Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Secrets of Evolution Found in Ancient Plant DNA
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 14 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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Secrets of evolution found in ancient plant DNA
The Takeaway
CSHL Professor & HHMI Investigator Zachary Lippman and colleagues have identified more than 2.3 million conserved non-coding sequences across 314 genomes from 284 plant species--some more than 400 million years old. Their research provides an invaluable tool for plant breeders and a new understanding of plant evolution.
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You've heard of deep space, but what about deep time? Today's geneticists and evolutionary biologists
... Show Full Article
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, March 14 -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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Secrets of evolution found in ancient plant DNA
The Takeaway
CSHL Professor & HHMI Investigator Zachary Lippman and colleagues have identified more than 2.3 million conserved non-coding sequences across 314 genomes from 284 plant species--some more than 400 million years old. Their research provides an invaluable tool for plant breeders and a new understanding of plant evolution.
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You've heard of deep space, but what about deep time? Today's geneticists and evolutionary biologistscan extend their investigations further back in time than ever imagined. Still, many mysteries remain. One has vexed biologists for decades. In both plants and animals, gene sequences and functions are often conserved across species over hundreds of millions of years. However, this breaks down when comparing DNA that controls gene activity. And no one has been able to pin down whether this "regulatory DNA" is conserved in plants at all. It got to the point where many thought such conservation simply does not exist. Think again.
A new study published in Science by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and international collaborators reveals the discovery of more than 2.3 million regulatory DNA sequences conserved across 314 plant genomes from 284 species. These "conserved non-coding sequences" (CNSs) were identified using a new computational tool called Conservatory, developed between the labs of Idan Efroni at Hebrew University, Madelaine Bartlett at Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University, and Zachary Lippman at CSHL. Amazingly, the team found that some of these CNSs date back to before flowering plants split from their non-flowering ancestors over 400 million years ago.
Talk about deep time! How did their approach yield such a bounty of discovery?
The key was to examine and compare the order and makeup of all gene groups on a tiny scale, from one ancestor to the next, across hundreds of genomes. CSHL postdoc Anat Hendelman, a co-first author of the study, was amazed to see how many of the CNSs they found have been around all along. "Picking apart and genetically editing these CNSs confirmed they're essential for developmental function," Hendelman says.
The team's research revealed three core principles of CNS evolution in plants. First, though the spacing of these sequences varies, the order in which they appear on the chromosome is conserved. Second, when genomes get rearranged, CNSs start associating with different genes. Finally, ancient CNSs tend to persist when genes become duplicated, a crucial feature of plant genome and gene family evolution.
"This was actually one reason CNSs could not be discovered using the same approaches used in animals," Lippman explains. "We didn't just find CNSs using this innovative approach. We found that new regulatory sequences often come from old CNSs that were modified after gene duplication. This helps explain how novel regulatory elements emerge."
With the Conservatory project, plant biologists like CSHL project collaborator David Jackson can now access what the researchers call a "comprehensive atlas of regulatory conservation across plants, including dozens of crop species and their wild ancestors."
That's a huge resource for plant breeders looking to meet major challenges, such as droughts and food scarcity. But the implications go far beyond agriculture. As Lippman puts it, "It's a new lens on the evolution of life across eons and will make genome editing far more efficient for engineering crop traits."
Funding
Binational Science Foundation, Israeli Science Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Gatsby Foundation
Citation
Amundson, K.R., Hendelman, A., et al., "A deep-time landscape of plant cis-regulatory sequence evolution", Science, March 12, 2026. DOI: 10.1126/science.adt8983
Core Facilites
"The Sequencing Technologies and Analysis Shared Resource provides access to an array of high throughput Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies. We offer cutting-edge technology alongside convenient in-house services for a broad range of genetic analysis." -- NGS Director Sara Goodwin, Ph.D.
