Statement of NOW President Terry O’Neill Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)–January 16, 2013 The National Organization for Women applauds President Obama and Vice President Biden for taking swift action after last month’s devastating shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. We strongly support the administration’s admirable goal of reducing gun violence[Read More…]

Washington, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–January 14, 2013. One month after the horrific mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and days before Vice President Joe Biden is expected to announce his policy recommendations to curb gun violence, the Center for American Progress today outlined 13 common-sense legislative proposals and executive actions to prevent[Read More…]

CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–January 14, 2013.  Aaron Swartz, a brilliant 26-year-old software developer at ThoughtWorks and renowned internet freedom activist, committed suicide on Friday, January 11th. ThoughtWorks mourns this tragic loss to his family, friends, co-workers, and the technology and activist communities. Aaron’s technical accomplishments are legion. At a very young age, he[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–January 11, 2013. Yesterday, the Sierra Club – a member of the Fix the Senate Coalition – announced its support of S. Res 4, a critical proposal to reform the Senate rules sponsored by Senators Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley and Tom Harkin. Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released[Read More…]

Washington–(ENEWSPF)–January 11, 2013. Statement of AFT President Randi Weingarten on this year’s Quality Counts report.  “This year’s Quality Counts rankings offer further proof that focusing on collaborative, evidence-based strategies; teaching over testing; and investing in rather than destabilizing public schools is essential to helping all children learn, grow and succeed[Read More…]

AFT’s Weingarten: “This study underscores the fact that teacher evaluations must be about improving teaching, not just a mere snapshot assessment.”  WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–January 9, 2013. Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s final reports of the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project.  “The[Read More…]

WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–January 9, 2013 – The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration yesterday issued its monthly State of the Climate report, which showed 2012 was the hottest year on record in the continental United States. Daniel Lashof, director of NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Program, made these comments in response to[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–January 9, 2013. by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Director  In October of 2011, the White House issued an official response to a petition NORML submitted via their We the People outreach program on the topic of marijuana legalization. Despite being one of the most popular petitions at the site’s[Read More…]

DENVER –(ENEWSPF)–January 9, 2013. The nation’s largest marijuana policy organization, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), slammed former Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s plan to force marijuana consumers into treatment and marijuana “education” classes, which his new organization, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), is scheduled to unveil in Denver on Wednesday.  “The proposal[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–January 8, 2013.  Editor’s Note: Republished with the express permission of the author. Huffington Post, Why Patrick Kennedy and Others in Recovery Should Support, Not Oppose Marijuana Legalization Tony Newman, January 8, 2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/why-patrick-kennedy-and-o_b_2426991.html   Former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy knows firsthand about addiction. Kennedy checked into a rehab center in[Read More…]