March 2010

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement this afternoon after President Barack Obama delivered his speech on energy: "We appreciate the President's ongoing commitment and call for comprehensive energy reform legislation that is critical to America's energy independence, economic growth and national security. It was important for the American people to hear from the President about the steps being taken by the federal government and the military to lower our nation's dependence on foreign oil. We welcome the President's announcement that tomorrow the Administration will finalize standards to increase vehicle fuel efficiency for the first time in more than 30 years. And we support the President in highlighting the federal government's investment in clean energy that will not only create good-paying American jobs, but also help the environment." Full release.

During today's high-level international donor conference to coordinate and secure funding for recovery and rebuilding in Haiti, InterAction announced the U.S. NGO pledge of $918 million towards Haiti efforts, with over $400 million dedicated to recovery efforts and the remainder allocated for reconstruction. "This signifies a significant level of support from the American people towards the plight of Haitian citizens and a belief in the effectiveness of relief and humanitarian NGOs. We are committed to investing a tremendous amount of financial and human resources in Haiti, and should be recognized by nation-states as a key partner in the reconstruction effort, " said Samuel A. Worthington, President and CEO of InterAction. Full release.

Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) today praised President Obama's announcement that the federal government will pursue oil and gas development in areas off the Atlantic Coast and in new areas in the Gulf of Mexico, but also cautioned that much work remained to open some of the nation's most productive offshore areas to energy production. "The Obama administration deserves credit for signaling its intention to pursue policies that will lead to safe domestic production of energy off the Atlantic coast," SAFE Senior Vice President Jonathan Grella said. Full release.

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is making a publication on reducing Bullying in Schools available at no-cost in support of renewed local efforts to prevent the consequences of bullying. Bullying in Schools provides school administrators, teachers, counselors, and law enforcement officials with practical information on how to identify bullying behavior, reduce the incidence of bullying, and mitigate its impact. The publication also provides guidance to officials on how to determine the extent of bullying in their schools, to address its causes, and to develop effective practices that contribute to student safety. Full release.

A recent article in The Triangle Tribune pointed to good news for members of the black community, highlighting new medicines in development to fight diseases of particular concern to African Americans. America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are developing new medicines to help fight asthma, diabetes, sickle cell anemia and cancer. African Americans have higher asthma rates than any other racial and ethnic group in the United States, and are three times more likely to die from asthma, according to the American Lung Association. One new medicine now being developed represents a new generation of inhaled corticosteroids. The medicine is intended to reduce inflammation in the lungs and airways. Full release.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), working in collaboration with the Ad Council and the Inspire USA Foundation, announced today the launch of a national public service announcement campaign designed to reduce the incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among teens in the United States. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds, following unintended injuries and homicide. Full release.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today formally opened its Washington, D.C.-based Veterans Curation Program laboratory, the third of three such laboratories funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The lab is housed in The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. building. The Corps is funding the three Veterans Curation Program laboratories with $3.5 million from the $4.6 billion appropriated for the Army's Civil Works program in the Recovery Act. The other two labs previously opened in Augusta, Ga., in October 2009 and in St. Louis, Mo., in December 2009. Full release.

Consumer Watchdog called on the Obama Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services today to probe insurance giant WellPoint Inc. in light of an electronic message to investors describing how it would simply re-label administrative costs as "medical care" in response to the new health reform law. The message follows revelations that WellPoint, parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, also intentionally padded already huge premium increases in California, just in case regulators demanded reductions. Full release.

According to a press release from the United States Federal Reserve Board, big banks are in for some big changes this summer, reports Solomon Finance. Regulation E, in summary, is a new regulation that will go into effect July 1st, 2010. This regulation prohibits banking institutions from charging "Overdraft" or "NSF" fees to a customer without receiving consent from the customer to "Opt-In" to the bank's "Overdraft Services." What this means for customers is they now have a choice in whether or not they would like to have the option to overdraft on their checking or savings account, or rather to simply be "declined" on the transaction that would overdraft the customer's account. Full release.

The Obama Administration has a ready-made opportunity to improve the public's perception of the federal government through improved communications, but first it must do a better job of overcoming a "crisis of complexity" that leaves a majority of Americans unclear about the nature and breadth of services federal agencies provide, according to a new telephone poll of 1,000 adults created by Siegel+Gale and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Two-thirds of American adults (65%) say the U.S. government does not do a good job of communicating what benefits and services its agencies provide to its citizens, according to the poll released today. Full release.

