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Yesterday's newsbrief journal is archived
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PressSec:
Please read this now - the price of doing nothing on health care
- too many quotes to pull them all out - http://nyti.ms/cKMymD
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PressSec:
If we don't act family health care coverage will go from $13,000
per year to $24,000 by 2020 http://nyti.ms/cKMymD
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PressSec:
No progress on health care equals less economic growth and bankrupts
govt, business and families http://nyti.ms/cKMymD
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WaysMeansCmte:
RT @YourVoiceAtIRS American Recovery & Reinvestment Act includes
several benefits & credits-See if any apply to you: http://bit.ly/cpC5xL
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USTradeRep:
Ambassador Kirk Comments on 2010 Trade Policy Agenda, http://ow.ly/1cPkC
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USTradeRep:
Schedule for 301 Hearing Now Available, http://ow.ly/1cWlz
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SenateDemocrats:
Update for today, Ways & Means is finishing up their hearing,
and today is their cutoff. The rest of the week is primarily
floor time #waleg
|
SEC_News:
On Investor.gov: "An Introduction to Mutual Funds"
- http://bit.ly/dluLO9
|
youngdems:
via @hailsnow: Read YDA Vice President Colmon Elridge's statement
on Senator Bunning hot off the YDA Blog. http://yda.org/blog/post/834
|
HouseDemocrats:
This is what happens to insurance companies that raise their
rates by 39% (VIDEO): http://bit.ly/dlwyFi
|
HouseDemocrats:
Over a million lose unemployment benefits & 32,000 jobs endangered
from Republican obstructionism: http://bit.ly/9FI6V1
|
GovContracts:
70--Adult Cardiac Database License Renewal with 4 option years:
Department of the Army Army Contracting Command, MICC http://bit.ly/cCUkzR
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GovBenefitsGOV:
Learn if you qualify for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
program: http://bit.ly/avi8gt
|
GovBenefitsGOV:
Seen an ad for "free money" from the govt? Learn the
FACTS about govt assistance here: http://bit.ly/afau1B
|
dscc:
Thanks to Sen. Bunning, 2000 federal employees furloughed today
and unemployment benefits stopped for 400,000. http://www.bit.ly/9yMbV8
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dscc:
Sen. Bunning will block unemployment benefits and force workers
to be furloughed...but won't discuss why: http://www.bit.ly/9tl5XG
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dscc:
Ask GOP candidates this question: Do you support Jim Bunning’s
cruel filibuster? http://bit.ly/9iXa1K
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dscc:
Bunning's block will result in 21% fee cuts for doctors treating
Medicare patients. http://bit.ly/a53Mcq
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DNCYouthCouncil:
Live Interactive Video Chat on College Affordability and the
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) http://bit.ly/9FJtTU
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DNCYouthCouncil:
Democratic National Committee Internships http://bit.ly/96VcUY
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DNCYouthCouncil:
Reducing The Dropout Rate and Preparing Students for College
and Careers http://bit.ly/b41npL
|
DemocratsDotOrg:
Obstructionism by @Senate_GOPs is shattering records—and
shows no sign of letting up: http://j.mp/9Qikhp
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DemocratsDotOrg:
The obstruction of @Senate_GOPs denies small businesses access
to loans they need in this tough economy. http://j.mp/arhuQP
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DemocratsDotOrg:
Non-stop obstruction by @Senate_GOPs has put 400k jobless Americans
at risk of losing unemployment benefits. http://j.mp/9mDWiG
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DemocratsDotOrg:
Reconciliation Fact #1: It's been used by every president since
Jimmy Carter. http://j.mp/d0tzTh
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DemocratsDotOrg:
Reconciliation Fact #2: It's been used 16 times by Republicans;
6 times by Democrats. http://j.mp/d0tzTh
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DemocratsDotOrg:
Reconciliation Fact #3: Both SCHIP and Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Conciliation Act (COBRA) benefits were passed using Reconciliation.
http://j.mp/d0tzTh
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dccc:
In case you missed it: Pelosi Welcomes Tea Partiers To Join Progressives
In Fighting Against Special Interests http://giv.to/5Ngu
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dccc:
Thanks to supporters like you, we beat our February FEC goal!
Check out our latest At Stake newsletter: http://bit.ly/aAQT0s
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AZHouseDems:
Brewer, Republicans cutting more jobs and pushing Arizona farther
down the wrong track. http://tinyurl.com/yf2umta
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AZHouseDems:
Republicans' anti-solar bill almost cost Arizona more jobs. http://tinyurl.com/yaoufch
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BarackObama:
Join Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for a live video chat
on making college more affordable, at 5:30pm ET: http://bit.ly/9oRvLL
|
Western
Hemisphere: Earthquake in Chile
The Western Hemisphere Regional Policy Overview has been updated
with remarks by the President and the Secretary of State on the
earthquake in Chile, a State Department briefing on Secretary
of State's travel to Latin America, remarks by a State Department
official at the U.S.-Mexico Bi-National Drug Demand Reduction
Policy Meeting, a report from the National Defense University's
Institute for National Strategic Studies assessing U.S.-Mexico
cooperation on homeland defense, a Council on Hemispheric Affairs
article evaluating the risks of climate migration in Latin America,
and a Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars conference
report examining international policy options for engagement
with Cuba. Please see the Recently Added Documents section for
the latest on this region - the newest updates are in bold.
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Africa:
The U.S.-Nigerian Relationship
The Africa Regional Policy Overview has been updated with articles
from PRISM: A Journal of the Center for Complex Operations assessing
the perspective of Sudan's rebels and presenting thoughts on
leadership, peace, security, and justice in Liberia, a Strategic
Studies Quarterly article examining security assistance, surrogate
armies, and the pursuit of U.S. interests in Africa, a State
Department briefing reviewing recent diplomatic travel in Africa,
a Senate hearing evaluating the U.S.-Nigeria relationship, a
Council on Foreign Relations article assessing the state of HIV/AIDS
in South Africa, remarks by a State Department official on the
seizure of power in Niger, an Arab Reform Initiative report evaluating
the threat of secession in Sudan, a United Nations report on
the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur,
and an Institute for Security Studies report analyzing the role
and place of the African Standby Force within the African peace
and security architecture. Please see the Recently Added Documents
section for the latest on this region - the newest updates are
in bold.
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North
Korea: Currency Reform, Aid, and Scenarios for a Nuclear North
Korea
The North Korea MiPAL has been updated with remarks by the Special
Representative for North Korea Policy on the ongoing international
dialogue on North Korea's nuclear program, a Heritage Foundation
article calling for rigorous standards for United Nations aid
to North Korea, an East-West Center article assessing North Korea's
attempts at currency reform, and a U.S.-Korea Institute report
presenting four scenarios for a nuclear North Korea. Please see
the Recently Added Documents section for the latest on this country
- the newest updates are in bold.
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China:
Security Dimension of the Sino-U.S. Trade Asymmetry
The China MiPAL has been updated with Strategic Studies Quarterly
articles examining the security dimension of the Sino-U.S. trade
asymmetry and analyzing the implications of China's air and space
power for the U.S. Air Force, a Heritage Foundation report evaluating
China's military approach to the U.S.-Taiwan defense relationship,
a hearing before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review
Commission assessing the implications and repercussions of U.S.
debt to China, a German Institute for International and Security
Affairs report reviewing recent military trends in China, a Center
for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments report analyzing China's
air and maritime capabilities in comparison with those of the
U.S., and a Congressional Research Service report examining China's
economic conditions. Please see the Recently Added Documents
section for the latest on this country - the newest updates are
in bold.
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Afghanistan:
Expenditures for the Training and Mentoring of the Afghan National
Police
The Afghanistan MiPAL has been updated with a PRISM: A Journal
of the Center for Complex Operations article examining the militarization
of aid in Afghanistan, a Senate hearing evaluating the importance
of women in the strategy for rebuilding Afghanistan, an Open
Society Institute report assessing the impact of night raids
by international forces on the attitudes of Afghan citizens,
remarks by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff on the ongoing operations in Marjah, a report
from the Department of Defense and the Department of State examining
expenditures for the training and mentoring of the Afghan National
Police, an Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit report assessing
the political impact of student politics in Afghanistan, and
a Centre for International Governance Innovation report presenting
seven action items for stabilizing Afghanistan. Please see the
Recently Added Documents section for the latest on this country
- the newest updates are in bold.
|
Iraq:
Analysis of the Upcoming Elections
The Iraq MiPAL has been updated with articles from PRISM: A Journal
of the Center for Complex Operations featuring an interview with
the Commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq and an examination
of the threat of organized crime in Iraq, analysis of the upcoming
elections in Iraq from the Council on Foreign Relations, the
International Crisis Group, and the United Nations Secretary-General's
Special Representative for Iraq, articles from the Jamestown
Foundation evaluating the state of the refugee crisis in Iraq
and the implications of tensions between Kurds and Arabs for
the future of Iraq's stability, a Congressional hearing evaluating
the lessons learned in Iraq for future reconstruction efforts,
a Center for Strategic and International Studies report on barriers
to reconciliation in Iraq, and a Center for a New American Security
report assessing the prospects for U.S. policy in Iraq after
the elections. Please see the Recently Added Documents section
for the latest on this country - the newest updates are in bold.
|
mayoungdems:
Youth are key in 2010! RT @DP_Katherine: Raised $4,000+ &
counting for our 4/10 youth event for @MassGovernor. http://bit.ly/b1vHtP
#magov
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U.S.
