Rep. McDermott’​s actions are worthy of thanks!

The King-Thompson bill, which requires criminal background checks at gun shows and for online and classified ad sales, has more than 160 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives — and your Rep., Jim McDermott, is one of those leaders who supports this critical reform. With the NRA and the Washington gun lobby more active than ever, it’s crucial that Rep. McDermott knows that he has your support. Please send Rep. McDermott a message today, and thank him for co-sponsoring the King-Thompson bill to require background checks for all commercial gun sales. We have an opportunity to make serious progress on legislation at the federal level, and we’re getting closer — but we aren’t there yet. Your congressperson’s support can make all the difference, and he needs to know that you’ll stand with him and remember him leadership on this issue. Thank Rep. McDermott for co-sponsoring background checks for all commercial gun sales: http://act.demandaction.org/letter/King-Thompson-Cosponsors/ Hearing from constituents will let leaders in Washington know that we appreciate their leadership. This fight isn’t going to be easy, and they’ll need as much support as they can get. Thanks for sending a message to your representative, Mark Glaze Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Where does your Rep. stand

The House of Representatives is off to a strong start on background checks. Reps. Pete King (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) have introduced a new bill that will extend background checks and help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. This bill is identical to the life-saving Manchin-Toomey bill that was blocked in the Senate, and it already has more than 160 co-sponsors in the House.1 As you know, more than 90% of Americans support background checks for all gun sales. The question now is: Can the House turn the overwhelming will of the people into law? Let’s keep the momentum going. Make sure your representative co-sponsors the bipartisan King-Thompson bill. Check out our new Vote Count tool to see where Representative Jim McDermott stands and share your support for background checks. Senators who ignored their constituents and bowed to the Washington gun lobby are feeling the heat. Their approval ratings are plummeting because constituents like you took them to task when they were home for recess.2 Senator Manchin has pledged to bring the background checks legislation back to the Senate floor.3 And already more than 160 representatives have co-sponsored the King-Thompson bill and made it clear that they stand with the 90% of Americans who want common sense gun reform. But for those representatives who take the NRA’s money and do the bidding of gun manufacturers, we need to apply the same kind of pressure we did in the Senate. This is not a moment for elected officials to count their campaign contributions and play it safe. This is a moment that demands leadership — a moment that will have consequences for those who ignore the will of the overwhelming majority of the American people. This bill will make sure that criminals, and those with serious mental health issues or records of domestic violence, can no longer obtain guns with ease. In short, it will save lives. Use our new tool and urge Rep. McDermott to support King-Thompson (HR-1565) and expanded background checks TODAY: http://act.demandaction.org/whipcount/House-Vote-Count/ Thank you, Mayors Against Illegal Guns ______________                                 1. “Following Outrage Over Failure Of Background Checks Bill, Senators Now Say They May Back It,” Think Progress, May 7, 2013.                                 2. “Polls Plummet For Senators Who Voted No On Gun Background Checks,” Talking Points Memo, April 29, 2013.                                 3. “Sen. Manchin vows to reintroduce bill expanding background checks,” The Hill, April 28, 2013.

President Obama Speaks on the Affordable Care Act

 

 

President Obama delivers statement on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health, lives and pocketbooks of women and their families. May 10, 2013.

Farm Bill debate begins–yo​ur voice is needed:

