Today At TRNS

Our Washington, D.C. Bureau will be covering the following events:

-An Oversight Subcommittee hearing on "Exploring the Nature of Uighur Nationalism."
-A Committee hearing on "Greener Communities, Greater Opportunities: New Ideas for Sustainable Development and Economic Growth."
-A Committee Hearing on "Climate Change Legislation:Tax Considerations."
-The Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom Awards Ceremony to posthumously honor former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp.
-A hearing on "Strengthening the Transatlantic Alliance: An Overview of the Obama Administration's Policies in Europe."
-A meeting between Rep. Slaughter, fomer Sen. Bayd and Olympic Gold Medalist Dominique Dawes on Title IX-girls' sports.
-A full committee hearing on "New Orleans Hurricane and Flood Protection and Coastal Louisiana Restoration: Status and Progress."
-A gala to honor retiring New Democratic Leadership founder Al From with former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and others.

Democrats’ Proposed Health Care Model Stresses Access, Affordability And Choice

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

Health care access and better choice of doctors may be the new norm if Senate Democrats have their way. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was accompanied today by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (D-Wash.), for a discussion on health care reform plans. Reid said if reform was easy, it would have been done a long time ago.

Reid mentioned the health care related bills the Democrats have been working on, saying “It gives opportunity for the Republicans to add insight and ensure them an opportunity to be able to help negotiate a good deal. [We] always save the Republicans a seat at the negotiating table and we’ll continue to do that. All they need is to do is sit down and talk to us and I’m hopeful and very confident they will do that at the final time of getting a health care bill and all brought up.”

Proposed legislation covers health issues such as children’s health care, better access, affordability and the choice of what doctors and hospitals people can go to. Reid said he believes his colleagues have done an excellent job in creating legislation that reflects the core principals of the American people.

Despite the senators’ aforementioned reach across the aisle, Durbin said that it has become clear to him that, at least in the highest leadership, the Senate Republicans are going to oppose whatever is proposed. He said, “They are the ones who are motivating this opposition to change because they’re cashing in on this broken system.”

Sen. Schumer believes that there are some things that have to be worked out but that it seems the parties are beginning to agree on at least a basic structure. He said the top priorities are providing a public option and ensuring affordable health care for all Americans.

Protecting The Franchise Abroad While Being Precluded At Home

By Jonathan Bronstein, Talk Radio News Service

Fighting to spread democratic ideals and ensuring the right to vote abroad are two of the most important missions that the American military partakes in. But while the military performs this task abroad, members are unable to vote because of institutional barriers, like the time it takes for ballot to arrive in the mail.

“Up to 27 percent of ballots requested by military and oversees voters were not counted,” said Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, who continued to say, “Those are just the voters that were able to get their requests for ballots answered.”

An even more sobering statistic was that 63.1 percent of military votes arrived late, which was a 14 percent increase since the 2004 election. “The problem is not getting better, it is getting worse,” said Schumer.

Pat Hollarn, the Acting Under Secretary for Personnel Defense and Readiness at the Department of Defense, believes that the institutional barriers take three forms.

Firstly, the barrier of time, as it takes too long to get information from America, through the mail system, to the individual abroad, said Hollarn.

Secondly, the barrier of distance, as the mail can be sent, but the individual may be far away from a base. People who serve on submarines or special operations units that do not return to military bases for long periods of time experience this problem, Hollarn said.

Thirdly, the barrier of mobility, as soldiers located in one site may be re-deployed quickly before the ballot can arrive.

As a result, Hollarn encourages states to allow soldiers to “allow electronic transmission options for registering to vote, requesting a ballot, and returning a ballot.” She believes that using electronic options would break the institutions that bar soldiers from voting, and therefore would be able to have their voices heard.

Additionally, Hollarn wants states to unify their rules so that all soldiers from all states would be able to follow the same procedures, instead of the current situation, in which all states have disparate rules.

For example, the study of voters abroad from the 2008 election shows the difference in rules, as California sent out 102,983 ballots and had 65,836 votes cast, or 63 percent. By contrast, West Virginia sent out 4,194 ballots and had 1,554 votes cast, or only 37 percent.

The problem with under representation of military voters has plagued America since the Truman Administration. While no legislation has been enacted to solve the problem, all the speakers remained hopeful that change would come, and that America would live up to its democracy, and all peoples voices would be heard.

Need To Close the Gaps In Resolution Regimes

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

“From the outset I have argued that our financial system is not merely in need of ‘reform,’ but of ‘modernization,’” said Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

At the hearing, which discussed “Enhancing Investor Protection and the Regulation of Securities Markets,” Senator Dodd asked the Chairman of the SEC Mary Schapiro, “Were you consulted by the Treasury and the Fed? What role do you think the SEC should play in this resolution mechanism, given the oversight and regulatory responsibilities?”

Senator Dodd also asked Ms. Schapiro to “comment on the reports of the regulatory changes that Secretary Geithner has mentioned this morning.”

Ms. Schapiro responded, “generally there was consultation.”

Ms Schapiro added, “We clearly have gaps in our resolution regime for large financial institutions....I fully support the concept of closing the gap in resolution regime so that we have a more coherent approach.”

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said, “We all believe people should be rewarded for good performance, that’s not the problem, but what we’ve seen in many instances that has enraged Americans is a heads-eye wind tail you lose system. In which executives are rewarded for flashing the pan short term gains, or even worse, rewarded richly when the company does poorly and the shareholders have been hammered.”

Senate leadership comments on stimulus bill

Senator Reid began the press conference saying that this Sunday is the Superbowl and the stadium holds 75,000 people, however in one day 85,000 people got laid off in America. He is confident that they are going to get support for the bill and that they will take up the package on Monday and there will be no recess until the President has a bill to sign.

Then Senator Durbin (D- IL) said that Caterpillar has laid off 18% of its workforce which is approximately 20,000 employees. The stimulus bill contains 140 billion dollars in infrastructure which will translate into 1.5 million jobs and that there will be 51 billion dollars in energy infrastructure, translating into 350,000 to 500,00 jobs.

Senator Schumer (D- NY) pledged to work with his Republican colleagues. He said a third of the bill is tax cuts, and that whether alternative minimum tax (AMT) is part of this bill or not, it will get done.

Senator Reid, in response to a question about non stimulus type money in the bill, said this is a very large package. “Is everything perfect? Of course not. But it is a good package.” He also said if we did nothing else but energy, it would be good for America, and that what stimulus really is is in the eye of the beholder.

Senator Schumer concluded with the fact that they have bent over backwards to be bipartisan.