Public Policy & NGOs
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Trump administration reinstitutes bear baiting on Alaska national preserves
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Political] -- Humane World Action Fund issued the following news release:
* * *
Trump administration reinstitutes bear baiting on Alaska national preserves
*
The National Park Service finalized a controversial rule allowing trophy hunters to use food bait to lure and kill black and brown bears in Alaska, reversing wildlife protections restored in 2024.
WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2026)--The Trump administration today finalized a U.S. National Park Service rule that reverses critical wildlife protections for bears and once again allows the cruel practice of bear baiting ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Political] -- Humane World Action Fund issued the following news release: * * * Trump administration reinstitutes bear baiting on Alaska national preserves * The National Park Service finalized a controversial rule allowing trophy hunters to use food bait to lure and kill black and brown bears in Alaska, reversing wildlife protections restored in 2024. WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2026)--The Trump administration today finalized a U.S. National Park Service rule that reverses critical wildlife protections for bears and once again allows the cruel practice of bear baitingon Alaska's national preserves. The rule gives trophy hunters the legal authority to lure black and brown bears with human food, including donuts, bacon grease and other bait--some of which are toxic and deadly to wildlife, before shooting them at close range.
Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statements on this harmful government rulemaking.
Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund, said:
"This rulemaking is a stark reminder that wildlife protections can be erased with the stroke of a pen when politics overrides science. There is nothing sporting about luring hungry bears with pastries, bacon grease and other human food before shooting them. In fact, it makes bears lose their natural fear of people, puts visitors at greater risk and ultimately leads to more bears dying. Ignoring that evidence to satisfy a small trophy hunting lobby isn't wildlife management, it's cronyism. If a federal agency can so easily discard such factual evidence, it puts countless other wildlife protections at risk and underscores why Congress and the courts remain essential checks against this kind of regulatory whiplash."
Kitty Block, president and CEO of Humane World for Animals, said:
"Baiting bears with piles of donuts, meat scraps and dog food to lure them into shooting range and gun them down is indefensible and inexcusable as a federal policy decision. It doesn't just put bears at risk, it teaches them to associate people with food, increasing the likelihood of dangerous encounters with hikers, campers and visitors enjoying Alaska's public lands. For more than a decade, we've fought, and repeatedly prevailed, in the courts to stop this cruelty. The law, science and public sentiment support protecting the magnificent bears of Alaska's national preserves. The Trump administration may have finalized this rule today, but this fight is far from over. We are evaluating legal options to challenge the rule in federal court."
The final rule ignores the government's own scientific findings, including a 2024 peer-reviewed study by National Park Service and external biologists which concluded that bears defending bait sites pose a "moderate to high" risk of causing injury or death to park visitors. It also runs counter to public opinion, including a 2023 poll which found that 75% of Alaskans oppose bear baiting.
Timeline: Bear-baiting policies on Alaska national preserves
* The regulatory and legal fight around bear baiting bans stretches across multiple U.S. presidential administrations over the past 10 years.
* 2015: The National Park Service under President Barack Obama first prohibited the cruel practice of bear baiting on Alaska's national preserves.
* 2017: Humane World for Animals intervened to defend the rule after the state of Alaska and trophy hunting organizations, including Safari Club International, challenged it in federal court.
* 2020: During President Donald Trump's first term, the administration rescinded the bear baiting ban. Humane World for Animals and its allies successfully challenged the rollback in federal court twice over the next two years.
* 2023: The National Park Service under President Joe Biden issued a proposed rule change concerning hunting and trapping on national preserves in Alaska that noted that bear baiting increases the "potential for significant human injury of even death."
* 2024: The bear baiting ban was officially restored following years of litigation.
* 2025: On his first day back in office, President Trump directed the Department of the Interior to rescind the 2024 rule, one of several wildlife-related executive orders issued that day.
* 2026: The National Park Service proposed the latest rollback in March and finalized the rule on Oct. 16, 2026.
***
Original text here: https://humaneaction.org/press-release/2026/10/alaska-bear-baiting-national-park-service-rule-2026
* * *
Trump administration reinstitutes bear baiting on Alaska national preserves
*
The National Park Service finalized a controversial rule allowing trophy hunters to use food bait to lure and kill black and brown bears in Alaska, reversing wildlife protections restored in 2024.
WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2026)--The Trump administration today finalized a U.S. National Park Service rule that reverses critical wildlife protections for bears and once again allows the cruel practice of bear baiting ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 [Category: Political] -- Humane World Action Fund issued the following news release: * * * Trump administration reinstitutes bear baiting on Alaska national preserves * The National Park Service finalized a controversial rule allowing trophy hunters to use food bait to lure and kill black and brown bears in Alaska, reversing wildlife protections restored in 2024. WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2026)--The Trump administration today finalized a U.S. National Park Service rule that reverses critical wildlife protections for bears and once again allows the cruel practice of bear baitingon Alaska's national preserves. The rule gives trophy hunters the legal authority to lure black and brown bears with human food, including donuts, bacon grease and other bait--some of which are toxic and deadly to wildlife, before shooting them at close range.
Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statements on this harmful government rulemaking.
Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund, said:
"This rulemaking is a stark reminder that wildlife protections can be erased with the stroke of a pen when politics overrides science. There is nothing sporting about luring hungry bears with pastries, bacon grease and other human food before shooting them. In fact, it makes bears lose their natural fear of people, puts visitors at greater risk and ultimately leads to more bears dying. Ignoring that evidence to satisfy a small trophy hunting lobby isn't wildlife management, it's cronyism. If a federal agency can so easily discard such factual evidence, it puts countless other wildlife protections at risk and underscores why Congress and the courts remain essential checks against this kind of regulatory whiplash."
Kitty Block, president and CEO of Humane World for Animals, said:
"Baiting bears with piles of donuts, meat scraps and dog food to lure them into shooting range and gun them down is indefensible and inexcusable as a federal policy decision. It doesn't just put bears at risk, it teaches them to associate people with food, increasing the likelihood of dangerous encounters with hikers, campers and visitors enjoying Alaska's public lands. For more than a decade, we've fought, and repeatedly prevailed, in the courts to stop this cruelty. The law, science and public sentiment support protecting the magnificent bears of Alaska's national preserves. The Trump administration may have finalized this rule today, but this fight is far from over. We are evaluating legal options to challenge the rule in federal court."
The final rule ignores the government's own scientific findings, including a 2024 peer-reviewed study by National Park Service and external biologists which concluded that bears defending bait sites pose a "moderate to high" risk of causing injury or death to park visitors. It also runs counter to public opinion, including a 2023 poll which found that 75% of Alaskans oppose bear baiting.
Timeline: Bear-baiting policies on Alaska national preserves
* The regulatory and legal fight around bear baiting bans stretches across multiple U.S. presidential administrations over the past 10 years.
* 2015: The National Park Service under President Barack Obama first prohibited the cruel practice of bear baiting on Alaska's national preserves.
* 2017: Humane World for Animals intervened to defend the rule after the state of Alaska and trophy hunting organizations, including Safari Club International, challenged it in federal court.
* 2020: During President Donald Trump's first term, the administration rescinded the bear baiting ban. Humane World for Animals and its allies successfully challenged the rollback in federal court twice over the next two years.
* 2023: The National Park Service under President Joe Biden issued a proposed rule change concerning hunting and trapping on national preserves in Alaska that noted that bear baiting increases the "potential for significant human injury of even death."
* 2024: The bear baiting ban was officially restored following years of litigation.
* 2025: On his first day back in office, President Trump directed the Department of the Interior to rescind the 2024 rule, one of several wildlife-related executive orders issued that day.
* 2026: The National Park Service proposed the latest rollback in March and finalized the rule on Oct. 16, 2026.
***
Original text here: https://humaneaction.org/press-release/2026/10/alaska-bear-baiting-national-park-service-rule-2026
Syria: Women Barred from Defense, Security Colleges
NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
Syria: Women Barred from Defense, Security Colleges
*
(Beirut, October 16, 2026) - Syrian authorities have imposed admissions rules that bar women from most programs at two new state universities focused on defense and security, with applications closing on October 19, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The discriminatory rules clearly violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a concerning pattern of actions by the transitional authorities that restrict women's role in ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * Syria: Women Barred from Defense, Security Colleges * (Beirut, October 16, 2026) - Syrian authorities have imposed admissions rules that bar women from most programs at two new state universities focused on defense and security, with applications closing on October 19, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The discriminatory rules clearly violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a concerning pattern of actions by the transitional authorities that restrict women's role instate institutions and reinforce gender stereotypes.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on September 30 that admission to programs in law, economics and management, and social sciences at the National University of Defense Sciences is reserved for men. At the Syrian University for Security Sciences, women can only apply to cybersecurity programs. Elsewhere, programs on kindergarten teaching at public universities, some midwifery programs, and the nursing schools in Damascus and Aleppo are reserved for women.
