MANCHIN INTRODUCES LEGISLATION THAT PUTS WORKERS AND THEIR HARD-EARNED RETIREMENT FIRST

Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today introduced the Prioritizing Our Workers Act (POWA), legislation that would revise the priorities section of the bankruptcy code to place unpaid vested benefits in defined benefit pension plans at the front of the line.

“Every pay period, hard-working Americans choose to defer their hard-earned wages in order to earn pension benefits for their retirement. That pension gives them a piece of mind that their future, and their family’s future, will be funded, taken care of, and without worry,” Senator Manchin said. “However, companies that file for bankruptcy are frequently relieved of their obligation to give pensions back to their workers and are able to use the money that should have funded those workers’ hard-earned retirement benefits for other bankruptcy costs. Retired employees are left high and dry with no other way to pay for their bills through no fault of their own. This is not just or right and it’s not the American way. I am proud to introduce this legislation that will make sure companies that file for bankruptcy keep their promises to their workers first.”

When employer sponsors of pension plans fail to make required contributions to these pensions and go bankrupt, current law provides a priority claim for unpaid pension contributions. However, these priority claims are only necessary for contributions due within 180 days before a bankruptcy filing, and up to $10,000 per worker. These claims must also compete with other priority claims for payment in the event of an employer bankruptcy.

A large portion of American workers feel the impact of cut pension benefits. According to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation’s 2016 Annual Report and 2015 Multiemployer Guarantee Study, over 146,000 workers experienced cuts in their pension benefits as a result of employer bankruptcies in 2016 alone.

“By introducing POWA, we are ensuring workers, the backbone of our nation’s economy, that they will receive their hard earned pensions,” Senator Manchin said. “Companies enter bankruptcy for a number of reasons, but the decisions that lead to this unfortunate outcome are made by management, not workers. Yet, far too often, workers bear the brunt of the bankruptcy pain by sacrificing their hard-earned pension benefits. This bill remedies the problem, and gives assurance to our laborers that they won’t be left to suffer in the event of a bankruptcy.”

“American bankruptcy laws are a travesty for working families, who are left with nothing when a company goes bankrupt while the big banks and corporate executives walk away with millions. It is long past time for Congress to take action to reform bankruptcy laws. Senator Manchin's bill takes a huge step toward leveling the playing field for workers, and we support it wholeheartedly,” said Cecil Roberts, International President of the United Mine Workers of America.

The POWA would change bankruptcy practices to benefit workers who paid toward a pension at a company filing for bankruptcy. This is accomplished by:

Re-defining all claims for unpaid vested benefits in defined benefit pension plans as “administrative expenses” of the firm. Under bankruptcy law, these expenses must be paid before all other claims, excluding claims for child and family support.

Putting pensions benefits on the same level as bankruptcy attorney fees and other high-priority claims a company must pay out before paying any other claims.

Its companion was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Donald Norcross (D-NJ).

Senators Hatch, Lee, Cruz, Perdue, and Paul Introduce Bill to Strength Criminal Intent Protections

Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), David Perdue (R-GA), and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation to strengthen criminal intent protections in federal law. Their bill, the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2017, would set a default intent standard for all criminal laws and regulations that lack such a standard. This legislation would ensure that courts and creative prosecutors do not take the absence of a criminal intent standard to mean that the government can obtain a conviction without any proof a guilty mind.

“Rampant and unfair overcriminalization in America calls for criminal justice reform, which starts with default mens rea legislation,” Sen. Hatch said. “Requiring proof of criminal intent protects individuals from prison time or other criminal penalties for accidental conduct or for activities they didn’t know were wrong. In recent years, Congress and federal agencies have increasingly created crimes with vague or unclear criminal intent requirements or with no criminal intent requirement at all. The Mens Rea Reform Act will help correct that problem and ensure that honest, hardworking Americans are not swept up in the criminal justice system for doing things they didn’t know were against the law.”

“Prosecutors should have to show a suspect had a guilty mind, not just that they committed an illegal act, before an American is put behind bars,” Sen. Lee said. “Unfortunately our federal laws contain far too many provisions that do not require prosecutors to prove a defendant intended to commit a crime. The result is criminal justice system that over penalizes innocent acts which only undermines the rule of law."

