Essential, Nurses, Pregnancy, Social Media, Price Gouging, Drugs, News, Elections, Cars, Nuclear Waste, Dependents

Brown Unveils “Heroes Fund” Proposal to Provide up to $25,000 Pay Increase to Essential Workers on Frontline of Coronavirus Pandemic
Source: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
April 8, 2020
“Workers in hospitals and nursing homes, in the service sector and public safety, and throughout our economy are risking their lives during this public health emergency to keep our citizens safe, and their paychecks should reflect that. Frontline workers also need proper protection from the virus at work, said Senator Brown. “The next coronavirus-response package Congress passes must honor the dignity of their work by including this Pandemic Premium Pay proposal to compensate our frontline heroes and mandatory safety requirements to keep them safe on the job.”
Read more...
That would be nice, but, we don't do it for a reward. We do it because, just like everyone else, we want SOME semblance of normality back, and we still have to pay our bills.

The Buckeye Institute: To Fight COVID-19 Ohio Should Allow Nurses to Provide the Medical Care They Are Trained to Provide
Source: Buckeye Institute
April 8, 2020
“The Buckeye Institute has consistently argued and testified that ending restrictive collaboration agreements will help patients receive more affordable health care,” said Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center and vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute. “The COVID-19 pandemic makes this commonsense policy recommendation more urgent than ever and Ohio should suspend collaborative supervision requirements on the way to eliminating them so that nurses can help provide the necessary medical care to those in need.”
Read more...

Carper Joins Murray in Releasing New GAO Report That Underscores Need to Address Maternal Mortality Crisis
Source: Senator Thomas R. Carper (D - DE)
April 8, 2020
“This GAO report confirms that we must do more to better address the increase in maternal mortality rates we are seeing in the United States. It is simply unacceptable that, in the wealthiest nation on the planet, women are dying from pregnancy-related complications at a higher rate than any other developed country,” said Senator Carper. “We must be laser-focused on figuring out solutions to address the racial and ethnic inequities in our maternal health and support systems and how we can work to address them. It is my hope that this report will help serve as a roadmap of what we know about maternal mortality rates and, from that, identify what we can be doing in Delaware and across the country – at the local, state, and federal level – to address this preventable crisis that is causing too much heartache for American families.”
Read more...

Casten Leads Letter Demanding Social Media Platforms Do More to Stop the Spread of Deadly COVID-19 Misinformation Online
Source: U.S Representative Sean Casten (D-IL, 6th)
April 8, 2020
The letter said in part, “In the midst of a global pandemic, we write to you today concerned about the spread of misinformation on your media platforms. We applaud your efforts to collaborate on best practices to help spread good information and tamp down on bad information, but more needs to be done. During a geometrically spreading biological virus, viral social media posts about bogus cures, false claims, and conspiracy theories are deadly. You have great power to influence what the American public thinks is true – and with that power comes great responsibility.”
Read more...

RELEASE: CAP Report Details the Need for an Expansive Fourth Coronavirus Relief Package
Source: U.S Representative Sean Casten (D-IL, 6th)
April 8, 2020
An in-depth report from the Center for American Progress lays out a series of recommendations for what Congress should include in its fourth coronavirus relief package. In the first three packages, Congress provided a down payment on the emergency response to the dual public health and economic crises. But with each passing day—exacerbated by the initial slow response by the Trump administration and its continued failures as the crisis has deepened—it is increasingly clear that much more will be needed to allow for a robust public health response, provide relief commensurate to the economic disruption being felt, and protect the most vulnerable Americans. CAP believes that a fourth legislative package will need to be a least as large as the $2.2 trillion CARES Act and must include the following components:
Read more...

======

======

Quarantine Blues Got You Down? New Website Solves That Problem Just Like Isaac Newton Did
Source: Isaac Newton Project
April 8, 2020
The current pandemic provides just such an opportunity for all of us today. What will we do with our current sorrows? Use them and our unexpected free time to personally grow, or waste them by trying to forget them through diversions such as bingeing on Movies and TV series, which only provide temporary relief?
Read more...

COVID-19 Versus the Constitution
Source: E.W. Jackson Sr.
April 8, 2020
There is much speculation about the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. How long will it take for the economy to recover? Will this forever change the social behavior of Americans? Is shaking hands a practice of the past? Is social distancing the way of the future? However, there are far more profound questions that no one seems to be asking. Are we witnessing the permanent erosion of respect for the Constitution? Are we allowing state and local governments to exercise power beyond their constitutional boundaries?
Read more...

REP. CISNEROS URGES FOR HAZARD PAY AND PROTECTIONS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS TO HELP ADDRESS COVID-19 IMPACT DISPARITIES
Source: U.S Representative Gilbert Cisneros (D-CA, 39th)
April 8, 2020
“Our essential workers continue to go to work to ensure our community has access to basic and vital services. They put their lives on the line so our grocery shelves are stocked, mail is delivered, and patients receive medical care. Yet, many of our workers are not being paid what they deserve as they risk increased exposure to the coronavirus,” said Rep. Cisneros. “We need to do more than just thank them for their selflessness, we need to provide our essential workers with hazard pay and workplace protections. I join my colleagues in urging Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy to address these priorities in future coronavirus legislation.”
Read more...

Rep. Cleaver Introduces Legislation To Combat Price Gouging During National Crises
Source: U.S Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO, 5th)
April 8, 2020
“We often try to hammer down on price gouging as it is ongoing during a catastrophe,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Whether it’s a pandemic or a hurricane, national emergencies are going to happen, and scammers will try to profit from them. Therefore, we need a law that protects consumers from predatory price gougers who pop up during times of turmoil, instead of playing whack-a-mole every time a crisis emerges. I want to thank Senator Klobuchar for her leadership on this common sense bill and working with me to protect American consumers from exorbitant prices on critical supplies during this pandemic, as well as any other crisis that may arise in the future.”
Read more...

