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TGIF … &some News


just another rant …

The weather is just as mad as what is going on politically No.

With a couple of weeks into March, the countdown to March Madness … the NCAA championships has begun unless you are living under a rock. I was psyched about the tournament until the sad news that the Huskies would not be going to the big dance, but good to know that Gonzaga would be though. Gonzaga is not considered a threat Washington State is proud that they won their first game 74 – 54 WVU. The fun sort of fell out when band members from Mississippi were reported shouting racist things at a NCAA player named Angel; Angel is Puerto Rican and while he holding it down this band members shouted,”where is your green card”. I have to say that our young people learn from various sources one being home school and our environment. If this happened here, these kids would be suspended from band as they are representatives of their school, some probably have scholarships and could be revoked if due process is implemented. Where is the outrage?  Payback came when Angel Rodriguez was the guy who helped his team win. So, let the madness commence. The crazy climate (changes) around the country should have all of our attention yet Republican politicians that “We the People” pay to do our business are climate deniers, evolution deniers and apparently, they deplore jobs bills, specifically #theAmericansJOBsACT. They continue, if you hadn’t noticed to ignore the President’s bills creating their own that obviously scale back progress, include nasty pills that hurt seniors, minorities, immigration, gays, women and voter rights. If you have been watching closely, Republicans on both the state and federal level have been playing a nasty game with the lives of so many Americans; creating and passing bills that will screw Americans on the State level or will never pass in the U.S. Senate. If it is not already obvious, Republicans do not have your best interests in mind. End Scene … imagine – a camera does a 360 with a wide shot of several women Senators from any state clearly flummoxed about Conscience versus Contraceptive rights, the VAWA and several other bills waging War on Women. What ensue are several weeks of vulgar vile and nasty bills forcing Women into 2nd Class citizenship in at least 30 states. This new reality is happening in the right month though. As the madness on the Senate floor reaches a new low with bills against contraceptives, women, minority’s seniors and student’s debates votes taken on S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill passes 74 – 22 but remember “as amended” with more amendments than some want. The question is will House Republicans do what is right or avoid the bill while time runs out on great construction jobs. There are just about 2weeks left to pass S.1813; if you have time call a member of Congress to let them know a vote against this bill is an expression against America.

In 2010, President Obama was in Philadelphia right around now talking about what HCR will do for everyone, what the exchanges will offer when implemented. Though, if you listened to the Media garbage back then, we were supposed to believe that it is his last ditch effort to push, jam, ram and or dupe Senators to get HCR through; contrary to what Republicans and or “the Media” says the debate on HCR took longer than a year. I don’t know about you but that hardly qualifies for ramming or rushing in my opinion. The biggest issue for me about HCR was that Congress did not listen to the people and of course, “the media” kept the public from hearing all of what HCR could do for you personally. Now, with staff shake-ups we find out that FOX was NOT the only station with a strategy to limit the information “We the People” received by station bigwigs like Murdoch and the Koch brothers. Finding out that the 24/7 news cycle is actually manipulated should make us all give pause and question what we see or hear on the television machine.

On March 26, the Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments to the Affordable Care Act. FYI, the Affordable Care Act case, scheduled to last for 3 days and we all need to demand access to the case.

Calling March mad because of college basketball is an established thing but considering the madness in the political air lately but the behavior from Republican members of Congress will probably make us all go beyond mad if they keep voting to repeal, eliminate, and replace all things public service only to privatize it all.

 FYI Republicans,  Women are not 2nd class citizens; we have jobs,  handle our own businesses and our families needs.  The idea that a group of socially conservative people have gone out of their way to misinform Americans including some smart folks are in positions of creating ludicrous laws while on the floor of Congress on both the State and Federal level and it should raise the outrage on all people who are sane – The War on Women is not silly

 

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the AFL-CIO’s General Board voted unanimously to endorse … Barack Obama


  
We’re rolling up our sleeves and getting to work for working families. Will you join us?Pledge to get to work for working people by supporting President Obama and other working family candidates.
   