“I’m proud to join Sen. Hatch in addressing one of the biggest flaws in our modern criminal justice system,” Sen. Cruz said. “Currently, the federal government can send men and women to prison without demonstrating criminal intent. As Congress works to address criminal justice reform, the Mens Rea Reform Act needs to be enacted to protect the rights of all Americans.”
  
Statements of Support

John Malcolm, Vice President for the Institute for Constitutional Government and Director of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, Heritage Foundation:
Senator Hatch deserves a lot credit for keeping the issue of mens rea reform on the front burner.  Mens rea reform is a matter of fundamental fairness.  By having adequate mens rea standards, we ensure that moral blameworthiness is front and center in our criminal justice system.  The intent of the actor should make a difference in whether he is criminally prosecuted or is dealt with through the civil or administrative justice systems.  We should not be so cavalier about labeling someone a criminal, with all of the collateral consequences that flow from that, when someone does something unwittingly that causes harm.  Restoring moral blameworthiness to greater prominence in our criminal laws will revitalize our criminal justice system and preserve its moral authority, which, in turn, will engender respect for the rule of law.

Norman L. Reimer, Executive Director, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL):
NACDL lauds this important solution among several solutions that it actively supports to help address the fundamental imbalances and the destructive consequences of this country’s criminal justice system. Its members urge Congress to support Senator Hatch’s continued commitment to this fundamental principle of fairness.

David Patton, Executive Director and Attorney-in-Chief, Federal Defenders of New York, Inc.:
As Federal Defenders, we are acutely aware of the need for mens rea reform. Over 80 percent of people charged with federal crimes are too poor to afford a lawyer, and nearly 80 percent of people charged with federal crimes are Black, Hispanic, or Native American. These are our clients, and too many of them are subject to laws that are neither fair nor consistent with traditional principles of criminal liability. This bill would help to remedy some of those failings.

Efforts to reform mens rea intent requirements for federal criminal statutes are supported by the US Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Foundation, Koch Industries, and many others.

Leahy Joins In Pressing For Full Public Disclosure Of JFK Assassination Documents

Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Walter B. Jones and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley are calling for full public disclosure of documents pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Today, Jones and Grassley introduced companion resolutions to accomplish just that. The first, H. Res. 556 in the House and S. Res. 281 in the Senate, calls on the President of the United States to allow the release of all remaining documents currently held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and reject any efforts to postpone their release. The second, H. Res. 557 and S. Res. 282, commends NARA and its employees for working to release those records by October 26, 2017, the date established by the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992.

“To me, the tragedy that took place in Dallas continues to raise many questions that go unanswered,” said Jones. “After 54 years, there is no reason, for the sake of honesty and integrity in America, that the facts of the JFK assassination should not be made public. Virgil once said, ‘Evil is nourished and grows by concealment.’ It’s time to reveal what happened that awful afternoon in 1963.”

“Transparency in government is critical not only to ensuring accountability; it’s also essential to understanding our nation’s history.  The assassination of President Kennedy occurred at a pivotal time for our nation, and nearly 54 years later, we are still learning the details of how our government responded and what it may have known beforehand.  Americans deserve a full picture of what happened that fateful day in November 1963. Shining a light on never-before-seen government records is essential to filling in these blank spaces in our history,” Grassley said.

“I am proud to cosponsor Chairman Grassley’s resolutions calling on the Trump Administration to publicly disclose all government records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy – as required by a 1992 law authored by my good friend, the late Senator John Glenn,” responded Senator Patrick Leahy, Senate cosponsor.  “The assassination of President Kennedy was one of the most shocking and tragic events in our nation’s history.  Americans have the right to know what our government knows.  Transparency is crucial for our country to fully reckon with this national tragedy, and that is the purpose of these resolutions.  Chairman Grassley and I both believe that a government of, by, and for the people simply cannot be one that needlessly hides information from them, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to make our democracy ever more transparent to the American people.” 

"Twenty-five years ago, both Houses of Congress unanimously passed a bill mandating that these records would be released this month. It is time for the National Archives to do what it was directed to do and release these documents," said Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, an original cosponsor.

Several academics with research interests in the life of President Kennedy are also calling on the release of all classified documents.

