As a student body, we demand immediate action to address these issues and improve mental health services at UW Madison. Specifically, we call on the administration to: 1. Hire more professional counselors: Increase the number of qualified therapists who specialize in addressing serious mental health concerns. 2. Provide face-to-face counseling: Virtual or phone-only sessions are not enough. Students need in-person services to build trust and meaningful connections. 3. Reduce wait times: Expand staffing and resources to ensure students can access help when they need it, without unnecessary delays. 4. Invest in mental health resources: Enhance outreach, workshops, and student support programs to proactively address mental health concerns. 5. We cannot allow these issues to persist. Delayed or inadequate care can lead to devastating consequences. As students, we are advocating for our right to access high-quality, accessible mental health care on campus. By signing this petition, you are joining the fight for a healthier, more supportive UW Madison. Let’s ensure that every student feels seen, valued, and supported. Together, we can build a campus culture that prioritizes mental health and well-being. Sign this petition to demand change now. Share your voice and make an impact. [Sign Here]

A shocking number of innocent people have been sentenced to death. And the tragic reality is that capital punishment is imposed mostly on poor people who cannot afford to hire an effective lawyer. And while proponents claim the death penalty is a crime deterrent and keeps us safer, that doesn't seem to be the case, according to the National Research Council of the National Academies. After more than three decades of research examining whether the threat of a death sentence deters people from committing aggravated murders, there is no reliable evidence that the death penalty deters murder.  Add your name today to urge President Biden to commute all federal death sentences before he leaves office.

Why This Change is Important   Family unity is a core value of the United States, and the current waiting times for sibling immigration visas undermine this principle. Currently, U.S. citizens may wait 15 to 20 years or more to bring their siblings to the U.S., an unreasonable delay that creates long-term separation and hardship. This delay is not just an inconvenience; it is an emotional and financial burden for families.   Facts: Emotional Impact: Families are forced to live with the distress of separation for decades, often missing out on critical life moments. Important family events—weddings, births, illnesses, and even funerals—occur without the support of siblings who are still waiting for immigration approval. Economic Impact: Families are often separated across borders, which creates financial burdens as relatives who might have supported each other are unable to reunite and share resources. When families are finally reunited, they often face economic challenges, which could be alleviated by reducing the wait times.   Family Support Systems: A reduction in the wait time would allow families to reunite sooner, making it easier for siblings to share responsibilities for caring for aging parents or helping each other with childcare.   The Human Side:   Take, for example, the case of Mohamed, a U.S. citizen living in Michigan. He has been waiting for nearly 18 years to reunite with his sister in Egypt. During this time, his sister has missed the births of his children, their graduations, and even important family events like weddings. The emotional toll on Mohamed and his family is immense, but they are powerless to change the system. Like Mohamed, millions of other U.S. citizens are facing the same heart-wrenching wait.   Why Should Others Join in the Campaign?   1. Support for Family Unity:   Many Americans understand the value of being with family in times of need. By reducing wait times, we ensure that families can come together sooner, providing mutual support in difficult times. Family reunification benefits everyone—not just the immigrants but also U.S. citizens who want to build their lives with the support of their loved ones. 2. Humanitarian Reasoning:   The U.S. prides itself on being a nation of immigrants. By advocating for change, we align with the values that make America a beacon of hope for families around the world. Speeding up the immigration process for siblings ensures that the U.S. remains a compassionate and welcoming nation that values families. 3. Economic Benefits for the Country:   When families are united, they can more easily contribute to the U.S. economy. Whether it’s through work, investing in local communities, or contributing to the country’s cultural diversity, family reunification strengthens our nation as a whole.   A Call for Action:   This is not just about policy—it's about families. People all across the U.S. are living with the pain of long separations. With your support, we can change the law to ensure that the immigration process for siblings is fair, timely, and humane. Together, we can advocate for a change that unites families sooner, strengthens our communities, and ensures a more just immigration system for all. Join this campaign because family should not have to wait 20 years to be together. Let’s work together to make the U.S. immigration system fairer and more compassionate for everyone.

