October 2009

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after attending a ceremony at the White House where President Obama signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act into law. "Today's signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act by President Obama offers a lifeline of care, treatment, and support to low-income Americans living with this disease. Every year, this legislation guarantees access to lifesaving medical services, primary care, and medications for more than 500,000 patients, nearly half of all those living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Reauthorizing the Ryan White Act allows us to build on this progress, save lives, and help create a healthier America. "As everyone knows, San Francisco was hit early and hard by the devastation of AIDS. But San Franciscans responded to the needs of our neighbors by developing a system of community-based care that became the model for the Ryan White CARE Act when it was first enacted in 1990. As a result, San Francisco produced data that showed the country comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and services not only saves lives, but also saves money by keeping people healthy and productive. Full release.

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Services, was on hand to receive the 2009 Soldier On Award, but the fight to end veteran homelessness was the focus at a gala event held Oct. 29 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Hosted by Soldier On, a Northampton, Massachusetts-based non-profit organization devoted to changing the end of the story for homeless veteran, the award dinner capped a day of activities. The day's events also included a groundbreaking and naming ceremony for a first-of-its-kind limited equity housing project for formerly homeless veterans. The award dinner, which was attended by ABC TV's Bob Woodruff among others, included the rollout of a powerful video in which formerly homeless veterans detail, in their own words, the impact Soldier On has had on their lives. That video can now be viewed on Soldier On's web site, wesoldieron.org. Soldier On, which has been getting homeless veterans off the street since 1994, chose to honor Admiral Mullen as a result of a personal commitment the Chairman made two years ago to support the fight against veteran homelessness. That commitment came following a meeting at the Pentagon with Soldier On President & CEO Jack Downing. In presenting the award to Mullen, Downing noted that he knew leaving that meeting that Mullen's desire to help homeless veterans was sincere; the admiral has backed up that belief since, consistently supporting Soldier On's cause and finding ways to draw public attention to the problem of veteran homelessness. Full release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today sent a warning letter to Procter & Gamble notifying the company that its Vicks DayQuil Plus Vitamin C and Vicks Nyquil Plus Vitamin C are illegally marketed combinations of drug ingredients and a dietary ingredient. Both of the over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, which contain vitamin C in addition to several drug ingredients, are marketed as treatments for cold and flu symptoms. The FDA took the action against the Cincinnati-based company: * To clarify that these single dosage form combinations of drug ingredients and dietary ingredients legally cannot be marketed because they have not been proven safe and effective, and * Because the agency previously determined that there are insufficient data to show that vitamin C is safe and effective in preventing or treating the common cold. Under its OTC monograph system, the FDA allows some OTC drugs to be marketed without agency approval. Such drugs must comply with applicable monographs, which are regulations that set requirements for the drugs' labeling, formulations and indications. The two Vicks products do not comply with the applicable FDA monograph and must first be evaluated and approved under the FDA's new drug approval process to be legally marketed. Full release.

The injectable, multi-dose H1N1 vaccine contains the mercury-based preservative thimerosol to reduce risks of bacterial contamination. The presence of thimerosol has once again raised concerns whether there are risks posed to children when the tiny amount of mercury contained in thimerosol is included in a vaccine. In a recent issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, however, a team of scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health reported findings that should alleviate those concerns. The researchers, led by author Michael E. Pichichero, MD, Director of the Rochester General Research Institute, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY evaluated levels of mercury in the blood of the smallest children -- prematurely born and low birth weight infants after they received a dose of a childhood vaccine containing thimerosol. They found the levels of mercury were exceedingly low. The issue of administering vaccines containing mercury has been controversial because at very high levels mercury is known to cause organ damage (brain/kidneys). Consequently in 2001, as a precaution, at the prompting of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Food and Drug Administration, the use of thimerosol in childhood vaccines was reduced or eliminated. Full release.

The National Academy of Education (NAEd) has released a new white paper on teacher quality calling for improvements in teacher recruitment, preparation, and ongoing professional development. "It's clear that good teaching matters and that poor teaching harms students academically," states Susan Fuhrman, current President of NAEd, and member of the project Steering Committee. "We must," she adds, "take steps to improve the quality of teaching in the United States by providing teachers with the preparation and professional development that they need to succeed. It's critical that we recruit the most talented people to the profession and figure out the best ways to retain them." Based on current research evidence, the paper outlines several recommendations for improving teacher quality. According to the paper, the quality of teaching is not simply determined by an individual's knowledge or ability, but also by the preparation teachers receive and the environments in which teachers work. Improving teacher quality thus entails policies concerning recruitment, early preparation, and retention (including attention to working conditions), as well as professional development. Full release.