======

======

Senators Collins and Smith’s Bill to Prevent Drug Shortages is Now Law
Source: Senator Susan M. Collins - (R - ME)
April 8, 2020
“As we find ourselves amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s critical that health care workers have access to the drugs they need to treat patients,” said Senator Smith. “But in 2018—the latest full year we have data for—there were more than 200 drug shortages in the United States, and that number has continued to increase. These bipartisan measures will help mitigate this problem by prioritizing the review of drug applications and inspections in the event of a drug shortage, as well as improving manufacture reporting and planning requirements. I’m glad that Congress passed these measures into law, and hope that they help health care workers and patients.”
Read more...

Congress Must Include Local News Funding in Next COVID-19 Stimulus
Source: Common Cause
April 8, 2020
“Local news outlets, ranging from state- to city- and community-level media organizations, are necessary partners in meeting the critical information needs of people in the United States,” the letter reads. “Americans cannot endure an accelerated decline in access to vital information. And like other adversely affected sectors of the economy, local news cannot withstand the hardships of COVID-19 and the worsening economic crisis without federal support. We’re calling on you to include the journalism sector in the congressional assistance packages revitalizing affected industries and sustaining workers across our nation.”
Read more...

Congress Must Include Local News Funding in Next COVID-19 Stimulus
Source: Common Cause
April 8, 2020
“Local news outlets, ranging from state- to city- and community-level media organizations, are necessary partners in meeting the critical information needs of people in the United States,” the letter reads. “Americans cannot endure an accelerated decline in access to vital information. And like other adversely affected sectors of the economy, local news cannot withstand the hardships of COVID-19 and the worsening economic crisis without federal support. We’re calling on you to include the journalism sector in the congressional assistance packages revitalizing affected industries and sustaining workers across our nation.”
Read more...

Common Cause Calls for Emergency Congressional Hearings on Elections During COVID-19 Pandemic in Wake of Wisconsin Primary
Source: Common Cause
April 8, 2020
“Every American deserves to have their voice heard on election day, but voters should never be forced to risk their personal safety in order to cast a ballot,” said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn. “The decision to hold an in-person election in Wisconsin yesterday was reckless and irresponsible, endangering the lives of tens of thousands of Wisconsinites and needlessly disenfranchising thousands more. Congress must investigate this matter thoroughly and look for ways to ensure something like what happened yesterday is not repeated in November or ever again.”
Read more...

New Survey Reveals Teens' Anxieties, How They're Staying Connected, and Their Struggles with Distance Learning Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
Source: Common Sense Media
April 8, 2020
The spread of the coronavirus has upended life for American teenagers, with 95% reporting the cancellation of in-person classes at their schools. Eight out of 10 teens say they're following news about the coronavirus pandemic closely, and more than 60% are worried that they or someone in their family will be exposed to the virus and that it will have an effect on their family's ability to earn a living, according to a new poll by Common Sense and SurveyMonkey.
Read more...

======

======

U.S. Department of Transportation Enables Carmakers To Bypass Safety Rules, Weakens the Public’s Ability to Hold Them Accountable
Source: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
April 8, 2020
Despite compelling public interest reasons not to do so, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a misguided decision that will short-circuit the public’s ability to scrutinize automakers’ requests to be exempt from federal safety standards, including when companies are trying to rush unproven self-driving cars to market. Under a change formalized on April 7, 2020, NHTSA will no longer require companies seeking these exemptions to provide timely, complete information on their requests prior to posting them for public comment.
Read more...

Cornyn Calls on Schumer to Drop Threat to Block Small Business Rescue Funding
Source: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
April 8, 2020
“Senate Democrats should drop their shameful threat to block this funding immediately. Our small businesses desperately need help – now.”
Read more...

IDAHO DELEGATION URGES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO REMOVE SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL FROM INL
Source: Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
April 8, 2020
The delegation stressed that while the 1995 Settlement Agreement deadline to remove spent nuclear fuel from Idaho requires action by the Administration, Congress and states to develop a solution for long-term storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, the Department could be preparing spent nuclear fuel stored at the INL for removal. The delegation wrote, “We encourage the Department to initiate activities needed to begin loading of spent nuclear fuel into a multi-purpose canister (MPC) at the Idaho National Laboratory using existing facilities.”
Read more...

Rep. DeGette on President Trump’s ventilator distribution mismanagement
Source: U.S. Representative Diana Degette (D-CO, 1st)
April 8, 2020
“Governor Polis and our Congressional delegation have been working to get more ventilators to Colorado for weeks. In fact, Colorado was set to receive 500 ventilators until FEMA blocked the shipment. Now, President Trump says we will get 100 as a courtesy to Senator Gardner. That means, because the president is playing politics with public health, we're still 400 ventilators short from what we should have received. His mismanagement of this crisis is costing lives and livelihoods.”
Read more...

Rep. Susan Davis Cosponsors the All Dependent Children Count Act to cover dependents up to age 24
Source: U.S Representative Susan Davis (D-CA, 53rd)
April 8, 2020
“I am hearing from many constituents who are discovering that they are not getting the help they hoped,” said Rep. Davis. “While the CARES Act has provided millions of Americans hurting from the coronavirus with relief, we are seeing too many people falling through the cracks. As Congress considers another stimulus bill, we need to expand recovery rebates to include more dependent children.”
Read more...

======

======

NASA, Nursing, Infrastructure, Telephone, Broadband, Small Business, Muslim, Medicare, Right to Work, Obamacare, Guns

Today's News From People, Groups and Organizations for April 13, 2019

The Ponder is in the process of adding about 50 new sources to the press release list. This will serve to bring more and better information as to what is going on in Washington and around the country. We hope you enjoy our news! (And, don't forget to show your support by visiting our advertisers!)

Also, The Ponder is owned and operated by a Christian Conservative woman. However, the Ponder believes that you have to know what's on the other side in order to form a more educated opinion. So, here you are going to find Conservative AND Liberal viewpoints. If the subject you are interested in doesn't seem to have the support of your group, perhaps you should encourage them to post a press release. We can't post it if it is not available.

The posts here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the owner: Shonda Ponder. If The Ponder comments on any post and forms an opinion or thought on the subject, which isn't very often (as we want our readers to form their own opinions and thoughts) you will find it in red.

Finally, remember that this is a one-person operation. With over 1500 press contacts currently at our disposal, there is only so many one person can post in a day. We cannot afford to hire help right now.

