Keystone XL Just Cleared One Of Its Final Hurdles

The five-member Nebraska Public Service Commission, which voted 3-to-2, was barred from considering the spill under a state law heavily lobbied by pipeline behemoth TransCanada. Under that 2011 law, the officials were required to weigh "economic and social impacts," compliance with state and local regulations, and evidence that the pipeline would damage or deplete natural resources.

The Drug Price Relief Act, defeated soundly in Ohio last week, is coming to a state near you in 2018

People in Ohio, including some residents of Steubenville, voted against a ballot initiative that would require the state to pay no more for prescription drugs than the federal Department of Veterans Affairs does. However, the man behind the ballot, Michael Weinstein, hopes to get it on several states' ballots ahead of next year's mid-term elections.

Protesters disrupt U.S. fossil, nuclear event at climate talks

Protesters drowned out speeches by White House advisers and business representatives Monday at an event the U.S. government sponsored at the U.N. climate talks in Germany promoting the use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. About 200 protesters stood up 10 minutes into the event and began singing an anti-coal song to the tune of "God Bless the U.S.A." They were ushered out of the room without further incident.

Take Action To Stop the Deportation of Muslim Community Activist Siham Byah

Last Tuesday, Siham Byah - a 40-year-old undocumented Moroccan Muslim woman, single mother, and community activist - was detained by ICE at what was supposed to be a routine her to Morocco, where she would be in serious danger due to her human rights activism there. , we have a responsibility to support immigrant communities that are under attack, by any means necessary .

Immigrant girl with cerebral palsy released, reunited with her family

U.S. authorities released a 10-year-old immigrant girl with cerebral palsy who had been detained by border agents after surgery because she is in the U.S. without legal permission. The American Civil Liberties Union and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said that Rosa Maria Hernandez was returned to her family Friday.

Government says teen’s lawyers misled them in abortion case

The Trump administration says lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union misled them in the case of a pregnant immigrant teen who sought and obtained an abortion following a lawsuit. The Department of Justice says the teen's abortion was moved up without their knowledge and before they could ask the Supreme Court to review the case.

Court upholds approvals of 3 projects to export natural gas

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld Energy Department decisions approving three projects to export liquefied natural gas, a boost for the Trump administration's strategy to increase energy production and promote exports. The Sierra Club was seeking to overturn approvals of export terminals in Maryland, Louisiana and Texas, saying the projects would increase air and water pollution and contribute to global warming.

US Senators Urge Trump To Demand Erdogan Respect Human Rights

WASHINGTON ­– On Wednesday, U.S. Senators John McCain , Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Bob Menendez , member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan letter to President Trump today calling on the administration to urge Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to stop harassing American diplomats, to respect human rights, and to uphold democratic values in Turkey.

EPA to ease emission restrictions on coal-fired power plants

The Trump administration is moving to roll back the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's efforts to slow global warming, seeking to ease restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. In a plan expected to be made public in coming days, the Environmental Protection Agency declared the Obama-era rule exceeded federal law by setting emissions standards that power plants could not reasonably meet.

Citing religious freedom, Trump backing off Obama-era rules

In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others. At a time when Trump finds himself embattled on many fronts, the two directives - issued almost simultaneously on Friday - demonstrated the president's eagerness to retain the loyalty of social conservatives who make up a key part of his base.

EPA moves to rescind Obama plan to slow global warming

The Trump administration is moving to roll back the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's efforts to slow global warming, seeking to ease restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. In a plan expected to be made public in coming days, the Environmental Protection Agency declared the Obama-era rule exceeded federal law by setting emissions standards that power plants could not reasonably meet.

Trump’s one-two punch hits birth control, LGBT rights

In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others. At a time when Trump finds himself embattled on many fronts, the two directives - issued almost simultaneously on Friday - demonstrated the president's eagerness to retain the loyalty of social conservatives who make up a key part of his base.

The Banality of Information Warfare

Russian operatives set up an array of misleading Web sites and social media pages to identify American voters susceptible to propaganda, then used a powerful Facebook tool to repeatedly send them messages designed to influence their political behavior, say people familiar with the investigation into foreign meddling in the U.S. election. The tactic resembles what American businesses and political campaigns have been doing in recent years to deliver messages to potentially interested people online.

Feds demand Facebook handover private info of ‘anti-administrationa

The Department of Justice is demanding that Facebook provide the government with the private information of three users, including the identities of an estimated 6,000 people who "liked" a page set up in protest of President Donald Trump. In search warrants filed in court , government officials sought the disclosure of a wide swath of personal information from the Facebook accounts of two political activists and a page set up to coordinate protests of Trump on Inauguration Day.

California Republicans Are Starting to Act Like Democrats

For the past decade, Democrats hoping to pass a big climate law have played Charlie Brown to the Republicans' Lucy. Despite the GOP making it clear it has no intention of holding the ball for a global warming kick, the left routinely convinces itself that their counterparts will kneel into position once it gets a running start.