International Reserve Position
March 1, 2010
2010-3-1-15-30-25-18501
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Public
Offerings of Warrants to Purchase Common Stock of Bank of America
March 1, 2010
TG-569
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Goldstein
Nomination Hearing before the Senate Finance Committee
March 2, 2010
TG-570
|
Fee
Rate Advisory #5 for Fiscal Year 2010
Pursuant to Section 31 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Commission has determined that a mid-year adjustment to the
Section 31 transaction fee rate is necessary. Effective on April
1, 2010, the Section 31 transaction fee rate will be set at $16.90
per million.
|
Obama
to name Kohn Fed replacement before end June
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will nominate a
replacement for Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn, who
is stepping down from his post, in time for confirmation before
Kohn's term ends on June 23, a White House official said on Monday.
|
Clinton
offers U.S. help on Falklands dispute
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said
on Monday the United States stood ready to help Argentina and
Britain resolve new tensions over the disputed Falkland Islands,
which sparked a war between the two countries in 1982.
|
Obama
said poised to offer more healthcare changes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will offer changes
to his healthcare overhaul this week, the White House said on
Monday, and a leading Democrat said the president was preparing
a smaller version of his broad bid to revamp the $2.5 trillion
industry.
|
U.S.
senators eye Fed as home for watchdog
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two key senators were discussing making
the Federal Reserve the home of a proposed U.S. government watchdog
office for consumers that has been the main obstacle to bipartisan
agreement on financial reform, said sources familiar with Senate
discussions on Monday.
|
House
leader says health bill could win converts
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Democratic leader
Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday a broad healthcare overhaul could
gain new support this month from Democrats who opposed it last
year.
|
U.S.
seeks to smooth China ties, win backing on Iran
BEIJING (Reuters) - Top U.S. and Chinese diplomats will grapple
with how to deal with the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North
Korea in meetings that Washington hopes will help ease tensions
with Beijing.
|
China
sticks to diplomatic approach on Iran
BEIJING (Reuters) - China stood its ground that diplomacy was
the best way to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program,
as U.S. diplomats arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks on
Tehran and North Korea's atomic ambitions.
|
White
House sees swift action on Fed vacancies
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama wants to move quickly
to fill vacancies on the Federal Reserve Board, White House spokesman
Robert Gibbs said on Tuesday.
|
Lobbying
game's winners and losers
by Jeanne Cummings
Corporate players anxiously await the results of the health care
and financial reform fights.
|
Dodd,
Corker near key reform deal
by Victoria McGrane
Senators are testing bipartisan support for a potential pact
on a new consumer watchdog.
|
Obama
to plug new energy rebates
by Carol E. Lee
He'll introduce a $6 billion efficiency incentive program during
his visit to Georgia.
|
Peace
Corps Celebrates Peace Corps Week March 1-7
|
OCC
Issues Second Quarter 2010 CRA Examination Schedule
by Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today released
its schedule of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) examinations
to be conducted in the second quarter of 2010.
|
Comptroller
Dugan Says Basel Proposals Designed to Promote More Resilient
Banking Sector
by Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan said today that the
central challenge for bank regulators over the coming year will
be to strike the right balance between capital and credit availability.
|
The
Unemployment Gender Gap during the 2007 Recession
The Unemployment Gender Gap during the 2007 Recession
|
GAO-10-249,
Telecommunications: Information Collection and Management at
the Federal Communications Commission, January 29, 2010
|
GAO-10-242,
Medicare Part D: Spending, Beneficiary Cost Sharing, and Cost-Containment
Efforts for High-Cost Drugs Eligible for a Specialty Tier, January
29, 2010
|
GAO-10-323R,
Group Purchasing Organizations: Research on Their Pricing Impact
on Health Care Providers, January 29, 2010
|
GAO-10-356R,
Conversions of Selected Employees from Political to Career Positions
at Departments and Selected Agencies, January 29, 2010
|
GAO-10-399,
Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial
Statements for Fiscal Years 2009 and 2008, March 1, 2010
|
Vice
Chairman Donald L. Kohn resigns from Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, effective June 23, 2010
|
Federal
Reserve Banks announce completion of check processing infrastructure
changes
|
FTC
Halts Massive Cramming Operation that Illegally Billed Thousands;
Alleges Scam Took in $19 Million over Five Years
A U.S. district court judge has ordered a halt to the illegal
practices of an Internet services company that crammed unauthorized
charges onto the telephone bills of thousands of consumers and
small businesses for services they never agreed to buy.
|
Payment
Processing CEO Banned from the Business; Company Illegally Debited
Millions from Consumers’ Bank Accounts
The chief executive officer of a payment processing company will
be banned from the business as part of a settlement resolving
Federal Trade Commission charges that the company illegally debited
millions of dollars in bogus charges from consumers’ bank
accounts.
|
FTC
Seeks Public Comments on Trustee's Proposal to Divest Two Stores
under Whole Foods Market Inc. Divestiture Order; FTC To Review
Three Agency Rules in 2010
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on applications
filed by the Divestiture Trustee to divest two stores pursuant
to the Commission’s March 5, 2009 order, which was issued
to help restore the competition lost by Whole Foods Market Inc.’s
2007 acquisition of Wild Oats Market, Inc.
|
H.R.
4213, American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010
Cost estimate for the amendment as introduced as a substitute
for H.R. 4213
|
|
VIDEO:
Pres. Obama Remarks at America's Promise Alliance Education Event
President Obama spoke about education at an event hosted by America’s
Promise Alliance, which was founded by former Secretary of State
Colin Powell and his wife, Alma. The event was held at the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce where the president announced new initiatives
aimed at improving education.
Length: 36 min.
Published: Monday at 10:10am (ET)
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|
VIDEO:
State Dept. Briefing on International Narcotics Report
Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Affairs David Johnson delivered remarks on the
release of the 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy
Report.
Length: 31 min.
Published: Monday at 12pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
Brookings Inst. Address by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) on Fiscal
Responsibility
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) discussed fiscal responsibility
in a speech at the Brookings Institution. He spoke about the
new bipartisan fiscal commission charged with recommending solutions
for reducing the federal deficit, and also the “PAYGO”
legislation recently enacted into law that requires federal spending
or tax cuts to be offset by savings or revenue increases.
Length: 44 min.
Published: Monday at 1pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
State Dept. Briefing on Reconstruction and Stabilization
Ambassador John Herbst, Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization
spoke to reporters at the State Department about efforts in Afghanistan
and Haiti.
Length: 15 min.
Published: Monday at 1pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
State Department Press Briefing with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke
briefed the press on his trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central
Asia, Georgia and Germany.
Length: 35 min.
Published: Monday at 1:30pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
AEI Discussion on Iraq Elections
The American Enterprise Institute hosted a group of panelists
for a discussion on the upcoming elections in Iraq. They discussed
whether the elections would contribute to the country's stability
or instability, their potential impact on the U.S. withdrawal
timeline and implications for the entire region.
Length:
Published: Monday at 1pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
White House Briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
The next steps in the health care debate was the main topic at
this White House briefing. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs defended
the Senate maneuver known as “reconciliation” which
allows legislation to pass by a simple majority. Other topics
included the results of President Obama’s recent health
checkup.
Length: 52 min.
Published: Monday at 1:30pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
State Dept. Briefing on Chile Earthquake
Ambassador Paul Simons, U.S. Ambassador to Chile, briefed reporters
at the State Department on the current developments in Chile.
Length: 14 min.
Published: Monday at 4pm (ET)
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|
VIDEO:
Commission on Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan
The Commission on Wartime Contracting, an independent panel created
by Congress to look at wartime contracting practices, heard from
officials with the State and Defense Departments about their
coordination and oversight of contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The bipartisan commission will send a report to Congress with
its findings later this year.
Length: 2 hr. 54 min.
Published: Monday at 10am (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
Cato Institute Discussion on States and the Right to Bear Arms
The Cato Institute hosted a panel of legal scholars to preview
the Supreme Court case McDonald v. Chicago and its implications
for gun rights and other constitutional liberties.
Length:
Published: Monday at 4pm (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Sen. Bingaman goes over pending legislation in the Senate on
jobs and health care. He is a member of the Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Cmte. & Finance Cmte.
Length: 28 min.
Published: Today at 7:30am (ET)
|
|
VIDEO:
Roslyn Brock, NAACP, Chairman
In February Ms. Brock became the youngest and fourth woman to
serve as Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. Ms.
Brock recount the recent election, the generational shift in
civil rights, and the President’s meeting last month with
African American leaders to discuss job creation in the African
American community.
