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Obama:
US, Russia 'quite close' on new arms treaty
from AP Top Political News At 5:39 a.m. EST by By JENNIFER LOVEN
and DESMOND BUTLER
COPENHAGEN (AP) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian
counterpart Dmitry Medvedev struck an optimistic tone even as
they conceded that they were unlikely to sign a deal this year
on a successor to an expired nuclear arms control treaty, as
they had hoped....
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Calif.
space tourism firm launches S. Korea deal
from AP Top Science News At 5:42 a.m. EST by By JOHN ANTCZAK
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A California company developing a rocket
plane for space tourism announced Thursday that it has an agreement
with a nonprofit group in South Korea to conduct launches in
that nation...
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Merkel,
Brown accept Copenhagen deal, wanted more
from Reuters: Environment
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British
Prime Minister Gordon Brown accepted a Copenhagen climate deal
on Saturday, but said they had wanted more.
|
Obama
reaches climate deal with emerging powers
from Reuters: Top News
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - President Barack Obama reached agreement
with major developing powers on a climate deal on Friday, a U.S.
official said, but he said the accord was only a first step and
was insufficient to fight climate change.
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MEETING-PRESIDENT-USA-OBAMA
Dmitry Medvedev met with President of the United States Barack
Obama.
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FAQ
Why Are Banks Holding So Many Excess Reserves?
|
Statement
of Comptroller Dugan on the FDICs ANPR on Securitizations
by Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan discussed an Advance
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Securitizations at a meeting
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporations Board of
Directors today.
|
OCC
Reports Decline in Derivatives Credit Exposures
by Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Credit risk in bank trading activities continued to decline in
the third quarter of 2009, the Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency reported today in the OCC's Quarterly Report on Bank
Trading and Derivatives Activities.
|
Pelosi
bucks up her members
by Patrick O'Connor
Speaker reminds rank and file how much the caucus has accomplished
this year with PowerPoint
|
Feingold
vote advances health bill
by Meredith Shiner
Fellow Dems applaud the senator for supporting the bill in cloture
despite philosophical objections.
|
Obama
proposes U.S. liaison in North Korea: Yonhap
SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama has proposed setting
up a liaison office in North Korea next year in a step to ease
tensions between the two rival states, Yonhap news agency said
on Friday.
|
Iran's
Nuclear Program, Foreign and Defense Policy, and the Potential
Effectiveness of Sanctions
The Iran MiPAL has been updated with a series of Washington Quarterly
articles concerning Iran's nuclear program, foreign and defense
policy, U.S., Russian, and Israeli perspectives on Iran's nuclear
behavior, and the potential effectiveness of sanctions and continued
negotiations with Iran, a Congressional hearing examining options
and probable consequences of additional sanctions against Iran,
an Institute for Science and International Security report featuring
Farsi and English versions of a document reportedly outlining
Iran's work on a neutron initiator, as well as an article by
the Institute for Science and International Security analyzing
the document, remarks by the U.S. Permanent Representative to
the United Nations on Iran's nuclear activities and failure to
cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and a
European Union Institute for Security Studies article evaluating
Iran's nuclear ambitions, policies, and postures. Please see
the Recently Added Documents section for the latest on this country
- the newest updates are in bold.
|
North
Korea: Leadership Succession and an Update on the Six-Party Talks
The North Korea MiPAL has been updated with a Washington Quarterly
article analyzing North Korea's options for the leadership succession,
a briefing by the Special Representative for North Korea Policy
on his recent visit to North Korea, as well as the Special Representative's
remarks on North Korea's nuclear program with the Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister, a Council on Foreign Relations article assessing
the potential for North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks,
an East Asia Institute report evaluating North Korea's strategic
assessments in 2009, and a transcript of a Brookings Institution
event examining the human rights situation in North Korea following
the leadership succession. Please see the Recently Added Documents
section for the latest on this country - the newest updates are
in bold.
|
Syria's
Strategic Evolution, Regional Relations, and Perspectives on
the Obama Administration
The Syria MiPAL has been updated with International Crisis Group
reports analyzing Syria's strategic evolution, regional relations,
and perspectives on the Obama Administration. Please see the
Recently Added Documents section for the latest on this country
- the newest updates are in bold.
|
South
and Central Asia: Recharting U.S. Strategy in Sri Lanka after
the War
The South and Central Asia Regional Policy Overview has been
updated with a Washington Quarterly article assessing the threat
of Islamist militancy in South Asia, an International Crisis
Group report providing recommendations for police reform in Bangladesh,
a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations report evaluating U.S.
strategy in Sri Lanka following the conflict, the President's
address at West Point on the new strategy for Afghanistan and
Pakistan, a Center for Strategic and International Studies article
analyzing the impact of climate change and national disasters
on Bangladesh, reports from the Institute of South Asian Studies
examining India's role in South Asia, the intersection of democracy,
public religion, and minorities in Sri Lanka, and recent trends
in Bangladesh-India relations, an Institute for Security and
Development Policy report on China's approach to conflicts in
South Asia, and a China and Eurasia Forum Quarterly article analyzing
India's strategic intentions in Central Asia. Please see the
Recently Added Documents section for the latest on this region
- the newest updates are in bold.
|
Weapons
of Mass Destruction: A Policy Agenda for the Elimination of Global
Nuclear Threats
The Weapons of Mass Destruction MiPAL has been updated with a
State Department briefing on the Obama Administration's strategy
for the prevention of biological weapons proliferation and bioterrorism,
an International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and
Disarmament report presenting a policy agenda for the elimination
of global nuclear threats, the White House's National Strategy
for Countering Biological Threats, a Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace report featuring recommendations for the strengthening
of the nonproliferation regime during the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, and an International Panel on
Fissile Materials report with an overview of nuclear weapon and
fissile materials stocks and production in 2009 and analyzing
the prospects for the future of nuclear disarmament efforts.
Please see the Recently Added Documents section for the latest
on this topic - the newest updates are in bold.
|
Central
Asia: Official Reactions to Political Islam in Central Asia
The Central Asia MiPAL has been updated with a Senate hearing
examining U.S. policy in Central Asia, an International Crisis
Group report analyzing governmental reactions to political Islam
in Central Asia, a statement by the Secretary of State on Kazakhstan,
and a EUCAM: EU-Central Asia Monitoring report evaluating the
European Union's border management assistance efforts in Central
Asia. Please see the Recently Added Documents section for the
latest on this region - the newest updates are in bold.
|
Request
for Applications for Competitive Grant Awards to Conduct Economic
Research on the Joint Contributions of the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program and Unemployment Insurance to the Nations
Social Safety Net
The Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FANRP) of
the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) announces the availability
of funds and a request for applications to conduct research on
operational issues of USDAs Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP, formerly called the Food Stamp Program, or FSP)
and its support for the working poor. In particular, ERS seeks
research that addresses: (a) operational issues regarding SNAP
participation decisions and the dynamics of program participation
among low-income households with workers, and (b) the interactions
between receipt of SNAP benefits and State Unemployment Insurance
(UI) benefits, especially during the current recession. ERS believes
the issues can best be addressed by careful analysis of linked
program administrative data from the SNAP and UI programs. Total
funding available for this research is approximately $500,000.
The deadline for proposal submission is February 17, 2010.
