Our kids vs. Bush campaign contributors
From Moveon.org:

Under energy industry pressure, President Bush’s EPA plans to defer controls on mercury emissions by power plants
for at least a decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 4.9 million women of
childbearing age in the U.S. -- that's 8 percent -- have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood. The people hit
hardest will be new-born infants -- every year over 630,000 infants are born with levels of mercury in their blood
so high they can cause brain damage.

We have just a few weeks to get public comments to the EPA on this plan to defer mercury controls. It's time to
tell the EPA and the White House that our kids come first. You can submit your comment by clicking this link:

http://www.moveon.org/mercury/

From a public health standpoint, the EPA's new policy is a disaster. But for Bush's energy industry allies, who are
responsible for most mercury pollution, it's yet another bonanza. Increased pollution levels will allow these
companies to save millions, while their top managers keep writing big campaign checks to support George W. Bush --
it's a pretty sick cycle.

On January 30th, the EPA announced its intention to weaken its own earlier proposal that would have required a 90
percent reduction in mercury pollution by power plants by 2008. The new proposal doesn't force every power plant to
limit mercury pollution, leaving many communities vulnerable. It would also delay implementation of even these
weaker requirements until 2018, leaving a whole new generation of kids needlessly at risk.

The first responsibility of the Bush administration and the EPA is to protect our nation's most vulnerable citizens.
Time and again, we've seen the Bush administration try to weaken environmental protections, starting with its
proposal to roll back stricter limits on arsenic in our drinking water. We must boost the visibility of the mercury
issue so that, as with arsenic, the Bush administration is shamed into adopting a more rigorous standard.

Please join our effort to protect our environment and our children from the debilitating effects of mercury
poisoning. Your comments will bolster the efforts of MoveOn members and other concerned people who are showing up
today at public hearings on this issue in Chicago, Philadelphia and Raleigh.

Tell the Bush administration to protect children's health by reducing power plant mercury emissions by 90 percent by
2008 and ensuring that these reductions occur at each and every power plant, by clicking here:

http://www.moveon.org/mercury/

Thanks for all your efforts.

Sincerely,
--Joan and Wes
MoveOn.org
February 25th, 2004

P.S.: See our link above for more background on mercury and the harm it can cause.

 
Let the Sun Set on PATRIOT - Section 206
From the Electronic Frontier Foundation:

"Roving Surveillance Authority Under the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act of 1978"

Welcome to part two of "Let the Sun Set on PATRIOT," an EFFector
series on the battle to let some of the most troubling provisions
in the USA PATRIOT Act expire, or "sunset." Each week, we profile
one of the 13 provisions set to expire in December of 2005 and
explain in plain language what's wrong with the provision and why
Congress should allow it to sunset. This week we look at
section 206, which allows the FBI to conduct "John Doe" roving
surveillance.

~ What Section 206 Does
Imagine that the FBI could, with a single search warrant, raid
every house or office that an individual suspect has visited over
an entire year - every single place, whether or not the
residents themselves are suspects. Suppose that the FBI could
do this without ever having to identify the suspect in question.
This is what Section 206 allows in the communications context.

Section 206 authorizes intelligence investigators to conduct
"John Doe" roving surveillance - meaning that the FBI can
wiretap every single phone line, mobile communications device
or Internet connection that a suspect might be using, without
ever having to identify the suspect by name. This gives the
FBI a "blank check" to violate the communications privacy of
countless innocent Americans. What's worse, these blank-check
wiretap orders can remain in effect for up to a year.

~ How Section 206 Changed the Law
Section 206 amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
(FISA) so that a wiretap order issued by the secret FISA court
no longer has to specify what type of communications that the
order applies to. This allows investigators to engage in
"roving" surveillance, using a single wiretap order to listen
in on any phone line or monitor any Internet account that a
suspect may be using - whether or not other people who are not
suspects also regularly use it.