"Historians and political scientists have been patiently waiting for this information for many years.  If the full true story is to be told, then the full release of these files is essential," said UVA Professor Larry J. Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "Surely, 54 years of hidden secrets is more than enough.  It's time to bring all the facts into the bright sunshine of public disclosure."

Additional House cosponsors include Representatives Dana Rohrbacher, John Conyers, Matt Gaetz, Gerald Connolly and Marcy Kaptur.

Klobuchar, Blunt Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Address Confidentiality of Victims of Domestic Violence

Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) have introduced bipartisan legislation to protect the address confidentiality of victims of domestic violence. Address Confidentiality Programs provide a confidential substitute mailing address for victims of domestic violence, rape, human trafficking, sexual assault, and stalking who have relocated to a residence unknown to their abuser or stalker. Currently, thirty-six states have established these programs to help victims keep their true address undisclosed to their perpetrators. The Safeguarding Addresses from Emerging (SAFE) at Home Act would ensure that federal agencies and federal courts recognize state created Address Confidentiality Programs. Last week, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon joined Klobuchar and Blunt in Washington to announce the legislation.

“As a former prosecutor, I’ve been focused on helping victims of domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking break free from abuse,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation would provide survivors with the peace of mind of knowing that their addresses are confidential as they work to rebuild their lives.”

“For over a decade, Minnesota’s Safe at Home program has been one of the strongest in the nation and has played a leading role in assisting others states develop address confidentiality programs,” said Secretary Simon. “Safe at Home offers critical life-saving services to so many women, men, children and families. The support and work being done by Sen. Klobuchar to ensure these protections are guaranteed at the federal level is not only necessary, but it will save lives.”

Specifically, the SAFE at Home Act would:

<li>Ensure that federal agencies and federal courts accept the designated address as an Address Confidentiality Program participant’s actual physical address when creating a new public record.
<li>Allow Address Confidentiality
<li>Program participants to provide their designated address to any federal agency without being charged with the crime of giving a false statement or information in regards to the address they provide.
<li>Clarify that no federal agency or court may obtain an Address Confidentiality 
<li>Program participant’s actual physical address without first complying with the requirements set forth by the state in which the participant is enrolled.
<li>Set requirements that if a federal agency or court obtains a participant’s actual physical address, the participant’s actual physical address shall not be public record and shall be kept confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are cosponsors of the legislation.

The SAFE at Home Act has been endorsed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the National District Attorneys Association, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Klobuchar is a national leader in the fight to combat human trafficking and prevent domestic violence. Earlier this month, the bipartisan Abolish Human Trafficking Act she introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) passed the Senate. The legislation strengthens and reauthorizes key programs that support survivors of human trafficking and provide resources to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials on the front lines of the fight against modern-day slavery. The bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Act Klobuchar and Cornyn introduced with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also recently passed the Senate. The legislation would establish and reauthorize critical programs to prevent human trafficking, promote justice for survivors, provide services to victims, and increase federal coordination to enhance the federal government’s response to the crisis of exploitation. In addition, Klobuchar and Cornyn authored the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, a 2015 law that increased the resources and tools available for combating human trafficking in the United States. The law ensures that American law enforcement is equipped to fight this crime, while helping victims rebuild their lives by using fines and penalties against their exploiters to fund restorative services and compensation.

Klobuchar was also a cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which contained many important changes to the previous law, such as consolidating duplicative programs and streamlining others; providing greater flexibility for how communities use resources; and including new training requirements for people providing legal assistance to victims.

HOUSE PASSES PORTMAN-KAINE BILL TO PROMOTE EARLY HEARING DETECTION IN NEWBORNS, INFANTS & YOUNG CHILDREN

Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, today announced that the House of Representatives passed their bipartisan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act, legislation that will reauthorize current research and improve public health programs for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss in newborns, infants, and young children. The Senate passed the bill on September 6, 2017.  The measure is now headed to the president’s desk for his signature.

“Early hearing detection is critical because children with hearing loss often fall behind their peers in speech development, cognitive skills, and social skills,” said Portman. “This bill takes important steps to improve early hearing detection and intervention for newborns, infants, and young children. I am pleased my House colleagues acted quickly on this important legislation, and I urge the president to sign it into law.”