The National Inflation Association today released the following statement to its http://inflation.us members: "While most mainstream economists such as Nouriel Roubini are warning of deflationary threats to the U.S. economy, it is our belief that massive price inflation has already begun. The Federal Reserve's policy of massive monetary inflation in 2009 has caused the Dow Jones to bounce over 50% from its low, oil to rise 100% from its low, and gold to surge to a new all time nominal high. One NIA co-founder just saw his health insurance premium rise 16% over a year ago; and the average tuition for a four-year public college increased this year by 6.5%. Prices are rising all around us, yet agricultural commodities have for the most part been left behind and remain at historically depressed levels. Fundamentals for agriculture are improving on a daily basis. A worldwide shortage of farmers combined with food inventories falling to record lows is setting up the perfect storm for an explosion in agriculture prices. There is a huge opportunity today to invest at the ground-floor into what will likely be one of the biggest boom industries of the next several decades. Full release.

The Center for Democracy in the Americas released the following statement regarding the accord reached between President Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti, the leader of the de facto government. "We applaud the agreement reached in Honduras that holds the promise of a rapid return to democratic order and an end to the political crisis that has hurt the Honduran people these last four months. We applaud the Obama administration for its work in helping both sides reach an agreement, and for standing on the side of democracy throughout the crisis. We urge the administration to be equally vigilant and tough minded as the world monitors the implementation of this accord. "At the same time, the CDA calls for all the human rights violations committed under the coup regime to be fully investigated and resolved. We also call for the undemocratic decrees limiting freedom of speech and freedom of association to be repealed as soon as possible. In the next several weeks leading up to the elections, it is important for the international community to help ensure that conditions truly exist for free and fair elections in Honduras. Following the elections, we hope that a process will be undertaken to address the social, economic and political problems that led to the crisis." Full release.

Following is a Joint Statement on Risk Retention from the Community Mortgage Banking Project and the Community Mortgage Lenders of America: Late Tuesday evening, the House Financial Services Committee released draft legislation to address systemic risks and "too big to fail" concerns. We appreciate the efforts of the Committee to enact reforms that will ensure that the events that led to the current financial market crisis are not repeated. However, we are deeply concerned that one Subtitle of the just-released draft Financial Stability Improvement Act would have a devastatingly, adverse impact on the secondary mortgage market, forcing community-based lenders to reduce lending or go out of business, which will significantly raise the cost of credit for consumers seeking affordable mortgages. We are concerned that the broad risk retention provisions in the draft Financial Stability Improvement Act could jeopardize affordable mortgages for consumers by crippling the ability of community-based lenders to tap the secondary mortgage market for funding. This would further accelerate the consolidation of the mortgage market into just a handful of the largest institutions. The result would be reduced competition and choice for consumers - an ironic and counterproductive result for a bill intended to mitigate "too-big-to-fail" concerns. Full release.

A survey of state health departments regarding their capacity to track produce-related foodborne illnesses found that the response and investigation of outbreaks varies greatly and can lead to delays in public-health response. The survey was commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP), an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University, and conducted by Safe Tables Our Priority (S.T.O.P.). Thirty-nine of the 51 state and District of Columbia health departments responded to the survey, which asked about the types of questions and questionnaires administered to victims of foodborne illness, the time frame in which they were completed, and how states collected and stored the resulting data for calendar year 2007. Despite the increase in the number of multi-state outbreaks of illnesses linked to fresh produce over the past several years, the data show that only 25 of the 39 states responding to the PSP/S.T.O.P. survey asked victims about specific produce items - even if the item was associated with a past outbreak. Full release.

Social Security, the foundation of economic security for millions of America's seniors and working families, can be made more adequate and solvent for the long term, according to a new report released today by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). The report, Fixing Social Security: Adequate Benefits, Adequate Financing, outlines approximately 30 options for putting the program's finances into 75-year balance and more than 10 ways to make Social Security more adequate for those who rely on it. All options have long-range cost estimates from Social Security actuaries. "Fixing Social Security is a manageable job. While Social Security does not need more money now, policymakers could act now to make funds available in the future when the money will be needed," said Virginia Reno, co-author of the report and Vice President for Income Security at NASI. Full release.

Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves will visit a Baltimore High School to launch the 2010 "Census in Schools" program and discuss educational activities that examine the importance of the 2010 Census. The program, "2010 Census: It's About Us," gives schools a wide range of free, optional, standards-based lesson plans on subjects related to the census, ranging from math to social studies. The program is designed for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and will reach all 118,000 schools and 56 million students nationwide. Full release.