Length: 23 min.
Published: Today at 8:30am (ET)
|
Obama
to spell out rebates for energy efficiency
by By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) -- President Barack Obama is calling on Congress
to pass a series of rebates for people who take steps to make
their homes more energy efficient....
|
|
Biden
to Executive Council: We Need A Middle Class
by James Parks
Vice President Joe Biden spoke to members
of the AFL-CIO Executive Council who are meeting in Orlando March
1-3. In his second visit to the AFL-CIO Executive Council in
13 months, Vice President Joe Biden outlined plans to shore up
America's faltering middle class with jobs, tax policy and workers'
rights protections. Biden also said the Obama administration
intends to work to make the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
more worker friendly, even though two nominees are being held
up by Senate Republicans. Biden said:
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|
Senate
tries to extend jobless benefits deadline – again
Posted: March 1st, 2010 08:26 PM ET
From CNNMoney.com Senior Writer Tami Luhby
New York (CNNMoney.com) - Democratic Senators
Monday unveiled a $150 billion bill that pushes back the deadline
to file for unemployment insurance until year-end and extends
dozens of expiring corporate and personal tax credits.
|
POLITICAL
HOT TOPICS: March 2, 2010
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 05:04 AM ET
|
CANADA
newsbrief journal has been updated and posted
|
|
Poll:
Specter makes gains in re-election bid
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 10:30 AM ET
From CNN's Deputy Political Director Paul
Steinhauser
Sen. Arlen Specter is making gains in his difficult re-election
bid.
(CNN) - Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is making
gains in his difficult bid this year for re-election, according
to a new poll.
|
|
Obama
to take on Bunning
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 12:00 PM ET
From CNN Senior White House Correspondent
Ed Henry
(CNN) - White House aides are saying there's
a "strong possibility" President Obama will take on
Sen. Jim Bunning during the president's 1230 p.m. ET economic
remarks at Savannah Technical College.
|
Clinton
promises solidarity, supplies for quake-damaged Chile
Posted: March 2nd, 2010 12:12 PM ET
|
The
Facts About Reconciliation
Ezra Klein notes that Republicans are arguing that the budget
reconciliation process "has never been used for major legislation,
and so any attempts to use the process to modify the health-care
reform bill would be a sharp break with precedent. That's wrong
on two counts."
|
|
Biden
Rules
For Republicans hoping that the Senate parliamentarian might
derail Democratic plans to use budget reconciliation to pass
health care reform, former Senate Parliamentarian Robert Dove
told MSNBC that Vice President Joe Biden, who also functions
as the president of the Senate, can override the parliamentarian
when it comes to what qualifies under reconciliation.
Said Dove: "The parliamentarian only
can advise. It is the vice president who rules."
Not since Hubert Humphrey, Dove noted,
has there been a vice president played such a powerful role.
|
Record
Use of the Filibuster
For months, Senate Democrats have made the point that Republicans
are using the filibuster in an unprecedented way to block President
Obama's agenda. A useful chart of Senate cloture motions through
the years seems to back up this assertion.
|
Reischauer
Would Back Health Care Bill
Ezra Klein spoke with former CBO Director Robert Reischauer about
President Obama's health care reform bill.
|
Ford
Will Not Run for Senate
"Under intense pressure from Democratic Party officials,"
Harold Ford Jr. (D) "has decided not to challenge Sen. Kirsten
Gillibrand (D-NY) in the primary this fall," the New York
Times reports.
|
Specter
Pushes Ahead of Toomey
A new Quinnipiac poll in Pennsylvania finds Sen. Arlen Specter
(D-PA) has retaken the lead over challenger Pat Toomey (R) in
the U.S. Senate race, 49% to 42%.
|
Jerry
Brown to Officially Announce Bid for California Governor Today
California Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) "is expected
to formally announce Tuesday morning that he is running for governor,
a job he last held nearly three decades ago," the Los Angeles
Times reports.
|
|
Health
Care Reform by Easter Recess
Ben Smith points to a Democratic memo suggesting a possible timeline
for the health care bill:
"Step one: The House passes the Senate's
health reform bill by March 19. The bill then goes to the president
for signature without going through conference....After the Senate
bill becomes law, the House then amends the Senate bill through
a reconciliation bill, to be passed by March 21. That bill would
be the only opportunity to amend, add or strike provisions in
the Senate bill. Step three: The Senate begins debate on the
reconciliation bill by March 23. Debate is limited to 30 hours.
Votes begin March 26, the first day of Easter recess."
|
Most
Don't Want Paterson to Quit
In the wake of a political scandal that ended New York Gov. David
Paterson's campaign, a new Marist Poll finds 66% of registered
voters in the state say they want him to finish out his term
in office. Only 28% are calling for Paterson's resignation and
6% are unsure.
|
Chafee
Leading in Rhode Island
A new Rasmussen survey in Rhode Island finds Lincoln Chafee (I)
leading the field for governor.
|
March
1, 2010 - DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report, (PDF, 26 pages - 188 KB)
|
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
has issued the following news release:
Personal income increased $11.4 billion, or 0.1 percent, and
disposable personal income (DPI) decreased $47.6 billion, or
0.4 percent, in January, according to the Bureau of Economic
Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $52.4
billion, or 0.5 percent.
The full text of the release on BEA's Web site can be found at
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease.htm.
|
Upcoming
Meetings and Recently Posted Materials web page for Advisory
Committees of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
Scheduled
Events for U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
February 28-March 5, 2010
|
Enforcement
Actions for CFTC.gov.
The following enforcement action has been released:
Ronald W. Smith, Jr., d/b/a Safeguard 3030 Investment Club
Order: CFTC v. Safeguard, et al.
Complaint: CFTC v. Safeguard, et al.
CFTC Press Release 5784-10 provides further details on this action.
|
USFA
Releases Winter Residential Building Fires Report
|
Privacy
Impact Assessments (PIA) for U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
2 new ICE PIAs are now available: ICEGangs Database and Enforcement
Integrated Database (EID).
|
FEC
Publishes Adjusted Limits and Thresholds
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:42:47 -0600
|
A new tip for treasurers has been posted at
http://www.fec.gov/info/TipsforTreasurers.shtml#tip20100301.
|
|
Speeches
for U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
FDA-NIH Partnership Press Conference
Bethesda, MD
|
Speeches
by Former HHS Secretaries
|
Congressional
Appearances for U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
Six new Congressional Appearances for the period February 24-25,
2010, have been added and are now available.
|
Three
Memphis Police Officers Charged in Federal Complaint with Conspiracy,
Bribery, and Extortion
|
Iraqis
Arrest 3 Terrorism Suspects
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:13:00 -0600
|
|
Health Care Reform: Doing Nothing Means
Skyrocketing Costs
Health care reform is about reining in
health care costs – for families, for small businesses and
for our country. Without reform, costs are expected to skyrocket
every year in the foreseeable future. That is why the House is
moving forward on a plan to stop the rise in premiums such as
when one company recently increased its premiums 39%; creating
a competitive, private marketplace where individuals and small
businesses can shop for affordable health insurance online; and
tackling waste, fraud and abuse in all of our federal programs.
“Suppose Congress and President Obama fail to overhaul the
system now, or just tinker around the edges, or start over, as
the Republicans propose — despite the Democrats’ latest
and possibly last big push that began last week at a marathon
televised forum in Washington. Then ‘my health care’
stays the same, right? Far from it, health policy analysts and
economists of nearly every ideological persuasion agree. The
unrelenting rise in medical costs is likely to wreak havoc within
the system and beyond it, and pretty much everyone will be affected,
directly or indirectly.” [New
York Times, 2/26/10]
“Robert Reischauer is the head of the Urban Institute. He's
also one of the CBO's most revered former directors, in no small
part because his relentlessly honest cost estimates helped doom
Bill Clinton's bill in 1994. I reached him earlier today and
asked whether he thought this bill made fiscal sense. ‘Were
I in Congress and asked to vote on this,’ he replied, ‘I'd
vote in favor.’ The bill isn't perfect, he continued, ‘but
it at least has the prospect for creating a platform over which
more significant and far-reaching cost containment can be enacted.’
The same cannot be said for the status quo.” [Ezra
Klein, Washington Post, 3/1/10]
“The escalating burden these costs place on employers, individuals
and the government is not sustainable. We believe that many of
the delivery-system reforms under consideration will make significant
strides towards reducing the cost burden on purchasers, while
improving access to and quality of the care provided…. Congress
should continue to work in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation
that will reduce costs, improve quality, expand coverage and
avoid disruption of the benefits currently provided by employers
to employees, retirees and their families. The economic and human
consequences of not addressing the cost spiral are too great
to quit.” [John
J. Castellani, President of Business Roundtable, 3/1/10]
|
Reporting
Dates for Federal Election Commission.