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Livestock,
Dairy, and Poultry Outlook - Thursday, December 17, 2009
Timely livestock, dairy, and poultry information, focusing on
current and forecast production, price, and trade statistics
for each of the sectors.
|
Israel,
Palestinians Must Do More, Jointly with Revitalized Quartet,
to Prevent Backward Slide in Peace Efforts, Security Council
Told
|
UN
Budget Committee Approves Texts Addressing Administration of
Justice, Pattern of Conferences, United Nations Common System
|
Allison
Testimony before the Oversight and Government Reform Committee
December 17, 2009
TG-453
|
Obama:
'Meaningful breakthrough' reached at talks
from AP Top Political News At 5:39 a.m. EST by By MICHAEL CASEY
and JENNIFER LOVEN
COPENHAGEN (AP) -- President Barack Obama said the United States,
China and several other countries reached an "unprecedented
breakthrough" Friday to curb greenhouse gas emissions -
including a mechanism to verify compliance - after a frenzied
day of diplomacy at the U.N. climate talks....
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Obama:
Climate Change Agreement 'Unprecedented'
from BusinessWeek.com --
President Obama concedes that the last-minute climate deal from
Copenhagen isn't legally binding, but calls it a 'meaningful'
step toward curbing emissions
|
Obama
positive on climate deal but says not enough
from TheNews RSS Feeds - Latest Stories
COPENHAGEN: US President Barack Obama on Friday hailed a climate
deal reached among key leaders in Copenhagen as "unprecedented"
but warned it was not
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Sarkozy
says Germany to hold new climate meeting
from TheNews RSS Feeds - Latest Stories
COPENHAGEN: French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday that
Germany would host a new conference on climate change in six
months in Bonn to follow up
|
National
Geographic features DARPAs prosthetics programs. 12/09
|
VIDEO:
Commission on Wartime Contracting Hearing on Afghanistan
Members of the Cmsn. on Wartime Contracting recently returned
from Afghanistan, where they went over plans to train Afghanistans
army and police forces in advance of the scheduled troop withdrawal
in 2011. Army and government officials testified along with contractor
executives on training Afghan nat'l security forces and the various
challenges involved.
Length: 4 hr. 18 min.
Published: Today at 9:30am (ET)
|
VIDEO:
Sen. Durbin Exchange on Health Care Legislation
A member of the Senate Democratic leadership said today that
Republicans are fillibustering health care legislation by requiring
all the time allowed pass before voting on defense spending.
The health care bill will return to the floor after the spending
measure.
Length: 17 min.
Published: Today at 3:34pm (ET)
|
IRS
Reminds Car Shoppers about 2009 Tax Break
|
Space
Station 2010 Calendar Celebrates a Decade of Research
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of people continuously living
aboard the International Space Station, NASA is providing a special
2010 calendar to teachers and the public.
|
Press
Credentials Deadlines Set for Next Space Shuttle Flight
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for the next space
shuttle flight to the International Space Station.
|
Challenges
of Living and Working Aboard the Space Station: NASA Astronaut
Nicole Stott Available for TV Interviews
Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
After three months living aboard the International Space Station,
NASA astronaut Nicole Stott will be available for satellite interviews
from Houston between 6 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. CST on Thursday, Dec.
17.
|
Hark,
NASA Heralds Season's Greetings Exchange With Space Station Crew
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
Season's greetings will be offered by International Space Station
Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Max Suraev in a special
video message airing this week on NASA Television and the NASA
Web site.
|
NASA
Astronauts and Managers to Discuss the First of Five Remaining
Shuttle Flights
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the final module of the
U.S. portion of the International Space Station on the STS-130
mission, now targeted to launch Feb. 7.
|
Searching
for New Vaccines and Studying Butterflies in Space; NASA Offers
TV Interviews about Latest Space Station Science Research
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
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NASA
Astronaut, Food Scientist Available for Interviews about Holiday
Feasts in Space
Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
Irradiated smoked turkey, thermostabilized yams and NASA's own
special stuffing recipe can mean only one thing -- holiday season
aboard the International Space Station.
|
NASA
Offers Sound Clips for Radio, Online Newscasters
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
NASA is making sound clips available for news producers to download
from the agency's Web site.
|
Mullen
Discusses Elections, Logistics in Iraq
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:23:00 -0600
|
Friend --
You've been an incredible part of this
movement this year. So some volunteers got together and helped
us make a holiday video, just for you.
You can watch it here:
http://my.barackobama.com/holiday
It was a blast making it. Enjoy!
Happy holidays,
Mitch and the entire OFA community
|
Soyuz
Rolls to the Pad
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
The Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch
pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Friday, Dec. 18,
2009. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 22 NASA
Flight Engineer Timothy J. Creamer of the U.S., Soyuz Commander
Oleg Kotov of Russia and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi of Japan,
is scheduled for Monday, Dec., 21, 2009 at 3:52a.m. Kazakhstan
time. Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
|
The latest Regional and State Employment
and Unemployment news release
(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/laus.pdf)
was issued today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Highlights
are below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In November, 36 states and the District
of Columbia recorded
over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, 8 states
registered increases, and 6 states had no change. Nonfarm
payroll employment increased in 19 states and decreased in
31 states and the District of Columbia.
|
Advisories/Bulletins/Fact
Sheets for FinCEN Updates.
This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
|
ECONOMY WEEKLY WEEK OF DECEMBER 14,
2009
All over our country this holiday
season, Americans who lost their jobs in the Great Recession
are looking for work. Today the House answered with some productive
ideas to respond to this great need, offering new initiatives
including repairing our roads and bridges, providing relief to
Americans who have lost their jobs and preventing layoffs at
the state and local level
. Some may think standing by and
taking no action is the right approach, but for the millions
of Americans still out of work, inaction is unacceptable.
President Barack Obama, 12/16/2009
Economy Highlight:
The Commerce Department reported
Wednesday that the housing market rebounded in November, with
new construction increasing across the country. New construction
on U.S. housing units rebounded in November
and analysts
said the upward trend would continue as long as tax-breaks for
first time home buyers remain in place. [MarketWatch,
12/16/09]
Recovery Highlights:
A report from the White House Office
of Energy and Climate Change indicates that Recovery Act spending
will create clean energy jobs, including: 253,000 jobs in renewable
generation and advanced energy manufacturing; 17,000 jobs generated
by advanced energy manufacturing facilities; thousands of jobs
by December 2010 as part of renewable energy projects on federal
lands; and 43,000 new jobs as a result of smart grid investments.
[Office
of the Vice President, 12/15/09]
Vice President Biden announced $7.2
billion in Recovery Act funds will be used for broadband grant
and loan programs in rural areas, including $2 billion that will
be made available on a rolling basis over the next 75 days
to bring high-speed Internet to communities that currently have
little or no access to the technology. Vice President Biden
said in a statement, This is what the Recovery Act is all
about sparking new growth, tapping into the ingenuity
of the American people and giving folks the tools they need to
help build a new economy in the 21st-century. [Recovery.gov,
12/17/09]
|
Dateline
DEA for U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
Air
Traffic Publications for U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
|
2010
BAH Rates
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:13:14 -0600
The Department of Defense has released its housing allowance
rates for 2010.
|
DNI Blair Op-Ed in the Washington Post
on Intelligence Reform
The following op-ed marking the five year anniversary of the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 ran
on page A31 of the Washington Post today.
Strengthening our nation's front line of
defense
Reinventing our intelligence structure
is a massive challenge but we're making real progress.
By Dennis C. Blair
Friday, December 18, 2009 The Washington Post Page
A31
The legislation authorizing post-Sept.
11 intelligence reform the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
Prevention Act of 2004 was signed into law five years
ago this week. We are often asked whether the new organizations,
authorities and additional resources have made a difference.
The answer is yes.
