April 2010

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) called an outline of legislation circulated by the Senate Democratic leadership, "yet another attempt to reward illegal aliens and cheap labor employers at the expense of the American public." The outline, offered by Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) offers amnesty to millions of illegal aliens and family members residing outside the U.S., and increased flows of unskilled foreign labor, in exchange for promises of future enforcement-many of which the authors acknowledge have been made and broken in the past. Full release.

Feeding America today announced their strong endorsement of the "Weekends Without Hunger Act", which was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV) and the U.S. Senate by Senators Arlen Specter (PA) and Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA). This critical piece of legislation will be instrumental in helping to provide nutritious food to children who might otherwise be at risk of hunger during the weekends and school vacations. This legislation establishes a pilot program that provides commodities to eligible institutions, such as schools and emergency food providers, to carry out projects that would provide nutritious food to at-risk school children on weekends and during extended school holidays during the school year. Full release.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that he is dispatching a team of attorneys from multiple divisions within the Justice Department to New Orleans to meet with the U.S. Attorney and response teams and to monitor the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "The British Petroleum oil spill has already cost lives and created a major environmental incident," said Attorney General Holder. "The Justice Department stands ready to make available every resource at our disposal to vigorously enforce the laws that protect the people who work and reside near the Gulf, the wildlife, the environment and the American taxpayers." Full release.

Amnesty International USA voiced serious concerns today regarding priorities for a comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) bill proposed by U.S. Senators Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). A draft version of the bill summary touts increased border patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and penalties for immigration status-related crimes. However, it pays little attention to long-needed reform of ICE's unnecessary home-invasion style enforcement operations, targeting and often terrorizing undocumented persons. Full release.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today commended the Florida Legislature for passing legislation (SB 1752) that will provide economic incentives for digital interactive media productions in the state. As part of SB 1752, interactive digital media projects will be eligible for a 20% percent tax credit for qualifying production expenses. State Representative Steve Precourt and State Senator Mike Haridopolos spearheaded legislative efforts in support of dramatically improving and expanding the state's current entertainment incentive program to encourage the expansion of interactive digital media and film production in Florida. Full release.

The best tasting produce is right out your backdoor. Join the over 41 million American households last year growing their own produce. A few simple planning ideas can help you grow bountiful harvests all season long-and plenty to share with your family, friend, neighbors and the local food bank. Full release.

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to destroy the most productive fishery in the world, according to Mobile Baykeeper, the largest environmental advocate in the Gulf Coast. At the same time, Mobile Baykeeper is calling on the government to demand transparency, monitoring and caution in implementing crisis clean-up solutions that could make the situation worse, such as controlled burns and chemical dispersants. The region that spans from the Mobile Bay Estuary all the way to Galveston Bay is the most productive fishery in the world, with 69% of all domestic shrimp and 70% of all domestic oysters at stake. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on news that the gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2010: "One year after President Bush left our country mired in the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, today's solid growth in GDP, driven by consumer spending, is a sign of progress for our economy and for the middle class. Congressional Republicans fought this progress at every opportunity. Not a single House Republican stood up for economic recovery. Instead, they tried to obstruct progress for the American people-siding with Wall Street over Main Street, insurance companies over America's families, and Big Oil over small business." Full release.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, addressing the AJC Annual Gala tonight, delivered a powerful reaffirmation of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the shared goal of achieving a negotiated comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace. "Israel's right to exist is non-negotiable and no lasting peace is possible unless that is accepted," said Clinton. "Regional peace must begin with the recognition by every party that the United States will always stand behind Israel's security," said Clinton, adding that guaranteeing Israel's security "is more than a policy position; it is a personal commitment." Speaking before a standing-room audience of some 1,500, Clinton said, "AJC is a force for peace and progress here at home and around the world," pointing out that the United States' relationship with Israel is premised on the values held by AJC. Full release.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and IBM signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week on a new Alliance for International Corporate Volunteerism (ICV). The Alliance establishes a self-sustaining ICV facility that will help private sector firms interested in international corporate volunteerism to organize and direct their efforts in ways that will best contribute to sound development outcomes. "The growing role of business in development activities illustrates how the nature of development cooperation is changing," said USAID Counselor James Michel. Full release.

