Several provisions added to the McCain-Feingold bill have prompted some long-time proponents of campaign finance reform to oppose this legislation. Among those available for interviews are: JULIA HUTCHINS Campaign finance reform advocate at U.S. Public Interest Research Group and author of the recent paper “The Consequences of Raising Federal Contribution Limits,” Hutchins said today: “The McCain-Feingold bill now doubles the amount wealthy donors can give directly to politicians [hard money], doubles the state party contribution limits, raises the national party limits from $20,000 to $25,000, and increases the aggregate amount an individual can give per election cycle from $50,000 to…

In recent days, the Bush administration has moved away from restricting emissions of carbon dioxide. Today, it is being reported that the Bush administration plans to pull out of the Kyoto protocol on global warming altogether. The following analysts are available for interviews: ROSS GELBSPAN Author of The Heat Is On: The Climate Crisis, the Cover-Up, the Prescription, Gelbspan said today: “President Bush is correct in saying the Kyoto protocol is flawed — but not for the reasons he puts forward. It is flawed because its targets are far too low in the face of an increasingly disruptive climate. With…

The night after Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her fact-based portrayal of environmental activist Erin Brockovich, the chemical industry is set to take another blow on national television Monday evening as PBS airs “Trade Secrets” — an expose of “secrets buried in thousands of confidential documents from America’s chemical companies.” The following researchers and policy analysts are available for interviews: ADRIENNE ANDERSON For decades, Anderson has assisted communities poisoned by various chemicals. She teaches environmental ethics at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is currently filing a whistler-blower case. DAVID ROSNER Coauthor of the forthcoming Deceit and Denial:…

Today is the 18th anniversary of President Reagan’s announcement of his intention to begin a massive missile defense research program for the Strategic Defense Initiative. Reports are circulating today about a major reassessment of weapons systems by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is a major proponent of National Missile Defense. The following analysts are available for interviews: WILLIAM HARTUNG Senior research fellow at the World Policy Institute and co-author of the recent report “Tangled Web: The Marketing of Missile Defense, 1994-2000,” Hartung said today: “The revival of NMD has everything to do with special interest lobbying by an unholy alliance…

STEPHANIE WILSON Executive director of the Fannie Lou Hamer Project, Wilson said today: “During the civil rights movement of the last century, voices rose in resistance to racism, inequality, brutal oppression and disenfranchisement, and they could not be silenced. Their cries resulted in both the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts — legislation that Congress could no longer avoid or delay. Yet even this landmark legislation would prove to be inadequate in fulfilling the promise of democracy for all Americans. Today, our elections remain largely the stronghold of the racially and economically privileged of the nation. We are awash and…

SUSAN AKRAM An associate professor at Boston University School of Law who specializes in refugee issues, Akram said today: “The deteriorating situation is a reflection of a complete lack of focus on the international law principles that should guide a just solution for the millions of Palestinian refugees and for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict generally. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is a total rejectionist of any solution that entails even minimal justice for the Palestinians. He is moving towards the total ‘cantonization’ of the Palestinian areas, establishing 46 separate isolated areas.” More Information ELLEN SIEGEL Siegel has worked with various Jewish…

The Coca-Cola company announced on Wednesday that it intends to change the way it does business with school districts. The list of changes includes encouraging local representatives to negotiate non-exclusive contracts, supplying of vending machines that have school messages on the outside rather than Coke ads, and offering a wider variety of “nutritious” beverages. The following critics of commercializing schools are available for interviews: GARY RUSKIN Director of Commercial Alert, Ruskin said: “Coke is on the run. Their announcement today is a desperate PR effort to keep angry parents from kicking Coke, Pepsi, Channel One and other junk food marketers…

An economist who predicted a collapse of stock prices a year ago, when the Nasdaq composite index was near its peak, said today that “the nation’s political leaders chose to ignore the stock market bubble” — and “as a result, millions of families have seen their dreams of a secure retirement or their children’s college education vanish.” In a news release issued by the Institute for Public Accuracy on the afternoon of March 16, 2000 (a day when the Nasdaq closed at 4,717.39), Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research said: “The main feature of the ‘new…

MAX SAWICKY Senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, Sawicky said today: “Because some members of Congress view President Bush’s proposed tax cut as a budget buster, they would like to make these large tax cuts subject to cancellation or postponement if economic and budget prospects begin to dim. The buzz word for such devices is a ‘trigger.’ There are problems if this scheme works, as well as if it doesn’t. Typically a trigger would aim to enforce arbitrarily tight and unnecessary fiscal criteria such as a surplus target or a debt limitation. If it works it’s bad, since when…

Last night, the Senate voted to roll back a new federal rule protecting workers from repetitive stress injuries. House action is expected later this week. The following analysts are available for interviews: PAMELA VOSSENAS Vossenas is co-chair of the health and safety committee of the National Writers Union, which is affiliated with the United Auto Workers. She said today: “The Senate’s action, under the Congressional Review Act, is a draconian measure by the Bush administration with a clear intention to kill the ergonomics standard forever. It’s an extremist action that will not only maim over a half-million workers each year,…