The assault on public education and services for special needs kids has begun.

House Resolution 610 makes some substantial changes. It will effectively start the school voucher system to be used by children ages 5-17, and starts the defunding process of public schools. In addition the bill will eliminate the Elementary and Education Act of 1965, which is the nation's educational law and provides equal opportunity in education.

ESSA is a big comprehensive program that covers programs for struggling learners, AP classes, ESL classes, classes for minorities such as Native Americans, Rural Education, Education for the Homeless, School Safety (Gun-Free schools), Monitoring and Compliance and Federal Accountability Programs.

The bill also abolishes the Nutritional Act of 2012 (No Hungry Kids Act) which provides nutritional standards in school breakfast and lunch.

The bill has no wording whatsoever protecting SN kids, no mention of IDEA and FAPE.

Some things ESSA does for Children with Disabilities:

-Ensures access to the general education curriculum.
-Ensures access to accommodations on assessments.
-Ensures concepts of Universal Design for Learning
-Includes provisions that require local education agencies to provide evidence-based interventions in schools with consistently under-performing subgroups.

-Requires states in Title I plans to address how they will improve conditions for learning including reducing incidents of bullying and harassment in schools, overuse of discipline practices and reduce the use of aversive behavioral interventions (such as restraints and seclusion).


Please call Virginia Fox, the Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and ask her to vote NO on House Resolution 610 (HR 610). For people in Arizona, contact Rep Raul M. Grijalva.

For the rest of you, find out if your rep is on the committee here: 

Representatives on the committee and their contact information. 

Here's my husband Dan's e-mail: 

Dear Rep Grijalva,

I just became aware of HR 610, which was introduced in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. As I'm sure you are aware, this ill-conceived bill will hurt many children - especially from households with limited means. I implore you to help ensure this bill doesn't get passed out of committee. Thank you.

Chat Conversation End

State House passed bills that create barriers to placing initiatives on ballots

"Despite our efforts, all of the bills that will profoundly restrict your direct democracy in Arizona, passed the State House last night. These bills are going to create barriers for voters who want to put initiatives on the ballot, and they completely undermine voters' power by allowing the Legislature to change or repeal initiatives even though voters already approved them.

We cannot allow these bills to pass the Senate too. This aggressive attack on your constitutional right to direct democracy cannot stand. We appreciate all of your help on this. Please take a minute to call these key legislators if you’re in their district and tell them to vote AGAINST HCR2002, HCR2007, HB2404, HB2255, HCR2029, and HB2320."

Call these legislators NOW:

Frank Pratt, LD 8 (602) 926-5761
Katie Brophy McGee, LD 28 (602) 926-4486
Steve Yarbrough, LD 17 (602) 926-5863
Kimberly Yee, LD 20 (602) 926-3024
Judy Burges, LD 22 (602) 926-5861
Nancy Barto, LD 15 (602) 926-5766
Steve Montenegro, LD 13 (602) 926-5955
David Farnsworth, LD 16 (602) 926-3020
Sylvia Allen, LD 6 (602) 926-5409
Bob Worsley, LD 25 (602) 926-5760

Call today — your voice makes a difference and we need your help to win this fight.

— Katie O'Connell, People for the American Way

To find your district, use the district locator:

http://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

To find out who your senator is:

http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/?body=S

I just looked up my district: 9 and senator: Steve Farley and asked him to oppose the bills that prohibit new initiatives on the ballot. (602) 926-3022

Prayer for Water Protectors evacuating the Oceti Sakowin Camp

Protesters participate in a prayer circle on Turtle Island on Thanksgiving day

Trump gave permission for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) to break the law by proceeding to build the pipeline under the Missouri River with out the required environmental impact statement. The Water Protectors have been asked to evacuate the Oceti Sakowin Camp by 2 o'clock, February 22.

Today at 2 o'clock (N. Dakota time) many will leave the Oceti Sakowin Camp in prayer and ceremony, others (including some veterans) have chosen to make a stand and to be arrested rather than leave.

Water Protector Lisha Sterling writes:

Good morning, water protectors! This is not a vacation! It is time to pray!

In fact, it will be hard to do anything else besides pray today as my thoughts are constantly on Oceti Sakowin, Sicangu and Sacred Stone. May the water protectors stand today in one mind. May peace and strength emanate from the heart of every water protector throughout the camps, and may that peace and strength connect them all like a mycelial web, from heart to heart, mind to mind. May the ancestors and spirits of place rise up to defend the water protectors even as the water protectors stand to defend all our relatives. May those on the side of DAPL and those who would block, remove, or in any way harm the water protectors be confounded today, and let those who have good hearts have their eyes opened and their minds changed so that they too will stand with us.


