Today's News from the News-Makers For April 15, 2019
Press Call: Public Citizen, U.S. Rep. Pascrell and Others to Demand Congressional Action After IRS Fails to Deliver Trump Tax Returns
by: Public Citizen
April 15, 2019
On Tax Day 2019, Public Citizen will join U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Stand Up America and Tax March for a press call to urge U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) to continue pushing for President Donald Trump’s tax returns and demand that the IRS immediately comply with Neal’s request after failing to meet the deadline for their release.
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In response to yesterday's decision that the Ebola outbreak is not yet a global emergency
by: OxFam America
April 14, 2019
“In the last three weeks, 204 new cases of Ebola have been recorded - an alarming increase and the worst period of the outbreak. These worrying figures show that the current response is not working.
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Pascrell Leads Call for NAFTA Labor Reforms
by: Gary Palmer (R-AL, 6th)
April 12, 2019
“This bill would empower seniors by giving them more control over their healthcare decisions. People should not be forced to give up their private insurance because their Social Security is being held hostage,” Palmer said.
Palmer Stands for Healthcare Choice for Seniors
by: Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ, 9th)
April 12, 2019
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), New Jersey’s only member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), led 84 of their colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer making clear that Mexico must pass meaningful labor reforms before consideration of any renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Early Childhood Advocates Call On The Audacious Project to Reconsider Major Award for Online Preschool
by: Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
April 12, 2019
In their call for The Audacious Project to postpone funding, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Defending the Early Years (DEY) point to their October 2018 Position Statement on Online Preschool, which has been endorsed by more than 100 experts in child development and early education. The experts and advocates say that online preschool programs like UPSTART are poor substitutes for high-quality early education, and that funding online programs instead of high-quality early education will make inequality worse, not better.
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Senators Decry Lack Of Action On Disaster Aid For Suffering States
by: Senator David Perdue (R-GA)
April 11, 2019
The senators have worked to negotiate in good faith since 2018 on a bipartisan disaster relief package to provide funding across the continental United States as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for regions that have experienced droughts, flooding, hurricanes, storms, volcanoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. Many of these states, including Georgia, have not received the federal disaster assistance they were promised months ago. Other states would see a down payment on disasters that have occurred more recently, such as in the Midwest where flooding is ongoing, and in Alabama and Georgia where tornadoes devastated lives and communities earlier this year.
Peters Calls on Colleagues to Support His Bipartisan Legislation to Expand R&D for Fuel Efficient Technologies
by: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
April 11, 2019
“Transportation is responsible for roughly two thirds of our national consumption of petroleum and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. But imagine a future where we could produce low cost – secure – clean energy technologies to move people and goods easily across our nation. Imagine if we could then sell our advanced American technology and products to the rest of the world,” said Senator Peters. “That is a future – that working together – we can achieve… Rapidly emerging technologies have the potential not only help reduce air emissions – their development would help create jobs in Michigan and across the nation—jobs that cannot be outsourced.”
Portman, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transparency of Federal Advisory Committees
by: Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
April 11, 2019
“American taxpayers deserve greater transparency and accountability from their government, and improving the transparency of federal advisory committees is essential to accomplishing that goal,” said Senator Portman. “I’m particularly pleased that this bipartisan measure will strengthen the independence of federal advisory committees and close loopholes that permit agencies to skirt existing transparency requirements. At the end of the day American taxpayers deserve evidence-based, rather than interest-based, decisions by their government, and this bill will help to ensure that.”
Palazzo, Leaders Across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas Reintroduce I-14 Legislation
by: Steven Palazzo (R-MS, 4th)
April 11, 2019
“This legislation paves the way for endless economic opportunities in our region,” said Palazzo. “By approving this designation, we can spur development and connect our military installments to our ports and large commerce centers located throughout the route. I look forward to seeing the designation give Mississippi’s transportation routes a competitive edge.”
