Public Policy
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public policy organizations whose goal it is to influence the debate Washington.
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Youth Justice Project: Federal Commission on School Safety Recommends Scrapping Anti-Discrimination Guidance Implemented During Obama Administration
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The Southern Coalition for Social Justice issued the following news release:
The U.S. Department of Education's (DOE) Federal Commission on School Safety has released its final report, which includes a recommendation that the DOE and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) rescind guidance issued in 2014 aimed at ensuring educational agencies comply with federal obligations to administer student discipline without discriminating based on race, color, or national origin. The guidance:
* Offers direction to school districts on the best ways to avoid discriminatory discipline practices;
*
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The Southern Coalition for Social Justice issued the following news release:
The U.S. Department of Education's (DOE) Federal Commission on School Safety has released its final report, which includes a recommendation that the DOE and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) rescind guidance issued in 2014 aimed at ensuring educational agencies comply with federal obligations to administer student discipline without discriminating based on race, color, or national origin. The guidance:
* Offers direction to school districts on the best ways to avoid discriminatory discipline practices;
*Explains the Office for Civil Rights' Title VI and DOJ's Title IV and Title VI investigative process, including the existing legal framework, evidence considered, and the types of remedies sought if violations are found;
* Provides hypothetical examples of school discipline policies/practices that may violate civil rights laws; and
* Equips school officials with an array of tools to support positive student behavior - thereby providing a range of options to prevent and address misconduct - that will both promote safety and avoid the use of discipline policies that are discriminatory or inappropriate.
Without the regulations on the books, schools would still not be allowed to discriminate against students based on race, color, or national origin; however, rescinding the guidance would remove valuable information schools use to comply with federal law. Students of color and students with disabilities are the groups most likely to experience the negative consequences of discriminatory discipline practices. In 2016-17, Black students in North Carolina were over four times as likely to receive a short-term suspension as their White peers.
"We know that students of color and students with disabilities face well-documented and continuing disproportionate levels of school exclusion through suspensions, expulsions, and informal removals," said Peggy Nicholson, co-director of the Youth Justice Project at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. "Withdrawing the federal guidance as a resource would set schools up to fail students and fall back into practices that discriminate against students based on their race."
The Youth Justice Project has filed several Title VI complaints with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) over the past few years alleging systemic discrimination against students of color in school discipline practices. A complaint filed in Wake County (NC) in 2010 was recently resolved after the district and OCR entered a resolution agreement that requires the school system to make significant changes to its discipline policies and practices. A complaint filed in Lee County (FL) was settled earlier this year after the district agreed to revise its discipline practices and policies to address racial disproportionality.
"There is simply no good reason to scrap guidance that can help schools avoid discriminating against students. There are outstanding complaints across the country that demonstrate the need for addressing racially discriminatory discipline in schools," said Nicholson.
The Commission's report included various other recommendations relating to school safety (click for Commission's website). Some of these recommendations, such as urging states to provide resources to help schools create positive school climates and increasing mental health supports, are evidence-based and likely to improve overall safety. However, other recommendations in the report may actually worsen school safety and have unintended negative impacts on students, including the suggestion that school districts consider arming school staff and pour their limited resources into expensive physical security measures.
The Commission's membership includes DOE Secretary Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was the fourth member of the Commission until he resigned from his office.
"Rescinding the school discipline guidance would send multiple messages. For schools that want help in ending discriminatory practices, rescission would tell them to look somewhere else and that they are on their own. For students, taking away this guidance would send the message that the federal government may not be there to help if they are discriminated against. This would be a big loss for students, families, and schools across the country," said Ricky Watson, co-director of the Youth Justice Project. "We have to ask who is helped by rolling back these guidelines, and the obvious answer is no one. This doesn't help kids. This doesn't help schools. This doesn't help our communities. We need community groups and advocacy groups to step up now more than ever to be the advocates that these children need."
