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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Trump Administration's Fracking Plan Ignores Health Threats, Worsens Deadly Ozone in Western Colorado
DENVER, Colorado, April 20 -- WildEarth Guardians issued the following news release:
The Trump administration wants to lease more than 90 square miles of public land for fracking along the western slope of Colorado's Rocky Mountains without any environmental review, even though oil and gas development would worsen deadly ozone pollution in a region already struggling with smog. The Bureau of Land Management is scheduled to release notice of the June 7 auction on Friday.
"Every day brings another horrible proposal from Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to frack our public lands regardless
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DENVER, Colorado, April 20 -- WildEarth Guardians issued the following news release:
The Trump administration wants to lease more than 90 square miles of public land for fracking along the western slope of Colorado's Rocky Mountains without any environmental review, even though oil and gas development would worsen deadly ozone pollution in a region already struggling with smog. The Bureau of Land Management is scheduled to release notice of the June 7 auction on Friday.
"Every day brings another horrible proposal from Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to frack our public lands regardlessof the impacts to public health and clean air," said Becca Fischer, climate guardian with WildEarth Guardians. "The elderly, children and anyone who works or recreates outside should be very concerned about this latest lease sale."
After new Trump fracking policies slashed environmental review, the Bureau is using a shortcut called a "determination of NEPA adequacy" to bypass analysis of fracking harms required under the National Environmental Policy Act. This cursory review presumes that leasing complies with broad resource-management plans and delays site-specific review until drilling permits are requested. But the BLM routinely bypasses that promised review at the drilling stage, claiming that it can't block drilling once land has been leased to industry.
Ozone pollution in eastern Utah and northern Colorado already exceeds new federal limits, largely because of unchecked oil and gas development. More fracking would worsen pollution for those areas and the small communities that dot woodland-covered plateaus and valleys southeast of Dinosaur National Monument, near the headwaters of the White and Yampa rivers. But the BLM is refusing to use its own models and science to measure potential ozone pollution from this fracking plan.
Under a March court order, the Environmental Protection Agency has until April 30 to designate areas that violate federal ozone standards as "non-attainment areas." According to the agency's own estimates, meeting the standard will prevent hundreds of deaths, as well as 230,000 asthma attacks in children, each year.
"The Trump administration is playing a dangerous and illegal shell game in Colorado that threatens human lives," said Diana Dascalu-Joffe, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. "They want to pump more deadly ozone into the air and hide how much damage these fracking plans would do. The administration's drilling and fracking agenda is a disaster for our public health and our public lands."
"This is another example of the Bureau disregarding our environmental laws in its headlong rush to lease public lands for oil and gas development," said Stu Gillespie, a staff attorney with Earthjustice. "The agency's own models predict exceedances of federal air-quality standards for ozone. Yet the Bureau never considered this information, let alone whether it needed to stop the lease sale to protect public health and the environment."
The new fracking plan also is expected to worsen water shortages. The BLM is refusing to analyze potential water use by fracking, even though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently estimated that fracking wells in the region use up to about 25 million gallons of water per well. The Trump administration's commitment of public land to water-intensive fracking comes as the region suffers increased drying and reduced river flows, driven in part by climate change.
The June auction will be hosted online by EnergyNet. The Interior Department moved public lands and offshore oil and gas auctions to the online forum in 2016 after climate protests disrupted, delayed or canceled auctions nationwide.
A map of public lands parcels to be auctioned can be downloaded here (http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/images/COJune2018_PR.jpg) and is available for media use.
Three Salk Faculty Honored With Endowed Chairs
LA JOLLA, California, April 20 -- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies issued the following news release:
Salk scientists Katherine Jones, Susan Kaech and Gerald Shadel each have been recognized for their contributions and dedication to advancing science through research by being named to endowed chairs at the Institute.
"We are extremely proud of our colleagues and this recognition of their scientific leadership," says Rusty Gage, interim president and Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease at Salk. "The generosity of the individuals and groups who
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LA JOLLA, California, April 20 -- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies issued the following news release:
Salk scientists Katherine Jones, Susan Kaech and Gerald Shadel each have been recognized for their contributions and dedication to advancing science through research by being named to endowed chairs at the Institute.