More than 50 percent of the nation's households have returned their 2010 Census forms, just weeks after about 134 million questionnaires were mailed or hand-delivered to homes across the country, according to mail participation rates recorded Tuesday. Leading the way were five central and upper Midwestern states: South Dakota (62 percent), North Dakota (61 percent), Nebraska (60 percent), Iowa (58 percent) and Wisconsin (58 percent). "We're off to a great start, but we still have a ways to go to before getting a complete count of the nation," Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said. "If everyone in the nation took the 10 minutes needed to fill out and mail back their 2010 Census form, we could cut the cost of conducting the census by $1.5 billion." Full release.

The Postal Service today took its case for five-day delivery to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The Postal Service is required by law to seek an advisory opinion from the PRC any time a nationwide change in service is proposed. Today's filing begins the PRC review. A report accompanying the request notes, "The Postal Service does not take this change lightly and would not propose it if six-day mail service could be supported by current volumes. There is no longer enough mail to sustain six days of delivery." Full release.

Today Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division announced the formation of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), the first new section to be formed in the Criminal Division since 2008. The new section represents a merger of the Criminal Division's Domestic Security Section (DSS) and the Office of Special Investigations (OSI). "Since its founding, the United States has been a steadfast champion for the cause of justice around the world," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer. "In that great tradition, the new Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section is poised to be a global leader in combating human rights violations and ensuring that war criminals are held to account for their crimes." Full release.

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), the leading Congressional advocate for urban education, today outlined his legislative priorities for education reform on the same day he witnessed President Obama signing the landmark overhaul and funding increase for college loan programs. "President Obama has taken a major step today toward cementing a place in history as 'the Education President,' and his advocacy for significant reform in our core federal education policy will add to that legacy," said Fattah, Chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus and author of major education legislation during his eight terms in Congress. Full release.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $1.8 million in funds for up to six Women in Apprenticeship and Non-traditional Occupations grants. "In the America of the 21st century, the role of women in the workplace should be defined by their training and abilities, not their gender," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "These grants recognize that women can, and do, excel in a wide range of professions, from construction and manufacturing to science and engineering. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to helping all women gain the skills and on-the-job training that will lead to their long-term success, and I am pleased that today's announcement brings us closer to that goal." Full release.

For people with diabetes, proper nutrition can have a far-reaching effect on their health and wellness. They also have a higher risk of developing vision problems. March is National Nutrition Month and Save Your Vision Month, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and American Optometric Association (AOA) would like to remind people that optometrists and registered dietitians are an important part of the health care team. Full release.

The nation's emergency physicians are issuing a strong warning to parents about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, which are now the second most abused drugs, after marijuana. Nearly three-quarters of a million people (741,425) needed emergency care in 2006 because of prescription drug abuse. "Often when you hear that someone has overdosed on drugs you think of illegal substances, such as cocaine or heroin," said Dr. Angela Gardner, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. "But parents need to know that many young people are taking prescription drugs from the medicine cabinets. Many of the kids wrongly believe the drugs are not addictive, and they don't realize they can be lethal." Full release.

America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are developing 234 medicines for the special health care needs of children, according to a new report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). "Our researchers, who lead the world in pharmaceutical innovation, are working on new treatments to fight a wide range of major diseases and medical disorders that afflict children all over America," said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. "Our companies' targets include childhood cancer, the leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of 5 and 24, and an array of genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, a debilitating and fatal condition that affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States." Full release.

Very competitive labor costs along with moderately-low office/industrial leasing and sales tax costs help make Tampa the least-costly place to do business among 22 U.S. cities/locations with populations exceeding 2 million, according to a study by KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm. Atlanta was the second most cost-competitive location in the large-cities category, followed by Miami and Baltimore, ranking third and fourth, respectively. Among other locations that performed well in the study were Dallas-Fort Worth, St. Louis, Houston and Phoenix, all with business costs below the U.S. baseline. The most expensive places to do business in the large-cities category were Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, according to the study. Full release.

CoreNet Global research conducted during the worst recession in modern time shows that corporate real estate (CRE) helped lead corporate strategy in 2009 and early 2010 in battling the effects of the economic downturn with long-term solutions for optimizing future business growth. These and other major findings are summarized in CoreNet Global's annual State of the Industry Report, to be released this month. The report synthesized research results from the past 12 months of research about a variety of major business drivers like real estate portfolio consolidation. CoreNet Global is the world's leading professional association for corporate real estate executives, service providers and economic developers. Full release.

