The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is doing invaluable work to make the markets for credit cards, mortgages and other financial products and services fairer and more transparent. And once again, the financial industry is going all-out to block those efforts.

The industry’s latest threat involves a proposal to make the CFPB’s complaint system more useful and user-friendly by giving consumers the right to include the specifics of their complaints in a searchable public database.

Please join us in telling the CFPB: Don’t back down from your proposal to let consumers share their stories publicly.

Hundreds of thousands of people have used the CFPB’s complaint system, and more than 30,000 cases have already resulted in monetary relief. Complaint data also helps the CFPB detect and respond to broader patterns of industry error or misconduct. The complaint system could be far more valuable, though, if consumers had the option of publicly describing their bad experiences. That way, consumers would be able to learn about the experiences of others and make more informed choices, and financial companies would have an added incentive to compete by actually trying to satisfy their customers, not by trying to put something over on them.

But financial companies, just as they fought the creation of the CFPB in the first place, are fighting its complaint proposal tooth and nail – through the press, through lobbying, and through a highly deceptive advertising campaign in which the industry falsely claims that businesses would not have an equal right to post their responses.

That’s why we need to fight back. Urge the CFPB to stand firm and help consumers share their experiences and hold big banks accountable.

Speak up today, because the big banks are working feverishly hard to take away our chance to speak up in the future.

Thank you for your continued support for real financial reform.

Sincerely,

Lisa Donner
Executive Director
Americans for Financial Reform

Black History

11 Memory the House

09/11/2014 Nativegrl77

The next meeting is in Congress … on September 15, 2014.

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Thursday, September 11, 2014.

Following the prayer and pledge, there will be a moment of silence to pay tribute to the thousands of Americans whose lives were taken on September 11, 2001.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2199, post-cloture.

The filing deadlines for 1^st degree amendments to S.J.Res.19 will be 12:00noon tomorrow and second degree amendments will be 1:00pm tomorrow.

We hope to move forward on paycheck fairness and vote on cloture on the constitutional amendment early tomorrow afternoon.

The Senate agreed to the motion to proceed to S.2199, Paycheck Fairness Act. Senator Reid then offered several date change amendments and filed cloture on the bill. We expect the cloture vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act to occur at 5:30pm on Monday, September 15.

Senator Reid then moved to proceed to Calendar #409, S.2432, Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act.

By consent, at 1:45pm today, there will be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S.J.Res.19, Constitutional amendment on campaign finance. Under a previous order, the Senate would then proceed to vote on several nominations. We expect the nominations to be confirmed by voice votes.

1:45pm today—1 roll call vote:

Motion to invoke cloture on S.J.Res.19, Constitutional amendment on campaign finance (roll call vote)

(the remaining votes should be voice votes)

Executive Calendar #544 John Hoover – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Sierra Leone
Executive Calendar #977 Anne E. Rung – to be Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy
Executive Calendar #685 David Radzanowski – to be Chief Financial Officer, NASA
Executive Calendar #867 Miranda A. A. Ballentine – to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Executive Calendar #976 Joseph L. Nimmich – to be Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security
Executive Calendar #914 Judith M. Davenport – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020
Executive Calendar #917 Elizabeth Sembler – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020
Executive Calendar #758 David J. Arroyo – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2016

Senator Vitter asked unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes consideration S.J.Res.19, a Constitutional amendment on campaign finance that it be in order to call up Vitter amendment #3786 (to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to apply the provisions of the Act to certain Congressional staff and members of the executive branch) to S.J.Res.19, a Constitutional amendment on campaign finance.

Senator Murphy objected.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1. Motion to invoke cloture on S.J.Res.19, constitutional amendment on campaign finance; Not Invoked: 54-42.

Legislative Business

The motion to proceed to S.2199 (Paycheck Fairness Act) was agreed to by voice vote.

Passed H.R.4197: All Circuit Review Extension Act.

Passed S.2258: the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014.

Adopted S.Res.542: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Save for Retirement Week, including raising public awareness of the various tax-preferred retirement vehicles and increasing personal financial literacy.

Completed the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business H.R.5078, to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States.