"Syria's authorities are rebuilding the army and the security forces without women," said Hiba Zayadin, senior Syria advisor at Human Rights Watch. "Women can't train as officers, and they can't even study to be the army's lawyers or administrators. This is discrimination, plain and simple."
A former higher education ministry official told Agence France-Presse in early October that some of the men-only rules predate the transition, and Damascus University, the country's largest, still admits women to all programs. But the defense and security universities are admitting students through the general university admissions process for the first time this year and shutting women out of most tracks.
At the National University of Defense Sciences, at which a mandatory commitment to serve in the military is required, only men can enter the land, naval, and air force military colleges, which teach engineering, and the College of Humanities and Administrative Sciences. The only part of the university open to women, the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology, involves no commitment to military service.
The Syrian University for Security Sciences, the College of Security Sciences, and the Technical Institute of Security Sciences admit men only. Graduates of the university must serve with the Internal Security Forces or another competent body for 20 years after completing college or 10 years after completing an institute program.
Women can study law, economics, and social sciences at other public and private universities and can join the police through a separate Women's Police Institute, which graduated its first class in September 2026. But these new policies effectively deny women a path into the army and security forces. The exclusion is already playing out in northeast Syria, where the authorities refused in August to let the Women's Protection Units, or YPJ, the all-female component of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, join the army alongside its male fighters.
Men-only rules also apply at the state oil and gas and railways technical institutes, whose graduates must work for the relevant ministries, and in the radio and television directing department of Idlib University's media institute.
The restrictions contradict the transitional authorities' own commitments. The Constitutional Declaration, which President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed into force on March 13, 2025, guarantees equality without discrimination based on gender, and women's right to education and work, along with their social, political, and economic rights. Al-Sharaa has also publicly pledged to respect women's rights.
Syria is also party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. CEDAW guarantees women equal access to education (article 10), the right to hold public office and perform all public functions (article 7), and equal employment opportunities (article 11). Syria has entered no reservations to articles 7, 10, or 11.
Reserving professions involving care for women while keeping military, security, and some industrial programs for men also entrenches and enforces the gender stereotypes that Syria is obliged under CEDAW to eliminate (articles 5 and 10(c)).
Shutting women out of these programs also undermines Syria's transition. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the CEDAW Committee's General Recommendation No. 30 call for women's full participation in all post-conflict reconstruction, including security sector reform.
Since December 2024, women have been sidelined across Syria's public institutions. In the October 2025 indirect parliamentary elections, women won 6 of the 119 elected seats in the People's Assembly, about 5 percent. The UN deputy special envoy for Syria said that women were consistently underrepresented throughout the process.
Senior Syrian officials have publicly questioned or openly disparaged women's place in public office. In December 2024, the government spokesperson suggested women may be biologically unsuited for some political roles and said their ability to serve as judges "could be an area of study and research for specialists."
Women working in some public sector roles face new rules about their physical appearance. In January 2026, the governor of Latakia, a central government appointee, issued a directive banning female public employees, including school staff, from wearing "excessive" makeup at work, under threat of "legal accountability." The directive does not explicitly define what counts as excessive makeup or outline specific punishment details.
On the other hand, in December 2024, the education minister, Nazir al-Qadri, said the right to education is not limited to one gender. The authorities should honor that commitment, Human Rights Watch said.
The Ministry of Higher Education should open the security and defense university programs to women on equal terms before applications close on October 19, 2026, and rescind all other gender-based admissions restrictions. The transitional authorities should revoke the Latakia makeup ban and adopt concrete measures to ensure full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation by diverse women in all public institutions, including the People's Assembly.
Governments and donors supporting Syria should prioritize ending all forms of discrimination, including in the security sector. All Syrian authorities should uphold the Constitutional Declaration and Syria's international commitments and remove any provision or policy that discriminates against women.
"Women are underrepresented in parliament, the police, and some public offices, and are now shut out of the army, Zayadin said. "The authorities have promised to respect women's rights, but their actions directly contradict those promises. Women's full participation, in all roles and sectors, is essential to building a brighter future for Syria."
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/16/syria-women-barred-from-defense-security-colleges
* * *
Syria: Women Barred from Defense, Security Colleges
*
(Beirut, October 16, 2026) - Syrian authorities have imposed admissions rules that bar women from most programs at two new state universities focused on defense and security, with applications closing on October 19, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The discriminatory rules clearly violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a concerning pattern of actions by the transitional authorities that restrict women's role in ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * Syria: Women Barred from Defense, Security Colleges * (Beirut, October 16, 2026) - Syrian authorities have imposed admissions rules that bar women from most programs at two new state universities focused on defense and security, with applications closing on October 19, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The discriminatory rules clearly violate Syria's international legal obligations and are part of a concerning pattern of actions by the transitional authorities that restrict women's role instate institutions and reinforce gender stereotypes.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on September 30 that admission to programs in law, economics and management, and social sciences at the National University of Defense Sciences is reserved for men. At the Syrian University for Security Sciences, women can only apply to cybersecurity programs. Elsewhere, programs on kindergarten teaching at public universities, some midwifery programs, and the nursing schools in Damascus and Aleppo are reserved for women.
"Syria's authorities are rebuilding the army and the security forces without women," said Hiba Zayadin, senior Syria advisor at Human Rights Watch. "Women can't train as officers, and they can't even study to be the army's lawyers or administrators. This is discrimination, plain and simple."
A former higher education ministry official told Agence France-Presse in early October that some of the men-only rules predate the transition, and Damascus University, the country's largest, still admits women to all programs. But the defense and security universities are admitting students through the general university admissions process for the first time this year and shutting women out of most tracks.
At the National University of Defense Sciences, at which a mandatory commitment to serve in the military is required, only men can enter the land, naval, and air force military colleges, which teach engineering, and the College of Humanities and Administrative Sciences. The only part of the university open to women, the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology, involves no commitment to military service.
The Syrian University for Security Sciences, the College of Security Sciences, and the Technical Institute of Security Sciences admit men only. Graduates of the university must serve with the Internal Security Forces or another competent body for 20 years after completing college or 10 years after completing an institute program.
Women can study law, economics, and social sciences at other public and private universities and can join the police through a separate Women's Police Institute, which graduated its first class in September 2026. But these new policies effectively deny women a path into the army and security forces. The exclusion is already playing out in northeast Syria, where the authorities refused in August to let the Women's Protection Units, or YPJ, the all-female component of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, join the army alongside its male fighters.
Men-only rules also apply at the state oil and gas and railways technical institutes, whose graduates must work for the relevant ministries, and in the radio and television directing department of Idlib University's media institute.
The restrictions contradict the transitional authorities' own commitments. The Constitutional Declaration, which President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed into force on March 13, 2025, guarantees equality without discrimination based on gender, and women's right to education and work, along with their social, political, and economic rights. Al-Sharaa has also publicly pledged to respect women's rights.
Syria is also party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. CEDAW guarantees women equal access to education (article 10), the right to hold public office and perform all public functions (article 7), and equal employment opportunities (article 11). Syria has entered no reservations to articles 7, 10, or 11.
Reserving professions involving care for women while keeping military, security, and some industrial programs for men also entrenches and enforces the gender stereotypes that Syria is obliged under CEDAW to eliminate (articles 5 and 10(c)).
Shutting women out of these programs also undermines Syria's transition. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the CEDAW Committee's General Recommendation No. 30 call for women's full participation in all post-conflict reconstruction, including security sector reform.
Since December 2024, women have been sidelined across Syria's public institutions. In the October 2025 indirect parliamentary elections, women won 6 of the 119 elected seats in the People's Assembly, about 5 percent. The UN deputy special envoy for Syria said that women were consistently underrepresented throughout the process.
Senior Syrian officials have publicly questioned or openly disparaged women's place in public office. In December 2024, the government spokesperson suggested women may be biologically unsuited for some political roles and said their ability to serve as judges "could be an area of study and research for specialists."
Women working in some public sector roles face new rules about their physical appearance. In January 2026, the governor of Latakia, a central government appointee, issued a directive banning female public employees, including school staff, from wearing "excessive" makeup at work, under threat of "legal accountability." The directive does not explicitly define what counts as excessive makeup or outline specific punishment details.
On the other hand, in December 2024, the education minister, Nazir al-Qadri, said the right to education is not limited to one gender. The authorities should honor that commitment, Human Rights Watch said.
The Ministry of Higher Education should open the security and defense university programs to women on equal terms before applications close on October 19, 2026, and rescind all other gender-based admissions restrictions. The transitional authorities should revoke the Latakia makeup ban and adopt concrete measures to ensure full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation by diverse women in all public institutions, including the People's Assembly.
Governments and donors supporting Syria should prioritize ending all forms of discrimination, including in the security sector. All Syrian authorities should uphold the Constitutional Declaration and Syria's international commitments and remove any provision or policy that discriminates against women.
"Women are underrepresented in parliament, the police, and some public offices, and are now shut out of the army, Zayadin said. "The authorities have promised to respect women's rights, but their actions directly contradict those promises. Women's full participation, in all roles and sectors, is essential to building a brighter future for Syria."
