Tell Congress: Block Betsy DeVos' education cuts

DeVos's plan cuts more than $8.5 billion, eliminating about 12 percent of the budget of the Department of Education

The petition to Congress reads: "Block Education Secretary Betsy DeVos from cutting billions from the Department of Education budget." Add your name:

DeVos' cruel budget plan would hurt children's education, threaten school safety and increase the disparity between rich and poor communities. Congress must stand up for children and reject her draconian budget cuts.Betsy DeVos' Department of Education 2020 budget proposal is a disaster. She tried and failed to cut funding for the Special Olympics, but that was only part of her plan. She also wants to cut billions from public education.Instead of supporting the public schools she is supposed to serve, she wants to create a $5 billion tax credit to shift more children to private schools. Tell Congress: Block Education Secretary Betsy DeVos from cutting billions from the Department of Education budget. Click here to sign the petition. DeVos's plan cuts more than $8.5 billion, eliminating about 12 percent of the budget of the Department of Education.1 Trump rolled back her proposal to eliminate funding for the Special Olympics because of overwhelming outrage.2 But her plan goes even further. She wants to cut programs for after-school activities for children in low-income communities. She wants to cut grants for textbooks and other school needs.3 Her budget would even cut school safety efforts, including mental health services and safety equipment.4 DeVos' real goal is to funnel money away from public education to private schools. She proposed a change to the tax code that would give wealthy individuals and corporations a $5 billion tax credit for making donations to private school scholarships.5 That's $5 billion that the government would no longer have available to spend on schools that benefit all children. Trump and DeVos like to pretend that budget cuts are sadly unavoidable, but the truth is that Trump's overall budget plan calls for a record $4.75 trillion in spending. But he wants to increase funding for the military and immigration enforcement – prioritizing the politics of fear and racism over the things we actually need to thrive. This budget is not set in stone. It requires approval from Congress, which is likely to reject at least some of the worst cuts. But we can't let Congress end up "compromising" with a heartless billionaire over children's education. A budget reflects a country's moral priorities, and our priorities should be education, health care and the environment – not walls, incarceration and separating families. Every member of Congress must reject DeVos' inhumane cuts to the Department of Education. Tell Congress: Block Education Secretary Betsy DeVos from cutting billions from the Department of Education budget. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/devos-cuts?t=9&akid=32107%2E3130208%2EqVBDqr - Brandy Doyle, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Laura Meckler, "DeVos defends billions in education-spending cuts to skeptical House Democrats," The Washington Post, March 26, 2019. Shira Tarlo, "Trump says 'Special Olympics will be funded' amid outrage over budget cuts proposed by Betsy DeVos," Salon, March 29, 2019. Meckler, "DeVos defends billions in education-spending cuts to skeptical House Democrats." Ibid. Ibid. MORE INFORMATION Betsy DeVos grilled in Congress over proposed elimination of Special Olympics funding - NBC News

Sign to support restoring the Voting Rights Act

Our voting rights are under attack. A provision under the Voting Rights Act was tossed by the Supreme Court in 2013, permitting states to change their election laws without advance federal approval.

Since then, abuses and restrictions to voting rights have been widespread. We witnessed voter suppression during the 2018 midterm elections across several state elections. In Georgia, 53,000 voter registrations were put on hold, nearly 70 percent of which belonged to black voters. North Carolina’s 2018 midterm election had nearly 20% fewer early voting locations than there were in 2014.

This is a gross injustice and highlights just how urgent it is that we act to protect voting rights!.

This past February, Black History Month, Congressional Democrats introduced legislations The Voting Rights Advancement Act Of 2019 to restore that provision of the Voting Rights Act. We need citizen co-sponsors to build grassroots support to help pass this crucial legislation.

Add your name: We demand Congress pass The Voting Rights Advancement Act Of 2019 to ensure equal access for every American to vote.

Message: 

We demand you restore the Voting Rights Act. Voting is a right for EVERYONE and you must assure that every American has access to this fundamental exercise.

