House Bill 399 - The so-called "Informed Consent for Abortion Act" was defeated by a vote of 207-113 in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Congratulations! Thanks to you and hundreds of other members of New Hampshire's pro-choice majority, the New Hampshire House of Representatives defeated HB 399 - the so-called "Informed Consent for Abortion Act." By taking the time to contact your legislators and urge them to vote against House Bill 399, you have taken your place in this important victory for women's reproductive rights in New Hampshire.

This was an exciting win - our first of the legislative session. I was thrilled to hear from some of your representatives, congratulating us on the extent of our outreach. 1,000 emails were sent between Monday, March 7 and Wednesday, March 9 opposing HB 399.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO EMAIL THEIR REPRESENTATIVES!!!

http://www.prochoicenewhampshire.org/

Senator Susan Collins is uncertain whether she supports the Smith-Bingaman amendment that would save Medicaid and protect needy families.

Senator Collins' vote is extremely important in passing the Smith-Bingaman amendment and preventing massive cuts to Medicaid. Please call Senator Collins and urge her to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment: 1-202-224-2523

The message to the Senator is simple:
" Please support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike cuts to Medicaid. "

- Planned Parenthood of Northern New England


The Senate will vote as early as this afternoon on two bipartisan amendments that would provide much needed assistance to postsecondary students and students preparing for college, and would prevent the elimination of the Vocational Education program.

The amendment by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) would restore three college prep programs aimed at low-income students (TRIO, LEAP and GEAR UP). The programs are targeted for elimination in President Bush's budget. In addition, the amendment would add money to the Pell Grant program to improve access to a college education for low-income students, and it would provide student loan forgiveness to new math, science, and special education teachers in high need schools.

The Tom Harkin (D-IA) amendment would restore $1.3 billion in funding for the Perkins Career and Technical Education program, which was eliminated in President Bush's budget. This program is responsible for providing technical skills and specialized coursework to students in high schools and in two-year colleges.

Call 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators or e-mail your Senators to urge him/her to support the Harkin amendment and the Kennedy Higher Education/Job Training amendment. If you get a busy signal when you call, try again later! Your Senators need to know your budget priorities.

- National Education Association


Could the U.S. Senate really vote against a bill that would end insurance discrimination that favors Viagra over the Pill, funds teen-pregnancy prevention programs, and educates women about the morning-after pill?

This week, Senators Harry Reid and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who stand on opposite sides of the abortion debate, will offer an amendment to the Senate budget to set aside $100 million for programs that will help reduce the need for abortion by preventing unintended pregnancy.

Please click here to tell your senators to vote "yes" on the Reid-Clinton prevention amendment.
It's a reasonable package that both pro-choice AND pro-life senators should be able to support. But the vote is too close to call. Your senators need to hear from you TODAY.

- NARAL Pro-choice America


It is also important to note that the budget resolution to allow arctic drilling doesn’t have the force of law, although it is the first step in the budget process that can lead to legislation being enacted. The Arctic drilling provision makes an already controversial budget even more contentious. The budget process is long and complex, and the outcome is far from certain. Congress hasn’t passed a budget bill in recent years.

I am counting on your continued support. Please take action now to urge your representative to keep Arctic drilling out of the House budget resolution and to urge your representative and senators to cosponsor legislation designating the coastal plain of the refuge as federal wilderness.
Making that incredible area a wilderness is the only way to end the fight over oil development.

- Conservation Action Network


We have a chance to stop Arctic drilling by preventing the passage of the entire budget, of which Arctic drilling is a part.

Please urge your senators to vote against the budget because it includes Arctic drilling.

To take action, click on this link or paste it into your web browser:
http://savethearctic.com/arctic.asp?id=401&id4=ES

- New Hampshire Public Interest Research Group


Another Action to stop artic drilling. Please do them ALL!

Click here to write to your Senators and tell them how you feel about their vote.

Let them hear from you before the Senate votes again.

