Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Leading Pro-Life Group Outraged by the Defeat of Pro-Life Amendments in Senate Finance Committee

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, in a vote of 10-13 in the Senate Finance Committee, the Hatch Amendment #C14 was defeated. The amendment would have explicitly prohibited federal funding and coverage of abortions. The Committee also voted down an amendment by Senator Hatch that would have prevented discrimination against any individual or entity who refused to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President of Americans United for Life recently met with the White House to discuss conscience protection and the lack of explicit language banning abortion funding and coverage in health care reform.

Dr. Yoest said that the defeat of these important amendments illustrate the gap between rhetoric and reality on the Hill over abortion in health care reform:

"President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have all told the American people that abortion will not be in health care reform. Nevertheless, the defeat of these amendments demonstrates the gap between rhetoric and reality. These rhetorical assurances are not adding up to action. The pro-life community will continue a vigorous fight to keep abortion out of health care reform."

Here are the defeated pro-life amendments voted down in the Senate Finance Committee:

Hatch Amendment #C14 Description:

No funds authorized or appropriated under this Mark may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, or unless the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.

Nothing in this amendment would preclude an insurance issuer from offering a separate, supplemental policy to cover additional abortions. Such a supplemental policy would be funded solely by supplemental premiums paid for by individuals choosing to purchase the

policy.

SENATE VOTE

Republicans

CHUCK GRASSLEY - yes
ORRIN G. HATCH - yes
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE - no
JON KYL - yes
JIM BUNNING - yes
MIKE CRAPO - yes
PAT ROBERTS - yes
JOHN ENSIGN - yes
MIKE ENZI - yes
JOHN CORNYN - yes

Democrats

MAX BAUCUS - no
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER - no
KENT CONRAD - yes
JEFF BINGAMAN - no
JOHN F. KERRY - no
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN - no
RON WYDEN - no
CHARLES E. SCHUMER - no
DEBBIE STABENOW - no
MARIA CANTWELL - no
BILL NELSON - no
ROBERT MENENDEZ - no
THOMAS CARPER - no

Not Agreed to (10-13)


Hatch Amendment #C13: Non-discrimination on abortion and respect for right of

conscience

Description:

Non-Discrimination on abortion and respect for rights of conscience
(a) NON DISCRIMINATION.-A Federal agency or program, and any State or

local government that receives Federal financial assistance under this Act ( or and amendment made by this Act), may not-

1) subject any individual or institutional health care entity to
discrimination, or

2) require any health plan created or regulated under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act), to subject any individual or institutional health care entity to discrimination, on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.

(b) DEFINITION.-In this section, the term "health care entity" includes an individual physician or other health care professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.

(c) ADMINISTRATION.-The Office for Civil Right of the Department of Heath and Human Services is designated to receive complaints of discrimination based on this section, and coordinate the investigation of such complaints.

SENATE VOTE

Republicans

CHUCK GRASSLEY - yes
ORRIN G. HATCH - yes
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE - no
JON KYL - yes
JIM BUNNING - yes
MIKE CRAPO - yes
PAT ROBERTS - yes
JOHN ENSIGN - yes
MIKE ENZI - yes
JOHN CORNYN - yes

Democrats

MAX BAUCUS - no
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER - no
KENT CONRAD - yes
JEFF BINGAMAN - no
JOHN F. KERRY - no
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN - no
RON WYDEN - no
CHARLES E. SCHUMER - no
DEBBIE STABENOW - no
MARIA CANTWELL - no
BILL NELSON - no
ROBERT MENENDEZ - no
THOMAS CARPER - no

Not Agreed to (10-13)

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Friday, September 25, 2009

Chambliss, Isakson Urge the Government Accountability Office to Launch Investigation into ACORN

U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., along with 18 other Republican senators, sent a letter requesting the Government Accountability Office to launch an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities conducted by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN.

The full text of the letter:

The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro
Acting Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Dear Mr. Dodaro,

I am writing to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a review of ACORN, otherwise known as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. For purposes of this letter, the term ACORN shall mean the organization itself, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, and the employees of all such organizations.

Any such investigation should:

(1) Analyze the business structure and organizational management of ACORN.
(2) Analyze ACORN’s compliance with state, local and federal law.
(3) Examine ACORN’s tax structure focusing on a delineation of what activities fall under their 501(c)3 umbrella and what, if any, do not.
(4) Compile a comprehensive list of all federal funding that ACORN has received since its inception; including, but not limited to, contracts, cooperative agreements, grants, appropriations and emergency funding.
(5) Examine grants or payments for services made by ACORN, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
(6) Examine grants or payments for services received by ACORN, its subsidiaries or affiliates.

Current voter fraud investigations in several states, prior fraud convictions, and new video showing apparent illegal activity by ACORN employees suggest that at the very least the organization warrants a top to bottom investigation on behalf of the taxpayer. Taxpayers deserve nothing less than a thorough and transparent accounting of ACORN’s activities.
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U.S. Senators Introduce Veterinary Services Legislation

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) today applauded U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Thune (R-SD) for introducing a Senate bill, the Veterinary Services Investment Act (VSIA), which will confront critical veterinary service shortages.

VSIA would establish a new grant program to assist states in addressing their unique veterinary workforce needs. Grants awarded under the program could be used for activities such as recruiting veterinarians to work in underserved areas, bolstering food safety and conducting surveillance of animal disease.

Broad, bipartisan support for VSIA has grown substantially since a companion bill, H.R. 3519, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in July. Since its introduction, 28 representatives have signed on as co-sponsors for the bill.

Support for the legislation among stakeholder groups also remains extraordinarily high. At present, 89 veterinary and agricultural groups have joined the AVMA's letter endorsing the VSIA.

In the Senate today, 18 senators committed to co-sponsoring the bill as introduced by Stabenow and Thune. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), John Barasso (R-WY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and John Tester (D-MT) have all signed on to support VSIA.

"Senators Stabenow and Thune and their colleagues are voicing support for maintaining public health, food safety and animal health by bolstering the veterinary workforce," said Dr. Ron DeHaven, AVMA Chief Executive Officer. "The Veterinary Services Investment Act will significantly help bring much needed veterinarian services to areas of our country in need."

"Too many rural communities lack adequate veterinary services that are important to our agricultural industry in Michigan," said Stabenow. "This legislation will address this shortage in veterinarian care, create good-paying jobs, and invest in food safety."

"Many people in rural states like South Dakota depend on healthy animals for their livelihood," said Thune. "This legislation will help draw and retain veterinarians in rural areas, increase the availability of veterinary education, and help veterinarians use technology to expand the reach of their practices."

Under the VSIA, veterinary clinics in rural areas and state, national, allied or regional veterinary organizations, specialty boards or veterinary medical association would be eligible to apply for grants. Veterinary colleges, university research and veterinary medical foundations, departments of veterinary science and comparative medicine, state agricultural experiment stations, and state, local and tribal government agencies would also be eligible to apply for grants.

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Boehner: Our Petition to Force Speaker Pelosi to Allow Americans to Read the Bills is Off to a Fast Start

As of this writing, more than 170 Members of Congress have signed a petition authored by Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) to force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to allow a vote on a bipartisan resolution requiring a 72-hour public review period for major bills. That number includes five rank-and-file House Democrats who have opted to buck their leadership and sign onto the GOP measure. The bipartisan rebuke of Speaker Pelosi reflects rising public anger over Democratic leaders’ handling of the massive “stimulus” spending bill, the job-killing “cap & trade” national energy tax, and other giant pieces of legislation that were hidden from public view until just hours before they were brought to a final vote in the House.

