Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said a new report released today by the Joint Economic Committee showed the average student loan debt in Vermont was greater than the amount in all but six other states. read more

Source: United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Country: Sudan By David Tereshchuk* June 13, 2013-Only last year, hope was beginning to rise that Darfur, Sudan, might finally be on the way to a better life. After a decade of brutal conflict, and shocking slaughter of civilians, peace agreements appeared to heralding a period of recovery. Tens of

When will they learn? Yet another Republican lawmaker has come forward to profess his belief that rape rarely results in pregnancy.

Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) welcomed assurances today that the Department of Veterans Affairs has made “significant progress” and is “at a tipping point” in reducing a massive backlog of claims for disability benefits. read more

PRESS CONFERENCE and RALLY GOOGLE: We’re Watching You!  Occupy Venice; Move to Amend; Revolutionary Poets Brigade; POWER (People Organized for Westside Renewal) announce a poetry-rally, press conference,   at Google Headquarters (The Binoculars Building) 340 Main St. VENICE 90291 Saturday, June 15, 2013 2PM Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/GoogleWereWatchingYou Poster:   http://occupyventura805.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/googlefinalcolor3-page-001.jpg   Speakers include: David Cobb (founder, Move to Amend; 2004 Green Party Candidate for President) Kendra Moore (president, Holiday Venice Tenant Action Committee) Hamid Khan (Stop LAPD Spying Coalition)   BRING YOUR BINOCULARS   Live Streams: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/blueskyorganics https://www.facebook.com/GoogleWereWatchingYou   Media Liaison: Mark Lipman, (310) 392-9700,  escalatepeace@yahoo.com

Does secrecy at state Capitol bother you? Janesville Gazette (blog) The Legislature and its Joint Finance Committee used both tactics to wrap up work on the proposed biennial state budget last week

Does secrecy at state Capitol bother you? Gazettextra (blog) The Legislature and its Joint Finance Committee used both tactics to wrap up work on the proposed biennial state budget last week. We’re also talking about a new problem involving the American Legislative Exchange Council , or ALEC.

By Madison Ruppert Editor of End the Lie A portion of the Senate Intelligence Committee (Image credit: SenRockefeller/Flickr) The Senate Intelligence Committee will reportedly hold a closed briefing for members to discuss the recently revealed National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programs after some lawmakers complained about not being informed of PRISM. The recent media furor began with a report showing that a secret court order forced Verizon to hand over all records for U.S. customers to the NSA.

Intel Committee Heads Walk Away Rather than Square NSA Programs with Fourth Amendment Sunday morning I questioned Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Rogers — the chairs of the Senate and House intelligence committees — as they walked out of…

Fox News dishonestly dismissed a Democratic congressman’s statement that the mystery of who began the IRS’ inappropriate targeting of conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status has been solved. Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union on June 9 where he explained that a Cincinnati-based IRS manager told congressional interviewers that a screener under his supervision brought a tea party group’s application for tax-exempt status to his attention, and that he then sent the case to a Washington office for assistance. In a letter to Rep