January 19, 2010

The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released a report titled The State of Housing in America in the 21st Century: A Disability Perspective that provides recommendations intended to improve housing opportunities for people with disabilities. This report looks at the state of housing for people with disabilities with the intent to provide recommendations that can improve housing opportunities. The research contained in this report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of housing in the twenty-first century and answers important questions about the current housing needs and options for people with disabilities living in the United States. NCD undertook this study with three objectives in mind: 1) to evaluate public laws, policies, and program initiatives affecting the housing opportunities available to Americans with disabilities and others who have accessible housing needs for whatever reason, whether due to aging or a temporary disability; 2) to analyze what housing, supports, and other benefits are available through the public, nonprofit, and/or private sectors; and 3) to provide recommendations that can improve housing opportunities for people with disabilities in the United States. Full release.

Progressive leaders representing more than 50 groups will join together in a news conference call on Wednesday morning to oppose Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. and Sen. Judd Gregg's, D-N.H., controversial plan to create a "fast track" deficit commission. The Senate is preparing to vote on legislation this week by Sen. Conrad and Sen. Gregg to create a special commission with extraordinary powers to cut federal spending. Congress will vote on the plan in a "fast track" procedure with limited debate and no opportunity for amendments. "We write in strong opposition to the proposal of Senators Kent Conrad, Judd Gregg and others to create a deficit-reduction commission that would override the normal legislative process and replace it with expedited procedures prohibiting amendments and limiting debate," the groups declared in a letter to Congress and the White House. "If the Conrad-Gregg proposal were to become law, it could dramatically change by stealth critical benefits and services so vital to America's families." Full release.

Twenty-two executives and employees of companies in the military and law enforcement products industry have been indicted for engaging in schemes to bribe foreign government officials to obtain and retain business, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips for the District of Columbia; and Assistant Director Kevin Perkins of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. Twenty-one defendants were arrested in Las Vegas yesterday. One defendant was arrested in Miami. The indictments stem from an FBI undercover operation that focused on allegations of foreign bribery in the military and law enforcement products industry. The 16 indictments unsealed today represent the largest single investigation and prosecution against individuals in the history of DOJ's enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a law that prohibits U.S. persons and companies, and foreign persons and companies acting in the United States, from bribing foreign government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. The indictments unsealed today were returned on Dec. 11, 2009, by a grand jury in Washington, D.C. Full release.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has won top national honors from the independent Institute for Safe Medication Practices for its excellence in preventing medication errors. "As one of the first health care organizations to develop and test bar code technology for medication administration, VA takes pride in its safety standards," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. "This honor confirms that the department is delivering excellence in health care to our nation's Veterans." Called the "Cheers Awards," it honors individuals, organizations, companies and government agencies that set a high standard for keeping patients safe and improving the process of using medication. For more than a decade, VA's health care system has given hospital patients a bar code wristband. The bar code contains the patient's unique identifier information. Nurses scan the wristband and the patient's electronic health record displays the patient's medical information. Then the nurse scans a corresponding code on a drug package before giving the medication to the patient. This ensures the right medications go to hospital patients at the right time, in the right dose. Full release.

The Ford Foundation has announced $1 million in grants to support urgent humanitarian relief efforts for victims of last week's earthquake in Haiti. The grants, for $500,000 each, will go to Oxfam International and Partners in Health, two organizations with longstanding operations on the ground in Haiti. "All of us at the Ford Foundation stand with the people of Haiti in this extraordinarily challenging time," said Luis A. Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. "Both Oxfam International and Partners in Health are long-time grantees of the Ford Foundation. Their track record in Haiti gives them a deep familiarity with the country and positions them to serve as strong leaders in emergency relief and recovery efforts." Full release.

Denmark-based LEO Pharma, a global leader in dermatology and critical care, today announced its official launch in the U.S. Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, LEO Pharma U.S. will be one of the largest individual operations in the pharmaceutical company's network of worldwide affiliates and is expected to contribute significantly to the company revenues in 2010. The U.S. operation will initially market the company's psoriasis franchise. LEO Pharma recently reacquired U.S. marketing rights for its psoriasis treatments – TACLONEX(R), TACLONEX Scalp(R) Topical Suspension, DOVONEX(R) Cream and DOVONEX(R) Scalp Solution from Warner Chilcott for $1 billion dollars. The company has employed a contract sales force and will begin marketing and selling these products in the U.S. effective Jan. 19, 2010. "The launch of our new U.S. affiliate is part of LEO Pharma's commitment to growth and strengthens the company's long-term global vision of providing competitive drugs to patients and society. LEO wants continuously to provide improved treatment options and support the research and development of novel therapies to patients with skin diseases and disorders," said Gitte Aabo, CEO and President of LEO Pharma. "The U.S. operation will be a cornerstone of our business, with plans to further expand into other top global markets." Full release.

In its Sudan policy review completed in mid-October 2009, the Obama administration indicated it would regularly assess the progress of peace in Sudan -- or lack thereof. However, the administration has not publicly disclosed precisely what benchmarks it is applying to assess progress in Sudan, even as it begins its official review process this month and as tensions increase with the coming April national elections, and with the January 2011 referendum on independence for Southern Sudan rapidly approaching. To help bring transparency to the process by which United States ensures strict adherence to unambiguous benchmarks, and apply the appropriate pressures and incentives accordingly, a coalition of nine Sudan advocacy groups has today released a strategy paper aiming to provide these benchmarks for the administration -- guidance for how officials, concerned citizens, and others in the international community can assess genuine progress toward a lasting peace in Sudan. The nine-member coalition includes the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Humanity United, American Jewish World Service, Genocide Intervention Network, Human Rights Watch, iACT/Stop Genocide Now, Investors Against Genocide, Physicians for Human Rights, and the Save Darfur Coalition. Full release.

Nearly two-thirds of the children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders recorded in the National Birth Defect Registry (NBDR) also suffer from structural birth defects, according the national nonprofit, Birth Defect Research for Children (BDRC). The group reported that most of the defects affect the face, head and central nervous systems of newborns. Birth Defect Research for Children, a national nonprofit founded in 1982, maintains the registry to collect data from parents on all kinds of structural birth defects and functional deficits including autistic spectrum disorders. Betty Mekdeci, executive director of BDRC explains, "We designed the registry with a collaboration of prominent scientists. The registry's extensive data allows researchers to identify possible patterns underlying the incidence of birth defects as well as prenatal conditions and exposures. We are asking all parents of children with structural and functional birth defects to contact us to register for our database to continue this study." Full release.

Sixty-two percent of Americans believe Wall Street executives were not honest with the public during the recent financial meltdown and 59 percent of Americans do not believe corporate CEOs and financial officers provide accurate information in financial statements. And, most Americans favor additional legal rights for investors that would allow them to seek compensation for loss from any deceptive conduct by Wall Street or corporate officers -- even if it did not involve a public misstatement. These are among the findings of a national Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) survey of public attitudes toward financial fraud and investor protection. The telephone survey, conducted December 10-13, and sponsored by the National Association of Shareholder and Consumer Attorneys (NASCAT), also found that nearly all Americans feel that those who commit fraud should be held accountable to investors who lose money as a result of the fraudulent behavior. Similarly, nearly all Americans think that those who engage in fraud but do not admit it publicly should still be held accountable to investors. Full release.

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