Let there be peace. Let there be power. Let there be right thinking and right actions.

May our people have the time to fully clear the land that we have called home these many months, leaving no trace, and may we continue to stand together in new places for the protection of the water, the land, the air, and all our relatives as a community of prayer.


Previously live broadcast of the evacuation here:

https://www.facebook.com/Truthdig/videos/10154205741756367/

or here:

https://www.facebook.com/jenni.monet.journalist/videos/1636962879650702/

Let Rep. McSally know how you feel about repealing the Affordable Care Act

TOMORROW, Rep. Martha McSally will be available to hear constituents' opinions on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is the first opportunity since Republican Congressional leaders and President Trump took office. Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act are already crumbling under grassroots pressure--and this could be the opportunity we need to stop them for good. We know that turning out in the streets and calling our representatives is making a difference--and it's really getting under President Trump's skin.

Now we have our best chance yet to show Rep. Martha McSally how big our pro-woman and pro-healthcare movement really is. We need Rep. Martha McSally to hear directly from all of us that we won't allow Congress to repeal the ACA and take away health insurance from nearly 30 million, birth control from 55 million, and coverage of preventive care from millions more.1

Here are the details of the event:

WHERE: The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, 17750 S. La Cañada Dr. in Sahuarita*

WHEN: Thursday, February 23, 4 PM

WHAT: Your member of Congress is holding a town hall meeting to hear constituents' opinions about repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

When you go, please be sure to take the opportunity to speak. Use your own words, but here are some points to guide you:

The Affordable Care Act matters to me because [share a personal story or reasons why.]

Rep. Martha McSally, what would you say to the young adults who are able to stay on their parent's health insurance up to age 26 thanks to the Affordable Care Act? Or to the many residents of Arizona who have a pre-existing condition which could make them un-insurable without the ACA?

Just under 25 million Americans depend on the Affordable Care Act for insurance, and another five million for Medicaid coverage. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, we now have the lowest uninsured rate in American history.2

27 million women have benefited from having all FDA-approved contraceptive methods without a co-pay, including emergency contraception. Nearly three in five women have stated they have struggled to afford birth control at some point, including 57% of young Latinas and 61% of young Black women.3

Rep. Martha McSally needs to hear from you.

Questions may be sent to Dan Shearer at the GV News and selected questions will be posed to McSally. E-mail : dshearer@gvnews.com

P.S. Check out our new Tumblr for more personal stories of individuals positively impacted by the Affordable Care Act.

Sources:
1. Obamacare Repeal Would Take Insurance From 30 Million People, NBC News, December 11, 2016
In the Middle of the Night, the Senate Voted Against Keeping Health-Care Coverage for Contraceptives, New York Magazine, January 12, 2017
2. Women and the Health Care Law in the United States, National Women's Law Center, May 16, 2013
3. Survey: Nearly Three in Four Voters in America Support Fully Covering Prescription Birth Control, Planned Parenthood, May 14, 2014

*NOTE: CHANGE OF VENUE.  MAY BE SOLD OUT.  

http://tucson.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mcsally-to-hold-town-hall-in-sahuarita/article_036fcc76-f6bb-11e6-bdfa-8b6fdfb4617c.html

Meet with Your Members of Congress

Members of Congress are about to head to their districts to begin a week-long recess. It’s the perfect time to pay them a visit and demand action on a crucial issue in grave danger under the Trump administration: health care. With Tom Price confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Republicans determined to repeal the Affordable Care Act, we must act now to protect the gains of the ACA and demand a way forward toward true universal health care. Here’s how you can get involved:

1) Head to TownHallProject.com to find a town hall in your area.

2) Use Resistance Recess to find a town hall or rally near you, along with talking points specific to fighting for health care.

3) If you can’t attend a meeting or make a personal visit, give your representative a call.

What To Ask For

1) Demand that your representatives protect Medicaid. Republicans have long been advocating to turn Medicaid into a block-grant program. Block-granting is an old idea that was already used to gut welfare and would almost certainly mean major cuts. You can read more about the tactic in a 2014 article for The Nation by Mike Konczal and Bryce Covert.

