The Biden Administration has just released a U.S. intelligence report that clearly states that "Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." (1) But while the U.S. government has placed sanctions on many of the assassins involved, the Biden Administration has not placed sanctions on the man who ordered the assassination -- Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman. (2) Under the U.S. law the Global Magnitsky Act, the U.S. government can place property sanctions and a U.S. travel ban on human rights violators. (3) By not placing sanctions on Saudi Arabia's brutal ruler, the Biden Administration is sending the terrible signal that the U.S. will maintain its relationship with Saudi Arabia's dictatorship instead of standing up for human rights. President Biden should immediately place a travel ban and sanctions on Mohammed bin Salman. It is time for the U.S. to end its alliance with the Saudi monarchy. (1) https://freedomforward.org/2021/02/26/u-s-intelligence-report-on-saudi-monarchys-murder-of-jamal-khashoggi-pdf/ (2) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/26/jamal-khashoggi-mohammed-bin-salman-us-report (3) https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/13/us-global-magnitsky-act

Recent U.S. airstrikes in Syria on alleged Iranian-backed militias are a stark reminder of the choice we face: continue the same failed “maximum pressure” campaign towards Iran with its countless deaths and unrest OR take the proven path of peace by returning to diplomacy. Missile strikes, retaliatory bombings, and the ever-present danger of all out war aren’t inevitable. The good news is, there’s an offramp toward diplomacy available right now. President Biden has to take it by rejoining the Iran deal (the JCPOA if we’re being fancy) — quickly. Rejoining the Iran deal is the ONLY way off Trump’s path to war with Iran. And it’s up to us to show the Biden administration that there is a MASSIVE movement of people who want a world built on peace and justice, not senseless war.

A just-declassified intelligence report directly implicates Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and dismemberment at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The U.S. government must act immediately to hold MBS accountable. The Saudi regime has expertly lobbied, donated, and flattered U.S. decisionmakers from both parties for years, and Biden’s team is not automatically immune from this corruption and influence. With the declassification of the ODNI intelligence report, we have a chance to shine a light on this corruption — and we’ve got to seize this moment to provide justice for Jamal Khashoggi. Add your name to urge President Biden to use his authority under the Global Magnitsky Act to sanction Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

We have a right to clean air. In light of the recent fire at EMR, reports of air pollution, explosions and smells coming from the various industries in our community, hearing that GP Gypsum wants to increase their output extensively is extremely distressing and should be unconscionable considering we are designated as an Environmental Justice community. What does that designation mean if not that there is a dire need to reduce emissions and not allow them to increase? We love our community, and we need it to be healthy. Increasing emissions from any source in the neighborhood would be a huge step back and jeopardize public health in a City where childhood asthma rates are an alarming 33% (compared to 9% in NJ). We need the Department of Environmental Protection to protect our community from increased pollution and risk!

Congress has not raised the minimum wage in more than a decade. Yet the cost of housing, transportation, food, and clothing has soared. Amidst the worst economic crisis in a century, families need a higher minimum wage. Now. In cities and states that have raised the minimum wage to $15 or higher, the results have been positive. More jobs, more income, more economic security. But many states, led by right-wingers, still refuse to raise their wage above the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. Democrats could use their control of Congress and the White House to raise the minimum wage to $15. But the Senate parliamentarian ruled it can't be done by reconciliation. And the filibuster means they'd have to find 10 Republican votes for a $15 minimum wage, which is very unlikely. Senators must end the filibuster so Congress can finally raise the wage to $15!

1. A safety issue currently exists on this road due today for the many kids riding bikes to get to the nearby parks and Granger Paths, for the mom's pushing baby strollers and walking dogs, for the many cyclists and other pedestrians that use this route. 2. There are plans in progress to develop six additional homes on this street, which will only add to the street traffic and create new safety issues of cars turning into & out of those driveways and higher automobile traffic. 3. Granger Paths does not include this strip of street on any of its future roadmaps for development. 4. 80 ft. of right of way exists along the edge of the road, so there is room to do this.

The pandemic has played a large role on students. Whether it seems like it or not, students’ mental health is at an all time low. The school having full days for 5 days a week only makes it worse. As students, we need a break. Simply having one day without any google meets lets us feel as if we are not going crazy. It gives us a break from the crazy world we are living in and this abnormal school year.

Replacing the current fleet with all-electric, non-polluting vehicles will prevent many thousands of premature deaths, reduce toxic exposure to the delivery drivers themselves and significantly reduce the US Governments’ CO2 emissions. It would also boost US-based EV vehicle manufacturing and charging infrastructure build-out, creating well-paid jobs and reducing costs and removing barriers for everyone to go electric. These vehicles will be on our roads for the next 20-30 years. We know that weaning ourselves off carbon fuels is essential to avoid more catastrophic climate changes. Please join me in urging the USPS Postmaster General and Governing Board Members to change this decision and electrify the fleet. --------------------------------------------------------- Sources: (1) USPS.com, "U.S. Postal Service Awards Contract to Launch Multi-Billion-Dollar Modernization of Postal Delivery Vehicle Fleet". https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0223-multi-billion-dollar-modernization-of-postal-delivery-vehicle-fleet.htm (2) Reuters, "U.S. Postal chief commits to 10% of new delivery fleet as electric vehicles". https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-postal-service-vehicles/u-s-postal-chief-commits-to-10-of-new-delivery-fleet-as-electric-vehicles-idUSKBN2AO2LI (3) USPS.com, "USPS position on Next Generation Delivery Vehicles". https://about.usps.com/news/statements/011516.htm

As tax-paying residents of Prince George’s County, we want our Board of Education to function in the interest of its parents, students, and community members.

The Freeze Relief in the form of cancellation of February utility bills or payment of all Texas residents lights, gas and water bills by the State will provide a high level of relief for Texas residents as we struggle to recover from this natural disaster. Already residents have received light bills in excess of $1000’s of dollars for their electric bill for a disaster they didn’t cause, contribute to neither could they control it. Currently in Texas, FEMA is offering water and few generators due to the freeze however devastated communities and residents should be relieved from the burden of paying utilities bills they did not foresee coming. We understand FEMA is also offering Small Business Loans for relief for those who are qualified, however we are calling on Texas Congress to provide payment in full or complete cancellation of all Texas residents lights, water and gas bills caused by the Freeze because many households are left without the ability to pay these excessive bills and because they were without these services for an extended period of time.

Senator Cruz not only abandoned his constituents by flying off to Cancun while tens of thousands of us faced the dire, dangerous consequences of the devastating winter storm this February and then lied about it repeatedly, but more importantly, he participated in stalling the vote certification on January 6, thereby assisting the Capitol insurrectionists with their traitorous goal: to prevent President Biden’s legitimate election win to be certified so that Donald Trump could (theoretically) remain in power. Further, he has denied any responsibility for the devastating consequences of that deadly uprising. His disgraceful, selfish, callous, unprofessional, dishonest, mendacious behavior disqualify him from enjoying the visibility that his committee assignments offer him. Texas deserves better representation. America deserves better.

Many of the hard working farm workers, who labor in the fields and call this country home, lack the security that citizenship offers. Their US citizen children are terrified their mother or father may not come home from work. Farm workers have been waiting for decades. We need to pass federal legislation to give farm workers a path forward.