Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Spending Bill, NAFTA, Kavanaugh, Bank of America, Scams, E-cigarettes

News from the Lawmakers



In Case You Missed It: President Signed into Law Spending Bill with Three Heller Provisions
Senator Dean Heller (R - NV)
October 2, 2018
In case you missed it, President Trump last week signed into law the bipartisan, bicameral Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 6157), which includes three provisions authored by U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV). Specifically, Heller’s provisions will help Nevada’s veterans find jobs in the private sector, promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Nevada’s schools, and provide support to pregnant women and their infants. This package also funds the government through December 7, 2018, providing much needed funding certainty.

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IHOEVEN STATEMENT ON U.S. REACHING DEAL ON NAFTA RENEGOTTIATION
Senator John Hoeven (R - ND)
October 2, 2018
Specifically, Hoeven worked to ensure that the agreement:

Eliminates Canada’s automatic downgrade of imported U.S. wheat to feed grade and ensures grading standards and services are non-discriminatory.

Additionally, the agreement:

Expands access to the Canadian market for U.S. poultry, eggs and dairy and eliminates Canada’s Class 6 and 7 dairy program.

Requires 75 percent of auto content to be produced in North America in order to be exempt from tariffs, up from 62.5 percent.

Makes needed modernizations on intellectual property, digital trade and financial services.

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Senator Lankford Statement on US, Mexico, and Canada Trade Agreement
Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
October 1, 2018
Oklahoma and the entire country will benefit from the Trump Administration’s agreement with Mexico and Canada. The decades-old NAFTA agreement needed re-negotiation to provide more markets for our farmers, businesses, and manufacturers. Since Canada and Mexico are the top-two countries for Oklahoma trade, it was especially important to get this deal done quickly and get it done right. This day will have lasting impacts on the economy and families across all of North America.

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Democratic Senators (Including Leahy): FBI Must Investigate All 3 Credible Allegations Of Sexual Assault Against Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D - VT)
October 1, 2018
Following reports that the White House is limiting the scope of the investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) wrote White House Counsel Don McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray Monday demanding that the investigation include all three allegations received by the Senate Judiciary Committee, including claims brought forward by Julie Swetnick. The senators provided a list of individuals who must, at a minimum, be interviewed by the FBI based on facts that are already known.

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Senate Democrats Continue to Move Goalposts on Judge Kavanaugh’s Nomination
Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY)
October 2, 2018
"I said that if we stop and listen, we can practically hear the Democrats trying to move the goalposts on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Remember, before Judge Kavanaugh was even named, several Democrats on the Judiciary Committee indicated they’d oppose whomever the nominee might turn out to be."

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Menendez, Cortez Masto Slam Bank of America’s Policy of Questioning Customers’ Citizenship Status
Senator Robert Menendez (D - NJ)
October 2, 2018
U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), members of the Senate Banking Committee, requested information from Bank of America on their newly implemented policy of asking their customers’ citizenship status. According to recent consumer reports, if customers fail to respond or if Bank of America determines the customer has not adequately responded to their inquiry, the customer’s account is then frozen, leaving them with only the cash they have on hand.

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Sens. Moran, Casey Introduce Legislation to Help Prevent Seniors from Losing Money to Scams
Senator Jerry Moran- (R - KS)
October 1, 2018
U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection – and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) – ranking member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging – introduced the Senior Scams Prevention Act, S. 3522, to ensure retailers, financial institutions and wire transfer companies have the resources necessary to train employees to help stop financial frauds and scams on seniors.

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Durbin, Murkowski Urge FDA To Immediately Ban Kid-Friendly E-Cigarette Flavors, Restrict Online Sales
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)
October 2, 2018
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), in a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urged the agency to immediately ban kid-friendly e-cigarette flavorings and restrict online sales of the addictive nicotine products. Durbin and Murkowski’s letter comes on the heels of the FDA’s announcement last month that—due to a public health “epidemic” of youth e-cigarette use—it would issue new enforcement actions on e-cigarette companies’ use of kid-appealing flavors, in order to better protect children and teens from using addictive and dangerous e-cigarettes.

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