World leaders have failed to deliver on commitments made in 2002 to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and have instead overseen alarming biodiversity declines. These findings are the result of a new paper published in the leading journal Science and represent the first assessment of how the targets made through the 2002 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have not been met. Compiling over 30 indicators-measures of different aspects of biodiversity, including changes in species' populations and risk of extinction, habitat extent and community composition-the study found no evidence for a significant reduction in the rate of decline of biodiversity, and that the pressures facing biodiversity continue to increase. The synthesis provides overwhelming evidence that the 2010 target has not been achieved. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement regarding the bipartisan, bicameral DISCLOSE Act, a legislative proposal presented by Congressmen Chris Van Hollen, Robert Brady, Mike Castle, Walter Jones, and Senator Charles Schumer in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. FEC: "The DISCLOSE Act is essential to ensuring that the American people-and our democracy-are not overwhelmed by special interest money and influence in our elections. In its decision in the Citizens United case, the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to unrestricted special interest campaign donations. Congress must act to ensure that the bank accounts of Wall Street and insurance companies will not drown out the voices of America's voters." Full release.

U.S. Foodservice is helping its restaurant operator customers combine fresh seasonal produce with the latest trends in healthy eating to make this spring a season of business growth. Restaurant operators can visit foodsight (www.usfoodsight.com) and Beyond the Plate (www.beyondtheplate.com) to learn new ways to incorporate fresh, seasonal produce into their menu items through articles, recipes, interactive resources, and a chat room to connect with peers and consumers. "Consumers and chefs love using produce in season-it's more flavorful and economical. We work with suppliers to procure the best and freshest items in season, and monitor our supply chain from farm to final delivery to ensure the safety of all the produce we sell," said Pat Mulhern, president, Monarch Food Group, a division of U.S. Foodservice. Full release.

The recently passed health care reform legislation will require significant investment in IT solutions and system upgrades throughout its implementation. A new report, IT Implications of Health Care Reform, released by INPUT, predicts federal, state and local governments will need to invest more than $5 billion in health IT and traditional IT solutions in order to implement requirements of the new law. Analysts looked at the underlying requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) and subsequent Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (P.L. 111-152), and identified potential areas of opportunity in four categories. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after the House Science and Technology Committee voted last night to update and reauthorize the America COMPETES Act, which seeks to boost America's competitiveness by strengthening the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. "Boosting America's competitiveness is essential to our economic recovery today and our economic strength for generations to come. With progress on the reauthorization of the COMPETES Act, Congress is moving forward to create prosperity, expand markets for American products, reassert our leadership throughout the world in the decades to come, and give future generations greater opportunity to achieve the American Dream." Full release.

Nearly three-quarters of Americans consider bullying and harassment a serious problem in their local public schools, though not as serious as illegal drugs and lack of respect for teachers, according to a new survey by the nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization Public Agenda. More than one-third of Americans (35 percent), including 39 percent of parents, say they were bullied themselves when growing up. But only 8 percent of the public and 10 percent of parents say they were bullied "a lot." These findings are based on a Public Agenda survey of 1,001 people, including 262 parents of children under 18, conducted from April 8-11, 2010. Full release.

Jedi Mind, Inc. (Pink Sheets: JEDM) (www.jedimindinc.com), developers of thought-controlled software applications, announces the completion of the "Jedi Mouse," the revolutionary software application which allows the user to navigate the computer, click and double click to open programs, compose email and send with the power of their mind. The application can be used by anyone, but is especially beneficial to people with disabilities that have limited ability to operate computers and communicate via email. Full release.

As financial reform works its way through the Senate, a new study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) indicates that subprime lending and subsequent resulting foreclosures were led by the private market and contained a clear racial component not explained by objective underwriting criteria. African American and Latino borrowers were more likely to receive a subprime loan, and to go into foreclosure, than similarly situated white homeowners, controlling for credit risk and other borrower, neighborhood and loan characteristics. The Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) appeared to have a moderating effect on risky and abusive lending practices; privately securitized loans went into foreclosure twice as often as loans backed by the GSEs. The study can be downloaded at www.ncrc.org. Full release.

Lung Cancer Alliance acknowledges the on-going work by the Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on lung cancer screening research and the need for people who may be at risk for lung cancer to be well informed. However, the paper by Jennifer M. Croswell, MD and co-authors published last week in the Annals of Internal Medicine, claiming that CT scans yield twice as many false positives as chest x-rays and lead to a high percentage of invasive follow-up procedures, is based on a study (the Lung Screening Trial -LSS) done in 2000-2001 that used outdated equipment and failed to follow a uniform diagnostic protocol. Full release.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement after Republicans voted this afternoon-for the third consecutive day-to block debate on Wall Street reform in the U.S. Senate: "For the third straight day, Senate Republicans sided with Wall Street over Main Street. Republican leaders chose obstruction and delay over progress for the middle class, threatening to take our country back to the failed Bush policies that cost us 8 million jobs and decimated the retirements, college savings, and homes of America's families." Full release.