The Commission has approved the filing deadlines in connection
with the Special Election being held to fill the vacant seat
in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District vacated by the
late Representative John Murtha. The Special General Election
will be held on May 18, 2010.
|
|
The
Big Tent Event! Democratic Primary Election Night Watch Party
"In a collegial spirit, celebrating active Dem's in Travis
County"
What: Mixer
Start Time: Tomorrow, March 2 at 7:30pm
End Time: Wednesday, March 3 at 12:00am
Where: Serrano's Symphony Square
To see more details and RSVP
|
More
Defendants Sentenced in Dallas City Hall Corruption Case
|
Homeland
Security Leadership Journal for U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
Deepening DHS Engagement with Tribal Partners, by Juliette Kayyem,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
|
|
Upcoming
NIOSH Conferences for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). This information has
recently been updated, and is now available.
June 2010
7-11 - Radiation Safety Officer Training for Laboratory Professionals
August 2010
16-20 - Radiological Emergency Planning: Terrorism, Security,
and Communication
|
Former
Bank Vice President Sentenced for Fraudulently Transferring Money
from Clients’ Accounts
|
|
Hoyer Speaks on Fiscal Responsibility
at Brookings Institute
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader
Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered a speech today at the Brookings
Institute on restoring fiscal responsibility to Washington. Below
are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Never in my decades in Congress have I seen a public so
outraged by deficits and debt. But this moment of historic awareness
is also a moment of historic opportunity. We can waste it in
opportunism, in slogans and symbolic solutions—or we can
rededicate ourselves to the painful, unglamorous, and indispensible
work of fiscal discipline. We can choose to hang together, in
the words of Ben Franklin—or we will hang separately.
“I believe that we will choose to
hang together. The consequences of failure are dramatic enough
to concentrate the mind of even the most dedicated cynic. It
is enough to see that by the time my grandchildren and great-granddaughter
are in college, our debt will exceed our GDP: we will owe more
money than the value of our entire economy. It is enough to realize
that, by then, our government will exist to do only two things:
pay for entitlements, and pay interest on our debts—with
essentially nothing left over for our nation’s defense,
for our children’s education, for innovative scientific
research, or for any of the other critical investments that keep
America a home for freedom and opportunity. It is enough to look
across the Atlantic at Greece’s extreme economic crisis
and understand: it can happen here. If we don’t change course,
it will happen here.
“In their look at eight centuries
of financial crises, economists Carmen Reinhart of the University
of Maryland and Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard remind us that America
is no exception to the laws of debt. They point out that economic
contractions are often followed by budget crises that dampen
prosperity and stall recovery. ‘If there is one common theme
to the vast range of crises,’ they write, ‘it is that
excessive debt accumulation…often poses greater systemic
risks than it seems during a boom….Government debt is…the
unifying problem,’ the common symptom of decline. Reinhart
and Rogoff add that public debt exceeding 90% of GDP is often
a tipping point into these crises—a point we are on pace
to reach very soon.
“‘This is how empires decline,’
writes Harvard financial historian Niall Ferguson. ‘It begins
with a debt explosion.’
“This, then, is our turning point
and our choice: the point at which we join the debt-ridden powers
who saw the story of their greatness end in fiscal ruin, or the
point at which we as a nation refuse that ending and write a
new chapter.
“It is a waste of time to hand out
blame. There’s only one constructive reason to look back
at what got us here: to identify the kind of thinking we must
avoid. That’s why there is such deep harm in the mindset
that holds that our budget deficit snapped into existence at
noon on January 20, 2009: because it draws exactly the wrong
lessons and would doom us to repeat the same mistakes.
“As the nonpartisan Center on Budget
and Policy Priorities puts it, ‘asserting that the deficits
that lie ahead are primarily the result of policies enacted since
President Obama took office is Orwellian. It stands truth on
its head.’ The Recovery Act, for instance, has saved or
created between 1.5 and 2 million jobs—but it has contributed
only fractionally to our deficits. So then, what do the facts
say about why we’re in this hole? As the Center shows, ‘the
tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush, the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq, and the economic downturn together explain
virtually the entire deficit over the next ten years.’
“The most important lesson we can
draw from the years of recklessness is this: when it comes to
budgeting, what is politically easy is often fiscally deadly.
It is easier to pay for tax cuts with borrowed money than with
lower spending; easier to hide the true costs of war than to
lay those costs before the people; easier to promise special
cost-of-living adjustments than explain why an increase is not
justified under the formula in law; easier to promise 95% of
Americans that we won’t consider raising their taxes than
to ask all Americans to contribute for the common good. Those
kinds of easy choices are so often selfish choices—because
they leave the chore of cleaning up to someone else. Easy choices
may be popular—but the popularity is bought on credit.
“Washington’s behavior will only
change when the incentives change: when voters demand more responsibility,
and when the political price for easy choices rises sharply.
As I said, I’m hopeful that just that is happening. But
the public has a responsibility, too: to educate itself about
the sources of the deficit and the range of realistic solutions—not
to demand that government continue to escalate entitlement payments
and lower the deficit at the same time.
“We can’t meet this challenge
unless the public is ready to confront tough choices, and unless
leaders in both parties are ready to be honest about tough choices.
When deficit solutions meet resistance, which they will, and
when they are painful, which they will be, it’s our job
to explain why they are also correct—and essential.
“But I believe we do have a president
and Congress that take that responsibility seriously. President
Obama and Congress have taken four major steps to return our
country to fiscal health.
“First, President Obama proposed a
budget that would cut our deficit by more than half by 2013.
It also contains a freeze on non-security discretionary spending
that will force Congress to rigorously identify priorities. It’s
true that less discretionary spending will barely put a dent
in the deficit. As former Republican Senator Alan Simpson explained,
‘To say that all we have to do is take care of waste, fraud
and abuse, and foreign aid is a like a sparrow’s belch in
the midst of typhoon.’ But our willingness to curtail the
growth of programs we value is powerful evidence that Washington
will tighten its belt before asking the public to do the same.
“Defense spending is exempted from
the freeze, because we should ensure that our men and women in
uniform have the resources necessary to do their job while they’re
in harm’s way. But that doesn’t mean that defense spending
should be exempt from cuts where they do not undermine the mission
we have set for our military. We must apply the same oversight
to defense spending as we do to other discretionary spending.
“That’s why, in another deficit-cutting
step, President Obama signed a bill to reform weapons acquisition,
bringing the process more competition and fewer conflicts of
interest. The Government Accounting Office reports that the 96
largest weapons systems alone are responsible for $296 billion
in cost overruns. That kind of defense waste only makes America
weaker in the long run.
“Third, we continue to work to pass
a health insurance reform bill that is not only deficit-neutral,
but takes on the skyrocketing health care costs that are the
single greatest driver of our deficits. Its passage will be a
step, though certainly not the final one, toward ensuring the
fiscal sustainability of our health care entitlements for decades
to come. In fact, according to the Congressional Budget Office,
the health care reform bills that passed the House and Senate
last year would be fully paid for in the first decade and reduce
the deficit by approximately $1 trillion in the second decade.
“And fourth, we have brought back
the pay-as-you-go law. President Clinton used PAYGO to help turn
deep deficits into a $5.6 trillion projected ten-year surplus;
but the decision by President Bush and a Republican Congress
to do away with PAYGO paved the way for record borrowing and
threw us back into the red. Whether it comes to cutting taxes
or increasing Medicare benefits, PAYGO is so valuable because
it removes from the table the easy and usually unspoken solution—we’d
rather our children pay for it. I was proud to sponsor the PAYGO
law. Paying for what we buy can’t get us out of our hole—but
it can stop us from digging any deeper.
“The PAYGO law did include exemptions
for extensions of current policies, but I think that the attention
given to those exemptions has obscured the importance of applying
real discipline to new policies. For instance, the principle
of paying for what we buy applies to the enormous fiscal issue
of health insurance reform, restraining spending. The requirement
that we include tough choices to offset the costs of expanding
access to health insurance has made the task of passing the legislation
harder, but will prevent Congress from creating a massive unfunded
liability. By contrast, the Medicare prescription drug program
that was enacted after statutory PAYGO lapsed created an unfunded
liability of more than $7 trillion.
“It’s also important that we
passed a PAYGO law capable of responding to emergencies and recessions.
Congress will use the emergency designation to provide for the
extension of unemployment benefits and other safety net programs,
which have traditionally been designated as emergency spending
during recessions; but we must work to offset the costs of all
other parts of our jobs agenda. Cutting the deficit can’t
strangle job creation, because getting our economy back on track
is crucial to generating more revenue.
“All of those steps are essential,
but they are not enough. To return our budget to balance, President
Obama is creating a bipartisan fiscal commission. Along with
Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid, I’ve pledged that
its recommendations will get an up-or-down vote in Congress.
Given the seriousness of our situation, the commission must come
to a consensus, and Congress must act on its proposals at the
end of the year. The president has appointed two proven budget-balancers
to chair the commission: former Clinton White House Chief of
Staff Erskine Bowles and former Senator Alan Simpson.
