"Masked Car" on Amtrak

Cameron — As the CDC travel mask mandate comes to an end, thousands of people like petition starter Terri are concerned for the safety of at-risk travelers. Terri believes that a total ban on masks will limit access to public transportation for those who are medically vulnerable. That's why she created this petition asking Amtrak to create a masked car, similar to their quiet car. Terri's solution can ensure continued access to travel for everyone, while respecting CDC regulations. Add your name to show your support. Amtrak: Protect people by designating some "mask-required" cars on each train 1,280 have signed Terri Gerstein's petition. Let's get to 1,500! Sign now with a click Petition: Amtrak, please protect people by designating some "mask-required" cars on each train.  The problem: The CDC travel mask mandate has ended, but traveling without universal masking is especially dangerous for many people, including those with serious health problems that put them at risk of Covid complications, their families, kids under 5, and more. Without mask-required travel options, transportation is functionally blocked for many people, including disproportionately people who have disabilities or are medically vulnerable.  Why I care about this: I care about public health and access to transportation for people in our country and in my community. On a personal level, I'm worried about my elderly mom and stepfather, who are scheduled to fly from Florida next month for a family wedding; I wish there were mask-required flights they could select. Also, many people nationwide commute to work and school on public buses and subways. And as a New Yorker, I know that so many people ride Amtrak each day for work and for vacation or weekend travel.  The solution: Amtrak can lead the way in solving the problem, by offering some universal-masking travel options. Amtrak can readily do this: it already has the quiet car on some routes; the company could use a similar approach to start offering universal masking options for the first and last car on each train, for example. ("First and last? Wear a mask.")  Travelers who don't want to wear a mask could choose other cars on the train. But travelers who want to be in a mask-required setting should have the opportunity to keep themselves and their families safe. There is likely to be real demand for this service: polls show that most Americans prefer masked travel. It's also the right thing to do, to ensure safety and access for everyone.  Please share and sign my petition, so that Amtrak will create a mask-required option for travelers who need or want this choice.  PS: Here's a link to an op-ed I wrote about this: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/covid-mask-mandate-travel-lifted-go-rcna24988 Sign now with a click Visit petition page At Change.org, we believe in the voice of everyday people. Is there something that you want to change? Start a petition today The person (or organization) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org. Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content. How useful was this email? 1 2 3 4 5 Not Useful Useful Unsubscribe from emails like this Unsubscribe from all Change.org emails Manage your email preferences  ·  Privacy policy We'd love to hear from you! Contact us through our help center. Change.org  ·  548 Market St #29993, San Francisco, CA 94104-5401, USA

Bring Brittney home

Cameron — Breaking news: Russia has extended WNBA superstar Brittney Griner's pre-trial detention for another 30 days. Russia also denied Brittney's request for house arrest, even though at seven feet tall she can barely fit in a prison cell. Supporters believe Russia set her up on false charges, and the U.S. State Department says Brittney is wrongfully detained. Sign Tamryn's petition to make it clear to President Biden that he needs to bring Brittney home without any further delay. Secure Brittney Griner's Swift and Safe Return to the U​.​S. 127,381 have signed Tamryn Spruill and WNBPA (Womens' National Basketball Players Association)'s petition. Let's get to 150,000! Sign now with a click WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was detained by Russia while attempting to move through a Moscow airport, the New York Times reported on Saturday March 5. League veteran Angel McCoughtry shared on social media that Griner had been detained for three weeks already by the time the Times' story broke.  Griner is a beloved global citizen who has used her platform since her entry into the WNBA to help others. She was detained while working in Russia -- playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg, where in 2021 she helped the team win its fifth EuroLeague Women championship. Like many athletes competing in the WNBA, Griner plays abroad during the WNBA offseason because her salary is exponentially higher abroad. Professional athletes never know when their careers will come to an end. They must compete today with tomorrow's financial security in mind. For WNBA players, that means moving abroad for several months of the year. NBA rookies who haven't played a professional game, meanwhile, are handed salaries many-times higher than what title-winning, All-Star designated WNBA veterans could ever hope for.   [WHY BRITTNEY GRINER AND OTHER WNBA PLAYERS COMPETE OVERSEAS] [HOW A 2020 WNBA DRAFT PICK ENDED UP LIVING IN A CAMPGROUND IN HUNGARY] These realities are not the fault of the players, who simply want to be paid their worth. The ramifications of year-round basketball have been many, starting with wear and tear on the body leading to serious injury. Now, we're witnessing the culmination of pay inequities in the U.S., where women still are paid less than men, and Black women are paid less than anyone. It is these inequities that had her playing in Russia in the first place. And these inequities are the reason this petition is necessary.  Black women, from missing persons cases to victims of crime, are not treated with the same urgency as white women and other groups. We demand that lawmakers hold Griner in the same regard as they would any other sports icon. If it was Tom Brady being held captive, as New York Magazine posited, would there be radio silence across sports media?   Because of the delicate nature of these events, I reached out to the WNBA first, before creating the petition. I wanted to ensure that this effort to keep Brittney Griner front and center in the minds of U.S. government officials did not run afoul of either the league's or officials' efforts to secure her safety. "As for if you'd like to urge folks to call on government officials for assistance I will leave that decision to you," a WNBA spokesperson replied. Thus, the petition was created after careful thought, inquiry and discussion out of an abundance of caution, and with the singular interest in, calling on U.S. officials to keep Brittney Griner a top priority in all of their decision-making during this grim, worldwide catastrophe.  Contact information for U.S. government officials should you wish to express your concern directly: U.S. Department of State Contact Page Arizona Senators                                                            Kyrsten Sinema (202) 224-2235 Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235 Senate Foreign Relations Committee's                Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation  Majority Members: Shaheen, Jeanne (NH), Chairman Cardin, Benjamin L. (MD) Murphy, Christopher (CT) Van Hollen, Chris (MD) Coons, Christopher A. (DE) Menendez, Robert (NJ), Ex Officio Minority Members: Johnson, Ron (WI), Ranking Member Barrasso, John (WY) Romney, Mitt (UT) Portman, Rob (OH) Young, Todd (IN) Risch, James E. (ID), Ex Officio House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks, Chairman Phone: (202) 225-3461 Email: Melissa.Barosy@mail.house.gov Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber Subcommittee William Keating, Chair, (202) 225-3111 Brian Fitzpatrick, Ranking Member, (202) 225-4276 US Ambassador to Russia                                                John J. Sullivan,+7 (495) 728-5000 Sign now with a click Visit petition page At Change.org, we believe in the voice of everyday people. Is there something that you want to change? Start a petition today The person (or organization) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org. Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content. How useful was this email? 1 2 3 4 5 Not Useful Useful Unsubscribe from emails like this Unsubscribe from all Change.org emails Manage your email preferences  ·  Privacy policy We'd love to hear from you! Contact us through our help center. 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