Sunday, November 5, 2017

What's New at The Ponder Web Site 11.5.17

Today we have lots of great news added at the Web Site:
http://thepondernews.com
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We have added several new pages at the Ponder to aid in your information gathering. Below they are listed, along with the newest headlines on each:
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2nd Amendment Issues
https://www.thepondernews.com/2ndamendmentissues

  • Blumenthal Introduces Two Bicameral Bills to Protect Domestic Abuse Survivors from Gun Violence

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    Abortion
    https://www.thepondernews.com/abortion

  • Ohio House overwhelmingly approves Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act

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    Bladensburg Memorial
    https://www.thepondernews.com/bladensburgmemorial

  • BLADENSBURG WWI VETERAN’S MEMORIAL CROSS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL
  • A three-judge panel ruled that the 90-year-old war memorial violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
  • Attorneys for The American Legion Petition for En Banc Rehearing in Bladensburg Veterans Memorial Case

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    Bowe Bergdahl
    https://www.thepondernews.com/boweberghdal

  • Inhofe Statement on Bergdahl Sentence
  • Bowe Bergdahl Skates
  • Final City of Hailey Statement re: Bowe Bergdahl

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    Children's Health Insurance Program
    https://www.thepondernews.com/chip

    The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Championing Health Kids Act, H.R. 3922 by a vote of 242-174.
    It now goes to the Senate.
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    The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act (H.R. 3922) includes:
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  • Five year extension of Children’s Health Insurance Program;
  • Two year extension of Community Health Center funding at $3.6 billion;
  • Eliminates Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) reductions;
  • Two year extension of funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, the Youth Empowerment Program,
  • Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, Funding for the National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Center Graduate
  • Medical Education, and the Personal Responsibility Education Program are included in this bill;
  • Two year Extension of the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Diabetes and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians; and
  • Over $1 billion for the Medicaid programs in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

    Headlines on this page include:

  • Rep. Brat Supports Passage of CHIP Reauthorization
  • Boyle Statement Opposing Cynical GOP Children’s Healthcare Reauthorization and Medicare Attack
  • Bonamici: CHIP Bill Reduces Important Funding for Public Health
  • BILIRAKIS CHAMPIONS HEALTH CARE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
  • Congressman Bergman’s Statement on Voting in Favor of H.R. 3922
  • Beatty Opposes Partisan CHIP Reauthorization Bill
  • Adams Votes No on CHIP/CHC Bill
  • Abraham statement on CHIP, CHC reauthorization
  • Brown on House Chip Bill: Don’t Pit Ohio Kids Against Seniors

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    Diversity Lottery
    https://www.thepondernews.com/diversitylottery

  • The Diversity Visa Lottery

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    DREAMERS
    https://www.thepondernews.com/dreamers

  • LGBTQ Dreamers Need a Clean Dream Act Now

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    Human Trafficking
    https://www.thepondernews.com/humantrafficking

  • Portman, Blumenthal, Thune, Nelson Welcome Additional Tech Industry Support for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act
  • BREAKING: After Months of Pressure, Tech Companies Drop Opposition & Throw Support Behind McCaskill Bipartisan Anti-Sex Trafficking Bill to ‘stop the next Backpage’
  • McCAIN WELCOMES TECH INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR THE STOP ENABLING SEX TRAFFICKERS ACT
  • CORTEZ MASTO ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF BIPARTISAN BILL TO COMBAT SEX TRAFFICKING


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    Masterpiece Cakeshop
    https://www.thepondernews.com/masterpiececakeshop

  • Heinrich Backs Equal Rights For LGBTQ Community In U.S. Supreme Court Case
  • Colorado Lawmakers File Amicus Brief in Masterpiece Cakeshop Case
  • OfficeMax refuses to print poster for event exposing homosexual agenda
  • HRC-Led Amicus Briefs in Masterpiece Cakeshop SCOTUS Case Features Top Chefs, Businesses
  • Amicus Briefs Demonstrate Broad Support for Equality in Masterpiece Case
  • U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney Lead Congressional Amicus Brief in Masterpiece Cakeshop Case
  • EVENT: Debate: ‘Masterpiece Cakeshop at US Supreme Court’ at Newseum on Nov. 13
  • THE MASTERPIECE CAKE SHOP SUPREME COURT CASE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CAKE

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    Natural Disasters
    https://www.thepondernews.com/naturaldisasters

  • Feinstein, California Leaders Urge Trump to Prioritize Disaster Assistance in Aftermath of Historic Wildfires
  • House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Passes the PREPARE Act

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    Opioid Epidemic
    https://www.thepondernews.com/opioidepidemic

  • Blackburn Endorses Bill to Create Opioid Task Force
  • Shaheen Statement on Final Report from White House Opioid Commission
  • Grassley, Blumenthal Ask HHS to Prioritize Funding for Program to Enhance Transparency in Opioid Prescribing
  • U.S. SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN URGES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COMBAT OPIOID EPIDEMIC
  • ASAM commends the President’s commission for a thorough and thoughtful report that recommends an array of smart and actionable interventions
  • APA Pledges to Help Curb Opioid Epidemic

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    Tax Reform
    https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