Pocan and Jayapal Denounce Netanyahu Annexation Threats, Urge Adherence to Human Rights and International Law
by: Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd)
April 11, 2019
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s campaign threat to annex the West Bank signals an alarming and unprecedented violation of human rights and international law. This move to entrench Israeli control over disenfranchised Palestinians would be a moral catastrophe, push a two-state solution further out of reach, and undermine Israel’s international standing.
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Pappas, Fitzpatrick, Kuster and Delgado Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Assist Veterans & Service Members Exposed to PFAS Contaminants
by: Chris Pappas (D-NH, 1st)
April 10, 2019
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the PFAS Registry Act with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), and Rep. Antonio Delgado (NY-19), legislation that would create a national database for service members and veterans experiencing health problems possibly due to contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS chemicals, like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have emerged as a widespread contaminant to the drinking water sources of military bases across the country due to their use in firefighting foam employed by the Armed Services. This bipartisan bill would allow military personnel and veterans to receive updates on recent scientific developments on the effects of PFAS exposure, availability of possible treatment options, and information on what resources may be available to address their health concerns. Congressman Pappas has led efforts in Congress that seek to uncover the health impacts of emerging contaminants in water supplies. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is introducing companion legislation in the Senate, which is cosponsored by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD).
Rep. Peters Unveils The Climate Playbook: Recommendations for Immediate Congressional Action
by: Scott Peters (D-CA, 52nd)
April 10, 2019
Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) unveiled The Climate Playbook, a comprehensive plan he compiled of already existing legislation authored by both Republicans and Democrats, many of which have already earned bipartisan support. These legislative proposals together would take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gasses and slow—even reverse—the effects of climate change. They are organized into categories that include ways to reduce emissions from a variety of economic sectors, promote energy efficiency, reduce pollution, increase investment in research and development, spur more investment in adaptation and resiliency, develop a workforce to make all this possible, and support workers and communities displaced or impacted by this transition to clean energy.
Rep. Phillips Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Repeal the Medical Device Tax
by: Dean Phillips (D-MN, 3rd)
April 10, 2019
“The medical device tax has overstayed its welcome, and I am pleased to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to push for its permanent repeal,” said Phillips. “Too many jobs have been lost and too much innovation has been stifled due to this tax which disproportionately impacts our community. Our government should be supporting progress and new technology, especially in health care. The medical device tax is counterproductive to that mission, and that’s why it has to go.”
Bill to Protect Free and Open Internet Passes House with Rep. Porter Amendment
by: Katie Porter (D-CA, 45th)
April 10, 2019
“As we vote to restore a free and open internet, we should also vote to provide oversight of agency tasked to protect consumers,” Porter said. “It is important that the FCC acts as the cop on the beat when internet service providers misbehave. When the FCC fines against a bad actor, that fine should be collected. If the FCC is not following through on protecting consumers, Congress should know – so it can take oversight action, if necessary.”
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Pressley, Clark, Murray, Democrats—Joined by Workers, Survivors, and Advocates—Introduce Sweeping Legislation to Address Harassment in the Workplace
by: Ayanna Pressley (D-MA, 7th)
April 9, 2019
“Our bill will put us one step closer to making toxic workplace harassment and discrimination a dark memory of the past,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “This is for the brave women of the Boston Fire Department, for the hotel workers I worked alongside when I was scrapping money together to help my family, for the transgender men and women who face discrimination for living their truth. This is for those workers who shared their stories and instead of justice, faced retaliation. Now is the time to push the conversations and the policies so that those who have been suffering in silence feel seen and represented in our democracy.”
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AI ethics guidance a first step but needs to be transformed into tangible rights for people
by: Access Now
April 8, 2019
On Monday, April 8th, the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (HLEG) will publish its “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI”. Access Now, ANEC, and BEUC, all members of the expert group, support these guidelines but stress that they can only be a first step. The European Union has the responsibility to ensure that fundamental and consumer rights are respected and bring benefits to people.