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon release its decision on Citizens United v. FEC, a case that could decide the role of corporate campaign contributions in our political system. Common Cause has released a new report highlighting the potential implications on our elections if the high court decides to undo decades of campaign finance precedents. "Americans know the problem is bad today and getting worse every election cycle," said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign. "The current pay-to-play political system is already a battle between David and Goliath, with big moneyed campaign coffers dwarfing the pool of small dollar donors. This report shows that the outcome of this case could put Goliath's big money strength on steroids." In its decision, the Supreme Court could give corporations an additional tool to influence elections. The fear of additional corporate spending in elections will result in candidates for Congress spending more time dialing for dollars. Full release.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) issued the following statement regarding today's announcement by the House leadership of healthcare reform legislation that would include a new government-run health plan: The 39 independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies strongly support passing bipartisan comprehensive healthcare reform this year that will expand access to affordable coverage and rein in costs for everyone. We agree with the goal of the legislation to cover all Americans. While we are still reviewing the legislation, we are very disappointed that many of the provisions in the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" unveiled today would undermine the very policy objectives we collectively hope to achieve. The proposed creation of a new government-run health plan -- which could be open to everyone through the new federal exchange beginning 2015 -- would jeopardize affordability and access to coverage for the 160 million people who receive their benefits through their employers today. The bill also would undermine affordability by allowing people to wait until they are sick to buy coverage, setting higher minimum benefit packages than people commonly purchase today, and placing an unfair burden on younger people by restricting age discounts. Full release.

Echo Justice, a coalition of national and local organizations launched a multi-media counter to the right-wing's echo chamber. StopTheWitchHunt.org is a newly formed multimedia watch dog portal that will use social media and mobile communications to take a grassroots stand and "call out" the mischaracterizations and hate speech that has been going on for too long. "History has taught that bad things happen when good people are silent," says Makani Themba- Nixon, Executive Director of The Praxis Project and a member of the Echo Justice coalition. "StoptheWitchHunt.org allows us to confront these scare tactics and make our voices heard." The website is designed to give voice to the millions of Americans who believe it is time for talk-show hosts and elected officials to stop stoking the racial anxieties of the fringes of America. Full release.

The apartment market is showing signs of improvement, according to the National Multi Housing Council's latest Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions. The survey showed increased sales activity and improvements in the availability of debt and equity capital compared with three months ago. The Sales Volume Index hit its highest level in four years, while the Equity and Debt Financing Indexes were the highest in three years. Only one index--the one measuring market tightness (vacancies and rent levels)--remained below 50 (index numbers below 50 indicate worsening conditions), but it also showed improvement over the prior quarter, rising from 20 to 31. "The broad improvements in sales volume and debt and equity financing suggest the transactions market may finally be thawing," noted NMHC Chief Economist Mark Obrinsky. "Nearly half (45 percent) of respondents indicated that the gap between what sellers are asking for and what buyers are offering--the bid-ask spread--has narrowed." Full release.

Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann today urged members of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health to make ending hunger, child and maternal health, and a reformed U.S. foreign aid system with an empowered, distinct development voice their top priorities. Beckmann, co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN), testified this morning during a hearing in Congress. He said that over the past two years, there has been a dramatic increase in hunger as food and fuel prices rose and the global recession pushed millions of people into extreme poverty. "I am heartened that the Obama administration recognizes that in addition to addressing emergency needs, we must also focus on creating long-term sustainable solutions to ending hunger and poverty," he said. Beckmann expressed his strong support for the U.S. Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, calling it "a tremendous first step toward a global initiative that rallies the support of governments and people around the world." He praised the principles of the initiative, which form a blueprint for broader reform of U.S. foreign assistance. The principles include country-led plans, enhanced strategic coordination, and transparent and accountable evaluation systems. Full release.

While the public has made accommodations for 54.4 million people with disabilities, many researchers regularly exclude people who cannot read, hear or write from participating in their research projects. That's about to change. The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (FPB) at Case Western Reserve University will develop research tools and strategies to include individuals with vision and hearing impairments in future research. Shirley Moore, Edward J. and Louise Mellen Professor of Nursing and director of the National Institutes of Health-funded Center for Self-Management Research (SMART Center) at FPB, is the lead investigator for the two-year, nearly $400,000 National Institute for Nursing Research-funded project, "Full Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (FIND) in Self-Management Research." She will work with co-investigator Ann Williams, National Institute of Health-supported postdoctoral fellow, who has been working on a health-related research project with blind diabetics. Full release.

States vary widely in where they set their student proficiency standards in 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics, according to a new report released today by the National Center for Education Statistics. The report compares proficiency standards of states using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) as the common metric. "The study gives policymakers, educators and parents a way to view state proficiency standards using a common yardstick," said John Q. Easton, Director of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). "It shows that a student seen as proficient in one state might be seen as not proficient in another." The report, Mapping State Proficiency Standards onto NAEP Scales: 2005-2007, uses NAEP to provide context for understanding the relative stringency of state standards given that each state has its own assessment system and standards for proficiency. The study compared the range of state standards in both 2005 and 2007 and measured changes in the rigor of state proficiency standards when new state standards were set after key aspects of the state assessment system changed. Full release.