As I said in my weekly press briefing this morning, the American people have never been more engaged in public policy than they are right now, and they understand what’s happening here in Washington.....http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=626

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Judicial Watch Files Lawsuit against HUD to Obtain ACORN Documents Seeks Records Related to HUD's Taxpayer Support

Judicial Watch Files Lawsuit against HUD to Obtain ACORN Documents
Seeks Records Related to HUD's Taxpayer Support of Controversial Community Organization


/Standard Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to obtain records related to federal grants provided to the controversial "community organization" Association for Community Reform Now (ACORN).

Judicial Watch filed its original Freedom of Information Act request on July 17. HUD acknowledged receipt of the request by letter on August 4th and granted itself additional time to process the request. However, HUD has not abided by its own extended deadline and has failed to provide Judicial Watch with a specific date by which it would respond, even after Judicial Watch agreed to limit the scope of the request to just seven states. (These states are California, Texas, Washington, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Louisiana.) By law, HUD had 20 days to respond to Judicial Watch's request. Judicial Watch filed its lawsuit on September 23, 2009.

Judicial Watch seeks the following records:

1. Any and all documents concerning money given to the ACORN and/or any of its affiliates (since January, 2000).

2. Any and all documents concerning any actions and/or disbarments against ACORN, for reasons including but not limited to abuse of grant money, misconduct, etc. (since January, 2000).

Over the last two weeks, the U.S. Senate has voted to deny ACORN access to housing funds, while the House of Representatives voted to deny ACORN all federal funds. The U.S. Census Bureau, meanwhile, has severed its partnership with the organization for the 2010 U.S. Census. The IRS also just severed a program relationship with ACORN. These actions were taken after videos surfaced depicting ACORN workers attempting to advise undercover reporters on how to evade tax, immigration and child prostitution laws. Most relevant to the lawsuit against HUD, are the videos depicting ACORN workers providing advice on purchasing a house to run as a brothel for underage, illegal alien girls.

"The Obama administration needs to come clean to the American people about its relationship with this disgraced organization, especially in light of President Obama's personal connections to ACORN," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Given ACORN's scandalous record, the federal government has no business supporting the organization with taxpayer dollars. It is troubling, given President Obama's promises of transparency, we have had to sue to try to gain access to the ACORN documents."

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CREW Files Dept. of Justice Complaint against Rep. Mike Ross

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) engaged in bribery and honest services fraud by selling a piece of commercial property for more than its worth to a pharmacy chain with an interest in pending legislation.

According to a story appearing in the September 22, 2009 Politico, in June 2007, Rep. Mike Ross sold Holly’s Health Mart in Prescott, Arkansas to USA Drug for $420,000. In addition, the owner of USA Drug, Stephen L. LaFrance, also paid Rep. Ross and his wife, Holly, between $500,000 and $1 million for the pharmacy’s assets and Ms. Ross was paid between $100,001 and $250,000 for signing a covenant not to compete with Super D Drug Acquisition as part of the sale. In addition, just two weeks after the sale, Rep. Ross received a $2,300 campaign contribution from Mr. LaFrance.

At the time of the sale, the county assessor’s office valued the pharmacy’s building and the land on which it sits at $263,000, $157,000 less than the Rosses were paid. ProPublica hired a licensed real estate appraiser in Prescott, Arkansas to assess the property, and he valued it at $198,000, less than the county’s assessment, which was raised from $263,000 to $269,000 this year. Another Prescott real estate professional said county property assessments tend to be slightly below market value, but usually not more than 5% below. Nevada County, which includes Prescott, also questioned the purchase price. A contractor hired by the county to update property assessments every five years contacted USA Drug to verify the purchase price, finding it inconsistent with commercial property values in the area.

Even assuming a price of 5% above the assessment, the building and property would have had a value of no more than $276,150. Therefore, at a minimum, it appears the Rosses received at least $143,850 more than the property’s value -- and perhaps as much as $222,000 more, excluding the additional money paid for the non-compete clause -- when they sold it to USA Drug.

In 2008, USA Drug was the 15th largest drug chain in the country with an estimated $906 million in sales and the pharmacy industry is aggressively lobbying Congress regarding proposed health care reform legislation. Two months after the purchase of the Ross property, Mr. LaFrance was profiled in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He opined if the government does not interfere, there are “nothing but good days ahead” for the pharmacy business.

As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Blue Dog Coalition, Rep. Ross has been integrally involved in the debate over health care reform. This past June, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores thanked Rep. Ross for introducing legislation authorizing payments to pharmacists to train patients how to manage their medications.

Rep. Ross receives significant financial support from the health care industry. According to OpenSecrets.org, this campaign cycle Rep. Ross has so far received $81,100 from those in health-related industries, $23,850 of which is from the pharmaceutical/health products industry. In the 2008 cycle, Rep. Ross received $261,275 from the health care interests, $50,600 of which was from the pharmaceutical/health products industry.

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan stated, “With the sale of his business and the high priced non-compete covenant, Rep. Ross has gone from accepting campaign contributions from those with legislative interests before him to accepting significant personal financial benefits of dubious legality.” Sloan continued, “The situation is reminiscent of that in which former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham sold his house to a defense contractor for an amount above its value in return for legislative assistance – a sale that ultimately resulted in Rep. Cunningham’s conviction on criminal charges.” Sloan explained, “Given that Rep. Ross received a personal financial benefit conservatively valued at no less than $143,850 and probably a great deal more, both the sale of the property for $420,000 and payment of no less than $100,001 for the covenant not to compete certainly merit criminal investigation.”

Federal bribery law prohibits public officials from directly or indirectly demanding, seeking, receiving, accepting, or agreeing to receive or accept anything of value in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act. Honest services fraud prohibits members of Congress from depriving their constituents, the House of Representatives, and the United States of the right of honest service.

At a time when health care reform legislation is a matter of pressing concern and heated debate, it is particularly important for Americans to have faith that their government officials are making decisions based on the best interests of the nation rather than their own financial interests. As a result, it is imperative for law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate Rep. Ross’s conduct.

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Fair Elections Now Coalition Praises Rep. John Lewis for Cosponsoring Fair Elections Now Act

/PRNewswire/ -- The Fair Elections Now Coalition, which represents seven national campaign reform organizations, today praised Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) for his leadership in tackling the issue of special-interest money in Washington, D.C. by cosponsoring the bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act, H.R. 1826.

The groups issued the following statement:

"As the health care reform debate enters a critical stage, the health care industry continues to spend millions on campaign contributions to get what it wants. The best way to ensure that the voices of all citizens are heard is to change the way congressional elections are financed, and that's why we are greatly appreciative of Rep. Lewis for signing onto the Fair Elections Now Act.

"We look forward to working with Rep. Lewis to pass this practical proven campaign reform program."

The Fair Elections Now Act provides qualified congressional candidates public financing once they demonstrate broad public support by raising a large number of small donations. The House legislation, which was introduced by Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), has nearly 90 cosponsors. For a full summary of the legislation, visit www.fairelectionsnow.org.

