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Responding to President Biden’s proposed presidential determination to admit up to 62,500 refugees this fiscal year, Joanne Lin, the National Director of Advocacy and Government Relations at Amnesty International USA, said:
“It’s absolutely vital for the United States to revamp refugee admissions as soon as possible so that the U.S. can rebuild the capacity and the systems to welcome more people in the years to come. Communities across the United States, from local groups to faith-based institutions, are ready to welcome their new neighbors and thousands of people around the world are waiting to rebuild their new lives in safety and join their loved ones in this country.
AFP
An equally noteworthy occasion, President Biden spoke before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday evening emphasizing several domestic policy issues, including police reform and federal investment in infrastructure and childcare. On foreign policy, Biden addressed relations with China and Russia, and his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. A full video of the speech can be watched here. Senator Tim Scott gave the official GOP reaction, which can be watched here.
With COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in India increasing dramatically over recent weeks, the Biden administration announced it will send urgent vaccine material and oxygen-related supplies, as well as other therapeutics. This decision followed a call between President Biden and Prime Minister Modi on Monday. A readout of the Biden-Modi call can be found here. The U.S. also announced it will share 60 million of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with other countries.
Human Rights Watch
The United States Senate should pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), five human rights and labor groups said today in releasing a question-and-answer document about the issue. The Senate should seize on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle rampant economic inequality by empowering workers and building a more just and human rights-based economy.
The 16-page document, “Why the PRO Act Matters for the Right to Unionize in the United States” examines how the PRO Act would bring the US closer to meeting its obligations under international law by eliminating many of the barriers that prevent workers from exercising their rights to organize a union. Protecting these rights is critical to reducing economic inequality, as it allows workers to bargain collectively for fair wages, adequate benefits, and safe working conditions, reducing power imbalances between workers and employers. US President Joe Biden has pledged his support for the PRO