Americans today are getting the message that Internet safety and security is critical to their daily lives but many still need to employ safer cyber hygiene, according to the 2009 National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)-Symantec Online Safety Study, released by the NCSA and Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC), makers of Norton security software. The study results show that 85 percent of Americans feel they are most responsible for keeping their computers secure, and 40 percent feel that individual computer users are most responsible for keeping the entire Internet secure. Yet, some of their online behaviors limit their ability to protect their valuable information and data. Only 27 percent of Americans make an electronic backup of their critical files on a weekly basis. More than 55 percent backup their files less often than once a month. Couple those findings with the fact that the use of computers to store personal data such as photos (76 percent), music (60 percent), banking information (39 percent) and tax returns (30 percent) continues to steadily rise, computer users face potential significant losses of valuable information. Full release.

Leaders from the Black AIDS Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) met recently to finalize the details of a four and one-half year grant to fund the Institute's African American HIV University (AAHU) Community Mobilization College. The AAHU Community Mobilization College is a comprehensive training and internship fellowship program aimed at strengthening organizational and individual capacity to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black communities. The program is designed to decrease stigma and misperception and increase the engagement of the Black community in HIV prevention and treatment services. This is achieved through leadership development and information transfer among key stakeholders. Full release.

National Children's Alliance (NCA), under agreement with the United States Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), announces that it will administer $10,125,000 in federal funds during the 2010 calendar year to support Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Multidisciplinary Teams nationwide. A request for proposal has been posted to the NCA website www.nationalchildrensalliance.org. The deadline for grant proposals is December 2nd, 2009 and awards will be announced January 1st, 2010. The objective of the funding is to further the development and implementation of multidisciplinary child abuse investigation and prosecution programs. The multidisciplinary approach is a child-focused method in which representatives from many disciplines, including law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy, work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions about the investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases. Full release.

The Pew Environment Group today called on the world's governing body for conserving Antarctic marine life to geographically spread out krill catches in the Southern Ocean. This would prevent the concentration of the fishery from significantly reducing the amount of krill available for key predators including whales, penguins and seals. Krill are tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans that serve as the "bread and butter" of the Southern Ocean food chain. But an expanding commercial krill fishery poses serious threats to the shellfish and its iconic predators. The greatest demand today for Antarctic krill comes from the fish farming industry which uses krill for feed. Commercial fishing boats also catch and process krill, high in beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids, for dietary supplements. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was created 28 years ago to preserve krill, but there is still no effective management system in place to protect this linchpin of the Antarctic ecosystem. Full release.

Phyllis C. Borzi, assistant secretary of labor for the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), today testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on the use of target date funds as investment options for 401(k)-type plans. An estimated 75 percent of 401(k) plans offer so-called life cycle or target date funds as investment options for retirement plans. "The retirement security of American workers increasingly depends on their investment decisions. The department is reviewing issues on the use of target date funds and exploring a number of regulatory initiatives to assist plan fiduciaries, participants and beneficiaries in understanding target date funds," said Borzi. Full release.

The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) is reporting an increase of more than 200 percent since 2006 in the number of crisis calls to its 1-800-RUNAWAY hotline from or about youth who identify economics as one of the reasons for their call. Meanwhile, the majority of crisis calls continue to be from 15 to 17 year olds (52 percent in 2008), and the number of crisis callers age 18 to 21 has increased by more than 500 percent since 2000. The information is presented in the second annual National Runaway Switchboard Crisis Caller Trends report released today by the non-profit organization, which serves as the federally designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the U. S. reached 9.8 percent in September. Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director, said the increase in older youth calling the crisis line is most likely related to the economic downturn. Full release.

Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, on behalf of the American Association for Homecare's more than 4,000 member locations serving Medicare beneficiaries in every state in the nation, we appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary regarding the need to eliminate waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid. The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) represents durable medical equipment providers, manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. Members serve the medical needs of the millions of Americans who require oxygen equipment and services, power wheelchairs, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, hospital beds, diabetic supplies, and other medical equipment, supplies, and services in the comfort of their homes. Receiving these services and equipment in the home reduces the need for lengthy, expensive institutional stays. AAHomecare applauds Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary William Corr's statement to the Judiciary Committee this morning that the federal government is committed to "stop fraud before it happens," which is the goal of the American Association for Homecare's 13-Point Medicare Anti-Fraud Legislative Action Plan. Full release.

Sarah Stephens, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, released the following comments about the vote in the UN General Assembly today against the United States embargo of Cuba: "President Obama inherited a Cuba policy that doesn't fit him -- it's unilateral, it doesn't work, and it puts us at odds with the region and the world. The message of the UN vote is that he should follow his instincts on Cuba and push forward, faster and further, beyond the incremental reforms he has already undertaken. "My hope is that this vote will force the administration to ask itself 'why are we enforcing a failed, hand-me-down policy that hurts Cubans and injures the image of the U.S., when we are trying to get international cooperation on problems that actually threaten our interests?' "Whenever I travel in Latin America, I meet people who are genuinely surprised that President Obama, who represents such a sharp departure from the past, would continue enforcing an embargo that he inherited from the Cold War. They are the audience for a policy change that shows he sees the world differently. Full release.