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Interesting Poll re: Angry Americans

59% Say Americans Angrier Now Than Under Bush

Rasmussen on Missouri Blunt vs Carnahan

2010 Missouri Senate: Blunt 46%, Carnahan 46%

Democrat Robin Carnahan and Republican Roy Blunt are dead even in the first Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 survey of the hotly contested race for the U.S. Senate in Missouri. Both candidates capture 46% of the vote in a new telephone survey of Missouri voters.

Meg Whitman, eBay billionaire, to run for California governor

http://www.elabs5.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=o1l,6fda,er,cr7x,khcz,mbr4,k497

Attorney General Establishes New State Secrets Policies and Procedures

/PRNewswire/ -- Attorney General Eric Holder today issued a memorandum instituting new Department of Justice policies and procedures in order to ensure greater accountability in the government's assertion of the state secrets privilege in litigation.

"This policy is an important step toward rebuilding the public's trust in the government's use of this privilege while recognizing the imperative need to protect national security," Holder said. "It sets out clear procedures that will provide greater accountability and ensure the state secrets privilege is invoked only when necessary and in the narrowest way possible."

Earlier this year, Attorney General Holder ordered senior Justice officials to conduct a review of the Department's existing state secrets policies and procedures, including an internal evaluation of the pending cases in which the privilege had been invoked. The results of that internal review were shared with an interagency group comprised of officials from the Department and the intelligence community, which provided input into the formulation of the new policies and procedures. The new policy and procedures take effect October 1, 2009.

The Attorney General's memorandum outlines several aspects of the new administrative process that increases accountability and oversight, including:

Facilitation of Court Review - The policy ensures that before approving invocation of the state secrets privilege in court, the Department must be satisfied that there is strong evidentiary support for it. In order to facilitate meaningful judicial scrutiny of the privilege assertions, the Department will submit evidence to the court for review.

Significant Harm Standard - The policy adopts a more rigorous standard to govern when the Department will defend assertions of the state secrets privilege in new cases. Under the new policy, the Department will now defend the assertion of the privilege only to the extent necessary to protect against the risk of significant harm to national security.

Narrow Tailoring of Privilege Assertions - Under this policy, the Department will narrowly tailor the use of the states secrets privilege whenever possible to allow cases to move forward in the event that the sensitive information at issue is not critical to the case. As part of this policy, the Department also commits not to invoke the privilege for the purpose of concealing government wrongdoing or avoiding embarrassment to government agencies or officials.

State Secrets Review Committee - A State Secrets Review Committee will be formed consisting of senior Department officials designated by the Attorney General who will evaluate any recommendation by the Assistant Attorney General of the relevant Division to invoke the privilege. The Committee would make its recommendation to the Associate Attorney General, who would review and refer to the Deputy Attorney General for a final recommendation to the Attorney General or his designee.

Approval by the Attorney General -- The policy requires the approval of the Attorney General prior to the invocation of the states secret privilege, except when the Attorney General is recused or unavailable. Previously, the invocation of the state secrets privilege could be approved by the appropriate Assistant Attorney General Referral to Inspectors General. The policy implements a referral process to relevant Offices of Inspector General whenever there are credible allegations of government wrongdoing in a case, but the assertion of state secrets privilege might preclude the case from moving forward.

Under the policy, the Department also commits to provide periodic reports on all cases in which the privilege is asserted to the appropriate oversight Committees in Congress.

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Finance Committee Begins Markup - Lab Fee Converted to Medicare Cut

/PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday the Senate Finance Committee started marking up the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009. The revised version of the bill circulated to the Committee deletes a special provider fee on laboratories and replaces it with an additional $5 billion cut in Medicare Part B payments to clinical laboratories.

The new version of the legislation does not specify how this latest reduction will be allocated. Mark Birenbaum, PhD, the Executive Director of the National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA) and the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB), says that "If this additional cut is not allocated properly, the reduction will put many community laboratories including those serving nursing home patients, out of business, and give large corporate laboratories that have a small percentage of Medicare Part B work a huge competitive advantage. These large corporate laboratories are the same laboratories that stand to gain from increased enrollment due to health care reform."

Dr. Birenbaum says that the Finance Committee has made a commitment to work with the National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA), and AAB, and others in the laboratory community over the next several weeks to develop an appropriate way to allocate this additional cut to adjust the impact to reflect the amount of Medicare work performed. "The structure of this provision is critical to the future of the community laboratory. It is simply not fair to have the laboratories most involved in Medicare sustain another large cut. They will not survive if some adjustment is not made," says Dr. Birenbaum.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Amendments Encourage Senate Finance Committee to Protect Flexible Spending Accounts

/PRNewswire/ -- Following the introduction of health care reform legislation last week by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), more than a dozen amendments were filed this weekend by members of the Senate Finance Committee to protect flexible spending accounts (FSAs) -- a valuable benefit used by millions of Americans to manage and hold down their health care costs. As reemphasized in updated legislation introduced today, Sen. Baucus proposes to restrict the use of FSAs to help cover a portion of the costs of health care reform.

America's Healthy Future Act, as introduced by Sen. Baucus, contains provisions that would drastically restrict the use of FSAs primarily by imposing a $2,500 cap (initially proposed last week at $2,000) on contributions that - unlike other provisions in the legislation - would not adjust with inflation. The legislation also proposes limiting the use of the benefit for over-the-counter medications without a doctor's prescription and including FSAs together with major medical plans in an excise tax on high-cost insurance plans.

"It's disappointing that Sen. Baucus has focused his sights on restricting the use of flexible spending accounts through an unreasonably low cap on contributions. He appears to be discriminating against FSAs which, unlike other provisions in the bill, is not indexed over time," said Joe Jackson, chairman of Save Flexible Spending Plans and CEO of WageWorks, a benefits company based in San Mateo, California. "Without a change, many who rely on flexible spending accounts, including individuals and families battling chronic conditions with high out-of-pocket costs, will lose the full value of the benefit and be forced to pay higher taxes and health care costs."

Amendments filed by Senate Finance Committee members included proposals to increase or remove the originally planned $2,000 contribution cap, exclude FSAs from the excise tax on high cost health insurance plans and clarify the reimbursement role of FSAs for over-the-counter medications.

"We are encouraged that eight Senators from both sides of the aisle filed amendments to protect a benefit that has helped millions of hardworking Americans manage and hold down their health care costs," said Jackson. "At a minimum, amendments filed that would increase the cap on FSA contributions, including those by Senators Schumer and Snowe, represent a step in the right direction. Without a higher cap, Congress could force plan participants, including many fighting chronic illnesses, to forgo necessary medical treatment, prescriptions and supplies for financial reasons, resulting in a deterioration of health and an increase in hospitalizations and overall health care system costs."

About Flexible Spending Accounts

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are voluntary, account-based plans that enable millions of Americans to use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses like prescription drug co-pays, vision and dental costs, office visits and medical supplies. Most FSA participants are middle income, earning approximately $55,000 annually. Currently, limits on contributions to FSAs are set by individual employers.

In July, the House Ways and Means Committee approved health care reform legislation that includes a ban on using money set aside in FSAs to buy over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and allergy medications.

