Herman Cain will announce his decision regarding a potential White House bid on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at "High Noon" at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source: Friends of Herman Cain
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Showing posts with label atlanta. Show all posts
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Georgia Tax Reform Report a Taxpayer Protection Pledge Violation
/PRNewswire/ -- Today Americans for Tax Reform announced that a vote in favor of the recommendations of the 2010 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians would violate the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, as it constitutes a net tax increase. 55 Georgia lawmakers, including Governor Nathan Deal, House Speaker David Ralston, and Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers have signed the Pledge, a written promise to constituents to oppose and vote against or veto all tax increases.
While the Council proposes some pro-growth reforms, such as the gradual reduction of personal and corporate income tax rates, they are more than offset with net tax increases. The income tax reductions amount to roughly $750 million in savings for Georgians, but tax increases on groceries, tobacco, communications services, the Internet and other services approach $2 billion. ATR believes that tax reform is a noble goal, but not when it constitutes a net revenue increase for state government.
ATR President Grover Norquist issued the following statement:
"In its current form, last week's tax reform proposal should be a non-starter for fiscal conservatives in the Georgia Legislature. While tax reform is indeed a laudable goal, it should not be presented in a way that increases the net burden on taxpayers and raises even more money for state government. Unfortunately, this report recommends just that.
"A significant reduction in marginal tax rates is long overdue in Georgia, which is wedged between two states – Tennessee and Florida – that levy no personal income tax at all. But if the goal is to use such reductions to mask bigger tax increases on groceries, tobacco, and a variety of services, it is not even worthy of a conversation.
"This is akin to shards of glass in a delicious creme brulee. It is a bit of desirable tax reform ruined by an overall tax hike. Thankfully, Taxpayer Protection Pledge signers run state government in Georgia. Because they have taken tax increases definitively off the table, I am confident that we can move past this initial foray into tax reform and begin a serious conversation about reducing the size and scope of state government in Atlanta."
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While the Council proposes some pro-growth reforms, such as the gradual reduction of personal and corporate income tax rates, they are more than offset with net tax increases. The income tax reductions amount to roughly $750 million in savings for Georgians, but tax increases on groceries, tobacco, communications services, the Internet and other services approach $2 billion. ATR believes that tax reform is a noble goal, but not when it constitutes a net revenue increase for state government.
ATR President Grover Norquist issued the following statement:
"In its current form, last week's tax reform proposal should be a non-starter for fiscal conservatives in the Georgia Legislature. While tax reform is indeed a laudable goal, it should not be presented in a way that increases the net burden on taxpayers and raises even more money for state government. Unfortunately, this report recommends just that.
"A significant reduction in marginal tax rates is long overdue in Georgia, which is wedged between two states – Tennessee and Florida – that levy no personal income tax at all. But if the goal is to use such reductions to mask bigger tax increases on groceries, tobacco, and a variety of services, it is not even worthy of a conversation.
"This is akin to shards of glass in a delicious creme brulee. It is a bit of desirable tax reform ruined by an overall tax hike. Thankfully, Taxpayer Protection Pledge signers run state government in Georgia. Because they have taken tax increases definitively off the table, I am confident that we can move past this initial foray into tax reform and begin a serious conversation about reducing the size and scope of state government in Atlanta."
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Justice Department to Monitor Election in Georgia
/PRNewswire/ -- The Justice Department today announced that it will monitor polling place activities for compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 during the Dec. 1, 2009, municipal run-off election in Union Point, Ga.
The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race. It also allows voters who have difficulty reading or who have a disability to receive assistance from persons of their choice, with the exception of their employers or union officials. Attorneys from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.
Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country. To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931. More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/index.htm.
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The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race. It also allows voters who have difficulty reading or who have a disability to receive assistance from persons of their choice, with the exception of their employers or union officials. Attorneys from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.
Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country. To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931. More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/index.htm.
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Democratic Senators, Congresswoman, Small Business Owners Discuss Impact of Health Insurance Reform on Small Businesses
/PRNewswire/ -- Democratic Senators Tom Harkin and Mary Landrieu and Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson joined Mike Draper, a small business owner from Des Moines, Iowa; Gwendolyn Barnes, a small business owner from Shreveport, Louisiana; Dr. Ken Brantley, a small business owner from Richmond, Virginia; and other small business owners from across the country at a press conference this morning to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses. Recent studies indicate that small businesses are likely to see their premiums rise 15% in the coming year, double the rate of last year's increase. Small businesses employ roughly 40% of the private labor force in America, making it crucial that we work to ensure affordability of health coverage for this central part of the American workforce.