The 2014 guidance for complying with non-discrimination laws can be found at http://bit.ly/2014Guidance
The Commision's final report can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/documents/school-safety/school-safety-report.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
Task Force, Safety Partners Deliver Holiday Safety Message at Annual Spirit-Free Mix-Off
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pennsylvania, Dec. 18 -- Lehigh Valley Health Network issued the following news release:
The Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force held its 18th annual Spirit-free mix-off at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest on Thursday. The event encourages safe behaviors during the holidays and helps to promote "Operation Safe Holiday" enforcement mobilization efforts in the Lehigh Valley region and Pennsylvania.
Guest servers from local media outlets offered non-alcoholic drinks for judging to educate the community and suggest enjoyable alternatives to using alcohol during the holidays.
The
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LEHIGH VALLEY, Pennsylvania, Dec. 18 -- Lehigh Valley Health Network issued the following news release:
The Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force held its 18th annual Spirit-free mix-off at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest on Thursday. The event encourages safe behaviors during the holidays and helps to promote "Operation Safe Holiday" enforcement mobilization efforts in the Lehigh Valley region and Pennsylvania.
Guest servers from local media outlets offered non-alcoholic drinks for judging to educate the community and suggest enjoyable alternatives to using alcohol during the holidays.
Thewinners this year were the B104 Radio morning team of Mike Kelly and Stephanie Wells, who served up the Spicy Reindeer - a drink combining ginger ale with apple and cinnamon. The Task Force will make a $250 donation to their charity of choice, the American Diabetes Association. Other participants included Jerry Padden from CAT Country 96, Selena and Crockett from 100.7 WLEV and Joy Howe and Jim Vaughn from WFMZ-TV 69 News. Recipes for the drinks that were featured can be found below.
This year's featured speaker, Trooper Nathan Branosky, community service officer/public information officer from Pennsylvania State Police Troop M, Bethlehem, spoke about the dangers of driving under the influence year-round and during the holiday season and about enforcement efforts during the "Operation Safe Holiday" mobilization.
With impaired-driving concerns also including impairment from drugs, Trooper Branosky also highlighted Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now Week, a Governor Tom Wolf statewide initiative being held this week to get help for state residents suffering from addiction and opioid use disorder. The Wolf administration is also providing the overdose reversal medication naloxone. This medication reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and gives the patient a chance at recovery.
For more information on Pennsylvania's response to the opioid crisis visit http://www.pa.gov/opioids.
Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force 2018 Spirit-Free Mix-Off Recipes:
Dasher's Delight
Serves 2
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat on medium heat stirring often until smooth.
Foggy Night Brew
Serves 1
Place Earl Grey tea bag in a mug and fill mug half way with boiling water. Remove tea bag when steeped. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and sugar to taste. Top off with 1/2 cup hot or steamed milk.
Santa-gria
Serves 6
4 cups peach or raspberry iced tea
1 cup orange juice
1 cup apple juice
1 medium orange, sliced
1 medium apple, sliced
Combine iced tea, juices, and cut fruit in a pitcher.
Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve.
Spicy Reindeer
Serves 4
1 cup apple cider
3 cups ginger ale
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine cider with ginger ale and serve in glass with crushed ice. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
South Sudan: Spate of Sexual Violence
NEW YORK, Dec. 18 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
* * *
- Impunity Fueling Roadside Attacks on Women, Girls Around Bentiu
South Sudan's government should urgently investigate rape and other sexual violence against women and girls traveling in the former Unity state and provide protection and services to survivors. Investigations should focus not only on the individual crimes, but also on whether the crimes were coordinated, and they should lead to arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
On November 30, 2018, the medical agency, Doctors Without Borders (Medecins
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NEW YORK, Dec. 18 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
* * *
- Impunity Fueling Roadside Attacks on Women, Girls Around Bentiu
South Sudan's government should urgently investigate rape and other sexual violence against women and girls traveling in the former Unity state and provide protection and services to survivors. Investigations should focus not only on the individual crimes, but also on whether the crimes were coordinated, and they should lead to arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
On November 30, 2018, the medical agency, Doctors Without Borders (MedecinsSans Frontieres, MSF), announced that its staff in the town of Bentiu, the capital of Northern Liech state, had treated 125 women and girls who were raped, beaten, and robbed over a 10-day period between November 19 and 29 alone. Human Rights Watch researchers visited Bentiu between December 7 and 12 and found evidence of a pattern of attacks on women and girls traveling to and from town for food distributions and other errands.
