News Archives » North America
Act Now for Responsible Finance and Debt Cancellation July 23rd, 2010
Please take action to press for responsible lending and desperately needed debt cancellation for poor countries – Click here for our Action Alert.
This Alert also includes an action to Make Mercury Pollution a Thing of the Past.
Tribal Law and Order Act Awaits Presidential Signature July 22nd, 2010
The Tribal Law and Order Act was passed by the House on July 21!
H.R. 725, which includes both the Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act and the Tribal Law and Order Act passed the House under suspension of the rules by a roll call vote with a 2/3 majority (326 yeas). This strong bipartisan support is welcome, particularly given the partisan atmosphere that has come to characterize both the House and the Senate.
The bill enjoyed bipartisan support in the House as it did in the Senate, and now awaits the president’s signature to become law.
The Tribal Law and Order Act (H.R. 1924), developed in consultation with Native Americans, takes steps to improve public safety across Indian Country, where the average crime rate is 2.5 times the national average. The Friends Committee on National Legislation was very active in promoting the legislation, coordinating advocacy through letters and visits. The Oblate JPIC Office actively supported passage of this bill and is delighted with the bill’s passage.
More information on the legislation is available on the FCNL website.
Ease Up on Mother Earth – Reuse! July 20th, 2010
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… We’ve all heard this mantra many times, but how often do we really think about it?
Hard economic times have many of us reducing our purchasing, and we are finding that perhaps we don’t need as much as we thought we did. But we also have much that can be re-used – both for the good of the planet and to help out those in need.
How can we encourage Reuse?
Start a re-use project in your church. Maybe you can have collection boxes for winter coats or kids’ clothing that is worth passing on. Books and DVDs are other items that are good to swap. Are there a lot of gardeners in your community? Swap seeds and gardening magazines. The possibilities are endless once you start thinking about it.
If you really want to inspire re-use in your community, organize a swap meet. Set up a few tables and get a group of people to bring their perfectly good items that others can take home for free in exchange for a trade. A variation on the old rummage sale…
More and more people – especially young people – are trading on-line. For the low-down on Craig’s List, Freecycle and other internet trade sites, read the Care2.com blog entry – “Not Buying It? How to Trade the Stuff You Already Have”.
Re-use this post – share it with others!
A Big Victory for Congo and Extractive Industries Transparency in the US Financial Reform Bill July 16th, 2010
On July 15, the United States Senate voted 60-39 to approve the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. President Obama is expected to sign the measure into law next week. While the text of the financial reform act fills more than 2,300 pages, the many rules and regulations needed to implement it have not yet been written. This work by U.S. regulators is expected to take months, possibly years.
The legislation included an important provision requiring energy and mining companies to disclose how much they pay to foreign countries and the U.S. government for oil, gas, and minerals. The provision, based on the Energy Security through Transparency Act (S. 1700), will require companies registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to disclose payments to foreign governments for the commercial development of oil, natural gas, and minerals. This disclosure will apply to all companies filing with the SEC, regardless of where they are based, meaning that most of the world’s top extractive industries would be covered by this law.
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Oblate to attend 2010 International AIDS Conference July 14th, 2010
The XVIII International AIDS Conference is taking place in Vienna from July 18-23, 2010 . The Conference is a major gathering of those working in the field of HIV, government leaders, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the AIDS pandemic. It is convened by the International AIDS Society (IAS), in partnership with government, scientific and civil society partners in Austria, as well as international partners from civil society and the United Nations. It is a chance to assess the current state of affairs, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.
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