Participating Organizations:

18MillionRising.org

American Family Voices

Common Cause

Courage Campaign

CREDO

Daily Kos

Franciscan Action Network

Free Speech for People

Hip Hop Caucus

Iron PAC

Left Action

Let America Vote

People Demanding Action

People for the American Way

Progress America

The Other 98%

Voter Rights Action

Also... Read about attacks on voting rights at the STATE level

TELL CONGRESS: A DIRTY ENERGY LOBBYIST SHOULDN’T BE TRUSTED WITH PUBLIC LANDS

Urge your senator to reject David Bernhardt

When Ryan Zinke resigned as Secretary of the Interior amid scandal, he walked right into a job at a D.C. lobbying firm. Now another scandal-ridden polluter lobbyist is poised to take his place at the helm.

David Bernhardt, Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Interior, has dedicated his career as a lobbyist and government official to fighting for the worst polluters in the country. Since taking the reins as Acting Secretary of the Interior, he has worked overtime to make it easier for the timber and fossil fuel industries to pillage our public lands and oceans for obscene profits.

We need your help to stop Bernhardt. Tell your senators to oppose this dangerous nomination and demand a nominee who will steward our lands, oceans, and wildlife.

Bernhardt’s tenure at Interior during the Bush administration was marred with scandal. In congressional testimony, he swapped independent government analysis with reports funded by the oil industry. He hasn’t changed at all. Just this week, it was reported that he blocked the release of government analysis that found two pesticides to be so toxic that they “jeopardize the continued existence” of more than 1,200 endangered species, and instead pursued a plan supported by the pesticide industry. Bernhardt’s conflicts of interest run so deep that he carries a notecard to keep track of which former clients he can talk to, and which ones would be ethics violations.

During the government shutdown, he kept our national parks unstaffed even as he diverted resources to approve over 50 offshore drilling permits for a former client. He has launched attacks on the Endangered Species Act, including a shameless attempt to remove federal protections for wolves across the lower 48 states. Worst of all, he marches in lockstep with the administration’s climate denialism, refusing to accept the clear science showing the threat climate change poses to our future.

The fight to stop Bernhardt will come down to just a few key votes in the Senate. Every letter matters — take action and write to your senators today.

More Information:

David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary may be one of the worst things for Arizona - AZ Central

Sign the petition: Tell Nestlé to stop producing single-use plastic

Plastic pollution is jeopardizing human health and harming marine animals like whales and sea turtles at alarming rates.

We cannot recycle our way out of this crisis. Over 90% of plastics are not recycled. Communities in Southeast Asia are used as dumping ground through the global waste trade. We have to hold brands accountable and demand alternatives to cheap throwaway plastic packaging.

Recent cleanups and audits of plastic waste have revealed that Nestlé is one of the worst plastic polluters. Nestlé sells a billion products a day with 98% of them wrapped in single-use packaging.

Nestlé must stop endangering our oceans, communities, and wildlife around the world.

Sign the petition to tell Nestlé: Stop producing single-use plastic and immediately start shifting toward refillable and reusable products!

Thanks to pressure from the global Break Free From Plastic movement, Nestlé has finally acknowledged the plastic pollution crisis. But the company has yet to take meaningful action and continues to churn out throwaway plastics that will exist in our world for lifetimes. No material used for momentary convenience should have an impact that severe.

Now is the time to call for real action from Nestlé. Add your name to demand Nestlé immediately begin to phase out single-use plastics!

Our Message to U. Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé:

I am calling on you to take meaningful action to address the plastic pollution crisis and immediately start shifting toward systems of refill and reuse. Nestlé must do more than acknowledge the problem with vague plans to phase out single-use plastics in a minuscule portion of its product lines. As a leader in the industry it must move with the urgency and scale needed to protect communities, oceans and wildlife. We will no longer jeopardize our environment for the sake of packaging.