"Rape has long been condoned, normalized, and used to terrorize women and girls across South Sudan," said Nyagoah Tut Pur, South Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch. "South Sudan's government and the United Nations peacekeepers should ensure effective patrols in the known danger spots and help facilitate effective investigations and prosecutions of these crimes."
Human Rights Watch spoke to UN and humanitarian agencies staff, community leaders, doctors, local authorities, and survivors. Women said they had been attacked by armed young men wearing mixed military and civilian clothing, in many cases with their faces covered to hide their identities. The men raped, or gang raped them, and robbed them at gunpoint of all their belongings, including shoes, money, and even the clothes they wore.
MSF said that survivors included girls under 10 years old, women over 65, and even pregnant women. All the alleged crimes were reported to have occurred within 15 to 20 kilometers from Bentiu, primarily on the Nhialdiu and Guit roads. UN agencies reported higher numbers in subsequent statements to the media.
The MSF report provoked strong condemnations of the sexual violence from the UN, African Union (AU), and other bodies. Local authorities told Human Rights Watch that they were aware of sexual violence, but doubted the scale reported by MSF. The government formed a national commission of inquiry on December 7, led by Minister for Gender Awut Deng. The commission, which has promised to share its findings with the UN's commission on human rights in South Sudan, announced on December 17 that the investigation was already closed and that findings would be made public.
Any investigation into these alleged rapes should be fair, impartial, and in accordance with international standards, ensuring the rights, dignity, and security of survivors and that there are no reprisals toward them or health care providers and other humanitarian agencies, Human Rights Watch said. The investigation should not focus on verifying the reported numbers but on the identity of the attackers and whether the attacks were directed by or undertaken with the knowledge of senior members of any party to the conflict. Authorities should also assess survivors' needs for medical and psychological care, livelihood support, and reparations.
Women interviewed by Human Rights Watch said they were attacked while walking along bush and forested paths along Bentiu-Nhialdiu road.
A 40-year-old woman from Kur Nhialdiu village said that in late November, six armed men abducted her, five other women, and two teenage girls. The attackers took them into the forest and gang raped and robbed them. The men released the six women but not the two girls, who to the women's knowledge are still missing.
A 31-year-old woman described a December 7 attack at gunpoint as she and two other women travelled from Nhialdiu to Bentiu to buy food and do errands:
We encountered 6 young men. They took us deep into the forest. They took all our clothes and food. They had guns and wore khaki and raped me at gunpoint. The rapes happened to each of us. There were two men for each of us. It was painful. They beat us and pushed us on the ground.
Another woman in her 40s who made the trip from Nhialdiu twice in late November and early December said that on December 9, a group of armed men attacked her group of approximately 20 women in Dhor Nyadol Geah as they travelled to Bentiu and took the younger ones aside to rape them: "The men were many, they had guns. They had blankets covering their heads and shoulders leaving only eyes. They separated us, they took the young girls and young women into the bushes.... They said: 'You old women, go!'"
As far as Human Rights Watch has been able to determine, no one has been arrested or prosecuted for these attacks. Commuity leaders said they had been aware of ongoing sexual violence in areas within and outside Bentiu, even before the MSF report, and told the authorities, but that they had taken no action to prevent or investigate the attacks. "We have reported cases of rapes over and over to authorities," a Bentiu community leader said. "We don't know whether it is lack of capacity or that they don't want to do anything to stop this."
The identities of the attackers and their motives are unclear. While the extent to which the wave of rapes is a direct part of the ongoing conflict in parts of former Unity state is not known, the prevalence of armed youth is a direct result of the legacy of conflict in the region. A staff member of an international organization told Human Rights Watch:
These are most likely young men who were once mobilized and now have nothing to do. What we are witnessing now is the remnants of a culture of incentivized violence. This is what they know. What they have always done without consequence.