The U.S. bishops March 30 voiced concern for victims of child sexual abuse by clerics and praised Pope Benedict XVI for leadership in dealing with the sin and crime of child sexual abuse. "We know from our experience how Pope Benedict is deeply concerned for those who have been harmed by sexual abuse and how he has strengthened the Church's response to victims and supported our efforts to deal with perpetrators," the bishops said. "We continue to intensify our efforts to provide safe environments for children in our parishes and schools. Further, we work with others in our communities to address the prevalence of sexual abuse in the larger society." Full release.

GetYa Learn On, LLC, an educational software company that created the innovative application called "Statistics I," today released empirical findings from a pilot study conducted during the Fall semester of 2009 at Abilene Christian University (ACU). Students in an introductory Statistics class were given the new iPhone application which was used to supplement the instructor's lectures and for studying and test preparation. Statistics I is based on a rich Mobile Learning Platform™ that includes lessons, touch-screen simulations, calculators, decision making tools, quizzes, flashcards, formulas, and a glossary. The Statistics I app has been converted into an iPad E-Textbook and is under review for the grand opening of the iPad App Store. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the suicide bombings in two Moscow subway stations: "The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the Russians today as they again confront the horrors of terrorism. The loss of life is tragic, and the world community stands with the Russian people. All who perpetrate this sort of senseless and cowardly violence should know they will never accomplish their aims. The United States condemns terrorism everywhere and we will continue to remain vigilant here at home." Full release.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned both an alleged domestic terror plot by a Christian militia group to kill law enforcement officers and two bomb attacks on the Moscow subway system that killed at least 37 people. Nine Midwest-based militia members were charged with conspiring to kill police officers and then kill more people at the officers' funerals. The FBI apparently raided the group because it planned acts of terror sometime in April. "Hutaree" militia members reportedly viewed attacks on law enforcement personnel as part of an armed struggle against the American government. Full release.

On March 30 at UNICEF in New York, a coalition of child-focused organizations including SOS Children's Villages, a global organization that provides family-based care for children without parental care and social services for families at risk, will hold "A Haiti Fit for Children," a first-time event intended to draw the world's attention to the long-term needs of children and families in Haiti. The meeting is a precursor to the International Donor's Conference "Towards a New Future for Haiti" which will take place on Wednesday at the United Nations in New York. "A Haiti Fit for Children" has been organized by a group of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working towards a bright future for the children and families of Haiti. Coalition members include SOS Children's Villages, Save the Children, World Vision, Oxfam International, Plan and UNICEF. Full release.

Child sexual abuse attorneys Stuart Mermelstein and Jessica Arbour will release never-before seen documents obtained in litigation that reveal an international coverup of Fr. Ernesto Garcia-Rubio's pattern of sexual misconduct. Garcia-Rubio has been accused of sexually abusing multiple boys he came to know through his work in Miami's immigrant and refugee communities. Documents reveal that officials in the Vatican, Archdiocese of Miami, and Garcia-Rubio's Cuban diocese knew he posed a threat to children early in his ministry, yet did nothing to warn parishioners. Full release.

Protecting consumers' rights to choose where they get their vehicles repaired gained bipartisan support as Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (S 3181) into the Senate. The House version of the bill (HR 2057) was introduced by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA) and currently has 57 cosponsors. The Right to Repair Act protects motoring consumers from a growing and potentially hazardous vehicle repair monopoly by requiring that car companies provide full access at a reasonable cost to all service information, tools, computer codes and safety-related bulletins needed to repair motor vehicles, thus leveling the competitive playing field between dealerships and independent repair shops. Full release.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service has announced an $8.3 million grant competition to provide job training, counseling and placement services (including job readiness, and literacy and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force through its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. "Every day, our service men and women - and their families - make tremendous sacrifices for their country. Yet a staggering share of our homeless population is made up of veterans," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Reintegrating these homeless veterans into meaningful employment is a crucial step in restoring the strength of our economy. Just as important, as is the case with all Americans, ending homelessness among those who have donned the military uniform is also the right thing to do." Full release.

Time will be the enemy of any attempt to pass climate legislation in the U.S. Congress this year, according to the former chairman of the Senate Energy Committee who appeared on Sunday's Platts Energy Week, a new weekly half-hour television program for discussion and debate on U.S. energy policy. The program premiered here yesterday at 8:00 a.m. ET on W*USA Television and online at www.plattsenergyweektv.com. J. Bennett Johnston, interviewed by Bill Loveless, chief of Platts' Washington affairs team and host of Platts Energy Week, came back to the theme of the calendar several times in his interview. Johnston is now a lobbyist representing a variety of energy interests. Full release.