Our job is to get the information out. It's up to YOU who you support. We only ask that you support our effort to inform you by visiting our advertisers for your shopping needs!

Below is the latest news from a lot of our sources!

NASA Invites You to “Picture Earth” for Earth Day
by: NASA
April 12, 2019
Our magnificent planet is always ready for its close-up. On Earth Day, April 22, NASA wants to see your take.

NASA invites you to celebrate the planet we call home with our #PictureEarth social media event. Post a close-up photo on social media of your favorite natural features, such as crashing waves, ancient trees, blooming flowers, or stunning sunsets. Use the hashtag #PictureEarth and upload the photo on April 22. Be sure to include the location where the photo was taken in the text of your social media post.

Read more...

National League for Nursing to Offer Extra Support to English Learners Sitting for NLN Pre-Admission Exam (PAX)
by: National League for Nursing
April 12, 2019
The National League for Nursing has taken a key step in making its Pre-Admission Exam (PAX) more accessible to students for whom English is not their native language. Students living in the United States and learning English while preparing to apply to nursing education programs may now qualify for special support through the testing services offering the NLN-PAX.

Read more...

======

======

Washington Leaders Must Heed the Signs—Infrastructure Investment is Overdue
by: National Governor’s Association
April 11, 2019
In recent weeks, Americans have watched in horror and sympathy as communities across the upper Midwest were inundated by flooding, which destroyed homes, businesses and neighborhoods. A snowy winter, saturated soil and intense rains from a “bomb cyclone” combined to create true natural disaster. But the failures of dikes, dams and sluices point to a slow-motion political disaster as well.

Read more...

NCLC Attorney Margot Saunders to Testify at U.S. Senate Hearing on Stopping Illegal Robocalls on April 11
by: National Consumer Law Center
April 11, 2019
On Thursday, April 11 at 10:00 am ET, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will convene a hearing on Illegal Robocalls: Calling All to Stop the Scourge. “Robocalls have increased 370% percent in less than four years, with over five billion robocalls made just in March 2019,” said National Consumer Law Center Senior Counsel Margot Saunders, who will testify at the hearing. “The surge in consumer complaints reinforces the need for the Federal Communications Commission to strengthen the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s application to autodialed calls and the right of consumers to withhold their consent to receive these and other robocalls.”

Read more...

I don't know about you, but I am getting tired of calls about extended warranties, knee braces and health insurance. Especially Obamacare. You would think that after being told 10 times, pushing the button 10 times and hung up on more times than I count, they would quit calling. It's annoying. I don't buy anything from anyone who annoys me. And, I don't give my information over the phone unless I know beyond a shadow of a doubt who I am talking to and what the information is being used for.

Senator Murray introduces Digital Equity Act of 2019
by: National Digital Inclusion Alliance
April 11, 2019
In a major development for community digital inclusion advocates, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) today introduced the “Digital Equity Act”, which would authorize more than $1 billion in Federal grant funding over the next five years to support digital inclusion programs throughout U.S. states and territories.

Read more...

NFIB Statement on Introduction of Senate Bill to Make Small Business Tax Relief Permanent
by: National Federation of Independent Business
April 11, 2019
“Small and independent businesses were clear about what they would do if given tax relief and they have put their words into action by creating jobs, increasing compensation, and expanding. Yet, unlike those for large corporations, the tax relief provisions for small businesses, primarily the Small Business Deduction, are set to expire. We applaud Senator Daines’ introduction of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, legislation that would help provide certainty for America’s small businesses. This legislation is crucial for small businesses, and we urge the Senate to bring it to the floor for a vote.”

Read more...

======

======

NAIC Prioritizes Long-Term Care Insurance
by: National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
April 10, 2019
The membership of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) voted unanimously to create a task force focused on long-term care insurance market stability. The group will report to the NAIC Executive (EX) Committee. The vote took place during a joint meeting of the Executive Committee and Plenary on Tuesday during the Spring 2019 National Meeting in Orlando.

Read more...

No Ban Act Introduced in Congress to Repeal the Discriminatory Muslim Ban
by: National Immigration Law Center
April 10, 2019
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) announced today the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act, or the “No Ban Act,” challenging the Trump administration’s Muslim ban. The ban, which has been in effect in one form or another since January 2017, has separated too many families and continues to have a devastating impact on American Muslim communities.

Read more...

Congress Should Protect Muslims and Others, Support Anti-Ban Legislation
by: National Council of Jewish Women, Inc.
April 10, 2019
“One of President Trump’s first acts when he became president was to fulfill a discriminatory campaign pledge and ban entry into the US by foreign nationals from several Muslim majority countries. After Trump’s ban was rewritten twice, the US Supreme Court upheld the final language as within the prerogative of the president to set policy regarding entry into the US. This egregious decision can be reversed by Congress. The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act (NO BAN Act) introduced by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) would end the harmful Muslim Ban and put in place vital protections against future discrimination.

Read more...

Largest U.S. Nurses’ Union Praises Sen. Sanders’ for His Medicare for All Bill
by: National Nurses United
April 10, 2019
“Senator Sanders realizes what’s at stake with America’s health care system and we are proud to support his Medicare for All legislation. In particular, we are pleased by the inclusion of long term care options in this version of the bill,” said NNU President Deborah Burger, RN. “As the largest union of registered nurses in the country, we stand with Senator Sanders and his co-sponsors as they promote legislation that will change and save our patients’ lives. Medicare for All is a real, concrete solution to the problems of our current broken system, not just a Band-Aid.”

Read more...

Rhode Island Bus Driver Asks NLRB to Overturn Policy Blocking Vote to Remove Teamsters Union
by: National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation
April 10, 2019
With free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a Rhode Island bus driver has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to allow a vote to decertify his local union. The filing argues the Labor Board’s “merger doctrine” being applied to block the vote is contrary to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Read more...

======

======

NASW will continue to monitor efforts to sabotage Affordable Care Act
by: National Association of Social Workers
April 8, 2019
The Trump administration recently announced that it had ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file with the Fifth Circuit Court Federal Appeals Court that it affirms a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas in Texas v. United States that invalidated the remaining portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Because 16 states have challenged the decision, the judge’s ruling will not have any immediate effect. However, this latest action is an ominous sign the administration is determined to dismantle ACA, thereby eliminating essential health services to millions of low-income and indigent people.