"We are extremely proud of our colleagues and this recognition of their scientific leadership," says Rusty Gage, interim president and Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease at Salk. "The generosity of the individuals and groups whoendow these chairs ensures the excellence of Salk's research today and in the future. We thank Audrey Geisel, Edwin Hunter and the NOMIS Foundation for their partnership, as well as Joan and Irwin Jacobs for their continued generosity."
Katherine Jones, named to the Edwin K. Hunter Chair, serves in Salk's Regulatory Biology Laboratory. Her work focuses on the genetic processes involved in the expression of HIV and cancer genes, as well as on other disease research. Recently, Jones and her team announced the discovery of a single genetic switch that can be used to induce stem cells to become heart cells in one step instead of two. This breakthrough could pave the way for a reliable, comparatively simpler process to create heart tissue that can be used to study ways to treat heart attacks and disease.
"Being named the Edwin K. Hunter Chair is one of the highlights of my time here at Salk. Mr. Hunter continues to be a staunch advocate of Salk's research and I am excited to see what discoveries the future holds thanks to his partnership," says Jones.
The Edwin K. Hunter Chair was established in 2013 thanks to a generous philanthropic collaboration of the Olive Tupper Foundation, the Chambers Medical Foundation, the Jenkins Family Charitable Institute, and the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation. It is named for Edwin K. Hunter, attorney and member of the Salk Institute Board of Trustees. Hunter's contributions to Salk include serving as the Chair of Salk's Annual Tax Seminar since 2010.
"It is such an honor to be able to have researchers such as Katherine choose to be a part of this incredible institution and it is even more of an honor to have her hold the Hunter Chair," says Edwin K. Hunter.
Susan Kaech has been named to the NOMIS Foundation Chair and leads the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis (NCIMP). Kaech is internationally recognized for her efforts to understand how memory T cells are produced during infection and vaccination, how they function and why they can fail to induce long-term immunity during immunization. She and her team have discovered more than half a dozen important regulatory genes, as well as several types of key molecules called cytokines. In addition, Kaech is interested in how T cell behavior is suppressed by tumors; she seeks to use this information in order to create better therapies for cancer using the body's own immune system--an innovative and rapidly moving field called cancer immunotherapy.
The NOMIS Foundation Chair was established in 2010 thanks to a $6.5 million gift from the Switzerland-based organization. Not their only gift to Salk, the NOMIS Foundation have provided $18 million in total support to Salk faculty including a previous gift to establish the NCIMP.
Upon being named to the chair, Kaech says, "I am extremely honored to be the recipient of the NOMIS Foundation Chair. The NOMIS Foundation fosters the essence of science, basic research and discovery through the pioneering spirit of the scientists and projects they support. Their gift to support my research program will enable me to take chances--to pursue new ideas and help elucidate fundamental principles that guide the function of our immune system and long-term immunity."
"I have often said that, for me, NOMIS represents a rare opportunity to be actively involved in scientific progress by supporting research that makes a real difference in people's lives. Susan's work is representative of how NOMIS seeks to transform science," says Markus Reinhard, managing director of the NOMIS Foundation.
G. H. "Heini" Thyssen, Chairman of the NOMIS Foundation and former Salk Trustee, adds, "NOMIS is all about enabling outstanding talent to take on high-risk research. Bringing together both the NOMIS Chair and NOMIS Center under Susan Kaech is a perfect embodiment of that mission."
Gerald Shadel, who joined Salk in early 2018 and has been appointed to the Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Science, is one of the newest leaders within Salk's Molecular and Cell Biology Lab. His work focuses on mitochondria, known as the powerhouses of the cell, and their role in aging, cancer, and metabolic and degenerative diseases. His group takes a multidisciplinary view of these health challenges by exploring mitochondrial function--and dysfunction--via cultured cells, model organisms, and other genetic and biochemical approaches. Shadel's research has led to several breakthroughs, such as the discovery that mitochondrial DNA can trigger an immune response if exposed to the cell, opening the door to use this natural function in treating disease.
"A scientific career is as challenging as it is exciting," says Shadel, "and all too often some of the best ideas cannot be pursued. Holding the Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Science lowers this threshold and allows me to go boldly forward with my scientific program. It is also an honor to be a small part of the amazing Geisel legacy; oh, the places we'll go."
The Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Science was established in 2012 thanks to a generous gift from San Diego philanthropist Audrey Geisel. It is one of several chairs made possible by the Joan Klein Jacobs and Irwin Mark Jacobs Senior Scientist Endowed Chair Challenge. Geisel, whose late husband Theodore "Dr. Seuss" Geisel is well known for authoring popular children's books, has long advocated for basic research through her philanthropic giving at Salk and is a founding donor behind the Symphony at Salk concert series.
"I am so glad to see Gerald named the new Audrey Geisel Chair. He is a remarkable researcher and I look forward to the exciting breakthroughs he will be able to pursue," says Geisel.
All three of the newly named chairs were formally recognized at a private investiture ceremony and dinner on Thursday, April 19.
National Park Service Partners With Eastern National to Create Passport to Your National Parks Junior Ranger Edition
FORT WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania, April 20 -- Eastern National, a not-for-profit that supports the National Park Service and other public trust partners, issued the following news release:
Kids now have their own version of the popular national park passport book. Designed to complement and encourage participation in national parks' Junior Ranger programs, Passport To Your National Parks(R) Junior Ranger Edition, will be available in time to celebrate National Junior Ranger Day on April 21, 2018, the first day of National Park Week. The book is a collaboration between the National Park Service and
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FORT WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania, April 20 -- Eastern National, a not-for-profit that supports the National Park Service and other public trust partners, issued the following news release:
Kids now have their own version of the popular national park passport book. Designed to complement and encourage participation in national parks' Junior Ranger programs, Passport To Your National Parks(R) Junior Ranger Edition, will be available in time to celebrate National Junior Ranger Day on April 21, 2018, the first day of National Park Week. The book is a collaboration between the National Park Service andEastern National, a not-for-profit partner of the National Park Service.
"National Parks are a great place for families to spend quality time together and tools like the Junior Ranger Passport help engage kids at a young age and turn them into national park enthusiasts," said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. "I love taking my kids and grandkids to parks to teach them about our nation's history and wild places. Educating kids about everything our national parks have to offer is critical as we pass on the legacy of our public lands to future generations. The Passport program facilitates that education and also allows them to take a piece of our parks back home with them until their next visit."
"This new book will be a fun way for young visitors to learn about, and connect with, their national parks," said National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith. "And, just like the adult version of the book, it will provide a great keepsake to serve as a reminder of park visits."
Part of the Passport To Your National Parks(R) program, the Junior Ranger Passport book features dedicated pages to collect official park cancellations, or ink stamps, indicating the name and date of a park visit. Intended for children ages 6-12, the new book is full of vivid artwork from renowned illustrator Dave Klug and includes contemporary, interactive and educational content. Kids can personalize their books and commemorate their park experiences with a free starter set of colorful park-themed stickers, as well as collect a new set of stickers that will be released for sale each year.
Coinciding with the release of the new book, official Junior Ranger cancellations are available at more than 300 national parks with Junior Ranger programs. The specially designed cancellations resemble the badges earned by visitors who complete Junior Ranger programs and include the name of each park. Park rangers can administer the cancellation stamp at their discretion to anyone who takes the Junior Ranger oath to "Explore, Learn, and Protect."
"We're pleased to offer a new activity for kids that combine the Passport program with the National Park Service Junior Ranger Program," said Kevin C. Kissling, President and CEO of Eastern National. "With the new Junior Ranger Passport book and cancellation, kids are encouraged to 'Explore, Learn and Protect' while they collect cancellations during their national park visits."
Global Partners, Plans Underway for 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
WASHINGTON, April 20 -- Earth Day Network issued the following news release:
Earth Day Network is finalizing plans to mark Earth Day's 50th Anniversary in 2020 for what Denis Hayes, the organizer of the first Earth Day, believes will be the most diverse global mobilization in defense of the environment in world history.