- League of Conservation Voters


An amendment to the budget that would protect the pristine Arctic Refuge, introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), will be considered by the Senate today or tomorrow.We've won in the past by the votes of three votes in the Senate, but last year's election brought three new pro-drilling Republican senators to Washington. Victory is quite literally one vote away in the Senate, but we need hundreds of phone calls pouring into Senate offices immediately.

Your senator could be a deciding factor.Please call the office of Sen. Gregg today at the number below.
Senator Judd Gregg DC Phone: 202-224-3324

When you call be sure the staffer who answers knows you're a constituent, and then urge your senator to:"Vote to support the Cantwell-Kerry amendment to keep Arctic drilling OUT of the budget resolution."
Please let us know you're making this important call, at:http://www.moveonpac.org/arctic?id=5209-5306048-No3uwNuv7G0pnTznIp27mQ

- moveon.org

In the next two weeks, Congressman Bass will hold town hall meetings across central, southern, and western New Hampshire to discuss his support for George W. Bush's plan to privatize Social Security.

Check the list below for the meeting near you, then go and tell Bass that he needs to listen to his constituents -- not the White House -- when it comes to Social Security.

In Dover last week, 250 angry voters got Jeb Bradley to back off his support for the Bush plan - this is your chance to do the same with Congressman Bass.


*** CONCORD AREA ***Monday, March 21 at 5:00 pmEpsom Town Hall27 Black Hill Road

*** MILFORD ***Saturday, March 19 at 11:15 amMilford Banquet Hall, Town Office BldgOne Union Square, Milford

*** KEENE AREA ***Thursday, March 24 at 5:00 pmMarlborough Town Offices236 Main St.

*** HILLSBOROUGH ***Monday, March 21 at 7:00 pmHillsborough Police Station22 Dump Road

*** NASHUA AREA ***Saturday, March 19 at 9:30 amHudson Police Station Community Rm.One Constitution Drive

*** SOUTHERN TIER ***Saturday, March 19 at 8:00 amWindham Town Hall3 North Lowell
Road

Is he honoring our obvious intelligence by not coming up here or just ignoring us... again?

Read about how Judd Gregs ridiculously inaccurate social security propaganda fooled washington post op-ed columnist George Will.

http://dailyhowler.com/dh031605.shtml

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 168 to to S.Con.Res. 18 (Appropriations resolution FY2006, Budget )
Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Statement of Purpose: To strike section 201(a)(4) relative to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Vote Counts: YEAs 49 NAYs 51

The following democrats betrayed the party and the enviroment:

Senators Inouye and Akaka from Hawaii
Senator Landrieu from Lousiana.

With their support, the amendment would have passed. Do you think the people of the VERY BLUE state of Hawaii wanted drilling in the ANWR. Well it was a buy off people. Inouye and Akaka sold ANWR for support for their own ammendent. [Read more about that here]

These democrats should not get away with their votes. They should be made to account for this. But I wonder if ANY mainstream news reporting of this vote will even mention their names?

I understand from what I have read on other blogs that there will still be opportunities to prevent drilling and that the organizations that were trying to get this admendment passed will keep fighting to prevent the drilling from happening.

Here is a link to the entire senate voting record http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00052

Of coarse I am sure you can already guess how our good for nothing republicans voted:

Gregg (R-NH), Nay
Sununu (R-NH), Nay

Here's some republicans to acknowledge, they tried to do the right thing:

Both of the republicans from the great state of Maine vote Yea! [Snowe and Collins].
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
DeWine (R-OH), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that at least 20 federal agencies have made and distributed pre-packaged, ready-to-serve television news segments to promote President Bush's policies and initiatives.

The Bush administration is using hundreds of millions of your tax dollars to manipulate public opinion. Here's how to stop them:

Sign our petition and help us get 250,000 people to join our call to Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and local television stations. Tell Congress and the FCC to toughen and enforce laws against "covert propaganda" and demand that broadcasters come clean with viewers about using government-produced news.