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/16/syria-women-barred-from-defense-security-colleges
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry: Survey - Allegheny County Paid Leave Mandate Will Raise Prices, Cut Jobs, and Drive Businesses Away
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 16 (TNSrpt) -- The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry issued the following news release:
* * *
October 15, 2026
Survey: Allegheny County Paid Leave Mandate Will Raise Prices, Cut Jobs, and Drive Businesses Away
New survey of nearly 400 Allegheny County businesses finds 83% expect a negative financial impact, while majorities anticipate higher costs, reduced hiring, and damage to the county's business climate.
-
PITTSBURGH - Allegheny County's proposed paid parental leave mandate would discourage new hiring, push business investment outside the county's ... Show Full Article HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 16 (TNSrpt) -- The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry issued the following news release: * * * October 15, 2026 Survey: Allegheny County Paid Leave Mandate Will Raise Prices, Cut Jobs, and Drive Businesses Away New survey of nearly 400 Allegheny County businesses finds 83% expect a negative financial impact, while majorities anticipate higher costs, reduced hiring, and damage to the county's business climate. - PITTSBURGH - Allegheny County's proposed paid parental leave mandate would discourage new hiring, push business investment outside the county'sborders, and drive up consumer prices, according to a new survey of 392 businesses operating in the county.
The October survey, prepared by Pittsburgh-based research firm CorCom Inc., found that 83 percent of respondents expect the proposed ordinance to have a negative financial impact on their organizations, and one-third of businesses said they would move future or existing operations outside Allegheny County.
The proposal would require organizations with 15 or more employees to provide 12 weeks of paid leave for all employees following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child, among other reasons.
The findings raise concerns about the cost of and potential impacts of imposing a uniform mandate on employers across industries and sizes, including those already operating on tight margins.
"This survey shows employers are concerned about the real-world consequences of this proposal, including higher costs for consumers, fewer job opportunities, and investment shifting elsewhere," Luke Bernstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said. "Allegheny County leaders should take these concerns seriously before advancing a policy that could weaken the region's economic competitiveness.
"Pennsylvania is finally moving in the right direction because we have strengthened our overall business climate," Bernstein added. "Recent reforms, including improving our tax code and permitting process, are helping us attract investment, create jobs, and reverse population declines that have challenged the state and region for decades. We need to build on that momentum, not take a step backward. Allegheny County should be focused on making it easier for businesses to invest, hire, and grow, not adding new mandates that make those decisions more difficult. A strong Allegheny County and a strong City of Pittsburgh are essential to the success of the region and Commonwealth as a whole."
"Allegheny County competes for investment, talent, and job creation within a highly regional and national marketplace," Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, said. "Policies like this that materially increase employer cost structures -- particularly when not matched by neighboring jurisdictions with whom we are competing -- will raise hurdles for our ability to both attract businesses as well as persuade companies to stay and expand. The feedback in the survey reflects just that point."
Employers anticipate higher prices and fewer jobs
The survey found that businesses expect the proposed mandate to affect both their workforces and their operating decisions.
Among the key findings:
* 83 percent of respondents expect a negative financial impact to their organizations, with 63 percent rating the financial impact as "very negative."
* 55 percent expect to raise prices to accommodate the proposal.
* 40 percent expect to reduce hiring of new full-time employees, while 23 percent expect to reduce hiring of part-time employees.
* 33 percent said they would be more likely to open future locations outside Allegheny County, while 32 percent said they would move existing operations outside the county.
* 29 percent anticipate relocating employees outside Allegheny County.
* 24 percent expect to eliminate full-time positions and 15 percent expect to eliminate part-time positions.
* 18 percent expect to close one or more locations in the county, while 14 percent say the proposal could force them to cease all operations
The anticipated effects come as regional leaders seek to attract new employers, retain existing businesses, and expand economic opportunity across southwestern Pennsylvania.
Businesses warn of damage to the region's competitiveness
Respondents also expressed concern about the proposal's potential effect on Allegheny County's reputation as a place to do business.
Among those surveyed, 86 percent expect the ordinance to have a negative impact on retaining businesses currently operating in the county. Another 85 percent anticipate a negative effect on attracting new businesses, while 79 percent expect damage to regional and national perceptions of doing business in Allegheny County. Eighty-one percent also anticipate a negative effect on selling business offices or real estate.
The survey suggests the proposed mandate could affect employers' location decisions beyond the immediate cost of providing leave, particularly for organizations that operate across county lines.
The survey was conducted online in October 2026 and included 392 businesses operating in Allegheny County. Respondents represented a range of organization sizes and industries. Surveys were disseminated with assistance from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and other associations and trade groups operating in the county.
* * *
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state's largest broad-based business association, with its statewide membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of BusinessTM.
* * *
REPORT: https://corcom-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-Allegheny-County-Article-XXIV-Paid-Leave-Survey-Report-Booklet.pdf
* * *
Original text here: https://www.pachamber.org/media/28823/survey_allegheny_county_paid_leave_mandate_will_raise_prices_cut_jobs_and_drive_businesses_away/
[Category: Business]
* * *
October 15, 2026
Survey: Allegheny County Paid Leave Mandate Will Raise Prices, Cut Jobs, and Drive Businesses Away
New survey of nearly 400 Allegheny County businesses finds 83% expect a negative financial impact, while majorities anticipate higher costs, reduced hiring, and damage to the county's business climate.
-
PITTSBURGH - Allegheny County's proposed paid parental leave mandate would discourage new hiring, push business investment outside the county's ... Show Full Article HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 16 (TNSrpt) -- The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry issued the following news release: * * * October 15, 2026 Survey: Allegheny County Paid Leave Mandate Will Raise Prices, Cut Jobs, and Drive Businesses Away New survey of nearly 400 Allegheny County businesses finds 83% expect a negative financial impact, while majorities anticipate higher costs, reduced hiring, and damage to the county's business climate. - PITTSBURGH - Allegheny County's proposed paid parental leave mandate would discourage new hiring, push business investment outside the county'sborders, and drive up consumer prices, according to a new survey of 392 businesses operating in the county.
The October survey, prepared by Pittsburgh-based research firm CorCom Inc., found that 83 percent of respondents expect the proposed ordinance to have a negative financial impact on their organizations, and one-third of businesses said they would move future or existing operations outside Allegheny County.
The proposal would require organizations with 15 or more employees to provide 12 weeks of paid leave for all employees following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child, among other reasons.
The findings raise concerns about the cost of and potential impacts of imposing a uniform mandate on employers across industries and sizes, including those already operating on tight margins.
"This survey shows employers are concerned about the real-world consequences of this proposal, including higher costs for consumers, fewer job opportunities, and investment shifting elsewhere," Luke Bernstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said. "Allegheny County leaders should take these concerns seriously before advancing a policy that could weaken the region's economic competitiveness.
"Pennsylvania is finally moving in the right direction because we have strengthened our overall business climate," Bernstein added. "Recent reforms, including improving our tax code and permitting process, are helping us attract investment, create jobs, and reverse population declines that have challenged the state and region for decades. We need to build on that momentum, not take a step backward. Allegheny County should be focused on making it easier for businesses to invest, hire, and grow, not adding new mandates that make those decisions more difficult. A strong Allegheny County and a strong City of Pittsburgh are essential to the success of the region and Commonwealth as a whole."
"Allegheny County competes for investment, talent, and job creation within a highly regional and national marketplace," Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, said. "Policies like this that materially increase employer cost structures -- particularly when not matched by neighboring jurisdictions with whom we are competing -- will raise hurdles for our ability to both attract businesses as well as persuade companies to stay and expand. The feedback in the survey reflects just that point."
Employers anticipate higher prices and fewer jobs
The survey found that businesses expect the proposed mandate to affect both their workforces and their operating decisions.
Among the key findings:
* 83 percent of respondents expect a negative financial impact to their organizations, with 63 percent rating the financial impact as "very negative."
* 55 percent expect to raise prices to accommodate the proposal.
* 40 percent expect to reduce hiring of new full-time employees, while 23 percent expect to reduce hiring of part-time employees.
* 33 percent said they would be more likely to open future locations outside Allegheny County, while 32 percent said they would move existing operations outside the county.
* 29 percent anticipate relocating employees outside Allegheny County.
* 24 percent expect to eliminate full-time positions and 15 percent expect to eliminate part-time positions.
* 18 percent expect to close one or more locations in the county, while 14 percent say the proposal could force them to cease all operations
The anticipated effects come as regional leaders seek to attract new employers, retain existing businesses, and expand economic opportunity across southwestern Pennsylvania.
Businesses warn of damage to the region's competitiveness
Respondents also expressed concern about the proposal's potential effect on Allegheny County's reputation as a place to do business.
Among those surveyed, 86 percent expect the ordinance to have a negative impact on retaining businesses currently operating in the county. Another 85 percent anticipate a negative effect on attracting new businesses, while 79 percent expect damage to regional and national perceptions of doing business in Allegheny County. Eighty-one percent also anticipate a negative effect on selling business offices or real estate.