~ Why Section 206 Should Sunset
Roving wiretaps are allowed in regular criminal investigations,
so it might seem reasonable that the PATRIOT Act made them
available to intelligence investigators. But FISA wiretaps lack
many of the safeguards that prevent abuse of criminal wiretaps.
For example, orders are issued using a lower legal standard than
the "probable cause" used in criminal cases, are subject to
substantially less judicial oversight and typically last at least
three times longer than criminal wiretaps. Surveillance targets
are never notified that they were spied on. Most important, and
also unlike criminal wiretaps, the FISA court can issue "John
Doe" wiretaps that don't even specify the surveillance target's
name.

The bottom line: further relaxing controls on FISA surveillance
by adding roving capability is a recipe for abuse and likely
violates the Fourth Amendment's requirement that search warrants
"particularly describ[e] the place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be seized."

~ Conclusion
EFF strongly opposes renewal of Section 206, and urges you to
do the same. We also support the Security and Freedom Ensured
Act (SAFE Act, S 1709/HR 3352), a PATRIOT reform bill that would,
among other things, limit the damage done to privacy by Section
206 - it would allow the FBI to get roving wiretaps on identified
suspects, and John Doe taps on specific phone lines and Internet
accounts, but not John Doe roving taps. We encourage you to
visit EFF's Action Center today to let your representatives know
you support the bill:
http://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2866

 
Lift the curtain on e-voting
From Media for Democracy:

Millions of American voters will use electronic voting systems
when they cast their vote for president this year. Many of these
machines will get their first test on March 2, Super Tuesday,
when voters head to polls in ten states. If more states install
these new machines, the repercussions for American democracy
could be worse than any hanging chad.

Since election reporting began last fall, network news coverage
of the switch to e-voting has been little more than a blip.
Media for Democracy analysis shows that since October 2003, ABC,
NBC and CBS nightly news programs broadcast only four stories on
e-voting machines. A look at CNN.com and FoxNews.com yields an
even smaller assortment: a total of three reports between
September 2003 and February 20, 2004, all on CNN.

Despite the already checkered history of the new machines --
which includes evidence of political favoritism by the
executives of the primary manufacturers of e-voting terminals,
and tests that reveal extensive flaws to their software -- the
networks have failed to consider electronic voting worthy of
coverage. As a result, few voters will see news reports about
these glitch-riddled systems before they come face to face with
the voting machines on Election Day.

Handing over control of America's electoral system to a handful
of corporations constitutes the privatization of America's most
public endeavor. Media for Democracy members must pressure
mainstream media to focus more reporting on this important
threat to democracy.

Tell news executives today that the problem of e-voting is a
story they can't ignore.

You can take action on this alert via the web here.


Visit this web to tell your friends about this.


We encourage you to take action by November 2, 2004

Lift the Curtain on E-Voting

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to following this link:


Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
ABC Anchor Peter Jennings
CBS Anchor Dan Rather
CNN Managing Editor Aaron Brown
CNN VP of News Susan Bunda
Fox News Managing Editor Brit Hume
Fox News Senior VP John Moody
NBC Anchor Tom Brokaw

----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

Election Data Systems estimates that 50 million Americans will
use electronic ballots when they vote for a president on
November 2.

Judging from your light treatment of this important story -- as
revealed by Media for Democracy monitoring of your coverage
since September 2003 -- few voters will see news reports about
these glitch-riddled voting systems before they come face to
face with the machines on Election Day.

Handing over control of America's electoral system to the
handful of politically biased corporations who control most of
these machines constitutes the privatization of America's most
public endeavor. It poses a threat to democracy, on which you
need to focus more of your reporting.

Many e-voting machines will get their first test in the upcoming
Super Tuesday primary. You owe it to your viewers to educate
them on the controversy surrounding these machines before voters
head to the polls.