2) Fight for a real alternative to the Affordable Care Act: Medicare For All. Representative John Conyers recently introduced HR 676, the Explanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, a bill that would implement a single-payer “Medicare For All” system. Tell members of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor the bill and to advocate for it publicly and loudly. For more ways to get involved, check out Medicare4All or sign up for the Campaign for Guaranteed Healthcare.

3) Defend the gains of the Affordable Care Act. While nowhere near perfect, the ACA has made coverage possible for more than 20 million people and cut the uninsured rate by nearly half. Tell your representatives that we can NOT go backwards. Resistance Recess provides talking points for defending the program.

How confirming Pruitt will prohibit Arizona's progress

I just sent the following e-mail to Senator Flake at:

https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff

Dear Senator Flake,

Sure, Arizona has abundant reserves of coal, but that doesn't mean it is in our best interest to extract it from our public lands. Extracting coal uses up our already depleted water supply. Why do that when Arizona has a more abundant and profitable alternative: solar energy. Solar energy has already created more long lasting, high paying jobs than all of the fossil fuel industries combined.  Why aren't we leading the way in this growth industry?

In the midst of a 20 year drought, shouldn't we find more sustainable methods of procuring water than pumping it 320+ miles uphill from the Colorado River? The coal burning plant that powers those pumps has already depleted the Hopi and Navajo's aquifer. Why do that when Tucson has enough annual rainfall to supply every Tucsonan with water. We need to incentivize water harvesting and rebuild our antiquated "flood control" system to sink the water into our depleted aquifers. This would also save taxpayers millions yearly from flood damage.

Investing in a more sustainable infrastructure would not only create job security (rather than those temporary coal mining jobs) while protecting our national treasures that bring in 21 billion in tourism dollars.

It's not too late to be a hero to our children. Please, vote "no" on Pruitt. As head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt will protect the fossil fuel industry - not support a clean infrastructure that will strengthen Arizona's economy. He will cut regulations that protect Arizona's beautiful land, air and water. Confirming Pruitt will only prohibit Arizona's progress.

Respectfully,
Jana Segal

Now to Senator McCain...

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form#form_5410ED49-30B0-4918-84D6-C3B8DD32DCCB

Resist climate-denier Scott Pruitt as head of the EPA

The resistance is working! First public outcry caused Michael Flynn to resign as National Security Director, now fast-food executive Andrew Puzder has withdrawn from consideration as Labor Secretary.

Will climate-denier Scott Pruitt be next? Call your senator TODAY at 877-969-2590 and tell them to vote against Pruitt’s nomination as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you’ve never called your senator before, don’t worry. It’s easy! There’s a script and a toll-free number ready for you. It will only take a couple of minutes, but it will make a big difference.

If you’ve never called your senator before, don’t worry. It’s easy! There’s a script and a toll-free number ready for you. It will only take a couple of minutes, but it will make a big difference.

Step 1: Dial 877-969-2590.

Step 2: Before you are connected with your senate office, you will hear a message from me with some brief talking points.

Step 3: After the message ends, you will be transferred to one of your senators' offices. You may be put on hold, but don’t hang up! Your message couldn’t be more important.

In case you want to practice ahead of time, here are the talking points written out:
My name is _______ and I’m calling to ask the senator to vote NO on Scott Pruitt’s nomination to head up the EPA.

 
Scott Pruitt is a known climate-change denier who pushes fracking and other dirty energy sources over clean energy. By nominating Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Donald Trump is putting America’s communities, health, and environment at risk.

As Oklahoma Attorney General, Pruitt blocked basic protections for clean drinking water and helped the industry hide the connections between fracking and earthquakes. Pruitt has made a career suing the EPA to undo critical environmental protections for our air and water. He’s also received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry since 2002, leaving little doubt about whose interests he’ll protect as EPA head — and it’s not people or the environment.

If climate change denial is going to be the default position of the Trump White House, then relentless resistance will be the default position of the American people. It is now up to each one of us to fight for each other, and to resist the ways in which Donald Trump and his crony cabinet threaten our communities, climate, and country.

Thousands have already spoken out in resistance — writing messages, showing up at rallies, and going to town halls. Now let’s pick up the phones and make sure we can’t be ignored! Call 877-969-2590 right now.

In united resistance,

Jill Pape

Greenpeace, USA

¹ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/scott-pruitt-trump-epa-pick.html² http://www.followthemoney.org/show-me?c-t-eid=6583668&d-cci=36,33&d-ccb=95,98,97#[{1|gro=y