Slightly more than 72 percent of U.S. households believed to be occupied mailed back their 2010 Census forms, the same rate that was achieved in 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. In the fall of 2010, the Census Bureau will release a final "mail return rate" after census workers double-check the occupancy status of all households that didn't return a census form. "This is a significant achievement; the nation has stepped up to the challenge of participating in this once-a-decade civic event," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "We knew the job would be more difficult in 2010 than in 2000, yet the nation responded tremendously." Full release.

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that the Obama Justice Department advanced the erroneous claim in an April 21, 2010, court filing that Secret Service's logs of White House visitors are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As Judicial Watch noted in its original complaint filed on December 7, 2009, this claim "has been litigated and rejected repeatedly" by the courts. Full release.

In a move that will afford PR Newswire's customers unparalleled reach to mobile users, the company has launched an application for the iPhone and iPod touch, with optimized applications for iPad, Blackberry and Android devices on the way. The PR Newswire Mobile App empowers users with direct access to breaking news from many of the world's leading brands and organizations that issue text and multimedia press releases and information over PR Newswire every day. Full release.

As the U.S. Senate determines how to move forward on current clean energy and climate proposals, today dozens of everyday Americans, from Florida to Maine and in between, brought their homegrown support for clean energy legislation straight to their Senators on Capitol Hill. A group of forty local leaders, including Dianne Byrum, who was the first woman to serve as Democratic Leader of the Michigan House of Representatives; Sister Betty Kane, a Sister of St. Francis in Pennsylvania; Karen Majewski, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan; Scott McIntyre, a CEO from Florida; and Tim Webster, a veteran from Ohio, will visit with their Senators to convey the urgency of moving forward with comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation this year. Full release.

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases, today released their annual Patient Data Analysis Report (PDAR), which documents the scope and complexity of the healthcare finance, access and job retention issues routinely confronted by patients at the national and state-specific level. Regarded as a thorough and reliable information source by policymakers, healthcare providers, stakeholders and other members of the healthcare community, this expert data analysis offers a comprehensive summary of issues, on both a national and state by state level, impacting Americans' access to healthcare. Full release.

Diabetes affects more than 23 million people in the United States today and another 54 million people have pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, while nearly 60 percent of Americans are concerned about developing diabetes, many aren't taking the necessary steps to protect their health, according to a recent study by the International Diabetes Center and Abbott ( ABT). Just slightly more than a third of people surveyed have taken preventative action in their own lives to reduce their risk, and even fewer (29 percent) have spoken with their doctor about their chance of developing the condition. Full release.

A new report from the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars defines the criteria for a new technology assessment function in the United States. The report, Reinventing Technology Assessment: A 21st Century Model, emphasizes the need to incorporate citizen-participation methods to complement expert analysis. Government policymakers, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and citizens need such analysis to capably navigate the technology-intensive world in which we now live. Full release.

AstraZeneca will pay the federal government $520 million in civil fines to settle charges of off-label marketing of the powerful antipsychotic drug Seroquel. The settlement is the largest pharmaceutical civil settlement and among the top five civil and criminal drug company settlements in U.S. history. The first complaint in the matter was filed on behalf of a whistleblower by qui tam whistleblower, class action, and mass tort attorney Stephen A. Sheller, Esq. of Philadelphia's Sheller, P.C. in 2004. Sheller and firm partner Brian J. McCormick, Jr., Esq. also represented whistleblowers in previous off-label, failure to warn, and consumer fraud drug investigations, including 2009's Eli Lilly and Pfizer record settlements for $1.4 and $2.3 billion respectively. Full release.

Four months after the Obama administration missed its deadline to close Guantanamo, the deeply flawed military commissions system has resumed there with closely watched pre-trial proceedings in the case of Omar Khadr beginning this week. The American Civil Liberties Union will be present for the pre-trial hearings for Khadr, a Canadian citizen who has been in U.S. custody since 2002 for war crimes allegedly committed when he was 15. The administration is moving forward with plans to try some of the Guantanamo detainees in the broken military commissions system despite the facts that the commissions still lack a set of procedural rules and they are plagued with persistent procedural and legal problems that will inevitably lead to legal challenges, delays and doubt over the outcomes of the trials. Full release.

John E. Morton, managing director of the Pew Economic Policy Group, issued the following statement in light of today's first meeting of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. "We applaud President Obama's establishment of the blue ribbon, bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. The Commission has been charged with addressing one of the most pressing economic and political challenges facing the United States today-the nation's unsustainable debt burden. As the disturbing data and trends clearly show, the question is not if our current fiscal and budget policies need to change, but when and how. " Full release.