“I hope congressional Republicans,
along with members of my own party, will take the work as sincerely
and seriously as the chairmen take it—that they will come
to the table without preconditions, ready to contribute their
ideas and not just their criticism from the sideline. The commission
has a bipartisan pedigree, and it won the votes of 16 Republicans
in the Senate. But I was disappointed to see that seven Republican
supporters of the commission bill, including the Minority Leader,
decided they were against it as soon as President Obama said
he was for it.
“President Reagan and Speaker O’Neill’s
work on Social Security reform in the ‘80s, and the Republican
reaction to the Medicare changes in the health care bill, both
teach the same lesson: the real work of cutting deficits is so
easy to demagogue that it rarely succeeds, and will not succeed
this time, without support from both sides. That’s one of
the reasons why the fiscal commission must not take any option
off of the table, from raising revenues to cutting entitlement
spending. And that’s why both parties have a duty to appoint
members who are willing to compromise and make tough decisions.
“It’s also clear to me that if
the commission takes a one-handed approach, it will fail, both
politically and substantively. Congressman Ryan’s thoughtful
budget proposal shows what an approach looks like when it relies
entirely on cutting spending. He should be commended for putting
together a serious and detailed plan to tackle the deficit. It
doesn’t raise a single tax. But as a consequence, it significantly
changes Medicare.
“That strikes me, as I think it would
strike most Americans, as very much the wrong solution. But Congressman
Ryan deserves respect for his honesty—for being one of the
few members of his party, or of either party, to tell the public
exactly what he’d cut. That’s far better than pretending
that the solution to higher deficits is simply lower taxes and
wishful thinking. In fact, as much as his party’s leadership
tries to distance itself from his plan, Paul Ryan’s program,
or something very much like it, is the logical outcome of the
Republican rhetoric of cutting taxes and deficits at the same
time.
“But it seems to me that the only
solution that can win the support of both parties is a balanced
approach: one that cuts some spending and raises some revenue
while avoiding extremes in either direction. A balanced approach
would spread the effects of change across American society, rather
than concentrating them on seniors.
“What are our options for a budget
agreement? On the side of entitlement spending, an agreement
might recognize that Americans are living longer lives and raise
the retirement age over a period of years, or even peg the retirement
age to lifespan. Another option is to make Social Security and
Medicare benefits more progressive, while strengthening the safety
net for low-income Americans. That could preserve those programs
as a central part of our social compact, while protecting their
ability to help those of us in the greatest need.
“On the side of revenues, President
Obama was correct in refusing to take any options off of the
commission’s table. No one likes raising revenue, and understandably
so. But if you’re going to buy, you need to pay. In 1993,
President Clinton proposed an economic plan aimed at accomplishing
fiscal balance, and he paved the way for the greatest American
prosperity in a generation. The bipartisan tax compromise in
1986 also showed the importance of a simplified, more efficient
tax code. If need be, I am hopeful that both parties will agree
to look at revenues as part of the solution—not as a gateway
to higher spending, but as part of a compromise that cuts spending
and balances the budget.
“None of this, to put it mildly, will
be easy. It will take bipartisan trust, presidential leadership,
and a public spirit that many assume is beyond America’s
reach in the year 2010. But I do not share that cynicism, because
America has made a career of proving it wrong. As James Fallows
recently wrote in The Atlantic: ‘During just the time when
Frederick Law Olmsted designed Central Park, when Theodore Roosevelt
set aside land for the National Parks, when Dwight Eisenhower
created the Pentagon research agency that ultimately gave rise
to the Internet, the American system seemed broken too.’
“Saving America from debt would belong
next to those accomplishments—because, in every era, these
very fiscal issues are among the greatest tests a nation can
face. We are not the first great power to meet this challenge
from within. We would not be the first to fail. Spain under the
Habsburgs, France under Louis XVI, the Ottoman Empire in the
19th century, the British Empire in the 20th—all of them
were crippled by borrowing, by interest payments, by debt. We
are not exempt. In every era, these fiscal issues are questions
of national security and national success.
“And in a democracy, they are questions
of national character. They are not technical puzzles for a few
of us, in seminars, think tanks, and backrooms. They are a defining
challenge for all of us, in field hearings of the commission,
on the radio and online and in family rooms. Our willingness
to face reality is a measure of our character. Our willingness
to reject easy answers from our leaders is a measure of our character.
Our willingness to put the welfare of our children ahead of our
own—to plant seeds for them whose fruit we may never taste—is
a powerful test of our character. More than wealth and more than
might, those are the virtues that have made America flourish.
Those are the virtues we need to pass this test.
“So I can say with confidence: if
we are unable to raise our heads even for a moment above the
daily partisan fight, if the collapse comes—we will deserve
it. And if we regain a measure of our lost trust, and support
one another through shared sacrifice, and return our country
to fiscal health and strength—we will deserve that, too.”
###
|
NASA
Announces Agency Center Management Changes
Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:00:00 -0600
|
OIP
FOIA Post for U.S. Department of Justice. This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
|
DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY VOTING AND PRECINCT CONVENTIONS
"voting : precinct convention :: awesome : awesomest"
What: Convention
Start Time: Tomorrow, March 2 at 7:00am
End Time: Tomorrow, March 2 at 7:15am
Where: Polling locations across Texas
To see more details and RSVP
|
|
HCDP 2010 Coordinated Campaign Kickoff
with Paul Begala.
--------------------
Subject: Democratic Party Campaign Kick Off Count Down!! 3 days
left!
Just 3 days left!!
Just 3 days left before the Democratic
Party rally. Two days after the primary the Democratic Party
of Harris County is going to have its annual campaign kick off
rally featuring CNN commentator Paul Begala! We have invited
the media, democratic elected officials, and candidates to help
celebrate this rally. If you haven't done so, purchase your tickets
now, we have a limited number of tickets left. We are also looking
for individuals and groups to sponsor this event or to become
members of the host committee. Go to http://www.facebook.com/l/af9f8;www.hcdp.org/kickoff
to purchase tickets now!
We've also started a bit of friendly competition
among our Democratic clubs— the Democratic club that raises
the most money in tickets purchased for our 2010 Campaign Kickoff
with Paul Begala event before Wednesday, March 3rd at 5:00pm
will win the opportunity to have their picture taken with Paul
Begala! We've set up fundraising pages for each Democratic club
in Harris County.
Democratic strategist, CNN commentator,
and former Counselor to President Bill Clinton PAUL BEGALA will
headline the Harris County Democratic Party Campaign Kick-Off
Event on Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 7:00 o’clock to 9:00
o’clock p.m. at St. Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons Avenue.
If you have any questions or comments,
please feel free to contact the Harris County Democratic Party.
You may also contact me at bob.n.collier@gmail.com.
Robert Collier
Event Chair
--------------------
|
General
Officer Announcement
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:15:00 -0600
|
DOD
Identifies Army Casualty
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:21:00 -0600
|
Upcoming
Meetings and Recently Posted Materials web page for Advisory
Committees of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). This information has recently been updated, and
is now available.
|
The
Road to Success: Applying for a State Department Internship
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:05:52 -0600
|
49th
Anniversary of the Peace Corps
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:42:26 -0600
|
|
Deputy
Secretary Steinberg's Upcoming Travel to Asia
Washington, DC
February 28, 2010
|
OIG
The Bureau of Public Affairs (ISP-I-10-39) Feb 2010
|
Secretary
Clinton Announces the Winners of the Secretary's 2010 International
Women of Courage Award
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:11:49 -0600
|
|
Under
Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero Addresses
the UN Human Rights Council
Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs
Opening Session
Geneva, Switzerland
March 1, 2010
|
|
Free AHRQ Webinar on Cultural Competence
Innovations
Ensuring Cultural Competence Across
Care Settings
How can health care settings meet the pressing
needs of diverse populations? Join innovators from AHRQ's Health
Care Innovations Exchange as they discuss how cultural competency
can be the foundation for effective innovations on childhood
obesity, health care access, and other health care services.
This free Webinar will be held Thursday,
March 18, 2010 at 4:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (US/Canada)
The following innovations will be highlighted.
Group-Based, Culturally Sensitive Weight-Loss
Program for Families Leads to Improvements in Children's Health-Related
Behaviors and Declines in Body Mass Index (http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=2147)
Bilingual, Culturally Competent Community
Health Workers Increase Insurance Enrollment, Access to Care,
and Self-Efficiency (http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=2564)
To register for this free Webinar, go to:
https://compx08.eventcenterlive.com/cfmx/ec/register/reg.cfm?BID=1&RegID=01FA68C7
|
|
Press
Briefing Following Address to UN Human Rights Council
Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs
Geneva, Switzerland
March 1, 2010
|
U.S.
International Reserve Position
March 1, 2010
2010-3-1-15-30-25-18501
|
Public
Offerings of Warrants to Purchase Common Stock of Bank of America
March 1, 2010
TG-569
|
Background
Notes : Venezuela (02/10)
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:39:03 -0600
|
Background
Notes : Sierra Leone (02/10)
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:01:19 -0600
|
Background
Notes : Mozambique (02/10)
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:41:57 -0600
|
Speeches
and Testimony for CFTC.gov.