Whether it’s allegations of sexual assault, concerns about heavy drinking, lack of experience, extremist ties, or past suggestions that the troops should be deployed against protestors and political opponents, one thing is crystal clear: Hegseth is unfit for the role. The Secretary of Defense oversees the largest and most powerful military in the world – and the bloated, too-powerful Pentagon bureaucracy that comes with it. This role demands, at the very least, a leader who prioritizes people’s well-being, has a willingness to root out corruption, understands the military should be a tool of last resort, and approaches our common security with seriousness and responsibility. We knew that would be a tall order for the incoming president, but Hegseth’s record not only falls embarrassingly short, it makes him a potential threat to the safety and security of millions of people, here at home and around the globe. The good news? Multiple outlets are reporting that Hegseth’s nomination is on the rocks. One senator told Politico, the prospects for his confirmation are "bad and getting worse.”[1] When you speak out to your senators today, your voice can tip the scales to derail his appointment before it even begins.  We cannot allow extremist rhetoric, scandal, and unqualified leadership to take root in the Department of Defense. Urge your Senators to reject Pete Hegseth’s nomination.

Donald Trump’s reelection as president by the narrowest margin of victory since the 19th century means that nearly all of his criminal cases have either been dismissed or put on hold for now.  And despite what Trump and his supporters claim, his reelection as president must not mean that he gets to skirt accountability in the history books and public record.  It’s not hyperbole to believe that this is likely our last chance to read for ourselves the full lengths Trump went to in order to overturn democracy a few years ago before he and his Cabinet of loyalists take office again. In fact, Trump has already made clear his intention to go after those who once investigated him.  Attorney General Garland must move swiftly to release the full report before it’s too late. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Elon Musk’s access to information poses a dangerous and unprecedented threat to national security. One expert said it all: ““It’s bad enough that Musk could be careless with classified data or expose himself to blackmail; it’s even more unsettling to imagine him undermining American security because of poor judgment, political grudges, and unwise foreign associations. Remember, this is a man who had to pay a $20 million fine for blabbing about taking Tesla private and had to agree to have some of his social-media posts overseen by a Tesla lawyer — and that’s not even close to classified information.”” Right now, Musk has incredible influence in the Trump transition, weighing in on its hiring decisions and even being offered a role in determining policy after years of using his platforms to spread misinformation and his immense wealth to help secure Trump's victory — and he’s doing it all while regularly chatting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and bragging about his “‘top-secret’ security clearance.” Federal guidelines outline several major disqualifying factors for security clearance, including three red flags prominently featured in Elon Musk's recent history: illegal drug use, questionable foreign ties, and financial problems. It’s a no brainer that his clearance should be reviewed and revoked immediately. By taking action now to revoke Musk's clearance, the Biden administration can create an immediate and crucial firewall against potential abuse of classified information today. But that’s not all: Once revoked, security clearances become significantly harder to reinstate — meaning we’ll make it harder for him to do his worst from either inside or outside the Trump administration next year. So sign now and tell the president to protect national security immediately by revoking Elon Musk's security clearance!

We ask for Cook County Community Members to sign this to petition Honorable Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans to take action now and reassign Judge Thomas E. Nowinski. We must stand together for the protection of our communities. 

The House of Representatives just passed a dangerous bill that would give President-elect Trump – and any future president – a blank check to take revenge on political enemies.  That’s right, H.R. 9495 would allow the president to SHUT DOWN any nonprofit organization whose First Amendment-protected speech he deems a threat to the country.   And you know as well as I do how that power would be abused – painting a target on organizations that are peacefully resisting or dissenting from the White House’s policies.   But here’s the good news: thanks to over 7,000 letters and calls from Common Cause members like you, we helped build unprecedented opposition to this legislation – convincing 39 representatives to flip their vote and oppose this bill.  With your action, I’m confident that we can convince enough Senators to BLOCK this legislation and stop it from becoming law. Add your name to tell the Senate to REJECT this dystopian attack on our right to dissent.

Matt Gaetz has dropped out as President-elect Trump’s nominee for Attorney General. This is a major victory that wouldn’t have been possible without you. Together, we gathered 82,777 signatures opposing Gaetz’s nomination – building public pressure and making it clear that his extreme, anti-democracy record has no place in the Department of Justice. But our action can’t stop now.   The House Ethics Committee is still sitting on the results of their investigation into Gaetz’s alleged offenses – including misuse of campaign funds, illicit drug use, and sexual misconduct – and we can’t let them cover up the truth. We demand transparency and accountability. Add your name to urge the House to release the full results of its investigation into Matt Gaetz.

