PSR Monitor

Physicians for Social Responsibility is a non-profit advocacy organization that is the medical and public health voice for policies to stop nuclear war and proliferation and to slow, stop and reverse global warming and toxic degradation of the environment.

Visit the PSR's Legislative Action Center where you'll find the tools you need to help you be an effective advocate for key national and state policies. Sign up to be an activist and receive the PSR Monitor.

Latest Newsletter:

Supreme Court Rules on Global Warming EPA Has the Authority to Act
On April 2, the Supreme Court delivered a big victory in the continued effort to curb global warming. In a 5-4 decision, the high court ruled that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions are “air pollutants” under the federal Clean Air Act.

New Global Warming Report Defines Public Health Threat
On April 6, 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the second installment of its Fourth Assessment Report on climate change. The release of the Working Group II report, titled “Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability,” bolsters the need for immediate action to address global warming.

EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee Calls for Stronger Ozone Standards
In the latest development on EPA’s efforts to revise national air quality standards for ozone air pollution, EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) has urged EPA Administrator Johnson to lower the permissible level of ground-level ozone pollution (smog) in order to better protect the respiratory health of children.

Sam Nunn, Bill Perry Blast New H Bomb in Congressional Testimony
Congressional consideration continues over the new hydrogen bomb, known as the “Reliable Replacement Warhead,” proposed by the Department of Energy in March. Former Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn and former Secretary of Defense William Perry testified in opposition to the new hydrogen bomb before the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the House Appropriations Committee on March 29, 2007. “If Congress gives a green light to this program in our current world
environment,” argued Nunn, “I believe that this will be: misunderstood by our allies; exploited by our adversaries; complicate our work to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons…and make resolution of the Iran and North Korean challenges all the more difficult.” Nunn continued, saying: “we will pay a very high price in terms of our overall national security if Congress gives the approval to go forward with this program. Mr. Chairman, I believe we need a strategic reassessment of the role and purposes of nuclear weapons in the 21st century and an urgent change in direction with both vision and steps. This change in direction should precede a Congressional decision on the RRW. I would not fund additional work on the RRW at this time." Mr. Perry concurred, testifying that “we could defer action for many years on an RRW program, and I have no doubt that this would put us in a stronger position to lead the international community in the continuing battle against nuclear proliferation, which threatens us all."

Dr. Robert Dodge Highlights Hefty Bill for Nuclear Weapons on Tax Day
Robert Dodge, M.D., who serves on the board of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles and is president of the Ventura County chapter of PSR, wrote an op-ed for the Ventura County Star on tax day asking “Do we spend our taxes to help Earth or destroy it?” Dr. Dodge highlights the tremendous expense of nuclear weapons: “Incredibly, this year, the nation will spend $54 billion on all nuclear weapons programs designed to prepare for, defend and fight a nuclear war.” From 9:30 to midnight, the Ventura County Chapter of Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions held its annual Tax Day Nuclear Presentation at the Oxnard Post Office, educating taxpayers about where their money goes. “This tax day, Ventura County will spend in excess of $165 million on these nuclear-weapons programs.”

Dr. Peter Wilk Argues Against War in Iran
Peter Wilk, M.D., President of PSR/Maine and Wendy Hazard of the Board of the United Nations Association of Maine published an op-ed in the Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram on April 4, 2007 argue “we must intensify this pressure on the Bush administration to avert a wider war in the Middle East and to find a diplomatic solution regarding Iran's nuclear facilities. Another war is not the answer.”

Achieving Global Security Conference
On Friday, April 13, over 200 people participated in a "first of its kind" conference initiated by Maine PSR. "Achieving Global Security" brought together environmental, disarmament and peace activists to illuminate the connections between their issues and to discuss collaborative activities on energy policies, nuclear issues, preemptive war, and global warming. Speakers included Mary-Wynne Ashford, former Co-President of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and Catherine Thomasson, current President of PSR. Topics discussed included, "Achieving a Sustainable Energy Policy in Maine"; "Ending the Nuclear Threat", and "Fighting Global Warming." Conference co-sponsers included the University of Southern Maine, Maine Public Health Association, Sierra Club of Maine and Maine National Council of Churches.

National PSR is working with other PSR chapters in Iowa and Pennsylvania on similar conferences. As we move towards the 2008 elections it is critical that these all important issues are brought to light. For more information contact maine PSR Executive Director, Melissa Boyd at psr_maine@yahoo.com.

Tell Congress to Support the Toxics Right-to-Know Protection Act
Prevent war on Iran. The time to prevent the next war is NOW.

In the News
Global Warming May Put U.S. in Hot Water
The Passing of Disarmament Heroes Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and Paul Leventhal


Lobby Day Reminder
On April 26th, PSR activists from around the country will convene in Washington, D.C. to meet with leaders on Capitol Hill to urge them to halt the production of new nuclear weapons and to call for decisive action on global warming — two of the gravest threats to human health and security.

