into the NCAA from the very beginning with media rights agreements and revenue models that have always prioritized men's basketball. A gender equity report in 2021 revealed the NCAA spent a whopping $35 million more on the men's basketball tournament than the women's. And for decades women's teams couldn't even use "March Madness" branding for their tournament. The current system perpetuates the sexist myth that women's sports are less valuable. Women players are showing the world that they are powerful, talented athletes that deserve the same recognition and attention that male athletes have been receiving for decades. We have to show institutions like the NCAA that women deserve to be paid for their talent. Sign the petition to demand that the NCAA address gender pay inequity NOW and increase payout amounts for women basketball players.

Short term rentals offer a unique way for visitors to experience our beautiful town, supporting local businesses such as restaurants, shops, and attractions. They also provide homeowners with supplemental income that helps them afford their homes and stay in the community they love. We recognize the importance of maintaining the character and integrity of our neighborhoods. However, we believe that with proper regulations and responsible hosting, short term rentals can coexist harmoniously with long term residents. We urge local authorities to consider alternative solutions that balance the needs of all stakeholders involved. Instead of imposing blanket bans or severe restrictions, we encourage the development of fair and reasonable guidelines that address any legitimate concerns while preserving the rights of property owners and the benefits of short term rentals. By signing this petition, we express our support for the continuation of short term rentals in Excelsior, MN, and call upon decision-makers to protect this vital aspect of our community. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The Child Tax Credit (CTC), a cash assistance program for working families, has been one of the most effective policies for helping families meet their most basic needs like food, housing, and child care. In 2021 alone, the CTC cut child poverty nearly in half. But since it expired, millions of children have been thrown back into poverty. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to expand the Child Tax Credit, which would help 16 million children and their families deal with rising costs and boost local economies. But it's currently stuck in the Senate, so we need to do everything we can to demand they pass it as soon as possible! A majority of voters support the Child Tax Credit because it's good for families, our communities, and the economy. The CTC has proven to keep kids fed and safe at home, help parents with everyday expenses like utilities, groceries, and rent, and assist parents in paying for child care. Sign the petition to demand that the Senate swiftly pass the Child Tax Credit expansion so families can get the urgent support that they need right now. Photo credit: ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES

The Port of Baltimore is a major U.S. port and the national economy—and all Americans—will suffer unless immediate action is taken to repair the bridge and reopen the port. The government intervening to quickly repair the Baltimore bridge is not only what is right; it’s what is good and necessary for the entire country. Congress can provide the necessary funding needed to quickly and swiftly repair the bridge—as it has done in the past. In 2007 a bridge tragically collapsed in Minnesota, killing 13 people and injuring more than 145 people. Congress took swift action, and in just three days authorized emergency funding to repair the bridge. And in 2013, the Skagit River Bridge collapse in the state of Washington resulted in $15.6 million in emergency funds. Instead of focusing on this tragedy and what they can do to help relieve some of the burden, MAGA Republicans in Congress wasted no time to use the Baltimore bridge collapse to push their own corrupted agenda—going so far as to blame diversity and DEI for the bridge collapse. Why? Because Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon Scott, is Black. It’s blatant racism, and they are using that racism to stoke their most extreme base, all while refusing to take necessary action that the people in Maryland and across the country desperately need. Republicans in Congress, putting their own political careers above the public good, are digging in their heels—insistent on resisting and undermining President Biden every step of the way. They need to be reminded that they answer to constituents, and that constituents are demanding Congress pass funding to repair the bridge NOW!

