July 2009

- The following letter regarding health care reform was sent to all members of Congress today by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Full release.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal today met with U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to discuss a host of issues vital to both countries. The bilateral meeting and working lunch took place at the Department of State in Washington, DC. Full release.

California patient advocacy organizations Healthy African American Families, Familia Unida, and For Grace today sent a letter to California Attorney General Jerry Brown requesting an investigation into discriminatory practices by health insurance companies that deny entire California communities access to critical and often life-saving medications. Full release.

Last night, U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to the Democratic leadership's health care bill, H.R. 3200, that would specifically include abortion in the health care legislation, solidifying the radical pro-abortion nature of this bill. Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins had this to say on the late night shenanigans in the House Energy and Commerce Committee mark up: "It has been clear to many that the health bills moving through Congress would fund abortion services and mandate coverage for abortion, jumping well beyond the current law which prohibits the funding or subsidizing of abortion. Full release.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will begin testing two types of advanced imaging technology at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Imaging technologies quickly and unobtrusively screen passengers for metallic and nonmetallic threats without physical contact. Millimeter wave and backscatter imaging technologies provide enhanced detection capabilities and are 100 percent optional for all passengers. Both technologies have privacy protections in place for the traveler. The security officer who assists the passenger through the screening process never sees the image the technology produces. The image is viewed by a remotely located security officer who never sees the traveler. Further, these technologies cannot save, print, or transmit images. Once the image is deleted it cannot be restored. To further protect passenger privacy, millimeter wave technology blurs all facial features and backscatter has an algorithm applied to the entire image. Full release.

Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of seven astronauts ended a 16-day journey of more than 6.5 million miles with a 10:48 a.m. EDT landing Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the flight, Endeavour delivered the final piece of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and a new crew member to the International Space Station. Endeavour's mission included five spacewalks and installation of two platforms outside the Japanese module. One platform remained on the station and serves as a type of porch for experiments that require direct exposure to space. The other was an experiment storage pallet that returned aboard the shuttle. During the mission, Kibo's robotic arm transferred three experiments from the palette to the platform. The station now is 83 percent complete and has a mass of more than 685,000 pounds. Full release.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that it met the July 1, 2009 deadline to create more than 2,200 new jobs across the country. Funding for the positions was made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The new employees will support the agency's 2010 Census partnership program. Under the Recovery Act, the Census Bureau received $1 billion in funding, $120 million of which was used to create the new positions. The remaining funds were directed to other critical 2010 Census operations, including expanding the 2010 Census communications and advertising campaign. Full release.

The safety of airport traffic control tower personnel is the focus of an inspection targeting program titled "Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Traffic Control Tower Monitoring Program," which monitors how workers clear a control tower in case of fire and other emergencies. The inspection targeting program, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), examines the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air traffic control towers' provision of safe means of egress, or exit, for workers at FAA-owned and operated towers. The program requires the FAA to bring towers into compliance with the alternate standard for egress and fire safety. OSHA inspectors will inspect randomly selected towers to determine if the FAA is meeting this requirement. A description of OSHA's alternate standard is available at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10114. Full release.

According to its proponents, the Swiss system results in health care which is comparable to that in the most affluent U.S. states, while its per capita health costs are 40 percent lower than in the U.S. Switzerland currently has 80-plus separate health plans competing for business, from which Swiss citizens can freely choose. The government's primary (if not only) role is to subsidize lower-income people. A primary advantage of such a consumer-controlled system, proponents say, is that it spreads risk across the full population spectrum, thereby lowering loss ratios and enabling lower premiums. It also keeps a proven health care delivery system in place, which government-controlled plans would necessarily disrupt. Full release.

Democratic governors, including Governor David A. Paterson, swept the top six spots for effectively reporting their Recovery Act funding on the Web, according to a report issued yesterday by a non-profit organization. "Not only are Democratic governors leading the way in creating good jobs with the Recovery Act funding, but they're also leading the way in showing the public exactly how this money is being used," said Nathan Daschle, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association. "Democratic governors are on the frontlines of this economic recovery, and they're also committed to transparency, accountability and making sure that this money goes to creating jobs." Full release

Nick Jonas - singer, songwriter, actor and member of the Grammy-nominated band, Jonas Brothers - will speak at a National Press Club luncheon on August 24. Jonas will discuss his personal experiences living with and managing his juvenile diabetes and his efforts to inspire other youth dealing with diabetes to manage their disease. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on President Obama naming the recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama will present the awards at a ceremony on August 12. Full release.