About Save Flexible Spending Plans

Save Flexible Spending Plans is a national grassroots advocacy organization protect against the restricted use of flexible spending accounts in health care reform efforts. The campaign is sponsored by the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), www.ecfc.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of private employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. To learn more, take action and read the personal stories of FSA participants, please visit www.savemyflexplan.org.

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Citizen Petition Supporting Medical Liability Reform Delivered to the Senate

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, two leading health care groups sent a petition signed by 14,266 patients, physicians, and concerned citizens to members of the Senate Committee on Finance, urging them to include meaningful changes to our nation's broken medical liability system during today's markup of health care reform legislation.

"It is clear from our petition drive that there is widespread public support for medical liability reform," said Doctors for Medical Liability Reform's Chairman Stuart L. Weinstein, MD. "President Obama, Democrat and Republican Members of Congress, leading health care policy experts, and opinion leaders all agree that the current system costs too much, and does not serve the needs of patients. It is our hope that members of the Senate Finance Committee will listen to these important voices and include medical liability reform in the Senate's health care bill," said Weinstein.

"If Congress is truly serious about reforming our health care system, they must put the personal injury lawyers' interests aside and include reforms to the medical liability system," said Health Coalition on Liability and Access Chair Mike Stinson. "Reforming our medical liability system is essential to reduce costs and protect access to care for all patients. States across the country, like California and Texas, have enacted reforms with a proven track record for success that should be a model for reform at the federal level."

DMLR, a national grassroots organization that includes physicians and patients, and the HCLA, a broad national coalition of health care providers and medical liability insurers, joined forces to ensure that medical liability reform is addressed in the health care reform debate.

The proposal introduced thus far in the Senate Finance Committee Chairman's Mark does not seriously address medical liability reform. Instead, the proposal expresses a "Sense of the Senate" that there should be consideration of state-based demonstration projects on liability reform.

While DMLR and HCLA believe that voluntary state demonstration projects may be a step in the right direction, the Senate's mere expression of support is insufficient -- these projects must be formalized and codified into law. Furthermore, state demonstration projects alone do not address the immediate need to lower health care costs and reduce the practice of defensive medicine.

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Monday, September 21, 2009

Pelosi: Congress Will Continue to Work With President Obama to Build an Innovation Economy

/PRNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today following President Obama's speech in Troy, N.Y. on innovation and Energy Secretary Steven Chu's announcement in Washington on funding to modernize our electrical system and build a smart energy grid:

"Today, President Obama reiterated a fundamental truth in America's economic history: innovation is the foundation for long-term prosperity. The President eloquently laid out a national strategy that has been lacking for a critical and fast-paced decade. Resting at the center of our recovery efforts, innovation is key to maintaining our nation's global competitiveness, creating jobs, and ensuring economic growth long into the future.

"The challenges of the 21st century cannot be met with 20th century solutions, and the New Direction Congress will continue to work with President Obama to ensure that we invest in clean energy industries, promote new technologies, support basic research, and train our students for the jobs of tomorrow.

"The 111th Congress is working on several fronts to keep America number one in our global economy. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is supporting small businesses committed to innovation and protecting jobs in critical sectors. The measure invests more than $100 billion in basic scientific research, fuel-efficient vehicles and homes, high-speed rail, and reinforcements in our infrastructure.

"Earlier today, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced $144 million in Recovery Act funding to modernize our electrical system and build a smart grid that strengthens our national security, creates clean energy jobs, saves consumers money on their energy bills, and diversifies our power supply with renewable, clean American energy.

"Throughout our nation's history, the ingenuity, hard work, and unmatched potential of the American people have been the building blocks for progress for every family. Congress shares President Obama's vision, and we will continue to work together to build an innovation economy in the years to come."

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Senator Proposes Use of Internet Gambling Revenue to Help Fund Health Care Reform

/PRNewswire/ -- An increased focus on the benefits of Internet gambling regulation are expected as the Senate Finance Committee considers a proposal introduced on Saturday to use Internet gambling revenue to offset the costs of health care reform. The amendment offered by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) would dedicate Internet gambling tax revenue generated through implementation of the currently pending Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) to increase low-income subsidies provided through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009. A PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture up to $62.7 billion over the next decade.

"We applaud Senator Wyden's proposal to collect and put to good use tens of billions in Internet gambling revenue that would otherwise be lost in the underground marketplace," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The Senate Finance Committee should approve the resolution, finally putting to an end a failed prohibition on Internet gambling that leaves Americans unprotected and unlicensed offshore operators as the only beneficiary in a thriving marketplace."

The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), introduced in May by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. The legislation mandates a number of significant consumer protections including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identify theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.

A companion to Chairman Frank's legislation introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 2268), would raise revenue for the U.S. Treasury primarily through ensuring that applicable individual taxes, corporate taxes and license fees on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected. Without this legislation, this revenue will remain uncollected while millions of Americans gamble online without consumer protections.

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Illinois: Adam Andrzejewski Wins First Republican Straw Poll of 2010 Gov Race

We're going to be keeping up with an assortment of key races across the country. You're invited to check out our "Republican Candidate" blog for more election coverage. We're hearing that this race is one to watch. We've also rec'd some suggestions from across the state of Illinois and other areas that 39-year old Adam Andrzejewski is someone to watch. Read that polls showed Andrzejewski winning against current Governor Quinn by a fairly high margin. It's early and there are quite a few announced candidates in this race.

Another race of interest is going to be the New York gubernatorial race. Speculation is that Rudy Giuliani (R) is going to run and that Patterson (D) is being told by President Obama that he needs to bow out. What may be unusual about the President's intervention is that typically those kind of open moves come from the DNC (or RNC) and/or is done on a quieter basis. The news was leaked, according to the NY Times, by two Democrats.

Gubernatorial Candidate Places First in URF’s Conservative Summit Straw Poll

Illinois – Conservative values, solid financial policy, and a break from the same old political baggage and retribution that has shaped Illinois has landed Adam Andrzejewski exactly where he should be – at the head of the line. The results of a straw poll, hosted by the United Republican Fund and WIND radio, reveal Andrzejewski as the clear frontrunner among all six Republican gubernatorial candidates – prevailing over even the most politically experienced candidates. “The biggest surprise, perhaps, is that Andrzejewski was so organized at that event,” states Rich Miller on his blog post for Capitol Fax (1).

Andrzejewski has poised himself to be exactly the type of Governor that Illinois needs. "This race is a battle for the heart and soul of our party. Real reform, cut spending, create efficiencies, shared sacrifice that defends the tax payer. We are just on the verge of the economic spiral of Michigan and we need reform that will halt that. I have no political baggage. I am an outsider without Springfield experience," declared Andrzejewski in his closing statement for the Conservative Summit.

Andrzejewski has obtained strong support through grassroots efforts and his message of reform. And while some campaigns talk about grassroots, the Andrzejewski campaign is a good example of a strong grassroots initiative that has been effective.

Andrzejewski polled a 116 among a group of conservative activists that included Peter Roskam – U.S. Congressman from the 6th District; Tom Cross – House GOP leader; Steve Rauschenberger – former State Senator; Chris Lauzen – State Senator; Demetra DeMonte – Rep. Nat’l Committeewoman for Ill.; Eric Wallace- candidate for U.S. Senate; Jim Oberweis – candidate for U.S. House of Representative; and Fran Eaton – blogger, columnist and pundit of IllinoisReview.com. The summit took place Friday at Carlucci’s in Downer’s Grove.
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Friday, September 18, 2009

Sen. Tarver Nominated by President Obama to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia

State Senator Ed Tarver (D-Augusta) was nominated by President Barack Obama to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Sen. Tarver will be the first black man to hold the position if confirmed by the Senate.

