Senators Call for Additional Funding and Legislative Measures to Address Sexual Harassment on Capitol Hill

Washington, D.C. - December 15, 2017  (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), urging them to take additional steps to address sexual harassment and workplace misconduct in the United States Congress. 

“The reported accounts of misconduct on Capitol Hill necessitate a review of our workplace culture and processes to ensure that equality and justice prevail throughout,” Senators Collins and Murray wrote.

Senators Collins and Murray urged the Senate and Appropriations Committee leaders to provide additional funding to support updated and improved sexual harassment training for legislative branch employees.  They also urged the inclusion of legislative measures to improve the ways that congressional offices respond to both the causes and consequences of these incidents.

“On November 9, the Senate passed unanimously a resolution requiring Senators, staff, interns, fellows, and detailees to participate in workplace harassment training, including sexual harassment,” Senators Collins and Murray continued.  “This is a welcome first step to reforming the culture on Capitol Hill. It also invites an opportunity to invest in necessary improvements to training modules and to hire staff with expertise in workplace harassment and worker-advocate support. We request that you include sufficient funding to the Office of Compliance (OOC) and other appropriate Senate offices to improve these trainings and supports.”

Senators Collins and Murray also urged Leadership to take additional steps to fully address issues of harassment and misconduct, including implementing, at a minimum, the following common sense reforms that have support on both sides of the aisle:

Covering every member of the Congressional community (staff, fellows, interns, pages, and detailees) by the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) and fully informing them about what their rights, protections, and the available procedures are. 

Providing employees who experience harassment with access to independent confidential resources to advise and assist them through the complaint resolution process; and

Reforming the complaint resolution process so that arbitrary time limits and mandatory processes do not discourage reporting.
 

The complete text of the letter is available HERE

FCC Does Away With Net Neutrality

Washington, D.C. - December 15, 2017  (The Ponder News) -- The Federal Communications Commission voted to do away with the net neutrality rules of 2015. In response, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology, and 15 of her Senate colleagues joined together to announce their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo the action and thus restore the 2015 net neutrality rules.

“Today’s decision threatens our booming innovation economy,” said Senator Cantwell. “It’s impossible to know where the next big companies will come from, which makes an open and free internet all the more important to innovators, entrepreneurs and job creators – especially in the tech-driven Pacific Northwest.”

CRA resolutions allow Congress to overturn regulatory actions at federal agencies with a simple majority vote in both chambers. In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, the Senators will formally introduce the resolution once the rule is submitted to both houses of Congress and published in the federal register. The CRA resolution of disapproval would rescind FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s action and fully restore the Open Internet Order. Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Penn.) plans to introduce a CRA resolution in the House of Representatives. 

Don't Let Grinch Bots Steal Christmas

By Senator Richard Blumenthal (D - CT)




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action to protect kids and not let “Grinch Bots” steal Christmas toys. So-called Grinch Bots are algorithms and software deployed by online scammers to buy up popular toys and merchandise at lightning speed, and then re-sell those items at wildly inflated prices on websites like Ebay. After The New York Times reported that Grinch Bots have caused a shortage of Fingerlings, the Barbie Hello Dreamhouse and the Vampirina Scare B&B, among other toys, Blumenthal, Udall, and Schumer called on the FTC to convene a workshop to assess and address the damage these scammers have caused to kids and families this holiday season.

The senators also wrote that they plan to introduce legislation to combat Grinch Bots in the coming week.

“Millions of Americans are turning to online retailers in search of hard-to-find gifts for their family and friends this holiday season. Unfortunately, unscrupulous scammers are also taking note of the limited availability of popular items online, and are succeeding at gaming the system by aggressively deploying cyber bots that automatically spot and snap up the most popular products,” the senators wrote. “These bots are able to scoop up the season’s hottest toys before the typical consumer can even log on. They will then turn around and sell these limited availability items at large markups in the remaining shopping days of the holiday season. The profiteers behind these programs are becoming the Grinch bots of the 2017 holiday season."

“We respectfully request that the Federal Trade Commission convene a workshop on the use of bots that usurp technology and purchase large quantities of a particular product, including in-demand toys, with the intent to resell them. We request that you and your staff work with retailers, both online and traditional, to determine ways to protect consumers from high-speed purchases made by bots designed to game the system and take advantage and deprive consumers of online discounts,” the senators continued. "The commission should also collaborate with the nation’s 51 attorneys general to share information and best practices about how to protect consumers from these unfair practices. Such a workshop can help bring much needed attention to this issue, and help retailers and consumers assess the full extent of damage caused by these bad actors."

