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LCCR Coalition:
 Civilrights.org > Email Newsletters > This Week in Civil Rights

This Week in Civil Rights - July 23, 2009

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund July 23, 2009

Wade Henderson Column in Politico Urges Congress to Fix Disparate Crack and Powder Cocaine Sentencing

Wade Henderson

In an column in today's issue of Politico, LCCR President Wade Henderson urged Congress to equalize the federal sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine. A House subcommittee yesterday unanimously approved a bill to equalize the sentences, and a companion bill in the Senate is expected to be introduced soon.

> Read More

Pictured: Wade Henderson, LCCR president and CEO

Minimum Wage to Increase to $7.25

Tomorrow, the federal minimum wage will increase from $6.55 an hour to $7.25 an hour.  The change is the last of three increases over the past two years as mandated by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. But even with the increase, many minimum wage workers will continue to struggle to support families with incomes that fall below the poverty line.

> Read More

Senate Adds Death Penalty Amendment to Hate Crimes Legislation

This week, the Senate passed an amendment to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act that would allow the death penalty to be applied in hate crimes cases under some circumstances. LCCR and other civil rights groups oppose passage of the act with the amendment included, although the amendment may still be removed by a House-Senate conference committee that will meet in September.

> Read More

Take Action

Support Judge Sotomayor's Confirmation to the Supreme Court

If your senator(s) sits on the Judiciary Committee, call and urge support for Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

> View more Action Alerts from LCCR


LCCR/EF Internships - Apply by August 3

LCCR/EF's internship program gives undergraduate and graduate students committed to social justice an opportunity to gain valuable experience working in D.C.'s fast-paced public policy sector.

>  Read More


LCCR Member Spotlight

Founded in 1925, the National Bar Association (NBA) is the oldest and largest national association
of predominately African-American lawyers and judges, representing more than 20,000 lawyers, judges, educators and law students.

> NBA 84th Annual Convention - Aug. 1-8 in San Diego

>  View all LCCR coalition members


Request DTV Coupons before July 31 Deadline

The federal government's DTV Converter Box Coupon Program ends on July 31.  If you still need a converter box, apply for coupons now before it's too late.

>  Read More

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