January 2010

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a government wide Strategic Plan to increase support and access for Veterans seeking employment with the Federal government. The plan is part of President Obama's Veterans Employment Initiative, a pragmatic, straightforward approach to helping the men and women who have served our country in the military find employment as civilians in the Federal Government. "This is America's first strategic blueprint to increase and support the hiring of Veterans throughout the Federal workforce," said OPM Director John Berry. "This plan aggressively dismantles barriers for Veterans seeking Federal employment. Additionally, it provides ongoing career support to Veterans working within the Federal workforce and specifically looks to support new veterans as they adjust to civilian work life." Full release.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division today announced that it has filed a motion for immediate relief to protect individuals confined in seven state-run psychiatric hospitals in Georgia from the imminent and serious threat of harm to their lives, health and safety. The motion, filed late yesterday, seeks appointment of a monitor who will set binding targets and timetables for reducing the number of residents at the hospitals and expanding appropriate community based services. A year ago, the state of Georgia and the Justice Department entered into an agreement to ensure that individuals in the hospitals were served in the most appropriate integrated settings and that unlawful conditions in the hospitals were remedied. The agreement was filed in United States v. Georgia, and the parties asked U.S. District Judge Charles A. Pannell Jr. to approve the agreement. However, the court has not yet approved the agreement. Full release.

A new poll by the Alliance to End Hunger shows that voters are hurting economically and they want Congress and the Administration to put the needs of Americans first. Tony Hall, director of the Alliance to End Hunger, former Member of Congress (D-OH) and Ambassador to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Agencies, said today, "Voters are very anxious about how they are going to make ends meet and feed their families. Congress should move swiftly to meet the needs of people who are hurting." One in two voters report that they are living paycheck-to-paycheck and that is having a real impact at the kitchen table. Forty-two percent of voters are buying less food or worrying about going hungry because of the recession. Households with children are especially vulnerable. Fifty-nine percent of households with children under the age of 18 say they are living paycheck to paycheck and forty-six percent say the recession has impacted their ability to provide food for their families. Full release.

AJC applauded the U.S. Senate for passing last night the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act (S.2799). The measure will impose sanctions on companies that export gasoline to Iran or assist in the expansion of Tehran's oil-refining capacity. "In his State of the Union address, President Obama warned Iran's leaders of 'growing consequences' because of their continued defiance of legally-binding UN Security Council Resolutions dealing with their nuclear program," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "This Senate measure is another welcome demonstration of the determination of the United States to prevent the Iranian regime, a grave threat to its people and its neighbors, from arming itself with a nuclear weapon." The Senate bill combines and enhances several sanctions initiatives. It would facilitate the divestment by state and local governments and other entities of stock in companies investing in Iran, and identify countries of concern with respect to transshipment, re-export, or diversion of certain sensitive items to Iran. Full release.

The development of a new series of weather and environmental monitoring satellites has marked a significant milestone with the delivery and the beginning of spacecraft integration efforts for a key science instrument. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will be one of five instruments to fly on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft. VIIRS is regarded as a key component in NPP's suite of instruments because it will provide highly detailed imagery of clouds, vegetation, snow cover, dust storms, sea surface temperature and other environmental phenomena. Full release.

The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders. "Today's rules will bring needed relief to families faced with meeting the cost of obtaining mental health and substance abuse services," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The benefits will give these Americans access to greatly needed medical treatment, which will better allow them to participate fully in society. That is not just sound policy, it's the right thing to do." "The rules we are issuing today will, for the first time, help assure that those diagnosed with these debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on their care," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on news that the gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, the fastest pace the economy has grown in more than six years. "Today's GDP numbers are a sign of economic progress, marking another step forward on the road to recovery and job creation, clear evidence that our efforts to revitalize the economy are starting to pay off. "From the first days of the 111th Congress, we have worked to create and save jobs, help small businesses, restore opportunity and economic security to the middle class, and lay a stronger foundation for the future. Economists of every stripe agree that our actions helped avert even greater economic catastrophe — from the Recovery Act and Cash for Clunkers to the first-time homebuyer tax credit. Full release.

AT&T* and Call For Action, a consumer mediation and education organization, announced today a new program that will focus on educating and empowering consumers on a variety of privacy-related topics. As the nation recognizes January 28, 2010 as Data Privacy Day, AT&T is using the opportunity to further highlight online privacy practices. Consumers are being encouraged to examine how they are currently protecting themselves online, and what steps they can take to ensure their privacy is secure whether connecting through their mobile device, home broadband connection or any other Internet connection. Call For Action, with support from AT&T, is developing an interactive webpage which will be housed on Call For Action's Web Site. Full release.