Executive Business

The Senate confirmed the following nominations by voice votes:

Executive Calendar #544 John Hoover, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Executive Calendar #977 Anne E. Rung, to be Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy.
Executive Calendar #685 David Radzanowski, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Financial Officer, NASA.
Executive Calendar #867 Miranda A. A. Ballentine, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
Executive Calendar #976 Joseph L. Nimmich, of Maryland, to be Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
Executive Calendar #914 Judith M. Davenport, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020.
Executive Calendar #917 Elizabeth Sembler, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020.
Executive Calendar #758 David J. Arroyo, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2016.

====================================

Last Floor Action:
9:05:58 A.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess.

The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

:00:18 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
9:00:36 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
9:02:04 A.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
9:02:08 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Frelinghuysen to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
9:02:29 A.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.
9:05:58 A.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

12:30:35 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 11.
12:31:46 P.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on September 11, 2014 at 10:21 a.m.: That the Senate passed S. 2154, S. 2323, H.J. Res. 120, and H.R. 1233 amended.
12:32:00 P.M.	H.R. 3522	The Chair announced that pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further proceedings were resumed on H.R. 3522.
12:32:47 P.M.	H.R. 3522	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 3522 — “To authorize health insurance issuers to continue to offer for sale current group health insurance coverage in satisfaction of the minimum essential health insurance coverage requirement, and for other purposes.”
12:33:13 P.M.	H.R. 3522	Ms. Brownley (CA) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
12:33:59 P.M.	H.R. 3522	DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Brownley (CA) motion to recommit with instruction, pending reservation of a point of order. The motion seeks to ensure that nothing in the underlying legislation would result in discrimination based on gender, including subjecting women to higher premiums, loss of coverage for contraception or loss of coverage for prenatal care. Subsequently, the reservation of a point of order was withdrawn.
12:40:52 P.M.	H.R. 3522	The previous question on the motion was ordered without objection.
1:06:31 P.M.	H.R. 3522	On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 187 – 223 (Roll no. 494).
1:13:25 P.M.	H.R. 3522	On passage Passed by recorded vote: 247 – 167 (Roll no. 495).
1:13:26 P.M.	H.R. 3522	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:14:59 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
1:15:56 P.M.	H.R. 5161	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 5161 — “To promote the non-exclusive use of electronic labeling for devices licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.”
1:23:35 P.M.	H.R. 5161	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 – 0 (Roll no. 496).
1:23:35 P.M.	H.R. 5161	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:24:00 P.M.	H.R. 5057	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 5057 — “To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to permit exemptions for external power supplies from certain efficiency standards, and for other purposes.”
1:24:42 P.M.	H.R. 5057	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
1:24:44 P.M.	H.R. 5057	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:25:00 P.M.	S. 276	Considered as unfinished business. S. 276 — “To reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the American Falls Reservoir.”
1:25:04 P.M.	S. 276	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
1:25:09 P.M.	S. 276	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:33:01 P.M.		Mr. McCarthy (CA) asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Thursday, September 11, 2014, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, September 15, 2014, for Morning-Hour Debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Agreed to without objection.
1:33:30 P.M.		Mr. McCarthy (CA) asked unanimous consent That, it may be in order at any time to declare a recess, subject to the call of the Chair, for the purpose of receiving in Joint Meeting His Excellency Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine. Agreed to without objection.
1:34:03 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
1:41:50 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

3:52:28 P.M.		Mr. Sherman moved that the House do now adjourn.
3:52:42 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
3:52:43 P.M.		The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on September 15, 2014.

===============================================================

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell the Senate

09/10/2014 Nativegrl77

Tell Your Senators to Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act

Tell the Senate to vote YES on fair pay for women. It’s essential that we support economic fairness for women and families, including closing the wage gap, raising the minimum wage, and making education and health care more affordable.