To be clear, the task of reinventing our
intelligence structure and integrating the capabilities, cultures
and information technologies of 16 diverse intelligence agencies
is massive, and it is incomplete. Problems persist in our technologies,
business practices and mind-sets. I have no illusions about how
challenging they will be to overcome. But there is an ocean of
difference between difficult and impossible.
While many successes must remain classified,
there are things the public can and should know about changes
that have been made and how we are directing our efforts and
America's resources.
A prime example is the new level of cooperation
among FBI, local law enforcement and U.S. intelligence agencies
in the recent arrests of Najibullah Zazi and David Headley, Americans
allegedly associated with foreign terrorist organizations who
are charged with planning attacks in this country and overseas.
In both cases, tips and leads were smoothly passed among those
gathering information in this country and those gathering information
overseas, including foreign intelligence services that provided
information or responded to questions. These investigations connected
the dots in exactly the ways the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
Prevention Act envisioned. However, as the case of Army Maj.
Nidal Hasan, who has been charged with the Fort Hood, Tex., shootings,
shows, we must go even further in our efforts to turn intelligence
into the knowledge needed to protect Americans.
Innovative use of information technology
across agencies is enabling analysts to make use of the enormous
amounts of data we are gathering and to distill insights that
will help policymakers in Washington and civil and military officers
in the field. Thousands of analysts form groups spontaneously,
in real time, on A-Space, post insights in Intellipedia, retrieve
relevant analyses from the Library of National Intelligence and
interact with the tribal database for Afghanistan. These tools,
among others, ensure that each piece of analysis takes advantage
of work being done and that new insights are immediately available
to those who need them.
Close collaboration among collectors and
analysts utilizing human, satellite and signals intelligence
produced key evidence of a prospective covert uranium enrichment
facility in Iran. Teamwork among different agencies in the United
States and partners abroad just last week led to the interdiction
of a Middle East-bound cargo of North Korean weapons.
Initiatives that will make us even more
effective are moving forward. More than 6,000 intelligence officers
are now "joint duty" qualified, and another 5,000 are
gaining interagency experience. Cross-agency teams are making
steady improvements in our administrative information systems
so that we can better manage our human and financial resources;
the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity is funding
high-risk, high-payoff projects in quantum computing, identity
recognition, computer network intelligence and other areas that
will benefit many agencies down the line.
The new National Intelligence Strategy
provides the blueprint for further improvement in effectiveness.
All U.S. intelligence organizations collaborated this year to
articulate our shared mission and objectives. The strategy puts
unprecedented focus on cybersecurity, counterintelligence and
the impact that problems such as pandemic disease, climate events,
failed states and scarce natural resources have on global stability.
It recognizes the role of intelligence in identifying common
interests and defusing threats in such issues as energy, trade,
drug interdiction and public health.
Like our armed forces and first responders,
intelligence professionals are on the front lines in defense
of this country. Their operations are already collaborative between
and across agencies to an extent that was unheard of five years
ago. Continued commitment and investment in this reform are vital.
If we become complacent now, or pessimistic about future progress,
and revert to stovepipes and turf battles, full transformation
will never be achieved.
Continued reform will also not be possible
without a full commitment from the inside. Every intelligence
agency, director, manager and employee has a role in breaking
down the remaining impediments to integration. I find that the
overwhelming majority of intelligence officers recognize the
importance and benefits of integration. While taking pride in
their individual skills and agencies, they are eager to cooperate
with others to accomplish the common mission. This is most true
in the field overseas and closer to home at fusion centers
in Los Angeles and Chicago.
It has been famously argued that information
is power and, therefore, should never be shared. The Sept. 11
attacks showed the fatal flaws in that logic. Our nation is becoming
safer every day because we are aware that information increases
in power only when it is shared. Our mission is a fully integrated
intelligence community, and there is no turning back. My most
urgent priorities are to permanently instill this new culture
and to use every tool at my disposal from joint duty to
recruitment and communications to build a generation of
intelligence leaders for whom this culture is business as usual.
The writer is director of national intelligence.
|
OCC Reports Decline in Derivatives Credit
Exposures
WASHINGTON Credit risk in bank trading activities continued
to decline in the third quarter of 2009, the Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency reported today in the OCC's Quarterly Report
on Bank Trading and Derivatives Activities.
The OCC reported that net current credit exposure (NCCE), the
primary metric the OCC uses to measure credit risk in derivatives
activities, decreased $70 billion, or 13 percent, to $484 billion.
As financial markets have stabilized, credit spreads have
narrowed considerably, and that has helped to reduce counterparty
credit exposures, said Kathryn Dick, Deputy Comptroller
for Credit and Market Risk. Ms. Dick noted that, in 2008, crisis-related
declines in interest rates and widening of credit spreads had
caused the NCCE to reach $800 billion in the fourth quarter of
2008. Current credit exposures are now 40 percent lower
than at the peak of the crisis, said Ms. Dick.
U.S. commercial banks reported trading revenues of $5.7 billion
in the third quarter of 2009, compared to $5.2 billion in the
second quarter, The return to more normal financial market
conditions has allowed banks to generate more consistent trading
revenues this year, said Ms. Dick. She noted that the business
of providing risk management services to help clients manage
risks remains an important part of a banks product set.
The report shows that the notional amount of derivatives held
by insured U.S. commercial banks increased by $804 billion (or
0.4 percent) in the third quarter to $204.3 trillion. Interest
rate contracts increased $700 billion to $173 trillion, while
credit derivatives fell 3 percent to $13 trillion.
The report also noted that:
Banks hold collateral to cover 64 percent of their NCCE. The
quality of the collateral is very high, as 82 percent is cash
(U.S. dollar and non-dollar).
Derivatives contracts are concentrated in a small number of institutions.
The largest five banks hold 97 percent of the total notional
amount of derivatives, while the largest 25 banks hold nearly
100 percent.
Credit default swaps are the dominant product in the credit derivatives
market, representing 98 percent of total credit derivatives.
The number of commercial banks holding derivatives decreased
by 45 in the quarter to 1,065.
A copy of the OCCs Quarterly Report on Bank Trading and
Derivatives Activities: Third Quarter 2009 is available on the
OCCs Web site at: http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2009-161a.pdf.
###
|
World's
Largest Internet Undersea Science Station Boots Up
|
NASA
and Maryland Researcher Recognized for Data that Provides Clues
to Earth's Changing Climate, Forests, and Crops
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
|
FEC
Weekly Digest for Federal Election Commission. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
FEC
weekly Digest
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:32:02 -0600
|
MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER
As we have been all year, Democrats remain
focused on economic recovery and job creation. When President
Obama took office, the economy was in free-fall, and America
was losing over 700,000 jobs a month. Today, thanks in large
part to Democratic efforts like the Recovery Act, the economy
is growing again and, last month, job losses slowed to a near
halt. Nevertheless, its clear that any job losses are too
many, and our work wont be done until millions of Americans
are back at work. Thats why Democrats took additional action
this week to boost job creation and respond to the urgent needs
of struggling Americans. The Jobs for Main Street Act will invest
in infrastructure projects that will create jobs, ensure that
teachers, police officers, and firefighters can stay on the job,
and give small businesses the help they need to keep adding jobs.
It also ensures that families hardest hit by the recession can
continue to receive unemployment insurance and health care assistance,
and access other emergency programs.