As the role of religion in public life continues to spark intense political debate and high-profile court cases, a group of diverse leaders from religious and secular organizations has issued the most comprehensive joint statement of current law to date on legal issues dividing church and state. Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Christian leaders from the evangelical, mainline and Catholic traditions joined with civil liberties leaders to draft Religious Expression in American Public Life: A Joint Statement of Current Law. Are persons elected or nominated to serve as government officials required to place their hands on the Bible when making oaths or affirmations? May elected officials reference religious ideas and discuss their personal religious beliefs while operating in their official capacities? Full release.

Bill and Melinda Gates announced today that their foundation will commit $10 billion over the next 10 years to help research, develop and deliver vaccines for the world's poorest countries. The Gateses said that increased investment in vaccines by governments and the private sector could help developing countries dramatically reduce child mortality by the end of the decade, and they called for others to help fill critical financing gaps in both research funding and childhood immunization programs. "We must make this the decade of vaccines," said Bill Gates. "Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before." Bill and Melinda Gates made their announcement at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, where they were joined by Julian Lob-Levyt, CEO of the GAVI Alliance. Full release.

Today the Palm Center released the following statement by Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Nathaniel Frank, after several lawmakers suggested the military's current ban on openly gay service is a "successful" policy that is "working well." Those comments came in response to the announcement by President Obama in last night's State of the Union address that he intends to work with Congress this year to end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The statement is as follows: It is important to pause any time someone says that discrimination is "working well" as policy. Senator McCain and Representative Boehner think discrimination is working well in the military. And if discrimination is their goal, they have a point. But this hardly means "don't ask, don't tell" is a success. My twelve years of research on this policy show it's a colossal failure that's had the opposite of its intended effect. Full release.

A U.S. team is on-the-ground in Haiti evaluating the status of the country's communications infrastructure and services following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. The team was deployed in response to a request from Director General Montaigne Marcelin of Conseil National des Telecommunications (Conatel), the communications agency in Haiti, in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). "The resilience of the Haitian people through this devastating disaster has been remarkable," said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, M.D. "The ability for the government, small businesses, medical providers, relief workers and families to communicate easily is essential going forward. We appreciate the generosity of the FCC to immediately lend its expertise in assessing the damage and working alongside the Haitians to accelerate the rebuilding." Full release.

Tea Party Nation was informed this morning by Congressmen Michelle Bachmann and Marsha Blackburn that they would be withdrawing from the conference due to a review by the Congressional ethics committee. They expressed their unwavering support of the convention and regret the late feedback from the committee. Judson Phillips commented, "We regret that they are unable to attend, however we do not want them to be challenged by the committee or the Democrat led Congress. We fully appreciate their support and well wishes and after speaking with Marsha directly, we are grateful for their notification in time for us to arrange other speakers." Due to a review of the for profit status of the event, the committee could not authorize them to speak as the use of any proceeds from the event had not yet been established. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the Senate voted to approve pay-as-you-go legislation: "Today the Senate joined the House in taking a critical step toward ensuring fiscal discipline for the long term by passing pay-as-you-go budget rules into law. "Strict pay-as-you-go budget rules created record surpluses in the late 1990s. And when this standard was abandoned under President Bush, it created record deficits. One of the first actions Democrats took when we assumed the majority in 2007 was to make pay-as-you-go fiscal discipline the rule of the House. Now it will be the law of the land, and our future generations will benefit. Like every American family, Congress cannot make spending commitments it cannot afford. Full release.

Even as he encouraged reforms like a freeze on a small portion of the federal budget and a robust disclosure process for Congressional earmarks, President Obama still called for at least $70.46 billion in new federal spending burdens on taxpayers, according to a line-by-line analysis of his first State of the Union speech by the non-partisan National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). Among the findings of NTUF's analysis: President Obama outlined items whose enactment would increase federal spending by a net of $70.46 billion per year. Since 1999, when NTUF began tracking Presidential addresses, the lowest recorded total was President Bush's address in 2006, coming in under $1 billion in new spending; the highest was President Clinton's 1999 speech, which proposed $305 billion in new outlays. Obama's speech last night amounted to $36 billion less than the $106 billion that George W. Bush offered in his first State of the Union speech in 2002. Full release.