Read more...

Presidential Candidates Who "Can't Keep Their Hands Off" Your Guns
by: National Association for Gun Rights
April 8, 2019
As the 2020 Presidential election draws near, the pool of aspiring anti-gun Democratic Candidates continues to grow.

While the election of any of the current crop of Democrat hopefuls would pose a clear and present danger to the Second Amendment, two potential candidates have an exceptionally troubling history of attacking our right to keep and bear arms.

Read more...

Journalists, political leaders agree on blueprint to rebuild public trust in institutions

======Support The Ponder======


======Support The Ponder======

by: National Press Club Journalism Institute

Washington, D.C. - April 5, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Journalists, elected officials and government communicators committed to concrete steps aimed at increasing trust and civility in public life following two days of intensive conversations at the National Press Club.

Hosted by the club's nonprofit Journalism Institute and facilitated by the National Institute of Civil Discourse, the "Dialogue in a Divided Democracy" brought together more than 60 people —news media leaders and the people they cover—for face-to-face conversations about the challenges facing key American institutions. PEN America and the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership partnered in the event.

Among steps participants agreed to take:

Engage in a practice of "radical transparency." Journalists will open up newsrooms and their decision-making processes to the public and do a better job explaining the difference between opinion and news, as well as identifying more clearly "who is a journalist," while elected officials will also commit to greater transparency and accessibility;

Provide better training for new journalists and congressional staff who work with the press and offer opportunities for them to get to know peers in other parties and across the journalism/politician divide;

Make more time to get to know each other and build relationships;

Take a series of steps to de-escalate danger and increase security for journalists and public officials alike;

Avoid inflammatory language.

These commitments represent the results of dialogues that began at a Monday night dinner followed by a day of small group discussions on topics suggested by a series of speakers.

"We didn't agree on everything or solve all of our problems but we did agree that we want to keep working to de-escalate the hostility in public life and do a better job for the public that we all serve," said Barbara Cochran, president of the NPC Journalism Institute.

Carolyn Lukensmeyer, executive director emerita of the National Institute of Civil Discourse, described it as an important first step towards changing the political ecosystem.

"The experience brought renewed hope that we can rebuild the public's trust in our democratic institutions," she said.

The audience heard from authors of two recent studies that document the declining confidence of Americans in key democratic institutions: The Knight Commission on Trust, Media and Democracy, and The Democracy Project, a joint effort of the George W. Bush Institute, the Penn Biden Center and Freedom House.

Speakers cited a number of factors for the decline in trust and civility, including incentives for elected officials and media that reward speed and conflict -- with a news cycle that offers little time for nuance, context, reflection or relationship-building. "We should all think twice, or three times, before tweeting," said Thomas O. Melia, Washington Director of PEN America, and one of the dialogue's facilitators, "and maybe eliminate comments about people altogether, and stick to issues and ideas."

Former White House press secretaries Mike McCurry and Ari Fleischer pleaded for less breathless incrementalism in news coverage: "When you cover every pitch, you miss the game," said Fleischer.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said the same lack of deliberation has cheapened discourse in the political sphere. "There's a reward for snarkiness and nastiness and little for thoughtfulness and analysis," Flake said. Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., raised concerns about political activists who masquerade as members of the press. "They use the title of journalist," he said, urging reporters: "Hold those folks accountable too."

Speakers from the world of journalism cited the collapse of employment in the industry — more than 25,000 newsroom jobs have been lost since 2008, according to the Knight Commission — as a major factor in the loss of community cohesion and urged a recommitment to local news. "I learned to be a journalist covering local news," said Politico Editor Carrie Budoff Brown. "I don't believe there are as many of those opportunities for reporters."

Rick Hutzell, editor of the Capital Gazette, the newspaper in Annapolis that lost five employees when a gunman attacked the newsroom last year, said he has been heartened to find out how much his organization means to the community. Key to that relationship is a willingness to "keep talking," he said.

"Lean into criticism," he advised reporters. "Listen to what they are saying, even if they're wrong."

Several editors said they are having success working for non-profit news operations that enlist the community in identifying and dissecting difficult stories.

Resolve Philadelphia provides a platform for 22 local newsrooms to work "from the same bank of resources" on stories ranging from the reintegration of released prisoners into society, the city's persistent poverty rate, and municipal elections, said Cassie Haynes, the program's co-executive director.

Acknowledging that sometimes journalists have "acted like jerks," Doug Oplinger said that as head of the journalistic collaborative Your Voice Ohio he urged them to act like members of the community. Journalists shouldn't be afraid to say "I want the world to get better," and offer ideas for solutions to the problems they uncover, said the former Akron Beacon Journal editor.

It was in that spirit that the National Press Club Journalism Institute decided to sponsor the Dialogue for a Divided Democracy, said Kathy Kiely, Lee Hills Chair of Free Press Studies at the Missouri School of Journalism and an organizer of the program.

"Journalists are not enemies of the people. We are their eyes, their ears and their advocates," said Kiely, who wrapped up her tenure as the Journalism Institute's first press freedom fellow at the event. "We cannot and will not be neutral bystanders when the democracy in which we are so deeply embedded is at risk."

With this summit, the Institute is launching an initiative to convene communities who share a commitment to building trust across differences in a divided democracy, and to growing journalism in the public interest, said Julie Moos, who joined the National Press Club Journalism Institute as Executive Director in January. "There is a coalition developing with a clear call to consistent action, and the public requires us to succeed."

