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| Presbyterians for Restoring
Creation urges people to contact representatives in Washington regarding
the flawed energy legislation now coming up for debate
[8-2-01]
Subj: PRC Alert -- House Energy Bill (HR 4)
Date: 8/1/01 12:06:20 PM Central Daylight Time
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation has
just issued this Action Alert, urging people to contact their
representatives in Washington regarding the energy legislation now
coming up for debate and action
ACTION ALERT: Environmental and energy legislation in House flawed in
fundamental ways- Please contact your Representative
This Wednesday (today), the House of Representatives is expected to
begin floor debate and vote on the energy bill, H.R. 4 (Securing
America's Future Energy Act of 2001). The debate and vote this week will
be one of the most important environmental actions in Congress in many
years. This bill does not reflect our obligations to protect the
environment and human health, nor is it economically prudent. It is
vital that we succeed in either dramatically improving this bill or in
defeating it.
The bill, as introduced, favors oil, coal, and nuclear energy, and will
not lead us in the direction of creating a clean and sustainable energy
system in the US. It would allow drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), would increase tax breaks for fossil fuel
companies, and would do nothing to address global climate change. It is
critical that the final version of this legislation includes provisions
for a significant increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards
(CAFE) standards, which would dramatically increase fuel efficiency, for
both passenger cars and light trucks/SUVs. The provision allowing
drilling in the ANWR must be removed in order to protect this fragile
ecosystem. This bill must also include language to substantially
increase incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency and
significantly decrease subsidies for oil, coal, and nuclear energy.
The National Academy of Sciences just released a report stating that a
substantial boost to CAFE standards over the next 10 to 15 years will be
cost-effective and achievable without dramatic reductions in vehicle
size or weight. For a copy of the article, please visit the Washington
Post web site.
Please fax and/or call your Representative about this important
environmental issue, and forward this action alert to appropriate
contacts.
The Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Just ask to be connected with
the office of your Representative.
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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