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Original text here: https://www.cshl.edu/secrets-of-evolution-found-in-ancient-plant-dna/
[Category: Science]
Florida Maintains Economic Momentum Following Conclusion of 2026 Legislative Session Despite Discord
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, March 14 -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued the following news:
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Florida Maintains Economic Momentum Following Conclusion of 2026 Legislative Session Despite Discord
The Florida Chamber sees the passage of major public sector union collective bargaining reforms while defeating several anti-business bills, including lawsuit abuse reform rollbacks; Competitiveness decisions remain on outstanding budget and tax issues
Florida's Regular Legislative Session by the Numbers:
* 1,788 Bills and PCBs filed; approximately 185 general bills passed both chambers
* Florida
... Show Full Article
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, March 14 -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued the following news:
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Florida Maintains Economic Momentum Following Conclusion of 2026 Legislative Session Despite Discord
The Florida Chamber sees the passage of major public sector union collective bargaining reforms while defeating several anti-business bills, including lawsuit abuse reform rollbacks; Competitiveness decisions remain on outstanding budget and tax issues
Florida's Regular Legislative Session by the Numbers:
* 1,788 Bills and PCBs filed; approximately 185 general bills passed both chambers
* FloridaChamber of Commerce testified approximately 100 times on legislation impacting job creators
* Florida Chamber is analyzing approximately 4,000 regular session votes cast by lawmakers and will release its annual Legislative Report Card with our forthcoming How They Voted publication
* $1.4 billion difference in House and Senate budgets, requiring a special session before June 30
At the conclusion of the 2026 regular legislative session, Florida has maintained its economic momentum, marking another year of measured progress for job creators without any major steps backward in Florida's competitiveness.
"Florida continues to outpace much of the nation because of a united business community that is focused on the right things happening in Florida," said Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. "This year, lawmakers took incremental steps in strengthening Florida's business climate without backtracking on policies that have led to Florida's nationally-recognized pro-business environment, ensuring job creators and families can continue to thrive."
Throughout the 2026 session, the Florida Chamber remained focused on the issues that furthered Florida's economic competitiveness and aligned with our Florida 2030 Blueprint. Key priorities championed by the Florida Chamber included:
* Protecting taxpayers and putting students first with further public sector union transparency and accountability: Continues the work from 2023 to strengthen collective bargaining processes by requiring a higher threshold to ensure the entire bargaining class is represented and protects taxpayers by preventing taxpayer dollars from being used on union or political activity. When 43 percent of third graders are unable to read at grade level, the focus should be on the classroom and not on union activities.
* Creating clarity to benefit job creators and employees: Provides certainty and clarity on the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit under the Florida Civil Rights Act when either the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission or the Florida Commission on Human Relations is performing an investigation of an alleged violation.
* Expanding affordable workforce housing options and opportunities: Continues the work of "Live Local" to address additional workforce housing needs by restricting local governments from circumventing Live Local requirements through excessive regulations and authorizing residential housing on property owned by local governments.
* Lowering costs on new development: Provides clarity, consistency, and prevents abuse in the way local governments calculate impact fees by defining "extraordinary circumstances," ensuring these fees are truly being used to pay for future infrastructure needs.
* Expanding opportunities to address healthcare workforce shortages: Expands the successful Linking Industry with Nursing Education (LINE) matching grant fund to allow greater opportunity and flexibility for Florida's higher education institutions to partner with stakeholders to grow their nursing education and other related health science programs that provide direct care and diagnostic services to patients.
* Strengthening resiliency of Florida's coastal and inland communities: Promotes public-private partnerships and investment in resiliency projects while also expediting permitting for the construction and hardening of critical infrastructure to protect against extreme weather, flooding, and coastal erosion.
* Streamlining Florida's building permit process: Provides clarity, enhances predictability, and modernizes the permitting process by establishing a statewide uniform permit application for residential and commercial projects while also relaxing minor projects from permitting, and prevents delays in construction by encouraging private provider options and preventing duplicate inspections.
* Furthering Florida's leadership in mobility innovation: Advances the Florida Chamber Autonomous Florida goal of making Florida the global capital of mobility innovation by investing in Florida's advanced air mobility industry and adds vertiports and charging stations to the list of qualified public-private partnerships.
* Attracting high-value economic development projects: Creates a framework for Florida to continue to compete for the attraction and development of large-scale data centers - and the economic benefits and revenue generation they offer - while ensuring Florida's ratepayers, water and communities remain protected.
The Florida Chamber also worked tirelessly to defeat legislation that would have reversed progress already made toward improving Florida's legal climate or that would have discouraged innovation and additional business development in Florida. Once again this year, legislation was filed, heard and ultimately defeated that would have undone provisions of the historic 2023 lawsuit abuse reforms. Additionally, legislation was advanced initially that would have effectively barred certain companies or industries from doing business in Florida, despite the beneficial economic impact of these projects.
"Florida's economic success does not happen by accident," said David Sweeney, Chairman of the board for RS&H and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. "It requires consistent leadership, data-driven policy and strong partnerships between the private sector and policymakers, and for over 100 years, the Florida Chamber has been at the helm steering Florida's business community to success."