The survey suggests the proposed mandate could affect employers' location decisions beyond the immediate cost of providing leave, particularly for organizations that operate across county lines.
The survey was conducted online in October 2026 and included 392 businesses operating in Allegheny County. Respondents represented a range of organization sizes and industries. Surveys were disseminated with assistance from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and other associations and trade groups operating in the county.
* * *
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state's largest broad-based business association, with its statewide membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of BusinessTM.
* * *
REPORT: https://corcom-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-Allegheny-County-Article-XXIV-Paid-Leave-Survey-Report-Booklet.pdf
* * *
Original text here: https://www.pachamber.org/media/28823/survey_allegheny_county_paid_leave_mandate_will_raise_prices_cut_jobs_and_drive_businesses_away/
[Category: Business]
HRW Letter Ahead of Upcoming visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to Belgium
NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
* * *
HRW Letter Ahead of Upcoming visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to Belgium
*
We are writing in advance of the official visit of To Lam, President of Vietnam and Communist Party General Secretary, to Belgium on October 21-24, 2026. We urge you to use this opportunity to raise grave concerns about the Vietnamese government's human rights record, both in your public statements and in private meetings with him.
The Vietnamese government has sharply intensified its repression in the last decade, ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * HRW Letter Ahead of Upcoming visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to Belgium * We are writing in advance of the official visit of To Lam, President of Vietnam and Communist Party General Secretary, to Belgium on October 21-24, 2026. We urge you to use this opportunity to raise grave concerns about the Vietnamese government's human rights record, both in your public statements and in private meetings with him. The Vietnamese government has sharply intensified its repression in the last decade,a period during which To Lam served as minister of the Ministry of Public Security (2016-2024) and subsequently as the country's leader. On To Lam's watch, Vietnamese police launched a far-reaching crackdown that has decimated the country's civil society, stepped up transnational repression, and expanded the scope and use of draconian laws that criminalize free speech.
There are now more than 160 political prisoners in Vietnam, imprisoned for exercising rights to freedom of expression or peaceful activism for human rights and democracy, and charged under draconian laws. Human Rights Watch has documented how the Vietnamese authorities are increasingly using a vague, overbroad, and abusive provision of the penal code (article 331) prohibiting the "abuse of democratic freedoms," both to silence prominent activists and to retaliate against ordinary people who complain about poor services, corruption, or police abuse.
We also wish to draw your attention to labor rights issues in Vietnam. As you know, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2020 and this January the EU elevated its relationship with Vietnam to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The EVFTA and related agreements and international labor conventions specifically obligate Vietnam to implement key labor reforms, including to allow independent trade unions.
Vietnam, however, has not met those pledges and authorities in Vietnam today are systematically suppressing the rights of workers to organize independent unions. As a result, none exists. Vietnam is therefore in violation of its obligations under the EVFTA, an issue that should be prominently raised with To Lam.
We urge you and your government to publicly voice concerns about all these issues during To Lam's visit, and specifically press the Vietnamese government to:
* Unconditionally release all persons detained for exercising rights to freedom of expression, association, religion and assembly, including independent journalists such as Pham Doan Trang, and Pham Chi Dung who are serving long prison sentences for advocate on rights for Vietnam with foreign diplomats and representatives including members of the EU; and others named in the appendix below, many of whom have serious health problems.
* Repeal vaguely worded "national security" provisions and other provisions in the Vietnamese Penal Code that have been used to prosecute individuals for peaceful dissent, including: "abusing democratic freedom" (article 331); "sabotaging the unity policy" (article 116); and "propaganda against the state" (article 117).
* Take meaningful steps to implement labor reforms to allow independent labor unions to be formed--in law and in practice--and end intimidation and retaliation against workers who attempt to organize for labor rights protections outside of government-controlled mechanisms.
* Promptly ratify International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87 on freedom of association and genuinely engage with the ILO to reform laws and policies as necessary to ensure the proper application of ILO Convention No. 98, which Vietnam has ratified, on the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining.
* Amend the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure the due process rights of all criminal suspects, including prompt and unhindered access to legal counsel throughout the investigation period, which exposes defendants to an increased risk of torture and other ill-treatment and undermines the principles of due process of law and right to a fair trial.
We thank you in advance for your attention to our requests and stand ready to provide further information and discuss these issues with you at any time.
Sincerely,
Elaine Pearson, Asia Director, Human Rights Watch
Philippe Dam, EU Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch
Appendix: Vietnam's Entrenched Authoritarianism and Worsening Abuses
Political Prisoners
The Vietnamese government frequently uses vaguely worded and loosely interpreted provisions in Vietnam's penal code and other laws to prosecute and imprison peaceful political and religious activists. These include "undermining the unity policy" (article 116), "making, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" (article 117), and "abusing the rights to democracy and freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations, individuals" (article 331).
During the first nine months of 2026, the authorities convicted and sentenced at least 28 activists to many years in prison including prominent bloggers Hoang Thi Hong Thai and Huynh Ngoc Tuan. Police arrested at least 39 other people for criticizing the government.
We urge you to raise the following cases of prisoners held for exercising their basic rights. Several are suffering from severe health issues. All those arbitrarily detained should be immediately and unconditionally released.
* Can Thi Theu, land rights activist
* Hoang Duc Binh, labor activist
* Le Dinh Luong, democracy campaigner
* Le Huu Minh Tuan, independent journalist
* Nguyen Trung Ton, democracy campaigner
* Nguyen Tuong Thuy, independent journalist
* Nguyen Van Tuc, democracy campaigner
* Pham Chi Dung, independent journalist
* Pham Doan Trang, writer and human rights advocate
* Tran Duc Thach, democracy campaigner
* Tran Van Bang, democracy campaigner
* Trinh Ba Phuong, land rights activist
* Trinh Ba Tu, land rights activist
Repression of Labor Rights
Vietnam has not ratified ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, despite pledging to do so by the end of 2023. It has also made little progress in fulfilling obligations under ratified conventions, including ILO Convention No. 98 on collective bargaining, or in guaranteeing workers' rights to form and operate independent trade unions.
Although the authorities claim to support worker representation, independent unions are not allowed in practice. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL), described by the government as a labor confederation, is not independent. Its leadership is appointed by the government or the Communist Party of Vietnam, while unions within its structure are generally led by individuals approved by management.
The government also argues that the 2021 Labor Code permits independent worker organizations at the enterprise level. However, no such organizations are known to exist. Authorities have not issued the regulations or established the legal and administrative processes necessary for their registration and operation.
The absence of implementing regulations, together with provisions of the Trade Union Law, suggests that the government intends to maintain worker representation under the control of the VGCL rather than allow genuinely independent trade unions.
State control is further reflected in Communist Party Directive 24, which calls for increased scrutiny of labor groups, civil society organizations, and foreign actors, particularly in connection with international trade agreements and engagement with the ILO.
Official media have portrayed independent unions as "hostile forces" seeking to undermine the political system. Combined with arrests of labor activists and restrictions on independent labor organizing, these policies raise serious concerns about Vietnam's commitment to freedom of association and internationally recognized labor rights.
Freedom of Religion and Belief
The Vietnamese government restricts religious practice through legislation, registration requirements, surveillance, and harassment. Religious groups must obtain government approval, register, and operate under state-controlled management boards. While many government-affiliated churches and pagodas are permitted to function, authorities often ban activities they deem contrary to the "national interest," "public order," or "national unity." The government labels groups such as Dega Protestants, Ha Mon Catholics, and Falun Gong as ta dao ("evil religion") and harasses their followers.
Police monitor and sometimes violently suppress religious groups outside state-controlled institutions. Unrecognized groups face persistent surveillance, intimidation, forced renunciations of faith, detention, interrogation, torture, and imprisonment.
A revised Law on Beliefs and Religions, approved in April and effective January 2027, replaces the 2016 law but adds concerns, including greater state surveillance and control of online religious activities.
Transnational Repression
In recent years, the Vietnamese authorities have stepped up transnational repression--government efforts to silence dissent by targeting dissidents and critics outside their territory. They have pressured other governments including Thailand and Cambodia to return Vietnamese citizens who fled Vietnam out of fear of arbitrary arrest, torture, or imprisonment.
Vietnamese security forces have abducted Vietnamese citizens in Germany and Thailand, including Trinh Xuan Thanh, Truong Duy Nhat and Duong Van Thai. In the past year, courts in Vietnam put on trial in absentia Vietnamese who live overseas, convicted, and sentenced them to long prison terms, including Le Trung Khoa, Nguyen Van Dai, Doan Bao Chau, Dinh Yum, Siu Di, and Dang Thi Hue. Since the trials, the police have issued numerous warnings and fined Vietnamese citizens for interacting with those convicted in absentia.
The government pressed Thailand to return activists seeking asylum, including former political prisoner Le Chi Thanh. In September, the overseas political organization Viet Tan claimed that Vietnamese police subjected three of its members to extraordinary rendition and detention in Cambodia.
