December 10, 2008

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement in observance of International Human Rights Day, which is recognized today, December 10: "Today we recognize International Human Rights Day and renew our call to protect and uphold the principles and ideals upon which America was founded." Full release.

On Monday, January 5 at 1:00 p.m. Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) will host a debate with candidates for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee. The event will take place at the National Press Club located at 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC. Five of the major candidates have already confirmed their participation. Full release

The American Civil Liberties Union today released a statement from 25 9/11 victims' family members challenging the legitimacy of the Guantanamo military commissions and their ability to achieve justice. Below is the full text of the statement: 9/11 FAMILY MEMBERS CHALLENGE LEGITIMACY OF GUANTANAMO MILITARY COMMISSIONS As family members who lost loved ones on 9/11, we feel compelled to speak out about this week's proceedings at Guantanamo. Recently, the Guantanamo military commissions office announced that victims' family members would be permitted, on a lottery basis, to attend the Guantanamo legal hearings of those accused of planning the 9/11 attacks. The lottery system inherently results in the granting of media attention to the select few who are chosen, and whose views are not necessarily representative of all victims' families. Full release

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan released the following statement today. "We are confident that the Louisiana Secretary of State will confirm what Northwest Louisiana voters knew on election night, that Dr. John Fleming is the next Representative from Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District. The voters have spoken and they deserve representation as quickly as possible; anything else would be a disservice to the constituents of the Fourth District and a frivolous waste of taxpayer's money. I look forward to working with Congressman-elect Fleming in Washington to spread the conservative ideals of strong national security, smaller, more effective government, and lower taxes on working families." Full release.

Forget political ideology and partisan one-upsmanship, the American public is looking for its next president to be -- first and foremost -- an honest man of integrity and intelligence who will lead the nation by example through the tumultuous times ahead, a new Capps Center/Zogby survey shows. Full release.

RISI today through its Wood Biomass Market Report, indicated that woodfiber will play a major role in any new green energy spending plans in the U.S. The Report stated that as of Dec. 12, estimates from the ever-expanding federal stimulus package suggest the green component (wood, wind, solar, etc.) will be a whopping $50 billion over two years. If 20% falls to wood energy, that near term spending of $10 billion would spur formidable growth, providing tens of thousands of new jobs -- and wood demand of perhaps 120 million green tons, long-term. Compared to an estimated 215 green tons of consumption currently by the nation's pulp & paper industry, this new demand will be significant, and could create a $3 billion per year wood energy market at current prices. The Report also projects that a good bit of this expansion is already underway, with current projects topping 32 million tons. Wood-derived fuels already account for a full third of the nation's renewable energy, 50% if hydroelectricity were excluded. RISI projects that this increased demand will occur most in the U.S. South, followed by the U.S. West, and then the U.S. North. Full release.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan released the following statement today. "President-elect Barack Obama's carefully parsed and vague statements regarding his own contact and that of his team with Governor Rod Blagojevich are unacceptable. Considering the severity of the allegations against Governor Blagojevich, the President-elect should immediately disclose any and all communications his transition team has had with the governor's office along with any Service Employees International Union (SEIU) officials involved in the matter. Obama's promise of transparency to the American people is now being tested." Full release.

The Financial Times today announces the launch of its special report 'President Obama's Challenge: The First 100 Days', which will be published in all global editions of the paper on Inauguration Day, 20 January 2009, and includes a microsite on FT.com. Full release

The process of transferring power from an outgoing U.S. president to an incoming president-elect is one of the most distinctive and perilous features of the American constitutional system -- a time of great hope and optimism but also one of great risk. In Difficult Transitions, former presidential advisers Kurt Campbell and James Steinbergdraw on decades of government service and public policy experience to review past foreign policy episodes and identify the major pitfalls that President-elect Obama must try to avoid. Full release

President-elect Barack Obama has dropped a campaign promise to end Bush Administration policies that have allowed Fortune 500 firms to receive federal small business contracts. In February, President-elect Obama released the following statement, "Over half of all Americans work for a small business. Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy and we must protect this great resource. It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." Full release

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