Further work remains when the legislature returns to Tallahassee to complete work on the budget and outstanding tax policies. The Florida Chamber continues to encourage the legislature to consider adopting provisions of the "Trump Tax Cuts" from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to encourage capital investment and innovation in Florida.
"Florida cannot rest on its laurels but must continue focusing on our economic competitiveness and pro-business environment," Frank Walker, Executive Vice President of Government & Political Relations, said. "As we continue to compete with other states and nations, Florida can send a signal that investment and innovation are welcome in Florida by easing administrative and economic burdens through the adoption of additional pro-business policies that stimulate job creation and unleash pathways to prosperity for all Floridians."
The Florida Chamber team is analyzing thousands of votes and will release its annual Legislative Report Card with its annual publication How They Voted, highlighting grades earned by all 156 legislators in the Florida House and Senate based on their votes during the 2026 legislative session. The Florida Chamber Legislative Report Card is an annual opportunity to recognize members of the Florida Legislature who placed making Florida more competitive through private-sector job creation above special interests and their attempts to protect the status quo. The Report Card also lets Florida families, small businesses, taxpayers, and voters know who voted in favor of private-sector job creation and a stronger economy.
Click here (https://conta.cc/4dq9SPM) to view the Florida Chamber's full legislative review of what passed, what was defeated, and what remains unfinished business at the conclusion of the 60-day regular legislative session.
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Original text here: https://www.flchamber.com/florida-maintains-economic-momentum-following-conclusion-of-2026-legislative-session-despite-discord/
[Category: Business]
FOIA Documents Reveal Trump Administration Ordered Fish and Wildlife Service to Change Materials About Indigenous Peoples
WASHINGTON, March 14 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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FOIA Documents Reveal Trump Administration Ordered Fish and Wildlife Service to Change Materials About Indigenous Peoples
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -Official Trump Administration documents obtained by the Sierra Club reveal the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) took steps to censor materials at its headquarters in Virginia and at a wildlife refuge in Oklahoma as part of Donald Trump's attempts to whitewash history via the executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History".
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... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 14 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
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FOIA Documents Reveal Trump Administration Ordered Fish and Wildlife Service to Change Materials About Indigenous Peoples
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -Official Trump Administration documents obtained by the Sierra Club reveal the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) took steps to censor materials at its headquarters in Virginia and at a wildlife refuge in Oklahoma as part of Donald Trump's attempts to whitewash history via the executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History".
*Read the FWS documents here
FWS staff flagged materials at more than 30 wildlife refuges, fish hatcheries, and agency offices for content on climate change, Indigenous peoples, wetland destruction, and other issues that may be inconsistent with the executive order. For the first time, these documents reveal the feedback provided by Interior on whether to change or keep materials -recommendations that include contradictory guidance about when to make changes. At one location, Interior recommended removing a line from a video about the "violent disruption" of Indigenous peoples, while at another location, Interior determined signage about Europeans forcing Indigenous peoples off their lands was "factual" and recommended no change.
"These documents expose the Interior Department's chaotic and contradictory approach to implementing Donald Trump's attempts to rewrite history. This effort continues to put career public servants in the difficult position of evaluating whether telling the full story of our public lands violates an executive order rooted in climate denial and hostility toward marginalized communities. Our public lands are landscapes of collective memory that are intended to serve as classrooms for democracy, not as vehicles for a whitewashed and sanitized version of history," Gerry James, deputy director for the Sierra Club's Outdoors For All campaign.
DOCUMENT DETAILS
The documents include nearly 300 public comments from more than 100 wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries in response to the QR codes seeking public feedback. Many comments reveal public opposition to the executive order. Several comments highlight positive support for the refuge system and the need for more funding for public lands.
The documents detail the following sites and materials flagged by FWS staff, alongside recommended changes by Interior:
* National Wildlife Refuge System Headquarters (Virginia): Interior recommended the removal of the following language in a video: "From the earliest days of colonization the delicate balance nurtured by indigenous peoples, the first stewards of these lands, was violently disrupted."
* Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma) : Interior recommended the removal of a display title called the "Hall of Shame" for an exhibit that talked about the conditions that brought on the near extinction of American bison.
* Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge (Nebraska) and Genoa National Fish Hatchery (Wisconsin): Interior is "researching the specifics to come up with a plan of action" related to signage flagged at both of these locations. No additional information was provided detailing the contents.