Our government is currently paying farmers to grow virtually the opposite of what it recommends that Americans eat—including billions to subsidize items such as corn syrup that go into processed food. Not only do these policies undermine our health, they damage our air, soil, and water. Thankfully, there’s a better way. Check out our new analysis, The Healthy Farm: A Vision for U.S. Agriculture, that identifies four ways that modern, science-based practices can produce abundant, affordable, healthy food and protect our environment. Be sure to visit our interactive healthy farm and take action as debate on the Farm Bill heats up. —Karla Science in Action Debate on Farm Bill begins—we need your help We have an opportunity right now to reorient government policies to provide greater support for healthy food and farms. A proposal has been introduced to strengthen support in the Farm Bill for programs that meet our food needs, provide economic opportunities, and minimize harmful environmental costs. Tell Congress: the Farm Bill should support healthy farms and food—not processed food and industrial agriculture! Share: Cartoon of the Month Click to view larger image.  VOTE for UCS! Support our submission in the Looking @ Democracy video contest. INFOGRAPHIC: Are U.S. farms growing the food we should eat? Find out! Organic dairy—it’s good for your bones and great for the local economy. Learn more. Just rotate the crops? How one scientific study is upending the claims made by chemical companies! Ask a Scientist Karen Perry Stillerman Senior Analyst, Food and Environment ProgramFollow Karen’s blog >> Our country has one of the highest costs for medical care, and has increasing amounts of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. To what extent can changes in our food system help make Americans healthier and what is UCS doing about these problems? —Janet Cruz, Kamiah, ID It’s true that healthcare spending in the United States currently accounts for 18 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is expected to rise sharply as the population ages. And rates of diet-related chronic diseases are soaring. Most of us know we should eat a healthier diet—with more fruits and vegetables, and less meat, sugar, and processed foods—but we’re being undermined by a food system that sets us up to fail. MOREDo you have a question for UCS scientists? Submit your question today. This Just In Take a trip to a modern, sustainable farm Healthy farms can meet our need for affordable, healthy food while providing real environmental and economic benefits. Our interactive graphic takes you on a tour of the top practices and benefits associated with modern, sustainable farming. Start your journey now!

ALEC’s at it again: this time pushing state legislation that threatens our food’s safety by shielding factory farms from whistleblowers. Here’s what you need to know… MORE   Laura Wisland: Solar Power Blooms Across the Country  Michael Halpern: Duped Again on Emergency Contraception  Todd Sanford: Wildfire Season Has Arrived in the West  Kevin Knobloch: A Welcome Voice of Corporate Leadership MORE   Did you miss Ricardo Salvador on @MHPnews? http://ow.ly/kwGSx Check out this weekend’s segment on #GMOs, Monsanto, hunger, and more…  VIDEO: Planning for sea level rise http://ow.ly/kqsaI @weatherchannnel highlights the growing risks of rising seas. #climate  We need a science champion for @EPAadm. Tell your senator to confirm Gina McCarthy: http://bit.ly/141B77I  States are choosing renewable energy facts over fiction peddled by #ALEC, #Koch brothers @CSMonitor http://ow.ly/kr03y DEFEND SCIENCE! Your commitment to UCS ensures that scientific facts inform decisions that affect our environment, our health, and our security. Donate today.

Don’t let the NRA get away with this

 

The NRA is running dishonest ads to protect their allies in the Senate who blocked background checks. First up: New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. Ayotte voted against the bipartisan background check bill. Then she went home for recess to find her constituents outraged and her approval ratings plummeting. Now, the NRA is running a new TV ad in hopes of protecting Ayotte from the backlash. What’s amazing is that the ad claims Ayotte actually supports background checks and voted to protect them. In fact, the bill she voted for would have weakened the background check system. The ad makes an absurd leap of logic, even for the NRA. And we can’t let them get away with it. Please take a minute to watch the TV ad we’re running in New Hampshire telling the truth about Ayotte’s record, and make a donation of $33 or more to help keep it on the air. Senators across the country are being confronted by an undeniable fact: Americans overwhelmingly support background checks, and we aren’t going to forget the senators who blocked the legislation that would have expanded background checks and saved lives. That’s why the NRA is going to rush to protect them, even if it means distorting the facts. The NRA’s TV ad points to a bill that Senator Ayotte supported that was designed to sound good enough for a TV ad or op-ed. But, in reality, Ayotte voted for a gun lobby shadow bill that would have undermined public safety — a vote against her constituents, against law enforcement, and against common sense. We can’t let the NRA get away with it. It’s time to hold our elected officials accountable for their votes. Senator Ayotte voted against expanding life-saving background checks. Support the truth and help spread the word by making a donation of $33 or more to keep our ad on the air: https://donate.DemandAction.org/Donate/Ayotte_Ad-1 Thank you for standing with us and fighting the distortions and lies of the gun lobby. Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Before you call your mom

