Jobs Bill Sees Bipartisan Support, Say Senate Democrats

By Benny Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Legislation aimed at improving the sluggish employment situation in the U.S. has been met with bipartisan support and should not experience difficulty getting through the Senate, said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Joined by Senators Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) at a press briefing Monday, the trio emphasized that the provisions in the jobs bill have seen strong support from both sides of the aisle.

“It’s a good start,” Senator Cardin said. “Leaders particularly picked those provisions that enjoy strong bipartisan support.”

Employer tax credits for new hires, the extension of the Highway Trust Fund, higher tax refunds for small businesses and the Build America Bonds program are key provisions of the bill, according to the three Senate Democrats. They added that the legislation seeks to maintain and create 1.3 million jobs for Americans.

“Each of these provisions has established bipartisan support and at this point, there is no reason beyond politics to obstruct any of these measures,” Whitehouse said.

The three agreed that these provisions serve as a first step in the right direction, but at the same time acknowledged that more needs to be done.

“[This] is a group of four ideas with broad bipartisan support, and then there will be another package a few weeks from now, and then another package,” Merkley said. “This way, we can end the paralysis that has been so deadly in the dialogue in this city.”

Cardin, Bond Disagree On Potential Impacts Of Climate Bill

By Julianne LaJeunesse - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works met for the second of three days to hammer out the details of S.1733, otherwise known as the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) seemed focused on the need for global climate change policy, and less on Republican criticisms that the Kerry-Boxer legislation would pose financial risks to individuals and businesses.

Cardin suggested that industries that believe they would be negatively affected by the legislation, "take a look at what this bill does in its entirety." The Maryland Democrat called on leaders to create enforcement measures in December, when the international committee meets in Copenhagen, to deal with global climate change.

"I would hope that we would get the support of industry here, working with our colleagues around the world, to say 'look, we do need an enforcement in the Copenhagen agreements,'" Cardin said. "It would be far better if Copenhagen deals with enforcement so that there's an international regime that says that if a country does not do its obligations internationally, such as China or India, or any other countries... that there will be an assessment on that cost of what the carbon reduction should have been."

Senator Kit Bond (R-Mo.) disagreed with Cardin, arguing that the legislation could have unforseen impacts on families.

At one point, Bond presented a giant stack of cards that he said were delivered to him from over 30,000 of his constituents. According to Bond, those who signed the cards did so because "they want to live with reasonable and responsible regulations, not burdensome mandates."

Thursday marks the final day of hearings on the bill.

Iraqi Refugees need U.S. help, advocates say

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

America must invest more time, money, and human resources to help those displaced by the ongoing Iraq War, according to human rights advocates from the Washington, D.C.-based Refugees International.

The presence of 2.6 million displaced Iraqis persons is overwhelming to neighboring Middle East countries and is “undermining” to the social fabric of Iraq, said Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International, at a speech made today at the National Press Club.

President Barack Obama talked about displacement with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during his surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday.

Bacon is happy at what is being seen as a distinct change from the “little attention” that the Bush Administration paid to Iraqi displacement.

It is estimated that since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, 2.6 million Iraqi’s have lost their homes and have fled other parts of the country. An additional 2 million have fled to neighboring countries, including Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Bacon said that greater American and international support in receiving refugees and providing financial-aid can help stop the crisis.

Displacement of that many people “affects the whole region”, said Bacon, which results in educated citizens and specialized workers fleeing the country.

There are only 18,000 practicing doctors in Iraq, down from 32,000 doctors in 2002. There are more Iraqi doctors in Jordan than in Iraq’s capitol city of Baghdad, Bacon said.

Last year Democratic Senators Robert Casey (PA) and Benjamin Cardin (MD) introduced a bill to increase aid to Iraqi refugees and allow more of them to enter the United States. Since the FY2010 Budget has been approved by Congress, any appropriated funds to help Iraqi citizens would have to come through additional legislation, Bacon said.

A spokesman for Senator Cardin said it has not been decided yet if similar legislation would be introduced in this Congress.

Refugee International’s Field Report on the Iraqi refugee situation said that the Iraqi government is trying to keep more of its citizens from fleeing their homeland. It is feared by the Iraqi government that the existence of so many refugees tarnishes the image of overall security within the country.

The report also said Iraq violated international refugee laws in 2007 by asking Syria not to accept any more Iraqi refugees.

Many refugees have fears of returning home, the report says, because many of those that returned already have been killed.

Kristele Younes, an advocate with Refugees International, says that security is a major issue in Iraqi neighborhoods, with each little borough acting as its own walled off “fiefdom”.

Younes said that the United Nations is trying to place a tourniquet on the flow of persons out of the country by the end of the year, but significant challenges remain in Iraq, including budgetary shortcomings due to low oil prices, corruption within the government and sectarianism.

The Refugees International’s report on Iraq can be found here.

Cardin: The President was right on target

By Suzia van Swol and Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) says that President Obama was very open, honest, and direct with the American people in the Address to Congress. Cardin says, "He made it clear that he has the confidence in our country and the people of America and he's going to get the job done, so I thought the President was right on target." (0:23)