Major global players, including multilaterals, faith groups, teachers, universities, museums, science organizations, state governments, mayors, artists, athletes and other vital stakeholders, are streaming into this effort to advance the goals of the 50th Anniversary. Earth Day
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WASHINGTON, April 20 -- Earth Day Network issued the following news release:
Earth Day Network is finalizing plans to mark Earth Day's 50th Anniversary in 2020 for what Denis Hayes, the organizer of the first Earth Day, believes will be the most diverse global mobilization in defense of the environment in world history.
Major global players, including multilaterals, faith groups, teachers, universities, museums, science organizations, state governments, mayors, artists, athletes and other vital stakeholders, are streaming into this effort to advance the goals of the 50th Anniversary. Earth DayNetwork and its many partners plan to educate and mobilize the public worldwide around a specific set of principles: Citizen Science, Advocacy, Volunteerism and Education. Organizers believe these priorities will allow them to meet their goal of enlisting more than one billion people and creating a new generation of activists.
Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network and Denis Hayes, who organized Earth Day almost 50 years ago, believe the anniversary is an "opportunity to reimagine what we can collectively do for our global environment."
Earth Day Network (EDN), which coordinates Earth Day globally each year, is leading the effort underway now.
The first Earth Day in 1970 mobilized more than 20 million Americans to pour into the streets of major American cities from Washington DC to Seattle and remains the largest citizen action event in human history. Through the years, Earth Day marked a shift from a conservation-focused environmental movement to a movement also focused on human health, biodiversity and global citizenship. The first Earth Day created massive political momentum and led to the major framework of today's environmental laws addressing water, endangered species, air and hazardous waste pollution.
"Despite that amazing success and decades of environmental progress, we find ourselves facing an even more dire, almost existential, set of global environmental challenges from loss of biodiversity to climate change to plastic pollution that call for action at all levels of government," said Denis Hayes.
"Today, the world 's ecosystems are hanging by a thread," said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. "The 50th anniversary, powered in part by a global digital campaign, has the potential to launch a more diverse, more passionate global environmental movement."
Building on the legacy of the first Earth Day event in 1970, Earth Day 2020 will have five main components:
Citizen Science. EDN will leverage Citizen Science and emerging technologies to engage one million global citizens in the 50th anniversary Earth Challenge 2020, collecting one billion data points measuring air quality, water quality, pollution and human health. This initiative is being developed in association with dozens of major partners in the science and health communities as well as leading technology companies.
Advocacy. Creating millions of avenues for civic engagement in all 195 countries in the world and working with decision makers worldwide, including policy makers, local, regional and national governments and private and corporate sector leaders, EDN will lead a global effort to build consensus and take action to protect the earth.
Volunteering. Engaging 100 million people in public events and one billion others in individual actions, including K-12 students around the world, this month-long worldwide volunteer driven program - the Great Global Cleanup -will remove billions of pieces of trash from our neighborhoods, beaches and parks. EDN is also working with partners to plant 7.8 billion trees, one for every human who will live on the planet in 2020.
Education. Building environmental and climate literacy worldwide, EDN will work with teachers, students, innovators and thought leaders to educate and activate a new generation of environmental leaders around the world.
Events. Earth Day is now recognized worldwide as the planet's most significant civic engagement event each year. The 50th anniversary of Earth Day will be marked by tens of thousands of rallies and community events in every country in the world, and large-scale signature events to take place in Washington DC and other global capitals.
GREAT AMERICAN READ, New Multi-Platform PBS Series, Reveals List of America's 100 Favorite Novels
ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 20 -- PBS issued the following news release:
PBS today unveiled a list of America's 100 best-loved novels, chosen in support of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, a new PBS series and multi-platform initiative that celebrates the joy of reading and the books we love. THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, hosted by television personality and journalist Meredith Vieira, launches with a two-hour episode on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 8 p.m. on PBS stations and will introduce viewers to the full list of America's 100 favorite novels selected through a demographically representative national survey
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ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 20 -- PBS issued the following news release:
PBS today unveiled a list of America's 100 best-loved novels, chosen in support of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, a new PBS series and multi-platform initiative that celebrates the joy of reading and the books we love. THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, hosted by television personality and journalist Meredith Vieira, launches with a two-hour episode on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 8 p.m. on PBS stations and will introduce viewers to the full list of America's 100 favorite novels selected through a demographically representative national surveyconducted by YouGov. The series will also feature interviews with celebrities, authors, superfans and everyday Americans discussing the way particular books have influenced them and their significance in American popular culture. Then, after a multi-platform initiative throughout the summer, which will include live public events, social media components and national reading clubs, the series will resume in the fall with several themed episodes, including an exciting finale, culminating in the first-ever national vote to choose "America's Best-Loved Novel." It will be the most expansive national celebration of books and reading aimed at engaging multi-generational readers across multiple platforms ever created.