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/16/hrw-letter-ahead-of-upcoming-visit-of-vietnamese-president-to-lam-to-belgium
* * *
HRW Letter Ahead of Upcoming visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to Belgium
*
We are writing in advance of the official visit of To Lam, President of Vietnam and Communist Party General Secretary, to Belgium on October 21-24, 2026. We urge you to use this opportunity to raise grave concerns about the Vietnamese government's human rights record, both in your public statements and in private meetings with him.
The Vietnamese government has sharply intensified its repression in the last decade, ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 16 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * HRW Letter Ahead of Upcoming visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to Belgium * We are writing in advance of the official visit of To Lam, President of Vietnam and Communist Party General Secretary, to Belgium on October 21-24, 2026. We urge you to use this opportunity to raise grave concerns about the Vietnamese government's human rights record, both in your public statements and in private meetings with him. The Vietnamese government has sharply intensified its repression in the last decade,a period during which To Lam served as minister of the Ministry of Public Security (2016-2024) and subsequently as the country's leader. On To Lam's watch, Vietnamese police launched a far-reaching crackdown that has decimated the country's civil society, stepped up transnational repression, and expanded the scope and use of draconian laws that criminalize free speech.
There are now more than 160 political prisoners in Vietnam, imprisoned for exercising rights to freedom of expression or peaceful activism for human rights and democracy, and charged under draconian laws. Human Rights Watch has documented how the Vietnamese authorities are increasingly using a vague, overbroad, and abusive provision of the penal code (article 331) prohibiting the "abuse of democratic freedoms," both to silence prominent activists and to retaliate against ordinary people who complain about poor services, corruption, or police abuse.
We also wish to draw your attention to labor rights issues in Vietnam. As you know, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2020 and this January the EU elevated its relationship with Vietnam to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The EVFTA and related agreements and international labor conventions specifically obligate Vietnam to implement key labor reforms, including to allow independent trade unions.
Vietnam, however, has not met those pledges and authorities in Vietnam today are systematically suppressing the rights of workers to organize independent unions. As a result, none exists. Vietnam is therefore in violation of its obligations under the EVFTA, an issue that should be prominently raised with To Lam.
We urge you and your government to publicly voice concerns about all these issues during To Lam's visit, and specifically press the Vietnamese government to:
* Unconditionally release all persons detained for exercising rights to freedom of expression, association, religion and assembly, including independent journalists such as Pham Doan Trang, and Pham Chi Dung who are serving long prison sentences for advocate on rights for Vietnam with foreign diplomats and representatives including members of the EU; and others named in the appendix below, many of whom have serious health problems.
* Repeal vaguely worded "national security" provisions and other provisions in the Vietnamese Penal Code that have been used to prosecute individuals for peaceful dissent, including: "abusing democratic freedom" (article 331); "sabotaging the unity policy" (article 116); and "propaganda against the state" (article 117).
* Take meaningful steps to implement labor reforms to allow independent labor unions to be formed--in law and in practice--and end intimidation and retaliation against workers who attempt to organize for labor rights protections outside of government-controlled mechanisms.
* Promptly ratify International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87 on freedom of association and genuinely engage with the ILO to reform laws and policies as necessary to ensure the proper application of ILO Convention No. 98, which Vietnam has ratified, on the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining.
* Amend the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure the due process rights of all criminal suspects, including prompt and unhindered access to legal counsel throughout the investigation period, which exposes defendants to an increased risk of torture and other ill-treatment and undermines the principles of due process of law and right to a fair trial.
We thank you in advance for your attention to our requests and stand ready to provide further information and discuss these issues with you at any time.
Sincerely,
Elaine Pearson, Asia Director, Human Rights Watch
Philippe Dam, EU Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch
Appendix: Vietnam's Entrenched Authoritarianism and Worsening Abuses
Political Prisoners
The Vietnamese government frequently uses vaguely worded and loosely interpreted provisions in Vietnam's penal code and other laws to prosecute and imprison peaceful political and religious activists. These include "undermining the unity policy" (article 116), "making, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" (article 117), and "abusing the rights to democracy and freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations, individuals" (article 331).
During the first nine months of 2026, the authorities convicted and sentenced at least 28 activists to many years in prison including prominent bloggers Hoang Thi Hong Thai and Huynh Ngoc Tuan. Police arrested at least 39 other people for criticizing the government.
We urge you to raise the following cases of prisoners held for exercising their basic rights. Several are suffering from severe health issues. All those arbitrarily detained should be immediately and unconditionally released.
* Can Thi Theu, land rights activist
* Hoang Duc Binh, labor activist
* Le Dinh Luong, democracy campaigner
* Le Huu Minh Tuan, independent journalist
* Nguyen Trung Ton, democracy campaigner
* Nguyen Tuong Thuy, independent journalist
* Nguyen Van Tuc, democracy campaigner
* Pham Chi Dung, independent journalist
* Pham Doan Trang, writer and human rights advocate
* Tran Duc Thach, democracy campaigner
* Tran Van Bang, democracy campaigner
* Trinh Ba Phuong, land rights activist
* Trinh Ba Tu, land rights activist
Repression of Labor Rights
Vietnam has not ratified ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, despite pledging to do so by the end of 2023. It has also made little progress in fulfilling obligations under ratified conventions, including ILO Convention No. 98 on collective bargaining, or in guaranteeing workers' rights to form and operate independent trade unions.
Although the authorities claim to support worker representation, independent unions are not allowed in practice. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL), described by the government as a labor confederation, is not independent. Its leadership is appointed by the government or the Communist Party of Vietnam, while unions within its structure are generally led by individuals approved by management.
The government also argues that the 2021 Labor Code permits independent worker organizations at the enterprise level. However, no such organizations are known to exist. Authorities have not issued the regulations or established the legal and administrative processes necessary for their registration and operation.
The absence of implementing regulations, together with provisions of the Trade Union Law, suggests that the government intends to maintain worker representation under the control of the VGCL rather than allow genuinely independent trade unions.
State control is further reflected in Communist Party Directive 24, which calls for increased scrutiny of labor groups, civil society organizations, and foreign actors, particularly in connection with international trade agreements and engagement with the ILO.
Official media have portrayed independent unions as "hostile forces" seeking to undermine the political system. Combined with arrests of labor activists and restrictions on independent labor organizing, these policies raise serious concerns about Vietnam's commitment to freedom of association and internationally recognized labor rights.
Freedom of Religion and Belief
The Vietnamese government restricts religious practice through legislation, registration requirements, surveillance, and harassment. Religious groups must obtain government approval, register, and operate under state-controlled management boards. While many government-affiliated churches and pagodas are permitted to function, authorities often ban activities they deem contrary to the "national interest," "public order," or "national unity." The government labels groups such as Dega Protestants, Ha Mon Catholics, and Falun Gong as ta dao ("evil religion") and harasses their followers.
Police monitor and sometimes violently suppress religious groups outside state-controlled institutions. Unrecognized groups face persistent surveillance, intimidation, forced renunciations of faith, detention, interrogation, torture, and imprisonment.
A revised Law on Beliefs and Religions, approved in April and effective January 2027, replaces the 2016 law but adds concerns, including greater state surveillance and control of online religious activities.
Transnational Repression
In recent years, the Vietnamese authorities have stepped up transnational repression--government efforts to silence dissent by targeting dissidents and critics outside their territory. They have pressured other governments including Thailand and Cambodia to return Vietnamese citizens who fled Vietnam out of fear of arbitrary arrest, torture, or imprisonment.
Vietnamese security forces have abducted Vietnamese citizens in Germany and Thailand, including Trinh Xuan Thanh, Truong Duy Nhat and Duong Van Thai. In the past year, courts in Vietnam put on trial in absentia Vietnamese who live overseas, convicted, and sentenced them to long prison terms, including Le Trung Khoa, Nguyen Van Dai, Doan Bao Chau, Dinh Yum, Siu Di, and Dang Thi Hue. Since the trials, the police have issued numerous warnings and fined Vietnamese citizens for interacting with those convicted in absentia.
The government pressed Thailand to return activists seeking asylum, including former political prisoner Le Chi Thanh. In September, the overseas political organization Viet Tan claimed that Vietnamese police subjected three of its members to extraordinary rendition and detention in Cambodia.