In the coming weeks, as Democrats continue to focus on putting
Americans back to work, we will also remain focused on restoring
fiscal responsibility and addressing long-term deficits. Even
as we see signs that the economy is starting to improve, our
job is two-fold: to build on our actions and keep creating jobs
and strengthening the economy right now, while also committing
to fiscal responsibility in the long-term so that there is a
real path to fiscal sustainability in the future.
The House has now completed all of its scheduled legislative
business, and I do not expect any more votes in the House this
year. The House will return for the 2nd session of the 111th
Congress on January 12, 2010. Until then, I wish you and your
family a happy and healthy holiday season.
Sincerely yours,
STENY H. HOYER
|
Mullen
Points Out Progress in Iraq
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:24:00 -0600
|
New
Report: Protecting Families and Putting More Money in Your Pocket:
How Health Insurance Reform Will Lower Costs and Increase Choices
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:01:00 -0600
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report,
Protecting Families and Putting More Money in Your Pocket: How
Health Insurance Reform Will Lower Costs and Increase Choices
|
Statement of Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack on Release of USDA Climate Change Analysis
Washington, December 18, 2009 - Today,
USDA's Chief Economist, Joe Glauber, released the results of
his full economic analysis showing that agriculture will benefit
from energy and climate legislation if it includes a robust carbon
offsets program and other helpful provisions. The costs of such
legislation will be modest while returns from offsets will increase
over-time and result in positive net income for agriculture.
In addition to analyzing the impacts using
our own model, USDA has also reported on the output of the FASOM
model - a model developed by researchers at Texas A & M University
that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used as part
of its efforts to study the impacts of climate legislation. Earlier
this month, Dr. Glauber discussed results from the FASOM model
in testimony he gave before the House Agriculture Subcommittee
on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research.
I am aware that the results of the FASOM
model have caused considerable concern within the farm and ranch
community as a result of the models projections on afforestation
over the next several decades. If landowners plant trees to the
extent the model suggests, this would be disruptive to agriculture
in some regions of the country.
Based on conversations with Dr. Glauber
and my staff, I don't believe the results related to afforestation
forecast by the FASOM model are necessarily an accurate depiction
of the impacts of climate legislation. The model could be updated
to better reflect current legislative proposals. The FASOM model
as it is currently configured makes assumptions that reduce farmer
income from offsets generated by conservation tillage, methane
reductions and other offset activities. The model also makes
other assumptions that could lead to an overestimate of afforestation.
This is especially true given that the model attempts to forecast
land use impact over long-time horizons.
As other recent analyses have shown, there
are opportunities to expand greenhouse gas offsets and biomass
energy production without removing significant amounts of land
from production. As Dr. Glauber stated during his hearing on
December 3, careful design of the offsets program will be important
in order to avoid unintended consequences.
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, I strongly believe that energy and climate legislation
should be structured to help farmers profit from new income opportunities
and that an outcome that damages agriculture is not anyone's
intent or interest. The House of Representatives worked diligently
to ensure a proper role for agriculture in its recently passed
climate legislation. I am fully confident that the Senate will
work to do the same.
USDA and EPA are continually assessing
and updating the assumptions that go into their models. I have
directed Dr. Glauber to work together with EPA to undertake a
review of the assumptions in the FASOM model, to update the model,
and to develop options on how best to avoid unintended consequences
for agriculture that might result from climate change legislation.
Continually improving our analytical tools will help ensure that
climate legislation can be designed in such a way as to create
new income opportunities for farmers.
For more information about the study visit
the following link.
#
|
Casey
in Afghanistan
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:12:25 -0600
Army Chief of Staff General George Casey visited troops in eastern
Afghanistan Thursday, stopping at Bagram Air Field, Forward Operating
Base Lightning and Combat Outpost Narizah.
|
Iraqi
Forces Target Assassination Cell
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:40:00 -0600
|
TEXAS
YD's FUNDRAISER IN THE VALLEY!
What: Club/Group Meeting
Start Time: Saturday, January 9 at 7:30pm
End Time: Saturday, January 9 at 10:00pm
Where: The Art Village on Main
To see more details and RSVP
|
Sedney
Briefing
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:33:52 -0600
As more American troops head to Afghanistan, defense officials
say the Pakistani government is also committed to helping in
the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda.
|
NASA
Names New Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:00:00 -0600
Laurie Leshin has been named the new deputy associate administrator
of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters,
effective in January.
|
Afghan
Contracts
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:55:53 -0600
The mission to build up the Afghan Security Forces faces unique,
complex problems because of the country's difficult operating
environment.
|
Gates
Encourages Graduates to Seek Public Service
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:19:00 -0600
|
ISAF
Officials Investigate Civilian Casualty Claims
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:51:00 -0600
|
Afghan
Town's Progress Provides Encouragement
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:07:00 -0600
|
DoD
General Officer Announcement
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:32:00 -0600
|
TTB.gov TTB
Newsletter Update
|
OCC Enforcement Actions
WASHINGTON The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
(OCC) today released new enforcement actions taken against national
banks and individuals currently and formerly affiliated with
national banks.
The OCC has added a new category -- "Notices Filed"
-- to the list of public enforcement actions. The "Notices
Filed" category may include a "Notice of Charges,"
a "Notice of Civil Money Penalty Assessment," and/or
a "Notice of Intent to Remove/Prohibit."
All Cease and Desist Orders, Civil Money Penalty Orders, and
Removal/Prohibition Orders are issued with the consent of the
parties, unless otherwise indicated as a Decision and Order issued
by the Comptroller of the Currency.
Copies of the final actions are available
for download by viewing the searchable database of all public
enforcement actions taken since August 1989 at http://apps.occ.gov/EnforcementActions/.
You may also submit a request electronically to obtain copies
through the OCCs online FOIA site, https://appsec.occ.gov/publicaccesslink/.
Fax requests should be sent to (202) 874-5274. You can also obtain
copies by writing to the Comptroller of the Currency, Communications
Division, Mail Stop 2-3, Washington, DC 20219. When ordering,
specify the appropriate enforcement action number.
|
DOD
Evaluates Sexual Harassment & Violence Programs At Military
Service Academies
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:02:00 -0600
|
Joint
Statement from Secretary Gates and Secretary Clinton on Defense
Appropriations
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:13:00 -0600
|
Secretary Chu Announces Efforts to Strengthen
U.S. Electric Transmission Networks
Washington, DCEnergy Secretary Steven Chu announced today
award selections for $60 million in funding from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support transmission planning
for the countrys three interconnection transmission networks.
The 6 awards will promote collaborative long-term analysis and
planning for the Eastern, Western and Texas electricity interconnections,
which will help states, utilities, grid operators, and others
prepare for future growth in energy demand, renewable energy
sources, and Smart Grid technologies. This represents the first-ever
effort to take a collaborative, comprehensive look across each
of the three transmission interconnections.
Secretary Chu also announced that he has joined with Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff
to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies to
coordinate efforts related to interconnection-level electric
transmission planning. DOE will lead electricity-related research
and development activities, including research and demonstrations
for hardware and software technologies that help operate the
countrys transmission networks. FERC will continue to oversee
electricity reliability standards nationally and will enforce
regulations to ensure that all transmission planning happens
in an open, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. The Memorandum
of Understanding is available HERE.
As we move the country toward a clean energy future, it
is critical that we analyze the capacity of the countrys
transmission infrastructure and plan for future growth in this
important industry, said Secretary Chu. The initiatives
announced today will support collaborative planning efforts among
a broad range of industry, government and third party organizations.
This will ensure that we are effectively planning, building and
strengthening the transmission networks the U.S. needs to operate
a reliable, efficient and secure electricity system.