Supreme Court Changed Everything

"For the first time since Roe, the Court blesses a prohibition with no exception protecting a woman's health." — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Dear Friend:

In the last 24 hours, people all across America have expressed their outrage at the Supreme Court's brutal ruling — and we've added a strong "we won't let you get away with it" warning to the Planned Parenthood Pledge. If you haven't yet signed, I urge you to do so now.

Americans are outraged by a Supreme Court ruling that has brought about a seismic shift on reproductive freedom. The court told women that, with their health at risk during a pregnancy, deciding what to do is no longer up to them and their doctors. The Bush Supreme Court has let politicians come barging into that most personal of decisions.

No woman in America is safe from that intrusion. And women in states where anti-choice legislators are tripping over themselves to take advantage of the court's unprincipled actions are in the most immediate jeopardy. Send a powerful message right now. Make clear that you won't let any court or any politician put women's health and safety at risk.

SIGN OUR PLANNED PARENTHOOD PLEDGE RIGHT NOW!

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote, "The Court deprives women of the right to make an autonomous choice, even at the expense of their safety." We have to prevent this decision from having a devastating impact on women's lives.

How are we going to do that? By immediately supporting Planned Parenthood teams of organizers and advocates that are already on the ground in key states across the nation. And by reaching out and asking hundreds of thousands of people to immediately express their outrage over abortion bans that undermine women's health and safety. We can start by taking a simple pledge — one that we will share with senators, governors, House members, and state legislators across the nation:

I want to send a message to every politician who thinks the Supreme Court's reckless decision is a green light to endanger women's health: We won't let you get away with it!

SIGN OUR PLANNED PARENTHOOD PLEDGE RIGHT NOW!

Our opponents can hardly contain themselves. The Associated Press reports that South Dakota anti-abortion hardliner Leslie Unruh was elated by the ruling: "I'm running and jumping in the air. I'm going to tell people, 'This should give you energy. Make sure you get to your capital and introduce some bills.'"

We've got to put anti-choice politicians and extremists on notice. They need to know that, just because the Supreme Court has upheld the federal abortion ban, we won't tolerate them interjecting themselves into women's personal medical decisions. If they act to undermine women's health, we won't let them get away with it.

SIGN OUR PLANNED PARENTHOOD PLEDGE RIGHT NOW!

We'll be counting on you to stand with us in the days and weeks ahead. Right now, the single most important thing you can do is help ignite an immediate display of national outrage. Sign our pledge right now — and pass the pledge on to as many people as you possibly can.

Thank you,



Cecile Richards
Planned Parenthood

Supreme Court Hands us a Big Victory

From: "NRDC - Frances Beinecke"
Subject: Supreme Court Hands Us a Big Victory

Dear Friends,

The U.S. Supreme Court finally set the bush administration straight on global warming.

In a 5-4 vote, the Court agreed with NRDC and our partners that carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions are "pollutants" under the Clean Air Act.

And in a stunning rebuke to the bush administration, the court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency ALREADY has the authority to start curbing those pollutants, which are wreaking havoc with our climate.

This landmark victory belongs to NRDC activists like you, who helped us launch this case four years ago and allowed us to play a leading role in a winning coalition of nearly 30 states, cities and environmental groups. We could not have prevailed without you!

And I know you want to hear exactly what the Court's decision means to our fight against global warming.

First, it obliterates the bush administration's leading excuse for doing nothing about global warming: namely, that it has no power to control carbon pollution. The Supreme Court has now ordered the EPA to stop relying on illegal excuses and to start getting serious about the problem of global warming pollution from new cars, SUV's and trucks.

Second, it removes the major obstacle to measures in California and ten other states that would slash greenhouse gas emissions from car exhaust.

Third, it adds immeasurably to the history-making momentum we've been building -- month by month, victory by victory -- for Congress to pass strong global warming legislation. Consider what's happened in just the last 90 days:

* Ten of the most influential companies in the world joined with NRDC and other leading environmental groups to call on Congress for a mandatory approach to cutting global warming pollution.

* NRDC helped spur a pioneering clean energy accord with TXU, a giant utility, which marks the beginning of the end of America's investment in dirty coal.

* NRDC helped persuade Arizona, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon to commit to mandatory caps on global warming pollution, bringing the latest total to 15 states.

A nationwide chain reaction has been unleashed, and this Supreme Court ruling is going to focus new and intense heat on Congress, which is just gearing up for serious debate on global warming. The timing could not be better.

If you haven't already, I urge you to join that chain reaction by making your own voice heard in Congress. Go to http://www.nrdcaction.org/gwtakeaction and send a message telling your Senators and Representative to pass a bill that cuts global warming pollution 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

It will take overwhelming public support to pass the kind of bold legislation that our planet so desperately needs. But if we can prevail over the bush administration in the Supreme Court, then anything is possible on Capitol Hill.

Let's take the fight to Congress!

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council
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