"The status quo in health insurance spending for America's small businesses is intolerable and it is unsustainable," said Harkin. "Today, we have a simple message for small business owners across America: help is on the way and it comes in the form of a health reform plan that puts a stop to the discriminatory insurance industry practice of jacking up premiums for small businesses by up to 200 percent when an employee gets sick or because the business hires a woman. Our bill will end the practice of denying coverage based on preexisting conditions or increasing premiums based on health status, gender, or industry. As I have said many times, the biggest winners in a reformed health system will be small business owners and their employees."
Landrieu said: "Small businesses are suffering from skyrocketing health insurance premiums that are eating into their bottom lines and threatening their survival. As we continue to make progress toward comprehensive health care reform, Democrats are working to address the health care needs of small businesses. And while we may not yet completely agree on everything, one thing we can all agree on is that doing nothing is simply not an option."
"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and right now health care costs are simply too much to bear," said Halvorson. "If we truly want our small businesses to help lead us out of our current economic troubles, we must act to reform health care. Small business owners and their employees are depending on it. We must act now."
Draper said: "We try to be flexible, but it's an expensive way to do it. Right now, health insurance is a volatile commodity such as oil -- the price swings, the price increases, and it takes up a larger portion of a company's budget. If the government were to provide a more stable option and take the market out of things, it would help settle business's books, it would help them better predict the future. As a business owner, I wouldn't have to worry about finding policies, knowing what is covered, what isn't covered and how much the company will end up paying."
"We started off with everybody on a group plan, but as the premiums continued to climb and climb, my employees had to start dropping out, so we switched to individual plans," said Barnes. "But one of my employees was denied for a pre-existing condition. And we've had trouble with the insurance company -- when my daughter needed a surgery, they mysteriously took her off the surgery schedule. That's not right. It's time to fix health care -- for small businesses like mine and for the communities we serve."
Brantley said: "The lack of affordable health insurance hurts millions of small-business owners like me. I would love to hire several highly skilled staff to work with me. This would balance the workload, expand our care, and create more jobs. It is virtually impossible, however, to find qualified applicants who will accept a job offer without health insurance benefits. The high cost of health care hurts my ability to create new jobs here in Virginia and retain skilled employees. Without competition and meaningful health care legislation, we will continue to see rising health insurance premiums each year that harm businesses and squeeze families."
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"The status quo in health insurance spending for America's small businesses is intolerable and it is unsustainable," said Harkin. "Today, we have a simple message for small business owners across America: help is on the way and it comes in the form of a health reform plan that puts a stop to the discriminatory insurance industry practice of jacking up premiums for small businesses by up to 200 percent when an employee gets sick or because the business hires a woman. Our bill will end the practice of denying coverage based on preexisting conditions or increasing premiums based on health status, gender, or industry. As I have said many times, the biggest winners in a reformed health system will be small business owners and their employees."
Landrieu said: "Small businesses are suffering from skyrocketing health insurance premiums that are eating into their bottom lines and threatening their survival. As we continue to make progress toward comprehensive health care reform, Democrats are working to address the health care needs of small businesses. And while we may not yet completely agree on everything, one thing we can all agree on is that doing nothing is simply not an option."
"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and right now health care costs are simply too much to bear," said Halvorson. "If we truly want our small businesses to help lead us out of our current economic troubles, we must act to reform health care. Small business owners and their employees are depending on it. We must act now."
Draper said: "We try to be flexible, but it's an expensive way to do it. Right now, health insurance is a volatile commodity such as oil -- the price swings, the price increases, and it takes up a larger portion of a company's budget. If the government were to provide a more stable option and take the market out of things, it would help settle business's books, it would help them better predict the future. As a business owner, I wouldn't have to worry about finding policies, knowing what is covered, what isn't covered and how much the company will end up paying."
"We started off with everybody on a group plan, but as the premiums continued to climb and climb, my employees had to start dropping out, so we switched to individual plans," said Barnes. "But one of my employees was denied for a pre-existing condition. And we've had trouble with the insurance company -- when my daughter needed a surgery, they mysteriously took her off the surgery schedule. That's not right. It's time to fix health care -- for small businesses like mine and for the communities we serve."
