Thursday
Jan222009
Women may soon win the wage war
Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 3:52PM
By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service and Suzia Van Swol - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
“I will never see a cent for my case, but if this bill passes I’ll have an even richer reward because I’ll know that my daughters, my granddaughters and your daughters and your granddaughters will get a better deal. That’s what makes this fight worth fighting and it’s what makes this fight one we have to win,” said Lilly Ledbetter during a press conference to discuss the progress of the fair pay act.
Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md); Patty Murray (D-Wash); Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark); Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich): Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn); Jeanne Shaheen (D- N.H.); Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) appeared to discuss the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act”. According to Senator Mikulski, they hope to sign the act before Saturday. Marcia Greenberger, founder and co-president of the National Women’s Law Center was also in attendance.
Senator Mikulski said,“We are doing this in reaction to an outrageous supreme court decision in May 2007 in the famous case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear. their decision was bias and protects corporate interest over human interest.” The bill is expected to be signed within the next 48 hours, and would end discrimination for all categories. “Today, we hope it’s today, if not tomorrow, if not then Saturday, we’re not going to go home until it’s done. Lilly, we are going to get this passed in the United States Senate and I know that because of the courage of the women that stands next to me, that this new President will be signing this bill into law,” said Sen. Patty Murray.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) had proposed an amendment that some said would weaken pay discrimination law and create a cloud on the real purpose of the bill. This amendment was voted on in the Senate this morning and was defeated 55-40.
Senator Murray is happy about the work that went into this bill, “I’m very proud that because of the work that has gone before us, today my daughter has the same ability as my son to have good pay, a good job, and a great opportunity.”
by Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service and Staff
“I will never see a cent for my case, but if this bill passes I’ll have an even richer reward because I’ll know that my daughters, my granddaughters and your daughters and your granddaughters will get a better deal. That’s what makes this fight worth fighting and it’s what makes this fight one we have to win,” said Lilly Ledbetter during a press conference to discuss the progress of the fair pay act.
Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md); Patty Murray (D-Wash); Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark); Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich): Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn); Jeanne Shaheen (D- N.H.); Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) appeared to discuss the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act”. According to Senator Mikulski, they hope to sign the act before Saturday. Marcia Greenberger, founder and co-president of the National Women’s Law Center was also in attendance.
Senator Mikulski said,“We are doing this in reaction to an outrageous supreme court decision in May 2007 in the famous case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear. their decision was bias and protects corporate interest over human interest.” The bill is expected to be signed within the next 48 hours, and would end discrimination for all categories. “Today, we hope it’s today, if not tomorrow, if not then Saturday, we’re not going to go home until it’s done. Lilly, we are going to get this passed in the United States Senate and I know that because of the courage of the women that stands next to me, that this new President will be signing this bill into law,” said Sen. Patty Murray.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) had proposed an amendment that some said would weaken pay discrimination law and create a cloud on the real purpose of the bill. This amendment was voted on in the Senate this morning and was defeated 55-40.
Senator Murray is happy about the work that went into this bill, “I’m very proud that because of the work that has gone before us, today my daughter has the same ability as my son to have good pay, a good job, and a great opportunity.”
by Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service and Staff
Obama Administration Needs To Work With Latin America
Sergio Bendixen, President of Bendixen and Associates; Dr Cynthia McClintock, Professor of political science and international affairs, and director of the Latin America and Hemispheric Studies Program at George Washington University, Eric Farnsworth, Vice-president of the Council of Americas and Ray Walser, senior policy analyst for Latin America in The Heritage Foundation's Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy studies, gave testimonies today before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
The witnesses created a lot of attention, with people lining up outside to hear the testimonies on "U.S. Policy Toward Latin America in 2009 and Beyond".
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), said: "You can tell by the way the room is filled today the interest in the Western Hemisphere".
Subcommittee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) opened the hearing by welcoming Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) as the committee's new Ranking Member and then outlined some positive steps he would like the Obama administration to pursue.
"First and foremost, I believe that President Obama's participation in April's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago would send an extremely positive message to the heads of the state from Latin America, to the Caribbean. Second, as Chairman Berman moves forward with foreign aid reform and the Obama administration prepares its FY 2010 budget, it is essential that we increase funding for countries in the Western Hemisphere...Third, cooperation between the US and Brazil significantly expanded during the Bush Administration. This relationship needs to be further deepened under President Obama...Fourth, we must continue to support our friends in Mexico through the Merida Initiative...Fifth, I would urge President Obama to focus on Ecuador and Paraguay...and sixth, we must continue to support disaster recovery efforts in Haiti", Engel said.
Chairman Engel then went on to discuss the attacks in a synagogue in Caracus, Venezuela.
"On Monday, I sent a letter, along with 19 of my colleagues, to President Chavez urging him to end the bullying and harassment of the Jewish community in Venezuela and to extend the community the robust protection it deserves in light of the threats it faces. The Venezuelan government must quickly change its tune with regard to the country's Jewish community".
Dr McClintock said: "In Lationobarometer surveys between 2000 and 2005, approval ratings of the United States fell by more than 20 points in Ecuador, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia; more than 30 points in Mexico and Uruguay; and more than 40 points in Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela".
Ray Walser commented on America's dependence on the oil industry, with Congressman Ron Klein (D-FL) backing up his argument and stated that America needs to stop "buying oil from a country {Venezuela} that is hostile to our interests".
The committee also discussed the American economy and its ability to assist Latin American countries. Sergio Bendixen said: "We need to be realistic. Not only about what our friends want but what Latin America wants...we have economic limitations".
Other issues the committee discussed were the desires from the Obama administration, the April 2009 summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, human rights in Cuba, immigration, drugs control and free trade.
Eric Farnsworth suggested in his testimony that Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8. "Listening to Latin America is important...the rest of the hemisphere also has good ideas".
Chairman Engel said: "We cannot ignore our own backyard".
The committee hearing ended after 120 minutes as Congress was called to vote.