Washington, D.C. – Below is a list of how members of the Senate voted, Feb. 6, on the 3 month extension of unemployment benefits for long term jobless workers. It is expected that the issue will come up again in the Senate. A “Nay” vote is a vote against EUC.

“Nothing short of criminal” says a FRSO leader

Washington, D.C – Steff Yorek, the Political Secretary of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, condemned the Senate’s Feb. 6 failure to pass Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC), stating it was “nothing short of criminal.”

EUC expected to come up again

Washington, D.C. – The Senate failed to pass measures to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) for long-term jobless workers. With a 42 to 55 vote, Republicans blocked moving ahead on extending benefits for the unemployed.

Washington, DC – The Senate Democratic leadership announced today, Feb. 4, that a vote to extend benefits for long term unemployed workers is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Washington, DC – According to widespread reports here, Feb. 2, the Senate is close to an agreement that would allow a vote on Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) the week starting Feb. 3.

Washington, DC – Another day has passed without the Senate taking action on Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits. While Senators met Jan. 24, no agreements were reached on legislation to address the situation of the 1.3 million workers who have been cut off from benefits for the long term unemployed.

Washington, DC – Attempts to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits stalled in the Senate, Jan. 14, when Republicans and Democrats clashed over what austerity measures and budget cuts would be linked to the proposed extension. Observers believe it is unlikely that any action on benefits for the long-term unemployed will take place before the end of the month.

Washington, DC – In a 60-37 vote, the Senate passed a procedural measure Jan. 7 that allows a bill to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits to move forward.

Washington D.C. – According to widespread media reports, the U.S. is sending Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones to the government of Iraq. The arms shipments come amidst growing turmoil in Iraq.

Washington, DC – The Washington Post, in a major Dec. 21 article entitled “Covert Action in Colombia” confirmed the role of U.S. intelligence agencies in the systematic murder of at least 24 leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as a smaller rebel group. The FARC, Latin America’s largest and oldest insurgent movement, is fighting for social justice and to free the country from foreign domination.

Washington, DC – 400 people gathered at an international summit in Washington D.C. to oppose the use of drones by the U.S. government. The summit was hosted by Code Pink and featured Medea Benjamin, activist and author of Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control. Many activists and organizers came to hear experts and share experiences in building the movement against U.S. drone warfare. Many were excited to hear academic and author Cornel West.

Washington D.C. – Delegates from several community and non-profit organizations delivered a petition in support of Rasmea Odeh to the home of Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday, November 14, 2013.

Washington, DC – Secretary of State John Kerry gave a speech on Aug. 26 that gives strong indications that the U.S. is preparing military attacks on Syria. Kerry stated that the government of Syria should be held responsible for the alleged use of chemical weapons near Damascus last week. The government of Syria is working with UN inspectors to determine what happened in the outskirts of Damascus.

Washington, D.C. – On Aug. 24, thousands of people from across the country gathered together here at the National Mall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Crowd estimates are in the hundreds of thousands.

Washington DC – More than 300,000 people are gathered on the mall today for the March on Washington, with at least 150,000 on each side of the reflecting pool. The massive crowd is largely African-American, mobilized by the 50-year anniversary of Martin Luther King’s speech and by the pressing demand for justice for Trayvon Martin. African-American groups range from Florida’s Dream Defenders, to New Jersey’s People’s Organization for Progress, to the national NAACP. There is also a big union mobilization, with the United Auto Workers turning out thousands of members in t-shirts. Many other unions and their associated groups like Working America are also out in force.

PFLP urges rejection of negotiations

Washington, DC – Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking at a July 30 press conference that included Israeli Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat, stated, “The parties have agreed here today that all of the final status issues, all of the core issues and all other issues are all on the table for negotiation. And they are on the table with one simple goal: a view to ending the conflict, ending the claims.”

Washington, DC – Moments after receiving news that George Zimmerman was found not guilty of all charges, the people of D.C. began mobilizing to rally for Trayvon Martin. By midnight of July 14, over 300 people had rallied together at 9th and U Street and began to march to the Columbia Heights Plaza, demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.

_Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners send messages of support _

Washington, DC – 50 people gathered at Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, July 12, to demand compassionate release for Lynne Stewart. Music and speakers rallied the crowd, reaching thousands of passersby at this busy square during evening rush hour. Undaunted by rain, protesters passed out hundreds of flyers and collected petition signatures urging the release of Stewart, imprisoned on bogus terrorism charges for her work as a defense attorney. Although Stewart has stage four cancer and qualifies for early release based on compassionate grounds, the Bureau of Prisons has refused to release her.

President interrupted by Code Pink co-founder, pressed on Guantanamo prison

Washington, DC – On May 23, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the National Defense University, supposedly outlining changes to the ‘counter-terrorism’ policy of the U.S. While the U.S. media hailed the speech as a significant change from the War on Terror policies of the Bush administration that carried into Obama’s first term, the president’s speech mostly doubled-down on the drone strikes and military actions that have brought death and destruction to people in the Middle East.

Washington, DC – On May 16 the U.S. Treasury Department added Syria’s privately held Al-Dunya Television to the sanctions list, effectively banning it from cable TV in the U.S. A statement from the Treasury Department indicated that it was unhappy with the stations coverage of the Western-backed war on Syria.