An administration task force chaired by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health and Human Services is asking the public for recommendations to solve the American obesity problem, and a new poll by the American Psychological Association (APA) may have some answers. "Lasting lifestyle and behavior changes don't happen overnight. Willpower is a learned skill, not an inherent trait. We all have the capacity to develop skills to make changes last," said Katherine C. Nordal, PhD, executive director for professional practice at APA. "It is important to break down seemingly unattainable goals into manageable portions." Full release.

Children's Health Fund (CHF) strongly supports the reconciliation bill signed by President Barack Obama implementing positive changes and fixes to the health reform bill he signed earlier this week. This second piece of health reform legislation marks an unprecedented effort to make real and positive change for the health and well-being of children in this country. We believe that access to health care for all is a fundamental right, especially for children. CHF thanks the President and the Members of Congress for their unyielding efforts to pass one of the most important legislative efforts of this generation. Full release.

The National Safety Council today released a white paper describing the risks of using a cell phone while driving. The white paper, "Understanding the distracted brain: Why driving while using hands-free cell phones is risky behavior," addresses the lack of understanding about the dangers of cell phones and hands-free devices. The white paper includes references to more than 30 scientific studies and reports, describing how using a cell phone, hands-free or handheld, requires the brain to multitask, a process it cannot do safely while driving. Cell phone use while driving not only impairs driving performance, but it also weakens the brain's ability to capture driving cues. The white paper is available for free download on the NSC Website. Full release.

Christian Rodney Ice, 19, of Mobile, Ala., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Mobile to one count of violating the Church Arson Act by placing threatening graffiti and neo-Nazi markings on a synagogue in Mobile, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of Alabama announced. Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 23, 2010. Ice faces a maximum prison sentence of one-year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. During the plea proceedings and in documents filed in court, Ice admitted that during the late night and early morning hours of Jan. 3-4, 2009, he and an associate used spray paint to place anti-Semitic graffiti and neo-Nazi markings on the Congregation Tree of Life Messianic Synagogue in Mobile. The graffiti and markings included the German words "Juden Raus" ("Jews Out"), and the statement "Hitler was right." Full release.

As traditional bank loans become scarce, more small business owners are turning to alternatives like business cash advances offered by BusinessCashAdvance.com. The company has provided an attractive option to a growing number of entrepreneurs seeking business loans in this tough economy. It expects this trend to continue as credit tightens even further. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Leaders, Committee Chairs and newer Members of Congress held an enrollment ceremony in the Rayburn Room of the Capitol this morning to sign the revised Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act and send it to President Obama for his signature into law. The House passed the bill last night, which completes Congressional work on health insurance reform, by a vote of 220 to 207; the Senate passed it yesterday afternoon by a vote of 56 to 43. "Good morning. It is with great pride and even more humility that we come together today to enroll this important legislation. In doing so, Congress will act as others before us did to do something very important for the American people, very significant to their daily lives. "Others before us brought forth Social Security, Medicare, the Civil Rights Acts, some of the landmark legislation in our country's history. And today, we have the opportunity in the House to sign this legislation to enroll this important legislation to send to the President of the United States for his signature." Full release.

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today praised the Senate's temporary extension of two important provisions enacted in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: increased government guarantees and eliminated fees on small business loans. The programs were extended through April 30th."Extending these important provisions is a good and necessary step to providing our small businesses with the tools they need to keep their doors open and expand. Full release.

Today members of Congress from both parties introduced legislation, the Global Conservation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4959), that for the first time places the strategic and diplomatic resources of the U.S. government behind efforts to address extinction and natural resource depletion worldwide. With the accelerating destruction of forests, reefs and other natural ecosystems, scientists say half of all species could be driven to the brink of extinction by the end of the century. And experts are tracking trends showing people around the world losing sources of fresh water, fuelwood, medicines and other products from nature. Full release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with several state agencies, is alerting consumers to an outbreak of campylobacteriosis associated with drinking raw milk. At least 12 confirmed illnesses have been recently reported in Michigan. Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. The FDA is collaborating with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health and the Indiana State Health Department, to investigate the outbreak. MDCH reports that, as of March 24, 2010, it received reports of 12 confirmed cases of illness from Campylobacter infections in consumers who drank raw milk. The raw milk originated from Forest Grove Dairy in Middlebury, Ind. Full release.

