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

On Friday Christian leaders from across the country unveiled the Manhattan Declaration, which “call[s] upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike” to protect human life, marriage, and religious liberty, which the nearly 150 signatories say, is becoming increasingly vulnerable.

“The three issues that we’re talking about today do not constitute the entirety of Christian moral concern,” said Beeson Divinity School professor Timothy George, who spoke at the press conference. “They are threshold issues, on which everything else that we do is related. Our concern for the poor, for peacemaking in our world, for the care of creation, our concern for all of the issues of nurturing children into faith…”

The Manhattan Declaration, according to the speakers, was not intended to align with the House and Senate health care bills, and was described as being nonpolitical. However, the document does say that the signatories will commit “fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them” in their effort to defend human life, marriage, and religious liberty.

By Laura Smith – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis was the featured speaker at the sixth annual Latina Luncheon Series in Washington, D.C. on Friday. Solis discussed challenges faced by Latinos throughout the country, such as jobs.

Green jobs, said Solis, are going to be the key to putting minorities, including Latinos, African-Americans, American Indians, women, farm-workers and lower-class Whites to work.

Solis said that millions of dollars in grants from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, passed earlier this year, are helping working families get back on their feet and find jobs in green industries.

“Through the Recovery Act and other investments, $220 million was made available to help dislocated workers transition into new high-growth sectors like allied health and information technology,” said Solis. $114 million has been awarded to community groups nationwide to educate and train young people, she added.

“By providing the job training that will revamp blue-collar jobs into secure 21st century green-collar jobs, we are paving a pathway out of poverty, strengthening urban and rural communities and protecting the health of our citizens and planet,” boasted Solis.

As the Senate prepares to take on health care reform Saturday, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) says that he hopes to convince a few moderate Democrats to join the GOP in voting against the bill. (0:27)

 

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Travis Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Claiming that Democrats are pulling ‘gimmicks’ on the American public, Senate Republicans on Friday blasted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health reform bill, which the Congressional Budget Office says will cost nearly $2.5 trillion after all the provisions have been enacted.

“In the words of the great Yogi Berra, ‘this is deja vu all over again’,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). “They [Democrats] assume savings on the [Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act], which Sen. Conrad has described as a ponzi scheme of the first order…something that Bernie Madoff would be proud of.”

The CLASS Act, S.697, sponsored by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), would amend the Public Health Service Act to create a national, voluntary disability insurance program under which all employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to waive enrollment. Establishing this new program is contingent upon Reid’s big bill passing.

Thune his Republican colleagues were flanked by massive charts displaying the nation’s current debt as well as potential debt increases that they argued would be caused by H.R. 3590, otherwise known as the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” With a major vote to determine whether or not the bill will proceed to the floor expected to take place Saturday night, GOP leaders are looking to convince a few moderate Democrats to join them.

“It would be our hope that our more moderate colleagues on the Democratic side would respect the wished of the constituents, rather than doing the bidding of Harry Reid,” said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). ”At the end of the day, this health care legislation will impact every American in extraordinary ways. We believe in a very negative way. We hope the views of the American people will be respected.”

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) describes the Democrats’ health care bill as a great ponzi scheme; “One that would make Bernie Madoff proud. (0:49)

 

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Democrats are using tricky tactics to pass healthcare reform legislation that will cost less than $900 billion. (0:51)

 

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Travis Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

As the Senate prepares for a Saturday vote on whether or not to bring its health care bill to the floor, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says he will be working feverishly to try to muster up 60 votes, including at least one from the other side of the aisle.

“It would be a real break if we get one Republican to join us and say yes, this is an issue worth debating,” said Durbin. “I’m not assuming a thing, we’re working hard to bring all 60 Democrat votes together to proceed with this historic debate.”

Durbin refused to divulge any information about the status of Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), a moderate who has remained quiet as to how she will vote on Saturday night.

“She’s told Senator Reid,” said Durbin.”You’ll have to ask Senator Reid.”

Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) urges House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to remove raising of the national debt ceiling language from the Defense spending bill. Lance said he’d like the Speaker to allow for a separate vote on the issue. (1:02)

 

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Travis Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

On Thursday Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to remove raising of the national debt ceiling language from the Defense spending bill. Lance said he’d like the Speaker to allow for a separate vote on the issue.

Currently, the national debt ceiling stands at $12.104 trillion. On Tuesday U.S. Treasury officials confirmed that the U.S. debt has hit it’s highest level since World War II at $12 trillion.

“The recent news that our nation’s debt has for the first time topped the $12 trillion mark should be of grave concern to every American…I stand here today with my colleagues to call on Speaker Pelosi to allow on the floor of the House of Representatives such a debate and a clean up-or-down vote on raising the debt ceiling,” said Lance.

Lance addressed a letter he sent on November 6 2009 to the Speaker asking for a stand-alone vote on raising the nation’s debt ceiling. 27 other House Republicans have joined with Lance in his efforts, including Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Ron Paul (R-Texas).

“I will vote against a needed increase in the limit the federal government can borrow unless Congress creates a commission to come up with proposals to bring the deficit and debt under control,” said Lance.

The New Jersey Republican said that he is waiting to hear back from Pelosi.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expresses her approval of abortion language in Sen. Harry Reid’s health care reform bill. The Senate bill grants the secretary of Health and Human Services to decide if federal funds will be allocated for those under the public plan. It would also require that private insurers split premiums from subsidies used to pay for abortion coverage. (1:05)

 

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