- Free Press [ Freepress.org]

These government-produced segments have frequently aired on broadcast TV stations across the country without proper disclosure. Not only is this unacceptable, it is also illegal.

Take action today to help us Start Change: Send a message to the FCC and ask them to STOP FAKE NEWS

- StartChange.org

Today Harry Reid and the Democratic Senators asked us, the American people, to help them preserve the right of our elected representatives to speak their mind on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

We have to act. Sign this petition, which we will deliver to every U.S. Senator, asking them to protect the right to free speech in the Senate. If they don't, it is not only their voice that will be silenced -- it will be ours:

http://www.democrats.org/freespeech

- Governor Howard Dean

The House of Representatives votes [TODAY] on whether to spend another $82 billion on the occupation. Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan (USN, ret.), who fought in three wars and commanded the North Atlantic Fleet, reminds us that the Vietnam War finally ended only when Congress refused to continue funding it. Tens of thousands of TrueMajority members have urged Congress to demand a clear Iraq exit strategy before handing over more money for the occupation. If you haven’t sent your message yet, the time is now.
Cclick here to send your free message:
http://truemajority.kintera.org/Iraqexit

- True Majority

Save Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

We have only 24 to 48 hours to try and save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The Republicans are trying to sneak legislation through the Senate approving oil drilling and they are incredibly close to winning. We have to stop them.

I am joining with Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) in offering a critical amendment to stop this sneak attack on our environment. We will fight on the floor of the Senate, but we need you by our side.

There are seven key Republican Senators whose votes will decide the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Senators Gregg and Sununu are two of them. Before they vote, we need to make sure they know that their constituents are watching, and that they will not be able to support drilling without anybody noticing.

Sign our Cantwell-Kerry Citizens' Roll Call now.
http://www.johnkerry.com/RollCall

- John Kerry

Click here now to keep the Arctic Refuge free from drilling -- Tell your Senators to vote for the Cantwell Amendment.
- League of Conservation Voters

Just as new scandals concerning alleged ethical violations by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) and other Members have erupted in recent days, the House Ethics Committee has become virtually powerless. The reason? Rules passed at the beginning of 2005 make it virtually impossible for the Committee to launch any investigation of unethical conduct.

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), the senior Democrat on the Ethics Committee, is leading the charge to reject the new rules and is calling on his House colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to join him in cosponsoring a resolution that would roll back the most onerous rule changes.
- Common Cause.org

Starting [March 14th], the House and Senate will begin debate on budget resolutions that could cut up to $20 billion in the Medicaid program and force changes in the program which could end vital health care services to women and families.

Our only hope at stopping these brutal cuts is an amendment to be offered by Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) which would eliminate the Senate Medicaid cuts. The Smith-Bingaman amendment must pass when voted on later this week.

Tell your Senators to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment by calling 1-800-828-0498 The message to Senators is simple: " Please support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike cuts to Medicaid. "
- Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

Recent Senate Votes
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 - Vote Passed (74-25, 1 Not Voting)

The Senate approved this bill that would make it harder for people who declare bankruptcy to get out of paying their debts.

Sen. Judd Gregg voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Sununu voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users - Vote Passed (417-9, 9 Not Voting)

The House passed this $284 billion bill that would fund transportation projects over the next six years.

Rep. Charles Bass voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

2006 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution - S.Con.Res.18

The Senate and House are set to begin debating 2006 fiscal year budget resolutions this week. Both resolutions are expected to cost around $2.6 trillion. The budget resolution serves as an outline of spending priorities in the appropriations process.

Emergency Supplemental Wartime Appropriations Act - H.R.1268

The House is scheduled to take up this $81.3 billion supplemental spending bill providing funds for tsunami relief and military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is an interesting blog for all you lovers of progressive politics AND the juice of the barley.

http://drinkingliberally.org/

Anyone interested in starting one here?