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Tuesday, June 2, 2015

News from Congressman Scott Peters

June 2, 2015

Dear Friend,

In recent weeks, we’ve been working to preserve the rich history of San Diego veterans, to foster artistic achievement among our high-school students, and fighting to increase America’s investments in our national defense and in scientific research. More information about each is below. As always, feel free to contact me HEREor by calling 202-225-0508 or 858-455-5550.

Congressional Art Competition Continues to Grow
Each year, high-school students across the country participate in the Congressional Art Competition, and winners have their artistic creation placed on display in the U.S. Capitol. For the third year in a row, my office sponsored the 52nd District Congressional Art Competition, and each year it has gotten bigger and better! This year we had 42 entries from 5 local high schools. After a review by some of San Diego’s most highly regarded artists and curators, Carolyn Chu of Torrey Pines High School was chosen as the winner. Rachel Liu of Canyon Crest Academy was chosen as the Fan Favorite in a competition on our Facebook page and her piece will hang in my University City office.

Presenting a certificate to 52nd District Congressional Art Competition winner Carolyn Chu

Helping Preserve Veterans’ Stories for Future Generations
Last week, I stood alongside men and women who had served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, and Iraq to announce our office’s plan to help local veterans have the personal stories of their service archived for perpetuity in the Library of Congress. Veterans of any branch and any service – war or peacetime – are encouraged to contact our San Diego office to participate in the Veterans History Project. Learn more and sign upHERE.

Scott standing with local veterans to discuss the Veterans History Project

Fighting for Our National Defense and Science
Recently, in the House of Representatives we continued to advocate for San Diego’s priorities around increased funding for basic scientific research. We also fought for energy supply diversity in the military so that our defense is smart, strong, and has the tools necessary to forcefully respond to threats from ISIS, Al Qaeda, and others.

Click above to see Scott call for scientific research funding (L) and military energy diversity (R)

Staying In Touch
I hope you will stay connected with what I am working on and tell me what is important to you: like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, add my Google + page to your circles, or visit my website for more information. If you have a friend you think would also like to receive regular updates, feel free to forward this email or link. As always you can email me or call my offices at 202-225-0508 (DC) or 858-455-5550 (San Diego.)
Sincerely,

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS

Here's the top news from the past month on our fight against sexual assault and harassment in the military.

New report on retaliation against victims

Two weeks ago, at a joint press conference in Washington, DC, Human Rights Watch and Protect Our Defenders announced the release of a report that found that service members who report sexual assault frequently experience retaliation that goes unpunished. [Reuters]

In response to the scathing report, I said, "Over and over, we hear from survivors that the retaliation was the worst part. They wish they hadn't come forward.” [USA TODAY]

"This report affirms what we see daily, through our Pro Bono Network: servicemembers who face retaliation have nowhere within the system to turn, and know that most likely no one will be held accountable," POD Program and Policy Director Miranda Petersen said. "This leaves survivors with two practical options: either suffer in silence, or leave the military." [C-SPAN]

This report would not have been possible without the many survivors who shared their personal stories in the report and those who traveled to DC for its release. Many veterans and active duty survivors, both men and women, joined us the next day to testify at the Congressionally-appointed Judicial Proceedings Panel meeting.

For a full list of the almost 50 news stories that covered the report, including live video, click here.

Washington Post Editorial

The Washington Post published an editorial calling on Congress to support Senator Gillibrand's fundamental reform of the military justice system. They write: "A number of retired military officials, including those with experience handling these cases, such as former Air Force chief prosecutor Don Christensen, agree on the need for fundamental change. Mr. Christensen, now president of Protect Our Defenders, told us that the climate in which sexual harassment is seen as the norm won’t change as long as decisions about prosecution are made by those who create the climate...Considering that zero tolerance was first promised in 1992 by then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, it’s time to help fulfill that promise."[Washington Post]

#EndVictimBlaming Campaign

The Pentagon continues to discredit sexual assault survivors, this time suggesting that victims only think they are being retaliated against and that such "perceived retaliation" is a misunderstanding. [PBS Frontline]

POD launched an #EndVictimBlaming campaign calling on President Obama -- who just joined Twitter -- to address the military's disgraceful attempts to smear victims. Over 200 people have tweeted so far. Join us and tweet @POTUS, email or call or write the White House.

Gillibrand Report on Civilians and Military Spouses

Senator Gillibrand released a new report based on findings from the four largest military bases in the country. Her review of 107 case files found high rates of assault against civilian women and military spouses. The fact that these two groups are not included in Pentagon surveys on sexual assault calls into question the true scale of the epidemic. [Associated Press]

Thank you for your support of this issue. I will keep you updated in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Col Don Christensen (ret.), President, Protect Our Defenders

Former US Air Force Chief Prosecutor

Protect Our Defenders Foundation sends email to supporters who seeks to honor, support and give voice to the brave women and men in uniform who have been sexually assaulted while serving their country.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

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The cellphones of Democratic leaders statewide began to buzz

We're on the move and there is growing energy in the campaign. Check out these excerpts from yesterday's New York Times article: "Challenging Clinton, Sanders Gains Momentum in Iowa..."

"A mere 240 people live in the rural northeast Iowa town of Kensett, so when more than 300 crowded into the community center on Saturday night to hear Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, many driving 50 miles, the cellphones of Democratic leaders statewide began to buzz."

"Mr. Sanders's stop at a brewery in Ames on Saturday was so mobbed that more than 100 people who could not fit inside peered through the windows."

"The next day, in Muscatine, Iowa, after a rally at a community college drew twice the expected audience of 50…"

"... Mr. Sanders seemed to be experiencing a contact high from the size of his crowds."

“Be amazed at what you saw here,” he said, adding, “I want to win this.”

But it's not just Iowa. More than 4,000 people came out on Sunday to see Bernie in Minnesota.

Let's win this. Contribute $5 now to our campaign to elect Bernie Sanders as president.

Thank you for all you do,

Jeff Weaver
Campaign Manager
Bernie 2016

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Monday, June 1, 2015

New Evidence That Bernie Sanders Is Gaining Ground in One Key State

By Zeeshan Aleem June 01, 2015

New Evidence That Bernie Sanders Is Gaining Ground in One Key State

Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is conventionally considered to be a long-shot candidate for the Democratic nomination. But there are new signs that his message has been resonating in the crucial state of Iowa since kicking off his campaign in Burlington, Vermont, last week.

According to the New York Times, the hard-charging populist from Vermont can already claim a noteworthy achievement. Last week, he attracted a crowd of 700 people in Davenport, Iowa, in what the New York Timesnotes is the "the largest rally in the state for any single candidate this campaign season, and far more than the 50 people who attended a rally there on Saturday with former Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland."

Sanders also generated other lively turnouts in the state on his first visit to Iowa since declaring his candidacy. In Ames, he drew a crowd that spilled out of a brewery, and held an event in Kensett where the size of the crowd exceeded the population of the town itself, according to the New York Times.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally with local residents, Saturday, May 30, 2015, in Ames, Iowa.

Source: Charlie Neibergall/AP

The spike in attention is reflected in recent polling. According to a new Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register poll of Iowa voters, Sanders has more than tripled his support among likely Democratic caucus-goers than he was in January, with 16% of likely caucus-goers saying Sanders is their first choice.
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