April 3, 2024
Florida reproductive rights movement, paid family leave, MAGA Congress wastes time, and more!
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ABORTION BANS SET TO TAKE EFFECT IN FLORIDA
Florida’s Supreme Court, which has been functionally packed with activist conservatives by Ron DeSantis, on Monday upheld the state’s 15-week abortion ban. In the process, they triggered a six-week – effectively total – abortion ban passed by Florida lawmakers last year. In less than 30 days, Floridians will lose their reproductive rights. However, there was also some good news from the judges, as they approved the wording of a proposed constitutional amendment protecting abortion for November’s ballot. Let’s help win back our rights. We can sign up to volunteer or donate to the ballot effort with Floridians Protecting Freedom here.PASS THE PROTECTED TIME OFF ACT
According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, only 13 states and the District of Columbia have a mandatory paid family leave program. (The federal Family Leave Program only allows for unpaid time off, which can be devastating to lower income families facing emergencies.) The Protected Time Off Act would bring the U.S. closer to other with other industrialized nations, nearly all of which offer paid vacation time. The Protected Time Off Act, recently introduced by Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), would ensure that all American workers can earn at least 10 paid days of annual leave. Companion legislation has also been introduced by Bernie Sanders in the Senate. Let’s tell our MoCs to co-sponsor and pass this legislation.
RENAMING AN AIRPORT FOR WHOM??
While there are life-altering decisions that Congress needs to make, like the funding for Ukraine, extending the child tax credit, funding the Affordable Connectivity Program, passing legislation on voting rights, among many others, the GOP members in the House think this is a good time to introduce a bill to rename to rename Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia after a former president who lost the 2020 election. Let’s tell our representatives that we are not in the practice of naming things after people who have been criminally indicted. Nor do we feel this is a good use of their time or our money.
STOP PRIVATE JET EXPANSION—MASSACHUSETTS AND EVERYONE
“Flying in a private jet is the most carbon-polluting way to travel. Private jets produce five to 14 times more emissions per passenger than commercial planes and 50 times more than trains….” Compare: one 2.5 hour private luxury jet flight emits ~20 tons of carbon dioxide, while a typical car emits ~5 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The uber wealthy who fly in these things enjoy numerous tax benefits at our expense. Despite these ramifications, private jet travel is expected to grow. We can help grassroots organizers in New England fight back against the trend. The group, Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere, is opposing a project at Hanscom Field in Massachusetts to build more hangars for private luxury jets that would encourage more flights and cancel out local gains toward the state goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The developers have filed a draft environmental impact report with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA), which is taking public comment from now until May 10th. More info here, here, and here. Let’s use this toolkit to prepare and submit the strongest comment possible.
LET’S BE VOTERS!
Let’s register to vote, check our registration, and sign up for election reminders here.