“I am extremely honored by the nomination and the potential opportunity for further service to our nation, subject to confirmation by the United States Senate. I look forward to completing the confirmation process and I am grateful for the support I have received from Georgia’s legislative delegation in Washington.”

The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia is one of 93 such offices in the United States. The office represents the United States in 43 counties and is divided into six divisions: Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick, Waycross, Dublin and Statesboro. The United States Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer of the United States within his or her jurisdiction.

Sen. Tarver currently serves on the Attorney Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Georgia, and is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia. Recently he received the 2008 Augusta NAACP President’s Award. Sen. Tarver was elected to the Senate in 2005. He serves as the Secretary of the Banking and Financial Institutions committee. He sits on Appropriations, Economic Development, Special Judiciary, and Government Oversight committees and the following Appropriations subcommittees: Judicial, Public Safety, and Criminal Justice. Over the 2008 interim, Sen. Tarver was named by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle as Chairman of the Senate Bankruptcy Homestead Exemption Study Committee.

Sen. Ed Tarver is a partner with the Augusta law firm of Hull, Towill, Norman, Barrett & Salley, P.C. He resides in Augusta with his wife Beverly (the former Beverly Myers). Sen. Tarver and his wife are the parents of two children – Edward Jr. (“Eddie”) and Beverly Elizabeth.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Doctor-Led Coalition Has Reservations With New Senate Healthcare Reform Bill

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The doctor-led Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights (Coalition) urged caution to legislators and the public as they consider Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus’s healthcare reform proposal, America's Healthy Future Act of 2009, which was released today.

“The devil is in the details,” former president of the American Medical Association and current spokesman of the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights Dr. Donald Palmisano said. “We have the best medical system in the world, so we want to make sure any reform goes to help fixing the problems – not creating new ones.”

The Coalition, which represents more than 10,000 people – mostly doctors and other healthcare professionals – has been a proponent of health system reform, but is concerned that current legislative options could have a negative impact on patient care. Specifically, the Coalition opposes a government-controlled public option which would lead to long waiting lines to see a doctor, substandard care, and an end to medical innovation. While the new Baucus bill does not include the public option there are other areas of potential worry.

“We will continue to review the bill, but already we have serious reservations with some aspects of the new proposed legislation,” Dr. Palmisano said. “Specifically, any co-op that serves as a Trojan horse for a government-controlled public option would be a non-starter. Additionally, we are very concerned about individual insurance mandates and a tax on health insurance plans. We want to expand patient options – not limit them. And we need to get costs under control – not increase them. And although I’m a doctor, I’m also a consumer and I know that if insurance companies are taxed, that cost will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.”

The Coalition agrees that more should be done to improve access to care for those who need it. Specifically, the Coalition supports market enhancements that expand access to health care for the uninsured like health savings accounts, tax credits, and vouchers for those who need them. Additionally, the Coalition believes that rising cost of healthcare could be slowed by implementing reforms such as comprehensive medical malpractice reform and the ability for individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines. And patients should always have the right to privately contract with their physician, without government interference.

The Coalition, however, opposes cuts to Medicare. Early reports indicate that the new Senate bill would cut more than $500 billion from Medicare over the next 10 years.

“Already, there are many cases where Medicare is paying less for care than what it actually costs doctors to provide the care. By cutting Medicare even further, we would see senior citizens lose care and lose access to their doctors,” Dr. Palmisano said. “It’s a sad fact of life, but if doctors can’t afford to keep their practice with the patients they have, they’ll either leave the profession or go somewhere where they can.”

“We hope that legislators will work with medical professionals as they craft legislation,” Dr. Palmisano said. “The Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights has had dozens of productive meetings with elected officials and their staffs over the past several months and looks forward to working with Members of Congress in the weeks ahead as we all seek to improve patient care.”

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

· Elizabeth “Beth” Robinson, Chief Financial Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
· Michael F. Mundaca, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Department of the Treasury

President Obama also appointed three individuals to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Their names and bios are below.

President Obama said, “My administration is committed to economic recovery, pushing the boundaries of science and space exploration and investing in the future of arts and the humanities, and these individuals will serve my team well as we work to accomplish these goals. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:

Elizabeth “Beth” Robinson, Nominee for Chief Financial Officer, National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationBeth Robinson is currently the Assistant Director for Budget at the Office of Management and Budget, where she leads the Budget Review Division to oversee the development, enactment and execution of the President's budget. From 2003 to 2005, she was the Deputy Director for the Congressional Budget Office, where she guided the development of cost estimates for legislation and reports on legislative options. She previously worked at OMB from 1998 to 2003, where she began as a Program Examiner on energy issues and ended as the Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Review and Concepts. Prior to that, Dr. Robinson worked on Capitol Hill for several years as a Professional Staff Member on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, where she crafted legislation on various science and energy policy issues. She received a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Reed College.

Michael F. Mundaca, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Department of the TreasuryMichael F. Mundaca currently is Senior Advisor for Policy within the Treasury Department's Office of Tax Policy and the Acting Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy. Mr. Mundaca served in the Treasury Department during the Clinton Administration and returned to the Treasury Department in 2007, as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Tax Affairs. Before that appointment, he was a partner for five years in the International Tax Services group of Ernst & Young's National Tax Department, in Washington, D.C. His practice focused on cross-border planning and structuring, including especially tax treaty issues, and on international legislative and regulatory monitoring and consulting. Before joining Ernst & Young, Mr. Mundaca served for over five years in Treasury's Office of the International Tax Counsel, leaving as the Deputy International Tax Counsel. He was also Treasury's Senior Advisor on Electronic Commerce. Prior to that first stint in Treasury, he was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, a law firm in New York. Mr. Mundaca has been an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, teaching a seminar on tax treaties. Mr. Mundaca received a B.A. in philosophy and in physics from Columbia University, in 1986, and an M.A.in philosophy from the University of Chicago, in 1988. He received a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall), in 1992, where he was Senior Executive Editor of The California Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He also has an LL.M., in taxation (international tax specialization), from the University of Miami.

President Obama also announced that he has appointed the following individuals today to serve on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities:

Margo Lion, Co-Chairman, President's Committee on the Arts and HumanitiesMargo Lion’s career has spanned theatre, politics, and education. Starting out as an intern on Capitol Hill for Senator Daniel B. Brewster (D-Maryland) and then as a special cultural projects coordinator in Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s New York office, Lion shifted her career to teaching elementary school in the years following Senator Kennedy’s death. In 1977, Lion began producing theater for the not-for-profit company, Music-Theater Group/Lenox Arts Center, and in 1982 began her work as a commercial theatre producer. Lion has worked with the pre-eminent theater writers of our time including: Tony Kushner, David Mamet, Arthur Miller, August Wilson and George C. Wolfe. Her shows on Broadway include: HAIRSPRAY; CAROLINE, OR CHANGE; and ANGELS IN AMERICA. Lion’s productions have garnered 20 Tony Awards, 4 Olivier Awards and 1 Pulitzer Prize. Lion is an adjunct professor and a member of the Dean's Council at the NYU-Tisch School of the Arts. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the LAByrinth Theatre and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, and on the advisory boards of the Baltimore Young Women’s Leadership School, the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts and PUBLICOLOR.

