Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Charities


Cortez Masto Tours Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Delivers Meals with Meals on Wheels
Cathrine Cortez Masto - (D - NV)
April 17, 2017

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) toured Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s facilities in Las Vegas and delivered meals to seniors with Catholic Charities’ Meals on Wheels program. The tour and deliveries highlighted Catholic Charities and Meals on Wheels’ essential contributions to our community and the need to protect their federal funding from the Trump Administration’s proposed budget cuts.
Read more...

=====
Dove Channel

Foreign Aid


ICYMI: Associated Press: Corker, Coons Say Food Aid Constraints Delay Help Amid Famine
Senator Christopher A .Coons - (D - DE)
April 15, 2017

Following a visit to the world's largest refugee settlement in northern Uganda with the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware told The Associated Press on Saturday that the U.S. "can deliver more food aid at less cost" through foreign food aid reform.
Read more...

CORKER, COONS VISIT WORLD’S LARGEST REFUGEE CAMP TO GET A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) - (R - TN)
April 17, 2017

U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Friday visited the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda, where more than 270,000 people reside after fleeing war-torn South Sudan. The senators witnessed firsthand one of the countries hardest hit by the current global food crisis in which 20 million people in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen are at risk of starvation. They sought to elevate international attention on the historic and desperate nature of the humanitarian situation while also making a plea for other donor countries to join the U.S. in meeting the unprecedented need. The senators also called out governments and non-state actors who are blocking delivery of aid and reiterated support for long-needed reforms of U.S. international food aid programs.
Read more...

=====
diet.mayoclinic.org

Seniors


New York Times cites effort led by Senator Collins to combat financial abuse of older Americans and her bill, the Senior $afe Act of 2017
Senator Susan M. Collins - (R - ME)
April 17, 2017

U.S. Senator Susan Collins’ efforts to protect older Americans against financial fraud were featured today in a New York Times article titled “Declaring War on Financial Abuse of Older People.” Senator Collins, who is Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, introduced legislation, the Senior $afe Act of 2017 to help protect American seniors from financial exploitation and fraud by providing support to regulators, financial institutions, and legal organizations to educate their employees about how to identify and prevent financial exploitation of older Americans.
Read more...

=====
Destination XL Big on Being Better

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Food and Drug Administration



Free KY Amish Farmer Samuel Girod
Kentucky Free Press
March 30, 2017

Samuel Girod and his family have been making and selling three all-natural herbal products for nearly 20 years.

No one has ever been harmed by the products, the Girods have pages of testimonials and scores of repeat customers.

Similar products are currently made and sold online worldwide (including on Amazon) by other people using the same or similar basic ingredients. The recipes are online as well, you can make them in your kitchen.

In 2001, an FDA agent informed Sam that his product labels were making medical claims regarding healing certain conditions. Sam had to change his label or do very expensive testing proving the claims.

Sam changed the label, removing any medical claims.

Sam did not receive any further communication from the FDA until 2012 when someone called the FDA and reported that a store in MO was selling Sam’s products and that medical claims were being made.

The “medical claims” were in fact customer testimonials contained in a brochure about Sam’s products!

Then the FDA claimed to have found a customer who had been harmed by Sam’s bloodroot salve. This customer has never been identified or produced, yet a federal judge put an injunction on Sam’s products with three stipulations: none could be sold until all medical claims were removed (referring to the brochures), the bloodroot salve could never be sold again ever (1), and Sam had to allow inspection of his property where the products were made.

Read more...

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Banking and Finance


Senators Cantwell, Warren, McCain, and King introduce 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act
Senator Maria Cantwell - (D - WA)
April 6, 2017

U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act, a modern version of the Banking Act of 1933 (Glass-Steagall) that reduces risk for the American taxpayer in the financial system and decreases the likelihood of future financial crises.
Read more...

=====
Dermaflash

Criminal Justice System


Paul, Booker, Cummings Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Fix Broken Criminal Justice System
Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)
April 5, 2016

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) today re-introduced the REDEEM Act (Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act), a bipartisan, bicameral bill to help fix our broken criminal justice system. While the U.S. is home to less than five percent of the world’s population, it is responsible for almost 25 percent of the world’s prison population. Our crippled system wastes massive sums of taxpayer dollars to make our streets less, not more safe.
Read more...

=====
DERMAdoctor Specialist Skin Care

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Disability


Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand ABLE Accounts
Senator Richard Burr - (R - NC)
April 4, 2017

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced a package of bills aimed at enhancing the ABLE Act. The ABLE to Work Act builds on the success of the ABLE Act by making it possible for disabled people who work to save a portion of their income in an ABLE account without risking loss of benefits. These bills will also allow rollovers from 529 college savings plans as well as raise the age for eligibility from 26 to 46. Representatives Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), and Tony Cardenas (D-CA), introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Read more...

=====
Décor Island Kitchen and Bathroom Products On Sale

Veterans


HVAC Subcommittee Ranking Member Brownley Angry GOP Bill Puts Veterans Healthcare at Risk

Brooks, Frankel, and the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus Discuss VA Services for Women Veterans with VA Secretary David Shulkin

Shaheen Statement on Extension of the Veterans Choice Program
Senator Jeanne Shaheen - (D - NH)
APRIL 20, 2017

“Our veterans deserve nothing less than convenient, quality, accessible health care, yet in New Hampshire, too many veterans are burdened with long travel and even longer wait times,” said Senator Shaheen. “I supported the Veterans Choice Improvement Act to extend the Veterans Choice program while the VA makes urgently needed improvements to ensure our veterans receive the care they need. In New Hampshire, the Choice Card program needs to be streamlined to improve access for veterans seeking appointments and provider reimbursements, which is why I introduced legislation last year to help address the persistent payment delays. I will continue my work in the Senate to improve the Veterans Choice program so that New Hampshire’s veterans can receive quality, timely care closer to home.”
Read more...