“This bill will help kids by strengthening health programs that can detect, diagnose, and address hearing loss. I’m proud we were able to get our bipartisan bill passed by Congress so it can start making a difference in the lives of families in Virginia.” Kaine said.  “I was glad to join Senator Portman on this important piece of legislation and look forward to the President swiftly signing this into law.”

“The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is pleased that the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) legislation has passed in the House and Senate and is headed to the president’s desk,” said ASHA President Gail Richard, PhD, CCC-SLP. “We are grateful for the efforts of Senators Portman and Kaine as well as Congressmen Guthrie and Matsui in promoting this legislation. The EHDI program has been successful in ensuring hearing screening at birth for more than 97 percent of all newborns. This legislation will build on the success of the program and place more emphasis on ensuring that those identified with a hearing loss receive the care they need.”

NOTE: The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act reauthorizes current research and public health activities related to early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss in newborns and infants. In addition, to ensure the continued success of existing early hearing detection and intervention programs, the bill makes a number of key improvements. Specifically, this bill expands early hearing detection and intervention programs to include young children, improves access to appropriate follow-up and intervention services when hearing loss is identified, and clarifies the roles of the Centers for Disease Control and the Health Resources and Services Administration.  Specifically, this legislation:

·       Authorizes development of programs for hearing screening of newborns, infants, and young children;

·       Authorizes prompt evaluation and diagnosis of children referred from screening programs;

·       Provides for educational, audiological, and medical interventions for children confirmed to be deaf or hard-of-hearing;

·       Allows education and medical models to ensure that newborns, infants, and young children who are identified through hearing screening receive follow up by qualified early intervention providers, qualified health care providers, or pediatric medical homes; and

·       Continues research and development for early hearing detection and intervention, including development of technologies and clinical studies of screening methods.

A wide variety of groups support the bill, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, the American Academy of Audiology, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, Hands and Voices, Schools for the Deaf, the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and AG Bell.

Statements from Senators about Las Vegas Shooting

These are not all of the statements available, just all I had time to compile today.

Senator Robert P.Casey, Jr. - (D - PA)

"While we pray for the victims of this horrific attack and their families, it is not sufficient to just offer thoughts and prayers. The nation’s security continues to be at risk because Congress refuses to take real, meaningful action to curb gun violence. Congress must engage in a robust debate about commonsense ways to keep guns, particularly military-style weapons, out of the wrong hands. Congress should take up and vote on legislation to ban military-style weapons, limit the size and capacity of magazines, which contribute to deadly mass shootings, and put in place universal background checks. If Congress continues to fail its most basic obligation to keep America safe, then these mass shootings will continue to occur.”

Senator Michael F. Bennet - (D - CO)

"Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas was a devastating act of domestic terrorism. As investigations continue into the gunman's motives, we should restart a national conversation about gun violence that does not devolve into partisanship and demagoguery. Although we cannot prevent all evil acts, we can do our part to make them less likely-beginning with meaningful action from Congress to keep the wrong weapons out of the wrong hands. A reasonable first step should be a commonsense universal background check system that already has bipartisan support in the Senate. There is nothing more important than keeping our families and communities safe."

Senator Richard Burr - (R - NC)

“My heart is with the people of Las Vegas and their first responders today. This morning’s tragic violence has absolutely no place here in America. As we wait for a full accounting of events, Brooke and I will be praying for those lost and their families.”

Sendator Benjamin L.Cardin - (D - MD)

“I am heartbroken by the terror in Las Vegas. With the entire country, I am grieving for the senseless loss of life and praying for the victims, their families, and all those who were injured, whether by gunshot or the chaos that ensued. Much thanks also goes to the first responders who saved countless lives by helping those around them and running toward danger instead of away.

“Thoughts and prayers console victims and their families, but actions speak much louder. We must all be outraged at this latest shooting and we must act. Congress must act. States must act. Weapons of war should not be in the hands of civilians. We see the deadly results in Las Vegas just as we saw it in Orlando and Blacksburg, San Bernardino, Aurora, Sandy Hook, the streets of Baltimore, and elsewhere across this great country. We need to do everything in our power to stop the carnage of these shootings.

