In California—as in many other states—most recipients of the state’s welfare-to-work program receive their monthly checks through an EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card. But each time they use these cards to get cash, the banks charge them an ATM fee. A recent study found that big banks took more than $19 million out of the pockets of poor Californians in 2012. The average Calworks family lives on about $510 per month. Citibank has agreed to waive ATM fees for welfare-to-work recipients who use EBT cards, but the other big banks continue to take money away from low-income families. Sign the petition to Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and the other big banks: Stop ripping off state funds and low-income people with your ATM fees.

Yesterday was a great day in the fight against climate change and in our efforts to ensure New Jersey is a leader in it. Environment New Jersey, along with the Natural Resources Defense Council, won in a court challenge to Gov. Christie’s unilateral -- and illegal -- removal of New Jersey from the regulations governing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) -- a key program that has cut pollution from power plants and funded clean energy projects. The courts ruled the Christie administration must seek public comment on the decision to withdraw the state from these RGGI regulations -- and they have 60 days to start the regulatory process. The governor wanted to skirt the law by stifling public debate on important decisions that affect us all and we called him on it. (Probably because he knew people like you and I wouldn’t simply allow him to pull us out of a program that could make a huge difference for the future of our climate--and our children.) I would hope Gov. Christie follows the court’s decision – but I know this wouldn’t be the first time his administration has ignored a court ruling. New Jerseyans deserve the chance to weigh in on RGGI. Please take action now and let the Governor know.

I work in immigration reform and I see a lot of good people being hurt by local and federal policies whose sole aim is to hurt people. In the late 1890s, Michigan's population was more than 50% foreign born, Michigan was made by DREAMERs and this @OCCollege policy does not reflect the spirit of Michigan.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart has said he supports immigration reform, but it seems he’s done little to pressure Speaker Boehner to act. We know that if immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship were put up for a vote in the House, it could pass -- but Speaker Boehner refuses to budge. But there's a way to pressure Republicans like Rep. Diaz-Balart to act. House Democrats have just started a legislative procedure called a "discharge petition" to force action on immigration reform. If the nearly 30 House Republicans who support reform --- including Rep. Diaz-Balart -- join Democrats in signing this discharge petition, we can force Speaker Boehner to bring immigration to a vote, whether he likes it or not. We need Rep. Diaz-Balart to start leading and sign the discharge petition. If he really does support immigration reform, Rep. Diaz-Balart needs to act now!

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has said she supports immigration reform, but it seems she’s done little to pressure Speaker Boehner to act. We know that if immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship were put up for a vote in the House, it could pass -- but Speaker Boehner refuses to budge. But there's a way to pressure Republicans like Rep. Ros-Lehtinen to act. House Democrats have just started a legislative procedure called a "discharge petition" to force action on immigration reform. If the nearly 30 House Republicans who support reform --- including Rep. Ros-Lehtinen -- join Democrats in signing this discharge petition, we can force Speaker Boehner to bring immigration to a vote, whether he likes it or not. We need Rep. Ros-Lehtinen to start leading and sign the discharge petition. If she really does support immigration reform, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen needs to act now!

I am concerned that fracking wells are already being drilled in my home state of Illinois despite the fact that the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources hasn't even issued final rules for the fracking industry in Illinois yet. These Green Dozen bills will be considered in the Illinois General Assembly this spring and very soon.

Rep. David Valadao has said he supports immigration reform, but it seems he’s done little to pressure Speaker Boehner to act. We know that if immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship were put up for a vote in the House, it could pass -- but Speaker Boehner refuses to budge. But there's a way to pressure Republicans like Rep. Valadao to act. House Democrats have just started a legislative procedure called a "discharge petition" to force action on immigration reform. If the nearly 30 House Republicans who support reform --- including Rep. Valadao -- join Democrats in signing this discharge petition, we can force Speaker Boehner to bring immigration to a vote, whether he likes it or not. We need Rep. Valadao to start leading and sign the discharge petition. If he really does support immigration reform, Rep. Valadao needs to act now!