The following speech was given by CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler.
March 1, 2010
Remarks of Chairman Gary Gensler, Over-the-Counter Derivatives
Reform, Institute of International Bankers Washington Conference
|
Background
Notes : Sudan (02/10)
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:47:00 -0600
|
The
Record for Federal Election Commission.
The March 2010 issue of the Record is now available.
|
HHS
Announces 2010 Tribal Consultation Blueprint
|
|
OCC Issues Second Quarter 2010 CRA Examination
Schedule
WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency (OCC) today released its schedule of Community
Reinvestment Act (CRA) examinations to be conducted in the second
quarter of 2010.
The OCC encourages public comment on the
national banks scheduled to be examined under the CRA, and suggests
that comments be submitted to the institutions themselves at
the mailing address listed on the schedule, or to the appropriate
OCC supervisory office prior to (or as early as possible during)
the month in which the exam is scheduled. All public comments
received prior to the close of the CRA exam will be considered
by the OCC.
The CRA examination schedule is available
on the OCC’s Web site at: http://www.occ.gov/cra/craq210.pdf.
###
|
March 1, 2010, NIH
Research Matters is now available.
|
Assistant
Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Delivers Remarks at Naturalization
Ceremony for 50 Citizenship Candidates
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:18:26 -0600
You are about to become our newest citizens. Hailing from 24
different countries, each of you represents a different culture,
a different language, a different way of dress. But you will
each now be American.
|
|
Vulnerability Summary for the Week of
February 22, 2010
This bulletin provides a summary of new
vulnerabilities that have been
recorded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST)
National Vulnerability Database (NVD) the week of February 22,
2010. It is
available here:
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/bulletins/SB10-060.html
|
Transition
Government in Guinea
Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:54:25 -0600
|
Government
of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement Negotiate Agreement
Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:34:18 -0600
|
Iraq
Election Preps
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:55:44 -0600
U.S. troops are ramping up the training of Iraqi security forces
ahead of this weekend's elections.
|
Cuba
Migration Talks
Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:31:34 -0600
|
Secretary
Clinton to Celebrate International Womens Day With Events in
Washington, D.C. on March 10th
Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:56:04 -0600
|
Advisory
Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation Notice of Meeting
Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:32:49 -0600
|
|
Comptroller Dugan Says Basel Proposals
Designed to Promote More Resilient Banking Sector
WASHINGTON — Comptroller of the Currency
John C. Dugan said today that the central challenge for bank
regulators over the coming year will be to strike the right balance
between capital and credit availability.
“On the one hand, we need to adopt the kinds of real prudential
reforms – to capital, liquidity, and risk management –
that will fortify the financial system to prevent inevitable
future problems from mushrooming into the type of meltdown we
sustained in the fall of 2008, with devastating effects on the
real economy,” he said in a speech to the Institute for
International Bankers.
“On the other hand, if we swing the pendulum too far too
fast – requiring banks to hold too much capital and liquidity
– we risk a significant and suboptimal restriction of credit,
which can also have dire consequences for the real economy,”
he said.
Mr. Dugan said it is important to make sure the system can stand
up to shocks such as the ones that led to the recent financial
crisis.
“We simply have to make the financial
system more resilient to future shocks, which means we cannot
let the mere possibility of reduced credit availability in the
future thwart our efforts for change,” he said. “The
issue should not be whether we strengthen the system, but instead,
how much we do so, and how quickly we do so, given the credit
tradeoffs we face.”
In his speech, Mr. Dugan said it is important to work on an international
basis, given the global scope of the crisis, and cited recent
work by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision as providing
a basis for addressing capital and liquidity issues.
Two papers issued in July describe final changes to the international
Basel II framework, while two December papers outline additional
proposed changes. “Taken together, they are intended to
promote a more resilient banking sector by strengthening the
standards for capital, liquidity, and risk management,”
he said.
Of particular importance, Mr. Dugan said,
the Basel Committee is focusing on the quality of capital, as
well as the amount of capital banks must hold. “This is
a very important change that will place a much greater focus
on holding higher proportions of the most loss absorbing capital,
i.e., common stock,” he said.
Also important is the focus on liquidity.
“A key characteristic of the financial crisis was a massive
withdrawal of liquidity and the inability of banks to deal with
the liquidity shortage,” he said. The Basel Committee attempted
to address that issue by proposing a global minimum liquidity
standard for internationally active banks that includes both
a 30-day liquidity coverage ratio and a longer-term structural
liquidity ratio.
“This new regime is designed to strengthen
liquidity risk management, measurement, and supervision, but
in many ways, designing a widely applicable liquidity standard
is more challenging than designing a capital standard, because
liquidity risk can be much more idiosyncratic,” he said.
The Basel Committee has also begun a new
Quantitative Impact Study that will be used in conjunction with
the comments received on the December consultative papers to
better evaluate and assess individual aspects of the proposals.
“But more importantly, its purpose is to help answer the
critical ‘how much’ questions,” Mr. Dugan said.
“How much additional capital and liquidity should be required
for each of the proposed new standards, and how much higher should
overall capital and liquidity be for each bank? And how do the
myriad new proposed standards fit together and work together?”
“This ‘calibration’ exercise,
as it is sometimes called, will be a hugely difficult and important
challenge for the Basel Committee as it moves forward,”
Mr. Dugan said. “But this is the right approach, because
considering how the proposals work together as a whole will give
us a better understanding of how the reforms will work in practice.
It should also help us fine tune the rules to ensure that they
really are appropriately reflective of risk.”
Most important, he said, the calibration
exercise will help regulators squarely confront the tension between
capital and liquidity on the one hand and credit availability
on the other. “As policymakers make decisions on how much
capital and liquidity banks should be required to hold to make
the system stronger and safer, they will need to assess how much
such actions could inappropriately restrict the flow of credit
to individuals, businesses, and governments that is so important
to economic growth,” he said.
Mr. Dugan said the Basel proposals generally
strike the right balance, but added that much work lies ahead
in fine tuning and implementing them.
“Getting them right won’t be
easy, and calibrating them correctly will be more difficult still,”
he said, urging bankers and others to comment on the proposals.
“We need the best possible input to make our financial system
strong, resilient, and able to safely provide the funding fuel
that is so critical to all parts of the global economy.”
Related Links:
Remarks before the Institute of International Bankers
(http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2010-26a.pdf)
Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan
(http://www.occ.gov/dugan.htm)
###
|
|
Government
of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement Negotiate Agreement
Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
|
|
Special
Press Briefing and Release of 2010 International Narcotics Control
Strategy Report
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 26, 2010
|
United
States Announces Winner of New London Embassy Design Competition
Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:08:53 -0600
|
|
Under
Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs María Otero
to Deliver Remarks to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 26, 2010
|
United
States and Peru Hold First Environmental Affairs Council Meeting
Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:20:16 -0600
|
Afghan
Legal Defense Experts to Visit United States
Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:14:27 -0600
|
Special
Press Briefing and Release of 2010 International Narcotics Control
Strategy Report
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:42:14 -0600
|
|
United
States and Germany Sign First Science and Technology Agreement
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 18, 2010
|
Former
Federal Juror Convicted of Jury Tampering
|
DoD
Contracts for March 01, 2010
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:05:00 -0600
|
Philadelphia
Man Pleads Guilty to Intimidating Witnesses
|
|
U.S.-Mexico
Bi-national Meeting to Outline Best Practices to Reduce Demand
for Drugs
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 22, 2010
|
|
Under
Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs María Otero
to Deliver Remarks to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 26, 2010
|
HHS
Announces 2010 Tribal Consultation Blueprint
Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:01:00 -0600
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the Department’s
compliance with President Barack Obama’s memorandum on Tribal
consultation and Executive Order 13175.  HHS submitted
its detailed tribal consultation plan within the 90 day time
frame set by the President and is committed to continually work
to improve services, outreach, and consultation efforts to Indian
Country.
|
|
Tech Student Democrats.
--------------------
Subject: DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT HELP NOW!
Hey,
I need any of you that have time at 7:15
tomorrow to please run the Democratic Precinct Convention for
Precinct 50. The convention will be at the SUB and get going
at 7:15. All you have to do at 7:15 and after the last voter
has left is go and ask the poll people for the envelope for the
Democratic precinct convention. Then just follow the directions
in the packet. If you are not registered in Lubbock County, did
not vote in the primary, or are not living in Precinct 50, thats
okay you can get it started. If no one shows up (which is quite
likely) just bring the envelope back to me at the meeting on
Thursday.
Get back to me, especially if you voted
in Lubbock County this year and live on campus, but even if you
didnt thats okay, well set it up.
Stuart
--------------------
|
Sebelius
Invites Insurance Company Leaders to Discuss Health Insurance
Premiums
Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:01:00 -0600
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius today invited insurance company chief executive
officers to a March 3 meeting at HHS to discuss their companies’
insurance premiums. The CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint
Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare
Inc. along with leaders from the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners have been invited.
|
D.C.
Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Bribery
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:10:46 -0600
Correctional Officer Thomas Ford, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty
to bribery of a public official in connection with a scheme to
smuggle contraband to inmates in the Correctional Treatment Facility
in exchange for cash.
|
Three
Tennessee Police Officers Charged with Conspiracy, Bribery, and
Extortion
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:40:58 -0600
Timothy Green, Christopher Crawford, and Michael Young, all officers
of the Memphis Police Department, were charged with conspiracy
to commit bribery and extortion and also with bribery and extortion.
|
Main
Defendants in Texas Public Corruption Case Sentenced
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:33:16 -0600
The first three of the 13 defendants who have been convicted
in what has become known as the "Dallas City Hall Corruption
Case" have been sentenced. Former mayor pro tem Don Hill
was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison; Hill's wife, Sheila
D. Farrington, was sentenced to nine years in prison; and D'Angelo
Lee, Hill's plan commission appointee, was sentenced to 14 years
in prison.
|
Highlights:
Release S/CRS 2009 Year in Review
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0600
|
|
Current
Developments in Chile
Paul Simons, U.S. Ambassador to Chile
Via Teleconference
Washington, DC
March 1, 2010
|
|
Live Chat: Making College More Affordable-
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA)
Event: Live Chat: Making College More Affordable"The
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA)"
What: Informational Meeting
Start Time: Tomorrow, 02 March at 17:30
Where: http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive
Sit down with Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan and Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes for a live video
chat on making college more affordable.
|
|
By the Numbers: Americans Impacted By
GOP Obstruction
Senate Republicans Block Help For Struggling Americans
“Senate Republicans say they are blocking this legislation
because it would add a fraction of a percent to the deficit.
But we didn’t hear those concerns when they borrowed billions
give debt-financed tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Instead,
they are erecting their fiscal discipline talking points on the
backs of people who have lost their jobs in the Great Recession.”
– House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD), 2/26/10
Last week, by a unanimous vote, bipartisan Members of the House
passed emergency legislation to extend several important programs
that were set to expire this past weekend, including: unemployment
benefits; COBRA, which provides health insurance to the unemployed;
the highway bill; satellite TV; cuts to Medicare physician payments;
flood insurance; and small business loan guarantees.
When the Senate attempted to pass this package of legislation
on Thursday and again on Friday, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) blocked
passage of these extensions, despite the serious consequences
for families across America.
• 1.2 MILLION: Nearly 1.2 million
jobless workers, including more than 14,000 in Kentucky, will
become ineligible for federal unemployment benefits in March
when the extended unemployment insurance program expires.
• 90 THOUSAND: Letting the highway program lapse could put
90,000 jobs at risk in March – a critical time at the start
of construction season – as bills submitted by states or
local transit agencies for highway and transit projects would
go unpaid starting this morning.
• 2 MILLION: Up to 2 million families could lose their access
to broadcast television signals.
• 47 MILLION: Potentially limits access to their doctor
for some of the 47 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, due
to the cut in Medicare physician payments.
Media, Experts Denounce GOP Tactics
Houston
Chronicle: Texans to Lose Jobless Aid Because Of Kentucky Republican's
Tactic
“Texans who have been out of work for extended periods of
time will lose their jobless aid and COBRA health-care benefits
for unemployed workers — until and unless Republican leaders
convince the lame duck from the Blue Grass State to reverse his
position.” [3/01/10]
New
York Times: Clueless in Kentucky
“Kentucky has lost about 60,000 jobs since the end of 2008.
In December, its unemployment rate stood at 10.7 percent, the
highest since 1983. So what exactly is going on in the minds
of Kentucky’s two Republican senators, Mitch McConnell and
Jim Bunning?... It should be a no-brainer to extend unemployment
insurance when around 1 out of every 10 workers is unemployed.
Standard unemployment benefits end at 26 weeks, yet 6.3 million
workers have been out of work for more than 27 weeks. Congress
has provided a series of extensions, and without another one,
400,000 people will lose their benefits in a matter of weeks.”
[2/27/10]
Department
of Transportation: USDOT Furloughs to Shut Down Critical Construction
Projects
“The Department of Transportation will furlough nearly 2,000
employees without pay Monday, temporarily shutting down highway
reimbursements to states worth hundreds of millions of dollars,
national anti-drunk driving efforts, and multi-million dollar
construction projects across the country. ‘As American families
are struggling in tough economic times, I am keenly disappointed
that political games are putting a stop to important construction
projects around the country,’ said Transportation Secretary
Ray LaHood.” [3/01/10]
American
Medical Association: Senate Inaction on Medicare Hurts Seniors,
Military and Boomers
“‘Our message to the U.S. Senate is stop playing games
with Medicare patients and the physicians who care for them,’
said AMA President J. James Rohack, M.D. ‘It is shocking
that the Senate would abandon our most vulnerable patients, making
them the collateral damage of their procedural games.’”
[2/26/10]
Click here
to read in pdf.
Click here to follow
@LeaderHoyer on Twitter.
###
|
Current
Situation in Chile
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0600
|
U.S.
Department of State Daily Press Briefing - March 1
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:42:07 -0600
|
|
Greater Hartford Young Democrats.
--------------------
Subject: Meeting this Sunday
Dear all,
This Sunday March 7th we will be having
our monthly meeting at Panera in West Hartford at 6pm.
See you all there.
- Liam
|
|
FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 2,
2010
House Meets At… First Vote Predicted… Last Vote Predicted…
12:30 p.m.: Morning Hour
2:00 p.m.: Legislative Business 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
“One Minutes”
Suspensions (10 Bills)
1) H.Res.
1097 - Supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers
Week (Rep. Lipinski - Science and Technology)
2) H.R.
3820 - Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2009 (Rep. Wu
- Science and Technology)
3) H.Res.
747 - Congratulating the United States Military Academy at
West Point on being named by Forbes magazine as America's Best
College for 2009 (Rep. Hall (NY) - Armed Services)
4) H.Res.
699 - Expressing the appreciation of Congress for the service
and sacrifice of the members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Air National
Guard (Rep. Graves - Armed Services)
5) H.Res.
812 - Recognizing the significant contributions of the Military
Working Dog (MWD) Program to the United States Armed Forces (Rep.
Lance - Armed Services)
6) H.Res.
1072 - Recognizing Louisiana State University for 150 years
of service and excellence in higher education (Rep. Cassidy -
Education and Labor)
7) H.Res.
1117 - Commending and congratulating the California State
University system on the occasion of its 50th anniversary (Rep.
Lofgren - Education and Labor)
8) H.Res.
1111 - Designating March 2, 2010, as "Read Across America
Day" (Rep. Markey (CO) - Education and Labor)
9) H.Res.
1112 - Congratulating the Pennsylvania State University IFC/Panhellenic
Dance Marathon (THON) on its continued success in support of
the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital
(Rep. Thompson (PA) - Education and Labor)
10)
H.Res. 362 - Expressing the support of the House of Representatives
for the goals and ideals of the National School Lunch Program
(Rep. Watson - Education and Labor)
* Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.
* Motions to go to Conference should they become available.
* Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.
|
Justice
Department to Monitor Elections in Texas
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:23:45 -0600
The Department will monitor primary elections on March 2, 2010,
in Fort Bend, Galveston, Gonzales, Williamson, and Wilson Counties
in Texas, to ensure compliance with the minority language requirements
of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights
statutes.
|
|
Awaken the Dream ~ Be The Change Leadership
Training.
--------------------
Subject: Gaia needs YOU!
So great that you are thinking about getting
this leadership training! The world needs you and your gifts,
now more than ever. People are ready for this shift in consciousness,
and they want to know what they can do to join the movement for
change. Our program is about activating people and then giving
them the tools they need for sustainable lifestyle changes. And
from there, collective actions for systemic change.
The demand for presentors and facilitators
is growing exponentially. Come join us in this great work. We're
bringing up Jon Symes, 2IC at The Pachamama Alliance in San Francisco
to turbo charge this training. I look forward to galvanizing
a strong circle of change agents with YOU. After this training,
there's The Great Turning 2010 which will build on last year's
event to create a new level of collective action. Let's work
together. Namaste, Maureen
--------------------
|
Remarks
With Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:19:24 -0600
|
NASA
Radar Finds Ice Deposits at Moon's North Pole; Additional Evidence
of Water Activity on Moon
Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:00:00 -0600
Using data from a NASA radar that flew aboard India's Chandrayaan-1
spacecraft, scientists have detected ice deposits near the moon's
north pole.
|
Public
Comment on Authorizing Statute
March 2, 2010
[CDFI-2010-12]
|
Goldstein
Nomination Hearing before the Senate Finance Committee
March 2, 2010
TG-570
|
CDC's
Vaccine Information Statements (VIS).
The Japanese encephalitis vaccine information statement has recently
been updated (see details below), and is now available.
