I know a lot of my friends are going “Bingo!” with this post, and maybe it’s the same for you. I’ve gotten several requests for my “Pad See Ew” recipe, but I didn’t feel like this was something so special that it needed its own post. It’s so SIMPLE. It’s beyond simple. To me it’s like posting a recipe for a hotdog!
Nearly 1.5 million households with a veteran received food-stamp benefits in 2011.
Sadly, this also includes far too many members of the military who are on active duty. In that same year, over $100 million in food aid was used on military bases.
Those are shocking statistics, aren’t they?
What’s more galling is that the Senate Agriculture Committee just approved a bill that includes a $4.1 billion reduction in the food stamp program, and the legislation comes to a vote before the full Senate next week.
Thankfully, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has stepped up to offer an amendment to stop these cuts and pay for them by cutting subsidies to insurance companies, many of which are based overseas.
Ahead of the vote, please sign our note to Senator Gillibrand letting her know that we stand with her in this fight.
http://action.votevets.org/food-stamps
Going through the list of those who voted for the bill in committee, it’s no shock to see several Senators who always seem ready to rush our military into new wars overseas, but fail to act as expeditiously when it comes to taking care of them at home.
We have to stop them in this fight.
Jon Soltz
@jonsoltz
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets
Obama Cares: On the Friday before Mother’s Day, President Obama explained how the Affordable Care Act is helping women. For example, the law prevents insurance companies from charging women more than men and requires insurance companies to cover preventive services like mammograms free of charge.
Thanks to the women in this room and people all across the country, we worked really hard — and it’s now been more than three years since Congress passed the Affordable Care Act and I signed it into law. It’s been nearly a year since the Supreme Court upheld the law under the Constitution. And, by the way, six months ago, the American people went to the polls and decided to keep going in this direction. So the law is here to stay.
Review of IRS: On Wednesday, the President delivered remarks on the Treasury Department’s review of the Internal Revenue Service and said the “misconduct that it uncovered is inexcusable.” The President said he will hold the responsible parties accountable, put in place new safeguards to make sure this does not happen again, and work with Congress as it performs its oversight role.
I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing like this happens again by holding the responsible parties accountable, by putting in place new checks and new safeguards, and going forward, by making sure that the law is applied as it should be — in a fair and impartial way.
Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey: On Thursday, President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan held a press conference at the Rose Garden. The leaders discussed U.S. – Turkey relations such as trade and investment, mutual security, and the conflict in Syria.
Prime Minister Cameron of Great Britain: On Tuesday, the President welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron to the White House. The global partners spoke about the upcoming Group of Eight summit, sustaining the global economy, and the conflict in Syria.
As we’ve said before, the great alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom is rooted in shared interests and shared values, and it’s indispensable to global security and prosperity.
National Peace Officers Memorial Service: On Wednesday, the President headed to the U.S. Capitol for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. The event paid respect to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty the last year. The 143 fallen officers were recognized for their courage on the front lines and their dedication to our community.
They exemplified the very idea of citizenship — that with our God-given rights come responsibilities and obligations to ourselves and to others. They embodied that idea. That’s the way they died. That’s how we must remember them. And that’s how we must live.
#WeTheGeeks: On Thursday, the White House launched “We the Geeks,” a new series of Google+ Hangouts highlighting the future of science, technology, and innovation in America. The first “We the Geeks” Hangout covered Grand Challenges, which are “ambitious goals on a national or global scale that capture the imagination and demand advances in innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology.”
Photograph courtesy U.S. Forest Service
Mount St. Helens looks serene in a photograph taken from the shores of Spirit Lake in Washington State in 1973—a few years before the volcano’s infamous 1980 eruption.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the blast, which killed 57 people and leveled hundreds of square miles of pristine old-growth forest.
“The eruption really caused drastic changes in the forest ecosystem,” said Mark Swanson, a forest ecologist at Washington State University.
Before the eruption, the dense forest cover meant there was little light and low wind speeds in the area. But afterward, Swanson said, “you had a very open system … with a layer of volcanic ash over most of it, varying in depth from hundreds of meters to just a few inches.”
—Ker Than
MORE MOUNT ST. HELENS COVERAGE • Mount St. Helens Still Highly Dangerous, 30 Years Later • Mount St. Helens Pictures: 30 Years Later • Mount St. Helens Interactive: Rebirth of the Blast Zone • “Mountain With a Death Wish” (1981 National Geographic Magazine Article) • Pictures: America’s Ten Most Dangerous Volcanoes • Mount St. Helens May Erupt for Decades, Scientists Suggest (2007)
Published May 18, 2010
84 Percent of NYC Fast Food Workers Report Wage Theft
Steven Hsieh, AlterNet
The report arrives in the midst of a national movement in the industry for better wages and the right to unionize. READ MORE»
Elderly Man Allegedly Dies in Court Fighting Wells Fargo ‘Wrongful’ Foreclosure
By Matt Reynolds, Courthouse News
Estate administrator sues big banks for wrongful death, elder abuse, breach of contract and other charges. READ MORE»
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Cambodia Shoe Factory Collapse Kills 2By Tang Chhin Sothy, AFPAt least 11 are injured, some seriously. READ MORE» |
H.R. 3, Northern Route Approval Act
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 16, 2013
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on May 7, 2013
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on May 8, 2013
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on May 8, 2013
As introduced on May 16, 2013.
Following the release of CBO’s analysis of the President’s FY 2014 budget, in today’s blog post, Director Doug Elmendorf compares the President’s plan with Congressional budget plans.
