January 08, 2009

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said today that two American children trapped under Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip have still not been offered evacuation assistance by the U.S. government. Full release.

The Senior Pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, and the son of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, says that the Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip is a just war. "Within hours of the December 19 expiration of the 'truce' declared by Hamas in June, the terrorist organization greatly accelerated the firing of Qassam Rockets, mortar shells, and Grad Missiles deep into Israeli population centers, purposely targeting civilians," said Jonathan Falwell, who since 2007 has assumed hosting and speaking responsibilities on the national television program Thomas Road Live and also writes a weekly column for worldnetdaily.com. Full release.

Advocates for Youth, a Washington-based non-profit focusing on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, has released an analysis showing that teen sexual health outcomes in the U.S. lag far behind those in France, Germany, and the Netherlands (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/factsheet/fsest.pdf). The U.S. teen birth rate, for example, is nearly nine times higher than that in the Netherlands, and four times higher than that in France and Germany. The U.S. teen abortion rate is twice that of Germany and the Netherlands. America's teen gonorrhea rate is 28 times greater than that in the Netherlands. Full release.

Between 62,000 and 120,000 new jobs could be created where they are needed the most in the United States if the Obama economic recovery package now working its way through Congress includes an urgently needed $4.3 billion boost for Head Start and Early Head Start, according to an estimate from the National Head Start Association (NHSA). Full release.

Before I begin my remarks, I want to take a moment to specifically thank the Deputy Attorney General for his service to the Department. Although he knew from the start that he would serve only for a limited period, and although the confirmation process shortened that period even further, Mark willingly gave up a lifetime appointment as a federal judge for the good of the Department and the country. He has brought a first-class intelligence, wit, integrity and work ethic to the job, to the great benefit of the Department and of me personally. Although there won't be a formal farewell ceremony for Mark, I wanted to announce today that I will be presenting him -- in a private ceremony -- with the Randolph award, which is the highest award I can bestow on a Department employee. Please join me in thanking Mark for his service. Full release.

An exhaustive new study of America's advertising industry released today has found dramatic levels of racial discrimination throughout the industry. Bias against African-American professionals was found in pay, hiring, promotions, assignments, and other areas. Full release.

President-elect Barack Obama and the new 111th Congress will soon be rolling-out an economic stimulus plan. The stimulus package will no doubt cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars, and there is no guarantee it will achieve its goal of rescuing most Americans from the failing economy. Full release.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act against the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and three of its members alleging that the defendants intimidated voters and those aiding them during the Nov. 4, 2008, general election. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court in Philadelphia, alleges that, during the election, Minister King Samir Shabazz and Jerry Jackson were deployed at the entrance to a Philadelphia polling location wearing the uniform of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, and that Samir Shabazz repeatedly brandished a police-style baton weapon. Full release.

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