This agreement will allow FERC and DOE to take the regional
planning groundwork that transmission operators have laid to
the important next step of developing interconnection-wide plans,
FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said. These plans have the
potential to improve the efficient operation of the transmission
system and to reliably integrate new resources such as renewable
energy and smart grid technologies. We at FERC look forward to
working with DOE, our state colleagues and all stakeholders in
this important effort.
The transmission infrastructure in the continental United States
is separated into three distinct electrical networks, or interconnections
the Eastern, Western, and Texas interconnections (for a map of
the interconnections, visit HERE). Portions of the Eastern and
Western interconnections also extend into Canada and Mexico.
Within each interconnection, the addition of new electricity
supply sources and the development of transmission needed to
deliver electricity to consumers requires careful coordination
to maintain the grids reliability while limiting costs
and environmental impacts.
The transmission planning supported through todays awards
will develop an open, transparent, and collaborative process
that will involve participants from industry, federal, state
and local government agencies, universities, and non-governmental
organizations. This will include discussions among states within
an interconnection on how best to meet the regions electricity
supply needs, along with collaboration among industry and government
agencies from Canada and Mexico.
As a result of these planning efforts, each of the awardees will
produce long-term resource and transmission planning studies
in 2011, with updated documents in 2013. The knowledge and perspective
gained from this work will inform policy and regulatory decisions
in the years to come and provide critical information to electricity
industry planners, states and others to develop a modernized,
low-carbon electricity system.
The awards announced today are divided into two topic areas
funding for transmission planners and funding for state agencies.
Awards under the first topic area will fund transmission planners
work with stakeholder organizations within an interconnection
to project options for alternative electricity supplies and the
associated transmission requirements. The second group of awards
will go to state agencies or groups of agencies to develop coordinated
interconnection priorities and planning processes.
The following organizations have been selected for awards:
Eastern Interconnection
Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative - $16 million
Eastern Interconnection States Planning Council - $14 million
Western Interconnection
Western Electricity Coordinating Council - $14.5 million
Western Governors Association - $12 million
Texas Interconnection
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) - $2.5 million
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for work with Texas
government agencies - $1 million
###
|
Constituent
Update for USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
Gates
Commencement Speech
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:24:27 -0600
Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled to the University of
Georgia on Friday to deliver a commencement address to the Class
of 2009.
|
DOD
Health Survey
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:26:40 -0600
The Defense Department has released its latest survey of health
related behaviors among active duty personnel.
|
FBIs
Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending December 18, 2009
|
FEMA
Encourages Winter Weather Preparedness
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:45:20 -0600
With the winter season approaching, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) reminds individuals to be prepared for winter storms
and extreme cold. While the danger of severe winter weather varies
across the country, everyone can benefit by taking a few easy
steps now to prepare for emergencies. A first step, regardless
of where you live, is to visit the Ready.gov Web site to find
preparedness ideas you can use all year long.
|
Administrator
Speeches from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) website. Information has been updated. Administrator Rogoff
Delivers Remarks at Grand Rapid Groundbreaking - Grand Rapids,
MI now available.
|
DOL
Announces Regulatory Agenda That Addresses Employment of Individuals
with Disabilities and Disabled Veterans
To learn more about these proposed regulatory changes, click
here.
|
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
A listing of the latest
publications from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is now available
at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/update.htm
Please refer questions to
blsdata_staff@bls.gov .
|
Commitments of Traders Reports for CFTC.gov.
The current
reports for the week of December 15, 2009 are now available.
See previous weeks in Historical
Commitments of Traders Reports.
|
Commission
Examines Contracting Issues
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:52:00 -0600
|
Former
Broward County School Board Member Indicted on Public Corruption
Charges
|
DHS'
Efforts to Enhance Driver's License Security
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0600
In order to ensure that the millions of Americans traveling this
holiday season are not disrupted, DHS is extending the Dec. 31
REAL ID material compliance deadline
|
Another Reminder....Spring 10
The UNR Young Dems are thinking about changing
our weekly meeting times from its usual Friday @ 3. However,
we need you to send us your Spring 2010 school schedule/ other
time commitments to UNRyoungdems@gmail.com so that we can work
out a time that gets us the most people to the meetings ....
Please send ASAP....
Thank you!
Mandie Drummond
Vice President, UNR Young Democrats
--------------------
|
Anchorage
Press Releases for Federal Bureau of Investigation. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
C-SPAN Weekend Alert
Programming Information for Fri. 12/18 - Mon. 12/21, 2009
**********************************************************************
C-SPAN Highlights
Friday:
* U.N. Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen (8pm)
* Cmsn. on Wartime Contracting Hearing on Afghanistan (8:50pm)
Saturday:
* Communicators: Motion Picture Assn. of America, Chair &
CEO Dan Glickman (6:30pm)
* America & the Courts: Panel of Journalists on Supreme Court
Oral Argument (7pm)
Sunday:
* Newsmakers: Budget Cmte. Chairman Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) (10am)
* Q&A: Robert Merry, Author, "A Country of Vast Design"
(8pm)
Monday:
* U.S. House: Not In Session
* Nat'l Press Club Address by NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D.
(1pm) - LIVE
* Sec. of State Hillary Clinton Speech on the 15th Anniv. of
the ICPD (3pm) - LIVE
**********************************************************************
C-SPAN 2 Highlights
Friday:
* U.S. Senate Floor Debate on Health Care Legislation (Time TBA)
- LIVE
Saturday/Sunday:
* U.S. Senate Floor Debate on Defense & Health Care Legislation
(Time TBA) - LIVE
* Book TV Will Air Following Coverage of the U.S. Senate - http://www.booktv.org/
Monday:
* U.S. Senate: In Session (Time TBA) - LIVE
**********************************************************************
C-SPAN 3 Highlights
Friday:
* Highlights: Copenhagen Climate Conf.; Senate on Health Care
& Defense Bill (7pm)
Saturday:
* AHTV: Discussion on Thomas Jefferson, John Adams & Religion
(1pm)
Sunday:
* American History TV: Interviews with Pearl Harbor Survivors
(3pm)
Monday:
* Programming TBA. Check Schedule for Updates - http://www.c-spanvideo.org/schedule/?timezone=Eastern&date=Dec+21%2C+2009
**********************************************************************
C-SPAN Radio Highlights
Saturday:
* Washington Journal (7am) - LIVE
Sunday:
* Washington Journal (7am) - LIVE
* Sunday Network News Shows (12pm)
Monday:
* Washington Journal (7am) - LIVE
**********************************************************************
Politics Highlights
* C-SPAN Political Programming - Sunday
on C-SPAN at 6:30pm ET
**********************************************************************
Washington Journal Highlights
Saturday:
* Discussion on U.S. Policy in Afghanistan
* Discussion on the Obama Administration's Human Rights Agenda
* Discussion on the Auto Industry
* CPA Arthur Auerbach on Year-End Tax Preparation Advice
Sunday:
* Newspaper Articles & Viewer Calls
* Discussion on the Health Care Debate
* Discussion on Iran
* Roundtable Discussion on the News of the Week
Monday:
* Newspaper Articles & Viewer Calls
* Steve Forbes, Forbes, President & CEO
* Discussion on Corporate Political Spending
* Discussion on Young Americans & Politics
**********************************************************************
|
Department's
'COO' Keeps Eye on Warfighters
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:56:00 -0600
|
Recall Case Archive for USDA Food Safety
and Inspection Service. This information
has recently been updated. Case 040-2009, California Firm Recalls
Ready-To-Eat Pork Skin Products Produced Without Inspection,
has been moved to the archive.