Trana Discovery, Inc., an infectious disease drug discovery technology company, and Southern Research Institute, a not-for-profit contract research organization conducting basic and applied preclinical drug research, today announced that several bioactive hits from a set of 15,000 diverse small molecule compounds screened under contract with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) exhibit antiviral activity against HIV-1 infected cells. Among the compounds tested at Southern Research using the Trana HIV 201 High-Throughput Screening (HTS) assay, 16 compounds demonstrated inhibition of HIV replication in infected human cells and several of these compounds were judged to be "potentially druggable." The screening assay used to identify the compounds is based on the premise that HIV-1 has evolved to use tRNALys3 as a primer for initiation of reverse transcription. Therefore, the interaction between tRNALys3 and viral genomic RNA represents a potential novel target for HIV-1 drug development. The biochemical assay to identify inhibitors of the interaction between tRNALys3 and HIV-1 genomic RNA was developed by Trana and transferred to Southern Research for high-throughput screening. Southern Research converted the assay to a homogeneous amplified luminescent proximity assay using AlphaScreen(R) reagents from PerkinElmer. Full release.

The following is being released by the Community Cares Coalition: With pending health reform legislation in the U.S. Congress containing cuts of up to $32 billion over ten years to Medicare-funded nursing home care, a diverse national coalition of front line caregivers, state health care providers and local small business owners joined together at a Capitol Hill news conference to warn deep cuts must be reigned in to safeguard the care of America's most vulnerable seniors, preserve the jobs of the key frontline caregivers who make the difference in patient outcomes, and protect the ongoing viability of local small businesses oriented towards serving the long term care sector. "The very deep Medicare funding reductions like those now being considered by Congress represent a direct, immediate threat to every U.S. seniors' nursing home care, and to the ongoing operational stability of skilled nursing facilities throughout the nation," warned Rick Erb, Executive Director of the Maine Health Care Association (MHCA), in Augusta, ME. "We are thankful Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have recently focused much-needed attention on the unique challenges our sector faces as we battle not just Medicare cuts from Washington, but state Medicaid funding crises in state capitols across America." Full release.

During its ninth annual Latino Economic Forum held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, the New America Alliance, a national network of prominent Latino and Latino business leaders, will address the following topics: the upcoming 2010 census, utilizing untapped Latino talent to ensure optimal results in the economic recovery, creating a new landscape within the financial system to include Latinos as decision makers and the power of shareholders in corporate democracy. This annual forum convenes CEOs, entrepreneurs, top business leaders, high ranking government officials and other thought-leaders to discuss Latino participation in building the economic vitality of our nation. For more information about the summit, visit www.naaonline.org/news-and-events/. "Our goal for the forum is to equip business leaders with the knowledge and network necessary to highlight the importance and increase the impact of the American Latino community on the U.S. economy," said Carlos Loumiet, NAA Chair of the Board and Partner at Hunton & Williams LLP. Full release.

Calling the next few years a transformational time that could define the future of our civil justice system, speakers at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform's (ILR) 10th Annual Legal Reform Summit urged U.S. decision makers to consider the costs of expanding liability for job creators during the economic recovery. "When making any decision that impacts our civil justice system, our leaders should ask themselves one fundamental question: 'Will this help put people back to work, or will this seed the ground for more job-killing litigation?'" said ILR President Lisa Rickard. "As elected officials, they are entrusted with pursuing policies that help revitalize the economy and bring back the jobs that have been shed across the country. The American people expect them to live up to this obligation." Full release.

Today, speaking before a crowd of 5,000 people assembled in front of the American Bankers Association convention in Chicago, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger called for a widespread investigation, and if necessary, prosecution of big bank CEOs: "The big bankers came here to Chicago to celebrate because they think they've won again. They got their bailouts, they are raking in profits, and they think they can continue to use taxpayers as their personal ATM. "That's why, this week, we are launching a national call to action. "We cannot rest until we begin to break the power that big banks and corporations have over our economy. They have spent decades rigging a system so that no matter what they do, they will always win at our expense. Full release.

Southern Company today announced that it has been awarded a $165 million in stimulus funds as part of President Obama's plan to invest $3.4 billion to spur transition to a smarter energy grid. "As an industry leader in developing and deploying new technologies, Southern Company is pleased to be among those selected to advance this critical investment in our nation's electric infrastructure," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO David Ratcliffe. "These funds will be used to augment the company's robust investment in grid reliability, already among the nation's best, and make it more efficient and secure." Southern Company received the grant to integrate smart-grid technology into its transmission and distribution system that can: * Reduce the loss of electricity as it moves from the generating plant to homes and businesses; reducing delivery losses can have a direct environmental and economic impact by increasing efficiency and reducing carbon emissions * Better locate the area of an outage before dispatching crews, reducing outage time for customers. Full release.

