Republicans in Congress are holding food assistance for 42 million Americans hostage to force through Donald Trump’s budget — a plan that would raise healthcare premiums for millions of working families while handing out new tax cuts for billionaires.  USDA has used a contingency fund to make sure no one went hungry, and food assistance has never been stopped during a shutdown.  But now, the Trump administration is refusing to release funding for food assistance programs like SNAP. USDA under Trump is deliberately refusing to deploy the $5 billion SNAP contingency fund — a decision meant to pressure Democrats into passing the Republican budget that favors the billionaires at the expense of everyone else.  This isn’t just political brinkmanship. It’s cruelty--especially for Rural America, who use SNAP at a higher rate than Americans in larger cities.

SB 2420 expands state surveillance powers and undermines the confidentiality of personal communications and online activity. Texans should not have to sacrifice privacy to participate in public life or express their views freely. This bill sets a dangerous precedent for government overreach and violates the spirit of constitutional protections guaranteed under both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.

1. Many residents have schedules that are prohibitive to attending City Council meetings. The recordings we have of the regularly scheduled meetings allow us to review the dialogue that occurs and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issues at play. How is this any less relevant for committee meetings, which so many people describe as "where the action occurs." 2. This is long overdue. See https://share.google/yQCi0GwKls6x8K0MR and https://share.google/HyZIUaHVB2ZHpjbr9 we gather that Mayor Levin is worried about how recording would impact cost and the continued ability to foster open dialogue, A) Livestreaming is free and B) Recording actually shouldn't be prohibitive to elected officials conversing in a candid manner. In addressing the mayor's concern that snippets of recorded meetings could be posted to social media and potentially subject to poor contextualization, isn't the same risk applicable to ANY meeting that is recorded and made accessible to the public? 3. Other neighboring communities (Hinsdale, Lombard, Naperville, and Addison to name a few, indicate on their websites that they record committee meetings. Is it not worth considering why they are willing to take this extra step to strengthen community transparency)? Please therefore consider placing Michael Bram's request to record committee meetings on the agenda for a vote. He has asked twice, and neither request has ever made it to the agenda.  As residents, we understand that maintaining and improving our town requires an ongoing investment. Yet, the more that is asked of residents, the more that residents have a right to evaluate the conversations and information that ultimately drive decisions that affect all of us.  Please take steps to preserve the transparency that is so critical to our moving together as what Elmhurst truly is--a community. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Every citizen of the United States should sign this petition. This petition is a reminder to our elected leaders to uphold their oaths of office and not play political games with the American People. The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land, everyone should read it. This document is the foundation of the United States Government, it literally defines the government, it's powers and duties. Checks and balances between the branches of government are extremely important, they protect the integrity of our nation. Without these checks the nation goes into a constitutional crisis, which is extremely dangerous to our freedoms and democracy. The founders who wrote the United States Constitution trusted the branches to uphold and defend the Supreme law of the Land, that is why they all are required to take the oath of office: President of the United States oath "... protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" All other elected/appointed to an offices oath "...I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." Please take a moment and sign this petition and help remind our elected officials of their oath of office. Let us protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. 

❤️ Why this is important Because rape is violence — not a mistake, not a “youthful” act. In Stillwater, a young man accused of raping and assaulting multiple women was granted youthful-offender status, a classification meant for minor crimes, not premeditated sexual violence. That decision sends a devastating message to every survivor: that age, privilege, or connections can outweigh accountability. Survivors already battle shame, silence, and disbelief. When the justice system minimizes their trauma, it tells offenders they can harm again without facing full consequences. This isn’t just one case — it’s a dangerous precedent that will echo through future courtrooms unless we act now. We are demanding change because justice should protect the vulnerable, not the violent. The Payne County DA and Oklahoma lawmakers must close the loophole that lets violent sexual predators hide behind “youthful-offender” leniency — before it happens again.

Every generation faces a moment when silence is betrayal — this is ours. No Kings is a declaration that the people are the power. Can you take 1 (one) minute to sign on to our message to Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson: 👑 Our communities deserve more than fear, silence, and billion-dollar bailouts for the powerful. We deserve safety, dignity, and to be heard. No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.  When we rise together, no king, no tyrant, and no dictator can silence us.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hauled hundreds of top generals to Quantico for what one Pentagon official called a “total waste of money.” Trump used the gathering to claim he’s fighting an “invasion from within” and affirm his intentions to use “cities as training grounds for our military.” With Hegseth heading the Pentagon, Trump’s got a dangerously powerful lackey to do his bidding.   We knew Pete Hegesth was unfit to serve during his nomination process, and every day since he’s only proved us right. Impeachment is how Congress can check an out-of-control official who is abusing his power, threatening our democracy, and harming communities here and abroad. We can’t stay silent. 