You may view a copy of the updated
information.
|
DoD
Contracts for December 18, 2009
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:00:00 -0600
|
Today
in the Department of Defense, 12/19/2009
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:17:00 -0600
|
GAO-10-168,
UN Office for Project Services: Management Reforms Proceeding
but Effectiveness Not Assessed, and USAID's Oversight of Grants
Has Weaknesses, November 19, 2009
|
GAO-10-125,
Juvenile Justice: DOJ Is Enhancing Information on Effective Programs,
but Could Better Assess the Utility of This Information, December
17, 2009
|
GAO-10-134,
DOD Civilian Personnel: Intelligence Personnel System Incorporates
Safeguards, but Opportunities Exist for Improvement, December
17, 2009
|
GAO-10-220,
Softwood Lumber Act of 2008: Customs and Border Protection Established
Required Procedures, but Agencies Report Little Benefit from
New Requirements, December 18, 2009
|
GAO-10-288R,
Overseas Contingency Operations: Funding and Cost Reporting for
the Department of Defense, December 18, 2009
|
GAO-10-170R,
Department of Veterans Affairs' Implementation of Information
Security Education Assistance Program, December 18, 2009
|
GAO-10-171,
Biosurveillance: Developing a Collaboration Strategy Is Essential
to Fostering Interagency Data and Resource Sharing, December
18, 2009
|
FRB
Consumer Advisory Council appointments for 2010
|
U.S.
regulators encourage comments to Basel Committee
|
FTC,
Visa, and BBB Partner to Educate Consumers About Free Trial Offers
and Online Scams
The Federal Trade Commission has joined an effort to alert consumers
to online deceptive marketing connected to free trial offers
that require individuals to cancel or opt-out of a recurring
charge for future products or services.
|
Holiday
Message from DNI Blair
A holiday message from Director of National Intelligence Dennis
C. Blair to employees of the United States Intelligence Community.
|
DNI
Blair Op-Ed in the Washington Post on Intelligence Reform
An op-ed by the Director of National Intelligence, Dennis C.
Blair, marking the five year anniversary of the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, was published in
the Washington Post on Friday, December 18, 2009.
|
New
civil rights chief vows more hate-crimes enforcement
The Obama administration's new civil rights chief said Thursday
that he was "shocked" to learn of the steep decline
in hate-crime prosecutions during the Bush presidency and vowed
to combat violence stemming from hatred and bias.
|
Obama:
'No time to waste' on climate pact
Delegates at the U.N. Climate Change Conference are "running
short on time" to reach a deal, President Obama said.
|
Hawaii
in early stages of energy revolution
With the highest electricity rates in the country, Hawaii is
in the midst of tapping other resources for energy.
|
Director's
Statement: Senior Leadership Changes
December 16, 2009 - Statement to Employees by Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency Leon E. Panetta on Senior Leadership
Changes.
|
VIDEO:
COP 15 UN Climate Change Conference
President Barrack Obama delivers brief remarks during morning
plenary session at UN Climate Change Conference
Length:
Published: Today at 4am (ET)
|
VIDEO:
Ilyse Hogue, MoveOn.org
Ilyse Hogue, Political Advocacy & Communications Director
at MoveOn.org, discusses the group's efforts to raise $1 million
dollars for their campaign against Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.,
and their perspective on health care debate in the Senate.
Length: 23 min.
Published: Today at 7:30am (ET)
|
VIDEO:
Pres. Obama Attends U.N. Climate Change Summit
Pres. Obama attended multi-lateral talks with hopes of moving
the stalled U.N. climate change talks forward. In his address
to the conference he reiterated his role by stating "I'm
here to act and not talk."
Length: 11 min.
Published: Today at 6:30am (ET)
|
VIDEO:
Asst. Atty. Gen. Thomas Perez on Justice Department Agenda
The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy hosted this
event with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas
Perez. We heard about his agenda for this office within the Justice
Department.
Length: 55 min.
Published: Today at 12:30pm (ET)
|
VIDEO:
Senate Democrats Press Conference on Funding for Troops
Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Mark Begich (D-AK) conducted a
press conference on Capitol Hill to discuss Republican efforts
to delay funding for our troops.
Length: 11 min.
Published: Today at 1:30pm (ET)
|
Wrap-up
bill clears Senate hurdle
by By ANDREW TAYLOR
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate headed for a Saturday morning vote
on a package that funds the Pentagon and keeps other key programs,
including benefits for the unemployed and highway spending, from
expiring. It's the third straight weekend on the job as the Senate
struggles to wrap up its work for the year....
|
Lack
of basics slows effort to build Afghan forces
from AP Top Political News At 5:39 a.m. EST by By RICHARD LARDNER
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A lack of basic infrastructure in Afghanistan
is slowing the U.S. effort to build up the Afghan security forces,
a government watchdog said Friday...
|
Treasury
Receives First Quarterly Repayment from General Motors
from U.S. Treasury - Press Releases - All
December 18, 2009
TG-456
|
Treasury
Announces Additional Initial Closing of Legacy Securities Public-Private
Investment Fund
from U.S. Treasury - Press Releases - All
|
Iran
expects advanced enrichment in 2011
from Iran News latest RSS headlines - Big News Network.com
Iran expects to be using a new generation of uranium centrifuges,
which it has been testing for about two years, for full-scale
nuclear enrichment by March 2011.
|
Iraq
demands Iran withdraw troops from oilfield
from Iran News latest RSS headlines - Big News Network.com
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq on Friday demanded that Iran immediately
withdraw its soldiers from a disputed oilfield on the two countries'
border, but Tehran denied any incursion.Iraqi government spok...
|
Mullen
in Iraq: US drawdown on schedule
by The Associated Press
The election was postponed from January, but Mullen said that
will not change US plans. Mullen toured US bases in Basra and
Talil, and met with an array of ...
|
Congressional
Ethics Office Closes Inquiry Into Murtha, Dicks and Moran
from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington
Post News Editors
The Office of Congressional Ethics has closed its investigation
into Reps. John Murtha (D-Pa.), Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) and Jim
Moran (D-Va.) and their relationships to the lobbying firm PMA
Group, and the OCE advised against a formal House ethics investigation,
the lawmakers' offices said Friday.
|
White
House: U.S., China Reach Climate Deal
from BusinessWeek.com --
China and the United States struck an agreement on climate change
but U.S. officials concede the impact will be limited
|
US
Senate Defense Spending Bill Advances
from VOA News: U.S. Politics
Senators voted 63-33 in the pre-dawn hours Friday to end debate
on the $636 billion package, clearing the way for a final vote
on the measure Saturday. The House passed the bill earlier in
the week.
|
Obama:
"meaningful breakthrough" on climate change
from AP Top International News At 5:48 a... by By JENNIFER LOVEN
COPENHAGEN (AP) -- President Barack Obama declared Friday a "meaningful
and unprecedented breakthrough" had been reached among the
U.S., China and three other countries on a global effort to curb
climate change but said much work was still be needed to reach
a legally binding treaty....
|
Executive
Order -- Amending Executive Order 12425
Posted in Executive Orders
|
Biden
Kicks Off $7.2 Billion Recovery Act Broadband Program
|
Statement
by the President on House Passage of Jobs Bill
|
President
Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 12/17/09
|
Presidential
Nominations Sent to the Senate, 12/17/09
|
Statement
by the President on the Hmong New Year
|
Remarks
by The President on Energy Efficiency and Job Creation
|
Remarks
by the President After Meeting with Senate Democrats
|
Remarks
by the President at the Morning Plenary Session of the United
Nations Climate Change Conference
|
Remarks
by President Obama and Russian President Medvedev after Meeting
|
On
the Ground in Copenhagen: CEQ Chair Sutley
Posted by Jake Levine on December 18, 2009 at 11:39 AM EST
|
The
Time for Political Games is Over
Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on December 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM EST
|
Recovery
in Action: Powering a Greener Economy
Posted by Cammie Croft on December 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM EST
|
Obama:
We are running short on time for climate deal
Posted: December 18th, 2009 08:39 AM ET
Delegates at the U.N. Climate Change Conference are 'running
short on time' to reach agreement on a deal, U.S. President Barack
Obama said Friday.