News to Ponder 20180111

These are the headlines today at The Ponder News
http://thepondernews.com

SULLIVAN APPLAUDS ORDER TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS AND CARE FOR VETERANS
Senator Dan Sullivan  -  (R - Ak)
January 10, 2018
“As an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, I’ve personally witnessed the struggles – at times tragic – that some of our servicemen and women undergo as they search for care,” said Senator Sullivan. “It’s our obligation to pursue all of the causes and all of the factors that contribute to the scourge of veteran suicide, and bring it to an end. I am encouraged by President Trump’s announcement and decision to focus efforts on a particularly vulnerable group of servicemembers as they transition from military service to civilian life.”  
Read More...
​
Shaheen Statement on Federal Judge’s Ruling to Block Administration’s Actions on DACA
Senator Jeanne Shaheen  (D - NH)
January 10, 2018
“I’m relieved by the judge’s ruling to temporarily protect DACA recipients,” said Senator Shaheen. “However, this ruling should not diminish the urgency of reaching a long-term bipartisan solution to protect Dreamers who are terrified that their lives could soon be upended. It’s been very disappointing to see an agreement held hostage in order to extract concessions for the President’s expensive, and likely ineffective, border wall. It’s imperative that President Trump and Congressional Republicans engage in good faith discussions to allow Dreamers to live without fear of deportation.”
Read More...
​
DACA RULING AGAINST TRUMP SHOWS JUDGES ARE BIGGEST OPPONENT TO IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWNS
Newsweek
January 10, 2018
A year into his first term, nearly every one of President Donald Trump's major actions on immigration policy has been battled in court, and a judge's ruling this week against his Deferred Action and Childhood Protection (DACA) withdrawal is just the latest legal blow to his promises for extreme reform.
Read More...
​
In Response to Senators’ Questions, CDC Reveals Politically Charged List of “Words To Avoid”
The Ponder News
January 10, 2018
In response to a letter led by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and co-signed by U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that called for answers regarding reports of banned words used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the upcoming budget process, CDC acknowledged that it provides guidance on words to avoid using and suggests alternative terms. For instance, in an excerpt from an official document, CDC recommends the use of the colloquial term “Obamacare” over “ACA” or “The Affordable Care Act,” the official name for the law. Schatz and the co-authors of the letter slammed the use of such guidance, which favors more politically charged language. 
Read More...
​
Sanders Slams Trump's Border Wall Demand, Says We Must Protect Dreamers and Working Families
Senator Bernard Sanders (I - VT)
January 10, 2018
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) questioned Sunday why President Donald Trump wants to shut down the government over an $18 billion border wall that the American people do not want and called on Congress to immediately fix the crisis the president precipitated when he ended protections for Dreamers in September.
Read More...

Rubio Presses State Department on Response to Attacks on U.S. Diplomats in Cuba
Senator Marco Rubio - (R - FL)
January 10, 2018
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations’ Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues,  chaired a hearing entitled “Attacks on U.S. Diplomats in Cuba: Response and Oversight.” The goal of the hearing was to establish the facts surrounding the attacks on U.S. diplomats in Cuba, and conduct oversight over the State Department’s handling of the attacks.
Read More...

​President Trump Pledges to Work with Chairman Roberts for an On-Time Farm Bill
Senator Pat Roberts- (R - KS)
January 10, 2018
After multiple meetings with President Donald J. Trump on issues of importance to rural America, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today joined the President onstage at the American Farm Bureau’s 99th annual convention in Nashville, Tenn.
Read More...

Bipartisan, Bicameral Small Business Committee Leaders Introduce Legislation Protecting Integrity of 7(a) Loan Program
Senator James E. Risch - (R - ID)
January 10, 2018
Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID), House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) and respective Ranking Members Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) joined together to introduce the Small Business 7(a) Lending Oversight and Reform Act of 2018. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will increase the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) oversight authority over the 7(a) loan program. 
Read More...

Senators Urge SEC, DOJ to Investigate Intel CEO’s Stock Sales Despite Chip Vulnerabilities Knowledge
Senator Jack Reed - (D - RI)
January 10, 2018
U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) have asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the sale of millions of stock and options by Intel Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich while the company was handling concerns about security vulnerabilities in its chips, but before the information was made public.  According to the Wall Street Journal: “The trade took place on Nov. 29, nearly six months after Intel was informed about the vulnerabilities, which could enable hackers to access user data in chips made by Intel and others. Mr. Krzanich sold shares and exercised stock options worth a total of $39 million, netting him nearly $25 million, according to regulatory filings made at the time.”
Read More...

​Updated: Reactions to Trump Administration’s Plan to Open Coasts to Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling
The Ponder News
January 10, 2018
Lots of people reacted to Trump's decision to expand offshore drilling:
Read More...

Nelson vows to fight Trump administration's offshore oil drilling plan
Senator Bill Nelson- (D - FL)
January 10, 2018
“This plan is an assault on Florida’s economy, our national security, the will of the public and the environment. This proposal defies all common sense and I will do everything I can to defeat it.”
Read More...

KAINE JOINS BILL TO PROTECT TPS RECIPIENTS, INCLUDING SALVADORANS TARGETED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THIS WEEK
Senator Tim Kaine - (D - VA)
January 10, 2018
In the wake of the Trump Administration’s decision yesterday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine co-sponsored the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act to protect people who were displaced by dangerous conditions in their home country and came to live in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Kaine spoke out this week against the Trump Administration’s decision to end TPS for Salvadoran immigrants displaced by natural disasters, including thousands in Virginia. The SECURE Act would allow qualified TPS recipients to apply for legal permanent residency.
Read More...

Trump Signs EO to Expand Broadband to Rural Communities
The Ponder News
January 10, 2018
After speaking at the Farmer's Convention on Monday, the President signed an executive order to expand broadband to rural communities. This executive order directs federal agencies to remove obstacles to broadband deployment and reduce barriers to investment in broadband infrastructure. Specifically, the executive order directs agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of the application process to build out broadband infrastructure on federal property and ultimately streamline and expedite the review of these requests.
Read More...

Reactions on Bi-partisan Immigration Meeting
The Ponder News
January 10, 2018
Trump held a meeting with members of Congress concerning the wall, and DACA, among other issues about immigration. Below are some of the reactions from Congress:
Read More...

Afghanistan Watchdog Releases Grassley-requested Audit of Defense Department Spending
Senator Chuck Grassley - (R - IA)
January 10, 2018
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, received the results of an audit he requested in 2016, along with then-Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), from the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The audit is the result of conscientious oversight efforts conducted by Grassley over several years of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), specifically Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO).
Read More...