Brantley said: "The lack of affordable health insurance hurts millions of small-business owners like me. I would love to hire several highly skilled staff to work with me. This would balance the workload, expand our care, and create more jobs. It is virtually impossible, however, to find qualified applicants who will accept a job offer without health insurance benefits. The high cost of health care hurts my ability to create new jobs here in Virginia and retain skilled employees. Without competition and meaningful health care legislation, we will continue to see rising health insurance premiums each year that harm businesses and squeeze families."
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Westmoreland: Opponents of Government Takeover Will Have Voices Heard
Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats unveiled their final 2,000-page health care plan (HR 3962) after weeks of Democrat-only, closed-door negotiations.
“Apparently, because this is health care legislation, the House Democrats thought doctor-patient confidentiality rules should apply to their secret negotiations,” U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said. “The voices of those opposed to a government takeover of health care have been shut out of this debate. We got a taste of how strongly people feel on this issue during the August town halls, and I think those voices that Pelosi ignored will be heard loudly in the coming days.”
Westmoreland took issue with House Majority Leader’s Steny Hoyer’s assertion that the legislation meets an “urgent” need.
“Republicans and Democrats agree that we have too many uninsured Americans and too many family tragedies related to health care costs,” Westmoreland said. “But let’s be clear: This legislation won’t meet those needs urgently. In fact, benefits don’t take affect for three more years. The only thing that the Democrats think is ‘urgent’ enough to enact immediately are the tax hikes and mandates that will kill off even more jobs in this ailing economy.”
Westmoreland cites several tenets of the bill as problematic:
· $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, which Westmoreland sees as either ‘phantom cuts’ that will never take place or catastrophic for seniors’ health care coverage.
· Bill contains the word “shall” 3,425 times – that’s a lot of government mandates.
· Expanding eligibility for Medicaid, which will hike costs for budget-strapped state governments.
· Tax hikes on small business owners, whom we’re relying on to create new jobs in this economy.
· Mandates on business to provide coverage to all employees or face penalties, creating a “tax on jobs” that will lead to fewer jobs.
· A government-run ‘public option’ that will eventually crowd out private plans, causing many Americans to lose their current coverage.
· The legislation’s financing will cost much more than advertised, placing yet another burden on our national debt. The legislation comes in below $1 trillion over 10 years only because 1) Democrats moved the cost of paying Medicare fees to doctors (more than $200 billion) into another bill and 2) they count 10 years of revenues but only seven years of expenses.
Westmoreland points out that, contrary to Democratic claims that the Republicans are simply the “Party of No,” the GOP has offered an alternative called the Empowering Patients First Act. This legislation, HR 3400, would 1) make access to coverage affordable for all Americans; 2) make coverage truly owned and controlled by the patient; 3) improve the healthcare delivery structure; and 4) rein in out-of-control costs, including through robust liability reform.
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“Apparently, because this is health care legislation, the House Democrats thought doctor-patient confidentiality rules should apply to their secret negotiations,” U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland said. “The voices of those opposed to a government takeover of health care have been shut out of this debate. We got a taste of how strongly people feel on this issue during the August town halls, and I think those voices that Pelosi ignored will be heard loudly in the coming days.”
Westmoreland took issue with House Majority Leader’s Steny Hoyer’s assertion that the legislation meets an “urgent” need.
“Republicans and Democrats agree that we have too many uninsured Americans and too many family tragedies related to health care costs,” Westmoreland said. “But let’s be clear: This legislation won’t meet those needs urgently. In fact, benefits don’t take affect for three more years. The only thing that the Democrats think is ‘urgent’ enough to enact immediately are the tax hikes and mandates that will kill off even more jobs in this ailing economy.”
Westmoreland cites several tenets of the bill as problematic:
· $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, which Westmoreland sees as either ‘phantom cuts’ that will never take place or catastrophic for seniors’ health care coverage.
· Bill contains the word “shall” 3,425 times – that’s a lot of government mandates.
· Expanding eligibility for Medicaid, which will hike costs for budget-strapped state governments.
· Tax hikes on small business owners, whom we’re relying on to create new jobs in this economy.
· Mandates on business to provide coverage to all employees or face penalties, creating a “tax on jobs” that will lead to fewer jobs.
· A government-run ‘public option’ that will eventually crowd out private plans, causing many Americans to lose their current coverage.
· The legislation’s financing will cost much more than advertised, placing yet another burden on our national debt. The legislation comes in below $1 trillion over 10 years only because 1) Democrats moved the cost of paying Medicare fees to doctors (more than $200 billion) into another bill and 2) they count 10 years of revenues but only seven years of expenses.