The documents detail the following sites where materials were flagged by FWS staff, but Interior recommended no further action, stating the materials were "factual statements about what occurred":
* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia) and Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia): Multiple signs addressing how Indigenous peoples were forced off their lands by Europeans.
* Windom Wetland Management District (Minnesota): Signage about the Slaughter Slough Waterfowl Protection Area, which includes an interpretive display about a deadly interaction between white settlers and Indigenous peoples. ( See photos. )
* Audubon National Wildlife Refuge (North Dakota): Signage about climate change.
* Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (Utah): Multiple signs about wetland destruction. ( See photos. )
BACKGROUND
This is the third set of documents received by the Sierra Club as part of a FOIA and subsequent lawsuit seeking information from Interior about Trump's executive order. So far, the Sierra Club has published FOIA documents from FWS, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of Land Management. Bureau of Indian Affairs also provided documents in February 2026, which contained emails stating its trust lands are not subject to the executive order, however, many of its public sites are managed by the National Park Service and subject to the order. Additional FOIA documents are expected from NPS and the Interior Secretary's office.
In recent months, reports of public lands signage either flagged for removal or ordered to be removed by the Trump Administration have picked up steam, including at Independence National Historical Park in Pennsylvania, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Mississippi, and Glacier National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.
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Original text here: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2026/03/foia-documents-reveal-trump-administration-ordered-fish-and-wildlife-service
Demand Progress Supports Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Close Surveillance Loopholes
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, March 14 -- Demand Progress issued the following news release on March 13, 2026:
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Demand Progress Supports Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Close Surveillance Loopholes
Washington, D.C. -- On Thursday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would close loopholes in the law that allow the government to conduct warrantless surveillance on people in the United States and buy their private communications in bulk. Specifically,
... Show Full Article
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, March 14 -- Demand Progress issued the following news release on March 13, 2026:
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Demand Progress Supports Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Close Surveillance Loopholes
Washington, D.C. -- On Thursday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill that would close loopholes in the law that allow the government to conduct warrantless surveillance on people in the United States and buy their private communications in bulk. Specifically,the bill requires the government to obtain a warrant to access Americans' data and bans the government from buying Americans' private calls, texts and emails from data brokers. Demand Progress has been leading a bipartisan coalition to reform Section 702 and close the data broker loophole under both Democratic and Republican presidents.
The following is a statement from Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Hajar Hammado:
"The federal government should not have the ability to bypass courts and obtain the private emails, texts and calls of Americans--especially when they are purchased from shady data brokers who sell our private information to anyone willing to pay. The Government Surveillance Reform Act protects Americans' privacy by finally closing the backdoor search loophole and closing the door on data brokers. Protecting Americans' privacy and civil liberties from these threats cannot wait, Congress must implement these reforms ahead of the April 20 expiration date. We thank Sens. Wyden and Lee, and Reps. Davidson and Lofgren for their steadfast leadership and we urge all members of Congress to enact critically needed privacy protections before renewing the government's spying authority."
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Original text here: https://demandprogress.org/demand-progress-supports-bipartisan-bicameral-bill-to-close-surveillance-loopholes/
[Category: Sociological]
Catholic League Issues Commentary: Muslim Woman Quits Trump's Religion Panel
NEW YORK, March 14 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, an organization that defends the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination, issued the following commentary on March 13, 2026, by President Bill Donohue:
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MUSLIM WOMAN QUITS TRUMP'S RELIGION PANEL
Sameerah Munshi has quit President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission. She cited "two deeply troubling developments: the official removal of Carrie Prejean Boller for her deeply held beliefs about Palestine and the federal government's illegal war against Iran, undertaken
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 14 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, an organization that defends the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination, issued the following commentary on March 13, 2026, by President Bill Donohue:
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MUSLIM WOMAN QUITS TRUMP'S RELIGION PANEL
Sameerah Munshi has quit President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission. She cited "two deeply troubling developments: the official removal of Carrie Prejean Boller for her deeply held beliefs about Palestine and the federal government's illegal war against Iran, undertakenwithout clear constitutional or congressional authorization."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, (CAIR), rushed to defend both women, saying they were the ones who "actually stand up for religious liberty." They commended Munshi for her courage and said it was "unconscionable" that the White House would remove Prejean for her remarks on "Israel's genocide in Gaza."
On February 11, the Catholic League called for the Religious Liberty Commission to oust Prejean Boller; minutes later it did. We did so for reasons that both Munshi and CAIR refuse to acknowledge.