The things this man says are dangerous, and inflammatory against a minority population, full of lies and hatred.

Rep. Jeff Denham has said he supports immigration reform, but it seems he’s done little to pressure Speaker Boehner to act. We know that if immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship were put up for a vote in the House, it could pass -- but Speaker Boehner refuses to budge. But there's a way to pressure Republicans like Rep. Denham to act. House Democrats have just started a legislative procedure called a "discharge petition" to force action on immigration reform. If the nearly 30 House Republicans who support reform --- including Rep. Denham -- join Democrats in signing this discharge petition, we can force Speaker Boehner to bring immigration to a vote, whether he likes it or not. We need Rep. Denham to start leading and sign the discharge petition. If he really does support immigration reform, Rep. Denham needs to act now!

CPS is at it once again! They are coming after our neighborhood schools... our kids' place of learning and handing it over to a private charter school operation. CPS calls the process "turnaround." It is anything but that. It is simply another word for closing our schools. A University of Chicago study showed turnarounds and other dramatic school transformations result in a younger, whiter teaching force. This happens just a few days after parents, teachers, and students stood up to CPS by opting out of the meaningless ISAT. Gresham Elementary in the Auburn-Gresham community, Dvorak Technology Academy in North Lawndale and McNair Elementary in Austin will be turned over to the privately run Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), which CPS Board President David Vitale once headed. Tell CPS that we have had enough of closures, turnarounds, charters, military academies, and underfunded and overcrowded schools.

Del. Albo: We need your support for expanding Medicaid in Virginia. As you probably know, there is strong support for this expansion in your district. As each of us will soon be reminded when we file our taxes, Virginians are paying for a host of federal programs, including this Medicaid expansion. We are paying for this program already and then not accepting the money from the federal government that is ours! Worse than that, whether we expand the program or not, we ARE paying for the care of the uninsured. We pay thousands of dollars to treat infections in the emergency room that could have been cleared up with $2 antibiotics. There is chicken pox going through my local schools and mumps are taking hold in the Midwest because vaccine rates are down. Uninsured Virginians are diverting money from other important budget priorities, and we can cover them for free for three years and at only 10% cost indefinitely thereafter. That is not to mention the economic and social benefits of having 191,000 poor and disabled Virginians more healthy and with more money to spend locally. I have written you previously, and you stated then that you were not opposed to expanding Medicaid under three conditions: a guarantee that the federal government pays its 90%, that Medicaid cost us no more than it does now, and that Virginia be allowed to investigate and prosecute fraud. The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, a federal law for years now, states that the federal government will pay 90% of the cost of expansion indefinitely after 3 years: only an act of Congress can change it. The Medicaid expansion will save us at least that 10% in reducing uncompensated care and cost-shifting. Of course, you know there will never be support for having states investigate federal crimes and enforce federal laws. You'll have to suck that up and do what is right for Virginia anyway. We could use your leadership and your independence here.

Rick Santorum's political career may be largely behind him, but incredibly, a secret deal between Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey may lead President Obama to hand one of Rick Santorum's former lawyers a lifetime job as a federal judge. If the Western Pennsylvania District Court in Pittsburgh goes to David J. Porter, it's probably as close as conservatives can get to having Rick Santorum himself on the federal bench. One more conservative activist judge who wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. One more extremist in the federal judiciary who loves discriminating against women, immigrants and LGBT people as much as he loves doing the bidding of the National Rifle Association. To complete the conservative extremist packaging, Porter even opposes bilingual education and environmental health protections. [1] David J. Porter's hateful political extremism is an outrageous and unacceptable legacy for the Obama administration to leave behind in the federal judiciary. [1] - "Sens. Casey and Toomey plot secret deal to nominate Tea Party Judge for Western PA District Court," Keystone Progress, March 25, 2014 http://keystoneprogressblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/sens-casey-and-toomey-plot-secret-deal.html