RetireSafe, representing 500,000 senior citizen supporters across America, today urged Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to become "original" cosponsors of the CPI for Seniors Act, soon to be introduced by Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) and Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL). The CPI for Seniors Act would establish a new Consumer Price Index for Seniors (CPI-S), so that Social Security benefits can be accurately and fairly determined each year. The pending legislation directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to finally determine the "right" CPI-S formula for seniors. RetireSafe, an advocacy organization for older Americans, calls the effort to recruit original House cosponsors, "one of the crucial first steps in correcting the faulty formula now used by the BLS." Full release.

LEAD-ZINE(R) is the monthly management e-magazine published by Change Strategists, Inc., an international management consulting firm. Each month, the publication reaches over 250,000 CEOs, executives and those interested in change management strategies for organizations. "The March 2010 issue of the LEAD-ZINE(R) features in-depth analyses of the recovering economy. We are particularly proud of this issue as representing some of the best in forward thinking about the economy. The results of these works written by well-known authors will surprise you!" said Dr. Billie Blair, President and CEO. Full release.

The American Public Health Association this week petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to adopt stronger, more protective standards to safeguard the health of the public from ground-level ozone. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, APHA and 17 other public health organizations applauded EPA's decision earlier this year to reconsider the standards it set in 2008. The groups urged EPA to go farther and set standards that provide widespread protection to the health of millions of people, especially those most at risk. Full release.

For the first time in 30 years, the IRS has issued a dramatically changed Form 990 – Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax to increase transparency in the nonprofit sector. "Complying with the IRS's Form 990 requirements has never been more challenging or risky for nonprofit organizations and their CPA advisors," said Blake Smith, senior director of Product Development at the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters. "In the updated form, tax reporting is more complex; additional types of information are required to be disclosed; and there are numerous additional questions." Full release.

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative applauds Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) for the planned introduction today of an updated version of the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010, which would ensure that taxes and fees are collected from wagers placed over the Internet in order to raise much-needed revenue for federal and state budgets. The most significant change from earlier versions of the legislation is a provision that allows each State and Tribal Government to be paid six percent of all deposits placed in their jurisdiction with online gambling operators. Full release.

Most Americans -- 59 percent -- believe Congress and the President need to reform our financial system now, according to a national poll commissioned by the Pew Financial Reform Project and conducted by a bipartisan team consisting of The Mellman Group and Ayres, McHenry & Associates. Americans feel reforming the financial sector is a top priority for the nation, even in the face of other pressing issues such as education and immigration reform, the war in Afghanistan and even health care. Full release.

The nation's state and local government employee retirement systems totaled $3.2 trillion in holdings and assets in 2008, a loss of $178.8 billion, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. These data come from the 2008 State and Local Government Employee Retirement Systems Survey, which provides an annual look at the financial activity of the nation's state and local public employee retirement systems, including cash and security investment holdings, receipts and payments. Full release.

A group of Miami University researchers studying the national Silver Alert program for locating missing adults with dementia or other cognitive impairments question the program's effectiveness and safety, given the speed in which it's being implemented throughout the country. The gerontology group's findings are published in the February issue of The Gerontologist. The Silver Alert program, an expansion of the AMBER (America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert program, is less than a year old in Ohio and relatively new for most other states in the country, according to the sociology and gerontology researchers. The study looks at the implications of the technology. Full release.

When health care reform was signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday, it signaled the beginning of a new era for nurse-led health care. H.R. 3590 will capitalize on the ability of nurse practitioners to provide high-quality primary and preventive care by defining "nurse-managed health clinic" in the Public Health Service Act and creating a new $50 million grant program to support innovative safety net providers. Nurse-managed health clinics serve as crucial health care access points in areas where primary care physicians are in short supply. These health centers are led by advanced practice nurses (primarily nurse practitioners). Full release.

U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation that establishes a national taskforce that would develop voluntary guidelines and other measures to promote positive images of girls and women. The bill, the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 4925), which was developed in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), would support media literacy programs, promote research on the effects of media images, and encourage the adoption of voluntary guidelines to promote healthier media images for youth. Full release.

The HealthWell Foundation, a national nonprofit that helps underinsured Americans afford their medical treatments, applauds lawmakers for passing the historic health care reform bill this week. While the bill extends coverage to millions of uninsured people, it does not adequately address the problem of the underinsured, people who have health insurance but not enough coverage to afford the care they need. It may even increase the number of people in this underserved group. Full release.

For the first time, China led the United States and other G-20 members in 2009 clean energy investments and finance, according to data released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Last year, China invested $34.6 billion in the clean energy economy -- nearly double the United States' total of $18.6 billion. Over the last five years, the United States also trailed five G-20 members (Turkey, Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, and Italy) in the rate of clean energy investment growth. Full release.

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