Time and time again, the far-right majority of the Supreme Court has put special interests and politics ahead of people and above delivering justice under the law. But we cannot and will not be silent. Student debt fuels economic, gender, and racial inequality. Our persistent racial wealth gap means that students of color, especially those who are Black and brown, are more likely to have student debt, borrow in higher quantities, and face more struggles in repayment. A higher education should be the key to a better future, instead of a lifetime debt sentence that limits borrowers’ ability to buy homes, start small businesses, and save for retirement, cutting into opportunities for wealth-building over their lifetimes. This is why student loan cancellation is so important. Trump's agenda includes dismantling the Department of Education (DOE), which would have devastating impacts on our communities. The DOE oversees the Pell Grant and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which gives aid to college students who need financial aid. The DOE also enforces the civil rights of students, and supports school programs that support students with disabilities. But Trump, Republicans, and Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices cannot have the last word. We won’t let them win. We have to push back and be in solidarity with each other. Together, we can keep getting loud to show the President Biden that he has the power to to give millions of Americans the student loan relief they need and deserve. President Biden must cancel student debt via executive order before Trump and Republicans gain control over all three branches of our federal government. Will you sign the petition?

Why the increased permitting fees are essential: • A properly funded Air Program could mean more effective health protections from dangerous air pollution. Without the increased permitting fees, the Air Program could be weakened, further harming Allegheny County residents who already suffer from asthma and other health problems.  • Increased permitting fees would be paid by plant operators and applicants – NOT taxpayers. • This is especially important as the County is facing a large budget deficit.  • The fee increases are monies that would supplement the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Air Program budget at no cost to taxpayers. • Approving the fee increase shifts the burden of covering these costs to, in most cases, million - and billion dollar industries that can easily afford to pay it.  • The fee increase essentially makes these companies cover the costs of obeying the law. • An adequately funded ACHD is critical to protecting the health of Allegheny County residents. Currently, the staff working to protect our air quality is under-resourced and overworked. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2025/01/26/iulia-vann-allegheny-county-health-department/stories/202501190046 • The Clean Air Act requires ACHD to charge Title V facilities fees that are sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program.  • This critical fee upgrade is long overdue and is something the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) recommended in their 2018 audit of the ACHD Title V Air Program • The large companies that profit from polluting Allegheny County’s air increase the burden on ACHD and make ACHD’s work more vital. Increased fees would help ACHD hold them accountable. Who is against the fee increases? • U.S. Steel is lobbying hard against the increased fees, a company that can easily afford to pay these increased permit fees: • U.S. Steel disingenuously claims that the fee increases would have a detrimental impact.  • Under ACHD’s proposed fee increases, U.S. Steel’s annual total Title V fees for its Allegheny County facilities would be just 0.009% ($165,000) of U.S. Steel reported earnings of $2.14 billion in 2023.  • Compared to such monumental earnings, any claim that the significantly smaller Title V renewal permit fee, required only once every five years, would impact U.S. Steel’s coffers further strains credulity.  • The Clairton facility alone released 1.1 million pounds of toxic emissions into the air in 2021.  • Despite all evidence to the contrary, U.S. Steel also argues that its “steelmaking process is done in the safest and most environmentally responsible manner.” Yet in just the first quarter of 2023, ACHD found more than 1,500 instances of non-compliance at U.S. Steel's Clairton Plant alone.  • U.S. Steel’s egregious level of noncompliance required significant ACHD resources to identify and rein in, including for inspections and enforcement actions.  • Yet U.S. Steel's three Mon Valley facilities each currently pay an annual fee of $8,000 for the facility’s Title V permit - an inadequate amount. • This imbalance between ACHD’s time and effort necessary to ensure compliance and the current fee structure exemplifies that raising the fees is needed and warranted.  • Additionally, for smaller facilities that emit less than 50 tons per year, the current fee of $8,000 will increase to only $15,000.  • The fee schedule thereby ensures that the largest facilities that most burden the community and ACHD are the focal point of these fee increases.

The latest reports estimate this year’s Pentagon budget topline will be close to one TRILLION dollars. About half of that astronomical amount is slated to go straight to contractors, just like it has in years past. It’s meant BILLIONS for companies owned by Elon Musk — and there are BILLIONS yet to be made. Right now, U.S. tax dollars help fund the SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellites Musk created — and he’s turned those profits into the kind of enormous political and social power that include a role in the Trump administration. We all pay a steep price: In just the past year alone Elon Musk has used Starlink to disrupt Ukraine's military communications, leveraged Twitter to undermine democratic discourse across the globe, and created the America Pac, a political action committee where he and his cronies plowed unlimited amounts of money toward Donald Trump and MAGA Republican candidates. Next, Musk may very well be “regulating” the very governmental agencies who award lucrative government contracts to his companies It reeks of corruption — but we’ll need a groundswell of grassroots activism to break this feedback loop in its tracks. The Pentagon is accountable to Congress and the public. That’s why we’re working to send Defense Secretary Austin a message tens of thousands of people strong. Join us.