The full text of Blumenthal, Udall and Schumer’s letter can be found here.


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U.S. SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN’S BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION SUPPORTING MARITIME INDUSTRY BECOMES LAW

By Senator Tammy Baldwin (D - WI)




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s Domestic Maritime Centers of Excellence Act was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. This bipartisan legislation helps address the critical need for trained workers in the maritime industry.

“It is an honor to represent a state with a long and proud maritime manufacturing tradition,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to see this bipartisan legislation signed into law, in order to help ensure the future of our maritime workforce.”

The Domestic Maritime Centers of Excellence Act authorizes the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to designate community and technical colleges with maritime training program as centers of excellence and allow the Administration to provide technical assistance and other support to these institutions as they train the domestic maritime workforce.

“The legislation reinforces how important the marine manufacturing talent and skills of the Great Lakes Region are to the nation,” said Ann Franz, director of the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance (NCMMA). “At the heart of the marine industry, there is a highly skilled workforce with an unwavering passion. We see this as an opportunity to showcase world class marine manufacturing in northeast Wisconsin and grow the shipbuilding and maritime careers in our area.”

“Passage of the Maritime Centers of Excellence legislation empowers Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to remain in the forefront of maritime and marine education and training,” said NWTC President Dr. Jeff Rafn. “The College will collaborate with other Centers of Excellence throughout the country to prepare workers for the maritime and marine manufacturing industry. Northeast Wisconsin is a premier shipbuilding center on the Great Lakes. Designating a Maritime Center of Excellence at NWTC will improve the opportunities for the Great Lakes marine manufacturing industry to innovate and grow. We are thankful for the support of our congressional delegation, who clearly understand the critical role technical and community colleges including NWTC play in sustaining and growing the maritime and marine workforce.”

The bipartisan legislation is supported by the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance and the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) and was cosponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).


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Early Intervention in Mental Health is Critical

By Senator Lamar Alexander (R - TN)




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- At an oversight hearing on the mental health provisions in 21st Century Cures, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that early intervention for patients with mental health disorders is critical.

“Sean Lester is, by all accounts, a typical, Nashville young adult with a full-time job who also attends college,” Alexander said. “However, just before his 25th birthday, he experienced his first schizophrenic experience and has spent ten weeks receiving psychiatric treatment since 2014. Sean wrote me, saying, “This may seem slightly depressing, but my story does not end there. The doctors and staff I encountered at the hospital and at the Centerstone clinic taught me to live productively again in society. I have been free of the hospital for a whole year now. During that time, I have taken medication, returned to work, and even paid off a car! I am currently enrolled at Tennessee State University as a Junior pursuing a degree in Psychology.’”

Alexander continued: “Sean is one person out of nearly 10 million in the United States with a serious mental health condition. Without treatment, his story could have had a very different outcome. Over the past few years, this Committee has worked in a bipartisan way to update parts of the federal mental health system – including programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – for the first time in over a decade.”

Today’s hearing is the third oversight hearing on the 21st Century Cures Act, which included provisions from the Mental Health Reform Act that passed the committee on March 16, 2016 and updated programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) for the first time in a decade. Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, the first Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, a position created in Cures, has new authorities through Cures to work with states and federal agencies and to help more Americans receive the treatment they need.

“Most of the services, treatment, and care for people with mental health issues is provided by the private sector, like Vanderbilt, or through programs run by the states. The federal government plays a role through Medicaid and SAMHSA, which provided Tennessee with over $80 million grants last year.”

“Prior to our work on Cures, the coordination between federal agencies that provide mental health care was not as effective as it could have been. I hope today we will learn how implementation of these provisions is going. For example, how has coordination improved between federal agencies on the best ways to assist those with mental illness? We hoped that promising research into early intervention programs at the National Institutes of Health would translate into clinical applications for patients… I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to ensure more people can receive the help they need and have positive outcomes like Sean.”