Human Rights Watch has previously documented widespread sexual violence during government-led offensives in central and southern Unity state, as well as forced recruitment of children. Attackers, including youth forcibly recruited by all parties to the conflict, were told by senior officers to loot and rape in lieu of wages during offensives in 2015 and 2016 in central and southern Unity state. UN human rights staff documented more than 120 rapes and other sexual violence during large-scale attacks on civilians in Leer and Mayendit Counties in mid-2018, calling the crimes a "weapon of war."
The former Unity state, home to much of South Sudan's oil production, has been the site of major atrocities since early 2014. Bentiu has changed hands multiple times between government and armed opposition, and more than 110,000 civilians are sheltering in a UN site for protection. Although South Sudan's leaders signed a "revitalized" peace deal on September 12, fighting has continued between government and rebel forces in Guit and Koch counties, east of Bentiu. There has been no progress in establishing the hybrid South Sudanese-AU court envisioned in the deal, and impunity continues to fuel conflict.
South Sudan has yet to sign a memorandum of understanding on the court or pass domestic legislation needed to establish it. The UN secretary-general and Security Council have in response to the reports of rapes in Bentiu called on the government to establish the hybrid court. Given these long delays and little indication the government will act on its own, the AU should proceed unilaterally to establish the court, Human Rights Watch said.
"Authorities at both the national and the state level should show that they are serious about addressing impunity for all crimes," Pur said. "They should publicly commit to ensuring justice not only for the recent rapes in Bentiu, but also for all sexual violence and other crimes, and this requires setting up the court and putting it into operation right away."
Oklahoma Sees Major Increase in Voter Registration Among Low-Income People by Making Registration More Accessible at Public Assistance Agencies
NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA CITY AND WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued the following news release:
* * *
- Advocates Praise Oklahoma's Progress Adding Thousands of Voters to Rolls During Three-Year Settlement
Voting rights advocates are praising important progress in registering low-income people to vote through Oklahoma public assistance agencies in the wake of a settlement agreement that came to a formal close on November 30. The agreement, in effect since 2015, was the result of outreach to state officials by the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League, the League
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NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA CITY AND WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued the following news release:
* * *
- Advocates Praise Oklahoma's Progress Adding Thousands of Voters to Rolls During Three-Year Settlement
Voting rights advocates are praising important progress in registering low-income people to vote through Oklahoma public assistance agencies in the wake of a settlement agreement that came to a formal close on November 30. The agreement, in effect since 2015, was the result of outreach to state officials by the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League, the Leagueof Women Voters of Oklahoma and Metropolitan Tulsa, and YWCA Tulsa, under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), a federal law requiring state public assistance agencies to offer voter registration opportunities to clients.
Based on data reported by the state, over the course of three years the average number of monthly voter registrations from the agencies has tripled - from less than 500 per month to almost 1,500 per month - adding more than 34,000 voters to the rolls since 2015.
"The success of this settlement demonstrates conclusively how beneficial voting laws produce concrete results," said Ezra Rosenberg, Co-Director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "As a result of this settlement, and Oklahoma's compliance with its terms, thousands of people who otherwise would not have registered to vote, predominantly lower income Oklahomans, are now registered and can freely participate in our democracy."
"Oklahoma has tripled the numbers of people registering through public assistance agencies since 2015. The state should be commended for its impressive commitment to our shared American value that every eligible voter should be able to vote come Election Day," said Brenda Wright, Senior Advisor for Legal Strategies at Demos, and a lawyer for the community organizations. "By implementing a comprehensive plan for voter registration services at these agencies across the state, Oklahoma has exemplified the NVRA's principle and promise: States must do their part to bring all Americans into our democracy. We very much hope this commitment will be continued into the future," Wright added.
"Our ultimate goal is to ensure that voting is accessible to all citizens, and that we are able to eliminate as many barriers to voter registration as possible. This agreement has enabled tens of thousands of voters to have a voice in elections who might not have been represented otherwise," said Julie Davis, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Tulsa.
The agreement was between the community groups and the State of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Election Board, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. It was prompted by a letter from the community groups to Paul Ziriax, Secretary of the Oklahoma State Elections Board, pointing out that the number of voter registration applications reported statewide by Oklahoma public assistance agencies had dropped by 81 percent since the initial implementation of the NVRA in 1995. At the same time, the average monthly participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, just one of the programs covered by the NVRA, had nearly doubled. In fieldwork investigations conducted at Oklahoma public assistance agencies on behalf of the community groups in 2014, a significant percentage of agency clients interviewed said that they received no voter registration services whatsoever when, under the NVRA, they should have.