In my news release about Prejean Boller, I noted that she is "a former Miss California and a convert to Catholicism. She does not run a Catholic organization, has no Catholic credentials as an author or instructor, and indeed represents no one but herself. For her to say, without qualification, that 'Catholics do not embrace Zionism' is presumptuous and arrogant."
It just wasn't just this remark that got Prejean Boller into hot water. She blamed Jews for killing Christ, again without qualification, and was known to show up at meetings wearing a Palestinian flag pin. In other words, she is an activist, not someone sincerely committed to religious liberty.
Munshi's comment about the "illegal" war against Iran makes her sound sophomoric. There have been five wars declared by Congress in American history: War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. There is nothing illegal about U.S. operations in Iran.
We are delighted that both of these women are no longer on the panel. How they got by those doing the vetting remains a problem.
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Original text here: https://www.catholicleague.org/muslim-woman-quits-trumps-religion-panel/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-GA Joins Georgia Civic and Social Justice Organizations in Condemning Illegal War on Iran, U.S. Indiscriminate Killing of Iranian Citizens
WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 13, 2026:
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CAIR-GA Joins Georgia Civic and Social Justice Organizations in Condemning Illegal War on Iran, U.S. Indiscriminate Killing of Iranian Citizens
Today, Georgia's civic and social justice organizations condemned the U.S. government's bombing of civilian areas across Tehran and other cities, killing and injuring thousands of Iranian civilians as part of its illegal war of terror on the country. These organizations include CAIR-Georgia, Project South, Asian Americans Advancing
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 13, 2026:
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CAIR-GA Joins Georgia Civic and Social Justice Organizations in Condemning Illegal War on Iran, U.S. Indiscriminate Killing of Iranian Citizens
Today, Georgia's civic and social justice organizations condemned the U.S. government's bombing of civilian areas across Tehran and other cities, killing and injuring thousands of Iranian civilians as part of its illegal war of terror on the country. These organizations include CAIR-Georgia, Project South, Asian Americans AdvancingJustice - Atlanta, Georgia Muslim Voter Project, Jewish Voice for Peace, Atlanta, the United Campus Workers of Georgia and the Asian Americans Advocacy Fund.
SEE: More than 1,000 Civilians Killed in U.S.-Israeli Bombing of Iran, Rights Group Says (https://time.com/7382536/iran-civilians-killed-girls-school/)
SEE ALSO: War Brings Black Rain to a Parched Iran (https://e360.yale.edu/digest/iran-war-black-rain-water)
Project South's Legal and Advocacy Director Azadeh N. Shahshahani Esq., stated:
"These attacks are yet another example of the United States government committing the crime of aggression, in blatant violation of article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. In its bombing of a girls' school in Minab with a current death toll of 175 as well as joining Israel in bombing civilian infrastructure such as hospitals in Iran, the United States government is engaging in war crimes. It must be held accountable."
The dangerous religious rhetoric that has been used to justify the war by its proponents, within and outside the Trump administration, has made Georgia's Muslim communities, particularly those who practice the Shi'a Muslim faith, less safe, with CAIR-Georgia receiving reports of Shi'a Muslims, especially but not only those of Iranian descent, being harassed, doxed, and their religious centers being threatened.
In a statement, CAIR-Georgia Executive Director, Azka Mahmood, said:
"This illegal bombing of a sovereign country does not make Americans safer. Instead, what we are seeing is that the administration's reckless and dangerous Crusade-like Islamophobic rhetoric is being used to 'inspire' American troops and the public. This puts American Muslims and their religious centers at risk."
Further, the United States' illegal bombing campaign has had a direct impact on everyday Georgians' lives, many of whom have family living and working in the wider Middle East that has now become embroiled in this illegal and unnecessary war.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Executive Director, Murtaza Khwaja, added:
"This illegal war is not an isolated act of foreign aggression, but part of a continuum. After fueling displacement through foreign intervention, our government meets the survivors at our borders with exclusion and suspicion. We have seen this before: endless wars produce refugees, and refugees are met with fear-mongering that legislators launder into law. From foreign land ownership restrictions in Georgia to militarized immigration policies, we are seeing the domestic face of the same logic that drives overseas aggression. Our democracy cannot survive a government that wages illegal wars in our name and then punishes immigrant communities for the consequences."