George Stevens, Jr., Co-Chairman, President's Committee on the Arts and HumanitiesIn a career spanning fifty years George Stevens, Jr. has created a legacy of distinguished work as a writer, director, producer of motion pictures and television. In 1962 he became the head of the Motion Picture Service of the U.S. Information Agency under Edward R. Murrow, and in 1967 founded the American Film Institute. He continues to serve on the AFI Board. As a writer and producer Stevens has earned 11 Emmys, two George Foster Peabody Awards for Meritorious Service to Broadcasting and nine awards from the Writers Guild of America. Among his honored productions are The Kennedy Center Honors which he launched in 1978; the mini-series Separate But Equal and The Murder of Mary Phagan; George Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Journey; We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration from the Lincoln Memorial; and the feature film The Thin Red Line which was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. In 2008 he made his debut as a playwright on Broadway with Thurgood which earned a Tony nomination for its star Laurence Fishburne. He is also a successful author. Conversations with the Great Moviemakers of Hollywood’s Golden Age was published in 2005. Currently, Stevens is producing the thirty-second annual Kennedy Center Honors, a feature length documentary on the famed political cartoonist Herb Block, and writing a new book on film for Knopf.

Mary Schmidt Campbell, Vice Chairman, President's Committee on the Arts and HumanitiesMary Schmidt Campbell has been dean of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts since 1991. Dean Campbell began her career in New York as the executive director of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Under her leadership, the Studio Museum in Harlem emerged as a major national and international cultural institution and a lynchpin of the economic revival of Harlem. In 1987, Mayor Edward I. Koch invited Dr. Campbell to serve as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs of the City of New York. Dean Campbell holds a B.A. degree in English literature from Swarthmore College, an M.A. in art history from Syracuse University, and a Ph.D. in humanities, also from Syracuse. She is co-author of Harlem Renaissance: Art of Black America (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1987) and Memory and Metaphor: The Art of Romare Bearden, 1940-1987 (New York: Oxford University Press & The Studio Museum in Harlem, 1991). She is the co-editor of Artistic Citizenship: A Public Voice for the Arts (New York: Routledge, 2006.) She is currently working on a book on Romare Bearden for Oxford University Press, (2011 expected publication date). She sits on the board of The American Academy in Rome and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. In the fall of 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She served in the voluntary position of Chair of the New York State Council on the Arts from 2007-2009. She also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Tisch Asia, the Tisch School of the Arts Singapore campus.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

International Automakers Oppose 'Right to Repair' Legislation

/PRNewswire/ -- In a hearing today on so-called "right to repair" legislation, a representative of international automakers cautioned Massachusetts lawmakers against burdening dealers and automakers with additional costs to correct a problem that doesn't exist.

According to Paul Ryan, director of government affairs at the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), a close review by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2006 ". . .found no evidence of a systematic problem related to the inability of customers or auto repair shops to acquire the equipment needed to repair cars or access information needed to make timely repairs. In fact," said Ryan, "the FTC found only two relevant complaints as the result of an automated search of its more than 4 million complaints during the previous ten-year period and none in the random sample of some 6,700 complaints related in any way to auto repair."

Ryan's testimony was presented to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure of the Massachusetts legislature which held a hearing to consider passage of several related House and Senate "right to repair" bills.

Ryan also pointed out that a national organization already exists to ensure full access by independent repair shops to automakers' service and repair information. "The National Automotive Task Force (NASTF) was formed because. . .the business of servicing and repairing vehicles made today is not as easy or as inexpensive as it once was," said the AIAM executive. "In this connection, NASTF. . .serves as a mechanism for reporting and quickly resolving any information gaps that may, from time to time, exist."

Testimony by others opposing the so called "right to repair" legislation pointed out that the lobbying campaign behind this issue is largely financed by giant aftermarket parts retailers like AutoZone, CARQUEST and Genuine Parts/NAPA despite claims that most supporters are small "mom and pop" repair shops. According to the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and its 65,000 independent auto technicians, there is no problem accessing service and repair information from automakers. But the aftermarket parts companies listed above seek access to automakers' intellectual property via "right to repair."

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Senators Express Concern With Number of Czars in Administration

/PRNewswire/ -- In a letter to the President, Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, questions the number of "czars" within the Executive Office. In the letter, Senator Collins expresses concern that the growing number of czars may be undermining the constitutional oversight responsibilities of Congress. The letter was also signed by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Kit Bond (R-MO), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Bob Bennett (R-UT).

The full text of the letter is as follows:

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:


We write to express our growing concern with the proliferation of "czars" in your Administration. These positions raise serious issues of accountability, transparency, and oversight. The creation of "czars," particularly within the Executive Office of the President, circumvents the constitutionally established process of "advise and consent," greatly diminishes the ability of Congress to conduct oversight and hold officials accountable, and creates confusion about which officials are responsible for policy decisions.

To be clear, we do not consider every position identified in various reports as a "czar" to be problematic. Positions established by law or subject to Senate confirmation, such as the Director of National Intelligence, the Homeland Security Advisor, and the Chairman of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, do not raise the same kinds of concerns as positions that you have established within the Executive Office of the President that are largely insulated from effective Congressional oversight. We also recognize that Presidents are entitled to surround themselves with experts who can serve as senior advisors.

Many "czars" you have appointed, however, either duplicate or dilute the statutory authority and responsibilities that Congress has conferred upon Cabinet-level officers and other senior Executive branch officials. When established within the White House, these "czars" can hinder the ability of Congress to oversee the complex substantive issues that you have unilaterally entrusted to their leadership. Whether in the White House or elsewhere, the authorities of these advisors are essentially undefined. They are not subject to the Senate's constitutional "advice and consent" role, including the Senate's careful review of the character and qualifications of the individuals nominated by the President to fill the most senior positions within our government. Indeed, many of these new "czars" appear to occupy positions of greater responsibility and authority than many of the officials who have been confirmed by the Senate to fill positions within your Administration.

With these concerns in mind, we have identified at least 18 "czar" positions created by your Administration whose reported responsibilities may be undermining the constitutional oversight responsibilities of Congress or express statutory assignments of responsibility to other Executive branch officials. With regard to each of these positions, we ask that you explain:

-- the specific authorities and responsibilities of the position,
including any limitations you have placed on the position to ensure
that it does not encroach on the legitimate statutory responsibilities
of other Executive branch officials;
-- the process by which the Administration examines the character and
qualifications of the individuals appointed by the President to fill
the position; and,
-- whether the individual occupying the position will agree to any
reasonable request to appear before, or provide information to,
Congress.

We also urge you to refrain from creating similar additional positions or making appointments to any vacant "czar" positions until you have fully consulted with the appropriate Congressional committees.

Finally, we ask that you reconsider your approach of centralizing authority at the White House. Congress has grappled repeatedly with the question of how to organize the federal government. We have worked to improve the Department of Homeland Security and bring together the disparate law enforcement, intelligence, emergency response, and security components that form its core. We established the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate the activities of the 16 elements of the Intelligence Community, breaking down barriers to cooperation that led to intelligence failures before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The bipartisan review by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee of the failures associated with the response to Hurricane Katrina led to fundamental reforms of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, improving our nation's preparedness and ability to respond to disasters. In each of these cases, the Congress's proposed solution did not consolidate power in a single czar locked away in a White House office. Instead, working in a bipartisan fashion, we created a transparent framework of accountable leaders with the authorities necessary to accomplish their vital missions.