Participating Organizations:

Climate Hawks Vote

Climate Parents

Daily Kos

Friends of the Earth Action

GAIA

Greenpeace

Plastic Pollution Coalition

Stand

More Information:

These 5 Marine Animals Are Dying Because of Our Plastic Trash … Here’s How We Can Help

#CrushPlastic Movement

Support the Sanctuary City bill - the Tucson Families Free & Together initiative

Excerpt from People Defense Initiative article, TUCSON FAMILIES FREE AND TOGETHER

On April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed SB1070 into law. Senate Bill 1070, commonly referred to as the “Show Me Your Papers” law, was an omnibus of Arizona anti-immigration measures, collecting a decade’s worth of unfounded fears stoked through the xenophobic, racist, and classist rhetoric of right-wing Arizona legislators. Since its passing, Arizona has become ground zero for issues like mass incarceration, police collaboration with ICE and Border Patrol, militarization, deportation, child detention, and family separation. Currently, 42,071 men and women are locked away in Arizona prisons. Our state incarcerates 877 people per 100,000 – the 8th highest per capita incarceration rate in the world.

The damage from the failed war on drugs and decades of over-policing is compounded by the continued practice of utilizing such contact with law enforcement as pretext for additional migration proceedings and deportation when the person in question may be undocumented or a non-citizen. In order to effectively respond to these threats, Cities must both provide undocumented and other non-citizen residents effective protections and safeguards from immigration enforcement, while also reducing the over-policing and criminalization of immigrant communities, and other people of color, that leads to mass incarceration and deportation.

Please, support the Sanctuary City bill - the Tucson Families Free & Together initiative. It would include amendments to the Tucson Code, Chapter 17, to: (1) prohibit city police officers and other city employees from detaining persons on the basis of a person’s immigration status and from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, except in circumstances expressly required under state and federal law; (2) prohibit certain collaborations between city agencies and federal law enforcement agencies; (3) provide for certification of certain visas for immigrant crime victims; and (4) provide for minimum record keeping and protocols for certain communications between city employees and federal law enforcement agencies.

If you are an organization or group that would like to endorse this campaign, follow this link to fill out the form.

More Information:

Proposal would make Tucson a place of safety and refuge - Arizona Daily Star, Feb 2, 2019

IMMEDIATE REQUEST TO SPEAK AND PHONE ACTIONS: Stop Voter Suppression in Arizona

In this time when we are doing everything we can to fight for our water and health, we have state legislators who aren't even allowing environmental bills to be heard on the floor of the Senate.  I would really prefer to be non-partisan on this page. But the fact is that the state GOP is fighting to weaken water regulations and even our ability to vote. That is despite having a majority of only one Republican senator. We can't let them silence our voices. We need make our voices heard loud and clear with phone calls AND become part of the public record on Request to Speak. Then we need to vote them out of the majority next election. 

But they aren't making this easy for us. They have already proposed laws that make it harder to enact citizens initiatives! And currently they are pushing through bills to lessen voter participation.

If you haven't signed up for Request to Speak, please, do that now. (It takes a day or two for someone to go to the capital and sign you up.)

On Tuesday and Thursday this week there are some bad bills in committee. You can weigh in on Request to Speak anytime now or while it is being heard in those meetings.

This week at the Capitol there are some dangerous threats to voters and Clean Elections and we need your help to stop them.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON – HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

SB 1188: Would take the ‘Permanent’ out of the Permanent Early Voting List in Arizona. This bill is sponsored by Michelle Ugenti-Rita and would take Arizona voters off of the Permanent Early Voter List (PEVL) and stop automatically mailing them their early ballots IF they do not vote in two consecutive election cycles.

Receiving a ballot in the mail makes voting more convenient and accessible. This is why about 80 percent of Arizona voters (2.9 million) receive ballots in the mail. We estimate that SB 1188 would remove at least 250,000 voters from PEVL using most recent elections data.

We’d like to invite you for a press conference at 1:15 pm on the Capitol Lawn – after which we will pack the Elections Hearing Room in the House to show legislators we will not stand for this egregious attack on voters.

THURSDAY MORNING – SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

HB 2616: Would require groups and individuals who register voters (either as a part of their job or volunteers) to return completed forms within 10 business days of completion. The penalty for violation would be a civil fine of $25 per form per day (with no max.), or a class 2 misdemeanor (4-month max. sentence) even for an accidental violation.

Across the state, Arizona saw record-breaking voter registration in 2018, especially among young people and people of color. Rather than finding ways to encourage and sustain that level of participation, HB 2616 could discourage grassroots, organic civic engagement by everyday people and voter registration activities.

