Senate

Federal Reserve action does not stop significant overdraft loan abuses; FAIR Act is needed to provide comprehensive consumer protections.

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- The Consumer Federation of America today urged the Senate to protect consumers from unauthorized and extremely expensive overdraft loans. Jean Ann Fox, Director of Financial Services for the Consumer Federation of America testified before the Senate Banking Committee on the need for Congress to pass the FAIR Overdraft Coverage Act, S. 1799, to rein in overdraft loan abuses.    » read more »

"Most members of Congress - and nearly all of the American public -- lack important information about the issue".

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – In anticipation of the upcoming Senate debate over Patriot Act reauthorization, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to declassify key information pertaining to the law’s “business records” provision (Section 215). Today’s letter follows a classified letter that the senators sent Holder in June 2009.    » read more »

Directs VA to examine gender differences in prevalence, treatment

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner today successfully amended S.1407, a military construction and veterans appropriations bill, to include language directing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to study how it addresses combat stress in women veterans. A final vote on S.1407 is expected later this afternoon.

The amendment, co-sponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Kay Hagan (NC), Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Barbara Boxer (CA), directs the VA to examine the gender differences in the prevalence and diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other combat-related conditions.    » read more »

Legislation Encourages Donations to Feed Hungry Before Thanksgiving

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate has designated this Thursday, November 19 – exactly one week before Thanksgiving Day -- as “Feed America Day”.

Senator Tom Udall, a sponsor of the bipartisan “Feed America Day” initiative, said that in the spirit of Thanksgiving, the bill encourages Americans to skip two meals this Thursday before Thanksgiving, and instead donate the money they would have spent or food to a local charity or food bank for the hungry.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a measure that will make a major investment in jobs in Great Falls and will significantly improve veterans’ health care, Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus announced today.

Tester, a member of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee, and Baucus secured the funding for Malmstrom Air Force Base and for better veterans’ services in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) -The U.S. Senate has approved the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations spending bill which includes more than $9 million for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

This funding, which was supported by Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME), includes $7.1 million to be used for security improvements at Gate 2.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – By a vote of 100-0, the U.S. Senate today approved the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for fiscal year 2010, including $73.55 million U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) helped secure to upgrade Naval Station Newport.

“This federal funding will allow the Navy to make critical renovations at Naval Station Newport and improve readiness and operational support for our troops,” said Reed, a member of both the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. “This federal investment is vitally important to the continued presence and growth of Rhode Island’s military facilities and defense industry, which play an important role in our state’s economy.”    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a member of the Senate Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that the $398.8 million for military installations in Washington state passed the full Senate. The funding will be used to make improvements to a number of installations that facilitate training and care for service members and their families.

The funding is also expected to create family-wage construction jobs in communities throughout the state. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction Appropriations bill, which passed the Senate today 100-0.    » read more »

Bill contains billions of dollars for medical care, women veterans, homeless veterans; includes specific language on Walla Walla VA, South Puget Sound CBOC

November 17, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) helped pass legislation through the full Senate that provides $109 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill passed by a 100-0 vote.

The funding, which is included in the fiscal year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill, is $150 million more than the President requested. The majority of the funding will go directly to health care services which will help cut wait-times, increase access to quality care and mental health services for our veterans.    » read more »

Bill honors young girl whose brother said, “… what you call people is how you treat them.”

17-Nov-2009 --
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski today introduced Rosa’s Law, a bill that will eliminate the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” from the federal law books. U.S. Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is the Republican sponsor of the bill.

Senator Mikulski’s statement as delivered on the Senate floor follows:    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Today the Senate passed legislation that will increase funding for housing and supportive services for veterans. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley voted in favor of the measure which was passed as part of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act.

“After serving our nation selflessly and putting their lives on the line for the safety of our citizens, it is completely unacceptable that veterans are sleeping on the streets and not receiving the care and services they deserve,” said Merkley “This funding is an important step forward in helping veterans get off the streets and back on their feet.”    » read more »

Statement of the Honorable Blanche L. Lincoln, Chairman, Hearing on Child Nutrition Reauthorization

November 17, 2009 -- As prepared for delivery:

“Good morning and welcome to the Senate Agriculture Committee, where today we will continue a series of hearings begun by my predecessor, Senator Tom Harkin, in anticipation of the reauthorization of federal child nutrition programs. We are honored today to be joined by two distinguished panels of witnesses, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and a panel of experts from Arkansas.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- “While it is good to know that 14,700 people have now disclosed previously hidden offshore bank accounts, the U.S.–Swiss Annex disclosed today, designed to compel disclosure of the names of U.S persons with Swiss accounts at UBS, is very disappointing.

"It complicates and muddies what should have been a straightforward agreement by UBS and the Swiss Government to disclose Swiss accounts hidden from the United States by U.S. accountholders.

"UBS admitted last year that it ‘participated in a scheme to defraud the United States’ out of tax revenue. Since then, UBS has been prohibited by its government from simply turning over the names of the 52,000 U.S. clients suspected of participating in that tax evasion scheme with UBS.    » read more »

Senate Appropriations Bill Would Direct Nearly $87 Million to Seven Projects

November 17, 2009 --
WASHINGTON — Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., today hailed the Senate’s passage of a bill including $87 million for seven projects in Michigan and funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate and House of Representatives must now reconcile their versions of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2010 before moving to final passage in both chambers.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., introduced legislation today that would provide flexible loans to small businesses suffering from a lack of credit due to poor economic conditions or changes in the financial market.    » read more »