The American people have a strong tradition of honoring our war veterans.  And Democrats have always led the fight to give our veterans what they deserve for their brave service to our country.

We all may not agree with the causes of this current war in Iraq, but we all agree that the brave men and women fighting it, and their families, deserve more than we can ever give them.

Now we must focus attention on our veterans and military retirees who have seen the government cut medical benefits, close VA hospitals, double tax disability payments, and more than double prescription drug co-payments, while requiring veterans to pay an annual enrollment fee of $250 to use government health services in the 2006 budget.

Back in 2001, Congress voted to slowly eliminate the estate tax over a number of years, but did not have the votes to permanently eliminate it.  With funding by some of American's wealthiest families (think Walmart, Gallo, Mars candy bars), representatives of the nation's plutocrats think they might have the votes this year to repeal the tax rather than waiting until later when the public mood might change.  It's crucial that we let our elected officials know that we don't support these efforts and urge them to save the estate tax instead.

Every year, some 1.6 million Americans file for personal bankruptcy protection.  The process, which in many respects mirrors corporate bankruptcy, allows them to come up with a creditor-reviewed and court-approved plan to write off some of their debts, pay off others, and reorganize their personal finances so they can make a fresh start.

For almost a decade, the credit card industry has been promoting bankruptcy reform (sic) that will neither prevent bankruptcy nor protect the consumer.  Rather, the industry that passes out 2 billion solicitations for credit cards to people - including children and animals - like candy now wants to insure that it gets paid first before other debts are partially paid, such as child support.  They have perpetrated a smear campaign against people filing for bankruptcy, accusing them of cheating or being lazy money managers.

Soon the U.S. House will debate bankruptcy "reform" legislation that will make it harder for low- and moderate-income individuals to get out of debt even when blindsided by sickness, divorce, or job loss.  These are the very times when people are most vulnerable to credit card companies' pitches to rack up debt.

With this bill, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and the banking, finance and credit card industries' friends in Congress are rewarding their donors.

According to a recent analysis we've conducted, the big banks and credit card companies have contributed nearly $43 million since 1989 to current members of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1989.  Of that, about one-third went to Democrats and nearly two-thirds went to Republicans.  Tom DeLay ranks near the top of that list; when contributions to his leadership PAC are added, he has received more than $620,000 from the industry.

http://ga3.org/campaign/houseindebt/

The Global Millennium Assessment - the most comprehensive scientific assessment of global ecosystems ever, carried out over four years by 1,400 leading scientists - was recently released (http://www.millenniumassessment.org/).  The assessment found that two-thirds of the world's ecosystems that support life on Earth - such as fresh water, fisheries, forests and climate - are being degraded or used unsustainably.  These trends are projected to worsen if policy responses are not forthcoming - threatening the continuation of conditions necessary for advanced human societies.  The Assessment caps some thirty years of studies indicating humans are significantly altering and outright destroying large-scale ecosystems upon which they depend for their habitat.

Proving that certain politicians can define new lows in outrageous behavior, Senator John Cornyn of Texas demonstrated his sympathetic understanding that violence against judges might be expected against judges that defend the Constitution in carrying out their duties.  Senator Cornyn, himself a former judge, sought to link his outrage against the courageous judges who refused to intervene in the tragic Terri Schiavo matter with recent violent attacks against judges and their families.  Speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Cornyn, while speaking out against the recent Supreme Court decision making minors ineligible for the death penalty, made a startling and patently offensive argument, stating:

Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton is a poor choice to serve as the US Ambassador to the United Nations.  From his post at the State Department, he oversaw the administration's failed non-proliferation policy, was an outspoken proponent of the principle of pre-emptive war and was a major opponent of the International Criminal Court, which many in the UN see as the only realistic solution to the ongoing genocide in Sudan.  Moreover, Bolton is an inexperienced diplomat with a history of belligerent opposition to the United Nations itself.

This morning, the Washington Post and the New York Times each broke new scandals involving Republican Majority Leader Rep. Tom DeLay.  According to the Times, DeLay paid his wife and daughter more than $500,000 of his political donors' money over the last four years.  And the Post article highlights a seedy 1997 trip DeLay took, underwritten by "a mysterious company located in the Bahamas" that was tied to Russian business interests.

And that's not the only legal or ethical scandal DeLay is involved in.  DeLay illegally used corporate funds in support of his plan to re-district Texas, and he went on golf trips with gambling lobbyist Jack Abramoff--two months before DeLay helped kill legislation opposed by the gambling companies.

Any day now, the United States Senate will be voting on whether or not to keep a time-honored part of politics--the filibuster, a tactic used by a political minority in order to prevent action on legislation or a nomination for an executive branch position or a federal judgeship.