Please devote more airtime to the problem of e-voting, before
voters are left with no other option.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----

Sincerely,

 
FCNL: Iraq Advocacy Days - March 19
FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE - 02/26/04

The following action items from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress
or the Administration.

TOPICS: IRAQ ADVOCACY DAY, MARCH 19

IRAQ ADVOCACY DAY, MARCH 19: MEET WITH YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS! March 20 will mark the one year anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Memorials, demonstrations, and other activities are being planned around the globe. As part of this worldwide organizing, FCNL is working
with colleague organizations and the United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) network to coordinate a national lobby day for Friday, March 19.
People across the country will meet with their members of Congress in their district offices to deliver the message that WAR IS STILL NOT THE
ANSWER, to urge them to help stop the suffering in Iraq, and to uphold the principles of democracy and international law. Act now to schedule
face-to-face meetings with your members of Congress for Friday, March 19.



SCHEDULE YOUR IRAQ ADVOCACY DAY MEETINGS TODAY: The U.S. Senate will be on recess during the week of March 15-19, and many House members will
return to their districts on Friday. That makes March 19 an excellent day to schedule visits for with your elected representatives in their
home district offices. For your members' contact information, go to http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/ (or go to www.fcnl.org, click on
"Legislative Action Center" and then "Elected Officials") and enter your ZIP code. Call the district offices and ask for face-to-face
meetings with your senators and representative to discuss your concerns related to Iraq. Many offices will request a faxed letter or email
detailing the nature of the meeting. Be prepared with a simple letter describing the purpose of your visit, listing who will attend, and
requesting to meet with the member of Congress personally.



BE PART OF A DELEGATION: Your message is amplified when you join with other constituents from your community. UFPJ is providing a forum for
sharing information about congressional delegation meetings and linking up with others in your area.



* Check out the UFPJ web site to find information on events in your area and meetings with your members of Congress that have already been set
up. Go to http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2294 and enter your state in the "Upcoming Events" section on the left. Under "Event
type," select "March 19 Advocacy Day" to view meetings with your members that have already been scheduled.



* You can also register a congressional lobby visit that you have scheduled and invite others to contact you and join the meeting. Go to
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar_gxinput.php. Under the event title, enter "Meeting with [Representative/Senator's Name]" and under
"Event type" select "March 19 Advocacy Day." Then enter in the date and time of your appointments, as well as a contact name and email
address so that others from your district will be able to get in touch with you. [Note: This information will be accessible to all those
visiting the UFPJ web site.]



For more information on the March 19 Iraq Advocacy Day and issues to raise with your members, click here: http://www.fcnl.org/issues/
item.php?item_id=748&issue_id=35. FCNL will provide further updates on our web site in the coming days. If you have questions about the Iraq
Advocacy Day or about meeting with your members of Congress, please email us at field@fcnl.org or call 800-630-1330 ext. 114.



This message supplements other FCNL materials and does not reflect FCNL's complete policy position on any issue. For further information, please contact FCNL.

Mail: 245 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
Email: fcnl@fcnl.org
Phone: (202) 547-6000
Toll Free: (800) 630-1330
Fax: (202) 547-6019
Web: http://www.fcnl.org

 
NALU: Increase Transportation Money for Indian Country (02/27/04)
FCNL NATIVE AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE UPDATE--(02/27/04)

The following action items are from the Friends Committee on National Legislation's (FCNL) Native American Program.

INCREASE TRANSPORTATION MONEY FOR INDIAN COUNTRY: By a vote of 76-21, the Senate has passed a transportation bill (S 1072) called the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA). This bill reauthorizes, for a six-year period, federal
transportation programs such as highway construction and safety funds ($255 billion), as well as mass transit funds ($56.5 billion). The
House will consider its version of transportation reauthorization in the near future. If enacted into law, $300 million would become
available in 2004 for the Indian Reservation Roads program; this amount rises each year to a maximum of $425 million in fiscal year 2009.
Senator Domenici (NM), who supported increased funding for reasons of public safety and economic development, stated, "Too many reservation
roads are in deplorable condition." The bill has some helpful features that should be incorporated into the House bill such as set aside
money for bridge construction!
, increases for the tribal transit program, and tribal safety projects.