"There is perhaps no greater experience than discovering a novel that takes hold of you, works itself into your heart and your mind, changes the way you think or takes you into another world," said Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO. "With THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, we will leverage our combined broadcast and digital presence, along with the strong local connections of PBS member stations, to inspire a national conversation about beloved books and the power of reading."
"The 100 novels selected have a special place in our hearts as they share our stories and celebrate the depth and range of our culture," said Jane Root, CEO and founder of Nutopia. "I have no idea which book will come out on top, but I am so excited to join the journey and discover America's most loved novel."
Voting will open with the launch of the two-hour premiere episode on May 22 and continue throughout the summer, leading up to the grand finale in October 2018. Over the summer, viewers will be able to vote at pbs.org/greatamericanread and through hashtag voting via Facebook and Twitter using #GreatReadPBS. In the fall, viewers will also be able to cast their vote toll-free by phone and through SMS texting.
Authors, celebrities and notables joining the search for "America's Best-Loved Novel" include Diana Gabaldon, George Lopez, Seth Meyers, Junot Diaz, Lauren Graham, John Green, John Irving, Bill T. Jones, Devon Kennard, Gayle King, George R.R. Martin, Wynton Marsalis, Lesley Stahl, Ming-Na Wen and many more, each of whom will share their personal stories and connections to their favorite book.
Whether it's rediscovering an old favorite or engaging with a new title, THE GREAT AMERICAN READ program will encourage people to read as many novels as they can from the top 100 list, discuss them in virtual and community events organized by local public television stations, libraries and book reading clubs, and vote all summer for their favorites. The campaign will culminate in a list of America's favorite works of fiction and ultimately, America's number one novel.
THE GREAT AMERICAN READ is supported by an extensive multi-platform digital and social media campaign designed to inspire Americans to read, vote and share their personal connections to titles on the top 100 list and beyond over the course of the summer. This includes an interactive website, links to local events, interactive video content, social share features and much more. As part of the experience, PBS Digital Studios will develop and produce unique programming across its award-winning YouTube Channels and an original miniseries on Facebook Watch. PBS Digital Studios hosts will collaborate with authors, booktubers and other creators to bring PBS' legacy of championing literacy to Digital platforms. PBS Digital Studios' Facebook Watch series is inspired by THE GREAT AMERICAN READ and features six video essays covering broad book-related topics in a highly shareable and engaging way.
In addition to the digital and social campaigns, THE GREAT AMERICAN READ has sparked nationwide community engagement efforts that will offer stations opportunities to create complementary content; stage community events; partner with libraries, booksellers, charitable organizations, schools, and other entities; and deepen the conversations and connections among people around the country. More than 100 stations are activating around the project, with stations such as Detroit Public Television, Nashville Public Television, WLIW in New York, WETA in Washington, DC, and WUCF in Orlando leading the charge. Detroit's literary social media series, "PBS Books," is broadening the reach of some of the nation's biggest book festivals in support of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ. Nashville and WUCF are leveraging their already robust community partnerships and sharing best practices throughout the system. WLIW will utilize its content-sharing platform, Wavelength, to make customizable companion programs for THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, and WETA is partnering with PBS to amplify the excitement around THE GREAT AMERICAN READ. PBS will continue to work with its stations through the fall to develop resources that will encourage, promote, and support the local initiatives that are taking root across the United States.
Additionally, working with member stations and partners, PBS will develop resources and materials, including lesson plans and virtual book clubs, to encourage summer reading activities and extend the campaign into classrooms for the fall. To complement THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, over the summer PBS KIDS will also host PBS KIDS READ as part of an annual summer learning initiative for children ages 2-8 and their families, encouraging reading and related activities through a variety of resources for kids and parents.
