Senate Public Option Plan To Be Finalized 'In The Next Few Days,' Says Stabenow

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Monday that final negotiations over a public option plan in the Senate health care bill will be completed “in the next few days.”

Most recently the Senate has debated the non-profit funded insurance plan; a plan which parallels the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The proposed plan offers Americans a variety of private non-profit funded insurance plans, overseen by the Office of Personnel Management.

Expressing her support for public option in the final bill, Stabenow added, “the critical issue is not what we call something, it’s the end result.”

Stabenow said she does not support the amendment proposed by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) to restrict federal funding for abortions. She said based on her understanding of the amendment it “parallels” Rep. Bart Stupak’s (R-Mich.) Amendment which also prohibits federal funding for abortion. The Stupak Amendment passed in the House last month.

“I don’t believe [the Nelson Amendment] is going to pass, I truly believe the votes are there to stop it in the Senate,” Stabenow said.

Lieberman Calls Ft. Hood Shooting “Most Destructive” Terrorist Attack Since 9/11

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) Wednesday called the shootings carried out by Major Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood Army Base earlier this month the “most destructive terrorist attack on America since 2001.”

Lieberman said the Senate Homeland Security Committee will begin an investigation into the shootings to determine if they could have been avoided.

“We are interested in getting the facts and correcting the system so that our government can provide the best homeland security possible for the American people,” Lieberman said during an afternoon press conference, “At the completion of the investigation the committee will issue a report and recommendations.”

Lieberman said the investigation will focus on answering two specific questions: did the Federal Government know information concerning Major Hasan that could have prevented the attack on Fort Hood, and, how does this incident affect the government’s understanding and enforcement of “home grown Islamic terrorism” in the U.S.?

A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on the Fort Hood attacks was initially scheduled for Wednesday, but has been postponed until the following day.

“Our hearing tomorrow will begin with a focus on what we know on the public record about the Fort Hood attack and Nidal Hasan,” Lieberman added.

Senate Not Likely To Ratify Nonproliferation Treaty, Says Expert

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Deepti Choubey, Deputy Director of the Nonproliferation Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said Monday that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is not likely to be presented to the U.S. Senate for ratification before the Non Proliferation Treaty Conference which takes place in Austria next May.

“Certainly CTBT, I don’t see being ratified unless there is a massive reorientation in the administration’s political strategy about how to get it done...I think that’s one issue we can put to the side for this upcoming review conference,” Choubey said.

Adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1996, the CTBT bans all nuclear explosions on Earth, regardless of whether or not they are conducted for civilian or military purposes. Several UN members, including the U.S. signed the treaty, but as of this year, the U.S. Senate has yet to ratify it.

Choubey said she has high hopes for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Follow-On (START), calling it a “modest arms control measure.” In July of this year, both U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev signed the treaty, which aims to reduce and limit global strategic offensive arms to the range of 500-1100 by 2016.

However, Choubey warned that if the Senate does not ratify the CTBT by 2015 there will be a “negative impact” on the other members of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime.

Rep. Barney Frank Optimistic Over State Of U.S. Economy

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said Friday that on the economic front, America received good news and bad news today following the Labor Department's announcement of a 10.2% unemployment rate.

“Although 190,000 more American’s lost their jobs...that is substantially less than the pace at which they were losing jobs until fairly recently,” Frank said during remarks at a conference sponsored by NoLimits.org, a progressive on-line organization founded by Frank's sister.

Frank said the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the stimulus bill, had a positive impact in deterring unemployment, explaining that unemployment rates would be higher if the stimulus bill hadn’t passed.

Frank also said that the lack of regulation in the financial sector, which he contributed to Alan Greenspan, the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, led to the AIG crisis and the following recession. He praised the current Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke for his willingness to collaborate with Congress over new financial regulatory reforms.

Frank remained positive about the economic outlook.

“We are making progress ... things are getting better virtually on every front [and] I am confident that when we are through with financial regulations...the kind of things that got us in trouble in the past won’t get us in trouble in the future,” Frank added.

AARP Endorses House Health Care Bill

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

AARP CEO A. Barry Rand announced Thursday that the lobbying organization for seniors' interests is endorsing the House health care bill.

“On behalf of our nearly 40 million members, AARP is pleased to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act,” Rand said during a press conference.

Rand said the House bill improves and strengthens Medicare benefits and protects the program for future generations. He also said the bill restricts insurance companies from discriminating against older Americans.

"The Affordable Health Care for America Act...meets those goals with improved benefits for people in Medicare and needed health insurance market reforms to help ensure every American can purchase affordable health coverage,” said Rand.

The House is preparing to vote on this bill as soon as Saturday.

Rand added, “As members of the House gear up for this historic vote, they will hear from older Americans.”

AARP is the largest membership organization for people over 50.