After the Atlanta Independent School System (AISS) severed its contract with Community Education Partners, Inc. (CEP) to run the city's alternative school, the American Civil Liberties Union today dropped the private, for-profit company from its federal lawsuit challenging the inadequate education provided by the school to its students. AISS declined to renew its $7 million annual contract with CEP to run the school - one of the most dangerous and lowest performing in the state - after the ACLU and the ACLU of Georgia filed a lawsuit last year against CEP and AISS for violating students' constitutional rights. Full release.

The House Administration Committee heard testimony today from four members of Congress, including Democratic Caucus Chair John Larson (D-Conn.), two election experts, and the Speaker of Maine House of Representatives, in support of sweeping campaign finance reform legislation, the Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 1826). Full release.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum announced today the update of its Google Earth initiative, Crisis in Darfur, with U.S. Department of State data that shed new light on the extent of the genocide in Darfur. Full release.

Excelsior College, a national leader in higher education for military members and veterans since the 1970s, has added specially-trained outreach staff and streamlined services to meet anticipated growth in demand for education benefits provided by the Post-9/11 GI bill. The bill takes effect Aug. 1, with a White House announcement anticipated on Aug. 3. Full release.

A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll of 19 nations from around the world finds that majorities in 15 think their government should put a higher priority on addressing climate change than it does now. This includes the largest greenhouse gas emitters: China (62% want more action), the U.S. (52%), and Russia (56%). Full release.

Strawberries are good for your brain, according to breaking news out of the 2009 Berry Health Symposium. Several of the latest studies, conducted by world-renowned researchers, consistently showed that strawberry consumption is a simple way to improve cognitive function. Full release.

ProCon.org debates the national drinking age of 21 on its newest website, http://drinkingage.procon.org, which poses and explores the core question "Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age?" Full release.

Mayor Cory A. Booker; White House Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs David Agnew; Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.; Newark Municipal Council Members; The Trust for Public Land Vice President Rose Harvey; President and CEO of The New York Giants John Mara; Former New York Giant Tiki Barber; The Friends of Nat Turner Park and other dignitaries joined the Central Ward's Springfield Avenue community, and other supporting donors, to cut the ribbon to open Nat Turner Park - Newark's newest and largest city-owned park. The nine-acre facility was designed in part by members of the community and students from three adjacent schools. Full release.

The Investigative Project on Terrorism (www.investigativeproject.org) has obtained a letter (http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/282.pdf) sent by seven House Democrats to Attorney General Eric Holder invoking a list of complaints from radical Islamist groups and asking that Holder meet with representatives from those militant groups, most of which have defended violent jihad. Ironically, the letter was received by Mr. Holder's office on the very same day that 8 radical Islamists from Raleigh, North Carolina were indicted on terrorism charges in a plot to carry out "violent jihad" and Islamic martyrdom (suicide) operations. Full release.

General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret) has accepted an invitation from the Families of Flight 93 to serve as the keynote speaker at this year's ceremony to honor the 40 heroes of United Flight 93 who lost their lives while fighting to resist a terrorist attack on our nation's capital, ultimately crashing in a field in Shanksville, PA. The ceremony, which includes reading the name of each of the heroic passengers and crew members on Flight 93, will be held on September 11, 2009, at the temporary memorial site in Shanksville. Full release.

oday, Wounded Warrior Project commends the House of Representatives for passing a bill (H.R. 3155) that will assist the family caregivers of the most severely wounded veterans, but endorsed a Senate bill (S. 801) that would provide more comprehensive support and coverage to a wider population of caregivers who are in dire need of these services. H.R. 3155, the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act, includes some essential support and training to those caring for this nation's wounded warriors but only offers financial support and health benefits to a very limited number of caregivers while the Senate version of Caregiver Support legislation would cover most of the family caregivers of severely wounded warriors returning from the current conflicts. Full release.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) has congratulated election officials and the people of Iraqi Kurdistan for conducting an election in an orderly environment, free of violence, on July 25 in voting for the President and Parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Full release.

