DPR rules state that a team must be made up of 7 men and 3 women, with no flexibility to increase the number of female players allowed in play at a time. My team was in a situation where we had six men and 4 women present and ready to play and the umpire made us bench a woman and ask a man watching in the stands to play in her place. I do not fault the umpire in this situation, as he was enforcing the set rules of this league, but I do fault the league for imposing discriminatory practices against female players. In co-ed sports teams, many times you have to have minimum ratios in place to ensure a fair game. The minimum ratios, however, are usually in place to ensure female players equal opportunity to participate. By imposing mandatory maximums for both male and female players--and one that is so un-even with women making up just 30% of a team--DPR is creating a culture of inequality and discrimination against women. In a response to my request to switch from a maximum number of female players to a minimum gender ratio rule, DPR doubled down saying that this discriminatory rule was necessary for a "competitive" league. Is DPR implying that women cannot be competitive in co-ed sports? Tell them girls are good at sports too.

Yemen is on the brink of famine, with millions of people at risk of starvation, because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade that has been backed by the United States. Now the Trump Administration wants to send Saudi Arabia even more weapons, which would be perceived as a U.S. seal of approval on the continuation of Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war. [1] Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin, and Franken have introduced SJRes40 [2], co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jeff Merkley [3], which would restrict arms deals with Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds. Last year, Senator Schatz co-sponsored a similar bill with Senator Murphy, [4] and voted with Senator Murphy and Senator Durbin against sending more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [5] Urge Senator Schatz to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-is-drawing-a-red-line-over-trumps-support-for-the-saudi-war-on-yemen/ 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 4. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/32/cosponsors 5. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145

Yemen is on the brink of famine, with millions of people at risk of starvation, because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade that has been backed by the United States. Now the Trump Administration wants to send Saudi Arabia even more weapons, which would be perceived as a U.S. seal of approval on the continuation of Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war. [1] Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin, and Franken have introduced SJRes40 [2], co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jeff Merkley [3], which would restrict arms deals with Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds. Last September, Senator Blumenthal voted with Senator Murphy and Senator Durbin against sending more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [4] Urge Senator Blumenthal to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-is-drawing-a-red-line-over-trumps-support-for-the-saudi-war-on-yemen/ 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 4. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145

Yemen is on the brink of famine, with millions of people at risk of starvation, because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade that has been backed by the United States. Now the Trump Administration wants to send Saudi Arabia even more weapons, which would be perceived as a U.S. seal of approval on the continuation of Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war. [1] Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin, and Franken have introduced SJRes40 [2], co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jeff Merkley [3], which would restrict arms deals with Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds. Last September, Senator Wyden voted with Senator Murphy and Senator Durbin against sending more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [4] Urge Senator Wyden to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-is-drawing-a-red-line-over-trumps-support-for-the-saudi-war-on-yemen/ 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 4. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145

Yemen is on the brink of famine, with millions of people at risk of starvation, because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade that has been backed by the United States. Now the Trump Administration wants to send Saudi Arabia even more weapons, which would be perceived as a U.S. seal of approval on the continuation of Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war. [1] Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin, and Franken have introduced SJRes40 [2], co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jeff Merkley [3], which would restrict arms deals with Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds. Last September, Senator Klobuchar voted with Senator Franken and Senator Murphy against sending more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [4] Urge Senator Klobuchar to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-is-drawing-a-red-line-over-trumps-support-for-the-saudi-war-on-yemen/ 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 4. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145

Yemen is on the brink of famine, with millions of people at risk of starvation, because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade that has been backed by the United States. Now the Trump Administration wants to send Saudi Arabia even more weapons, which would be perceived as a U.S. seal of approval on the continuation of Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war. [1] Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin, and Franken have introduced SJRes40 [2], co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jeff Merkley [3], which would restrict arms deals with Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds. Last September, even Republican Senator Mark Kirk voted with Senator Durbin against sending more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [4] Urge Senator Duckworth to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.thenation.com/article/congress-is-drawing-a-red-line-over-trumps-support-for-the-saudi-war-on-yemen/ 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 4. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145

Loss of network neutrality would jeopardize our privacy, allowing Internet providers to track our correspondence, transactions and target us for advertising, limiting small companies adequate Internet presence.

We need to make government truly represent the people, not the corporations and the few extremely wealthy people who are currently paying for legislation that will benefit themselves.

Across Ohio, patient care is put at risk because hospitals force nurses to work 14, 16, and even 24 hour shifts because of inadequate nurse staffing, putting their profits above patient care. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, and research shows that nurses who are fatigued because of lengthy shifts are at an increased risk of making an error. Other professions, such as airplane pilots, truck drivers and train engineers, have laws surrounding their hours of work because of public safety concerns. Yet nurses, who have patient lives in their hands, can be forced to work around the clock - a practice that can lead to deadly consequences. Eighteen other states recognize the importance of protecting patient care by preventing nurse fatigue through laws that make the dangerous practice of mandatory overtime illegal. It’s time Ohio joins these other states in protecting the healthcare of its citizens. Let's tell Ohio legislators that patients, and nurses, deserve better! Ohio's citizens deserve quality care! Learn more about the Ohio Nurses Association's Patients and Nurses for Quality Care Campaign: www.ohnurses.org/staffing

Repeatedly, horror stories about conditions for immigrants detained at Theo Lacy Facility have been exposed through stakeholder inspections and complaints submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties by brave, directly-impacted persons, with detailed accountsof physical abuse, threats, retaliation and gravely inadequate medical care. A recent inspection by DHS’ own Office of Inspector General found showers full of “trash, mildew, and mold” and that the facility was serving “slimy, foul-smelling lunch meat” that appeared to be spoiled. Despite retaliation, conditions inside the facility are so dire that immigrants detained at Theo Lacy have gone on hunger strike twice in the last year and a half. The Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) has continuously proven to be unfit to detain anyone; no one should have to suffer under these conditions. It is unconscionable that either ICE or OCSD are even considering an expansion when serious life-threatening problems are wide-spread and continue unaddressed inside the facility. Because of these horrific conditions, and the continued risk of detention and deportation for our families and community members, we demand that Orange County Board of Supervisors say NO to an increase to ICE bed spaces and terminate the contract with ICE at Theo Lacy Facility.

Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.

Women represent more than half the population of the U.S. and deserve to be represented in the working group writing the health care legislation. It was absolutely unconscionable when Mitch McConnell announced that there was a team of 13 Republican men overseeing the nation's health care policies with no input from women earlier this month. Afterward, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed dismay by telling reporters, "I just wanna make sure we have some women on." And only after massive public outcry did Republican senators invite one woman to join the committee—Sen. Shelley Moore Capito—and it's unclear if she will remain on it permanently. Making matters worse, they also invited Sen. Ron Johnson to join permanently, making the permanent working group 14 Republican men. Fourteen Republican men and only one woman charting the fate of our entire health care system is not acceptable. Amid fears of pre-existing conditions and cuts to Medicare, this bill is extremely unpopular to Republicans and Democrats alike—only 21% of Americans surveyed by Quinnipiac University approved. The Congressional Budget Office also hasn't yet scored the Trumpcare 2.0 bill passed by the House earlier this month. Yet its score is reportedly going to be even worse than the assessment of the House's first health care overhaul bill introduced in March, in which estimates were that 24 million more Americans could be uninsured by 2026, compared to the current healthcare system.