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) today took the next step in pushing for comprehensive healthcare reform with a direct appeal to colleagues in Congress to approve the Senate healthcare bill and simultaneously advance the House-Senate-White House agreement on improvements to the bill. The Senate, even without a filibuster-proof Democratic caucus, retains an overwhelming majority in favor of reforming the healthcare system to cut costs and extend coverage to tens of millions who are uninsured or underinsured, Fattah said. The Philadelphia Congressman, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, wrote in a "Dear Colleague" letter that a strong and comprehensive health care bill that meets President Obama's objectives is within reach. The letter follows up on the aggressive strategy Fattah has been advocating all along -- and especially in the wake of the January 19th, Massachusetts special election. Full release.

The International Franchise Association today urged Congress to implement many of the small business provisions proposed by President Obama in his State of the Union address and to expedite efforts to increase credit access to franchised small businesses. "We are pleased that the President focused on the economic importance of small businesses to job creation and the nation's economic recovery," said IFA President & CEO Matthew Shay. "We support the President's call for targeted tax relief for new investment in small businesses. Additional tax incentives to encourage new hirings are a good first step, but much more can be done to help. Franchised small businesses, for example, need strengthened efforts to support access to credit and start-up capital." Full release.

Reflective of a trend across North America, the number of women in top executive jobs at Canada's largest publicly-traded companies has stalled and the economic downturn has likely been a contributing factor, concludes a report by leading executive search firm Rosenzweig & Company. "Since we began tracking the advancement of women in the senior ranks, we've found both progress and disappointment," says Jay Rosenzweig, Managing Partner of Rosenzweig & Company, which operates in New York and Toronto. "This latest report finds the progress halted, but we're not so much disappointed this year as hopeful that things will pick up as the economy picks up and as more of these positions become available, more qualified women will fill them." Full release.

Sixty percent of Haitian Americans had family or close friends perish in the devastating earthquake, and their condemnation of the Haitian government's response is so strong that most want the United Nations or an international coalition to govern the country while it recovers from the catastrophe, according to a poll this week of Haitians living in the United States. There is also considerable concern among Haitian Americans about how international aid will be dispersed and utilized, with one-third of the poll respondents warning that most of the aid money will end up in the hands of corrupt Haitian officials. The poll, sponsored by New America Media (NAM), also found that 96 percent of Haitian Americans approve of the response by President Obama and the U.S. government, while 88 percent approve of the role of the United Nations. Full release.

DNC Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Iris Y. Martinez issued the following statement following Rep. Mario Diaz Balart's (R-FL) Spanish-language response to President Obama's State of the Union address: "Going back to old, tired tricks, Rep. Diaz Balart tried to sell Latinos a Republican Party without a record. I know many of my constituents in Chicago would be thrilled to see real, meaningful gestures from Republicans to tackle our nation's problems. When President Obama came to office, he took aggressive steps to bring this nation back from the brink of depression. And it hasn't been easy. Even to this day, as the worst of the economic crisis has passed, too many Americans endure difficulties and other problems persist. "But the Republican Party, be it in English or Spanish, is entrenched in trying to sell us nothing but out-of-context ideology and lies about Democratic accomplishments. Full release.

Results of a national study among 1,050 self-reported Democrats, Republicans and Independents revealed that favorability for the President's plans for health care, the economy, and foreign policy increased among all political parties after viewing President Obama's State of the Union Address. HCD Research conducted the study using its mediacurves.com website earlier this evening to obtain Americans' "level of favorability" regarding the president's plans for critical issues including the U.S. economy, health care and foreign policy. To view detailed results go to www.mediacurves.com. Full release.

"Hope for Haiti Now" today announced that it has raised more than $66 million to date for Haiti relief and recovery efforts. The figure includes proceeds from sales of the "Hope for Haiti Now" album, a collection of live performances from last week's global telethon that today became the first-ever digital-only album to debut at no. 1 on the Billboard 200. According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Hope for Haiti Now" was purchased for download more than 171,000 times in the United States through Sunday, January 24. The album sold an additional 60,000 copies outside of the U.S. through Sunday. "Hope for Haiti Now" also sold 300,000 individual audio performances as well as 15,000 downloads of the full two-hour video telecast through Sunday. The album has hit no. 1 on iTunes in 18 countries, and "Hope for Haiti Now" is the first project to simultaneously reach the No. 1 spot on the U.S. iTunes album, song ("Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" by Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge and Rihanna), and television charts. Full release.