***
Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/16/hrw-letter-ahead-of-upcoming-visit-of-vietnamese-president-to-lam-to-belgium
Democracy Forward Staff Earn Places in Prestigious Programs
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release:
* * *
Democracy Forward Staff Earn Places in Prestigious Programs
Bradley Girard Recognized with Richey Fellowship at George Washington Law School; Emily Ross Joins D.C. Bar's Innovations in Legal Practice Committee; Toby Cain Named Obama Foundation Leader
-
Washington, D.C. - An attorney and an organizing director working for the nation's leading pro-democracy nonprofit organization, ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release: * * * Democracy Forward Staff Earn Places in Prestigious Programs Bradley Girard Recognized with Richey Fellowship at George Washington Law School; Emily Ross Joins D.C. Bar's Innovations in Legal Practice Committee; Toby Cain Named Obama Foundation Leader - Washington, D.C. - An attorney and an organizing director working for the nation's leading pro-democracy nonprofit organization,Democracy Forward, have been recognized for their leadership and work with invitations to participate in prestigious fellowships and leadership programs. Senior Counsel Bradley Girard has been named to the Richey Fellows Program, a program at George Washington University Law School that partners with public interest attorneys to make the campus a resource for students considering non-profit or public sector legal careers. Deputy Chief of Staff Emily Ross has been selected/appointed to the Innovations in Legal Practice Committee of the Washington D.C. Bar, which studies issues arising from globalization in the practice of law that have a significant impact on law practice for the D.C. Bar. Civil Service Strong Organizing Director Toby Cain has been selected as an Obama Foundation Leader for the coming year, participating in a program that connects and trains young leaders working in the public sector, civil society, and the private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.
"Bradley is deeply committed to making the promise of democracy a reality for all people, Emily continuously works to improve infrastructure for our lawyers and staff to succeed, and Toby's positive impact on our work organizing and empowering civil servants to help protect people has been undeniable," said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. "We are incredibly proud to have these leaders on our team at Democracy Forward and we are very pleased Bradley, Emily, and Toby will be able to offer their invaluable perspectives by participating in these prestigious programs."
Bradley Girard - Richey Fellows Program at George Washington University Law School
The Richey Fellows Program is named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and its funding has been provided by his law clerks and friends. Each semester, just three distinguished attorneys from a broad range of public interest and public sector practice areas are invited to provide diverse perspectives about their careers for the benefit of GW Law students. Richey Fellows are selected from a wide variety of practice areas, including criminal and civil direct legal services, law reform litigation, and public and non-profit regulatory and policy practice. The distinction is only the latest for Girard, who served as a Wasserstein Fellow in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Girard received his JD and LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center. Before joining Democracy Forward, Girard was litigation counsel at Americans United, where he played a leading role in, among other things, building an intensive program to train the next generation of public-interest law students and in a range of high-profile First Amendment cases. Earlier in his career, Girard served as a clerk for the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz on the D.C. Superior Court and on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey. Girard also served for two years as the clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown Law's Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, where he taught students public-interest impact litigation in the federal courts of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court and earned an LLM in advocacy.
Girard serves regularly as lead counsel in courts of appeals across the country and the Supreme Court. His writing has appeared in a variety of legal publications, including the Georgetown Law Journal, the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, Law360, and SCOTUS blog.
Emily Ross, Innovations in Legal Practice Committee, D.C. Bar
The Innovations in Legal Practice Committee, formerly called the Global Legal Practice Committee, studies issues arising from globalization in the practice of law that have a significant impact on law practice for the D.C. Bar and its members. The committee makes recommendations concerning the changing models for obtaining and delivering legal services in the United States and abroad. These models include but are not limited to, alternative legal services providers, business structures, multi-disciplinary practices, non-traditional financing of law practice operations, and regulatory innovations for the protection of consumers of legal services. The D.C. Bar stands as the largest unified bar in the United States with more than 120,000 members in all 50 states and more than 80 countries.
Emily Ross serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President and CEO at Democracy Forward. Prior to joining the organization, Emily served as Executive Secretariat at both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Emily has spent her career developing, maturing, and transforming critical organizational processes, including many years on Capitol Hill and for a variety of campaigns and organizations. Emily earned a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts, also from Columbia University.
Toby Cain, Obama Foundation Leader
The Obama Foundation Leaders Program was launched in 2018 and draws on the Foundation's 'Hope to Action' curriculum to support Leaders in engaging diverse perspectives, building collective power, and making tangible, sustainable progress towards a better world. Supported by full group sessions, small group discussions, and individualized leadership coaching, participants in the Leaders program define a values-based foundation for sustained leadership, cultivate relationships with others to catalyze more inclusive, lasting change, and prepare to engage with issues at the systems level. Upon completion of the program, Obama Leaders continue to gain a broader continental and global perspective, joining the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of more than 1,500 active changemakers.
Cain, who serves as the Organizing Director for Democracy Forward's Civil Service Strong initiative, has dedicated her career to strengthening rural communities, empowering emerging leaders, and proving that transformative change can start from anywhere. Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Cain served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency. For more than fifteen years, she has stewarded sustainable agriculture networks as the Education and Outreach Coordinator at Seed Savers Exchange, the Midwest Ambassador for WWOOF-USA, co-founder of the Driftless Young Farmers Coalition, board member of the Iowa Farmers Union, and Sustainability Coordinator for Luther College. Cain has stewarded participatory coalitions through leadership positions with Rural Organizing, Mutual Aid Hub, the Impact Project, and the Iowa Organic Association; and she has gained valuable electoral campaign experience across the country, serving in strategic roles for razor-thin elections like Kayla Koether's 2018 Iowa House race, Pete Buttigieg's Iowa Caucus team, and Abigail Spanberger's 2020 campaign.
For more information about Democracy Forward's team, please visit https://democracyforward.org/about/team/.
* * *
Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/democracy-forward-staff-earn-places-in-prestigious-programs/
[Category: Political]
* * *
Democracy Forward Staff Earn Places in Prestigious Programs
Bradley Girard Recognized with Richey Fellowship at George Washington Law School; Emily Ross Joins D.C. Bar's Innovations in Legal Practice Committee; Toby Cain Named Obama Foundation Leader
-
Washington, D.C. - An attorney and an organizing director working for the nation's leading pro-democracy nonprofit organization, ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release: * * * Democracy Forward Staff Earn Places in Prestigious Programs Bradley Girard Recognized with Richey Fellowship at George Washington Law School; Emily Ross Joins D.C. Bar's Innovations in Legal Practice Committee; Toby Cain Named Obama Foundation Leader - Washington, D.C. - An attorney and an organizing director working for the nation's leading pro-democracy nonprofit organization,Democracy Forward, have been recognized for their leadership and work with invitations to participate in prestigious fellowships and leadership programs. Senior Counsel Bradley Girard has been named to the Richey Fellows Program, a program at George Washington University Law School that partners with public interest attorneys to make the campus a resource for students considering non-profit or public sector legal careers. Deputy Chief of Staff Emily Ross has been selected/appointed to the Innovations in Legal Practice Committee of the Washington D.C. Bar, which studies issues arising from globalization in the practice of law that have a significant impact on law practice for the D.C. Bar. Civil Service Strong Organizing Director Toby Cain has been selected as an Obama Foundation Leader for the coming year, participating in a program that connects and trains young leaders working in the public sector, civil society, and the private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.
"Bradley is deeply committed to making the promise of democracy a reality for all people, Emily continuously works to improve infrastructure for our lawyers and staff to succeed, and Toby's positive impact on our work organizing and empowering civil servants to help protect people has been undeniable," said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. "We are incredibly proud to have these leaders on our team at Democracy Forward and we are very pleased Bradley, Emily, and Toby will be able to offer their invaluable perspectives by participating in these prestigious programs."
Bradley Girard - Richey Fellows Program at George Washington University Law School
The Richey Fellows Program is named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and its funding has been provided by his law clerks and friends. Each semester, just three distinguished attorneys from a broad range of public interest and public sector practice areas are invited to provide diverse perspectives about their careers for the benefit of GW Law students. Richey Fellows are selected from a wide variety of practice areas, including criminal and civil direct legal services, law reform litigation, and public and non-profit regulatory and policy practice. The distinction is only the latest for Girard, who served as a Wasserstein Fellow in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Girard received his JD and LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center. Before joining Democracy Forward, Girard was litigation counsel at Americans United, where he played a leading role in, among other things, building an intensive program to train the next generation of public-interest law students and in a range of high-profile First Amendment cases. Earlier in his career, Girard served as a clerk for the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz on the D.C. Superior Court and on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey. Girard also served for two years as the clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown Law's Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, where he taught students public-interest impact litigation in the federal courts of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court and earned an LLM in advocacy.
Girard serves regularly as lead counsel in courts of appeals across the country and the Supreme Court. His writing has appeared in a variety of legal publications, including the Georgetown Law Journal, the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, Law360, and SCOTUS blog.
Emily Ross, Innovations in Legal Practice Committee, D.C. Bar
The Innovations in Legal Practice Committee, formerly called the Global Legal Practice Committee, studies issues arising from globalization in the practice of law that have a significant impact on law practice for the D.C. Bar and its members. The committee makes recommendations concerning the changing models for obtaining and delivering legal services in the United States and abroad. These models include but are not limited to, alternative legal services providers, business structures, multi-disciplinary practices, non-traditional financing of law practice operations, and regulatory innovations for the protection of consumers of legal services. The D.C. Bar stands as the largest unified bar in the United States with more than 120,000 members in all 50 states and more than 80 countries.
