This needs to happen.

Our voting rights are sacred, and should not be abridged. No sooner did the Court strike down section IV of the Voting Rights Act than many states mobilized efforts to disenfranchise Democrats, especially disadvantaging women, the elderly, and people of color in the process. It is a positive move that the proposed law extends protections nationwide, and even though it doesn't protect against voter ID laws, it's a start.

The Voting Rights Act is one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation Congress has ever passed. Last year's Supreme Court decision weakened critical provisions of it. Right now, Congress can restore those protections by passing this important bill. Rep. Hastings should support this effort by co-sponsoring and fighting for a strong bill.

The Voting Rights Act is one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation Congress has ever passed. Last year's Supreme Court decision weakened critical provisions of it. Right now, Congress can restore those protections by passing this important bill. Rep. Salmon should support this effort by co-sponsoring and fighting for a strong bill.

We are all one community. When any one person is disenfranchised, we are all disenfranchised, and we all suffer for that wrong. We can only be healthy as a society if we all are treated equally and fairly, and if all of us are able to contribute all of our gifts and goodness..

We need a government of, by, and for the people–not bought and paid for by wealthy donors. Citizens United unleashed a flood of special interest outside spending, and candidate fundraising is also dominated by the wealthy. For example, 2012 U.S. Senate candidates got 64% of the money they raised from individuals in contributions of at least $1,000—from just 0.04% of the population. These big money donors largely determine who runs for office, who wins elections, and what issues make it onto the agenda in Washington. When candidates dial for dollars or attend high-priced fundraisers, they are hearing from a narrow, rich slice of America—donors who don’t share the same priorities as the rest of us. The very wealthy, for example, are less likely to support policies that give working families a fair shot at economic security—like investing in jobs, a strong minimum wage—and more likely to focus on reducing the deficit. The result is a Congress with warped priorities that favor the donor class and neglect the rest of us. The Government By the People Act helps put our government back in the hands of ordinary Americans in three key ways: • My Voice Tax Credit: This $25 tax credit ($50 for joint returns) for small political contributions will help millions of ordinary citizens support candidates who share our priorities, not just those of the donor class. • Freedom From Influence Fund: This fund will amplify our voices and change candidates’ incentives by matching small contributions, making a $50 check worth $350 or even $500 to a qualified small-dollar candidate. This makes door-to-door fundraising and house parties with constituents as valuable to candidates as high-dollar fundraisers run by lobbyists. • Fight-Back Fund: This fund will give small-dollar candidates a fighting chance against Super PACs and dark money groups who flood the airwaves in the final days of an election. Qualified candidates can get a last-minute match of up to $500,000 to fight back in a close race. Together, these provisions can change the game. Candidates can run for office in a new way, We the People can have our voices heard, and wealthy donors can start paying their fair share of taxes rather than paying for politicians who will write them special breaks.

Cameras in special needs classrooms are necessary. Cameras WILL prevent teachers from becoming Ogres and Monsters and beasts because they have proven that they will behave ONLY when the paycheck signers are watching them. Let me take a step back and say not all teachers are this way. But for those who are not this would help them prove that they are good teachers, and help the parents to see what is going on. My reason for wanting camera's is very easy my child is nonverbal and can not tell me what is going on. When he comes home with bruises with no explanation of why, yes it upsets me. Other children in the class room as well have limited vocabulary or could easily be manipulated. They can not say or may not even understand what is happening to them. My son started acting out and trying to run away from school, never a problem before. Came home with bruises and several times with scratches. I started making reports of every mark my child came home with, and then suddenly he was acting out home. Trying tell us in his own way to communicate there was something wrong. He then came home with bruising on his gentile area and I was aghast and horrified. Made a doctors appointment and to my horror she said the one thing I wanted to deny sexual abuse. I felt like i was being sucked under and about to drown. How, why, when, I has so many questions circling in my head. I felt like the worse mother in the world. I would like to make certain that this never happens to another child again. Going through the justice route and the school board did no good. It is a sad day when a child has to suffer due to the fact he is non verbal. I would like to help protect our children to the best of my ability. Cameras protect our most vulnerable members of society from our most depraved and evil monsters. Once again this will also help the good and caring teachers out there as well. Cameras should be MANDATORY in ALL special needs classrooms.

There is no reason to undermine current negotiations with Iran by threatening new sanctions. If we want a peaceful negotiated solution this is the only way forward.

To stop people going to jail for child support. My deadline is to get this changed as soon as humanly possible. I will do whatever it takes to change this. I have been personally effected by this issue because my fiance just got picked up 3 days ago and taken to jail for child support what is putting them in jail gonna make them do. The ones who want to pay it struggle every day to pay it and get sent to jail lose their jobs and have to start all over from scratch. The ones who refuse to pay it go sit there time and get out and still don't pay it. So why make them sit in jail. It is not a crime. It's not a felony and it's not a misdemeanor so why treat it like they committed a crime? Please help me change this to help people stop missing out.

A new bill has just been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly that could rob Virginia students of a quality science education. If passed, students could lose out on a science education that includes climate change and evolution. This legislation is bad for our kids and must be stopped. State Delegate Richard Bell’s legislation says teachers would be allowed to “help students….critique and review….the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in science class.” This is well-known code for “teaching the controversy” of climate change instead of the facts about climate science. If this legislation passes, school boards, superintendents, and principals will be unable to hold teachers who cite fringe climate deniers and other crank theories accountable. Tennessee and Louisiana have already passed bills that call out climate change as an example of a “scientific theory” subject to debate rather than understanding. Unless we speak up now, Virginia could be next. According to a story in Climate Progress, “the bill is part of a national trend of legislative proposals, led by creationist organizations like the Discovery Institute and climate-change deniers such as the Heartland Institute.” (1) While the Virginia Assembly considers Bell’s anti-science bill, other states across the country have begun adopting 21st century science standards that include solid climate science education. The Next Generation Science Standards -- developed by the National Academy of Sciences and 26 states -- teach the known and accepted facts of climate change, rather than treating it as a debatable theory. Virginia should follow suit. At a time when Virginia is already experiencing climate impacts such as rising sea levels that threaten Hamptons Roads and other sections of the Virginia coast, our kids deserve to be taught the truth about climate change so that they can be part of the solution. Thank you for taking action for our kids and grandkids! Aimee Tavares, Mom Arlington, VA (1) Climate Progress story: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/06/3124961/virginia-teach-controversy/

I am concerned about the lack of funding crippling school districts around the state, especially the large urban school districts. Lack of counselors, libraries closed and locked in the schools along with the lack of full time nurses in every school is disturbing and unfair to the students.

We want to see a Starbucks/subway in our High School. We think it will create a calm and relaxing place for students to work in during school ours.