Caring for the earth as God's creation is a mandate of many faith traditions. Sacred texts are filled with reverence for the world and its inhabitants as manifestations of the divine. And yet the world is in peril. Global warming threatens to bring massive hardship and destruction to people as well as nature. In the face of this threat, many religious leaders and congregations are becoming increasingly active on global warming issues. Does the religious community offer a new way to mobilize the public on climate change? What can the environmental and religious communities learn from each other? Are there obstacles to these groups working together or can they forge a successful partnership? Should cooperation be a goal?

Please join the Center for American Progress in the second of a series on "Climate and Culture" as we explore these questions with a distinguished panel of religious leaders.

On May 3, the House Armed Services Committee takes up the administration's request for national defense spending. If the Committee is true to form, it will rubber-stamp the administration's request. Many of the big security questions will have gone unasked, such as: to protect against nuclear terrorism, should we be spending more on missile defenses or the coast guard? The President's request favors missile defenses, despite widespread agreement that a nuclear weapon is more likely to arrive via an American port than a ballistic missile with a return address.

Despite the rhetoric on reform, the corporate and special interests have made their way into every policy and legislative decision in Washington, D.C.

In February, 55 Catholic Democratic Members of Congress signed a "Statement of Principles," emphasizing their commitment to their faith and confirming their belief that government has "moral purpose." In this statement, they affirm the Church's role in providing moral leadership but also point to the "primacy of conscience" as a guiding force in making legislative decisions.

The "war on drugs" has been touted as a tool to combat violence, abuse and addiction associated with the sale and use of drugs. However, as witnessed in 1999 with the investigation and prosecution of 40 innocent African Americans in Tulia, TX, this "war" does not serve the public's interest if it is administered in an inefficient and racially selective manner. In such circumstances, the war on drugs can marginalize communities of color, destroy trust in the justice system, weaken the position of law enforcement, undermine public safety, divert resources from what otherwise would be effective anti-drug strategies and perpetuate racist and culturally insensitive stereotypes.

Is it impossible to think companies in today's economy can balance profitability with workers’ rights and needs?  Can U.S. businesses excel in the new economy through a model of collaboration and innovation with their employees?

The Center for American Progress, FOX, 20th Century Fox, and Imagine Television presents a special sneak preview screening of:

"24" 's explosive 23rd hour (5:00 AM - 6:00 AM)

24 hours before its network broadcast.

Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle a hundred years ago -- a book that caused a sensation by exposing America's meatpacking industry and that created the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, one of the boldest extensions of federal power ever.

Almost five years after 9/11 the United States is only "marginally safer," says Clark Kent Ervin.  Known problems federal aviation screeners who perform no better than the private sector employees they replaced; air cargo and shipping containers that are not scanned; repeated unfunded federal mandates; the lack of security at many chemical facilities; the absence of financial controls that is so evident in the mismanaged Katrina relief effort are still not being adequately addressed. This is a major concern as the United States continues to face the threats of terrorism and prepares for hurricane season. As the former inspector general of both DHS and the Department of State, Mr. Ervin has a unique perspective in describing what he terms the "vulnerability gap." Following his synopsis of Open Target, Mr. Ervin will join an expert panel in a broader discussion of the current debate regarding homeland security programs, resources and structure.

Copies of the Open Target will be available at the event courtesy of Reiters bookstore.

Contrary to urban myth, the Internet was not built by the U.S. government. Nor was it built by Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or Cisco. The Net was built by thousands of engineers from all over the world who cooperated across organizational, ideological, and national boundaries.