TAKE ACTION: Urge President Joe Biden and Congress to Ban Weapons of War

Military-style semi-automatic assault weapons are designed to efficiently kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time available. There is absolutely no reason for assault rifles, assault pistols, and assault shotguns to be sold on the civilian market. Americans deserve a strong response from the federal government to keep our families and communities safe. The Newtown Action Alliance asks us to sign their petition to President Biden and Congress to ban assault weapons. TAKE ACTION

Amid Sudan’s Chaos, Youth Groups Work for Peace

Amid Sudan’s battle between security forces loyal to rival generals, young civil society leaders are working to stem the violence. These leaders are part of grassroots youth networks that have been central to Sudan’s five-year-old citizens’ movement for a transition from military rule to democratic civilian governance. Against the current violence, youth-led efforts are resisting misinformation, providing humanitarian aid, and organizing crowdfunding to secure food and medicine. MORE

I Was Every Woman’s Worst Nightmare. Restorative Justice Changed Me.

With an incarcerated population of 2.2 million, the U.S. does not have a system premised on reform or creating model citizens. It is a system that incapacitates, punishes, and builds upon the failures of society. This system traumatizes souls, incarcerates minds, destroys the spirit, and shackles the body. Stripped from the process is any opportunity to reconcile or set terms for restitution or reinstatement into society. Restorative justice is a proven holistic approach to addressing criminal behavior. MORE

Can the U.S. President Stop a New Nuclear Weapon He Doesn’t Want?

President Biden is wisely seeking to cancel an unneeded new nuclear weapon known as the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, which was first proposed by the Trump administration in 2018. Biden never liked it, calling it a “bad idea” back when he was a candidate for president. Despite Biden’s opposition, however, the US Congress gave the program $45 million last year. MORE

Bipartisan U.S. Bill Intends to Prevent AI From Launching Nuclear Weapons

In the name of "protecting future generations from potentially devastating consequences," a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation meant to prevent artificial intelligence from launching nuclear weapons without meaningful human control. The Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act—introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), and Ken Buck (R-Colo.)—asserts that "any decision to launch a nuclear weapon should not be made" by AI. MORE

“Revolving Door” Lobbyists Help Defense Contractors Get Off to “Strong” Start In 2023

The five biggest U.S. defense contractors — Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman — all reported “strong” first-quarter earnings. From 2011 through 2022, more than three-quarters of defense sector lobbyists previously worked in the federal government as armed services committee and Department of Defense personnel. These lobbyists leveraged their relationships and expertise on a range of issues, including the annual defense spending bill on behalf of defense sector clients. MORE

TAKE ACTION: Urge the House to Oppose Extreme Immigration Bill

Contrary to its name, the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) would not promote safety or security at our border. Instead, H.R. 2 would endanger unaccompanied children and inflict harm on other vulnerable persons, decimate access to asylum, mandate detention, and removal practices, severely restrict access to legal employment, and potentially eliminate federal partnerships with faith-based and other nongovernmental organizations. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urges us to tell our Representatives to vote no on H.R. 2.  TAKE ACTION

The End of Title 42 Might Be Chaotic, but It Doesn’t Have to Be Confusing. Here’s What You Should Know

The U.S. government's Title 42 policy, which allows for expelling border crossers without giving them a chance to seek asylum, is set to end this week. The number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is already rising rapidly, with over 20,000 people in custody last month. The government plans to return to stricter enforcement penalties and a restricted asylum process, along with temporarily expanding processing capacity. But it might not prevent the release of large numbers of asylum seekers without support.   MORE

DeSantis Immigration Bill Approved by Florida Lawmakers

The Florida Legislature has approved a sweeping immigration bill pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, bolstering a controversial migrant relocation program. The bill provides $12 million for DeSantis' migrant relocation initiative, requires businesses with 25 or more employees to use the E-verify system, which checks on a worker's legal status, and requires Medicaid providers to ask about an applicant's citizenship status. which immigration advocates say is intended to dissuade undocumented immigrants from seeking medical care. MORE

TAKE ACTION: Urge World Leaders to Pass a Strong Plastics Treaty

175 countries are currently negotiating a legally-binding, international treaty on plastic pollution that could change the world. But at the same time, the question remains whether this treaty will be strong enough, or if certain countries or companies will derail the progress that could be achieved. The Story of Stuff invites us to sign a petition to world leaders demanding a strong plastics treaty. TAKE ACTION

El Niño Is Looming. Here’s What That Means for Weather and the World.