Ford has secured its position as the only Detroit automaker with world-class reliability. About 90 percent (46 of 51) of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln products were found to have average or better reliability, according to Consumer Reports' 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey. The results were announced today at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit. Ford's sustained production of vehicles that are as dependable--or better than--some of the industry's best dispels the notion that only Japanese manufacturers make reliable cars. Other than the Toyota Prius, the reliability of the 4-cylinder Fusion and Milan ranks higher than that of any other family sedan. Both of those Ford Motor Company products continue to beat the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, while the upscale Lincoln MKZ tops its rivals, the Acura TL and Lexus ES. "It's rare for Consumer Reports to see family sedans from domestic carmakers continue to beat the reliability scores of such highly regarded Japanese models as the Camry and Accord," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Automotive Test Center. The last domestic sedan that had better reliability than the Camry and Accord was the Buick Regal in 2004, he noted. Full release.

Save Flexible Spending Plans in partnership with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) launched a new advertising campaign today encouraging Congress to honor President Obama's pledge not to raise taxes on middle-class Americans by preserving, rather than restricting, the use of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) in health care reform legislation. The ads further promote the advantages FSAs provide to nearly 35 million working Americans by enabling them to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for out-of-pocket health expenses not covered by insurance, such as prescription drug costs, vision and dental expenses and office visit co-payments. "As Congress moves rapidly closer to having health care reform legislation reach the floors of the Senate and House, there are no guarantees as to the fate of flexible spending accounts," said Joe Jackson, chairman of Save Flexible Spending Plans and CEO of WageWorks, a benefits company based in San Mateo, California. "Despite the success of flexible spending accounts in holding down health care costs for millions of primarily middle-class Americans, poorly-conceived proposals are still pending that would severely restrict access to the benefit in order to help fund some of the costs for health reform. Raising taxes on the middle-class by restricting the use of FSAs is simply a bad idea." Full release.

Robert J. Cabelly, 61, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted in the District of Columbia in an eight-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the Sudanese sanctions regulations and to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign power, four counts of violating the Sudanese sanctions regulations, as well as one count apiece of money laundering, passport fraud and making false statements. The unsealing of the indictment against Cabelly was announced today by David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Channing D. Phillips, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director for the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Adam J. Szubin, Director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Cabelly, who was the principal and managing director of a Washington, D.C. consulting firm and a former State Department employee, is scheduled to appear in federal court today in the District of Columbia at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson. If convicted, he faces up 20 years in prison on each of the substantive Sudanese Sanctions Regulations counts, 20 years for the money laundering count, 10 years for the passport fraud, and five years each for the conspiracy and false statement counts. Full release.

California's and the nation's economy and environment will reap significant benefits - and avoid costly impacts - if proposed federal standards to establish national vehicle greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for new cars and trucks sold in the United States "are rigorous and well-designed." That was the testimony by a policy specialist from Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today at the third and final hearing on the proposed rulemaking for the standards held by EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). "The fundamental promise of the presidential accord - and the bedrock responsibility for the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation in finalizing the proposed standards - is to achieve profound and lasting progress in national security, climate stability and economic opportunity," testified Erica Fick, clean energy fellow for Environmental Defense Fund. "Consumers should save an estimated $3,000 over the life of each of these cleaner vehicles. We respectfully request that federal policy-makers finalize rigorous and protective standards to ensure the promise of the president's compact is realized." Full release.

Today the Lightfoot Endowment Foundation announced that several non-profit partners have joined the Independence Project as a means to deliver essential services to communities in need. These newly announced partners will receive funds raised by the Independence Project in order to service said communities. The Independence Project of 2009 is a fundraising campaign with two signature events that are at the heart of this project's mission and objectives. Non-profit organizations chosen to benefit from the Independence Project include: The DC National Guard's Youth Programs, The Michael Baisden Foundation, The National Military Family Association, Rebuilding Together, Inc., and Bob Woodruff Foundation (ReMind.org). "The Independence Project started as a vision to improve the human condition by supporting independent communities. That vision is now well on its way to creating meaningful impact as we work in partnership with this select group of smart and effective non-profit organizations," said Porsha Jones, Executive Director of the Lightfoot Endowment Foundation. Full release.

AARP's LifeTuner initiative released a survey today that demonstrates how financial concerns are pervasive in every aspect of young adults' lives and suggests that a general reluctance to discuss money with friends and family could have a negative impact on their financial futures. The report, entitled "Personal Finances: The Final Frontier of Social Media," is based on a national survey of 1,002 young adults (aged 18-34). Specifically, the report revealed: * 57% of young Americans consider their financial situation to be the biggest concern in their lives. * 66% rate their own financial situation as fair to poor, and almost half (43%) expressed concerns about their ability to make sound financial decisions. Full release.

Consumer Watchdog sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner, House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank, and Financial Services Subcommittee Chair Paul Kanjorski today, arguing that legislation intended to undermine state insurance protections (H.R. 2609) is inconsistent with the re-regulatory promise of the financial reform package. The bill will be marked up in the House Financial Services committee today. "We are at a loss to understand why you have proposed a measure to deregulate the insurance industry by preempting state laws as part of the financial re-regulation package," wrote Consumer Watchdog. "Each version of the bill would restrict the ability of state lawmakers and regulators to protect insurance consumers by granting the Treasury Department and a new Federal Insurance Office the authority to preempt state laws and regulations on prudential matters on behalf of foreign insurance firms." Full release.

