July 24, 2009

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.

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