As part of his continuing effort to support small business, U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, today introduced a bill designed to spur job creation and strengthen our economy by providing essential tax credits and loans to small businesses. Key provisions of Senator Cardin's bill will make available urgently needed working capital loans, reward small businesses for creating new jobs, and help to offset the skyrocketing cost of health insurance. Small firms pump almost a trillion dollars into the economy each year, create two-thirds of our nation's new jobs annually and account for more than half of America's workforce. Recognizing the vital role small business has always had in the overall growth of our economy, the bill also encourages elevating the Small Business Administration to Cabinet-level status. Full release.

Amidst the continuing economic downturn and increasing unease about the lingering high levels of national unemployment, President Obama is expected this evening to announce key investments for working families in his State of the Union Address. The new policy initiatives he is expected to propose include doubling the child tax credit for middle class families, limiting student loan repayment rates to 10 percent of income above living expenses, creating required workplace IRAs, and expanding support for families balancing work with caring for elderly relatives. Corporate Voices for Working Families, a nonprofit business membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., supports public policy to help working families. Corporate Voices wholeheartedly supports initiatives to create lasting jobs, provide greater work-life balance and strengthen America's economy for the long term. Full release.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today issued new interpretive guidance that clarifies what publicly traded companies need to disclose to investors in terms of climate-related "material" effects on business operations, whether from new emissions management policies, the physical impacts of changing weather or business opportunities associated with the growing clean energy economy. The guidance, the first economy-wide climate risk disclosure requirement in the world, was approved in a formal vote at today's SEC Commissioners meeting in Washington. The lack of specific guidance until now has resulted in weak and inconsistent climate-related disclosure by public companies. Today's decision comes after formal requests by leading investors for the SEC to require full corporate disclosure of wide-ranging climate-related business impacts -- and strategies for addressing those impacts -- in their financial filings. Full release.

A new survey by Partners in Care, conducted by Gotham Research Group indicates that New Yorkers are equally worried about managing the care of an aging or elderly relative as they are over the cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The poll also indicates that they find it more of a concern than the direction the economy will take over the next few years. A telephone survey of 502 New York City residents conducted January 5 through January 7, demonstrates that managing the care of an aging/elderly relative is a major concern for New Yorkers. More than a majority of New Yorkers (55%) report that they are "very worried" about managing the care of an aging/elderly relative. New Yorkers' concern regarding the care for an aging/elderly relative is on par with other major issues including the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (57% "very worried"), and the direction of the nation's economy over the next few years (52% "very worried"). Full release.

Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) released the results of a research study which tested the effectiveness of using new icons and key phrases to provide web surfers with more transparency and choice about behavioral advertising practices. FPF launched the notices initiative in May 2009 and partnered with a number of divisions at WPP, the global marketing communications company, to launch a consumer-focused effort that would rely on the skill of advertising and communications professionals to engage users about efforts to provide relevant banner advertising. In February 2009, the Federal Trade Commission had expressed concern that privacy policies were not being read or understood, and urged the industry to develop new methods of providing notice to users about behavioral advertising practices. Full release.

As the U.S. economy recovers, emerging trends in demographics and consumer behavior will become major drivers of new housing opportunities, resulting in a residential market vastly different from the one that existed prior to the recession, according to Housing in America: The Next Decade, a new research paper authored by John K. McIlwain, senior resident fellow, Urban Land Institute/J. Ronald Terwilliger Chair for Housing. In a presentation of the research to Urban Land Institute (ULI) trustees during the Institute's Midwinter Meeting in Washington, McIlwain discussed the implications of the rising numbers of foreclosures, re-establishing a private-market residential finance system, as well as shifts in housing demand triggered by baby boomers, their children, and by immigrant households. "The old 'normal' will not return," McIlwain predicted. Those who fail to understand these new trends will find themselves building what is no longer in demand." Full release.

In a statement released today through Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office (D-NY), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvili gave the strongest signal to date that now is the time for military leadership to move forward on repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and law. He stated, "As a nation built on the principle of equality, we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger, more cohesive military. It is time to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' and allow our military leaders to create policy that holds our service members to a single standard of conduct and discipline." Aaron Belkin, Director of the Palm Center, said General Shalikashvili's remarks were highly significant because he has now addressed the question not just of whether, but when, to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." "When the Chairman previously spoke about this issue, he cautioned patience," said Belkin. Full release.