Two JE VISs are now available, one for each vaccine.
|
Social
Media Policy Balances Web 2.0 With Security
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:27:00 -0600
|
March
2, 2010 - DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report, (PDF, 32 pages - 220 KB)
|
Department
of Energy Announces $100 Million Available for Innovative Research
Projects
ARPA-E’s 3rd funding opportunity to focus on grid-scale
energy storage, electrical power technology, and building energy
efficiency
|
|
DoE
New Webvideo Released
U.S. Department of Energy released a new
video showcasing a project funded under ARPA-E’s first round
of funding grants
|
Iraq
Election Preps
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:56:19 -0600
With the assistance of U.S. forces, Iraqi security forces are
tightening security in preparation for elections March 7.
|
|
US-CERT Current Activity
Microsoft Releases Security Advisory
to Address VBScript Vulnerability
Original release date: March 2, 2010 at
8:36 am
Last revised: March 2, 2010 at 8:36 am
Microsoft has released a security advisory
to address a vulnerability
in VBScript. The advisory indicates that this vulnerability exists
in
the way that VBScript interacts with Windows Help files when
using
Internet Explorer. By convincing a user to view a specially crafted
HTML document (web page, HTML email, or email attachment) with
Internet Explorer and to press the F1 key, an attacker could
run
arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the
application.
US-CERT encourages users and administrators
to do the following to
help mitigate the risks:
* Review Microsoft Security Advisory 981169.
* Review the Microsoft Security Research & Defense blog entry
regarding this issue.
* Review US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#612021.
* Refrain from pressing the F1 key when prompted by a website.
* Restrict access to the Windows Help System.
US-CERT will provide additional information
as it becomes available.
Relevant Url(s):
<http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2010/03/01/help-keypress-vulnerability-in-vbscript-enabling-remote-code-execution.aspx>
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/981169.mspx>
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/612021>
====
This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#microsoft_releases_security_advisory_to2
|
Deployment
Rotations
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:26:40 -0600
More Army units are spending 17 to 18 months at home between
deployments - an increase from only a year ago.
|
Office
of Justice Programs Annual Financial Statement - Fiscal Year
2009, Audit Report 10-17, February 2010
|
Federal
Bureau of Prisons Annual Financial Statement - Fiscal Year 2009,
Audit Report, February 2010
|
McChrystal
Visits Marjah
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:01:14 -0600
U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal,
tours the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah.
|
WHIPLINE
| TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2010
|
State
Department Schedule for March 2, 2010
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:05:55 -0600
|
Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard C. Holbrooke
to speak about his recent trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central
Asia, Georgia and Germany
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:10:09 -0600
|
The
FY 2009 HHS Summary of Performance and Financial Information [PDF – 29 Pages] presents a synopsis of key
past and planned performance of the Department. HHS is making
strides in four key areas:
Health Care
Public Health
Human Services
Scientific Research and Development
This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
|
|
Hoyer Speaks to the Federation of American
Hospitals
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader
Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on health care reform at the annual
meeting of the Federation of Americans Hospitals. Below are his
remarks as prepared for delivery:
“For more than a year, we’ve been engaged in the struggle
to reform America’s dysfunctional health care system. We
all know the facts by now: we know about the one American bankrupted
by health care bills every thirty seconds, the premiums that
more than doubled last decade, the small businesses facing the
choice every day between cutting coverage and cutting workers,
our mounting national debt, which is so closely tied to health
care costs.
“Those are among the reasons we’re
not stopping our work. And that’s why the Federation of
American Hospitals isn’t stopping either: the Federation
and its members have been at the forefront of reform. Thank you—I
know you take reform personally. So do the people I represent.
“One is a woman who left a voicemail
message on my phone: she’s just above the poverty level,
she’s uninsured, and she was asked to pay 50% down, out
of pocket, to have a tumor removed. She doesn’t know where
she’s going to find the money.
“There’s the couple in my district
who owns a small business and was just told that their premiums
are increasing 67% percent this year—to $1,840 a month.
They don’t know how much longer they can afford to stay
covered.
“Sadly, stories like those aren’t
unique—they’re typical. We heard stories like them
from almost every Member of Congress gathered at last Thursday’s
health summit. We had a face-to-face, in-depth conversation about
health policy. We saw the common ground that Republicans and
Democrats share—much of which is already represented in
the health insurance reform bill—as well as the gaps that
still remain un-bridged.
“But despite the range of ideologies
gathered around the table, none of us could deny the facts of
the crisis. And I believe President Obama is absolutely right
when he says that this issue is far too urgent to start over—because
those urging us to do so know full well that ‘starting over’
means doing nothing for the foreseeable future. We know, according
to a poll last week, that 58% of Americans would be ‘disappointed’
or ‘angry’ if Congress gave up work on health care.
And we don’t intend to.
“We can’t afford to ignore out-of-control
health care costs any longer. And we can’t solve them by
nibbling at the edges. That’s why we’ve built a centrist
health reform plan out of good ideas from both sides—and
that’s why we’ve exposed it to unprecedented scrutiny,
at hundreds of hearings and thousands of public events. Most
American’s don’t want a ‘government takeover’
of health care—but our bill does nothing of the kind, no
matter how many times that phrase is repeated. And when Americans
hear what’s in the bill, in unbiased language, they support
it.
“How do we contain our out-of-control
costs? For families, we demand that the insurance companies stop
discrimination on the basis of pre-existing conditions. That
discrimination denies people care and raises their costs every
day. We demand that companies publicly announce rate hikes and
justify excessive increases to their customers. The nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office reports that our plan will slow the
growth of premiums.
“For both families and businesses,
we create a new marketplace where private insurance companies,
not the government, compete—a marketplace where individuals
and small businesses can combine their buying power to get lower
rates, just as the biggest businesses do. This is similar to
the Republican idea to allow people to buy insurance across state
lines—but better for consumers. Businesses will also see
$30 billion in tax credits to help afford coverage—which
is another Republican idea.
“For seniors, we make Medicare stronger and more secure.
We improve it by creating incentives for highly efficient, high-quality,
coordinated care. We close the prescription drug donut hole so
seniors can afford the medicine they need. We create an independent
board to rein in long-term costs and keep Medicare solvent.
“For our country, we make some changes that experts tell
us are critical to reining in health care costs. One in particular
has been supported by prominent Republicans, such as Senator
McCain: changing the tax treatment of some pricey health plans.
In addition, we have to start paying doctors for better care—not
more tests and procedures. And we must also adopt the best Republican
and Democratic ideas to tackle waste, fraud, and abuse.
“As a fiscal hawk, I’m also happy
that the Democratic plan does not add to the deficit. In addition
to combating Medicare waste, the bill also supports doctors who
coordinate on care, helps hospitals store information electronically,
and streamlines administrative forms.
“That’s our plan to bring quality,
affordable health care to all Americans. It’s similar to
the plan proposed by former Republican Senate leaders Bob Dole
and Howard Baker, it’s backed by economists from across
the spectrum, and it incorporates no less than 12 major Republican
ideas. We’re hopeful that Republicans will take mind of
those facts when it comes time to vote on final passage—and
of their constituents, who are suffering under a broken system
every bit as much as Democrats’ constituents.
“But in any case, we are working hard
to get it over the finish line. Your continued support is vital
to that effort—you see health care from the front lines,
and you know how much change is needed. It is unacceptable that
this country pays nearly twice as much per person for health
care than any other industrialized country—without seeing
better health. That’s not just a statistic. It’s the
difference between that family I represent knowing it’s
covered, and knowing that its future is up to chance. It’s
the difference between a business in my state growing, and laying
off one more worker. It’s the difference between America
restoring its fiscal health, and sinking further “into debt.
“That’s why we can’t start
over. That’s why we are taking action.”
###
|
Secretary
Clinton to Deliver Remarks in Honor of the 15th Anniversary of
the UN World Conference on Women in Beijing on March 12 at the
United Nations
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:56:47 -0600
|
DOD
Identifies Marine Casualty
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:56:00 -0600
|
Attorney
General Eric Holder Speaks at the Department of Justice's Black
History Month Celebration
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:00:57 -0600
"Today, as we commemorate Black History Month, we strengthen
an important American tradition," said Attorney General
Holder.
|
Justice
Department Settlement with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Secures
$40,000 for Oklahoma Army Reservist
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:02:38 -0600
The Department has reached a settlement, in the form of a consent
decree, with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company that, if
approved by the U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City, will resolve
its lawsuit filed on behalf of Michael J. Ellis, a major in the
U.S. Army Reserve.
|
Your
Mission, If You Choose to Accept It: A U.S. State Department
Internship
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:45:13 -0600
|
NEW GOV JOB VACANCIES, GRANTS AND CONTRACT
OPPORTUNITIES have been posted at www.usdemocrats.com/ticker/jobs/
|
|
|
a new ticker page has started for Tuesday
March 02, 2010
Yesterday's ticker items are archived here
|
ticker timeline 11:15 Eastern Time March 02,
2010
|
|
new ticker page started 00:01 Eastern
Time March 02, 2010
today's ticker page 1
for previous
yesterday's ticker page click here
|
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view
previous page:::::page one |
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