HB 2724: Is yet another attack on Arizona’s Clean Elections Program being shepherded by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. The bill would create new avenues for dark money groups and other bad actors to evade enforcement by the Clean Elections Commission.

Use the Request to Speak System, call or email your legislator or show up for a committee hearing and have your voice heard!

- Arizona Advocacy Network and Foundation

http://www.azadvocacy.org/

More Information:

Arizona House votes to create new crimes for certain voter-registration activities - Tucson.com

Tell Congress: Everyone deserves clean water. Support the WATER Act

The petition to Congress reads: "Everyone deserves access to affordable, clean, safe water. But private water corporations are threatening this most basic of human rights by treating our water as a commodity to be bought, sold, and contaminated for profit. I urge you to pass the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (WATER) Act to provide much-needed investment in our water systems and promote democratic community control." Add your name:

And the tragedy goes far beyond Flint. Thousands of American neighborhoods have childhood lead poisoning rates that far exceed those found during the peak of Flint's contamination crisis.1 In all, at least 4 million households with children are exposed to high levels of lead.2 Five years after it started, the Flint water crisis is far from over. More than 100,000 residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to toxic levels of lead in their drinking water, and thousands of families whose children were affected are still dealing with the tragic aftermath, including irreversible brain damage and lifelong physical effects. Reps. Brenda Lawrence and Ro Khanna recently introduced a vital bill to reinvigorate our public water systems and advance water justice, called the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (WATER) Act, which will provide much-needed investment in our water systems and promote democratic, community control. We must build massive grassroots support demanding Congress to support the WATER Act now. Tell Congress: Pass the WATER Act now. Click here to sign the petition. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to young children, who can suffer permanent damage to their brains, nervous systems and vital organs. Lead exposure in children can cause learning disabilities, hyperactivity, and developmental delays, and a recently released analysis found that more than 24 million school children are at risk of losing IQ points due to lead in school drinking water.3 Lead poisoning isn't only a public health crisis, but it's also a racial justice one, because communities of color are disproportionately affected. In fact, Black children are 1.6 times more likely to have elevated lead levels in their blood and are three times more likely than white children to have "extremely high" lead blood levels.4 Clean drinking water is a basic human right, yet despite the crisis in Flint and in communities across the country, the EPA under Donald Trump has repeatedly refused to strengthen lead regulations, likely at the urging of water utility lobbyists.5 That's why passing the WATER Act is so critical. If Trump's industry-friendly EPA is unwilling to protect children, Congress must force them to act. No family should fear that turning on the tap could poison their child and harm them for life. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/water-act-2019?t=9&akid=32038%2E3130208%2Ep8GpNO - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action Add your name: References: M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer, "Special Report: Thousands of U.S. areas afflicted with lead poisoning beyond Flint's," Reuters, Dec. 19, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Lead," accessed March 22, 2019. John Rumpler and Emma Dietz, "Get the Lead Out," Environment America Research & Policy Center, March 2019. Erin Schumaker and Alissa Scheller, "Lead Poisoning Is Still A Public Health Crisis For African-Americans," HuffPost Life, Dec. 6, 2017. Arthur Delaney, "EPA Promises, Yet Again, That It Will Do Something About America’s Lead Pipes," HuffPost, March 21, 2019.

Nominate the "Godfather of Solar" Bill Mundell for the ACC

I don't have to tell you that there is an important election coming up in 2020. But there is one race that is often overlooked on the ballot - the corporation commissioners. The Arizona Corporation Commission wields great power in Arizona. The ACC functions as the fourth branch of Arizona state government. Commissioners make important decisions that affect Arizona residents - like regulating the utility companies. If you are an environmental advocate, you might want to pay special attention to the next election for the ACC. Their decisions influence how fast Arizona moves to clean energy.

It is important to do your homework and make sure that the ACC candidates you select represent you.  This is especially vital because recent ACC members have been prosecuted for accepting dark money from the Arizona Public Service Electric Company (APS) to influence their vote.