Now that the bipartisan Senate Gang of Eight’s bill (S. 744) has been introduced we are monitoring the legislative process very closely. As you know, next week, the Senate Judiciary Committee will continue to introduce and debate amendments to hopefully improve the legislation, bringing us one step closer to real commonsense immigration reform.
Meanwhile, the President traveled to Mexico and Costa Rica at the beginning of May, where he discussed the economic relationship between these countries and the United States, as well as the potential impacts of commonsense comprehensive immigration reform. He followed up his trip with a meeting with Asian American and Pacific Islander national leaders in order to discuss the impact of immigration reform on one of our largest immigrant populations. You can read the details on the President’s meeting here.
Earlier this week, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Director of National Drug Control Policy, R. Gil Kerlikowske, and Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West joined me for a briefing with law enforcement officials from across the country at the White House to discuss their shared support for commonsense immigration reform. The briefing was the latest opportunity to hear directly from law enforcement officials about the importance of immigration reform from a local law enforcement perspective. You can read more about the briefing with law enforcement here.
As always, please share with your networks and we look forward to working with you as we continue to push for commonsense immigration reform!
Julie Chávez Rodriguez
Associate Director
White House | Office of Public Engagement
USCIS Announces ABT Settlement Agreement
May 14, 2013
The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice have agreed to settle a nationwide class action lawsuit challenging the denial of work authorization to asylum seekers who have been waiting six months or more for a decision on their asylum applications. The ABT Settlement Agreement will help ensure that certain individuals who seek to file an asylum application or have already filed an asylum application, are entitled to new procedures relating to the crediting of time toward eligibility for employment authorization.
USCIS to Expand Entrepreneurs in Residence Initiative
May 8, 2013
In just over one year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) innovative Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) initiative has produced real benefits that will strengthen agency policies and practices relating to job-creating immigrant entrepreneurs who help advance American economic growth. To read a summary about EIR team’s accomplishments, including recent enhancements to Entreprenuer Pathways, USCIS’s online resource center for entrepreneurs, and plans to bolster agency expertise in a broader range of industries, click here.
International Visitors Spent $14.4 Billion in the United States in March 2013
May 7, 2013
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank highlighted new data today that shows spending by international visitors to the United States in March 2013 totaled more than $14.4 billion, an increase of nearly 3 percent when compared to last year. International visitors spent $43 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the first quarter of 2013. The data release coincides with National Travel and Tourism Week, celebrated each year to recognize the positive impact the industry has on our economy.
DHS Testifies at Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing on “Border Security: Examining Provisions in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act”
May 7, 2013
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Policy Assistant Secretary David Heyman, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Deputy Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, and Border Patrol Chief Michael Fisher, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Daniel Ragsdale address DHS’ work on border security and entry-exit controls.
Weekly Address: Fixing Our Immigration System and Expanding Trade in Latin America
President Obama describes the incredible opportunities to create middle-class jobs in America by deepening our economic ties and expanding trade in Latin America and discusses a recent Senate bill that takes commonsense steps to fix our broken immigration system.
President Obama Visits Mexico and Costa Rica
In preparation for his trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, President Obama met with US business leaders and Latino leaders to discuss the issues that would be raised on the trip, particularly economic development and comprehensive immigration reform. The President made clear that immigration reform continues to be a top legislative priority this year; business leaders agreed on the need to enact commonsense immigration reform as quickly as possible.
Cecilia Muñoz: “Let’s show we’re a nation of immigrants”
Cecilia Muñoz sent the message below to the White House email list, asking people to share their American stories. To kick things off, one of the President’s senior advisors sat down to share his story with you. Watch David Simas tell his American story, then tell us yours.
Applications for the FY 2013 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Due by May 22
On April 18, USCIS announced the availability of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, a competitive grant opportunity which promotes immigrant civic integration and prepares permanent residents for citizenship. Applications are due by May 22, 2013.
For more information please visit www.uscis.gov/grants
USCIS Offering Over 60 Free Webinars on Revised Form I-9, E-Verify, Self-Check, and Employee Rights Throughout the Month of May
What better way to learn more about the revised Form I-9, E-Verify, Self Check and Employee Rights than by taking advantage of a free webinar in May. To meet demand, the Department of Homeland Security has scheduled over 60 webinars this month. We invite you to take part in this great opportunity. Visit the E-Verify Webinar webpage, I-9 Central or view the flyer for a list of this month’s sessions.
| Double the difference you can make for children in need. |
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| Photo: Gerry Ellis/Mercy Corps |
| Every gift before May 30th will be matched, $1 for $1! |
In the packed refugee camps of the Democratic Republic of Congo, cholera spreads rapidly, and kills quickly. One sip of dirty water is all it takes for a healthy child to fall ill and die – often in just a few hours.
But we know how to stop a disease like cholera in its tracks. Through simple solutions like water-purifying tablets and clean, accessible latrines, Mercy Corps is working to save lives in Congo and around the world – and right now, you can help us reach twice as many children in need.
Every dollar we raise before May 30th will be MATCHED, up to $600,000 – which means your support today will go twice as far to deliver clean water, emergency food, and other help to families in need around the world.
Preventing deadly diseases like cholera is just one of the ways you can help families in the world’s most desperate places. Thanks to generous supporters like you, Mercy Corps is working to:
There’s never been a better time to give than right now – and every dollar counts. Your $75 becomes $150, $150 becomes $300, $250 becomes $500 – up to $600,000! That means that together, we can deliver over $1.2 million dollars in food, water, and other aid where it’s needed most – but we can only reach these families if people like you step up to help.
I’ve seen the difference Mercy Corps supporters like you are making around the world.
Your support today will truly change lives – thank you.
Sincerely,
Dan O’Neill Mercy Corps Founder
