Recently, along with millions of other New Yorkers, I received an emergency text message alert that left out any details of a suspect--other than name and age--asking for the public's help: WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-year-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen." As a New Yorker, I am deeply concerned for our public safety--and criminals threatening our immediate well-being must be caught. But by only providing a name and an age, I was left with the impression that any brown or Muslim man between 25-35 years old could be mistaken for the suspect. Will you join me in holding the federal government accountable for reinforcing dangerous profiling in the Wireless Emergency Alerts system? As a Muslim, I face my own personal dangers from profiling. And with one presidential candidate actually advocating for police to begin racially profiling Muslims living in the United States--sowing fear of all Muslim people into this election--I am compelled more than ever to put an end to this dangerous trend. The WEA system can be critical in giving the public a platform to help catch wanted suspects who may be an imminent threat to public safety, but the potential is there to create a dangerous situation for any person loosely matching a description. The government could build in training requirements for all certified "Alert Operators" of the WAE system--typically federal agencies, as well as state and local government authorities--to avoid language that would lead to dangerous racial profiling and to provide clearer guidelines for when and how the WEA can be used. Join me in holding the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Homeland Security, and Federal Emergency Management Agency accountable for risking dangerous profiling.

The Clean Water Act has been critical in cleaning up America’s waterways, but two Supreme Court decisions have left our small streams and wetlands vulnerable to toxic dumping. Fortunately, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Clean Water Rule restores important pollution protections to these waterways, which impact the drinking water of 1 in 3 Americans, support businesses and recreation, and provide homes for wildlife. But Big Polluters want to keep their free pass to pollute our waterways and are pushing their allies in Congress to block this important rule by any means necessary. Send a message today to your Members of Congress telling them to protect our water by opposing all attacks on the Clean Water Rule!

The Grand Canyon is an icon of our American heritage, known around the world for its beauty and magnificence. But right now, it’s facing serious risks from greedy corporations — including some who represent the Koch brothers who want to open up areas of the Grand Canyon to radioactive uranium mining. Arizona’s Native American tribes, small businesses, and conservation groups are all joining together to ask President Obama to permanently protect 1.7 million acres of the Grand Canyon. Can we count on your support too?

The critical role of the media in a democratic society is to report objectively and without bias. Presidential debate moderators, representing the media, must be held accountable for exposing blatant misrepresentations of the truth in real time by requiring clarification and elaboration of the legitimacy of questionable statements.

Increasingly, county jails are replacing in-person visitation with video visitation. At least eighteen counties in California have eliminated, plan to eliminate, or severely restrict in-person visitation in at least one of their jails. SB 1157 would require facilities that elect to use video visitation to also provide in-person visitation and would require that facilities that do not offer any in-person visitation to offer in-person visitation by January 1, 2022. Being able to have an in-person visit with their loved one who is incarcerated is crucial for family members, many of them children. Please ask Gov. Brown to sign this important bill.

For many individuals and families, supportive housing helps them make the right choices toward a positive future. However, for homeless young adults with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis, it too often can mean the ultimate difference—that between life or death.

Wayland Ventures/City Properties Group is not welcome in the Dayton community. They are evicting a community garden art park, 3000 volunteers, and 8 years in the making called Garden Station. GS is nationally recognized for its amenities such as environmentally sustainable structures an edible forest and large-scale sculptures and murals donated by local artists. These things can not be "relocated." Letters from community members and organizations such as the Montgomery Soil & Water conservation District and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association have flooded into Wayland Ventures/City Property Group and have been rebuffed. Rather than include this very important amenity of the Dayton community that means so much to us, as a part of their "lifestyle district" they are going to rip through it and turn it into a parking lot or a bar.

McRibs are so tasty man

Trump's shocking attitude toward the use of nuclear weapons and the climate crisis could bring irreversible global disaster. If Stein gets just 2-3% of the vote, that could put Donald Trump in the White House. Dr. Stein, you could indeed be our Savior, but only by getting out of the race.

Representatives of the International Indigenous Youth Council of Standing Rock and Oceti Sakowin Youth encampment have requested that Senator John Barrasso (R- WY) hold a Senate committee hearing on Indian Affairs in response to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. As the 114th Congressional session is coming to an end, the window of opportunity is closing to give notice to other Senators, as required by procedural rule 4.a for the Indian Affairs committee. Barrasso's legislative director, Stewart, told the Youth Council representatives that Senator Barrasso, “has other priorities than Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.” This dismissal comes at a time when nearly 300 Native tribes have rallied in support with the Standing Rock Sioux, and this issue has garnered national and international attention, including “solidarity protests” in 40 states and worldwide, and coverage by the mainstream print and tv media. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and Native and non-Native allies, have raised particular concern about desecration of historical sacred sites and burial grounds. Meanwhile, construction resumes in North Dakota, continuing to disturb and destroy sacred sites and burial grounds, sacrilege in Treaty terms. Protect the sacred, respect treaty law, and hold an Indian Affairs Senate committee hearing on the Dakota Access Pipeline.

All children need and deserve two loving parents in their lives, even if the parents are no longer living together. The starting point of a child custody proceeding should be equal protection for each parental relationship. The Family Protection Act will create a presumption at the beginning of an action that equal time with each parent is in the children's best interest. Cooperative parents can make their own agreements, and the presumption can be overcome if there is evidence that equal time is not best for the children, but equality is where we should start.

Last year, due to the massive earthquake and the numerous aftershocks in Nepal, the death toll exceeded 9,000 and over eight million people were affected. According to recent news reports, tens of thousands of Nepalis are still living in tents. Recent floods due to heavy monsoon rains have exacerbated the problems, destabilizing the already troubled recovery efforts further, while creating new need for relief.