The top 100 book list released today is based on a public opinion poll, conducted by YouGov on behalf of PBS for THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, that asked respondents to name their favorite novel. An advisory panel of book industry professionals compiled the results. Each author was represented only once, and series such as the Alex Cross Mysteries were included as one entry.
The chosen books span five centuries, from Don Quixote (1603) to Ghost (2016). Authors from 15 different countries are represented, with genres ranging from beloved children's classics such as Charlotte's Web to modern best-sellers such as Twilight.
Below is the full list of America's 100 favorite novels, in alphabetical order by title:
View table here: http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/the-great-american-read-reveals-americas-100-favorite-novels/
Funding for THE GREAT AMERICAN READ is provided by The Anne Ray Foundation and PBS. In addition, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has provided grants, in partnership with PBS, to public media stations across the country to create local content and host screenings and forums to encourage summer reading and participation in the initiative.
THE GREAT AMERICAN READ is a production of Nutopia for PBS. The program is executive produced by Jane Root, Michael Cascio, Bob Kirsh and Charles Marquardt; co-executive produced by Rebecca Ratliff Cameron; line produced by Rachael Jerahian; and produced by Nilam Agrawal-Desai, Katherine Linton, Kate Chumley, Justine Simonson, Michelle Smawley, Siobhan Lockhart, Annie Wong and Tomek Gross. Bill Gardner, VP of Programming and Development, is executive in charge for PBS and Bethany Latham is project director.
Amplifying the on-air and online series content will be a fully illustrated companion book, The Great American Read: The Book of Books, which will include information about the 100 novels, author profiles, rare images of original manuscripts and more, plus a foreword by THE GREAT AMERICAN READ host Meredith Vieira, to be published by Black Dog & Leventhal in August 2018.
About Nutopia
Nutopia, a leading television production company creating award-winning, premium content on a global scale. Founded in 2008 by Jane Root, former president of Discovery Channel US, controller of BBC2 and co-founder of Wall to Wall TV, Nutopia innovated the "mega doc" model, blending huge-scale history series and high-profile talent from the worlds of documentary and drama. Nutopia has become synonymous with creating high-quality content that stands out from the crowd, working with some of the most prominent global broadcasters including Netflix, CNN, National Geographic, the BBC, PBS and A+E Networks. Critical successes include the Emmy Award-winning series How We Got to Now and Emmy Award-winning series America The Story of Us. Upcoming projects include National Geographic's 10-hour flagship factual event One Strange Rock, the landmark art-history series Civilizations for BBC and PBS, and Babies for Netflix.
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 90 million people through television and 30 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS' premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV - including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at http://www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Expanding Conditional Approvals in the Animal Drug User Fee Act Is Bad For Public Health
PHOENIX, Arizona, April 20 -- The Arizona Public Interest Research Group issued the following news release:
Pharmaceutical companies that produce drugs for animals are proposing that the Food and Drug Administration expand conditional approvals in the upcoming re-authorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA). That would allow drug companies to market antibiotics for use in food animals without proving that the drugs will work. U.S. PIRG delivered a letter signed by health professionals (https://uspirg.org/blogs/usp/health-professionals-call-congress-not-weaken-antibiotics-protections?_ga=2.178419239.2093779177.1524297481-1437188542.1524297481)
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PHOENIX, Arizona, April 20 -- The Arizona Public Interest Research Group issued the following news release:
Pharmaceutical companies that produce drugs for animals are proposing that the Food and Drug Administration expand conditional approvals in the upcoming re-authorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA). That would allow drug companies to market antibiotics for use in food animals without proving that the drugs will work. U.S. PIRG delivered a letter signed by health professionals (https://uspirg.org/blogs/usp/health-professionals-call-congress-not-weaken-antibiotics-protections?_ga=2.178419239.2093779177.1524297481-1437188542.1524297481)from across the country urging members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee not to expand conditional approvals when they consider the bill next week.
The overuse of antibiotics breeds drug-resistant "superbugs" and threatens medical professionals' ability to treat infections and save lives. Despite that threat, approximately 70% of the medically-important antibiotics sold in the U.S. each year go to food animals, and the drugs are often used on animals that aren't sick.