The filibuster has recently drawn more attention as the Senate has debated several controversial nominations, made by President Bush, for federal judgeships.  HRC has opposed a handful of these nominations because of the nominee's record on GLBT issues.  Your action is absolutely critical in making sure the filibuster is protected and that our voices, as a community and allies, continue to be heard.  The future of the Supreme Court could depend on it.  Please do your part.

Tell your Senator to support the filibuster and protect our courts against right wing extremists to ensure that mainstream judges who believe in equality for all Americans are nominated to our federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/senate_filibuster

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is planning hearings on the nomination of John Bolton to the position of U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. in early April.  Please urge your Senator to take a leadership role in opposing Bolton's nomination.  Someone who opposes multilateralism and has a history of actively opposing international cooperation should NOT lead the U.S. mission to the world body.

"There's no such thing as the United Nations....If the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference," says John Bolton, President Bush's nominee for US ambassador to the United Nations.

DeLay's multiple ethics offenses make him unfit to lead in the U.S. Congress.  Does your representative support Decency, or DeLay?  Ask them to SPEAK UP NOW.

The U.S. Congress is perhaps the most potent image of representative democracy in the world.  Yes, sometimes its members fail to act wisely, and sometimes they don't live up to our ideals.  Still, those two chambers filled with delegates of the people are the heart of what our country is about.

Oppose John Bolton's Nomination to UN

On March 7, President Bush shocked the world by nominating John Bolton, who's dedicated his life to undermining the United Nations, to be our UN Ambassador.  Bolton has made a career of ridiculing our work with other nations to achieve our goals.  If Bolton is confirmed by the Senate, he will isolate America in the world, leaving us without partners to work with to keep us safe.  In fact, 59 former American diplomats, from both Democratic and Republican administrations, have written a letter urging the Senate to oppose Bolton's nomination.

The Charles Schwab Corp. and Wachovia Corp. are leading corporate supporters of Social Security privatization.  Privatizing Social Security would create risky private accounts invested in the stock market that could cut the program's guaranteed benefits by up to 40 percent, explode the federal debt and open Social Security up to political corruption.  But such investment firms as Schwab and Wachovia could reap billions in fees and commissions for managing privatized Social Security accounts.

Working families count on Social Security's guaranteed benefits--and we should be able to count on our investment managers to act in our best interest and to steer clear of conflicts of interest.  Please take a moment now to send the following message to Charles Schwab, CEO of Charles Schwab Corp., and G. Kennedy Thompson, Wachovia's CEO.  Tell them to drop their support for privatizing Social Security.

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/wallstreetgreed

Last Friday, HHS released a new set of materials to help parents speak to their children, including a website (http://www.4parents.gov), a booklet called "Parents, Speak Up", and a Teen Chat booklet.  The sections on sexual orientation and contraception are particularly problematic and make the website of little positive use for parents with LGBT youth.

Email HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and ask him to address the problems with the new website so that it can truly serve its purpose to help parents play vital roles in maintaining children's health.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hhs_4parents

Concerned that the Democrats will block President Bush's judicial nominees, including a possible future U.S. Supreme Court nominee, the Republican leadership is threatening to change the longstanding rules of the Senate -- a strategy that has become known as the "nuclear option."  If activists like you don't speak out and the Republicans succeed, there may no longer be a way to stop radical, conservative judges from turning back the clock on social justice issues that we care most about.  This is likely our first major fight on the road to a Supreme Court battle, and we cannot afford to lose.  

Sign our petition to stop Congress from going nuclear!

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/stop_nuclear/

On March 17, the House and Senate passed competing versions of a FY06 budget resolution, and yes, the Senate version includes language that could pave the way for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  Nevertheless, drilling is not a done deal, and conservation activists need to keep reminding Congress that we like our Arctic just the way it is - wild, unspoiled, and free of oil drilling.  There remain many legislative steps between now and passage of the resolution, and we need your help to keep the pressure on Congress.

Please add your own words to our letter at the link below, then click on Send this Message.

http://ga1.org/campaign/ArctBudgetConf

In as many as 20 states, pharmacies can refuse to fill women's prescriptions for contraception, including the morning-after pill.

When a woman and her doctor decide that a prescription for contraception is in the woman's best interest, a third party has no right to override that decision.  Pharmacies must ensure that patients get their doctor-prescribed medication without delay or inconvenience.

Join NARAL Pro-Choice America in telling our nation's biggest pharmacies (Wal-Mart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreen's, and Eckerd's) not to stand between a woman and her physician.

http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/pharmacy_petition

Wal-Mart is a sponsor of Good Morning America's "Only in America" series, a series that features the patriotic and brave stories of so many Americans who make this nation better and stronger.  With this sponsorship, ABC News provides Wal-Mart both a format and visual framing to perpetuate a long-term myth--that Wal-Mart possesses a unique American patriotism manifested in practices that promote American values, respect workers, and privilege American-made products.  There could be no greater distance between "Only in America" and the reality behind Wal-Mart's image machinery.