    For individuals and families, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
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  • Lowers individual tax rates for low- and middle-income Americans to zero, 12 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent so people can keep more of the money they earn throughout their lives, and continues to maintain 39.6 percent for high-income Americans.
  • Significantly increases the standard deduction to protect roughly double the amount of what you earn each year from taxes – from $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals and $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples.
  • Eliminates special-interest deductions that increase rates and complicate Americans’ taxes – so an individual or family can file their taxes on a form as simple as a postcard.
  • Establishing a new Family Credit – which includes expanding the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,600 to help parents with the cost of raising children, and providing a credit of $300 for each parent and non-child dependent to help all families with their everyday expenses.
  • Retains popular retirement savings options such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts so Americans can continue to save for their future.
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    For job creators of all sizes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
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  • Lowers the corporate tax rate to 20 percent – down from 35 percent, which today is the highest in the industrialized world – the largest reduction in the U.S. corporate tax rate in our nation’s history.
  • Reduces the tax rate on the hard-earned business income of Main Street job creators to no more than 25 percent – the lowest tax rate on small business income since World War II.
  • Establishes strong safeguards to distinguish between individual wage income and “pass-through” business income so Main Street tax relief goes to the local job creators it was designed to help mosli>Prevents American jobs, headquarters, and research from moving overseas by eliminating incentives that now reward companies for shifting jobs, profits, and manufacturing plants abroad.

    Headlines are as follows:

  • BOST STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM LEGISLATION
  • Republican tax bill slashes taxes for corporations, raises them on working families
  • Rep. Black Statement on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
  • Bishop Comments on Introduction of ‘Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’
  • Congressman Biggs' Statement on Tax Reform Package Negotiations
  • REP. BACON STATEMENT ON TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
  • AMODEI RESPONDS TO THE RELEASE OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS' TAX PLAN
  • WHITEHOUSE STATEMENT ON REPUBLICAN TAX PLAN
  • Senator Toomey Statement on House Tax Reform Bill
  • Tillis Statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
  • Sanders Statement on GOP Tax Plan
  • Reed: Irresponsible Republican Tax Plan Could Hurt Rhode Island and Working Families Nationwide
  • MERKLEY BLASTS GOP’S CORPORATE GIVEAWAY TAX PLAN
  • McConnell Statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
  • Senator Markey Statement on GOP-Trump Tax Scam
  • MANCHIN STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM PROPOSAL
  • Sens. Lee and Rubio Respond to House Tax Plan
  • Durbin Statement On Republican Tax Plan
  • Duckworth Statement on House GOP Tax Plan
  • November 04, 2017
  • Cotton Calls for Repealing the Individual Mandate through Tax Reform
  • CORTEZ MASTO: TAX PLAN SHOWS GOP FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY PLEDGE WAS ALWAYS A FARCE
  • CAPITO: PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TAX VISION IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR WEST VIRGINIA
  • ICYMI: This is the tax-cut plan America needs
  • House Tax Bill Preserves Key Priorities for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem




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    BILIRAKIS FIGHTS TO PRESERVE MEDICARE

    Source: Gus Bilirakis (R-FL, 12th)

    Washington, D.C. - November 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The House passed the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2017, which Congressman Bilirakis enthusiastically supported. While many scare tactics have been employed in a misinformation campaign, the House remains committed to preserving this important program, with no changes for current participants or those who are set to enroll in the near future. This bill specifically eliminates the Independent Payment and Advisory Board (IPAB) which is an un-elected Board that was created as part of Obamacare to cut Medicare payments to providers (hospitals & doctors). To date, the IPAB Board has never been called upon to make such cuts, therefore the bill is revenue neutral.

    “Countless independent studies have shown that reform is needed in order to ensure Medicare’s long-term sustainability. I support a bi-partisan study commission which will make recommendations about how to best achieve that goal while protecting seniors and vulnerable populations. Despite political rhetoric, all members of Congress (Republican and Democrat) understand the importance of Medicare and will work to ensure that it remains solvent for years to come. However, any future changes that might be needed in the Medicare program should be carefully considered by Congress, not an IPAB Board, to ensure seniors are not adversely impacted, said Congressman Bilirakis.

    Congressman Bilirakis has a long history of championing efforts to help preserve Medicare. He sponsored a bill to increase civil and criminal penalties for Medicare fraud. Many of these penalties have not been updated in over 20 years. Cracking down on fraud and abuse will help ensure solvency of the program for future generations. The Congressman also sponsored the Drug Management Program for At-Risk Beneficiaries which was signed into law earlier this year. This provision also cracked down on fraud and abuse within Medicare. Additionally, he has introduced legislation to tackle the issue of high drug prices. Congressman Bilirakis worked closely on a provision passed as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act mirroring his drug cost legislation, which would accelerate the generic drug approval process and encourage generic drug makers to enter markets where there is no competition. Too often, bad actors in the marketplace take advantage of monopolies, skyrocketing the price of lifesaving medication simply because there is little to no competition. While the high costs of drugs impact all Americans and the healthcare system as a whole, it also burdens Medicare. Congressman Bilirakis will continue to work on the sustainability of the Medicare program.

    See more headlines at The Ponder News Web Site
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