When the village of Broadview, Illinois pleaded with ICE to “stop making war on our community,” ICE responded with threats to bring a “s*** show” to the Chicago suburb. Congressional candidates, clergy, and elected officials were among those peacefully protesting Trump’s immigration crackdown when federal agents made good on that threat, deploying tear gas and pepper balls on the crowd. Tear gas is a chemical weapon BANNED in warfare by both the Chemical Weapons Convention and Geneva Protocol. But these agreements allowed for a critical, dangerous exception: Use by domestic law enforcement. As federal agents and local police increasingly resort to using tear gas, including in response to legal and peaceful protest, Congress MUST ban the domestic use of tear gas and get it off our streets now. Today, we’re counting on you to help us send lawmakers a resounding message tens of thousands of people strong. 

This isn't just about one mural in one town. This is about the First Amendment and everyone's constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression.

The fundamental values of Constitutional free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment have been stabbed in the heart by this illegal and false attack censoring Jimmy Kimmel.  He told the truth about the dishonest misconduct of the Trump administration in their entirely false and misleading propaganda about the death of Charlie Kirk. Having the federal government threaten a network to censor speech is precisely what the First Amendment prohibits and this action threatens the very nature of our American Democracy. 

The fight for D.C.'s right to govern itself is not just a local issue—it is a fight for democracy, equality, and justice. The residents of Washington, D.C. are being denied the fundamental right that every American citizen deserves: self-determination. By signing this petition, you are standing up for: 1. Democracy: Every citizen should have a voice in how they are governed. But residents of D.C. pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and contribute to society in countless ways—yet they are denied voting representation in Congress. This is a direct attack on the democratic principles our nation was built on. The fight for D.C. is the fight for true democracy. 2. Equality: D.C. residents deserve the same rights as those in any state. No community should be denied a voice in its own government, especially when its people have been consistently contributing to the nation’s well-being. When Congress continues to impose laws that strip away D.C.’s autonomy, it is a violation of the very principle of equal treatment under the law. The rights of D.C. residents should not be second-class. 3. Justice: The people of D.C. have fought tirelessly for the right to govern themselves, yet Congress continues to impose policies that diminish their power. By signing this petition, you’re standing up for justice—and fighting back against the federal overreach that strips the people of D.C. of their voice, their power, and their right to create laws that best serve their community. This fight isn’t just about D.C.; it’s about sending a clear message: We will not stand by as Congress continues to infringe upon the rights of any group of Americans to have a say in their future. D.C. should be able to make decisions for its residents without unnecessary federal interference. Now is the time for action. The people of Washington, D.C. are counting on your support to protect their autonomy and preserve their voice. Add your name, make your voice heard, and join the movement to demand justice, equality, and democracy for all.

Since he was confirmed in February 2025, RFK Jr. has put the health of Americans at risk. Under his direction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, Dr. Susan Monarez, was fired—leading to the mass exodus of other top CDC officials.  Secretary Kennedy also fired every single member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and, in their place, appointed a panel of vaccine skeptics, including individuals who opposed mRNA vaccines, spread misinformation on COVID-19 and measles, and espoused debunked theories on vaccines and autism.  Under Secretary Kennedy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rescinded its emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines and has approved the latest version of the vaccine only for people 65 or older or who have unspecified high-risk medical conditions—against the recommendations of most major medical organizations. He has stripped funding for mRNA vaccine research, spread misinformation, and undermined the CDC by calling it a “cesspool of corruption.” It’s not just COVID-19 that’s on the line. Secretary Kennedy is coming for hepatitis B vaccine—an effective vaccine given to newborns that has reduced infection rates by 99% over the past two decades. And recommendations for a combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and chickenpox vaccine could also be on the line.  ACIP recommendations are often adopted by the CDC and used to inform state vaccination mandates, insurance coverage, and liability. By appointing extremist vaccine skeptics, Secretary Kennedy is wreaking havoc to our vaccine infrastructure and undermining Americans' trust in our health leaders.  Instead of putting science and health above all else, Secretary Kennedy is prioritizing partisanship and putting lives at risk. We are not exaggerating: People will die because of RFK Jr.'s reckless, ill-informed, and dangerous leadership. He must be removed now before he completely erodes our health infrastructure.