This Mother’s Day, if you can, make sure you call your mom.But today, can you take a minute to stand with the mothers of the 33 people who are murdered with guns every day in this country? The US Senate just blocked a bill that would have expanded criminal background checks to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Make sure your senators know you stand with moms and support common sense gun reform. Mayors Against Illegal Guns is hand delivering Mother’s Day cards to senate offices in communities all across the country. Click here to sign a Mother’s Day card to your senators. Then share it with your friends and family. Thank you for standing with moms, and Happy Mother’s Day! Nick Buis National Field Director Mayors Against Illegal Guns

How much does a Senate vote cost? Ask the NRA!

How much does it cost to block a bill in the U.S. Senate?  What about a bill that’s supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people? 45 Senators voted to block a bill to expand criminal background checks, and the gun lobby spent at least $8,165,490 to support their campaigns. Check out the receipt to see how much their votes cost and click here to share it on Facebook. Not on Facebook? Forward this email or share the graphic through our website. 91% of Americans — including 74% of NRA members — support criminal background checks for all gun sales.  But these senators ignored the will of their constituents and gave in to the money and influence of the gun lobby. See how much each senator received and spread the word: http://DemandAction.org/Receipt Thank you for holding our elected officials accountable, Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Not funny

Philip Seymour Hoffman   23 of the nation’s leading cartoonists have something to say about gun violence — and it isn’t funny. Watch this amazing short film and share it with your friends and family.   In the wake of the tragic mass shooting in Newtown, these artists came together and created some beautiful images to express their outrage and heartbreak at the senseless loss of innocent lives. And after the shameful vote in the U.S. Senate, their message is more timely than ever. Watch this powerful video and share it with your friends and family today: http://www.demandaction.org/cartoonists/ Thank you for making your voice heard and supporting the gun violence prevention movement. Philip Seymour Hoffman

a message from VP Biden

“In the months since the terrible tragedy in Newtown, CT, something very powerful has happened. People like you, all across the country, have come together to stand up for common sense reform.” Conventional wisdom in Washington, DC said that gun reform was an impossible issue. They said we were outmatched — that the politics were too hard. They were wrong. The story has changed.” -Vice President Joe Biden As soon as tomorrow, the Senate is going to vote on a bipartisan bill that will expand background checks for gun sales and open the door to the first substantial gun reform in more than a decade. An overwhelming number of Americans support this legislation, including several prominent gun rights groups.  It will save countless lives without limiting 2nd Amendment rights. Vice President Biden wrote a special message for supporters like you to read at this critical moment. Can you take a minute to read it and call your senators right now? Thanks and please forward this message to your friends and family! Mark Glaze Mayors Against Illegal Guns

My dad …

 

I’ve told a lot of people about my dad in the past few months. He was a funny guy — always ready to make a joke. He came to the US when he was 14 and worked hard to build his own small business. He was warm and kind. People liked him and he was always looking to help others.On September 27, 2012, my dad was killed in a mass shooting. A former employee came to his office with a gun and murdered my dad and five other people before turning the gun on himself.I just went to Washington to meet with my members of Congress and talk about gun violence prevention. I was there because Mayors Against Illegal Guns organized a lobbying day for more than 120 family members of victims and survivors of gun violence. I told my members of Congress about my dad, and something amazing happened: they listened. They heard what I had to say, and I think it made a real difference. Organizing for Action filmed my trip and then came here to Minneapolis to learn more about my dad. Will you take a few minutes to watch the video and then call your members of Congress to support gun reform?   Sometimes I think about how good my dad would have been at telling his own story. How he’d break the ice and make everyone smile. How comfortable he was with people. It can be hard for me to talk about him. But I know it’s important to share his story. I can’t bring him — or the other people who were killed that day — back to life. But with your help maybe I can help stop shootings like this from happening to others. Please join me. Take a minute to watch this video and make your voice heard: http://DemandAPlan.org/Sami Thank for sharing your story with Congress, Sami Rahamim Mayors Against Illegal Guns