People with asthma and COPD should not have to suffer through Teva’s price-gouging just to access the inhalers they need to survive. There is absolutely ZERO excuse for Teva to be the only major inhaler manufacturer that hasn’t capped out-of-pocket costs at $35. There is no cure for asthma or COPD, which means that people with these diseases need their inhalers to survive. But because of the corporate greed of inhaler companies like Teva, many have had to ration their doses due to the costliness of inhalers. Families should not have to choose between food, shelter, and electricity or their lifesaving medication while corporate executives line their pockets, but that is the reality that many Americans are facing. And in the midst of the pandemic, the worst public health crisis in the U.S., and while one out of five Americans cannot afford the medicine prescribed by their doctors, Teva has made $1.7 BILLION in revenue on their inhalers in the past five years alone. Teva has used profit from that revenue to provide huge multimillion-dollar compensation packages to the CEO and other top executives at the company while their patients ration their inhaler doses (if they can even afford them to begin with). Teva Pharmaceuticals still hasn’t, but Sen. Sanders says that Teva Pharmaceuticals is considering joining the other three major inhaler manufacturers in capping their inhaler costs at $35. That’s where we come in. We have to keep up the pressure to ensure that they listen and follow through. Together, we can make it happen. Will you sign the petition and send it to three friends to spread the word?

Ron DeSantis, Florida Republicans, and Vertol Systems didn’t stop with the Martha’s Vineyard flight. In June, 36 Latin American migrants were deceived and promised work, housing, and food if they agreed to be flown to California on a chartered flight organized by Vertol Systems. And just last month, DeSantis floated the idea of flying Haitian migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. Enough is enough! We have to stop these flights before it’s too late. The migrants who were trafficked to Martha’s Vineyard have since sued Vertol Systems, and a federal judge has allowed the lawsuit to proceed and said that there was evidence to support that the migrants were targeted because they were Latinx. The federal judge recognized these sham flights as a political stunt asserting that DeSantis was exploiting migrants "in a scheme to boost the national profile of Defendant DeSantis and manipulate them for political ends,” and ruled that the treatment of these migrants was "extreme, outrageous, uncivilized, intolerable, and stunning.” It’s shameful that instead of treating asylum-seekers with the due process, dignity and care they deserve, Vertol Systems and Republican governors like Ron DeSantis are exploiting them and using them as political pawns. These are not isolated incidents. They are deliberate actions relentlessly carried out by anti-immigrant Republicans. It’s completely unacceptable, and there is no excuse for Vertol Systems to continue profiting off of deceived migrants. They must stop organizing the flights NOW. Will you take action and sign the petition?

The wealth gap in America is getting wider and economic inequality in our country is getting worse. As wages stagnate and costs of living rise, everyday people are struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, greedy and corrupt Republicans in Congress divert taxpayer dollars away from the social programs we desperately need—like public education, health care for all, housing, paid family and medical leave, public transportation, and more. The reality is that we have enough resources in America to fully fund our communities—but only if everyone pays their fair share. Right now the top richest families are projected to owe 3.2% of their wealth in federal, state, and local taxes this year—while the bottom 99% are projected to owe 7.2%. That is unfair and has to change. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Pramila Jayapal, and Representative Brendan Boyle have a plan: The Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act. The bill is projected to bring in $3 TRILLION in revenue over 10 years, without raising taxes on households with a net worth below $50 million. The current tax system is rigged to benefit the wealthy few, and they’ve been exploiting the system in their favor for decades. Together, we can rewrite the rules to finally make our system more fair and equitable. And by demanding the ultra-wealthy pay what they owe, we can fully invest in working families who are the foundation of our economy and country.

The need for term limits is urgent. Currently, justices serve unusually long terms, with some holding office for as long as 35 years. This unbounded tenure allows a single justice to shape the direction of the law for generations, without regard for the evolving views of the electorate. It's time to put an end to this undemocratic practice and ensure that our highest court remains accountable to the people it serves. This issue goes beyond accountability—it’s about protecting our fundamental rights and freedoms. With every Supreme Court vacancy, monumental issues hang in the balance, from reproductive rights to voting rights to healthcare access.