The 2015 agreement between the community groups and the state officials included provisions for ensuring that agency staff follow the procedures required by the NVRA; assignment of a staff member at each office to coordinate responsibility for voter registration; collecting and reporting data to track the numbers of voter registrations being collected; and other measures.
"In an era in which many politicians are making it harder and harder to participate in the democratic process, this victory is heartening", said Brady Henderson, former Legal Director for the ACLU. "This effort represents the most successful push in recent memory toward increasing the number of Oklahomans who are able to cast their ballot and fully participate in this crucial aspect of our democracy."
The community groups were represented by civil rights organizations Demos, the ACLU of Oklahoma, Project Vote, and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
NWLC Responds to Betsy DeVos' Proposal to Revoke the Department of Education's Rethink Discipline Guidance
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The National Women's Law Center issued the following statement:
The following is a statement by Emily Martin, Vice President for Education & Workplace Justice at the National Women's Law Center (NWLC):
"Today, during the week before Christmas when millions may not notice, Secretary DeVos once again took steps to undermine the civil rights of students. By calling on the Department of Education to revoke guidance that reminded schools of their responsibility to address racial discrimination in school discipline, Secretary DeVos' so-called School Safety Commission endorsed
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The National Women's Law Center issued the following statement:
The following is a statement by Emily Martin, Vice President for Education & Workplace Justice at the National Women's Law Center (NWLC):
"Today, during the week before Christmas when millions may not notice, Secretary DeVos once again took steps to undermine the civil rights of students. By calling on the Department of Education to revoke guidance that reminded schools of their responsibility to address racial discrimination in school discipline, Secretary DeVos' so-called School Safety Commission endorsedthe criminalization of Black and brown students.
"Across the country, girls of color are unnecessarily punished for minor offenses, based on race and gender bias. They're pushed out of school because of their "attitudes," their clothes, and the trauma they've experienced.
"While Betsy DeVos may abdicate her responsibility to these students, schools still have a legal obligation to address discrimination in discipline--regardless of her actions. It's up to us to hold schools to that obligation.
"We must ensure schools treat students fairly and respond to trauma with support, not punishment. Together, we can create schools that let all students learn."
Massachusetts Tops Milken Institute's 2018 State Technology and Science Index, Bolstered by Research, Investment, and Entrepreneurial Activity
LOS ANGELES, Califotnia, Dec. 18 -- The Milken Institute issued the following news release:
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- Colorado, Maryland, California, and Utah round out top five in report on states' performance in high-tech innovation, education, and investment
Massachusetts retained its No. 1 ranking in the Milken Institute's 2018 State Technology and Science Index, a biennial assessment of states' capabilities and competitiveness in a tech-focused economy.
The top four states were unchanged from the 2016 index. Colorado ranked No. 2, followed by No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 California. Fifth-place Utah was the
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LOS ANGELES, Califotnia, Dec. 18 -- The Milken Institute issued the following news release:
* * *
- Colorado, Maryland, California, and Utah round out top five in report on states' performance in high-tech innovation, education, and investment
Massachusetts retained its No. 1 ranking in the Milken Institute's 2018 State Technology and Science Index, a biennial assessment of states' capabilities and competitiveness in a tech-focused economy.
The top four states were unchanged from the 2016 index. Colorado ranked No. 2, followed by No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 California. Fifth-place Utah was theonly new member of the top five. Utah rose to fifth from eighth on the strength of rapid employment growth in technology and science. Washington fell to sixth from fifth.
2018 State Technology and Science Index top-10
See table here (http://www.milkeninstitute.org/newsroom/press-releases/view/349).
"The success stories of states profiled in this year's index reflect sustained efforts to not only build but to maintain their ecosystem," said Kevin Klowden, executive director of the Milken Institute Center for Regional Economics. "Making the changes that are necessary to perform well on the State Technology and Science Index can contribute to stronger long-term economic performance."