"Expanding conditional approvals would encourage more antibiotic use in food production, which carries the risk of breeding more resistant bacteria, with no guarantee that the drug will be effective for the intended purpose," said Matthew Wellington, Antibiotics Program Director, U.S. PIRG.
"In order to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics, we should use less, not more, of these life-saving medicines," said Wellington. "Congress should not expand conditional approvals of antibiotics for use in agriculture."
Compassion, Peace, Justice Training Day Opens in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, April 20 -- The Presbyterian Church USA issued the following news:
More than 220 Presbyterians have gathered at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., for Compassion, Peace & Justice Training Day, which kicks off Ecumenical Advocacy Days. The annual gathering brings Presbyterians together to engage in issues of national and international interest. The theme for this year's event is "A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People."
The day began with worship and opening plenary featuring a panel discussion with representatives from four regions
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WASHINGTON, April 20 -- The Presbyterian Church USA issued the following news:
More than 220 Presbyterians have gathered at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., for Compassion, Peace & Justice Training Day, which kicks off Ecumenical Advocacy Days. The annual gathering brings Presbyterians together to engage in issues of national and international interest. The theme for this year's event is "A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People."
The day began with worship and opening plenary featuring a panel discussion with representatives from four regionsof the world dealing with the immigration/refugee crisis: Africa, Central America, Asia and the Middle East. Panelists included the Rev. James Makuei Choul, executive director of the Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency; Maha Kolko, co-sponsorship developer at Kentucky Refugee Ministries; Elmer Zavala, pastor of the Presbyterian Hispanic Latino Ministry of Preston Highway (in Kentucky); and Angie Kim, community engagement and advocacy coordinator with the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium.
Zavala, who was educated and ordained by the Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua, described the mindset of people who are crossing the borders into the U.S., saying they face life-threatening issues every day because of poverty, government control and environmental racism.
"The South is suffering because of extractive industries. The rivers are polluted and species are becoming extinct. We don't fight to protect the environment," he said. "We talk about our situation in countries like South Sudan and when we do that, we are talking about ourselves."
Kolko left Syria in 2014 and is working with churches and other groups to resettle families coming to the U.S.
"I'm happy to help every refugee family coming to this country to find a sponsor and give them everything that I didn't have. In fact, I connected with three single mothers before I came here for CPJ Day," she said. "I wanted to make sure they will have someone to meet them and transport them to homes that we have already found. I didn't have anyone at the airport to welcome me when I came here four years ago, but I want that to be different for those that come here now."
Choul described the struggles facing those who live in South Sudan.
"There continues to be a power struggle between leaders in South Sudan, and people are suffering and dying," he said. "It is our hope that a government will be established that cares for people. We hope we will achieve this through your prayers and support."
Kim told the crowd that the immigration issue became more prominent after 9/11 and says the result is a systemic failure.
"We've seen a huge influx of people coming through a system that is not sustainable and is outdated," she said. "U.S. policies cannot accommodate the flow of immigrants coming through the country."
The keynote speaker for the morning session was Dr. Matilde Moros, assistant professor with the Department of Gender Sexuality and Women's Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Moros told the group that a civilization can flounder in moral bankruptcy as well as it can financially.
"A nation that spends more money on military defense than programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death," she said. "We must all see that these are revolutionary times. All over the globe, people are speaking out against old systems of exploitation, and a frail world with new systems of justice and equality are being born."
Moros described a recent raid on a meat-packing plant in New Jersey, where immigrants seeking permanent residence in the U.S. were picked up by federal agents. She said the raid resulted in approximately 500 children not showing up for school the next day, and she added that children are the ones paying the ultimate price.
"We are talking about children whose parents' livelihood is being stolen. These are people who simply want better lives," she said. "We have a history of empire that has multiplied from generation to generation. How do we in our church understand this?"
The rest of the day's activities included a series of workshops and a lunchtime presentation from Elizabeth Campbell, director of the Washington office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which focuses on refugee and humanitarian issues.
Ecumenical Advocacy Days officially begins with a service this evening at the Doubletree Crystal City Hotel. More than 1,000 advocates from several Christian denominations will spend the weekend attending lectures and workshops. The event concludes Monday, when attendees head for Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers.