Tonight, during a live webcast joined by more than 49,000 viewers, Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins unveiled a new TV ad which will initially run in five key states including Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Alaska, Louisiana, and Nebraska. The hard hitting ad lays out two key threats should President Obama's plan become reality - rationing and taxpayer funded abortions. Patients, particularly the elderly, will face denial of vital treatments while at the same time be forced to pay for abortions. Full release.

GOVERNING, the highly-respected provider of news, information and best practices for top state and city government officials is being offered for sale. GOVERNING's properties include a monthly magazine, Web site and event-based products. Full release.

United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., as well as Senators Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Mark Warner, D-Va., and Jim Webb, D-Va., today sent a letter to Small Business Administrator Karen Mills requesting that the Small Business Administration (SBA) review its existing authority under the Stafford Act to assist homeowners and businesses in the wake of growing complaints over homes tainted with Chinese-made drywall. Full release.

Well-intentioned legislation aimed at addressing the financial burdens faced by Americans who need long-term care services could leave elderly people exposed to substantial and unexpected costs, said Frank Keating, president of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). Full release.

We are pleased to report that there are now 50 members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors of the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267), legislation introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services. Full release.

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced $1 billion in grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement officers all across the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grants will be awarded to 1,046 law enforcement agencies from all 50 states and will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for 4,699 officers for three years. Police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year. Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and law enforcement officers from mid-Atlantic states joined the Vice President and Attorney General at the event. Full release.

Congressional Quarterly Inc., the nation's premier provider of news, analysis and information on Congress, politics and public policy, today released its ratings for the 2010 House elections. The report shows that the Democrats appear secure in the majority they built with big gains in the 2006 and 2008 elections, but must defend against losses as the Republicans stage an aggressive effort to regain some of the lost ground. Full release.

The following was released today by Randall Terry, Director, Operation Rescue Insurrecta Nex."Over thirty taxpayers from seven states will visit Nancy Pelosi's office to demand changes in the health care bill: namely - the specific exclusion of surgical abortion and chemical abortifacients from the bill." Full release.

Our nation's emergency departments are places to receive treatment for injuries, but for thousands of nurses, emergency departments are the sources of injury. A new study by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) finds that more than half of emergency nurses report experiencing physical violence on the job, including as being "spit on," "hit," "pushed or shoved," "scratched," and "kicked." One in four has experienced such violence more than 20 times in the past three years. Just as alarming, one in five nurses have experienced verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period. Full release.

A new analysis of campaign contributions to members of key congressional committees handling health reform legislation found that members of three committees who voted against reform have received significantly more in campaign contributions from the health and insurance industries than those who voted for reform. In addition, the legislation appears to have been slowed in two final committees whose members received much more from the health and insurance industries than their colleagues on the three committees that have passed legislation, the study reported. Full release.

North Carolina could receive up to $577 million annually in revenue sharing payments from offshore energy development, according to a report to be released today by the Southeast Energy Alliance (SEA). Full release.

This is a series of national-level data files on the construction sector (NAICS 23). These include data for residential and nonresidential building contractors, civil engineering and specialty trade contractors, builders, remodelers, industrial and commercial construction and others. The files provide data on the number of establishments, value of business done, payroll, the number of employees and other data items by industry. Full release.

he following was released today by Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily.com: How did a supposedly "bogus" story questioning Barack Obama's eligibility for the presidency get to the top of the news budgets of every major media outlet in the country? Full release.

"With 20.8 million Americans needing treatment but unable to get it, Congress should double the $5 billion currently budgeted for treatment and prevention," say former White House Drug Policy Spokesman Bob Weiner and analyst Zoe Pagonis. They assert that "increasing drug treatment to stop the main catalyst of crime and save families would be an extraordinarily rational policy shift." Full release.

A working group on the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy comprised of retired general officers, scholars and a former member of Congress issued a statement today in response to inaccurate or misleading statements made about the policy by President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen. Full release.

The Council of the European Union today adopted the regulation to ban the trade of all seal products within the EU. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW - www.ifaw.org) applauds the adoption as the last step of approval before the implementation of this momentous legislation. The ban is a significant victory in IFAW's 40-year campaign to end Canada's commercial seal hunt. Full release.

Konstantin Preobrazhensky, former officer in the KGB who defected to the United States in 2003, and now serves as intelligence expert and Senior Fellow at Gerard Group International, will speak at the National Press Club Newsmakers press conference at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 30. Mr. Preobrazhensky will present an overview of Russia 's current political goals and their ongoing intelligence activities in the Islamic World. Full release.