Massachusetts benefitted from the presence of major research universities, the availability of venture capital, entrepreneurial expertise, and a tech-oriented workforce, according to the report. The state was first in three of the index's five composite indexes and finished third in another. Massachusetts continues to strengthen its position in tech and science by increasing public funding of neuroscience research, cybersecurity innovation, and startup development.
Utah's move to fifth was driven by tech-sector employment growth - the fastest in the nation - averaging 4.3 percent annually. The state also had the most university graduates with degrees in science and engineering - 15.4 per 1,000 students. Utah stood out for the success of its universities in spinning research into commercial ventures.
Delaware rose to seventh from 10th, strengthened by an increase in venture capital invested in technology companies. The Legislature authorized a 25 percent tax credit for small companies (those with fewer than 25 employees) engaged in research and development in specific high-tech fields. The state ranks fifth in the number of business startups with 53.4 per 1,000 residents.
The State Technology and Science Index provides a benchmark for policymakers to evaluate their state's capabilities and formulate strategies for improving STEM education, attracting businesses, and creating jobs in the tech sector. Indices considered in the report include the number of patents issued and doctoral degrees granted in each state.
"Investing in human capital and developing a STEM workforce is crucial for regional economies that want to attract large technology companies and the jobs they bring," explains Minoli Ratnatunga, Milken Institute's director of regional economics research.
In addition to the index, the report offers case studies that examine issues such as non-compete contracts that limit employee mobility, along with access to higher education in building a vibrant, adaptable workforce.
Drawing on this data, the report recommends four steps policymakers can take to improve their state's competitiveness:
* Increase scholarships and other financial aid to lower the cost of higher education for in-state students who plan STEM careers.
* Better align STEM curriculums to make it easier for students to transfer credits from lower-cost two-year colleges to four-year institutions.
* Encourage partnerships between higher-education institutions and private companies to provide students with work experience to improve workforce readiness and job placement.
* Make employee noncompete laws less restrictive to encourage a freer exchange of ideas and talent among tech companies.
The index draws on data from government and private sources dating from 2015 to 2017, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration, the American Community Survey, and Moody's Analytics.
'Samaritan's Purse' Nabs PETA Award for Helping With Rescue of Big Cats
BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 18 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
A Compassionate Action Award is on its way from PETA to Samaritan's Purse, the Boone-based Evangelical charity led by Franklin Graham, in honor of the group's assistance in transferring a lion and a tiger from the Pacific island of Saipan to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado.
Samaritan's Purse airlifted more than 80 tons of relief supplies to Saipan in the aftermath of Typhoon Yutu. On the organization's third relief flight, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. officials
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BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 18 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
A Compassionate Action Award is on its way from PETA to Samaritan's Purse, the Boone-based Evangelical charity led by Franklin Graham, in honor of the group's assistance in transferring a lion and a tiger from the Pacific island of Saipan to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado.
Samaritan's Purse airlifted more than 80 tons of relief supplies to Saipan in the aftermath of Typhoon Yutu. On the organization's third relief flight, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. officialsreportedly asked for the organization's help in removing the big cats from a badly damaged roadside zoo. Video footage from Samaritan's Purse shows Lambert, a male African lion, and Tasha, a Siberian tiger, traveling on the organization's DC-8 aircraft to the Colorado sanctuary, where they'll spend the rest of their lives in comfort.
"Like the good Samaritan the organization is named for, the kind people at Samaritan's Purse lent a helping hand, flying these big cats to the U.S. and helping to give them a new lease on life in Colorado's beautiful Wild Animal Sanctuary," says PETA Vice President Colleen O'Brien. "PETA hopes this story will remind everyone that when animals are in trouble, it's up to each of us to be a good Samaritan."
The big cats' rescue was also made possible by Tigers in America, an organization that coordinated the rescue and purchased desperately needed food and veterinary care for the animals, and by The Wild Animal Sanctuary, which rushed equipment and personnel to Saipan to manage the animals' transport and will now provide them with lifelong care.
Samaritan's Purse will receive a framed certificate from PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way."
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