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Governor Abbott Announces $20 Million In Grants To Texas Military Installations

By Texas Governor's Office




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Governor Greg Abbott today announced a new round of grants totaling $20 million from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission’s (TMPC) Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) program to various military installations in Texas. This program assists defense communities that may be positively or negatively impacted by a future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round. The grant money will be invested in infrastructure projects and other initiatives to increase the military value of installations in Texas, thereby strengthening them from a future BRAC round on our state’s installations.

"The strength of our military communities in Texas is unparalleled in part because of state support like the DEAAG program,” said Governor Abbott. “Not only are the 15 major military installations in Texas critical for the defense of our nation, they also add $136.6 billion to the state’s economy and support, directly and indirectly, more than 800,000 jobs in communities across this great state. That is why I will continue to work with the Texas Legislature and TMPC to ensure that our military installations continue to add unmatched value.”

The following entities will receive FY2018-2019 DEAAG disbursements:

Bell County - $3.1 million, Army Airfield security improvements

City of Corpus Christi – $3.3 million, Corpus Christi Army Depot security repairs and upgrades

City of Corpus Christi - $2.7 million, water infrastructure improvements at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi

Tom Green County - $4.5 million, infrastructure for mission expansion at Goodfellow Air Force Base

City of Kingsville - $144,000, purchase of property to prevent encroachment around Naval Air Station Kingsville

City of Abilene - $282,000, improvements to Dyess Air Force Base security upgrade

Port San Antonio - $5 million, Airfield Operations upgrades and improvements

City of Wichita Falls - $900,000, improvements to Sheppard Air Force Base security upgrade [partial funding]

The Governor previously announced over $30 million in grants last biennium awarded by TMPC.

The TMPC is part of the Governor’s Office and advises the Governor and the Legislature on defense and military issues and ways to strengthen the position of Texas military installations in preparation for a potential BRAC and other defense-related issues. The commission is composed of 13 members serving 6-year staggered terms, typically representing an installation in their community.


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DOJ Appeals Military “Transgender” Ruling

By Liberty Counsel




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an appeal in a D.C. federal appeals court after the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the military must begin accepting so-called “transgender” recruits on January 1, despite opposition from President Trump and the Pentagon.

The DOJ is currently reviewing the legal options to ensure that the president’s directive can be implemented. The Pentagon, under the direction of former President Obama, had originally set the January 1 deadline before President Trump declared a ban on all “transgender” military personnel earlier this year.

Two U.S. district courts, one in the District of Columbia and one in Maryland, blocked enforcement of President Trump’s proposed August 2017 ban on “transgender” persons in the armed services. According to the Defense Department, those courts required the branches to begin allowing such recruits to sign up for military service. A third order was issued Monday, by a U.S. District judge who also allowed the state to challenge the ban, stating that Washington has an interest in protecting its residents from discrimination.

In the August 2017 order, President Trump reversed policies put in place by the Obama administration in June 2016. Those Obama administration policies themselves reversed long-standing military rules against “transgender” people serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Prior to June 2016, “transgender” people were not permitted to enlist in the military and members of the military who identified themselves as “transgender” were discharged. Obama's Department of Defense announced in June 2016 that openly “transgender” people would be permitted to enlist in the military as of January 1, 2018 and those already in the military could not be discharged.

“These court rulings are not in the best interest of the military and our national security,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “The duty of military officers is to appropriately lead and prepare their personnel to serve and protect, and they cannot do that when there is confusion, dysfunction and distraction about a person’s gender preference. President Trump has tried to refocus the mission to emphasize military readiness and unit cohesion, and the courts have no business telling the Commander-in-Chief who is eligible to serve,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.


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Mario Batali is in Hot Water Again

By Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights




Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Mario Batali's latest troubles:

When Pope Francis came to Washington in 2015, he met with Kim Davis, the brave Kentucky clerk who, on religious liberty grounds, refused a marriage license to homosexual couples. Chef Mario Batali objected to the meeting, calling out the pope. Now Batali is being called out for sexually abusing four women.

He has apologized and has taken a leave of absence from his work, including hosting a segment on "The Chew." This is not the first time the liberal superstar has been in trouble.

Five years ago, Batali and his partner agreed to pay $5.25 million to settle their cash-skimming schemes at eight high-scale restaurants. They took 4-5 percent of the tips from employees, ripping off the busboys to pay for the sommeliers' salaries. The money he paid out was shared by 1,100 employees; many were forced to work more than 40 hours a week without making minimum wage. In other words, he stole from the poor and gave to the rich.