Westmoreland points out that, contrary to Democratic claims that the Republicans are simply the “Party of No,” the GOP has offered an alternative called the Empowering Patients First Act. This legislation, HR 3400, would 1) make access to coverage affordable for all Americans; 2) make coverage truly owned and controlled by the patient; 3) improve the healthcare delivery structure; and 4) rein in out-of-control costs, including through robust liability reform.
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Libertarians pleased by new federal marijuana policy
The Libertarian Party (LP) today expressed its approval of the Obama administration's new, more laissez-faire policy toward medical marijuana. The policy appears to end the practice of federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients and providers in states where medical marijuana is legal.
Wes Benedict, LP executive director, commented, "This is a small step in the right direction. The federal government currently wastes tremendous resources in the War on Drugs, creating a huge, vicious, violent black market. This new policy will reduce the damage and destruction, and it will hopefully end some of the unjust prosecution of peaceful medical marijuana providers and patients."
The LP has long called for the repeal of laws that criminalize the medicinal or recreational use of drugs.
Benedict added, "We urge the Obama administration not to stop with this small step, but to take further steps to end the destructive, unjust, unconstitutional War on Drugs."
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Wes Benedict, LP executive director, commented, "This is a small step in the right direction. The federal government currently wastes tremendous resources in the War on Drugs, creating a huge, vicious, violent black market. This new policy will reduce the damage and destruction, and it will hopefully end some of the unjust prosecution of peaceful medical marijuana providers and patients."
The LP has long called for the repeal of laws that criminalize the medicinal or recreational use of drugs.
Benedict added, "We urge the Obama administration not to stop with this small step, but to take further steps to end the destructive, unjust, unconstitutional War on Drugs."
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Friday, October 2, 2009
South Fulton: Christian City to Host Candidates’ Forum
Event to be Held at Christian City on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 4 PM
Robert L. Crutchfield, President/CEO of Christian City, announced today that there will be a candidates’ forum on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 4 PM in Christian City’s Sparks Inn Auditorium. All residents of Christian City and Union City are welcome to attend.
The agenda will feature candidates for the following offices:
· Union City Mayor
· Union City council
· State Senate District 35
The meeting will begin promptly at 4 PM.
The forum will take place in Christian City's Sparks Inn Auditorium at 7290 Lester Road, Union City, Georgia 30291. The Sparks Inn Auditorium is the assisted living facility located in the heart of the Christian City campus.
Christian City is a non-profit, non-denominational organization. On our 500+ acre complex we help meet the needs of approximately 1,100 people in our Children’s Village, Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Friendship Place (Alzheimer's Care), Sparks Inn Assisted Living/Personal Care facility, and Retirement Homes and Apartments.
Christian City invites the public to this event.
For more information on the event or Christian City, please contact
770-703-2636 or via e-mail at ccity@christian-city.org. Visit Christian City’s website at www.christiancity.org.
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Robert L. Crutchfield, President/CEO of Christian City, announced today that there will be a candidates’ forum on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 4 PM in Christian City’s Sparks Inn Auditorium. All residents of Christian City and Union City are welcome to attend.
The agenda will feature candidates for the following offices:
· Union City Mayor
· Union City council
· State Senate District 35
The meeting will begin promptly at 4 PM.
The forum will take place in Christian City's Sparks Inn Auditorium at 7290 Lester Road, Union City, Georgia 30291. The Sparks Inn Auditorium is the assisted living facility located in the heart of the Christian City campus.
Christian City is a non-profit, non-denominational organization. On our 500+ acre complex we help meet the needs of approximately 1,100 people in our Children’s Village, Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Friendship Place (Alzheimer's Care), Sparks Inn Assisted Living/Personal Care facility, and Retirement Homes and Apartments.
Christian City invites the public to this event.
For more information on the event or Christian City, please contact
770-703-2636 or via e-mail at ccity@christian-city.org. Visit Christian City’s website at www.christiancity.org.
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Vice President Biden Announces End of Year Targets for Recovery Act Progress
Vice President Joe Biden today announced nine new targets for Recovery Act progress through the end of 2009. The nine spotlighted targets are just a few of the many objectives set for Federal agencies implementing the Recovery Act during the final 90 days of 2009. Included in the announcement was a new Administration-wide goal of obligating 60 percent of the CBO estimated $499 billion in spending under the Recovery Act by December 31, 2009.