If you believe action is needed to address other failures or impediments to successful coordination within the Executive branch, we ask that you consult carefully with Congress prior to establishing any additional "czar" positions or filling any existing vacancies in these positions. We stand ready to work with you to address these challenges and to provide our nation's most senior leaders with the legitimacy necessary to do their jobs - without furthering the accountability, oversight, vetting, and transparency shortcomings associated with "czars."

Sincerely,


Susan M. Collins
U.S. Senator

Lamar Alexander
U.S. Senator

Christopher S. Bond
U.S. Senator

Mike Crapo
U.S. Senator

Pat Roberts
U.S. Senator

Robert F. Bennett
U.S. Senator

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Monday, September 14, 2009

Congress Encouraged to Collect Billions in New Revenue with Internet Gambling Regulation in New Advertising Campaign

/PRNewswire/ -- The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative launched a new online advertising campaign today in support of the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), legislation that would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. The ads advocate regulating Internet gambling to protect the millions of Americans who continue to gamble online despite government attempts to prohibit the activity and to collect up to $62.7 billion in new revenues for the federal government in the first decade.

"As Congress searches for ways to pay for health care reform and other worthy programs, it should end the unsuccessful prohibition of Internet gambling and start collecting taxes on the billions in revenue currently lost to unlicensed, offshore gambling operators," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

House Committee of Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) has announced his intent to hold a hearing and markup on the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 this fall. Since introduction of the legislation by Chairman Frank in May, a bipartisan group of more than 50 co-sponsors have signed onto the bill. Supporters include many senior ranking representatives such as George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, John Conyers (D-MI), chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, Edolphus Towns (D-NY), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Pete King (R-NY), ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee and Ron Paul (R-TX), vice-chairman of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee.

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Friday, September 11, 2009

Libertarians respond to President Obama's health care speech

In the wake of President Obama's speech to Congress, America's third-largest party wants to remind voters about Republican support for government-run health care plans.

William Redpath, chairman of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) commented, "Make no mistake, the Libertarian Party is opposed to President Obama's health care plans, and his speech last night has not budged us. But we also opposed Republican plans for big-government health care, many of which have been implemented in recent years."

In 2003, President Bush and the Republican Congress enacted a Medicare prescription drug expansion. It was originally expected to cost $400 billion, but just two years later the cost was revised upward to $1.2 trillion.

In 2006, Republican Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney supported and signed a bill that required all residents to purchase health insurance, and increased state health insurance funding.

In 2007, Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry issued an executive order to force sixth-grade schoolgirls to receive HPV vaccinations.

This year, congressional Republicans put forward the "Patients' Choice Act of 2009," which would increase federal government spending and control of health care in a variety of ways.

The Libertarian Party has put a poll on on its home page to allow voters to choose which Republican plan is the most hypocritical.

Redpath said, "Republicans are living in glass houses when they complain about the President's health care plans and the bills in the Democratic-controlled Congress."

Redpath continued, "It's time for President Obama to be intellectually honest, himself, and to stop inferring that his ideas of health care reform are the only ones out there. With neither of the major parties is there any serious discussion about letting individuals control their own health care dollars, moving away from employer-provided health insurance, and increasing competition among insurance companies by letting people purchase health insurance across state lines and among providers by taking a good, long look at medical education and licensure laws to allow potential providers to freely respond to health consumers' needs."

Redpath continued, "But, before the President and the Gang of 535 even do that, it would be refreshing to at least hear them debate whether the federal government is empowered to be in the middle of all of this. An honest reading of the Constitution might stimulate the right move -- punting this to the states and the people."

The Libertarian Party favors a free market health care system. The party's platform states, "We favor restoring and reviving a free market health care system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions."

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Wednesday, September 9, 2009

U.S. Chamber Encourages Obama to Propose Meaningful Medical Liability Reforms in Speech to Congress

/PRNewswire/ -- Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on reports from White House press secretary Robert Gibbs that President Obama will address medical liability reform in tonight's speech to Congress:

"We are encouraged that President Obama understands the tremendous burden that medical malpractice lawsuits place on the nation's health care system, and are hopeful he will propose meaningful reforms tonight to limit the impact of these lawsuits on patients, taxpayers and medical providers.

Meaningful medical liability reforms must be considered if we truly wish to lower costs and lessen the toll of these lawsuits. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that medical liability and defensive medicine reforms alone could save the health care system between $218 billion and $500 billion in just 10 years. These potential savings should not be ignored.

Throughout the ongoing debate, it is clear that the plaintiffs' bar is the only group not asked to sacrifice for health care reform. The President and the Congress needs to respond by putting meaningful medical liability reforms on the table."

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Bauer Calls for News of Concrete Compromise from President Obama

/PRNewswire/ -- Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer on the eve of President Obama's health care address said Tuesday that he would be listening for specifics from the President about "compromises and concessions he is willing to make to show that his promises of bipartisan policy development were real."

The chairman of the Campaign for Working Families made the following comments: "President Obama's idea of bipartisanship is that the GOP blindly accepts all his ideas without comment and offer up other people's money via taxes for his proposals. The speech tonight needs to include specifics from the President about the kind of compromises he plans to make to address the very real concerns Americans have with his plans. The only bipartisanship coalitions being created are those among Democrats and Republicans who oppose key elements of Obama's proposal.

"No one believes that you can increase coverage without raising the costs, and the most disingenuous reality of the proposed health care take over is the fact that never once is a tremendous contributor to rising health care costs addressed: runaway legal cost. The fact that trial lawyers are such strident supporters of the Democratic Party seems to be the reason that that ballooning legal fees are not curtailed. Real health care reform involved cutting off the legal gravy train. We need tort reform.

"It is equally strange that the president argues that a health care bill must be forced through this year, only to languish for years and take effect AFTER he is up for reelection. If there is a real crisis in his eyes, he should be willing to stand before the voters and be accountable for his health care take over. If there is time for more careful deliberation, it should involve the bipartisan efforts of all our elected officeholders. Health care reform should receive the attention and care that most Americans believe was not given to the emergency stimulus bill which was long on funds for Democratic interests and short on the kinds of help that would curtail rising unemployment. False emergency proclamations are poisoning the process. We need thoughtful, bipartisan, thorough problem solving for effective health care reform."

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Friday, September 4, 2009

President Obama's Address to America's Students: Right Idea, Wrong Message

/PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of controversy surrounding President Barack Obama's scheduled speech to America's school children, Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform (CER), released the following statement:

"Having the President of the United States use the bully pulpit to speak to our schoolchildren isn't new, but it's only a good use of the office if executed with a clear vision. That vision was blurred by overzealous staffers who counseled teachers to use the speech to focus on President Obama himself and not on the nation's education crisis.

"That crisis should be the focus of the president's message. Tell them, Mr. President, that you recognize the obstacles they face in getting a great education, and that you and others from all political ideologies are working on substantive reforms that they can help achieve.