The Environmental Law & Policy Center has launched a new online FAQ resource to help consumers understand the basics of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and the choices we'll soon have in the auto marketplace. As excitement builds around the new hybrid and electric vehicle models expected in 2010-2011, ELPC is answering key consumer questions about different types of cars, prices, charging options, driving range and pollution reduction benefits. "Americans are excited about new, electric cars that can save them money at the pump and help protect our environment by reducing pollution," said Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. "ELPC is helping people learn about these innovative technologies that help create good green jobs of the future as American automakers build the cleaner cars of the future." Full release.

Mintel's recent Beauty Retailing report reveals that the female Baby Boomer population is more web-savvy than ever, and they could be wielding their digital dollars at online beauty sites if retailers play their cards right. One in ten respondents to a recent Mintel survey report using some type of online retailer to purchase cosmetics and skin care aids, and the female Boomer population is expected to increase by 30.9% from 2005-2015. "Female Baby Boomers are one of the largest beauty care segments, known for their spending power, proactive health habits and dedication to product research," says Kat Fay, senior analyst at Mintel. "In fact, these women spend 13 or more hours online a week, making the online market a powerful resource if retailers can get Boomers to log on." Full release.

I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It's time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food! You live in an amazing country full of inspirational people and you have the power to change things. With your help, we can get better food into homes, schools and communities all over America and give your kids a better future. Full release.

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) are establishing a collaborative program to advance the development and use of stem cells in therapies for a wide range of diseases, the organizations announced today. The program will train researchers to use stem cells and foster joint research projects. The collaborative program will encompass training for Johns Hopkins researchers in the NYSCF laboratory in Manhattan, specific research collaborations and a NYSCF fellowship to support Johns Hopkins in its plans to bridge disciplines, technologies and facilitate cross-collaborations among Johns Hopkins investigators and the greater stem cell research community. Full release.

Today marks the 75th anniversary of a federal landmark in conservation. It was the beginning of a conservation commitment on private land as Congress established the Soil Conservation Service in the U. S. Department of Agriculture, known today as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS has expanded to become a conservation leader in comprehensive natural resource planning and protection on private lands, ensuring they are conserved, restored and made more resilient to environmental challenges. Full release.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied the application for a "Stay of Execution" (of civil contempt sentence) for jailed attorney Richard I. Fine who has never been charged with or convicted of a crime but has been held in solitary "coercive confinement" in L.A. County Central Men's jail for over a year. Fine attempted to disqualify L.A. Superior Court Judge David Yaffe for having accepted illegal payments from L.A. County, a party to the case before him, and who ordered him held "indefinitely," without bail, hearing date or release date. Full release.

AJC has condemned Arizona's new immigration law, calling it "a setback in national efforts to achieve immigration reform." The Arizona law, expected to go into effect this summer, will allow local law enforcement to stop anyone, if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants, and arrest those unable to produce proper immigration documents. "We regret Gov. Brewer's decision to sign this misguided law," said Richard Foltin, AJC's Director of National and Legislative Affairs. "This law essentially allows police to question and arrest people on little more than suspicion. It will encourage racial profiling, fear of police and further distrust in a community already wary of law enforcement." Full release.

Today, news broke of the Republican National Committee's continuing distribution of a misleading fundraising mail piece which claims to be a "Census Document." The distribution comes in spite of bipartisan federal legislation passed earlier this year in direct response to an earlier RNC mailer and other similar mailings that mimic official census documents. In response, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement: "The United States Census is critical to our country. Full and accurate results are necessary to ensure that American communities get the resources and the funding they need to flourish. Unfortunately, the Republican National Committee continues to send out fundraising documents that strongly suggest they are official census mailers, threatening Americans' responsiveness to actual Census documents and potentially distorting Census results." Full release.

The following statement was issued by the American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE) on the delay in the introduction of energy legislation by Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman. ABCE is an organization representing 3,000 businesses that support the passage of clean energy and climate legislation. "The American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE) strongly urge the U.S. Senate to continue its efforts to move forward with a comprehensive climate and energy bill as soon as possible. American businesses, large and small, are urging Congress to act in order to make the United States a world leader in clean energy technology, reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and create millions of new jobs." Full release.

The world favorite premium rum-BACARDI-now has the power of wind behind it. Bacardi Corporation, part of the Bacardi Limited group of companies, and home to the largest premium rum distillery in the world, today unveiled the largest wind turbine installation in Puerto Rico designed to harness natural wind energy to help power the Bacardi global distillery near San Juan. Full release.

