WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 30, 2014. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Departmental Appeals Board ruled today that that Medicare’s policy of categorically excluding coverage of sex-reassignment surgery, regardless of a person’s individual medical conditions and needs, is unreasonable and contrary to contemporary science and medical standards of care. The[Read More…]
Commentary
Drug Policy Alliance: Congress to Vote Today on At Least Four Amendments Reigning in Troubled Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Amendments Prohibit DEA from Undermining State Medical Marijuana Laws; Prohibit DEA from Blocking Production of Hemp; Deny Proposed DEA Budget Increase DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart Increasingly At Odds With President Obama, Justice Dept and Congress; Lawmakers and Advocates Call for Her to be Fired Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—May 29, 2014. Today, the[Read More…]
ACLU of Florida Responds to U.S. Supreme Court Striking Down Florida Law Setting Strict I.Q. Limit for Executions
MIAMI–(ENEWSPF)–May 27, 2014. Today, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision striking down a Florida law that set strict criteria based on IQ test scores to determine a defendant’s eligibility for the death penalty. Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida, responded to the decision with the[Read More…]
ACLU Comment on Wood v. Moss Ruling
WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 27, 2014. The U.S. Supreme Court today dismissed a case against Secret Service agents who moved anti-Bush protestors two blocks away from President George W. Bush during a 2004 campaign trip to Oregon. While reaffirming that the First Amendment prohibits the government from discriminating against protesters because of their[Read More…]
Rome- Pope to Hold ‘Another PR Meeting with Victims’ of Abuse
St. Louis, MO—(ENEWSPF)—May 27, 2014. Statement by Joelle Casteix, western regional director of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), [email protected] Francis made three meaningless abuse comments today. None of them are significant in any way. All are disappointing because they amount to more public relations instead of[Read More…]
Brennan Center for Justice: House Passes Watered-Down NSA Reform Bill
NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–May 22, 2014. This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 303-121 to pass a heavily revised version of the USA FREEDOM Act. The bill, introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, was modified in the House Judiciary Committee to remove some of the civil liberties protections in the original bill,[Read More…]
ACLU: House Passes NSA Bill, May 22, 2014
WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 22, 2014. The House today passed the USA Freedom Act, a bill on NSA spying. Laura W. Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, had this reaction: “While far from perfect, this bill is an unambiguous statement of congressional intent to rein in the out-of-control NSA. While we[Read More…]
Freedom to Marry: Federal Judge Rules PA Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
New York–(ENEWSPF)–May 20, 2014. Today U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III ruled in Whitewood v. Wolf that Pennsylvania’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Judge Jones is the 14th federal judge in recent months to rule against marriage discrimination. Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, released[Read More…]
Freedom to Marry: Federal Judge Orders Utah to Respect Same-Sex Couples Legally Married
New York–(ENEWSPF)–May 19, 2014. Today a federal judge ruled that the state of Utah must respect the legal marriages of more than 1,300 same-sex couples who were issued marriage licenses following a court decision striking down the state’s marriage ban. A temporary stay on issuing marriage licenses was later put[Read More…]
Freedom to Marry: Federal Judge Strikes Down Oregon Marriage Ban
New York–(ENEWSPF)–May 19, 2014. Today Judge Michael McShane struck down Oregon’s discriminatory state constitutional amendment that denies committed gay couples the freedom to marry, ruling that it violates the U.S. Constitution. The decision follows a last-minute attempt by the anti-gay group National Organization for Marriage (NOM) to intervene in Oregon’s[Read More…]