This afternoon, the AFL-CIO’s General Board voted unanimously to endorse President Obama for re-election.

For many reasons, we are pledging to work with President Obama throughout the elections and in a second term. The bottom line is this: As president, Barack Obama has placed his faith in America’s working men and women to lead our country to economic recovery and our full potential. So we’re putting our faith in him.

Please join us in pledging to get to work for working people by supporting President Obama and other working family candidates.

Although the labor movement has sometimes differed with the president and often pushed his administration to do more—and do it faster—we have never doubted his commitment to a strong future for working families. With our endorsement today, we affirm our faith in the president. We pledge to work with him through the election and his second term to restore fairness, security and shared prosperity.

Brothers and sisters, the coming election is a choice about values. President Obama honors the values of hard work, mutual respect and of solving problems together—not every person for himself or herself. Each of the Republican presidential candidates, on the other hand, has pledged to uphold the special privileges of Wall Street and the 1%—privileges that have produced historic economic inequality and drowned out the voices of working people in America.

Please join us in pledging to get to work for working people by supporting President Obama and all working family candidates.

Working people are the Davids standing up to Goliath in today’s politics. Our strength is in our numbers, our values and plain, hard work. When we come together, we are formidable. And for this election, we are coming together like never before.

Thank you for all the work you do.

In Solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

P.S. Here are some key reasons we support the president’s re-election:

  1. He took America from the brink of a second Great Depression by pressing Congress to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which saved or created 3.6 million jobs.
     
  2. He championed comprehensive health insurance reform, which—while far from perfect—set the nation on a path toward the health security that had eluded our country for nearly 100 years.
     
  3. He insisted upon Wall Street reform—passed over the objection of almost every Republican. Now, we can finally begin to reverse decades of financial deregulation that put our entire economy at risk.

For these reasons—and many more—President Obama has earned the support of working people for a second term. We hope you’ll join us today in pledging to support his re-election. You can read more about why we’re supporting the president here.
Black History

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate resumes S.1813,the Surface Transportation Act-several votes on Tuesday


 

the Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET March 12, 2012

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 4:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1813, the Surface Transportation Act. As previously announced, there will be no roll call votes on Monday. Senators should expect several votes beginning Tuesday morning in order to complete action on the Transportation bill.

Today Senator Reid filed cloture on the following 17 Judicial nominations. Under the rule, the first vote would occur 1 hour after the Senate convenes on Wednesday, March 14.

Cal.#408, Gina Marie Groh, of West Virginia;

Cal.#441, David Nuffer, of Utah;

Cal.#461, Michael Walter Fitzgerald, of California;

Cal.#462, Ronnie Abrams, of New York;

Cal.#463, Rudolph Contreras, of Virginia;

Cal.#464, Miranda Du, of Nevada;

Cal.#497, Susie Morgan, of Louisiana;

Cal.#509, Gregg Jeffrey Costa, of Texas;

Cal.#510, David Campos Guaderrama, of Texas;

Cal.#528, Brian C. Wimes, of Missouri;

Cal.#568, Kristine Gerhard Baker, of Arkansas;

Cal.#569, John Z. Lee, of Illinois;

Cal.#570, George Levi Russell, III, of Maryland;

Cal.#571, John J. Tharp, Jr., of Illinois;

Cal.#610, Jeffrey J. Helmick, of Ohio;

Cal.#612, Mary Geiger Lewis, of South Carolina; and

Cal.#613, Timothy S. Hillman, of Massachusetts

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

 

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Judiciary committee from further consideration of and adopted S.Res.310, A resolution designating 2012 as the “Year of the Girl” and Congratulating Girl Scouts of the USA on its 100th anniversary.

Adopted S.Res.394, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification and the beginning of warm and abiding relations between the people of the United States and Italy.

Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.3606, Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (Republican request)

Began the Rule 14 process of S.2186, to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to prohibit the Attorney General from administering or enforcing certain accessibility regulations relating to pools at public accommodations or provided by public entities. (DeMint)

 

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

There will be no roll call votes on Monday, March 12, 2012.

There will be no roll call votes on Monday, March 19. 2012

————————————————————————————————–

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 13, 2012.

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Congress: the Republican led House did 3minutes of work for We the People – the Senate &S.1813,the Surface Transportation Act – Tell Republicans to DO WHAT IS RIGHT


the Senate Convenes at 2:00pmET March 9, 2012

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 4:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1813, the Surface Transportation Act. As previously announced, there will be no roll call votes on Monday. Senators should expect several votes beginning Tuesday morning in order to complete action on the Transportation bill.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1) Vitter amendment #1535 (OCS) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 44-54

2) Baucus amendment #1825 (Rural Schools) (60-vote threshold); Agreed To: 82-16

3) Collins amendment #1660 (Boiler MACT) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 52-46

4) Coburn amendment #1738 (OMB/Duplicative Programs) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 52-46

5) Nelson(FL) amendment #1822 (RESTORE) (60-vote threshold); Agreed To: 76-22

6) Wyden amendment #1817 (Keystone Pipeline) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 33-65

7) Hoeven amendment #1537 (Keystone Pipeline) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 56-42

8) Boxer motion to waive Corker Budget Act points of order; Waived: 66-31

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.393, Designating March 11, 2012, as “World Plumbing Day”.

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.2173, National Right-to-Work Act. (DeMint)

——————————————————————————————————————-

The next meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on March 9, 2012.

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MARCH 9, 2012

 112TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

-The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on March 13, 2012.11:03:01 A.M. -The House received a communication from John L. Mica, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Mica notified the House that on March 8, 2012, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider resolutions to authorize 11 lease prospectuses included in the General Services Administration‘s FY2011 and FY2012 Capital Investment and Leasing Programs and one resolution to request an information report pursuant to section 3315(a) of Title 40. The Committee adopted the resolutions on March 8, 2012.11:02:29 A.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.11:02:25 A.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.11:01:24 A.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.11:01:03 A.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Adrian Smith to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.11:00:44 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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Have You Benefited from the Health Care Law? …Judy Waxman, National Women’s Law Center


National Women's Law Center
Join Our Story Blog
                Tell us how the health care law is helping you by sharing your story on our story blog today.
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Eighty-six million. That’s the number of people who have received at least one preventive health care service without having to pay a deductible or co-pay in the last year. That’s 54 million people with private insurance and over 32 million Medicare recipients who are already benefiting from the health care law.
Who are these people? It’s a mother who didn’t have to pay a co-pay for her last mammogram, a child who received a flu shot without her parents having to pay a deductible, and millions of people like you who had pap smears, prenatal screenings, or diabetes counseling without having to open their wallets.
Are you one of the millions of people who have benefited from the new health care law? We want to hear from you — join hundreds of others on our story blog and tell us your story.
The story blog is an open forum where people can upload their photos and write about how the law is helping them. On the story blog we’ve heard from people with children under age 26 who, instead of falling among the uninsured, were able to stay on their parents’ health plan. We’ve heard from people on Medicare who are paying less for prescription medication, saving them from having to choose between buying medicine or groceries. We’ve heard from people who would have bumped up against their insurance company’s lifetime limit for coverage but now, thanks to the new health care law, are able to focus on their illness instead of worrying about medical bills.
And, later this year, even more people will benefit from the health care law. That’s when millions of women will have access to birth control and other preventive care services without paying deductibles or co-pays for the first time. Join our story blog today and tell us how you are gaining from this critical law.
Thank you for all you do to ensure women and their families get the health care they need.
Sincerely,
Judy Waxman Judy Waxman Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights National Women’s Law Center   

P.S. Your generous support allows us to keep the health care law strong and do other critical work on behalf of women and their families. Please consider making a contribution today.