ACTION: Please contact your representative. Let your member know of your desire for ample funding for road construction and maintenance in
Indian Country where many roads are still unpaved and even the highways that cross reservations may be narrow and without shoulders. Roads
are a lifeline for food, water, and public safety. Remind your representative that poor roads are dangerous in emergencies and undercut
employment and development. Push for Indian road funding be supported and sustained through the conference process. A few voices can make a
big difference. It is especially important to contact your member if you do NOT live near Indian Country. Legislators that represent tribes
are already more engaged with these issues.

CONTACTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS EASY: Start with the sample letter posted in our Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then
email or fax your message directly from our site. You can also print it out and mail it. To view the sample letter, click on the link below,
then enter your ZIP code and click Go in the Take Action Now box. Here is the link: http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/
alert/?alertid=5218121&type=CO.

BACKGROUND: Tribes need far more money than has been allocated. Tex Hall, president of the National Congress of American Indians, argues that
having the transportation needs of tribes adequately addressed in the larger federal transportation bill is "of life and death importance."
In his January 2004 State of Indian Nations address Hall stated:
"Each year, there are more than two billion vehicle-miles traveled on roads in Indian Country, by tribal members and visitors alike.
Unfortunately, tribes receive far less funding for their roads than the rest of the nation: although tribal roads make up nearly 2.5 percent
of the federal roads in the country, tribes receive only 0.5 percent of federal road funding. While states spend an average of $4,000 to
$5,000 per mile for road maintenance annually, the federal government spends only $500 per mile for roads in Indian Country. Because of this
lack of funding, only 33 percent of roads in Indian Country are paved, a full quarter of the bridges on tribal lands are structurally
deficient, and 72 percent of the roads in Indian Country are officially rated as 'poor.'"

Since basic infrastructure is missing in Indian Country, transportation funds are vital for reasons of safety, economic development, and the
basic functioning of other programs such as schools and social services. Yet, for years there have been shortfalls. This means that some
native children must struggle to awake before sunrise to board school buses for a three hour torturous trip over unpaved roads. This means
that some native children miss many days of school per year and some elderly people are unable to get to their dialysis treatments because
roads are impassable and unusable due to mud, huge potholes, or erosion. This means that many American Indian and Alaska Native families
regularly lose loved ones to accidents on poorly marked, poorly maintained roads.

Highway money is needed most where roads are so poor that basic social and civic services cannot be delivered, where bridges are in danger of
collapse, and where the most traffic accidents occur. Two-thirds of the reservation roads are unimproved dirt or gravel roads and 140 of 753
bridges are deficient. While many of these roads are in isolated areas, state and federal highways go right through some reservations.
Despite these documented problems, the Indian Reservation Road program has not even achieved parity with other programs.

*******
FCNL Native American Legislative Updates are intended as a supplement to other FCNL Native American Program materials and do not reflect
FCNL's complete policy position on any issue, nor do they include all pertinent facts on any topic. For more information, or to request the
FCNL Indian Report and other background documents, please contact the FCNL's Native American Advocacy Program: (202) 547-6000, 245 2nd St. NE,
Washington, DC 20002; Indian@fcnl.org. Or visit our web site at: http://www.fcnl.org/issues/issue.php?issue_id=93.

CONTACTING LEGISLATORS

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq

CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION

White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111
FAX: 202-456-2461
E-MAIL: president@whitehouse.gov
WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This message supplements other FCNL materials and does not reflect FCNL's complete policy position on any issue. For further information, please contact FCNL.

Mail: 245 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
Email: fcnl@fcnl.org
Phone: (202) 547-6000
Toll Free: (800) 630-1330
Fax: (202) 547-6019