​Focus on Farmers
The Ponder News
January 10, 2018
President Trump gave a speech on Monday at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Nashville. The main-stream media wanted to focus on just one thing he said, (I'm sure you have all seen it on the news, about flags and the national anthem). They refused to focus on all the other stuff he said, even though the speech was nearly 40 minutes in length. What he said about the flag and the National Anthem only occurred ONCE, in a 5 second comment. That is why I refuse to give credence to the news on television. Here at The Ponder, I think it is right that we show you what you miss by watching the news on TV, and not getting your information from the sources on the internet. 
Read More...

What's New at The Ponder News 11.6.17

The Ponder News: The Unpopular Truth
http://thepondernews.com

====================
We are in the process of adding links along the sidebar of the blog to navigate the main web site with. Below is the newest pages and information found at The Ponder News.
====================

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
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.
​
The Championing Healthy Kids Act, H.R. 3922, uses offsets to fund CHIP and programs like community health centers while eliminating $5 billion in scheduled cuts to Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH). The bill includes a two-year extension of funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which focus on delivering health care to underserved populations through community-based and patient-centered models.

The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act (H.R. 3922) includes:
​

Five year extension of Children’s Health Insurance Program;
T

wo 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.

The latest headlines are as follows:

Culberson Statement on Passage of the Championing Healthy Kids Act

Chairman Crowley Statement on Republicans Playing Political Games with Children's Health

REP. COSTELLO APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF BIPARTISAN CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) REAUTHORIZATION

COLLINS VOTES TO EXTEND CHIP AND PROTECT DSH RESOURCES

Clark Statement on Republicans’ cynical CHIP bill

Carter Votes to Protect Children's Health Care

Carson Statement on Republican CHIP Reauthorization Vote

Byrne Votes to Keep Communities Healthy

Burgess Statement in Support of Vital Public Health Legislation

Dr. Bucshon Votes to Reauthorize Funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Other Important Public Health Programs

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

For individuals and families, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
​

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.
​
For job creators of all sizes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
​

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.

The Latest Headlines are as Follows:

Curbelo: Tax Reform Will Let South Floridians Keep More of Their Paychecks

Costa Statement on House Republican Tax Bill

Conaway Announces Support for Tax Reform

Collins Applauds Tax Reform Legislation

Congressman Cheney's Statement on The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Carter on House Tax Plan: This is a Big Day

Carson Statement on House Republicans' Tax Bill

Rep. Calvert Statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Byrne Statement on Release of Tax Reform Bill

Congresswoman Bustos Statement on Washington Republicans’ Billionaires-First Tax Plan

Release Of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Marks the Beginning Of Historic Tax Reform

Rep. Buchanan Statement on Tax Reform Legislation

GOP Tax Cut Bill Puts Billionaires Ahead of Middle-Class Families, Says Brownley

Brooks: Hardworking Hoosiers Will Be Able to Keep More of Their Paychecks

====================

Other News
https://www.thepondernews.com/othernews

News that doesn't have it's own page yet can be found at the "Other News" Page on The Ponder News.

Headlines are as follows:

Cohen Introduces Bill to Force the President to Comply With JFK Records Collection Act

Cicilline Joins Fellow Democratic Leaders in Crafting “A Better Deal” for American Workers

Castro Statement on Rosa Maria’s Release

Ken Buck and Colleagues Call on Senate to Act

Brown Demands Universities and Colleges Get Off the Sidelines on Campus Hate Incidents


====================

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

Dr. Bucshon Commends President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis’ Final Report

====================

Mass Shootings
https://www.thepondernews.com/massshooting

Statement on heartbreaking news from Sutherland Springs, Texas

Statement from Trump about Shooting in Sutherland, Texas Church

====================

Seniors
https://www.thepondernews.com/seniors

COLLINS HELPS HOUSE PASS BILL TO PROTECT MEDICARE ACCESS

Budd Applauds House Repeal Of Independent Payment Advisory Board

Burgess Statement on House Passage of Bill to Repeal IPAB

====================

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

E&E NEWS: [Cramer] Bill passes to prevent electric fires on public land

House Initiates Action to Address Wildfires and Improve Forest Management

Cartwright, Lance Applaud Committee Passage of Bipartisan PREPARE Act

House Unanimously Passes Cárdenas Amendment to Study Drones in Wildfire Response

====================

Obituary
https://www.thepondernews.com/obituary

U.S. Rep. Castor on the Passing of Jan Platt, a Trailblazer and Tampa Icon

====================

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

Rep. Clarke Statement on Trump Attack on Diversity Visa Lottery

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
========================

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:
======

2nd Amendment Issues
https://www.thepondernews.com/2ndamendmentissues

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

====================

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

Ohio House overwhelmingly approves Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act

====================

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

====================

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

Inhofe Statement on Bergdahl Sentence

Bowe Bergdahl Skates

Final City of Hailey Statement re: Bowe Bergdahl

====================

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.
​
The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act (H.R. 3922) includes:
​

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

====================

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

The Diversity Visa Lottery

====================

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

LGBTQ Dreamers Need a Clean Dream Act Now

====================

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


====================

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

====================

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

====================

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

====================

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

For individuals and families, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
​

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.
​
For job creators of all sizes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
​

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

What's New Today at The Ponder -- 11/3/17

You can read about all of this at The Ponder News
http://thepondernews.com
=====

This page is e-mail friendly.
The Ponder hopes you will share it with your friends!
If the link is not provided, you will have to go to the web site to read it!
=====

November 02, 2017
Pondering the Opioid Epidemic
The Ponder News
The President has declared a National Opioid Addiction Emergency. The Ponder News has collected responses to that declaration.
Click Here to read them...
https://www.thepondernews.com/opioidepidemic

November 02, 2017
ASAM commends the President’s commission for a thorough and thoughtful report that recommends an array of smart and actionable interventions
American Society of Addiction Medicine
President Trump’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Epidemic held its fifth and final meeting during which the commission approved its final report to the president. The president established the commission to review the state of drug addiction and the opioid epidemic in the United States and to make recommendations regarding how the Federal Government can best address this crisis.
Read more...
https://www.thepondernews.com/opioidepidemic

November 02, 2017
APA Pledges to Help Curb Opioid Epidemic
American Psychiatric Association
The APA welcomes the final report because it helps bring much-needed attention to this crisis. We are still reviewing the report’s contents for a full evaluation, but we stand ready to work with the administration, Congress and the states to help provide education, funding, training and support to address the opioid crisis. Our organization trains thousands of clinicians each year in the diagnosis and treatment of those with opioid use disorders. Additionally, we are an active partner in the Providers’ Clinical Support System for Medication Assisted Treatment coalition funded by SAMHSA. This national initiative provides training and mentoring in response to the prescription opioid misuse epidemic and increases the availability of pharmacotherapies to address opioid use disorder. Our more than 37,000 members are well aware of the impact this crisis is having in their communities and are working to provide the necessary care to curb the epidemic.
Read more...
https://www.thepondernews.com/opioidepidemic

=====

November 02, 2017
Pondering the "Cut Cut Cut" Act
The Ponder News
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – bold legislation to overhaul America’s tax code for the first time in 31 years. If you are interested in this, The Ponder News has compiled headlines about this topic.
Read more...
https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
STATEMENT: CAP’s Neera Tanden: House Tax Bill is a Grade-A Scam
Center for American Progress
President Donald Trump and congressional Republican leaders can dress up this bill all they want, but the reality is this: The House tax legislation is a grade-A scam. Its primary feature—huge tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations—will be paid for by middle- and working-class families. It will threaten priorities such as Medicaid, Medicare, and education.
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
GOVERNOR BROWN ISSUES STATEMENT ON REPUBLICAN TAX PROPOSAL
Add some more info about this item...
"The hurried tax proposal unveiled by Congress today transfers income from individuals and families to large and powerful corporate structures. This is bad economic policy and bad for the American people."
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
Tax plan calls for retention of exemption for municipal bond interest
American Public Power Association
The tax exemption for municipal bond interest would remain largely unchanged under a tax plan unveiled Nov. 2 by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas.
Read more....https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
API: HOUSE TAX BILL TAKES BOLD STEPS TO MODERNIZE THE NATION’S TAX CODE
American Petroleum Institute
Today the House Ways & Means Committee took a bold step to modernize the nation’s tax code to sustain U.S. economic growth, spur strong energy investment, and create American jobs and we commend Chairman Brady for his tremendous leadership on this issue,” said Gerard. “The last comprehensive update to the U.S. tax code was in 1986 and significant proposals, like lowering the corporate tax rate and strong cost-recovery provisions, will help ensure that our tax system is smart, fair and pro-growth to benefit American consumers, businesses, and the economy.
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
Union: Working Families Worse Off Under House Tax Plan
American Federation of Government Employees
The tax plan unveiled by House leadership would mostly benefit those who need the help the least: wealthy individuals and large corporations. While the plan would lower the tax rate for many middle-income families, most would end up having more of their income taxed. And the plan would actually raise taxes on our poorest citizens.
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
AFT on GOP Tax Proposal
American Federation of Teachers
We have long said that Donald Trump campaigned as a populist but would govern as an elitist, and the GOP-Trump tax giveaway bill released today epitomizes this view.
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders on House Majority Tax Plan
The Ponder News
“Working people, seniors, and children will pay for this bill’s tax giveaways to corporations and the super wealthy by way of partisan gamesmanship that will force cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and public education. But to add insult to injury, the bill will starve communities of state and local public services, stifle job growth, and cause many middle class families to actually be hit with a tax increase.
Read more...https://www.thepondernews.com/cutcutcutact

November 02, 2017
Council statement on GOP tax reform bill
The Ponder News
"Promoting savings, investment and economic growth is the goal of tax reform and retirement plans are how Americans save and invest. We are gratified today's proposal lets workers save for retirement in the way that best meets their financial security needs. We will work with Congress to ensure that retirement savings is protected as the tax reform process moves forward.”
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/afscme-pres-lee-saunders-on-house.html

November 02, 2017
Statement from the President on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
The Ponder News
I applaud the House Ways and Means Committee for introducing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is another important step toward providing massive tax relief for the American people. My tax reform priorities have been the same since day one: bringing tax cuts for hardworking, middle-income Americans; eliminating unfair loopholes and deductions; and slashing business taxes so employers can create jobs, raise wages, and dominate their competition around the world. The policies of my Administration have already helped to drive the stock market to all-time highs and the unemployment rate to a 16-year low. Economic confidence is skyrocketing and our GDP grew 3 percent yet again this quarter.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/council-statement-on-gop-tax-reform-bill.html

November 02, 2017
Chairman Brady Introduces the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
The Ponder News
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – bold legislation to overhaul America’s tax code for the first time in 31 years. With this bill, a typical middle-income family of four, earning $59,000 (the median household income), will receive a $1,182 tax cut.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/chairman-brady-introduces-tax-cuts-and.html

November 02, 2017
AEM: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act a Big Step Forward
The Ponder News
The equipment manufacturing industry commends Speaker Ryan, Chairman Brady and all the members of the House Ways & Means Committee for taking an important step on the path toward achieving pro-growth, pro-manufacturing tax reform. The legislation introduced today serves as a good foundation for continued debate in Congress. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers and its more than 950 members support permanent tax reform that simplifies the code, lowers rates for all businesses, and ultimately creates good-paying manufacturing jobs in America.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/aem-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-big-step.html

November 02, 2017
MCMORRIS RODGERS: TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT IS “MUST-PASS LEGISLATION”
The Ponder News
Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) released the following statement after the Ways and Means Committee announced the introduction of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, pro-growth and pro-family legislation that overhauls the outdated tax code to put working men and women first. Sponsored by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX), the tax reform plan creates more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks for all Americans.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/mcmorris-rodgers-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act.html

November 02, 2017
Details of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Tax Foundation
House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) released the “chairman’s mark” of the federal tax reform plan contemplated in the Big Six’s Tax Framework. While changes are likely in committee markup, and the Senate will certainly bring its own priorities to the process, today’s release is the first bill text we’ve seen from a tax-writing committee.
Read more...
https://taxfoundation.org/details-tax-cuts-jobs-act/

