Thursday, September 24, 2020

Veterans, Forced Labor, Immigration, AI, Abortion Pills, Supreme Court

Hurd, Kelly Call for Creation of National AI Strategy
Source: U.S. Representative Will Hurd (R-TX, 23rd)
September 18, 2020
“American ongoing and future leadership in AI will be based on today’s policies and investments. We need a real and actionable comprehensive plan, as this resolution calls for, to engage all levers of national power to create and preserve American AI superiority,” said Kelly. “I’m glad to have so many colleagues, experts and advocates standing with us in this call for a comprehensive national AI strategy.”
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Human Rights First Decries Proposed Rules Designed to Put Pressure on Asylum Seekers, Limit Eligibility
Source: Human Rights First
September 22, 2020
“This proposed rule is yet another effort to rig the asylum system against refugees and deny them protection in the United States,” said Human Rights First’s managing attorney, Alysha Welsh. “The proposed regulations are riddled with requirements designed to deny refugees asylum for absurd reasons and will make it impossible for many asylum seekers to file timely applications for asylum. The proposal would exacerbate an application process that is already a minefield of technical requirements which many asylum seekers will not be able to meet, especially those who don’t have legal representation. Even experienced attorneys will be unable to overcome some of these nearly insurmountable barriers.”
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Inhofe Supports Confirming Justice This Year
Source: Senator James M. Inhofe (R - OK)
September 21, 2020
“The precedent here is clear. In the case of a united government, with voters having elected a Senate and White House of the same party, it is our constitutional obligation to consider a nomination of a Supreme Court justice. I look forward to a thorough and swift consideration of President Trump’s nominee. I’ve been pleased at the short lists President Trump has put forward and am confident his nominee will be a well-qualified, constitutional judge.”
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HYDE-SMITH SEEKS PASSAGE OF HER BILL TO RESTORE FDA RULES PROTECTING MOMS FROM DANGERS OF ABORTION PILLS
Source: Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)t
September 22, 2020
This summer a federal judge in Maryland issued a nationwide injunction cancelling the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) rules intended to protect women seeking the abortion pill by requiring physician involvement and education about the potentially lethal side effects of the prescription.
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HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES 5 BILLS FOR VETERANS INCLUDING CHAIRMAN TAKANO’S VETERANS’ COMPACT ACT
Source: House Committee on Veterans Affairs
September 23, 2020
The House of Representatives unanimously passed all five bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. This legislation will reform VA’s debt collection process and support homeless veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as help reduce veteran suicide through Chairman Takano’s Veterans’ COMPACT Act and the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act Of 2019.
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CHAIRMAN NEAL STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF THE UYGHUR FORCED LABOR PREVENTION ACT
Source: House Committee on Ways and Means
September 23, 2020
“The Chinese government’s widespread use of forced labor of Uyghur and other Muslim populations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China has tainted an overwhelming amount of goods entering the global market. This bill makes it clear that the actions of the Chinese government are unacceptable, and those goods are not welcome in the United States. This is a strong measure, but appropriate given the circumstances. It is critical that the United States holds the Chinese government accountable for its gross human rights violations, and it is essential that our trade policies not perpetuate human suffering. I applaud the bipartisan support for H.R. 6210 and call upon the Senate to quickly pass this measure as well.”
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