Copenhagen, Denmark (CNN) - Delegates at the U.N. Climate Change
Conference are "running short on time" to reach agreement
on a deal, U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday.
|
Obama
transcript on climate: Act boldly
Posted: December 18th, 2009 08:50 AM ET
|
Senate
ends debate on defense spending
Posted: December 18th, 2009 09:11 AM ET
Facing year-end holidays and running out of time to discuss health
care reform, the Senate voted early Friday to end debate on funding
for the Department of Defense.
Washington (CNN) Facing year-end holidays and running
out of time to discuss health care reform, the Senate voted early
Friday to end debate on funding for the Department of Defense.
|
Google
unveils top political searches of 2009
Posted: December 18th, 2009 10:30 AM ET
From CNN Audience Interaction Producer
Eric Kuhn
Interest in the United States over the time for the 'Public Option'
on Google Search.
Washington (CNN) - With more than a billion searches being typed
into Google a day, the search engine serves as a barometer for
what's on the minds of Americans. And when it comes to politics
in 2009, Americans were searching more for Henry Louis Gates
over Sonia Sotomayor, AIG over TARP, and Mark Sanford over John
Edwards.
|
Obama:
'Time for talk is over'
Posted: December 18th, 2009 11:24 AM ET
|
Congressional
Democrats retain COH advantage in November
Posted: December 18th, 2009 12:35 PM ET
From CNN Political Producer Rebecca Sinderbrand
Washington (CNN) The National Republican
Senatorial Committee again edged out the Democratic Senatorial
Campaign Committee last month, while the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee kept up its winning streak in November - and
Democratic campaign committees in the House and Senate both maintained
their massive cash-on-hand advantage over their GOP counterparts.
|
Obama:
U.S., Russia 'quite close' to forging new START treaty
Posted: December 18th, 2009 01:59 PM ET
Obama: U.S., Russia 'quite close' to forging new START treaty.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CNN) President Barack Obama said
the United States and Russia are "quite close" to forging
a new nuclear disarmament treaty in a "timely fashion."
|
Pelosi:
Climate bill will pass
Posted: December 18th, 2009 02:10 PM ET
|
MoveOn
calls on members to help block health care bill
Posted: December 18th, 2009 03:11 PM ET
(CNN) - MoveOn which has spent millions this fall on campaigns
pressing conservative Democrats to support health care reform
is now calling on members to fight the bill currently
being considered by the Senate.
|
Obama
near climate change accord with China, others
Posted: December 18th, 2009 04:24 PM ET
From CNN Senior White House Correspondent
Ed Henry
Obama near climate change accord with China, others.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CNN) - President Obama is in the final stages
of closing a climate change deal with China and other key nations
that is expected to be sealed before the president heads home
from the Copenhagen summit late Friday, according to a senior
administration official.
|
Franken
takes on Lieberman as tensions builds in Senate
Posted: December 18th, 2009 04:33 PM ET
|
Trafficant
Gears Up
At a news conference yesterday, it sure sounded like ex-convict
and former Rep. Jim Traficant (D) -- who called himself "a
bitter man" -- is running for Congress again. He also says
he's got a book and movie deal in the works.
The video of the event does not disappoint.
|
Republicans
More Unhappy With Their Leaders
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that there are still
more Republicans unhappy with their party in Congress than Democrats:
35% of GOP voters expressed disapproval of their leaders in Washington
while 27% of Democrats did.
|
Top
Political Stories of the Decade
Marc Cooper of the USC Annenberg School makes his picks:
1. The unconventional election process
of 2000
2. The attack on the Twin Towers, September 11, 2001
3. The invasion of Afghanistan, 2001
4. The invasion of Iraq, 2003
5. The introduction of torture techniques as official American
policy
6. The unprecedented expansion of executive power
7. Hurricane Katrina
8. The election of Barack Obama
9. The global financial crisis of 2008-2009
10. The media revolution
What do you think? Nominate your own stories
in the comments.
|
What
Lieberman Has Done
Ezra Klein: "Joe Lieberman's reckless decision to blow up
last week's compromise has had exactly the impact many of us
predicted. Much of the left has flipped into vicious, angry opposition
to the bill. Is that because the Medicare buy-in, a good but
limited policy, has disappeared from the bill? Ostensibly. But
not really. If you don't believe the bill has cost controls,
Medicare buy-in was not an answer to your concerns. If you believe
the mandate is bad policy, letting people between 55 and 64 choose
public insurance did not answer your concerns."
"Lieberman has tossed the process
into chaos, and maybe that was the point... But his recklessness
has endangered the bill, and through it, many, many lives. He
may not be ashamed. But he should be."
|
The
Big Health Care Vote
The latest schedule for the health care vote suggests that very
early Monday morning -- at around 1:00 am ET -- the Senate will
vote to break the filibuster on the "managers' amendment."
|
Flashback
of the Day
When Sen. Al Franken objected to Sen. Joe Lieberman's request
for additional time, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that in his
20-plus years in the Senate he had never heard a senator do that
before.
However, a Political Wire reader sends
this excerpt from the Congressional Record from October 10, 2002:
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time
has expired.
Mr. DAYTON. I ask for unanimous consent
that I have 30 seconds more to finish my remarks.
Mr. McCAIN. I object.
|
Volkswagen
preferred shares to list on DAX
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Volkswagen
Ag preferred shares will replace the company's ordinary shares
on Germany's DAX stock index, effective Dec. 23, the company
said Friday. Deutsche Bourse made the move following Qatar Holding's
announcement that it raised its stake in the German car maker
to 17% from 6.8%, part of a long-term strategic investment by
the sovereign fund.
|
Dow
industrials gain 26 points to 10,334.26
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
Nasdaq
Composite climbs 31.64 points to 2,211.69
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
U.S.
stocks tally modest gains for a mixed week
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks on
Friday tallied modest gains to end the week mixed as investors
drew some cheer from better-than-expected results from technology
titan Oracle Corp. and others. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
gained 20.63 points, or 0.2%, to 10,328.89, leaving it down 1.4%
from last Friday's close. The S&P 500 Index added 6.32 points,
or 0.6%, to 1,102.39, giving it a 0.4% drop for the week. The
Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 31.64 points, or 1.5%, to 2,211.69,
leaving it up 1% from the week-ago close.
|
Copenhagen
climate summit ends with deal: reports
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The Copenhagen
climate summit ended with a "meaningful agreement"
to combat the release of greenhouse gases, according to media
reports Friday, citing White House officials. The agreement was
described as an "important first step" in combating
climate change, according to The Wall Street Journal.
|
Climate
talks end with pact that U.S. calls an 'important first step'
from MarketWatch.com - MarketWatch Breaking News Bulletins
Climate talks end with pact that U.S. calls an 'important first
step'
|
Siemens
financial services chief to leave
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Siemens said the
head of its financial services arm, Dominik Asam, will leave
in March at his own request. Roland Cholans-Browne, who was CEO
of the U.S. arm of Siemens Financial Services, will take over
in February.