Emily Ross serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President and CEO at Democracy Forward. Prior to joining the organization, Emily served as Executive Secretariat at both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Emily has spent her career developing, maturing, and transforming critical organizational processes, including many years on Capitol Hill and for a variety of campaigns and organizations. Emily earned a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts, also from Columbia University.
Toby Cain, Obama Foundation Leader
The Obama Foundation Leaders Program was launched in 2018 and draws on the Foundation's 'Hope to Action' curriculum to support Leaders in engaging diverse perspectives, building collective power, and making tangible, sustainable progress towards a better world. Supported by full group sessions, small group discussions, and individualized leadership coaching, participants in the Leaders program define a values-based foundation for sustained leadership, cultivate relationships with others to catalyze more inclusive, lasting change, and prepare to engage with issues at the systems level. Upon completion of the program, Obama Leaders continue to gain a broader continental and global perspective, joining the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of more than 1,500 active changemakers.
Cain, who serves as the Organizing Director for Democracy Forward's Civil Service Strong initiative, has dedicated her career to strengthening rural communities, empowering emerging leaders, and proving that transformative change can start from anywhere. Prior to joining Democracy Forward, Cain served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency. For more than fifteen years, she has stewarded sustainable agriculture networks as the Education and Outreach Coordinator at Seed Savers Exchange, the Midwest Ambassador for WWOOF-USA, co-founder of the Driftless Young Farmers Coalition, board member of the Iowa Farmers Union, and Sustainability Coordinator for Luther College. Cain has stewarded participatory coalitions through leadership positions with Rural Organizing, Mutual Aid Hub, the Impact Project, and the Iowa Organic Association; and she has gained valuable electoral campaign experience across the country, serving in strategic roles for razor-thin elections like Kayla Koether's 2018 Iowa House race, Pete Buttigieg's Iowa Caucus team, and Abigail Spanberger's 2020 campaign.
For more information about Democracy Forward's team, please visit https://democracyforward.org/about/team/.
* * *
Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/democracy-forward-staff-earn-places-in-prestigious-programs/
[Category: Political]
Agoura Hills Bans Glue Traps, Recognizes Animal Rights After PETA Push
NORFOLK, Virginia, Oct. 16 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
* * *
Agoura Hills Bans Glue Traps, Recognizes Animal Rights After PETA Push
October 14, 2026
Agoura Hills, Calif. - Following close collaboration with PETA, the Agoura Hills City Council voted tonight to outlaw glue traps, which can leave trapped animals suffering for days before dying, making Agoura Hills the sixth U.S. city to prohibit the use and sale of the cruel devices. The historic ordinance opens by declaring, "The Agoura Hills City Council recognizes animal rights to prevent ... Show Full Article NORFOLK, Virginia, Oct. 16 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release: * * * Agoura Hills Bans Glue Traps, Recognizes Animal Rights After PETA Push October 14, 2026 Agoura Hills, Calif. - Following close collaboration with PETA, the Agoura Hills City Council voted tonight to outlaw glue traps, which can leave trapped animals suffering for days before dying, making Agoura Hills the sixth U.S. city to prohibit the use and sale of the cruel devices. The historic ordinance opens by declaring, "The Agoura Hills City Council recognizes animal rights to preventunnecessary suffering due to glue traps."
The ban comes amid mounting evidence of the devastating toll glue traps take on wildlife: the California Wildlife Center, a local wildlife rehabilitation organization, has treated animals from a staggering 35 different species who were caught on glue traps and in need of lifesaving care. The devices ensnare mice, rats, birds, and other small animals, who get stuck in the adhesive and struggle desperately to escape, sometimes chewing off their own limbs before succumbing to starvation, dehydration, asphyxiation, or blood loss. Glue traps also fail as a long-term solution because they don't address what attracts animals in the first place: As long as food remains accessible and entry points remain unsealed, more animals will move in to take the place of those killed.
"Agoura Hills has a proud history of protecting our wildlife, preserving biodiversity, and standing against animal cruelty. This ordinance builds on that tradition by banning the use and sale of glue traps, which are inhumane devices that cause prolonged suffering," says Mayor Jeremy Wolf. "By taking this step, Agoura Hills is protecting public health, preventing unnecessary suffering, and reaffirming our commitment to the wildlife and natural environment that make our community so special."
"As the city home to the largest urban wildlife crossing in the country, our community deeply values coexistence with the amazing animals who live here alongside us," says Mayor Pro Tem Deborah Klein Lopez. "This glue trap ban will protect birds, lizards, mice, and other animals from suffering while encouraging humane approaches that address why animals enter homes and businesses in the first place. No matter the circumstance, cruelty to animals is never the answer."
"By recognizing animal rights and banning glue traps, Agoura Hills has made a momentous decision to protect the smallest members of its community from slow, painful, and terrifying deaths," says PETA President Tracy Reiman. "PETA celebrates the City Council members who made this ban possible and urges the community to use PETA's tips for living in harmony with mice and rats."
Both mice and rats are highly social animals who become attached to each other and love their own families. Male mice and rats woo their mates with high-pitched love songs that are inaudible to the human ear. Mice live in family groups, play together, and enjoy sleeping curled up with their social partners.
Agoura Hills joins Culver City, Laguna Beach, Ojai, Ventura, and West Hollywood, California, in banning glue traps. PETA's campaign against the cruel devices has also prompted major retailers--including CVS, Target, Walgreens, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree--to stop selling them. Glue traps are also banned in England, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales, and throughout much of Australia, Belgium, and India.
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PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/agoura-hills-bans-glue-traps-recognizes-animal-rights-after-peta-push/
[Category: Animals]
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Agoura Hills Bans Glue Traps, Recognizes Animal Rights After PETA Push
October 14, 2026
Agoura Hills, Calif. - Following close collaboration with PETA, the Agoura Hills City Council voted tonight to outlaw glue traps, which can leave trapped animals suffering for days before dying, making Agoura Hills the sixth U.S. city to prohibit the use and sale of the cruel devices. The historic ordinance opens by declaring, "The Agoura Hills City Council recognizes animal rights to prevent ... Show Full Article NORFOLK, Virginia, Oct. 16 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release: * * * Agoura Hills Bans Glue Traps, Recognizes Animal Rights After PETA Push October 14, 2026 Agoura Hills, Calif. - Following close collaboration with PETA, the Agoura Hills City Council voted tonight to outlaw glue traps, which can leave trapped animals suffering for days before dying, making Agoura Hills the sixth U.S. city to prohibit the use and sale of the cruel devices. The historic ordinance opens by declaring, "The Agoura Hills City Council recognizes animal rights to preventunnecessary suffering due to glue traps."
The ban comes amid mounting evidence of the devastating toll glue traps take on wildlife: the California Wildlife Center, a local wildlife rehabilitation organization, has treated animals from a staggering 35 different species who were caught on glue traps and in need of lifesaving care. The devices ensnare mice, rats, birds, and other small animals, who get stuck in the adhesive and struggle desperately to escape, sometimes chewing off their own limbs before succumbing to starvation, dehydration, asphyxiation, or blood loss. Glue traps also fail as a long-term solution because they don't address what attracts animals in the first place: As long as food remains accessible and entry points remain unsealed, more animals will move in to take the place of those killed.
"Agoura Hills has a proud history of protecting our wildlife, preserving biodiversity, and standing against animal cruelty. This ordinance builds on that tradition by banning the use and sale of glue traps, which are inhumane devices that cause prolonged suffering," says Mayor Jeremy Wolf. "By taking this step, Agoura Hills is protecting public health, preventing unnecessary suffering, and reaffirming our commitment to the wildlife and natural environment that make our community so special."
"As the city home to the largest urban wildlife crossing in the country, our community deeply values coexistence with the amazing animals who live here alongside us," says Mayor Pro Tem Deborah Klein Lopez. "This glue trap ban will protect birds, lizards, mice, and other animals from suffering while encouraging humane approaches that address why animals enter homes and businesses in the first place. No matter the circumstance, cruelty to animals is never the answer."
"By recognizing animal rights and banning glue traps, Agoura Hills has made a momentous decision to protect the smallest members of its community from slow, painful, and terrifying deaths," says PETA President Tracy Reiman. "PETA celebrates the City Council members who made this ban possible and urges the community to use PETA's tips for living in harmony with mice and rats."
Both mice and rats are highly social animals who become attached to each other and love their own families. Male mice and rats woo their mates with high-pitched love songs that are inaudible to the human ear. Mice live in family groups, play together, and enjoy sleeping curled up with their social partners.
Agoura Hills joins Culver City, Laguna Beach, Ojai, Ventura, and West Hollywood, California, in banning glue traps. PETA's campaign against the cruel devices has also prompted major retailers--including CVS, Target, Walgreens, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree--to stop selling them. Glue traps are also banned in England, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales, and throughout much of Australia, Belgium, and India.
