House Democrat Puts Forward Bill To Repeal Defense Of Marriage Act

John DuBois- New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) outlined the Respect for Marriage Act Tuesday, a bill to aimed at repealing the Defense Of Marriage Act and thus ensure that all married couples, including lawfully married same sex couples, have the same access to federal responsibilities and benefits.

"Today we celebrate the first step to overturning the defense of marriage act and sending that ugly law into the history books where it belongs," said Nadler.

Nadler stressed that both President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are in support of the Respect for Marriage Act.

Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who co-chairs the LGBT Equality Caucus stated that DOMA was "a law that should of never been on our books" and "an embarrassment for our country."

Jewish groups back comprehensive immigration reform

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

This afternoon on Capitol Hill, two influential Jewish organizations announced the merging of campaigns stating that immigration raids are not a substitute for immigration reform.

Gideon Aronoff, the President and CEO of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society said that the campaigns, “The Progress by Passover" and “We Are Strangers, Too” support comprehensive immigration reform.

“This campaign will seek to further engage the Jewish community around the country in increased advocacy and increased direct service for newcomers in our communities,” stated Aronoff, and that the collaboration is “just the beginning.”

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said that the high cost of becoming a naturalized citizen and harsh immigration laws unnecessarily separate families.

“This can’t be done piecemeal,” Schakowsky said. “We need to do it as part of comprehensive immigration reform. I believe that now we are poised to do just that.”

Schakowsky said there should be enforcement of reasonable immigration laws and that the U.S. should allow law abiding illegal immigrants, who are willing to pay fees and learn English, a clear path toward citizenship.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) agreed, stating that the support of comprehensive immigration reform comes from the Jewish community because they understand that “the system is broken.” Nadler said that not only do documented and undocumented aliens live in fear of improper law enforcement, so do American citizens.

“It is time to bring people out of the shadows, to unite families, and to provide simple due process of law in accordance with American traditions. It is time to reaffirm our nation as one which welcomes immigrants as it is so wonderfully symbolized by the Statue of Liberty in my district,” Nadler said.

Justice may come for 9/11 victims

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service


“In a September 2006 peer-reviewed study conducted by the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program, of 9,550 World Trade Center responders, almost 70 percent had a new or worsened respiratory symptom that developed during or after their time working at Ground Zero. Furthermore, another study documented that, on average, a New York City firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center has experienced a loss of 12 years of lung capacity.... The pain and suffering of the living victims of 9/11 is real and cannot be ignored. We, as a nation, must do more,” stated Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).

Today at a joint subcommittee hearing under the House Judiciary Committee, witnesses testified and spoke in support of H.R. 847, the “James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009.” Under the Act, responders, area residents, workers, and students who were exposed to the catastrophe of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on 9/11 would be provided comprehensive medical treatment. It would also reopen the Victim Compensation Fund so that people can be compensated for their economic losses.

Barbara Burnette who is a former New York City Police Detective retired from the force after 18.5 years of service due to injuries she developed while working for 23 days in total at the World Trade Center site. Burnette was not provided with any respirator or other protection for her lungs and throat and now has been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, more specifically, hypersensitivity pneumonitis with fibrosis in her lungs. During the time the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 was in mode, Burnette was not sick and the fund was closed to all applicants in December 2003. “Along with thousands of other rescue, recovery and construction workers, I have filed an individual lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, seeking redress for my respiratory injuries.... My case is now in its fourth year. It has been a long road, and I can’t tell you that I can see an end,” she said.

Over 2,000 rescue workers were compensated with funds from the Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 at a cost to the taxpayer of about $1 billion of the $7 billion spent, stated Kenneth R. Feinberg, the former Special Master of the Federal September 11th Compensation Fund of 2001. “I had enough problems determining eligibility and compensating 5,300 people back in 2001. Whether or not a fund like this should be reopened and the eligibility criteria expanded to include additional types of injury, that is up to the Congress to decide.... It is really an interesting dilemma for the Congress to consider whether it is appropriate to deal with this unfairness of not compensating some of these rescue workers,” expressed Feinberg.

James Melius, an MD and Administrator for the New York State Laborers’ Health and Safety Trust Fund said that the New York State Workers’ Compensation system is difficult to navigate through and is even worse for World Trade Center related illnesses. “The difficulties there are that these are complicated conditions. Our knowledge of them is evolving over time. We don’t know the prognosis for people. It’s more difficult to provide a proper assessment,” concluded Melius. According to information given by Melius, in New York City, uniformed services workers are, for the most part, not covered under the N.Y.S. Workers’ Compensation system but rather have a line of duty disability retirement system managed by New York City. So if a fire fighter, police officer, or other uniformed worker can no longer perform their duties because of an injury or illness incurred on the job, they can apply for disability retirement which allows them to leave with significant retirement benefits, but if a work-related illness becomes apparent after retirement, no additional benefits, including medical care, are provided.

“In the nearly eight years after 9/11, we have done enough talking. Now it is time to pass H.R. 847, the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act,” concluded Nadler.

Government officials tired of staying up to watch midnight regulations

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

"The problem of midnight rules is not a new one, but the practice is prone to abuse and undercuts our democratic process." said Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.)

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing today titled " Midnight Rulemaking: Shedding Some Light" Congressman Nadler expressed why he reintroduced the Midnight Rule Act, H.R. 34. "It would allow incoming Agency heads to prevent rules adopted within the last three months of the previous Administration from going into effect. " he said. Congressman Nadler stated "These midnight rules adopted by the Bush Administration will, among other things, curtail access to family planning services, and even to information about reproductive health options... These midnight rules allow the Administration to extend its policies well into the new Administration despite the fact that the voters have voted to move in a new direction." Congressman Nadler also said that the Midnight Rule Act would give the new Administration the opportunity to examine and review the last minute handiwork of its predecessor.

Gary Bass, executive director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Watch, a nonprofit government watchdog organization said that all of these regulations have huge impact on the public. "All these rules were just horrible... This is the kind of thing that has to change in our government... This is what Congress and the Obama Administration are left to deal with." he said.

Congressman Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said "Let's not spend our time bashing the Bush Administration for doing less of what all recent administrations have done. Presidents are elected for four years, and unless we are to craft a prohibition on all regulatory activity during a second term, we should use this hearing as an opportunity to begin to build upon the improvements of previous administrations... Because midnight regulations are just one symptom of a dysfunctional and outdated administrative law system, governed by the 62-year-old Administrative Procedure Act."