The Ford Foundation today announced a $250,000 grant to the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a global health-focused non-profit started by former President William J. Clinton in 2002. The grant will ensure the continuation of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services in Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating January 12 earthquake. Haiti has one of the highest HIV infection rates outside sub-Saharan Africa, and tens of thousands of Haitian men, women and children are currently without access to reliable care and facilities. These funds will help organizations on the ground provide treatments and services that are specially suited to crisis conditions. "HIV was a crisis in Haiti before the earthquake," said Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. "It is essential that HIV treatment is integrated into the crisis response. Emerging from this tragedy we have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to help build a strong and effective system of prevention and treatment that endures for the future." Full release.

The positions and policies of Ahrar Leader Ayad Jamal Aldin have been detailed in a report by international organization the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). In a piece written by Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli, a senior analyst at MEMRI, Mr Aldin's comments regarding the separation of religion and the state, objection to regional external influences and the political process in Iraq were all covered in detail and MEMRI agreed with the Ahrar head's analysis. The article described Mr. Aldin's intentions as being "good and honest" and that marginalization of communities and sectarianism were being keenly felt across Iraq. Responding to the report, Ayad Jamal Aldin said, "I am gratified by Dr. Raphaeli's assessment and agreement, but I'm eager to focus on the issues." Full release.

The U.S. General Services Administration cleared the way for federal agencies to easily obtain green products and services to fulfill their goals under President Obama's sustainability executive order and under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. President Obama issued an executive order on sustainability in Oct. 2009 calling on the federal government to lead by example in greening and modernizing our nation's infrastructure. To help agencies meet these goals, GSA set energy service agreements with 18 companies to perform services, including energy audits, energy performance monitoring, and implementation of renewable energy solutions, that will promote sustainability across the federal government. Full release.

New research at the A. James Clark School of Engineering could prevent bacterial infections using tiny biochemical machines, nanofactories, that can confuse bacteria and stop them from spreading, without the use of antibiotics. A paper about the research is featured in the current issue of Nature Nanotechnology. "Engineered biological nanofactories trigger quorum sensing response in targeted bacteria," was authored by Clark School alumnus Rohan Fernandes (Ph.D. '08, bioengineering), graduate student Varnika Roy (molecular and cell biology), graduate student Hsuan-Chen Wu (bioengineering), and their advisor, William Bentley (professor and chair, Fischell Department of Bioengineering). The group's work is an update on their original nanofactories, first developed in 2007. Those nanofactories made use of tiny magnetic bits to guide them to the infection site. Full release.

Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer said Wednesday, on the eve of the President's State of the Union address, that "it's not too late" for Obama to save his presidency but only if he changes course. The president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families made the following statement: "It is not too late for President Obama to regain the confidence of the American people, but it is too late for Obama to ram through more big government, higher tax, and big deficit proposals that are actually preventing economic growth. A skeptical public now rejects Obama's plans to take over large segments of the economy. The fact that Obama's health care proposals included fines for hard-working Americans who don't buy insurance says it all. Average Americans do not want Washington politicians running their lives. Full release.

American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Bill Graves joined Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today as LaHood announced a ban on text messaging by drivers of commercial vehicles. "Highway safety is critically important to the trucking industry, commercial vehicles, passenger buses and the motoring public," Graves said. "Our nation's highways are the trucking industry's workplace, and we must continue to make them safer for everyone's benefit." "Texting on a handheld phone while driving substantially elevates the risk of being involved in a crash," said Graves. "To promote highway safety, and further improve the trucking industry's continually improving safety record and that of all commercial vehicles, ATA supports DOT's action to ban the use of handheld wireless devices by commercial drivers to send or receive text messages while driving." Full release.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) believe that a robust jobs proposal and strengthening the ability of our nation's long term care sector to provide quality care to a growing, diverse patient and resident base, must be twin cornerstones of the 2010 legislative agenda that will be advanced by President Obama and Congress. America's long term care sector is ready, willing and able to be a key partner in creating good-paying jobs, and spurring the local economic activity our nation needs to rebound from a devastating recession. The long term care sector employs more individuals than the world's largest employer -- Wal-Mart -- is a significant contributor to the economic health of communities nationwide, and continues to supply new, stable health care jobs. Full release.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the rate of black homicide victimization according to a new analysis of unpublished Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) data released today by the Violence Policy Center (VPC). The annual study, "Black Homicide Victimization in the United States: An Analysis of 2007 Homicide Data," (http://www.vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide10.pdf) uses 2007 data -- the most recent data available from the FBI -- and ranks the 50 states according to their black homicide victimization rates. The study found overwhelmingly that firearms, usually handguns, were the weapon of choice in the homicides. This is the fourth year that the VPC has issued the report and the third time in four years that Pennsylvania has topped the ranking. Full release.