Small business owners' cybersecurity policies and actions are not adequate enough to ensure the safety of their employees, intellectual property and customer data, according to the 2009 National Small Business Cybersecurity Study. The study, co-sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec [Nasdaq: SYMC], as part of this year's National Cyber Security Awareness Month, surveyed nearly 1,500 small business owners across the United States about their cybersecurity awareness policies and practices. The survey confirmed that small businesses today are handling valuable information - 65 percent store customer data, 43 percent store financial records, 33 percent store credit card information, and 20 percent have intellectual property and other sensitive corporate content online. 65 percent of the business survey claimed that the Internet was critical to their businesses success yet they are doing very little to ensure that their employees and systems are not victims of a data breach. Full release.

The following is a statement by Attorney General Eric Holder on the death of three U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Afghanistan: "This morning, three U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were tragically killed in the line of duty when the helicopter in which they were riding crashed in Western Afghanistan. While the circumstances of this crash are still being investigated, I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of these heroic agents. During this difficult time, the families of these agents are foremost in our thoughts and prayers. "Every day, our law enforcement agents put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities and our country. It is an honor to work with these brave men and women from the DEA and all of our law enforcement components and to call them my colleagues. While no words can lessen the sorrow being felt today by these families, I hope their loved ones know they have the unending respect and gratitude of this nation. They certainly have mine. Full release.

On Wednesday, October 28, the UN is scheduled to take up its annual debate on the unilateral U.S. embargo of Cuba. Expectations are of a crushing U.S. defeat similar to last year, 185 to 3. "Most Americans, including government officials, may not pay much attention but this annual vote signals that no U.S. foreign policy is as universally despised as our trade war against Cuba," said John McAuliff, Executive Director of a leading non-governmental advocacy group, the Fund for Reconciliation and Development. "Likewise," he noted, "the margin of the U.S. defeat reflects the most dramatic failure of the Obama Administration to live up to its promise to improve U.S. standing in the world." McAuliff, head of a 25-year-old non-governmental organization based in New York, added, "The tragedy is that the White House could have easily influenced the vote by making a straightforward reform consistent with its own values and goals and the opinion of two-thirds of Americans. Full release.

With substandard and counterfeit versions of medicines intended to treat life-threatening diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis posing a growing threat throughout the developing world, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention will expand their joint efforts to combat this menace by launching a new program over the next five years. The Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) Program, a $35 million cooperative agreement, will serve as a primary mechanism to help assure the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines that are essential to USAID's priority health programs. USAID is a U.S. government agency that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States. USP is a nonprofit scientific organization that develops globally recognized standards for the quality of medicines. Building on a 10-year USAID-USP partnership in this arena that assists health officials and others in 28 countries around the world, the program will increase work to address the significant public health challenge posed by substandard and counterfeit medicines. According to the U.S.-based Center for Medicines in the Public Interest, counterfeit drug sales alone will reach $75 billion globally in 2010, an increase of more than 90 percent from 2005. Various factors contribute to the growth of substandard and counterfeit medicines, including the globalization of trade and weak regulatory capacity in developing countries. Full release.

FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair addresses thousands of taxpayers, who are in Chicago for the three days "Showdown" against big banks, to express her support for President Obama's Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). Below is a part of her speech at the Hyatt Regency Chicago early this morning. SPEECH EXCERPT FROM SHEILA BAIR, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION (FDIC): "I will be speaking to the American Bankers Association later this morning and one of my messages will be to get in there and support the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). The Administration has proposed a new Consumer Protection Agency to establish consistent consumer protection standards for banks and non-banks. I strongly support this new agency....Looking at indecipherable credit card statement and documents and mortgages you can't understand and APRs from Payday Loans and high overdraft fees - I don't see how anybody can say that we've done a good job protecting consumers and financial services. I just don't see it..... The absence of a national standard was a contributing factor to our current economic turmoil - this uneven nature of regulatory protections and this lack of strong standards that apply across the board. This new agency would eliminate regulatory gaps between insured institutions and non-banks, consistent with the need for consumer protection standards across the board. And it would address another gap with authority - to examine for the first time non-bank financial providers. We need an examination and enforcement, not just rules, but examination and enforcement as well. By regulating the non-bank shadow sector for the first time, this new agency CAN help future abuses. I hope to see other measures being taken that will create a more resilient, transparent and better regulated financial system, including an end to the 'Too Big to Fail' doctrine. Yes, no more bail outs. No more bail outs." Full release.