"Tell them our great country lags behind many others when it comes to student achievement, and that not only do they have to work smarter as a result, but they have to demand great schools through their teachers, through their parents and, yes, in whatever community venues they participate.

"We have a generation of kids that are more aware of their world than any in history. They need to hear that there are things we can do to fix schools, from rewarding great teachers, to closing failing schools, making sure standards are high, creating bold, expansive new schools of choice for students, and generally recognizing that no one size fits all students anymore.

"If that is the president's focus, then his staffers can distribute literature about all these reforms to the nation's school staffs, which rarely receive objective information about them from the associations to which they belong and are most comfortable with the status quo. Then and only then will the president have achieved his stated goal of contributing to the improvement of all schools for all children."

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Thursday, September 3, 2009

President Obama Joins the U.S. Army and the Ad Council to Communicate the Importance of Education for America's Youth

/PRNewswire/ -- In time for the first day of school for many children across the U.S., President Obama is joining the Ad Council and the U.S. Army to launch a new series of television and radio public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to encourage Americans to take responsibility and support high school students on their path to graduation. The new ads, which feature the President, are a part of the Ad Council and the U.S. Army's High School Dropout Prevention "Boost" campaign. They are being distributed to media outlets nationwide to coincide with a special address President Obama will deliver directly to students in grades K-12 on Tuesday, September 8th on the importance of taking responsibility for their education. The speech will be broadcast live at 12:00 pm EDT on www.whitehouse.gov/live and C-SPAN.

Nearly 30 percent of high school students in the U.S. drop out, according to a report released by the America's Promise Alliance (Cities in Crisis: A Special Analytic Report on High School Graduation). In the new TV and radio PSAs, President Obama communicates that he couldn't have achieved his success without first graduating from high school. The President points to his high school graduation photo and describes how it paved the way for his inauguration photo. President Obama then urges all parents, friends, educators and neighbors to do whatever it takes to help support and encourage high school students in their education.

"We need all students to develop their talents, skills and intellect so they can help solve our most difficult problems," said President Obama. "If students don't do that -- if they quit on school -- they're not just quitting on themselves, they're quitting on their country."

During the speech, the President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. In advance of the address, the Department of Education is providing teachers with resources to help engage students and stimulate discussion on the importance of education.

"We are delighted to have President Obama join our Boost campaign designed to encourage students to stay in school and graduate. Research shows that the decision to drop out doesn't happen overnight and it isn't due to lack of motivation for many students. Through the President's words, these wonderful PSAs highlight the importance of motivating and challenging students and they help continue our campaign's goal to develop a community of support for students who need it," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council.

The Ad Council and the U.S. Army kicked off their High School Dropout Prevention initiative in 2000. Now called "Boost" and created pro bono by ad agency Publicis New York, the campaign portrays the real stories of potential graduates who are at risk of dropping out. The PSAs encourage teens, parents and adults to give these students and students in their communities the "boost" of encouragement they need to stay in school and graduate. The ads direct audiences to visit www.boostup.org, where they can send "boosts" to either students in their own communities or the profiled students. There are also sections on the website for parents and teens, which provide resources and guidance on issues relating to school, crisis and community.

The "Boost" campaign leverages the leading social networking websites (YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace) to provide opportunities to support teens. In addition to the PSAs, the campaign features a series of wake-up calls and alarm ringtones recorded by professional athletes that teens can share with friends and peers to provide the motivation to get up and go to school in the morning. New York Knicks' Nate Robinson, Chicago Bears' Lance Briggs, Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Baltimore Ravens' Willis McGahee donated their time to record the messages, which can be downloaded at www.BoostUp.org/WakeUp. Furthermore, students can download an interactive "Countdown to Graduation" widget to help them stay on track to graduation.

"Nearly thirty percent of American high school students aren't graduating. Not because they don't want to graduate, but because of outside, personal situations including having to support family income, teen pregnancy and other issues," said Rob Feakins, President and Chief Creative Officer of Publicis New York. "These students need all of our support. And we welcome the support of President Obama."

Since its launch in November 2000, the Ad Council and the U.S. Army's High School Dropout initiative has received over $400 million in donated time and space from the media and is frequently ranked among the top ten supported Ad Council campaigns.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Obama's 'Specific' Healthcare Speech: Will He Disavow Pledge-Breaking Tax Hikes in House Dem Health Bill?

/PRNewswire/ -- There are four tax hikes in the House Democrat healthcare bill (H.R. 3200) that violate President Obama's promise not to raise "any form" of taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year. The White House has told reporters that Obama is going to get specific on healthcare policy in a speech next week, which begs the question:

If Obama is serious about keeping his central campaign promise, will he disavow the four pledge-breaking provisions in the House Democrat healthcare bill? They are as follows:

Restrictions on tax-deductible purchases of over-the-counter medicines with health spending accounts like FSAs and HSAs. This isn't in the original H.R. 3200, but it did make it into Charlie Rangel's "Chairman's Mark." The description can be found at www.jct.gov, and it's document JCX-32-09. The 8 million Americans who have a health savings account (HSA) and 30 million Americans who have a health flexible spending account (FSA) will no longer be able to buy over-the-counter medicines (aspirin, etc.) on a pre-tax basis. Contrary to the Obama rhetoric, this would change the plan people currently have, and raises their taxes in the process. This affects anyone with these types of accounts, not just those making more than $250,000 per year.

Tax on Individuals Not Enrolled in Health Insurance (Page 167): Those who don't enroll in a health insurance plan will have to pay a new tax equal to 2.5% of income. If they earn $40,000 a year and don't have health insurance, they will have to pay tax of $1000. Notice how this tax affects all individuals, not just those making more than $250,000 per year.

Tax on Businesses Not Offering Health Insurance (Page 183): If a business has a payroll of at least $500,000 and does not offer health insurance, it will be compelled to pay a new payroll tax of 8 percent. It doesn't matter if the business is profitable or running a loss. Small businesses pay taxes on their owners' 1040s. This will affect thousands of small businesses with profits of less than $250,000 per year.

IRS Can Disallow Perfectly Legal Tax Deductions They Just Don't Like (Page 207): If a taxpayer (including one making less than $250,000 per year) uses a perfectly-legal tax deduction the IRS doesn't like, the IRS will be empowered to simply disallow it. The only reason the IRS has to give is that the tax break lacks "economic substance" -- that is, the taxpayer is not taking the deduction for "substantial" or "business" reasons. For those wanting to engage in a legal activity to cut their tax bill, the IRS wins no matter what.

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Statement from the American College of Surgeons Regarding Growing Democrat Support for Medical Liability Reform to be Included in Health Care Reform

/PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Surgeons applauds Democrats - led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) - for recognizing the need for Congress to address medical liability reform as part of the overall health care reform bill currently under consideration. Over the past few weeks, we have been encouraged to have heard Democrats and Republicans across the country talking with constituents at town hall meetings about the need to address this important bipartisan issue.

The current climate in this country is one in which surgeons and other physicians are forced to practice in an environment of defensive medicine, sometimes ordering additional and possibly unnecessary tests in order to avoid lawsuits. Addressing medical liability reform as part of the overall health care reform bill will help to stem the tide of rising health care costs.

The American College of Surgeons urges President Obama to make medical liability reform a more central component of his call for overall health care reform. Further, we urge the leadership of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to include this important issue in the bills that they will take up in the coming weeks.

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