Georgia Muslim Voter Project Executive Director, Shafina Khabani, stated:
"We condemn the war and the devastating violence being inflicted on civilians in Iran. No political objective can justify the bombing of schools, hospitals, and the homes of ordinary people. At Georgia Muslim Voter Project, our work is rooted in the belief that every human life carries dignity and worth. That commitment requires us to speak clearly when civilian lives are endangered and to call for an immediate end to this violence. We urge our leaders and our communities to stand firmly on the side of peace and the protection of human life."
Georgia's civil and social justice organizations call on the U.S. government to immediately stop this illegal campaign against Iran and the dangerous religious rhetoric associated with it and urge Georgia's diverse communities to call the White House to do the same.
CAIR-Georgia is the local chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). Its mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
Project South is a social justice organization engaged in movement building and movement support. Our work is rooted in the legacies of the Southern Freedom Movement and Black Radical Traditions of the U.S. South. The Legal & Advocacy work area of Project South focuses on dismantling state repression and protecting and defending communities of color and immigrants, including Black, Brown, Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlantais a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast.
Jewish Voice for Peace-Atlanta is the Atlanta chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world.
Georgia Muslim Voter Project is a statewide organization that works to engage and empower Muslims across Georgia through year-round civic engagement, voter education, leadership development, and community advocacy. Rooted in justice, dignity, and collective care, GAMVP helps ensure our communities are informed, organized, and able to speak out on the issues that impact their lives.
United Campus Workers of Georgia is the statewide wall-to-wall labor union for staff, faculty, and student workers at Georgia's 25 public universities and colleges.
The Asian American Advocacy Fund is a grassroots social welfare organization dedicated to amplifying the collective power of Georgia's Asian American communities through community organizing, storytelling, electoral organizing, and policy advocacy. We work in deep and transformative partnerships towards a hopeful future and dignified present for all.
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ga-joins-georgia-civic-and-social-justice-organizations-in-condemning-illegal-war-on-iran-u-s-indiscriminate-killing-of-iranian-citizens/
[Category: Sociological]
Americans for Tax Reform: Rep. Ed Diehl First to Sign Taxpayer Protection Pledge In Race for Oregon Governor
WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following news:
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Rep. Ed Diehl First to Sign Taxpayer Protection Pledge In Race for Oregon Governor
ATR applauds Oregon Representative Ed Diehl for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Oregon to oppose and veto any and all new tax increases during his time in office.
Diehl's decision to sign the pledge demonstrates his strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and shielding Oregon taxpayers from the deluge of unaffordable tax increases regularly pursued by Governor Tina Kotek and progressive
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following news:
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Rep. Ed Diehl First to Sign Taxpayer Protection Pledge In Race for Oregon Governor
ATR applauds Oregon Representative Ed Diehl for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Oregon to oppose and veto any and all new tax increases during his time in office.
Diehl's decision to sign the pledge demonstrates his strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and shielding Oregon taxpayers from the deluge of unaffordable tax increases regularly pursued by Governor Tina Kotek and progressivesupermajorities in the legislature.
"The Taxpayer Protection Pledge stands as a barrier against tax hikes and makes continued pro-growth tax reform possible. We applaud Representative Ed Diehl's decision to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, ensuring that Oregon will maintain key taxpayer protections like the Kicker income tax refund that Tina Kotek and Democrats have been poking holes in for years," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Rep. Diehl has long served as a champion for the taxpayers he represents in the Oregon legislature. In his role as President of the Oregon Freedom Coalition, he led a successful volunteer-driven signature gathering campaign to refer a massive transportation tax hike to the ballot, ensuring that voters will retain their democratic right to throw out that gas tax increase, payroll tax hike, and a host of other new fees and surcharges.
"With Rep. Diehl's pledge, we can trust that he will continue to protect Oregonians' economic freedom, prioritize affordability, and resist any attempts to impose even higher taxes on the people of the Beaver State," Norquist continued.
Candidates often make campaign promises not to raise taxes, only to abandon taxpayers once elected. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge requires candidates to put their commitment in writing - making it harder to reverse course.
There are currently 17 governors who have signed the Pledge, in addition to 192 Pledge signers in the U.S. House and 42 Pledge signers in the U.S. Senate. 88% of Congressional Republicans have signed the Pledge and put their commitment to oppose tax increases into writing, contrasting with the ZERO Democrat governors or members of Congress who have made this commitment.
New candidates sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge regularly. For the most up-to-date information on these races or any others, please visit the ATR Pledge Database.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/rep-ed-diehl-first-to-sign-taxpayer-protection-pledge-in-race-for-oregon-governor/
[Category: Political]