Expeditionary Learning Schools (ELS), a national school improvement organization, has added 19 schools this year. The ELS network now includes 165 schools in 29 states and the District of Columbia, reaching approximately 46,000 students and 4075 teachers. The increased national impact of ELS follows another year of strong test scores in ELS schools across the country. ELS provides intensive teacher training and school coaching to schools of all kinds -- elementary, middle, and high schools; charter schools and district schools; urban, suburban, and rural schools; and schools with a broad range of student populations -- that wish to improve student achievement and engage students deeply in their learning. Many districts see partnerships with ELS as vital to their district-wide improvement plans. Jean-Claude Brizard, Superintendent of the Rochester City School District in Rochester, NY, notes the importance of the district's expanding partnership with ELS: "Expeditionary Learning plays an integral part in our plan for expanding our portfolio of high-performing, high-demand schools. We're looking forward to offering an EL continuum from K-12 to meet the needs of our students and families." Full release.

Too little attention is paid to improving the delivery of clinical preventive services to adolescents by addressing problems unique to that population, says a new study commissioned by Partnership for Prevention. Most of the clinical preventive services that are recommended for adolescents also don't have good evidence to support their effectiveness, say authors of the study, which appears in the current online edition and the November print edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The review article, "Clinical Preventive Services for Adolescents," is freely available to the public electronically at www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797(09)00490-5/abstract. It sheds light on the lack of attention that's been given to preventive health and wellness recommendations for adolescents between the ages of 11 and 17. "We need to encourage both more clinical effectiveness research on clinical preventive services for adolescents and changes in the ways medical practices serving adolescents approach improving delivery rates," said Leif I. Solberg, MD, the study's chief author who is Associate Medical Director for Care Improvement Research, HealthPartners Medical Group. Full release.

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) released a new report today that finds only five states have published a strategic climate change plan that includes a public health response. This includes planning for health challenges and emergencies expected to develop from natural disasters, pollution, and infectious diseases as temperatures and sea levels rise. The Health Problems Heat Up: Climate Change and the Public's Health report examines U.S. planning for changing health threats posed by climate change, such as heat-related sickness, respiratory infections, natural disasters, changes to the food supply, and infectious diseases carried by insects. "The changing environment has serious ramifications for our health," said Jeff Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. "In the near future, more extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and worsening air quality mean we'll see an upswing in climate-related illnesses and injuries. Full release.

As lawmakers debate health care reform, business innovator Lou Weisbach and Clinton White House health care advisor Dr. Richard Boxer are available for interviews to discuss a glaring, missing element of the forthcoming health care legislation: reducing health care costs -- and saving lives -- by preventing and curing disease. The chilling reality is that the percentage of Americans who die of cancer today is unchanged from 1950. There is nothing in current health care reform legislation that provides for real change in the way we approach health care in our country. Weisbach and Boxer want to change that: they are co-creators of The American Center for Cures (ACC) initiative, which proposes that a "Manhattan Project" or "Moon Shot"-like urgency be applied to cure or prevent disease. Their idea is revolutionary: the creation of The ACC -- led by a cabinet-level Director of the Cures -- housed within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The ACC's mission: to cure a minimum of three diseases within the next seven years. Full release.

Confirming the full impact of the global recession, philanthropic giving for health care in the United States grew a tepid 2.9 percent -- or about $241 million -- to $8.6 billion in 2008, while similar donations in Canada fell by a dramatic 12.9 percent, to total $1.07 billion, according to a new Report on Giving issued today by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP). "The poor overall results for health care philanthropy shown by the AHP Report on Giving are a wakeup call for the Obama Administration and Congress," said William C. McGinly, Ph.D., CAE, president of the AHP. "The hit that wealthy individuals have taken in the total worth of their portfolios and holdings during the recession takes huge assets off the table and out of the giving equation. Compounding this scenario would be the Obama administration and Congress' attempts to limit the charitable deduction write off, thus dampening wealthy donors' incentive to give and further reducing charitable contributions to all philanthropic organizations." McGinly said, "While technically the recession is or will soon be over, AHP membership feels its impact will continue to impair giving to health care institutions for the near future." Full release.

While the economic recession has eroded the growth rate for medical tourism by approximately 13.6 percent from 2007 to 2009, the economic recovery may help spur a sustainable 35 percent annual growth rate for the medical tourism industry by 2010, according to a new report released today (www.deloitte.com/us/medicaltourism) by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions at the World Medical Tourism and Global Health Congress in Los Angeles, California. "Barring any tempering factors, such as supply constraints, resistance from health plans, increased domestic competition or government policies, we project that outbound medical tourism could reach upwards of 1.6 million patients by 2012," said Paul Keckley, Ph.D. and executive director, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, based in Washington, D.C. "Medical tourism has transitioned from a cottage industry to an acceptable alternative for elective care that, despite the setbacks of the economic downturn, may begin to recover in 2010, as quality is better defined, new business models emerge, insurers, legislators and employers explore pilots and programs, health care providers become increasingly involved in coordinating care and consumers continue to test it out to explore savings." Full release.

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