“How high does the death toll have to get before we enact real bipartisan reforms that will make the American public safer and reduce the risks that come from allowing such easy access to dangerous weapons primarily designed for the battlefield? Assault weapons are not needed to hunt deer or ducks; they are only meant to kill people – and they do far too often in this country. I urge my colleagues to be bold and fight to break the cycle of what can only be described as a callous disregard for the victims of gun violence. More talk and more prayers will not save lives. Only action and real changes in our federal and state laws can.”

Senator Thomas R. Carper - (D - DE)

“This morning, along with millions of people across the country, my heart sunk as I awoke to dreadful news. As innocent people came together in celebration of one of life’s simplest pleasures, the joy of music, their lives were ripped away in an abhorrent act of hate. I’m praying for the victims of this attack and for their loved ones, who are now living in a nightmare. My thoughts are with the people of Las Vegas. I am grateful for the law enforcement officers and first responders who jumped to action to save lives last night, and for the hospital staff who are working to heal the wounded this morning.

“It’s critical that federal, state and local law enforcement officials work together to get to the bottom of this attack. This is yet another brutal reminder that we must be vigilant here at home against threats of terrorism and face the grim reality that our gun safety laws need to be reexamined.

“I will continue to monitor this situation closely as we learn more information.”

Senator Cathrine Cortez Masto - (D - NV)

“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and wounded in last night’s vicious and senseless attack outside the Mandalay Bay Resort. I thank the first responders for taking down the gunman and working tirelessly to treat the wounded. I am working with the City of Las Vegas and Clark County to ensure that local officials have the resources they need to support our community and investigate these tragic events.”

Senator Mike Crapo - (R - ID)

"As our nation mourns and remembers the lives lost in Las Vegas, we gather in solidarity to uplift those left to heal and those left to grieve. I commend the selfless actions of first responders and everyday citizens who rushed to save, protect and care for their fellow man. Instances like this heinous crime seek to destroy our sense of security and aim to divide. May we unite in the fight against evil with an ever-vigilant drive toward peace."

Senator Richard J. Durbin - (D - IL)

“Gun violence is a public health crisis. There is no single law or policy that would prevent every tragic shooting, but let’s start working together to do something,” said Durbin. “We can’t stop the shootings that have already happened in Las Vegas, Chicago, Roseburg, Oregon, and across the nation. We failed to respond in time for those victims and their families. But if we work together, we can stop shootings in the future. That is something we should all strive to do. We must do all that we can to spare families the unimaginable pain that so many in Las Vegas are feeling in the aftermath of this horrible tragedy.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein - (D - CA)

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest ever. With more than 50 dead and more than 500 wounded—many seriously—it’s clear that families and friends of the victims will need our support and compassion.

“We must not allow ourselves to become numb to these massacres that can snuff out so many lives in such a short time. It should shock every American that one individual, with easy access to weapons and ammunition, can inflict such devastation.

“As we learn more in the days to come, we should all think deeply about the circumstances of this shooting and work together to prevent such tragedies from happening again.”

Gardner, Markey Introduce Expanded North Korea Policy and Sanctions Legislation

Washington, D.C. - October 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity, introduced comprehensive bipartisan legislation to economically and diplomatically pressure North Korea and its enablers, and authorize efforts to combat Pyongyang’s widespread human rights and labor trafficking abuses, to support and enhance efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the threat of North Korea’s accelerating development of nuclear weapons and the missiles that deliver them. The legislation titled, the Leverage to Enhance Effective Diplomacy Act of 2017, expands on sanctions legislation introduced earlier this year by Gardner and Markey.

“The Administration has taken positive steps in recent weeks to impose additional sanctions and working with governments to diplomatically isolate this heinous regime.” said Gardner. “Senator Markey and I are going to continue working in a bipartisan manner to give nations and companies a clear choice – do business with the United States or do business with North Korea. This legislation will give the Administration the needed additional tools to peacefully denuclearize the North Korean regime.”

“There is no military solution to the threat of a nuclear North Korea,” said Markey. “While the effort to economically and politically isolate North Korea will be essential for a diplomatic strategy to succeed, we must also recognize that pressure, without diplomatic engagement, will quickly become counterproductive. Our diplomatic strategy must combine economic pressure with talks to convince Kim Jong-un that the United States is not the threat he believes us to be and that he does not require nuclear weapons to survive.”