Moran Introduces Bill to Provide Additional Paid Leave to Disabled Veteran Employees
Senator Jerry Moran- (R - KS)
April 21, 2017

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in recently introducing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Transition Improvement Act (S. 899). The legislation would ensure veterans with a disability rating of 30 percent or higher who are hired by the VA in critical medical positions can access additional paid sick leave during their first year on the job to receive medical care related to their service-connected condition.
Read more...

=====
eFaucets-Free Shipping-468x60
=====

Hoeven-Cosponsored Legislation to Extend Veterans Choice Program Signed Into Law
Senator John Hoeven - (R - ND)
April 19, 2017

The legislation allows the Choice Program to continue until its original funding is fully expended, ensuring veterans can benefit from the $950 million in appropriated funding for the program that would have otherwise gone unused. Further, the bill allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to serve as the primary payer under the Choice Program, alleviating the difficulties providers have faced in receiving payment for services, and improves the sharing of medical records between the VA and community providers, which will reduce wait times for appointments and strengthen care coordination.
Read more...

President Signs Heitkamp Bill to Extend, Reform VA Choice Program
Senator Heidi Heitkamp - (D - ND)
April 19, 2017

Heitkamp helped introduce the bill with U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana as a compromise to extend the program and address some of the concerns with the program through provisions to improve care coordination and to make VA the primary payer. The bill reduces out-of-pocket costs and confusion for veterans, and improves medical record sharing. The Choice Program was set to expire on August 7.
Read more...

Hirono, Moran, Tester Introduce Bill to Provide Disabled Veteran Employees at VA Additional Paid Leave
Senator Mazie K. Hirono - (D - HI)
April 18, 2017

Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced S. 899, the bipartisan Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Transition Improvement Act, to ensure veterans with a disability rating of 30% or higher who are hired by the VA in critical medical positions can access additional paid sick leave during their first year on the job for the purposes of receiving medical care related to their service-connected condition.
Read more...

Flake to Introduce Bill Expanding Veteran Access to Treatment Courts
Senator Jeff Flake - (R - AZ)
April 5, 2017

U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) announced the introduction of the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, a bill to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire additional Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists in order to ensure veterans have greater access to effective and tailored treatment. Flake made the announcement during a visit to the Mesa Municipal Court with Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich to observe the court’s veterans docket. During the visit, Flake and Brnovich met with several dedicated VJO specialists who are responsible for connecting veterans to available veterans treatment court services under the VJO program.
Read more...

Brown Introduces Legislation to Secure Education Benefits for Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families
Senator Sherrod Brown- (D - OH)
April 5, 2017

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) outlined bipartisan legislation today to ensure that veterans, servicemembers, and surviving spouses and children of servicemembers who have died in the line of duty can take full advantage of their education benefits. Brown was joined on the call by Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel to discuss the importance of securing these benefits for veterans.
Read more...

=====
Oral Care Essentials

Predatory Lending


Protecting Homeowner from Predatory Lending Programs
Senator John Boozman - (R - AR)
April 5, 2017

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Protecting Americans from Credit Exploitation (PACE) Act, legislation that would require disclosure for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans that target low-income and elderly Americans with predatory home loans. This bill would require Truth in Lending Act (TILA) disclosure for anyone attempting to sell PACE loans.
Read more...

=====

Environmental Protection Agency


Following Proposed Cuts, King Pushes for Full Funding of EPA Brownfields Program to Support Rural Maine Economic Development Initiatives
Senator Angus S. King Jr. - (I - ME)
April 19, 2017

In the wake of the Trump Administration's proposal to slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) this week signed a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to fully fund the EPA’s Brownfields Program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget. The EPA's Brownfields Program assists states and local communities as they assess, safely clean up, and reuse Brownfield sites – properties that contain a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant, which hinders the potential to reuse or redevelop the site – for economic development projects.
Read more...

Gillibrand, With 24 Senate Colleagues, Urges Appropriations Committee To Designate $154 Million To EPA Brownfields Program In Fiscal Year 2018
Senator Kirsten E.Gillibrand - (D - NY)
April 19, 2017

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, with 24 Senate colleagues, urged federal appropriators to include $154 million in federal funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget. The EPA’s Brownfields Program is a federal program that provides funding and technical assistance to assess and clean up contaminated property sites for redevelopment, and help promote local economic development in communities across the United States. This program allows communities to convert liabilities that otherwise might never be developed into productive local assets. Brownfield funds have laid the groundwork for manufacturing plants, commercial spaces, housing, community recreation facilities, and parks.
Read more...

Booker, Pallone & NJ Advocates Stand in Solidarity Against Trump Anti-Environment Agenda
Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)
April 3, 2017

“It’s simply shameful that President Trump continues to put the interests of corporate polluters ahead of the health and safety of New Jersey families,” said Sen. Booker. “The Administration’s repeated denial of clear science and proposed gutting of the EPA not only jeopardizes the welfare of all Americans, but it recklessly puts New Jersey’s shore communities at greater risk of catastrophic storms like Sandy and threatens our nation’s economic growth. Under no circumstance should we allow the fundamental right of each and every American to live in a safe and healthy environment be undermined by such destructive ad irresponsible policies.”
Read more...


=====
David's Cookies