The Coastal Zone Management Program provides critical funding and technical assistance to state governments to protect and promote the coastal zone. Thirty four states and territories rely on the CZM program’s federal support to stimulate coastal economies and jobs, protect vital shoreline habitats and natural features, enhance public access and recreation, defend against coastal storms and flooding, and support local, actionable science. The entire nation relies on the program to support the over $359 billion of our GDP that is generated on the coast. Now the White House has declared its intention to completely cut all funding to the CZM program, as part of a larger proposal to ransack the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that also includes gutting vital research, estuarine and marine reserves, education, and Sea Grant. The CZM program was created by the Coastal Zone Management Act in 1972. It acknowledges that states manage and regulate their own coasts, and achieves national goals by striking a balance between states’ rights and federal financial/technical support that other federal programs have striven to emulate ever since. The CZM program has a proven track record of success, and coastal communities rely on it to confront the unique challenges of building productive coastal economies and preserving natural resources that protect and sustain those economies. States match investment in our coasts through the CZM virtually dollar for dollar, demonstrating how indispensable it is to the States. Ending the program now would throw away decades of successful local-state-federal collaboration and leave coastal communities isolated at a time when investment in our coastal communities, infrastructure, and economies is more important than ever.

This blatant attempt by the legislative branch to manipulate the judicial branch is an affront to all Americans and the independence of branches of government. Allowing such manipulation to stand only encourages future abuses of power.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration began the process of looking for contractors to build the border wall. More than 500 companies have reportedly already shown interest in designing and building prototypes of the wall and the wall itself. Many of these companies also build projects in our cities and states. We must stop those who seek to profit from dividing families from getting our tax dollars at the local level. So far legislators in six states and four cities have taken steps to propose legislation to keep local funds from going to companies that support construction of the border wall. This legislation would ban companies that build the wall from winning local construction contracts with the city or state, withdraw public investments in these companies through state pension funds or both. Despite running on a promises to rebuild America's roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure, the only project Donald Trump is actually trying to build to date is the border wall. We must stand against companies that seek to profit from dividing families and building walls. Add your signature above to ask local elected officials not to send your local dollars to support border wall companies.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott just wrongfully removed the first Black woman State's Attorney in Florida's history from a key case after she heroically pledged not to use the death penalty. Aramis Ayala ran on a daring platform committing to real change for our communities. Her bold move is a direct response to the voters who put her in office, and shows the kind of leadership we need to see from prosecutors across the country. And Gov. Scott is sending a scary and unfair message: the voters’ choice in who they elect to serve real justice does not matter.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently seemed to suggest that a pre-emptive U.S. bombing of North Korea was an option "on the table." [1] As the Los Angeles Times editorial board stated, such dangerous saber-rattling isn't the answer to our problems with North Korea. Yet while claiming that "all options are on the table," Tillerson seemed to be ruling out the only realistic option: negotiations. [2] As the Christian Science Monitor noted, China has made a plausible proposal to re-start negotiations: North Korea would suspend its nuclear and missile tests in return for the U.S. and South Korea halting their annual joint military exercises. Unfortunately, Washington dismissed the Chinese proposal out of hand. [3] Urge your representatives in Congress to speak up for realistic diplomacy with China and North Korea to de-escalate tensions in Korea by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-fg-tillerson-asia-20170317-story.html 2. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-tillerson-korea-20170317-story.html 3. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2017/0320/North-Korea-s-nuclear-threat-Where-do-the-US-and-China-go-from-here

Florida Gov. Rick Scott just wrongfully removed the first Black woman state attorney in Florida's history from a key case after she heroically pledged not to use the death penalty. Aramis Ayala ran on a daring platform committing to real change for our communities. Her bold move is a direct response to the voters who put her in office, and shows the kind of leadership we need to see from prosecutors across the country. And Gov. Scott is sending a scary and unfair message: the voters’ choice in who they elect to serve real justice does not matter.

I am a transgender woman who has faced workplace discrimination on many occasions over issues regarding the bathroom. I have been targeted for violence because I am transgender and I have been harassed and even raped throughout the course of my life. 100% of the rhetoric, bigotry, and ostrication toward transgender people , comes from "personal" belief rather than evidence, and only justifiable by"religious reasoning" this is why the hateful rhetoric toward the transgender bathroom issue was started in Houston, by five VERY RELIGIOUS pastors... long before north carolina. People have a right to believe whatever they want to believe. It's their civil and human right, as long as they obey the secular law of the land. However they do not have the right to take away the civil and human rights of others because of their belief. The responsibility of the government is to protect its citizens from real threats that there is evidence for not imagined ones that there is absolutely zero evidence for. And separation of church and state is tantamount which is why it's the very first amendment.

On March 20, 2017, FBI Director James Comey testified that there were no wiretaps on candidate Trump, either by the US or any other party. While reaffirming, it was neither necessary or cost-prohibitive. Instead of getting the answer directly, President Trump decided it was better to waste taxpayer dollars demanding an investigation into the fictitious story that he himself has promoted. We are here to tell President Trump that he needs to stop burdening his citizens with baseless accusations/distractions and instead focus on the job improving the well-being of all within the US. We demand he apologize, publicly, to former President Obama.

We are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Maryland residents who stand in support of the Maryland Trust Act, a policy that would promote safety for all Maryland residents. We are signing this petition because there is a small but vocal group of Asian Americans in Maryland who have been speaking out in opposition to the Maryland Trust Act. We write to say that they do not speak for all Maryland AAPIs.

'Access' to healthcare means nothing when you cannot afford it. Changes to our healthcare system over the years have helped some while hurting others, and the plans currently proposed to replace the ACA will just continue that cycle of inadequacy. Now is the time to push for a Medicare-for-All system which takes the economic burden of providing healthcare off of employers, gives employees the freedom to pursue career opportunities without losing their insurance, and ensures that every American will feel secure in the fact that they can get the medical care they need without facing the prospect of financial catastrophe.

Yesterday, FBI Director James Comey confirmed that the president of the United States and his associates are the subject of an active criminal investigation regarding "possible connections between President Trump’s campaign and Russia’s efforts to sabotage" November's election—to benefit Trump. These allegations are remarkably serious. So serious that earlier today Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate to call for a delay on confirmation of Trump's Supreme Court nominee until this issue has been fully investigated. How can Congress, in good conscience, agree to further Trump's agenda amid such serious allegations regarding possible illegal collusion with Russia? The answer is simple: It can't. There's no other way to characterize this breaking news: The legitimacy of Trump's presidency and his entire administration is in question. And with so much yet unknown, Congress cannot consider Trump's agenda, especially the lifetime appointment of Neil Gorsuch. That's why it's imperative that Congress halt every piece of the Trump agenda—and that the Senate heed Sen. Schumer's call to stop Supreme Court confirmation hearings—until a full and independent investigation has been conducted. Deliver a simple three-word message to Congress: Shut it down.

Meals on Wheels is under the knife. The program expects to be "significantly and negatively impacted" if Donald Trump's budget is enacted and it loses funding from the federal government. Trump's cruel and inhumane budget will be moving through Congress in the coming weeks and months. Meals on Wheels—which provides nutritious meals and a caring presence for millions of American seniors—needs to be protected.