Batali condemns the pope, and preys on the poor and women, all the while championing their cause. No matter, he remains a liberal in good standing—there will be no "SNL" skit lampooning him. If anything, look for him to run for office.


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Over 50,000 Moral Outcry Petition Signers in First Amicus Brief at the U.S. Supreme Court - Abortion is a Crime Against Humanity

By The Moral Outcry

Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Moral Outcry Project, through its founder, Melinda Thybault, and The Justice Foundation filed their first Supreme Court Amicus brief including over 50,000 signers of The Moral Outcry Petition, in Case No. 17-689, Andrew March v. Janet T. Mills, as Attorney General of Maine, et al. The issue in this first case for The Moral Outcry is whether a preacher should be allowed freedom of speech to preach against abortion on a sidewalk outside the abortion facility.

Melinda Thybault is the founder of The Moral Outcry Petition. She states: "Join us as we raise a Moral Outcry and sign our petition to see the travesty of legalized abortion overturned. I thank the Lord that the first 57,725 voices of Outcry are now filed with the Supreme Court."

The over 50,000 Moral Outcry Project signers believe that abortion is a crime against humanity and that the Supreme Court should ultimately reverse its abortion decisions such as Roe v. Wade.

Christian Supporters or Signers of The Moral Outcry Petition include: Frank Amedia, POTUS Shield; Mike Bickle, International House of Prayer; Pierre Bynum, Family Research Council; Pastor David Chun, L.A. Glory Church; Lou Engle, The Call; Lewis & Rachel Hogan, United Cry; Intercessors for America; Steven Kendrick, co-writer and producer of the movies Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, and War Room; Dr. Alveda King, Alveda King Ministries; Byron Paulus, Life Action Ministries; Jeanne Mancini, March for Life; Herman Martir, Asian Action Network; Dutch Sheets, Dutch Sheets Ministry; Doug Stringer, Somebody Cares; Tim Wildmon, American Family Association.

Click here to read the brief. The Justice Foundation was represented pro bono by Erin Mersino and William Wagner of The Great Lakes Justice Center.

Click here to read the Petition.

Click here to go to the website. Sign the Petition to add your name in appropriate cases until the Supreme Court reverses legalized abortion.

11 Women Hurt By Abortion also gave their testimonies for the brief. See Appendix of Amicus Brief.

Allan Parker, President of The Justice Foundation stated: "Everyone, but particularly Christians, must oppose this crime against humanity. We must bear witness in love, just as the Reverend Martin Luther King fought courageously against the crimes against humanity committed against his people."


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McConnell Should Resign for Helping to Defeat Judge Roy Moore

By Operation Rescue



Montgomery, AL - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- It's no secret that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not like Judge Roy Moore, who ran to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. McConnell endorsed his primary opponent, Luther Strange, and poured an estimated $30 million into a campaign against Moore.

When Strange was soundly rejected by the people of Alabama, and Moore became the GOP nominee, McConnell continued to oppose him.

At the first sign of an unproven 40-year old allegation of sexual misconduct against Moore in the waning weeks of the campaign, the GOP halted financial support for Moore's campaign, and several Republicans withdrew their endorsements, when they should have maintained their support in the face of such obviously fake allegations. Instead, they allowed Moore to be tarred and feathered by the spurious attacks.

However, Mitch McConnell went a step further. He promised to never allow Moore to occupy his Senate seat, if he were to be elected, even though none of the allegations had ever been proved true in the four decades since they supposedly happened.

This sent a strong message to the electorate that Moore would never be accepted as a legitimate Senator, that the people of Alabama would be disenfranchised, and chaos would reign in the Senate.

"It is my opinion that Sen. Mitch McConnell heavily contributed to Moore's defeat, and because that led to giving a seat away to a pro-abortion Democrat, he should resign immediately," said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. "McConnell has ensured that pro-life legislation will never pass, Planned Parenthood will never be defunded, and babies that can feel pain will continue to be aborted after the mid-point of pregnancy. He has made sure that the Trump agenda will stall out, and Congress will continue in gridlock. He has betrayed the will of the American people, who support the Trump agenda, especially when it comes to ending abortion. Sen. McConnell, please resign!"

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America.


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