The following is a statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on the 19th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act: "The signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 19 years ago was a watershed moment for persons with disabilities and for all Americans concerned with the cause of equal justice. In the nearly two decades that have followed, the ADA has empowered Americans with disabilities to fully pursue the civic and economic opportunities to which they are entitled. Full release.

Dr. Edward Montgomery, the Executive Director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, is the newest addition to the Wednesday morning, Aug. 5 agenda at the industry's traditional summer gathering, the CAR Management Briefing Seminars Aug. 4-7 in Traverse City, Mich. "Today's Turmoil: A Foundation for Success" is the title of the session, which is chaired by David E. Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, host of the event. Montgomery joins Steve Millstein, President, ATX and John Hoffecker, Managing Director, AlixPartners LLP on the panel. The newly named president of Toyota Motor Corp., Akio Toyoda, has been invited to provide the keynote address during the Wednesday morning session. Full release.

The Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles and the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles co-hosted a signing ceremony at the Mexican Consulate to announce a joint working relationship to prepare the Mexican immigrant community in Los Angeles County for disasters. Consul General Juan Marcos Gutierrez Gonzalez and Paul Schulz, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, signed a letter of understanding that calls for the two institutions to provide disaster education outreach programs, recruit and train Spanish-speaking Red Cross volunteers, and develop bilingual educational materials. Full release.

Bernie Hoffman, aka Tony Alamo, founder and leader of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, age 74, was convicted today by a jury in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Arkansas, of charges that he transported minor girls across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity that would be a violation of state law, in violation of Title 18 U.S. C. Section 2423. The jury found Alamo guilty on all 10 counts of the federal indictment, announced Deborah Groom, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, and Thomas J. Browne, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The guilty verdict followed six days of testimony during which women testified Alamo had sexual relations with them while they were underage, and that they traveled across state lines with Alamo or at his request for the purpose of his having sexual relations with them. United States District Court Judge Harry F. Barnes presided over the trial. Full release.

According to Families USA, health insurance premiums in Pennsylvania increased by 86.2% between 2000 and 2007. In an effort to bring awareness to the healthcare issues facing everyday Americans, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, the leading generic pharmaceutical company, is hosting a roundtable forum on July 30, 2009 to discuss increasing healthcare access. The event will be the last in a series of roundtables being hosted across the country as part of the company's Year of Affordable Healthcare Campaign (www.yearofaffordablehealth.com). Full release.

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) and other organizations will rally in Chicago this Saturday, July 25, as part of a Global Day of Action for Iran calling for an end to the massive human rights violations carried out in Iran after the June 12 elections. The Chicago rally will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, at Federal Plaza, Dearbom and Adams Street. The Saturday event will feature remarks by Roxana Saberi, the journalist who was imprisoned in Iran for more than three months this year, as well as representatives of Amnesty International and other human rights activists. Full release.

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee approved an amendment by Representative Mark Souder (R-IN) which prohibits HHS (Health and Human Services) funding for programs which distribute sterile needles or syringes to prevent the spread of blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis. The amendment reads as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: Sec.___. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide individuals with hypodermic needles or syringes under section 300ee-5 of title 42, United States Code. Full release.

At a briefing today, the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE) provided recommendations for the development of common academic standards that take into account the unique needs of students of color and low-income students to ensure that all children, regardless of ZIP code, income, race, or ethnicity are taught to the same high standards. "Even though our kids represent the fastest-growing segment of public school students, communities of color are still frequently left out of the process of defining academic success in our country," said Michael Wotorson, executive director of CHSE. "Communities of color must be meaningful partners in the development, implementation, evaluation, and validation phases already under way in the common standards movement. If the leaders of this process fail to engage those most at risk, they may actually perpetuate educational inequities and therefore be complicit in creating a permanent underclass in America." Full release.

The Newseum today announced plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair with "Woodstock at 40: The Rise of Music Journalism." The exhibition, open Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, features rarely seen images from a trio of photojournalists -- including a 17-year-old Connecticut high schooler -- who covered the event, as well as other examples of media coverage, Woodstock memorabilia and artifacts. In addition to a camera, press passes and notes from the featured photographers, the artifacts include a working list of the artists who performed and how much each act was paid and other items from Woodstock concert promoter Michael Lang. Full release.

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