Remember APS? APS spent 38 million dollars of their customers' money to affect the outcome of Prop 127. Former commissioner Kristin Mayes suggested that we make it illegal for utility companies to spend money to influence elections. That is something we really should work on.  Meanwhile, let's support candidates who won't be accepting dark money from them.

Consider signing Bill Mundell's nomination petition for the AZ Corporation Commission. He is running again and is very pro-solar. 

Bill Mundell served in the Arizona House of Representatives for six years and was Chairman of the Environment Committee for four of those years. As Chairman, he sponsored numerous pieces of legislation protecting Arizona’s environment, including the state’s first recycling law, a law preventing Arizona from becoming the nation’s dumping ground for hazardous waste and a law protecting the Phoenix Mountain Preserves.

He also sponsored legislation protecting victims of domestic violence and legislation that increased the penalties for crimes against children. He served as a Commissioner on the Arizona Corporation Commission for nine years (1999 to 2009) and was also Chairman. In 2001, when he was Chairman, Arizona was one of the first states to enact a rule that required its utilities generate a percentage of their electricity from renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

Read current Commissioner Sandra Kennedy's note below for more about him and sign the nomination petition on line. Please also share this with others.

"I have dubbed Bill Mundell the “Godfather of Solar.” He was the co-author of the Renewable Energy Standard we now have that requires regulated utilities to have 15% of their electrical energy generated by solar and renewables by 2025. Bill wants to support my proposal to raise the standard to 50% by 2028, and to make it 100% by 2050. Solar energy with battery storage is cheaper than coal or natural gas, so this is a very logical choice.

I have signed Bill’s on-line nominating petition, and now I am asking that you also go on-line and nominate him.

Please go to https://apps.azsos.gov/equal/ and nominate Bill Mundell.

There are three seats open in the 2020 election, and I want three Democrats elected for these seats. But I want Bill Mundell to be taking office with two other Democrats and joining me at the Corporation Commission in January 2021. 

- Sandra Kennedy

Protect Arizona's Wild and Scenic River - Fossil Creek!

Congress designated the Fossil Creek a Wild and Scenic River in 2009 -- only the second river in Arizona to be designated as Wild and Scenic. Fossil Creek includes a unique and important riparian environment that is one of Arizona's best habitats for threatened and endangered native fish and other wildlife. It and the surrounding wilderness areas are also popular recreation sites for hiking, birding, fishing, nature study, photography, and more.

The Forest Service has developed a Draft Comprehensive Resource Management Plan (CRMP) and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will guide management actions and policies on Fossil Creek for decades. This is our last chance to improve the proposed plan. The Forest Service needs to hear from everyone who cares about this beautiful and biologically rich area.

Please use the button below to send your message to the Forest Service to develop a plan that better protects the unique and important values of this beautiful area or consider writing and sending comments to:

Coconino National Forest
Attention: Fossil Creek CRMP
P.O. Box 20429
Sedona, AZ 86341

Send email comments to: comments-southwestern-coconino-redrock@fs.fed.us.

Comments are due April 4th, so please take action today!

A summary of the CRMP and public concerns for Fossil Creek with maps is available here.

Take Action!

For questions about the Fossil Creek plan, contact Gary Beverly at gbverde99@gmail.com

ACT NOW: Block ex-oil lobbyist Bernhardt's appointment as Secretary of the Interior

Stop oily Bernhardt! 

The Senate is poised to vote on former oil lobbyist David Bernhardt’s confirmation as official Interior secretary. His hearing committee is scheduled for next week.

As acting secretary, Bernhardt has shown that he’s more interested in serving the interests of the oil companies that he used to lobby for, like Halliburton, than those of the American people.

He has pushed for oil drilling off America’s coasts and in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge … advocated for rolling back the Endangered Species Act … weakened limits on climate-busting methane for oil and gas companies … and supported dismantling our national monuments.

The Interior secretary oversees around one-fifth of this country's total landmass, including all of the oil, natural gas, and coal beneath the ground on federal lands. The secretary also plays a critical role in protecting our oceans and coastal waters. It's a role too important to the future of this country to hand off to a polluter ally like Bernhardt without a fight.