Energy Efficiency in the Southeastern United States will get a huge boost when the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) rolls out its program of innovative, large-scale building retrofits for homeowners and businesses under its recently-announced $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Retrofit Ramp-Up initiative. The regional organization will partner with nearly a dozen communities of varying sizes and characteristics, each of which will use a different approach to increase the energy efficiency of small and large residential, commercial and public buildings. This diversity will allow SEEA to test and evaluate a variety of models in both smaller, more rural and larger, more metropolitan areas and make adjustments as needed. Full release.

Reported incidents of mortgage fraud and misrepresentation by professionals in the mortgage industry in the U.S. are continuing to climb and increased by 7 percent from 2008 to 2009, according to a new report released today by the Mortgage Asset Research Institute, a LexisNexis service. While the pace has slowed since the 2007-2008 increase of 26 percent, the continued increase is believed to be attributed to better industry reporting and policing. The 12th Periodic Mortgage Fraud Case Report examines the current state of residential mortgage fraud and misrepresentation in the U.S. committed by professionals, based on data submitted by LexisNexis Mortgage Asset Research Institute subscribers. Full release.

The Department of Justice announced today that it will not challenge a proposal by the Hospital Value Initiative (HVI) to establish an information exchange program that will provide data on the relative costs and resource efficiency of more than 300 hospitals in California. The department said the proposed information exchange may reduce health care costs by improving competition among hundreds of hospitals in California and facilitating more informed purchasing decisions by group purchasers of health care services. The department's position was stated in a business review letter, to counsel for the HVI, from Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. Full release.

The American Red Cross is providing shelter, food, and comfort to people across the South as they deal with the aftermath of the deadly tornadoes that swept through the area over the weekend. The severe weather hit several states, including Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. Mississippi was hardest hit with numerous tornadoes touching down Saturday. Damage is widespread and thousands are without power. The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi issued States of Emergency for the affected areas. Full release.

As Senator Dodd and Senator Shelby continue to meet and search for a bipartisan financial regulatory reform bill, the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation (CCMR), an independent, non-partisan research organization and proponent of broad financial regulatory reform, has sent congressional leaders a letter outlining a blueprint for a compromise that would achieve practical and effective financial reform legislation. In the 37-page letter, the CCMR comprehensively evaluates all major elements in the financial reform proposals that have emerged from Senate committees, but focuses especially on four as areas ripe for compromise. Full release.

A new law that took effect in February calls for substantial new penalties on doctors for something they are doing every day, sending e-mails that include patient information, without encrypting the e-mail. So, the doctor who answers a patient's e-mail asking for medical advice, and does it without encryption, is breaking the law, and is potentially subject to penalties and fines that can go as high as $1.5 million in a single year! Many medical professionals remain unaware of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. According to this law, answering a patient's request for a test result, by unsecured e-mail, is a violation. Full release.

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) hailed today's release of "Out of the Shadows: Women and Lung Cancer," a groundbreaking report issued by the Mary Horrigan Connors Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. "This is the wake-up call for women," said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, LCA President & CEO. She called the report the most current and comprehensive ever done for the general public on lung cancer. Fenton also congratulated Yolanda Colson, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of "Out of the Shadows" and her research team for their extraordinary efforts to produce the important and timely report. Full release.

Today, economist Coleman Bazelon of The Brattle Group released a new report, "The Employment and Economic Impacts of Network Neutrality Regulation: An Empirical Analysis," that highlights the effects proposed net neutrality regulations would have on the broadband industry and the U.S. economy. The research was sponsored by Mobile Future, the non-profit, non-partisan coalition of technology businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. The study found that the net neutrality regulations currently under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would negatively impact the broadband sector and job growth in the U.S. Full release.

Taking a cue from the banking industry, credit union regulators are about to issue stern instructions to examiners to remind them to take action fast when they spot financial trouble at a credit union, The Safety & Soundness Report reveals. The National Credit Union Administration is drafting a Supervisory Letter on Administrative Remedies and Enforcement Actions, which will be completed by late next month, the credit union newsletter reports in an exclusive story in its April 26th issue. NCUA officials told the publication that the letter was a response to "the level of problem credit unions." The letter will instruct examiners to follow-up "on agreed upon actions and other enforcement action." Credit unions can expect stronger, faster responses from regulators, the newsletter reveals. Full release.

Sixty Soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserve were honored today in the fifth annual National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony on Capitol Hill to mark the U.S. Army Reserve's 102nd anniversary. Among the Soldiers reenlisting were a Silver Star recipient, combat veterans, a Hurricane Katrina volunteer and an expectant mother. In the days prior to the ceremony, the 60 Soldiers and their families toured the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress, and witnessed a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Full release.

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