Sarnata Reynolds, Amnesty International USA's advocacy and policy director for refugee and migrants' rights, is available to the media to provide current analysis and commentary regarding the Haitian crisis and surrounding issues. Sarnata serves as the Vice-Chair of Refugee Council USA and chaired the Iraqi Refugee Working Group. She provides testimony before Congress regularly and has discussed the indefinite detention of stateless children in the United States before the Human Rights and Children's Caucuses. In the past, she represented asylum seekers and immigrants before the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States District Courts and Executive Office for Immigration Review. Full release.

The Palm Center today shared its analysis of President Obama's likely options as he is expected to address the "don't ask, don't tell" law and policy during Wednesday night's State of the Union Address. The analysis appears below. "President Obama has the opportunity to announce the end of one of the most notorious policies of federal discrimination left standing in the United States," said Christopher Neff, Deputy Executive Director of the Palm Center. "This is a defining moment." Neff noted that last week, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Skelton (D-MO) expressed his support for retaining "don't ask, don't tell," while this week Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) reiterated his long-time support for repealing the policy. "The President is not just the tie-breaker here," said Neff. "He's the Commander-in-Chief, and he gives the orders as head of the armed forces. The question now is how strong a position the President will take." Full release.

The following is a statement by David Wright, President and CEO of PharmAthene, regarding the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism Report Card: Today's Report Card by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism sends a dire warning that America still remains vulnerable to bioterrorism. Our Nation's ability to prevent and respond to a bioterrorist attack received an abysmal grade – 'F'. This is entirely unacceptable, especially when we have the solutions. We have next generation medical countermeasures for anthrax that are languishing without adequate funding to ensure their procurement; we have leaders like Senators Graham and Talent, and many others, who are passionately dedicated to preventing WMD proliferation and terrorism. Full release.

Some states are making dramatic improvements in their Recovery Act websites but others are still failing to make effective use of online technology to educate taxpayers about the impact of the stimulus. So finds Good Jobs First in Show Us the Stimulus (Again), a report released today which updates GJF's July findings; text plus state appendices at: www.goodjobsfirst.org/stimulusweb.cfm. "Some states are striving to deliver on President Obama's promise that the Recovery Act would bring unprecedented transparency and accountability," said Good Jobs First executive director Greg LeRoy. "Led by Maryland, which again receives our highest score, these states' Recovery Act websites help taxpayers understand and evaluate how the Recovery Act benefits their state." Full release.

Just weeks after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, the international community is struggling to provide appropriate care and protection for children and families in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. The Guidelines are the first international document on the care of children without parental care in non-emergency and emergency situations. Now is the time to apply the Guidelines within a coordinated international relief effort in Haiti. The Guidelines stress that in emergency situations, the primary goal is to trace and reunify children with their families to the maximum extent possible prior to any other permanent solution being pursued. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement on the 10-year budget forecast released today by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): "Today's CBO report is a clear reminder of the Bush and Republican Congress-era policies that have resulted in the loss of millions of jobs, led to the worst recession since the Great Depression, and turned record surpluses under the Clinton Administration into record deficits. "Since coming to power in January 2007, the New Direction Congress has abided by the strict 'pay-as-you-go' budget rules that created surpluses in the late 1990s and had been cast aside in Washington in recent years. We want to make this standard law by sending Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's statutory PAYGO legislation to the President's desk, taking a critical step toward ensuring fiscal discipline for the long term. Full release.

Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was received at the Oval office by U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, January 25, 2010. During the meeting, President Barzani highlighted the significance of Iraq's forthcoming elections and reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region's commitment to a federal, democratic and pluralistic Iraq. Moreover, he stressed the importance for strategic long term U.S. engagement with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. As outstanding issues remain unresolved in Iraq, President Barzani affirmed the necessity for Iraq's constitution to be the arbiter of internal disputes, and informed President Obama that lasting stability in Iraq can be attained if and when Iraqis abide by, and implement, all the articles of the country's constitution. Full release.