Together we've shown time and time again that public pressure makes an impact — including forcing former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to resign.We must mobilize a massive outcry in opposition to this dangerous nomination.

Take action NOW by urging your senators to vote NO on Bernhardt’s confirmation — and tell them that we won’t stop fighting to protect our public lands, oceans, and wildlife.

Send a message directly to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally. Tell them that you will not stand by and watch a former oil lobbyist gain control of our public lands and waters!

- Rhea Suh, President, NRDC Action Fund

SUPPORT electric vehicles for state agencies and equal tax breaks for solar leasers

Here's your chance to give a BIG THUMBS UP in the Request to Speak system at the Arizona State Legislature!

REQUEST TO SPEAK ACTIONS:

If you have registered for Request to Speak, this is your opportunity to weigh in on the following bills in committee this week.   (See directions on RTS here.) 

(To register for a Request to Speak account: http://www.cebv.us/. NOTE: It may take a day or two for someone to go to the capitol to sign you up, so do it now so you can participate on Wednesday or Thursday.) 

You can weigh in on the following bills anytime now or while they are in the committee meeting. 

Wednesday, March 20th at 2 p.m. 

House Committee on Transportation

• SB1442 state fleet; neighborhood electric vehicles (Pratt) states that when agencies request vehicles, preference will be given to electric neighborhood vehicles unless they demonstrate it will not fit their needs. This seems like a good idea to reduce pollution and burning fossil fuels. SUPPORT.

Senate Committee on Finance

• HB2493 appraisal methods; solar energy devices (Cobb) clarifies that leased solar rooftop systems are not subject to property tax, just as those systems owned by the property owner are not subject to property tax. This is a question of equity. Why give a tax break to those who can afford to buy a system outright versus those who cannot afford to buy and who lease instead? Why make solar less affordable for those with lower incomes or less upfront capital? SUPPORT.

If you haven’t registered for Request to Speak...

You can also call or email the following members of the Senate Finance Committee and ask them to support HB2493. If they say they are supporting it, also thank them.

Senator Lela Alston
Senator Sean Bowie
Senator Paul Boyer
Senator Lupe Contreras
Senator David Farnsworth
Senator Vince Leach
Senator David Livingston
Senator JD Mesnard
Senator Martin Quezada

Arizona: Call your Reps now to save ballot initiatives!

Republicans in Arizona are scared of the grassroots. That’s why they are pushing SB 1451, which would create burdens for people collecting ballot initiative signatures. The Arizona House Elections Committee will be hearing this bill tomorrow. SB 1451 has already passed the Senate, so our only hope is to stop this bill in the House.

SB 1451 would require petitions to be identified and submitted by each signature collector, adding unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles to the already intensive process of gathering signatures to qualify an initiative. This is an attempt to once again weaken voters’ right to put ballot measures to a vote of their fellow citizens.

Here’s what you can do to end this blatant attack on democracy in Arizona:

Check out our call page for phone numbers and ask your state representatives to vote NO on SB 1451.

Sample Script: 

For Republican House Representatives

Hello, my name is <YOUR NAME> and I am a constituent of Representative <NAME> from <YOUR TOWN>. I’m calling to express my concern about a bill that would undermine democracy in our state. SB 1451 would place onerous burdens on signature gatherers, . We should be facilitating access to ballot initiatives, not making it more difficult. Can I count on Representative <NAME> to vote NO SB 1451in the House?

If you're in Phoenix:

Help us pack the hearing this afternoon! One of the most impactful ways to hold the legislature accountable is to show up in person.

When: Tuesday, March 19, 2:00 PM
Where: Hearing Room 4, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Actions to Protect AZ Water this week at the AZ State Legislature

This week there are some bills that could affect our water being heard at the state legislature.

The first action requires a quick phone call. Please, take a couple minutes to call your state Representatives before it goes to a vote (which could be any day.) The rest of the bills are being heard in committee. If you have registered for the Request to Speak, you can sign in on the system on the Arizona Legislature Website.  You can weigh in on RTS anytime before or during that meeting. (See info below.)