Take Action

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

UCS … Demand no more global warming victims

09/10/2014 Nativegrl77

It’s pretty common these days to hear my friends and family members complaining about global warming—but it’s not just the weather they’re complaining about any more. One friend had to evacuate her town with her small boys in tow to flea this season’s wildfires. Another had to abandon a coastal cottage that had been in his family for generations because of rising sea levels. A grandparent stranded in a heat wave. Global warming is affecting all of us every day. And unless we take immediate action, both to help communities prepare for the consequences but also to reduce climate emissions, these stories will become more frequent, and more dire. —Karla

UCS reports highlight global warming consequences for American West.
Two new reports from UCS experts demonstrate just how serious the climate risks are for the great American West and the people who live there. Hotter, drier conditions brought on by global warming are contributing to more large wildfires and longer wildfire seasons. And in the Rocky Mountains—home to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks—these conditions are having severe impacts on the region’s forests—as drought, wildfires, and tree-killing insects that thrive in hotter temperatures are producing potentially irreversible effects. READ MORE

Ask a Scientist

“My husband and I live in the American Southwest and are very concerned about its habitability in the future due to worsening drought and rising temperatures. We are especially concerned about where our children and grandchildren will be able to live and prosper. Are there any regions of the country that might emerge unscathed from the effects of climate change?”—J. Winkeller, Gilbert, AZ.

I empathize. Climate change is now part of everyday reality, and no place in the United States—or the rest of the world, for that matter—is unaffected. Even if we were able to completely switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources right now, the climate will continue to warm in the coming decades. The National Climate Assessment recently examined the current and projected impacts of climate change on different regions of the country. READ MORE

Science in Action
	Protect Rocky Mountain forests before it’s too late!If we do not act now, the forests of the Rocky Mountains will continue to die as they face the severe consequences of climate change. Urge your elected officials to allocate the resources necessary for forest managers to address the current effects of global warming and implement steps that can make our forests more resilient.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture, ~ pop culture

Canada: Home of the Whopper

09/10/2014 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Architects of Burger King’s inversion claim it’s not about taxes

Burger King is rolling ahead with its plan to move to Canada. It confirmed Tuesday that it will purchase Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, for about $11 billion, one of the biggest foreign acquisitions since 2012.

This makes Burger King one in a string of corporate deserters in recent years. According to new data provided by the Congressional Research Service, 47 companies have inverted in the last decade, including at least seven this year alone. These companies are able to dodge US taxes by moving their headquarters, but not their operations, to countries with lower corporate tax rates. So called “inversions” may save the companies a few bucks, but they could cost the US taxpayer tens of billions of dollars.

The Deal: Founded in Miami in 1954, Burger King operates more than 7,000 locations in the United States, but only 300 in Canada. In 1964, the Canadian fast food service Tim Hortons was founded in Ontario and now has more than one store per 10,000 Canadians. Burger King will shell out $11.4 billion for the coffee shop, but both will actually be controlled by 3G Capital, a Brazilian-US investment firm. According to the Wall Street Journal, Alex Behring, who is currently Burger King’s executive chairman and a managing partner at 3G Capital, will head the new company.

Although America has a top corporate tax rate of 35%, numerous multi-national corporations do not pay that much. Instead, U.S. corporations paid an average of 12.6%, according to the Government Accountability Office. Burger King also does not pay the top corporate tax rate, but has a tax rate in “the mid- to high twenties” according to Mr. Behring. While Burger King CEO Daniel Schwartz doesn’t “expect there to be meaningful tax savings,” Canada’s federal corporate tax rate is 15%.

Moving Forward: Burger King should reconsider its own bid for the company. Since the news broke, the public has denounced this newest corporate deserter. #BoycottBurgerKing is now commonplace on Twitter and Burger King’s Facebook was littered with comments threatening to never return. Senator Sherrod Brown added to that chorus: “Burger King’s decision to abandon the United States means consumers should turn to Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers or White Castle sliders.”

When Walgreens announced its purchase of Alliance Boots, a European pharmacy, it received similar criticism, and it has since said that it will stay headquartered in the United States. They decided that paying their fair share was more profitable.

BOTTOM LINE: When more and more American companies move out of the U.S., ordinary Americans end up footing the tax bill. Companies employing the process of inversion are taking advantage of U.S. taxpayers and cheating the system, to the detriment of our workers and our economy. It’s beyond unpatriotic and it’s time for them to stop.

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