A new national poll finds a crisis of confidence on economic issues among Americans -- and younger Americans (those 18-29) -- alike. Among the key findings, Americans and Millennials: * Are not confident in the government's ability to handle the economic crisis. (59% of Americans; 55% of Millennials) * Want a free market approach and oppose greater government regulation of business. (55% of Americans; 53% of Millennials) * Believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. (67% of Americans; 60% of Millennials) * Want the same set of moral standards in business life as in personal life. (75% of Americans; 66% of Millennials) Full release.

U.S. Senator John Kerry is the latest addition to the list of distinguished politicians, scholars and business people who will address more than 1,000 young people from around the world at the One Young World Inaugural Summit in London beginning on Feb. 8. The delegates, who will represent more than 100 countries and were selected for their exceptional leadership potential, will gather in London for the Opening Ceremony at London's historic Old Billingsgate. At the ceremony, they will be introduced to the One Young World counsellors, who will guide and advise them during two days of plenary sessions on the biggest issues facing the world: the environment and its protection, interfaith dialogue, the role of global business, the changing power of the media, global health and politics for a positive future. Delegates will vote on the One Young World resolutions at the sessions, to be held in the Excel Centre, site of the recent G20 meeting. Full release.

The Department of Justice today announced that a detainee has been transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Switzerland for resettlement in Switzerland. The Swiss Government, with the support of the Canton of Geneva, accepted an Uzbek national for resettlement and his transfer was carried out according to arrangements between the governments of the United States and Switzerland. As directed by the President's Jan. 22, 2009, Executive Order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of the case. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, the detainee was approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all the agencies involved in the Task Force. In accordance with congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the Administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer the detainee at least 15 days before his transfer. Full release.

Consumer Watchdog urged President Obama to watch Sunday's Dateline NBC documentary on patients who have insurance but not adequate coverage, then pledge in his State of the Union address tomorrow to deal with the lack of legal accountability for insurers and lack of adequate representation for consumers in the federal government. The nonprofit consumer group called upon Obama to close a legal loophole that currently bars 132 million Americans from holding their health insurance providers legally accountable for denials and delays of care—even if those denials or delays result in serious injury or death. Consumer Watchdog also asked Obama not to wait for Congress, but to re-establish a Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs in the White House—a post every other Democratic president since President Kennedy has filled to be a voice for patients who lack legal remedies against insurance companies. Full release.

Educational reformers of all stripes have focused tremendous energy on thinking of ways to identify effective teachers and in turn recruit, retain, compensate, and support them. But what do teachers think of their ideas? The Retaining Teacher Talent study, a nationwide study conducted by Learning Point Associates and Public Agenda, suggests that what teachers think are good indicators of effectiveness—and what they think will make them more effective—are not always aligned with current priorities in education policy. This third release of data from the Retaining Teacher Talent study, Convergence and Contradictions in Teachers' Perceptions of Policy Reform Ideas, seeks to draw teachers into the debate to bring nuance and experience to the conversation. This report describes the implications of the results of the nationwide survey for policymakers and teachers who want to influence policy. "As we enter this new decade, teachers stand at the center of this policy vortex," said Sabrina Laine, Ph.D., chief program officer for educator effectiveness at Learning Point Associates. "Democratizing the national policy conversation by getting teachers involved provides a bridge between policy and practice. Ultimately, grounding this debate with the voices of experience and evidence is of critical importance. The success of these reforms rests in large part on the support of those who will be most directly affected—teachers." Full release.

Nearly a month into the post-holiday hangover, Consumer Reports' latest Holiday Shopping Poll, found that Americans came prepared to shop this past season spending an average of $811 on gifts and one-fifth (22%) cashing out $1,000 or more. Shoppers shattered their spending expectations from early December with a spending frenzy leading up to December 25. Originally, shoppers anticipated spending $699 on gifts, yet the final tally in January was $811, a difference of $112. These results wrap-up Consumer Reports series of holiday polls that tracked consumer purchasing since October 2009. The full poll results are available on www.ConsumerReports.org. This past holiday season showed that some Americans were happy gift givers, while others "scrooges." Eight-in-ten (81%) consumers purchased gifts with the most likely being households earning $100,000 or more (94%). Shoppers with the tightest wallets were households earning less than $50,000, more than a quarter (26%) did not purchase holiday gifts. The biggest scrooges of them all were Americans 65+ (35%) – purchasing no holiday gifts at all. Full release.

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