PHONE ACTION:

There was a recent attempt to resurrect one of several bad water bills in the House. HB2609 Harquahala non-expansion area; groundwater transfer (Petersen: Cook) allows private water companies in the Harquahala Irrigation Non-expansion area (west of the Phoenix area) to withdraw water to a depth of 1,500 feet rather than 1,000 feet and transport it into an active management area. This violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Code and sets a terrible precedent for bypassing statewide groundwater management by importing water from areas outside the Active Management Areas. Speaker of the House, Rusty Bowers, is leading the effort to jam this through over the objections of La Paz County and any who are concerned about further privatizing water. Please call your representatives and ask them to oppose HB2609. If they say they are opposing it, thank them.

To find out who your Rep is, find your district: 

https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

Use that district to find the contact information for your Rep.

https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/

REQUEST TO SPEAK ACTIONS:

If you have registered for Request to Speak, this is your opportunity to weigh in on the following bills this week.   (See directions on RTS here.) 

(To register for a Request to Speak account: http://www.cebv.us/. NOTE: It may take a day or two for someone to go to the capitol to sign you up, so do it now so you can still participate on Wednesday or Thursday.) 

Wednesday, March 20th

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy at 2:00 PM

• HCM2003 uranium pollution; remediation (Thorpe) includes inaccurate information about uranium mining, turning it into a promotional for the mining industry. Encouraging cleanup is something we do support, but this memorial does not reference the need to get the mining companies to clean up their own messes, plus it says that there are no issues with "modern" uranium mining. (The current practice is for mines to become limited liability companies so they aren't held responsible to clean up their own toxic tailings that seep into our waterways). OPPOSE.

Thursday, March 21st
Senate Committee on Water and Agriculture at 9:00 AM

• HB2475 water use; criminal penalty; wells (Bowers) says if you take someone else's water via a well, it is no longer a misdemeanor. This includes the subsurface flows of streams and rivers. Essentially, this would keep the law making it illegal to steal someone else’s water when it is on the surface, but legal to steal it if it’s below the surface. OPPOSE.

NOTE: I've found it easiest just to do all of the Request to Speak bills while I am in the system. Just click "another request." 

Support Rep. Maxine Waters' Consumer First Act to restore the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Rep. Maxine Waters explains the Consumers First Act.

Petition to Congress: "Support Rep. Maxine Waters' Consumer First Act to restore the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and undo the damage of Donald Trump's Wall Street first administration." Add your name:

The CFPB – the brainchild of Sen. Elizabeth Warren – was one the shining star of Wall Street oversight. In just a few short years, it "returned $12 billion to nearly 30 million consumers who have been harmed by financial institutions, handled over 1.3 million consumer complaints about financial institutions, and made the financial marketplace stronger and fairer for all Americans."1 First, Trump hijacked the independent watchdog by installing his then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney – a man who once publicly told a room full of bank lobbyists that donors to his political campaigns got first access to his congressional office.2 Then, Mulvaney set out to destroy the CFPB from within. He put partisan hacks in charge, dismissed an independent expert consultant board, suppressed a report on exploitative student loans, dropped charges against predatory payday lenders and quit cooperating with other agencies. Now, Mulvaney's handpicked successor, Kathy Kraninger – a woman with no relevant experience who helped implement Trump's family separation policy – is continuing the crusade, starting with a handout to payday lenders.3 Rep. Maxine Waters has had enough, and now she's out to reclaim the CFPB as the new chair of the House Committee on Financial Services. Her Consumers First Act restores the CFPB's staffing and powers, protects its work to rein in predatory lenders, and blocks further administration sabotage.4 We must help Rep. Waters pass this bill to undo the damage and expose Trump's Wall Street first agenda. Stand with Rep. Waters: Don't let Trump help Wall Street prey on working people. Click here to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/waters-cfpb?t=9&akid=31935%2E3130208%2Ew4YO5_ - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Timothy Jenkins, "Chairwoman Waters introduces bill to reverse Mulvaney actions," Consumer Finance Monitor, March 7, 2019. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. More Information: Donald Trump Is Targeting an Agency That Has Recovered $11.8 Billion for Consumers - Fortune, Jan. 2017