* * *
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/agoura-hills-bans-glue-traps-recognizes-animal-rights-after-peta-push/
[Category: Animals]
350.org: Make Polluters Pay - Coalition Brings Demand to UK Parliament Ahead of Budget as Oil Giants Reap Bumper Profits
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 16 [Category: Energy] -- 350.org, an organization that works to end the age of fossil fuels and build a community-led renewable energy, posted the following news release:
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October 15, 2026
Make Polluters Pay: Coalition brings demand to UK Parliament ahead of Budget as oil giants reap bumper profits
Politicians, trade unionists, faith leaders and climate campaigners gathered outside Parliament today to demand that the UK Government make oil and gas companies pay their fair share towards tackling climate damage, ahead of the Autumn Budget.
The Make Polluters ... Show Full Article BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 16 [Category: Energy] -- 350.org, an organization that works to end the age of fossil fuels and build a community-led renewable energy, posted the following news release: * * * October 15, 2026 Make Polluters Pay: Coalition brings demand to UK Parliament ahead of Budget as oil giants reap bumper profits Politicians, trade unionists, faith leaders and climate campaigners gathered outside Parliament today to demand that the UK Government make oil and gas companies pay their fair share towards tackling climate damage, ahead of the Autumn Budget. The Make PollutersPay coalition called on ministers to resist industry lobbying to weaken taxes on fossil fuel companies, warning that households and businesses must not be left to foot the bill for climate breakdown while oil and gas giants cash in on unearned war-driven mega-profits.
The action follows a summer of wildfires, drought and extreme heat in the UK, and a glacier collapse in the Himalayas that caused devastation in Nepal. The Budget comes just days before oil and gas companies are expected to announce another round of quarterly profits, forecast to be even higher. Campaigners warned that the Budget is a crucial opportunity for the Government to make polluters contribute more towards the costs of climate damage, rather than give in to industry lobbying for a weaker tax regime.
The rally follows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's final General Assembly speech(opens in a new tab), in which he told world leaders that "polluters must pay" and urged campaigners to continue their efforts, saying: "You are on the right side of history - keep going."
The coalition is calling on the Government to make oil and gas companies pay their fair share to protect households, businesses and essential infrastructure from the climate crisis, at home and abroad. This funding is needed to accelerate the transition to secure renewable energy, support workers moving out of high-carbon jobs, and resource overstretched firefighters, public services such as schools and hospitals, and communities facing the impacts of climate breakdown.
Louise Hutchins, Co-convenor of the Make Polluter Pay international coalition, said: "Oil and gas giants have made $2.8 billion in profit every single day for 50 years. Now, they're cashing in on war-driven price rises while lobbying to pay less tax.
At the Budget, the Government must choose: stand with people facing the costs of climate breakdown, or give in to the wealthy oil and gas lobby. Make polluters pay."
Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, said: "Fossil fuel giants knowingly took us to the cliff-edge of climate catastrophe in the pursuit of ever-greater profits. This campaign is about ensuring those responsible for the climate crisis pay up for the damage they have caused and the climate action we need. This is not only a just demand, it's a popular one. I put down a bill in Parliament to Make Polluters Pay and there's growing parliamentary support for this cause. This is a campaign we can win!"
Hannah Spencer, MP for Gorton and Denton, said: "The world's five biggest oil companies made almost pound sterling400 million in profit every single day this spring. That is what we mean when we say that the climate crisis is a crisis of accountability, and a crisis of fairness. Because right now while polluters celebrate cashing in on war, it is households and communities all across the country footing the bill - through soaring energy costs and through climate breakdown."
Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary said: "Whenever there is a crisis, the fundamental question is 'who pays?'. Is it people on their bills, workers with their pay or jobs or those at the top with their profits and dividends. As people face rising prices this winter, the Government must show it is on the side of people, not profit: make polluters pay."
Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, who addressed the crowd, said: "This action reflects the message Quakers have been taking to international forums. "Responding to the climate crisis is not only an environmental challenge but a moral one, raising questions about responsibility, fairness and how resources are shared."
Shanon Shah, Director for Faith for the Climate, who addressed the crowd, said: "The public tide is turning. I can feel it. More and more people of all faiths - and none - are realising that the fossil fuel industry's behaviour is neither normal, healthy, moral nor sane. And our political leaders have to act. The vast majority of the world is already with us in body, mind, and spirit. We can win this. Make polluters pay."
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Notes to editors
* The Make Polluters Pay coalition is campaigning for fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share towards tackling the climate crisis and protecting people from the costs of fossil fuel dependence. www.makepolluterspay.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
* The action took place in Parliament Square on Wednesday 14 October 2026, ahead of the UK Autumn Budget.
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Original text here: https://350.org/press-release/make-polluters-pay-coalition-brings-demand-to-uk-parliament-ahead-of-budget-as-oil-giants-reap-bumper-profits/
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October 15, 2026
Make Polluters Pay: Coalition brings demand to UK Parliament ahead of Budget as oil giants reap bumper profits
Politicians, trade unionists, faith leaders and climate campaigners gathered outside Parliament today to demand that the UK Government make oil and gas companies pay their fair share towards tackling climate damage, ahead of the Autumn Budget.
The Make Polluters ... Show Full Article BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 16 [Category: Energy] -- 350.org, an organization that works to end the age of fossil fuels and build a community-led renewable energy, posted the following news release: * * * October 15, 2026 Make Polluters Pay: Coalition brings demand to UK Parliament ahead of Budget as oil giants reap bumper profits Politicians, trade unionists, faith leaders and climate campaigners gathered outside Parliament today to demand that the UK Government make oil and gas companies pay their fair share towards tackling climate damage, ahead of the Autumn Budget. The Make PollutersPay coalition called on ministers to resist industry lobbying to weaken taxes on fossil fuel companies, warning that households and businesses must not be left to foot the bill for climate breakdown while oil and gas giants cash in on unearned war-driven mega-profits.
The action follows a summer of wildfires, drought and extreme heat in the UK, and a glacier collapse in the Himalayas that caused devastation in Nepal. The Budget comes just days before oil and gas companies are expected to announce another round of quarterly profits, forecast to be even higher. Campaigners warned that the Budget is a crucial opportunity for the Government to make polluters contribute more towards the costs of climate damage, rather than give in to industry lobbying for a weaker tax regime.
The rally follows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's final General Assembly speech(opens in a new tab), in which he told world leaders that "polluters must pay" and urged campaigners to continue their efforts, saying: "You are on the right side of history - keep going."
The coalition is calling on the Government to make oil and gas companies pay their fair share to protect households, businesses and essential infrastructure from the climate crisis, at home and abroad. This funding is needed to accelerate the transition to secure renewable energy, support workers moving out of high-carbon jobs, and resource overstretched firefighters, public services such as schools and hospitals, and communities facing the impacts of climate breakdown.
Louise Hutchins, Co-convenor of the Make Polluter Pay international coalition, said: "Oil and gas giants have made $2.8 billion in profit every single day for 50 years. Now, they're cashing in on war-driven price rises while lobbying to pay less tax.
At the Budget, the Government must choose: stand with people facing the costs of climate breakdown, or give in to the wealthy oil and gas lobby. Make polluters pay."
Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, said: "Fossil fuel giants knowingly took us to the cliff-edge of climate catastrophe in the pursuit of ever-greater profits. This campaign is about ensuring those responsible for the climate crisis pay up for the damage they have caused and the climate action we need. This is not only a just demand, it's a popular one. I put down a bill in Parliament to Make Polluters Pay and there's growing parliamentary support for this cause. This is a campaign we can win!"
Hannah Spencer, MP for Gorton and Denton, said: "The world's five biggest oil companies made almost pound sterling400 million in profit every single day this spring. That is what we mean when we say that the climate crisis is a crisis of accountability, and a crisis of fairness. Because right now while polluters celebrate cashing in on war, it is households and communities all across the country footing the bill - through soaring energy costs and through climate breakdown."
Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary said: "Whenever there is a crisis, the fundamental question is 'who pays?'. Is it people on their bills, workers with their pay or jobs or those at the top with their profits and dividends. As people face rising prices this winter, the Government must show it is on the side of people, not profit: make polluters pay."
Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, who addressed the crowd, said: "This action reflects the message Quakers have been taking to international forums. "Responding to the climate crisis is not only an environmental challenge but a moral one, raising questions about responsibility, fairness and how resources are shared."
Shanon Shah, Director for Faith for the Climate, who addressed the crowd, said: "The public tide is turning. I can feel it. More and more people of all faiths - and none - are realising that the fossil fuel industry's behaviour is neither normal, healthy, moral nor sane. And our political leaders have to act. The vast majority of the world is already with us in body, mind, and spirit. We can win this. Make polluters pay."
* * *
Notes to editors
* The Make Polluters Pay coalition is campaigning for fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share towards tackling the climate crisis and protecting people from the costs of fossil fuel dependence. www.makepolluterspay.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
* The action took place in Parliament Square on Wednesday 14 October 2026, ahead of the UK Autumn Budget.
* * *
Original text here: https://350.org/press-release/make-polluters-pay-coalition-brings-demand-to-uk-parliament-ahead-of-budget-as-oil-giants-reap-bumper-profits/