|
General
Mills posts higher profit, lifts forecast
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
Cereal maker General Mills Inc. lifts its full-year forecast
Thursday after posting a higher second-quarter profit, thanks
in part to lower commodity costs.
|
Coca-Cola
Enterprises ups 2009 profit outlook
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Coca-Cola Enterprises
Inc. raised its full-year profit outlook on Thursday to a range
of $1.56 to $1.59 a share, from a prior range of $1.54 to $1.57
a range, as provided in October. For 2010, the Atlanta soft drink
company said it expects high single-digit percentage growth on
a per-share basis. Shares of Coca-Cola Enterprises closed Wednesday
at $20.05.
|
FedEx
has seen a 'turning point' in U.S. economy
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- FedEx Corp. saw
a jump in average daily shipping volumes during the second quarter,
indicating a "turning point" in the U.S. economy, said
Chairman and Chief Executive Fred Smith on a Thursday call with
analysts. "We believe these quarterly trends and volume
growth indicate global economic conditions are improving,"
Smith said. "FedEx handled a record 14.1 million shipments
this past Monday, up from 12 million packages on last year's
busiest day." Smith added that the process of inventory
clearance, seen earlier this year as the recession took grip,
appears to have bottomed out, with subsequent restocking driving
growth.
|
Economic
Report: Leading indicators advance 0.9% in November
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The index of leading economic indicators rise for the eighth
straight month, pointing to an improved economy in 2010, the
private Conference Board says.
|
Two
cancer codes cracked
from CBC | Technology & Science News
Scientists hail the unlocking of the complete genetic code of
two common cancers as "a fundamental moment in cancer research."
|
Benchmark
30-year mortgage rate remains below 5% level
from MarketWatch.com - MarketWatch Breaking News Bulletins
Benchmark 30-year mortgage rate remains below 5% level
|
Natural
gas futures up 7% at $5.84/million Btus
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
Philly
Fed: Factories show continued strength
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The factory sector in the Philadelphia region is showing continued
signs of growth in December, data reported by the Federal Reserve
Bank of Philadelphia show.
|
Treasury:
We don't expect to invest more into AIG
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The U.S. government
doesn't expect to make further investments into embattled American
International Group Inc., a mega-insurance company that was propped
up with $190 billion in taxpayer bailout dollars, according to
Treasury Assistant Secretary Herbert Allison on Thursday. "We
don't anticipate making any further investments into AIG,"
Allison told lawmakers in an oversight subcommittee. He estimates
that, based on Treasury's current evaluation, the government
could have a loss of $60 billion on its investments in AIG and
auto companies General Motors and Chrysler.
|
The
Fed: Senate panel approves Bernanke on 16-7 vote
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The Senate Banking Committee approves the nomination of Federal
Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke to a second four-year term
by an unusually close margin of 16-7.
|
Obama
moves to boost U.S. broadband access
from canada.com World News
The Obama administration on Thursday began the award of $2 billion
in grants and loans over the next 75 days as part of a plan to
dramatically expand Americans' broadband Internet access and
create jobs.
|
U.S.
privacy watchdog files complaint against Facebook
from CTV BritishColumbiaHome
A Washington-based privacy advocacy group has filed a complaint
against Facebook over the social network's latest privacy changes.
|
Oracle
tops Wall Street views with results
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
Shares rise after hours following report of fiscal second-quarter
profit and sales that top analysts estimates, thanks in
part to favorable exchange rates.
|
Freddie,
Fannie suspend evictions until January
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
Move will allow families facing foreclosures to remain in homes
over the holidays.
|
Gene
maps to transform scientists' work on cancer
from canada.com World News
Scientists have identified all the changes in cells of two deadly
cancers to produce the first entire cancer gene maps and say
the findings mark a "transforming moment" in their
understanding of the disease.
|
Outside
the Box: Canada wood and paper firms face more cuts
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The past few years haven't been kind to Canada's forest-products
and paper companies. Still, what lies just ahead could be more
difficult, says Michael Pollock.
|
CANADA
newsbrief ticker has been updated
|
European
shares move higher in early trading
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European shares
rose in early trading on Friday, with the technology sector leading
the advance as SAP shares rose 1.4% and Infineon Technologies
shares rose 2.5%. Thursday saw strong results from U.S technology
companies Research in Motion and Oracle. Meanwhile Ryanair shares
rose 0.8% after it said that it's ended aircraft order talks
with Boeing. Overall, the U.K. FTSE 100 index rose 0.2% to 5,226.98,
the German DAX index rose 0.3% to 5,863.94 and the French CAC-40
index rose 0.1% to 3,836.11.
|
Economic
Report: German, French business surveys nearly steady
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
Two key business confidence surveys in Germany and France show
little movement during December as businesses look toward 2010.
|
Obama
seeks to seal deal in Copenhagen
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
|
Dow
industrials gain 43.61 points to 10,351.87
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
S&P
500 Index rises 4.6 points to 1,100.68
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
Nasdaq
Composite Index adds 15.99 points to 2,196
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
U.S.
stocks begin higher as tech results lift mood
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks opened
higher on Friday with sentiment lifted by better-than-expected
earnings results from the technology sector. The Dow Jones Industrial
Average gained 32.57 points to 10,340.83. The S&P 500 Index
rose 4.44 points to 1,100.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index added
15.79 points to 2,195.84.
|
Natural
gas shares hold on to gains
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Cold winter weather in the Eastern U.S.
and bullish natural gas inventory data helped natural gas shares
hold on to gains at midday on Friday, while buyers shied away
from other parts of the energy sector.
|
Financials
gain along with broader market
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
U.S. financial stocks trade mixed, but generally track the broader
market higher after a trio of solid earnings reports from the
tech and consumer sectors suggested profit growth next year.
|
Dollar
index hits new 3-month high
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
Market
Snapshot: Tech stocks bolster broader market
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The Nasdaq Composite posts the strongest performance of the major
indexes, boosted by an 11% rise in Research In Motion and a 5.9%
gain in Oracle.
|
NewsWatch:
U.S. stock market finds some cheer in tech
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
The technology sector is again illustrating why it's the best
performing sector of 2009, as results from software giant Oracle
Corp. help propel the Nasdaq Composite Index to weekly gains
even as the broad market loses ground.
|
U.S.
stocks return to gains; tech still in lead
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The S&P
500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average reversed higher Friday,
during a session made particularly bumpy because of the day's
options expirations and the quarterly rebalancing of the Standard
& Poor's indexes. The S&P 500 was recently up 3 points
at 1,099, with the tech sector up 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial
Average added 8 points to 10,316. The Nasdaq Composite gained
22 points to 2,201.
|
Upscale
jewelry shows surprising signs of life
from MarketWatch.com - Top Stories
|
GM
sees paying off government loans by June
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
GM
says it paid $1 bln to U.S., $192 mln to Canada
from MarketWatch.com - Real-time Headlines
|
GM
to pay back U.S., Canada loans in full by June
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- General
Motors Co. expects to pay back emergency loans in full to the
U.S. and Canadian governments by June 2010, Chief Executive Ed
Whitacre said in a statement Friday. Whitacre added that the
outlook is based upon "no downturn in the economy or business."
The outlook accompanies GM's announcement it made a $1 billion
payment to the U.S. Treasury and a $192 million payment to Export
Development Canada.
|
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