November 02, 2017
American Action Network Statement On Introduction of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
The Ponder News
“The tax bill introduced in the House today will provide relief for American families and small businesses with a simpler, fairer tax code. Meaningful tax reform means higher wages, more jobs, and a $1,200 tax cut for the average middle-class family. Congress must work together to swiftly pass this tax reform bill, and the American Action Network is committed to spend an additional $8 million supporting this legislation, bringing our total spending to over $22 million advocating for tax cuts for the middle class.”
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/american-action-network-statement-on.html

=====

November 02, 2017
Pondering the Masterpiece Cakeshop Case
The Ponder News
The owners of the Masterpiece Cake Shop refused to accommodate a gay wedding with a cake based on their religious beliefs. They were sued .The case has made it to the Supreme Court. If you are interested in the Masterpiece Cake Shop Case, The Ponder News has included a page specifically for that.
Click Here for more...
https://www.thepondernews.com/masterpiececakeshop

November 02, 2017
OfficeMax refuses to print poster for event exposing homosexual agenda
Life Site News
I was sent this little jewel by a friend. The Ponder wants to know: What is the difference between OfficeMax doing this and what is happening with Masterpiece Cake Shop?
Read about it...
https://www.thepondernews.com/masterpiececakeshop

November 02, 2017
HRC-Led Amicus Briefs in Masterpiece Cakeshop SCOTUS Case Features Top Chefs, Businesses
The Ponder News
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced two amicus briefs featuring the nation’s leading bakers, chefs and businesses who oppose discrimination against LGBTQ people — the central issue in the pending Supreme Court case Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/hrc-led-amicus-briefs-in-masterpiece.html

November 02, 2017
Amicus Briefs Demonstrate Broad Support for Equality in Masterpiece Case
The Ponder News
Briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court today indicate broad support for ensuring all Americans – including LGBTQ people – are treated fairly and equally when accessing public businesses. The Court will hear oral argument in the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case on December 5th, and businesses large and small, conservatives, people of faith, and municipal leaders from across the country agreed in a series of briefs that businesses open to the public must serve everyone.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/amicus-briefs-demonstrate-broad-support.html

November 02, 2017
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney Lead Congressional Amicus Brief in Masterpiece Cakeshop Case
The Ponder News
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) announced the filing of an Amicus Brief in support of equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and other marginalized groups in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. A ruling for Masterpiece Cakeshop could create a “license to discriminate” allowing businesses to deny service to Americans, including LGBTQ people. Senator Baldwin and Representative Maloney were joined on the brief by 35 Senators and 174 House members.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/us-senator-tammy-baldwin-representative.html

November 02, 2017
EVENT: Debate: ‘Masterpiece Cakeshop at US Supreme Court’ at Newseum on Nov. 13
Alliance Defending Freedom
“Masterpiece Cakeshop at the U.S. Supreme Court: A Public Debate”
Read more...
November 01, 2017
THE MASTERPIECE CAKE SHOP SUPREME COURT CASE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CAKE
Newsweek
A case is headed to the Supreme Court in December that centers around Jack Phillips, the owner of the Colorado-based Masterpiece Cakeshop, who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding. But the case doesn’t actually have anything to do with cake—it’s rather an issue that hangs on the line between free speech and discrimination.
Read more...
https://www.thepondernews.com/masterpiececakeshop

=====

November 02, 2017
Teen childbirth linked to increased risk for heart disease
The Ponder News
Women who became first-time mothers as teens were significantly more likely than older mothers to have greater risks for heart and blood vessel disease later in life, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Read more...
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/11/teen-childbirth-linked-to-increased.html

November 02, 2017
November is American Diabetes Awareness Month
Understanding Diabetes
Today we are offering a book from Thriftbooks.com called "Understanding Diabetes": A guide for the layman to insure a complete understanding of diabetes. Written by top specialists in the field. Full of essential info on where to go and who to see to survive this condition.
Check it out...
http://thepondernews.com

Scrolling through the news today in social media...

UC Sues Trump Administration over DACA Decision

Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld are all closed through at least September 1, says Fox News.

Hillary Clinton calls Trump supporters "Deplorable" again.

Hillary said that she will no longer be a candidate in politics, but she's not done with politics.

NFL ratings decline.

Looters are breaking into stores in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

House Representative Dina Titus from Nevada has vowed to protect wild horses and burros from slaughter by the Trump administration.

Tim Cain has refused to condemn Antifa.. Since his son is Antifa, maybe he should ask him.

Trump's debt deal was better than Paul Ryan's, many Republicans admit

News from Other Sources: From a few Newspapers in Indiana

Senator Young introduces bill to authorize military force against ISIS
Chesterton Tribune
March 6, 2017
U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has introduced legislation which would authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Read More...

Great Lakes mayors warn against Trump cuts to restoration effort
Chesterton Tribune
March 6, 2017
A group representing Great Lakes region mayors in the U.S. and Canada is sounding the alarm against potentially drastic cuts to an ecological recovery initiative for the Great Lakes. The Trump administration's potential cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative were reported by the Detroit Free Press last week. They would slash annual funding for the $300 million program to $10 million. The initiative combats invasive species, curbs nutrient-fueled algae blooms, cleans up toxic messes and restores sensitive fish and wildlife habitat.
Read More...

Democrats plan program on electoral college in Bartholomew County in Indiana
The Columbus Republic
March 6, 2017
The Bartholomew County Democratic Party will present a seminar on Electoral College Facts and Fiction at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Democratic headquarters, 1417 Chestnut St.
Read more...

Transportation, pre-K funding may be points of contention in second half of legislative session
The Evansville Courier & Press
March 6, 2017
The Legislature is to the halfway point of session and as the House and Senate prepare to switch bills, there could be a few points of contention between the two. Both House and Senate leaders have passed bills placing more requirements on the abortion process, but they could disagree on areas concerning road funding, pre-K and e-liquid regulation.
Read more...

Big hurdles face Texas' 'bathroom bill' ahead of first vote
Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel
March 6, 2017
A North Carolina-style "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people faces big hurdles in Texas as Republican supporters stood with church leaders and others Monday to ratchet up political pressure ahead of a first vote this week.
Although the Texas bill is likely to sail through a Senate committee as early as Tuesday, the hotly contested measure faces a tough road ahead. It is opposed by corporate titans such as Facebook, Amazon, Google and American Airlines and celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lawrence.
Read more...