Ernst Effort to Cut Former Presidents’ Perks Passes Senate Committee

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of 2017 passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and now awaits full Senate consideration. This legislation reforms the outdated system that provides former U.S. Presidents with post-presidency benefits by establishing first-ever limits on the taxpayer support they receive.

“Our national debt now exceeds $20 trillion; this bipartisan effort is another important step toward reigning in Washington’s out-of-control spending,” said Senator Ernst. “It is ridiculous to continue asking taxpayers to help foot the bill for former presidents’ perks at a time when they already rake in millions of dollars from book deals, speaking engagements, and more. I look forward to seeing this commonsense legislation considered by the full Senate, and eventually signed into law.”

Currently, under the Former Presidents Act, former presidents receive a generous pension as well as a monetary allowance to cover expenses such as travel, staff, communications, and office space – all funded by taxpayers. Nowadays, with former presidents earning millions of dollars through a myriad of lucrative opportunities, the Former President’s Act should be updated to take into account the modern financial standing of former presidents.

U.S. Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA) introduced the companion legislation to the Presidential Modernization Act of 2017 in the U.S. House of Representatives, which passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on September 13, 2017.

Senator Ernst first introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Presidential Allowance Modernization Act on May 21, 2015. After passing both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with unanimous support, it was ultimately vetoed by President Obama.

New Duckworth-Schneider STRANDED Act Would Help Communities with Stranded Nuclear Waste

Washington, D.C. - October 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10) introduced the Sensible, Timely Relief for America’s Nuclear Districts’ Economic Development (STRANDED) Act to help communities struggling with the impacts of stranded nuclear waste. Their bicameral legislation would create grants to incentivize economic development and provide federal assistance to offset the economic impacts of stranded nuclear waste for the dozens of communities that are affected across the country – and the dozens more that will be stranded over the coming years. Specifically, the legislation would provide 15 dollars for each kilogram of nuclear waste, revive an expired tax credit for first-time homebuyers purchasing a home in a community with stranded waste and include stranded nuclear waste communities to the existing New Markets credit eligibility.

Duckworth and Schneider announced their new legislation this weekend in Zion, Illinois, where a decommissioned nuclear power station has housed more than 1,020 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel on valuable lakefront property since the plant’s closure in 1998. A photo taken at the announcement is available here.

“For years communities have been forced to house this waste without consent or compensation, despite the immeasurable negative impact to their local economies,” Duckworth said. “Since the federal government has failed to open a permanent repository and it could take years to move the waste after one is agreed upon, the STRANDED Act will help affected areas around the country that are facing hardship now. Communities like Zion can’t wait any longer.”

“Zion and communities like it have been unfairly saddled with storing our nation’s stranded nuclear waste – forced to shoulder the burdens of storage with no compensation in return,” Schneider said. “The federal government needs to make right by these communities. This bill I’m introducing with Sen. Duckworth would bolster Zion’s economic development by finally compensating the city for its storage of the waste, offering tax incentives to encourage private investment and homeownership, and better ensuring access to all available federal resources. Addressing this issue is a matter of basic fairness for the communities paying the price for our government’s failure to find a permanent solution for spent nuclear fuel.”

In addition to encouraging economic development and providing financial support, the STRANDED Act would establish a task force to identify the programs that currently exist for communities with stranded nuclear waste, simplifying the process and making it easier for communities applying for government assistance. The bill would also help identify a long-term solution for nuclear waste by directing the Department of Energy to examine other options for hosting decommissioned nuclear waste and to determine if secure sites that house decommissioned nuclear waste can be used for other purposes like hosting secure servers as well.

Duckworth’s post on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources gives her jurisdiction over nuclear energy, and she is committed to using that post to improve areas with stranded nuclear waste.

Cotton Statement on the Expulsion of Cuban Diplomats from U.S. Soil

Washington, D.C. - October 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has released the following statement on the expulsion of Cuban diplomats from U.S. soil:

"I encouraged the president to expel Cuban diplomats from U.S. soil, and I'm glad that he did. The Castro regime has shown no respect or concern for the safety of our diplomats, and until the regime brings those responsible for these attacks to justice, every one of those Cuban diplomats should be declared persona non grata. It's time we held the Castro regime responsible for its crimes against both the Cuban and the American people."