Earth is under an “El Niño watch” as scientists eye signs that the climate pattern is developing. Its arrival could mean significant impacts worldwide, including a push toward levels of global warming that climate scientists have warned could be devastating. Since March, a rapid increase in average ocean temperatures has been helping to fuel speculation that El Niño is imminent. Before it materializes, here is what you need to know about it, and what it could mean for your community and planet. MORE

Used Clothing Imports to Africa Strain Local Ecosystems, Waste Management

There is an increasing need for inexpensive clothing in the African region. Yet at the same time, secondhand clothing imports are contributing significantly to problems of plastic waste and waste management across the continent. Throughout the continent, secondhand clothing imports are causing strain on natural ecosystems because the supply far outpaces the demand. Problems are worsened by poor capacity to process waste and decongest landfills that have themselves become health and environmental hazards. MORE

U.S. Sees Surge in Efforts to Weaken Child Labor Regulations

This March a bill was reintroduced in Congress that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work in certain mechanized operations in the logging industry under parental supervision. Backed by big business and lobby groups, politicians nationwide are pushing attempts to expand work hours for minors, expand the industries minors are permitted to work in, reduce enforcement and legislate sub-minimum wages for minors. These rollbacks at the federal and state levels are being proposed even as child labor violations have soared in recent years. MORE

More Than 1,000 Trafficking Victims Rescued in Separate Operations in Southeast Asia

More than 1,000 trafficking victims were rescued in separate operations in Southeast Asia over the last week, officials in Indonesia and the Philippines said. Indonesian and Philippine officials said they freed individuals who were trafficked and forced into working for fake cyber industry scams. Victims had been trafficked into Myanmar and the Philippines from Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan. MORE

Rape Crisis Advocates Say They Are Facing Major Funding Crisis, Need State's Help

Advocates in Illinois who work with sexual assault survivors describe their current situation as the biggest funding crisis of the last 40 years. Rape crisis advocates are looking to the state for help in beefing up their funding – in part to make up for a federal funding shortfall. Services are on the brink of massive cuts unless they get another $12 million from the State of Illinois.  $9.5 million in federal funding were lost after money usually earmarked for the Victims of Crime Act was instead diverted to the National Treasury during the Trump administration. MORE

Jury Finds Trump Liable for Sexual Abuse and Defamation

A Manhattan jury this week found former President Donald Trump liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of the magazine writer E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages in a widely watched civil trial that sought to apply the accountability of the #MeToo era to a dominant political figure. The federal jury of six men and three women found that Mr. Trump, 76, defamed Ms. Carroll when he posted a statement on his Truth Social website in October, calling her case “a complete con job” and “a Hoax and a lie.” MORE

SNAP Work Requirements Don’t Actually Get More People Working – but They Do Drastically Limit the Availability of Food Aid

The House has passed a bill that would cut spending, in part by expanding work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, through which nearly 43 million low-income Americans get help buying groceries. The rationale for work requirements is that they encourage adults who are able to work to earn more money and become more economically self-sufficient. But research indicates that in found that when similar requirements were imposed in the past, work requirements did not increase employment or earnings.  MORE  

New Polling Shows Voters Are Ready for Ranked Choice Voting in Presidential Primary Elections

Ranked choice voting (RCV) solves problems in presidential primaries. If a voter’s first choice drops out, their ballot counts for their next choice. Presidential primary elections also tend to have crowded fields, like the 17 Republican contenders from 2016 and the 29 Democratic contenders in 2020. Ranked choice voting is seen as a better way for voters to unite behind strong nominees in such crowded races and helps women and people of color candidates participate in a more democratic election system. MORE

Michael Tisius is scheduled to be executed on June 6 by the state of Missouri for the murders of Leon Egley and Jason Acton. Please hold Michael, Leon, Jason, their families, and the people of Missouri in prayer. TAKE ACTION