CORTEZ MASTO COSPONSORS BILLS TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS

Washington, D.C. - August 7, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored two bills intended to protect veterans and service members—men and women who have proven they are willing to lay down their lives to defend America—from being deported. The bills, sponsored by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran, would help keep our promises to these brave individuals by preventing the Administration from deporting veterans, giving legal permanent residents a path to citizenship through military service, and establishing naturalization offices at military training facilities.

“These bills will help us honor our commitment to veterans and service members seeking U.S. citizenship,” said Cortez Masto. “Unfortunately, the programs that exist to help eligible noncitizen military service members complete their naturalization process are often under-resourced and inconsistent. If passed, these bills would allocate resources to help ensure that qualified military members in Nevada and across the country receive the guidance and support they need on their pathway to citizenship. I am proud to have co-sponsored this legislation to support the men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep our nation safe.”

A 2016 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) study identified 239 non-citizen veterans who have been deported from the United States in recent years – and some experts believe the actual number of deported veterans is significantly higher.

While most deported veterans would have been eligible for naturalization when they were in the military, the U.S. government in many cases failed to prioritize assisting non-citizen service members with completing the naturalization process. Because of this lack of follow-through, some veterans who thought they had become citizens found out later that they were vulnerable to deportation because their paperwork had never been processed.

Once a veteran is deported, they are usually unable to access the VA benefits they have earned and would receive if they were still living in the United States. Many have trouble accessing even basic medical care, which is particularly problematic because veterans struggle with higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and physical health problems like chronic pain than the general population. Many deported veterans have also been separated from their families and their children, who live in the United States. Veterans deported to Mexico or Central America also are vulnerable to threats from gangs and drug cartels because of their military experience.

The following bills were cosponsored this week by Senator Cortez Masto:

The Immigrant Veterans Eligibility Tracking System (I-VETS) Act of 2017 would identify non-citizens who are currently serving or who have served in the armed forces when they are applying for immigration benefits or when placed in immigration enforcement proceedings. The bill would also require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to annotate all immigration and naturalization records to reflect their service records. This information will enable DHS to “fast track” veterans and service members who are applying for naturalization, while also allowing officials to practice prosecutorial discretion, if appropriate, when adjudicating their cases.

The Naturalization at Training Sites (NATS) Act of 2017 would establish a naturalization office at each initial military training site to identify and conduct outreach to non-citizen service members to ensure the government follows through on its promise to help them become American citizens.

‘Kari’s Law’ Makes Dialing 911 Easier from Multiline Phones

Washington, D.C. - August 7, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act, which included Kari’s Law, a bill that amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require multiline telephone systems, common in hotels and offices, to have the ability to directly dial 911 without locating an outside line first:

“In an emergency situation, every moment counts. By ensuring all callers are able to directly dial 911, we can help save critical seconds that could mean the difference between life and death,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Following the example of the State of Texas, I’m glad my colleagues in the Senate have taken this commonsense step to help prevent tragedies across the nation.”

Sen. Cornyn is an original co-sponsor of Kari’s Law, named after Kari Hunt, who was tragically killed in her hotel room in 2013. Kari’s daughter was unable to reach emergency personnel because she failed to dial “9” to locate an outside line on the multiline phone in the hotel room before dialing 911. The Texas legislature passed a similar state law that went into effect in 2016. A similar bill passed the House of Representatives on January 23, 2017.

Kari Hunt was killed in her hotel room after her daughter was unable to reach emergency responders due to the hotel phone system's requirement of dialing an extra “9” to reach 911.

“I am grateful my colleagues in the Senate have come together to pass this bill that has the potential to save many lives,” Senator Ted Cruz said. “No family should have to endure the grief inflicted upon the Hunt family, when technology that was supposed to be there in Kari's time of need was not easily accessible. I am a proud supporter of this bipartisan bill that will make dialing 911 easier and I hope it quickly becomes law.”

Plan to Improve Generic Drug Competition, Ensure Patient Access to Affordable Medication Heads to President's Desk

Provisions authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) to improve generic competition and lower the cost of prescription drugs cleared the Senate as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act. The provisions, which were unanimously adopted as an amendment during the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s consideration of the legislation in May, will help foster a competitive marketplace to improve the affordability and accessibility of prescription drugs for patients. The House passed bipartisan legislation mirroring Senators Collins and McCaskill’s plan last month, and the bill will now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“Drug companies should not be able to increase their prices dramatically by thousands of percent overnight without any justification or development of the drug to improve its effectiveness, for example,” said Senator Collins in her remarks from the Senate floor. “Our legislation will help to foster a much healthier and more competitive marketplace as the best defense against such exploitation. I am pleased that our bipartisan plan will increase generic competition, which is so important to American families and particularly our seniors, who take a disproportionate number of the prescription drugs that are prescribed in this country.”

“Prescription drugs aren’t a luxury item—for many, they’re lifesavers, and Missouri families shouldn’t have to choose between their prescriptions and their groceries,” Senator McCaskill said. “We’ve got to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, and a fundamental way to do that is through generic competition. That’s why this plan by Senator Collins and me will make a difference—and why I’m thrilled it’s headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.”

In December 2015, Senators Collins and McCaskill, the Chairman and former Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee, launched the first ever bipartisan investigation into the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to egregious price spikes for certain drugs. Their investigation included a series of hearings that strived to understand why companies can make these large price increases and to identify which policies should be considered to counter these disturbing practices. In December 2016, Senators Collins and McCaskill released a report on drug pricing that detailed the Committee’s findings.

Senators Collins and McCaskill’s bipartisan plan will take a number of steps to foster a competitive marketplace to help keep drug prices down and improve access to affordable prescription drugs for Americans. These measures will enhance regulatory certainty for generic drug companies, prevent shortages, increase competition to lower prices and avoid monopolies, and deter practices that can lead to unjustifiable exorbitant price hikes.

SENATE PASSES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO PROMOTE WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PEACEBUILDING

Washington, D.C. - August 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The Senate has passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to ensure the United States promotes women’s meaningful inclusion and participation in mediation and negotiation processes undertaken in order to prevent, mitigate or resolve violent conflict. The Women, Peace and Security Act would further the commitments contained in the United States’ National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

“Women are effective problem-solvers and mediators, yet they are often excluded from peacekeeping and mediation efforts,” Senator Capito said. “As women continue to assume more leadership roles in international affairs, this legislation will help build on that momentum and promote their inclusion in peace processes.”

“Women and girls are disproportionally affected by violence and armed conflict around the world, yet far too often they are under-represented at the negotiation table,” Senator Shaheen said. “This bipartisan legislation makes ending violence against women and girls a top diplomatic, development, and foreign assistance priority, empowering more women and allowing them to more effectively affect change in our world. I look forward to working with the House to move this legislation and put women at the forefront of American foreign policy and peacebuilding around the world.”

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, between 1992 and 2011, women represented fewer than 4 percent of signatories to peace agreements and 9 percent of negotiators. In 2015, only 3 percent of UN military peacekeepers and 10 percent of UN police personnel were women.

The National Action Plan released in December 2011 expresses the United States’ commitment to empower women as equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace around the globe. The Women, Peace and Security Act would ensure that the goals and objectives of the National Action Plan are integrated into future foreign policy decisions and that the United States continues to lead in promoting to women’s participation in peace and security efforts for years to come.

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017

Washington, D.C. - August 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The United States Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill to modernize and strengthen education benefits for Washington state veterans, Reservists, and their families. The legislation is now headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 will break down barriers to education benefits by getting rid of the arbitrary 15-year window, allowing veterans to use their GI Bill education benefits for life. Cantwell has worked to remove the time limit placed on accessing GI Bill benefits since 2007 when she introduced the Montgomery GI Bill for Life Act.

"For more than 70 years, the GI Bill has opened the door to higher education for millions of service members and veterans who wouldn't otherwise have had the chance to pay for college. By removing the arbitrary time limits, our veterans can get the valuable skills training and education they need to succeed in life outside the military when it is the right time for them to do so,” said Cantwell.

Of particular importance to Cantwell, the bill makes critical investments in student veterans who pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering or math fields, as well as technical and vocational careers. The bill also allows Guardsmen and Reservists to count their training, deployments, and medical treatment related to their service towards accruing education benefits like their active duty counterparts.

“In Washington state, our tech industry is booming and creating new jobs every day,” said Cantwell. “By ensuring our veterans can access STEM education or use their on-the-job computer science training, they can fill these jobs and power the 21st century economy.”

Computing jobs are growing in every industry and in every state. There are currently more than 20,000 open computing jobs in Washington state, and more than 500,000 nationwide. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates there will be 4.4 million jobs in computer and information technology occupations by 2024. Despite the clear need for a workforce with coding and programming skills, many veterans have been unable to use their GI benefits to access coding and computer science training programs.

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act also does the following:

Extends the Yellow Ribbon Enhancement Program, which provides education benefits to survivors of those who died in the line of duty.

Transfers benefits to a dependent if the servicemember dies before being able to use them.

Restores benefits to student veterans who received credits or training from certain educational institutions that subsequently close.

Reinstates the Reserve Educational Assistance Program for Reservists.

Prorates licensing and certification benefits, rather than charging veterans a month’s worth of benefits.

Extends full education benefits to recipients of the Purple Heart.

Provides more on-campus educational and vocational counseling services for veterans.

Is it time to talk about repealing the 17th Amendment?

Allen B. West

You know, if you sit and read the entire Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers and the Constitution, you’ll come to realize how truly brilliant the Founding Fathers were. Today, we have an academic elite that sees them only through the lens of identity politics; often, they perceive them as old, slave-owning, white men.

But when you lucidly examine what they did, you’ll see, as Benjamin Franklin said, they gave us a Republic — if we could keep it. They gave us a governing structure not just focused on the near term, but could truly last forever. Sadly, we lack the intellectual regimen in our current system of indoctrination (not education!) to objectively study these fundamental ideas, principles and values. We used to call it civics, but now, via revisionist history, the progressive socialist left, as Barack Obama stated, is all about fundamentally transforming our nation.

Read more...

Chairman Crowley Statement on Republicans’ Anti-Immigrant and Anti-Family Immigration Proposal

Washington, D.C. - August 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY) issued the following statement after congressional Republicans and President Trump endorsed an immigration plan that would drastically limit opportunities for immigrants to come to the U.S. legally.

“There is no avoiding it – our country’s immigration system needs to be fixed through comprehensive reform. This so-called ‘merit-based’ proposal from congressional Republicans and President Trump falls far short of that goal. It will shut out immigrants who are seeking a better life in America, without considering their history, their familial ties to the U.S., or their potential to contribute to our nation. This is nothing short of an anti-immigrant and anti-family proposal from the GOP. I will work hard to ensure it is dead on arrival.”

Reps. Courtney, Larson & Higgins Announce New Legislation That Makes Medicare Buy-In An Option For Americans Ages 50-64

Washington, D.C. - August 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- As the national dialogue heats up around healthcare and Americans are seeking real solutions that address their long-term needs, Reps. Joe Courtney (CT-02), John Larson (CT-01) and Brian Higgins (NY-26) are announcing introduction of the “Medicare Buy-In and Healthcare Stabilization Act”, a bill that improves on the successes of the Medicare program and provides middle-age Americans a new option for affordable, quality healthcare. The Medicare Buy-In Act will lower the Medicare eligibility age to 50 years and offer the option to buy-in to Medicare thus avoiding the increase in premiums that older Americans often face. Additionally, working Americans who wish to buy into the program would have the option to do so, and their employers could continue to contribute to their premiums pre-tax, a win-win for those employers and employees. The buy-in option will hold down costs in both Medicare and the private market.

Congressman Courtney said, “With the demise of “repeal” which was structured from day 1 as a hyper partisan Republican exercise, it is time Congress listens to what the American people have been saying loud and clear for several years. We need to work together to fix the weaknesses in the ACA rather than butcher it. The Medicare Buy In and Health Care Stabilization Act provides relief for the higher cost, older population in the individual and small business market, and restores the market stabilizers that Republicans have undermined and caused insurance premiums to spike in 2017 and 2018. Lastly, the bill provides exciting new ways to reduce health care spending by cracking down on fraud and instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to employ tried and true tools to cut costs in the area of prescription drugs. This bill not only does not add to the deficit, but it will, in fact, save money for America’s taxpayers.”

“In public events and town halls across the country, the American people have spoken up and demanded solutions. They have rejected ACA repeal and they have rejected partisan bickering. That is why I have joined with Reps. Higgins and Courtney to develop a simple and commonsense solution that offers one path forward to strengthen our health care system. This proposal will give Americans (ages 50-64) the ability to buy-into Medicare should they find their current options on the private market unaffordable or unsatisfactory,” said Rep. Larson. “Additionally, through targeted reforms focused on improving the quality and delivery of care, we are looking to the future to strengthen the long-term solvency of Medicare, and the health care system overall.”

“For more than 50 years Medicare has been a reliable, efficient, and popular healthcare delivery system for older Americans and it is time to build on healthcare that works,” said Congressman Higgins. “Americans pay too much for health care and still the country ranks near the bottom, among similar sized nations, in quality for its investment. This legislation would allow us to leverage the purchasing power of the millions of people to deliver better care at lower costs.”

Congress approved legislation authorizing Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 through the Social Social Security Act. In the first 6 months of 1966, 19 million people enrolled in Medicare. In 2016 approximately 57 million people received health insurance through the Medicare program.

“As Congress considers improvements to the Affordable Care Act, it is a no-brainer to provide Americans approaching retirement with quality affordable health care by expanding the popular and successful Medicare program,” said Rep. Welch. “I am particularly pleased that this bill includes my legislation to empower the federal government to negotiate lower Medicare drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. It simply makes no sense for the federal government to continue to buy drugs at wholesale while paying retail prices.”

"Instead of the dangerous and partisan approach Republicans in Congress are pursuing that will rip health insurance away from millions of Americans and make health care more expensive for seniors and families, we should be working together to help more Americans afford high quality health care,” said Rep. Huffman. “That’s why today we’re introducing the ‘Medicare Buy-In and Healthcare Stabilization Act’ to take one of our nation’s most successful programs -- Medicare -- and open it up to millions of Americans. The more people who can buy into Medicare, the better for everyone. Congress ought to work together to provide more affordable health care options for our constituents, instead of working to take it away."

Rep. Deutch added, “As Republicans play games around the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, we’re offering an alternative: a thoughtful bill that works to repair some problems in our healthcare system. Between Trumpcare’s age tax, repeal of protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and unrestrained costs to consumers, older Americans are at particular risk. Our bill takes the successes of Medicare and expands it to millions more Americans. It’s time for Republicans to pull the health care debate out of the shadows, stop buying votes with backroom deals, and start meaningful discussions across the aisle to find real solutions to our problems.”

Medicare Buy-In and Healthcare Stabilization Act
What the bill does:

Gives Americans ages 50-64 the option to purchase Medicare. Buy-in would be available through the exchanges during open enrollment, giving people the ability to comparison shop and allowing individuals eligible for premium tax credits or cost sharing reductions to apply them toward the buy-in premium. The Medicare buy-in would also be available to individuals who obtain healthcare through their employer, allowing for employer contributions.

Who is eligible?

According to the 2010 census, approximately 58 million people in the United States are between ages 50 and 64. This group is traditionally viewed by insurance companies as higher-risk and therefore face higher costs for health coverage. The AARP recently reported that four out of 10 adults age 50-64 – about 25 million people – have preexisting conditions. Both the Senate and House versions of repeal and replace would allow insurers to charge older people five times more than younger beneficiaries beginning in 2018.

Why Medicare?

Currently 1 in 5 Americans are covered under Medicare and the majority of Medicare recipients are happy with their coverage. Medicare is a cost-effective program. CMS reports, “Administrative costs in 2015 were about 2.0 percent, 1.1 percent, and 0.4 percent of expenditures for Part A (hospital coverage), Part B (physician coverage), and Part D (drug coverage), respectively.”

How does it save consumers?

The buy-in option holds down costs by leveraging the buying power of Medicare. Participants could buy-into Medicare, including Part A, B and D, for an annual premium potentially as low as $8,212. By comparison, a 60 year-old purchasing a Gold health care plan on the exchange would pay approximately $13,308 (before subsidies). Participants continue to pay into the Medicare Trust Fund, protecting its future and allowing those who select the Medicare buy-in to receive the full Medicare benefits available to them upon reaching the age of 65.

Includes Mechanisms to Bend the Cost Curve and Stabilize the Marketplace:

The legislation builds on Medicare program integrity efforts to fight fraud and abuse in the system that hurts the long-term solvency of the programs and harms our beneficiaries.

It also ensures the enhancement of catastrophic reinsurance, reinstating the risk corridors that expired in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and makes the Cost Sharing Subsidies a permanent part of the baseline.

Rep. Joe Courtney is a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee where he serves on the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions subcommittee. Congressman Brian Higgins serves as Vice-Ranking Member on the House Committee on Ways and Means including its Subcommittee on Health. Congressman John Larson is a longtime member of the House Ways & Means Committee and serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Additional cosponsors of the “Medicare Buy-In and Healthcare Stabilization Act” include: Rep. Peter Welch (VT-At Large), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. David Cicilline (RI-1), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-2), Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4) and Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22).

Costa Joins Problem Solvers in Proposing Health Care Solutions

Washington, D.C. - August 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of representatives working to find a path forward for responsible governance, put forward a proposal today to improve the health care system in the United States. Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) is a member of the caucus. One key component of the proposal focuses on stabilizing the individual health care market to help individuals, families, and small businesses afford high-quality care. The proposal also states the importance of improving patient choice and responsibility, creating incentives for health care providers to lower costs, and giving states more flexibility in their implementation of health care policy.

“We know that the Affordable Care Act has its problems, and in order to start fixing them, it is essential that we have predictability in our health care system,” said Congressman Costa. “We also know that the only way to provide real solutions and stable policy is through bipartisan efforts. In the Problems Solvers Caucus, we have come together – Democrats and Republicans – to provide a starting point for serious bipartisan discussions so we can provide the health care system the predictability it needs for all Americans to have stable access to high-quality, affordable health care.”

The Problem Solvers Caucus wants its proposal to serve as the beginning of a bipartisan effort to address the weaknesses in the Affordable Care Act, focusing on areas where members of the caucus believe they can find a broader consensus to improve America’s health care system.

INDUSTRIAL HEMP BILL INTRODUCED

Washington, D.C. - August 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressmen James Comer (R-KY), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced federal legislation to end unnecessary and outdated regulations on industrial hemp. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act exempts industrial hemp from the Controlled Substance Act’s definition of marijuana, creates a new category for hemp research at universities and state departments of agriculture, and allows for further commercialization of industrial hemp crops.

“I am honored to sponsor the Industrial Hemp Farming Act because I know firsthand the economic viability of industrial hemp. Hemp has created new opportunities for family farmers and good paying jobs for American workers, especially in Kentucky,” said Rep. Comer who led the successful industrial hemp efforts in Kentucky as the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture.

“Industrial hemp isn’t a new crop to the United States, but most Americans aren’t aware of the wide range of legitimate uses for it. I’ve met many Virginia farmers who are ready to commercially produce and create a market for industrial hemp in the U.S., but outdated, though well-intentioned, federal restrictions on the cultivation and commercialization of this crop stand in the way. By removing industrial hemp from the definition of a controlled substance, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act will finally allow for responsible, commercial production of industrial hemp without fear of violating federal law. This bipartisan legislation is the product of many months of robust discussion with both lawmakers and stakeholders. I am pleased to see it introduced today, and I look forward to moving this legislation through the House,” said Congressman Bob Goodlatte.

"Industrial hemp is a sustainable crop and could be a great economic opportunity for Kentucky farmers,” said Rep. Massie. "I'm optimistic that we can get the Industrial Hemp Farming Act to the President's desk this Congress. In 2014, for the first time in over half a century, hemp was grown and harvested in Kentucky under the pilot programs allowed by the Polis-Massie-Blumenauer amendment to the 2014 Farm Bill. I look forward to working with Congressman Comer to build on that momentum to give our nation's farmers and manufacturers more opportunities to compete and succeed in the global economy. I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of this bill introduced by Congressman Comer, who was instrumental in bringing the hemp industry to Kentucky as Agricultural Commissioner,” Massie added.

“Hemp has boundless potential as a sustainable alternative to plastics and other environmentally harmful products,” Polis said. “It can be used in everything from construction materials to paper to lotions and even ice cream. It’s past time that we eliminate absurd barriers and allow hemp farmers to get to work, create jobs, and grow this promising and historically important crop!”

Kentucky is widely viewed as one of the leading industrial hemp producing states. Both Kentucky’s U.S. Senators, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, are strong supporters of industrial hemp and worked together with Rep. Thomas Massie to add language in the 2014 Farm Bill to allow further growth of industrial hemp crops in states that passed regulatory framework. Comer’s bill will take industrial hemp to the next level and begin to treat hemp like corn, soybeans, wheat, and other traditional farm crops.