READ THE OPEN LETTER BELOW: Dear Nicole Shanahan, While I completely respect third parties and the right for anyone to run for public office, I am deeply concerned that Robert F. Kennedy’s name on the ballot in swing states could tilt the election in Donald Trump’s favor. Another Trump presidency would be disastrous – for our environment, for our economy, and our democracy. My concerns about RFK Jr.’s campaign swinging the election in Trump’s favor aren’t coming out of thin air. The latest polling from late March showed Trump taking a 1-point lead when RFK Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein were on the ballot. Even Trump himself, and other members of his team, have admitted that a RFK Jr. ticket will help his reelection. I admire your commitment to exploring bold solutions to the climate crises, including the recent $1.105 million grant that the Bia-Echo Foundation provided to Iowa State for regenerative agriculture research. This is why I am so concerned by your decision to join a ticket that may hand the election to Trump. According to a new report by Carbon Brief, a second Trump presidency could lead to an additional 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by reversing the Inflation Reduction Act, expanding drilling operations on public lands, and defunding the EPA. While you may have fair disagreements on the Democratic Party's platform, it is clear that a second term for Trump would be disastrous for climate and undo the work of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant action Congress has taken on clean energy and climate change in our nation's history. We can’t afford such a fatal blow to building a clean energy economy. We need you in the Democratic coalition to help reelect President Biden and to push for bold climate solutions. Your climate leadership would be welcome in our big tent. I know you don’t agree with President Biden on every issue. Neither do I. Despite being a surrogate for the President, I have criticized his position on the Willow Project, which opens part of the pristine Arctic tundra and wetland to oil production. I continue to push the President to end the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East by calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages. Nevertheless, l wholeheartedly support him in the November election and campaign vigorously for him all over the country because I know he is our best choice for president. This election is, as a practical matter, a binary choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. On January 20, 2025, one will take the oath of office in our nation's capital. We will either have a President who has passed the most significant climate legislation in history or a President who does not believe there is a climate crisis. I hope you consider this as a sincere and open invitation. Please feel free to reach out any time to discuss. Warmly, Ro Khanna

Donald Trump is furious that he’s finally facing accountability for his hush money payment to Stormy Daniels (which Common Cause exposed to be likely illegal back in 2018). In a common pattern for Trump, he’s going all out to intimidate anyone who tries to enforce the law against him. He mercilessly smeared the public servants involved in this case – and their families – and is now under an expanded gag order to stop these dangerous attacks. [1] We're glad to see the judge in this case hold firm to the rule of law – but we must immediately prepare for yet another onslaught of disinformation and even potential threats from Trump’s backers who believe the rules don’t apply to him. If you agree Trump is NOT above the law, join us in thanking the public servants working on this case who’ve put that into action – and urge them to hold firm against any far-right backlash, intimidation, or disinformation. [1] https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4569258-trump-fires-back-after-judge-expands-hush-money-gag-order/

More than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7. And according to the U.N. and world humanitarian organizations, this catastrophe is going to rapidly become a man-made famine because the Israeli government continues to block critical humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. The United Nations’ World Food Program estimates that at least 300 trucks are needed to enter Gaza every single day here on out to be distribute food to meet the most basic of needs for civilians. and distribute food to meet only the basic hunger needs. Organizations have been trying to enter Gaza for months to meet the needs of civilians and have been blocked at every step of the way. Recently the Israeli security cabinet approved the opening of the Erez crossing with the Gaza strip for the first time since the October 7 attack, but that’s not nearly enough to account for the mass devastation that has already happened to more than 33,000 civilians in Gaza. We acknowledge that humanitarian aid will be life-changing for people on-the-ground, but a lack of security and instability will still consume the region and the civilians. The humanitarian needs should be met first, followed by an immediate ceasefire to create and sustain peace for all.

Protecting and expanding our freedom to vote. Drawing congressional districts to ensure fair representation for all. Reducing the influence of Big Money in politics. Combatting partisan election subversion. By advancing policies like these in the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, we will be able to achieve rapid progress on the issues we care about most. It is what will give us the power to organize for better workplace rights, restore and expand abortion access across the country, pass laws to stop oil and gas companies from polluting the Earth for profit, force pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs, finally put an end to the NRA's control of gun laws while kids are killed in schools, and more. These policies will ensure our elected officials and elections work for the people, not just the wealthy, well-connected few and big corporations. We all deserve a say in the decisions that impact our lives and futures. It is time to end the dominance of big corporations and Big Money in our politics, rid our communities of partisan-gerrymandered maps, and dismantle barriers erected to keep Black, Indigenous, young, and new Americans from voting. We must come together to demand that Congress pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to make the promise of democracy real for all of us. PHOTO BY ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES