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HC Wake-Up Call: GOP Tax Bill Passes Budget Committee, 200 Women in National Security Sign Open Letter on Sexual Assault & Starbucks Has Another Red Cup Design

Caroline Pirozzolo

Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.

But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)

Senate Budget Committee Votes to Move Forward With G.O.P. Tax Bill

In a major step forward for the GOP’s controversial tax bill, the Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 to move the bill forward, paving the way for the full Senate to vote on the bill later this week, BuzzFeed News reports. The bill was not expected to pass the Budget Committee, but Sen. Bob Corker and and Sen. Ron Johnson, two senators who originally said they would not vote for the bill due to concerns, ended up voting in favor of it. The rest of the Senate will vote on whether or not to consider the bill on Wednesday.

Over 200 Women in U.S. National Security Signed an Open Letter on Sexual Harassment

As Time reports, more than 200 women working in U.S. national security as diplomats, civil servants, servicemembers and development workers have signed an open letter saying they have experienced sexual assault or harassment or know someone who has. “This is not just a problem in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, newsrooms or Congress,” the letter says. “These abuses are born of imbalances of power and environments that permit such practices while silencing and shaming their survivors.” While the letter doesn’t bring forward any specific allegations, officials say it has given women the chance to open up about their experiences — and prove the point that no matter the industry, we have a long way to go when it comes to the treatment of women in the workplace.

Starbucks Just Released a SECOND Red Cup

If you were bummed at the noticeable lack of red on this year’s Starbucks red cups, you’re in luck: the coffee chain has announced it will be dropping a *second* red cup design this year as part of their #GiveGood campaign. The cup features two hands creating a heart, and has a white space where customers can customize the cup with the name of a loved one. (Aww.) Not only that, but as part of the campaign, the company will be donating 25 cents from every Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel BrulĂ©e Latte or Eggnog Latte on December 1 to the Global Fund to fight AIDS. 

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Caroline is the Evening/Weekend Editor and Style Editor at Her Campus, a senior public relations major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a leather jacket enthusiast.  You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @c_pirozzolo.