"We’ve made great progress in the first seven months of Recovery Act implementation in 2009 – now we want to finish the year even stronger," said Vice President Biden. "We want to continue to be ahead of schedule on key metrics, doing all we can to create and save jobs, and building a lasting economic platform for our country."
Vice President Biden last set Recovery Act targets in early June as part of the Recovery Roadmap for the second 100 days of the Recovery Act. At the 200 day mark, he announced that every goal set as part of that effort had been met – and, in many cases, exceeded.
The year-end goals for the Recovery Act (targets to be met by December 31, 2009) that the Vice President announced were:
Batteries for Vehicle Electrification: By the end of the year, the Department of Energy will have put in place funding for battery manufacturing plants that can power 400,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, each year.
Military Hospitals: The Department of Defense will begin 34 construction and modernization projects at hospitals and medical centers throughout the country over the next 90 days, for a total of 65 hospitals and medical centers with projects under construction since passage of the Act.
National Parks: The Department of Interior will begin on-site construction improvement work in 105 more national parks throughout the country over the next 90 days.
Small Business Assistance: The Small Business Administration will provide and leverage $5 billion in capital to over 12,000 small businesses through two key lending programs (7a and 504) in the next 90 days.
Fuel Efficient Bus Purchases: By the end of the year, the Federal Transit Agency will have awarded enough grants to enable the purchase of approximately 10,000 new transit vehicles across the country.
Housing Loans and Rehabilitation: By the end of the year, the Department of Agriculture and the Housing and Urban Development Department will have provided housing loans and capital funding to finance, build, or renovate over 100,000 households across America.
Renewable Energy: By the end of the year, the Departments of Energy and Treasury will help fund renewable energy projects that will generate enough alternative energy to power 900,000 homes in the United States once completed.
Road Projects: By the end of the year, the Department of Transportation will have obligated enough funds to support 10,000 highway projects.
The Recovery Act was signed into law on February 17, 2009 as the country faced the greatest economic crisis in a generation. The Act was designed to create jobs and drive economic growth through a combination of tax relief for individuals and businesses, aid to hard-hit families and state and local governments and funding for science, technology and infrastructure projects across the country. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates that the Recovery Act is responsible for approximately 1 million jobs so far.
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"We’ve made great progress in the first seven months of Recovery Act implementation in 2009 – now we want to finish the year even stronger," said Vice President Biden. "We want to continue to be ahead of schedule on key metrics, doing all we can to create and save jobs, and building a lasting economic platform for our country."
Vice President Biden last set Recovery Act targets in early June as part of the Recovery Roadmap for the second 100 days of the Recovery Act. At the 200 day mark, he announced that every goal set as part of that effort had been met – and, in many cases, exceeded.
The year-end goals for the Recovery Act (targets to be met by December 31, 2009) that the Vice President announced were:
Batteries for Vehicle Electrification: By the end of the year, the Department of Energy will have put in place funding for battery manufacturing plants that can power 400,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, each year.
Military Hospitals: The Department of Defense will begin 34 construction and modernization projects at hospitals and medical centers throughout the country over the next 90 days, for a total of 65 hospitals and medical centers with projects under construction since passage of the Act.
National Parks: The Department of Interior will begin on-site construction improvement work in 105 more national parks throughout the country over the next 90 days.
Small Business Assistance: The Small Business Administration will provide and leverage $5 billion in capital to over 12,000 small businesses through two key lending programs (7a and 504) in the next 90 days.
Fuel Efficient Bus Purchases: By the end of the year, the Federal Transit Agency will have awarded enough grants to enable the purchase of approximately 10,000 new transit vehicles across the country.
Housing Loans and Rehabilitation: By the end of the year, the Department of Agriculture and the Housing and Urban Development Department will have provided housing loans and capital funding to finance, build, or renovate over 100,000 households across America.
Renewable Energy: By the end of the year, the Departments of Energy and Treasury will help fund renewable energy projects that will generate enough alternative energy to power 900,000 homes in the United States once completed.
Road Projects: By the end of the year, the Department of Transportation will have obligated enough funds to support 10,000 highway projects.
The Recovery Act was signed into law on February 17, 2009 as the country faced the greatest economic crisis in a generation. The Act was designed to create jobs and drive economic growth through a combination of tax relief for individuals and businesses, aid to hard-hit families and state and local governments and funding for science, technology and infrastructure projects across the country. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates that the Recovery Act is responsible for approximately 1 million jobs so far.
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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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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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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.
Community News You Can Use
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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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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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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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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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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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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
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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"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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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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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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"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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"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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