Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at spurring job growth at the local level.
“[The Local Jobs for America Act] Will save or create 1 million public and private sector jobs in local communities across the country,” said Miller during a conference call with reporters. (0:11)
Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at spurring job growth at the local level.
“[The Local Jobs for America Act] Will save or create 1 million public and private sector jobs in local communities across the country,” said Miller during a conference call with reporters. “This is a bill for Main Street, not Wall Street.”
Once passed, the bill will provide communities $100 billion over the next two years to prevent businesses and local governments from being forced to cut jobs.
“In most cases local officials either raise taxes or lay-off workers when facing the kind of budget crisis they face today,” said the California Democrat.
Miller explained that it was not yet decided whether the bill will be joined with the Senate’s jobs legislation or passed separately, noting that it would be left to the discretion of Congressional leaders.
John DuBois, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service
The House Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which was introduced by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in June of this year.
The bill, known as H.R. 3017, would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
During the hearing, Frank implored his colleagues in the House to support the legislation.
“Let me just say to my colleagues. There’s nothing to be afraid of. These are our fellow human beings. They’re not asking you for anything other in this bill, for the right to earn a living. Can’t you give them that. If you don’t like them and don’t want to be friends I think your missing on something, but that’s your choice,” Frank said.
According to Frank, the bill will provide more job opportunities based on a candidate’s skill, work ethic and experience, rather than his or her sexual orientation.
Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) says it is exciting to get the Broad Prize, an important scholarship, because it shows the student made a personal decision to have a better life. (0:27)
Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) says the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act will be better for students, their parents and taxpayers by providing more help in covering tuition and expenses, including a historic investment in the Pell Grant Scholarship program, better opportunities to prepare for 21st century jobs. (0:36)
by Julianne LaJeunesse- University of New Mexico
A health policy analyst warned the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Tuesday that passing health care reform now will prevent Congress from having to make drastic changes to Medicare in the future.
“By starting now, [it] will prevent Congress from having to do very severe and very crude changes to Medicare down the road,” said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis during a hearing Tuesday.
“Putting this off doesn’t mean that it won’t come home at some point, and we need to deal with it and begin… as this bill does,” she said.
The state of the current bill, however, isn’t viewed as perfect.
Thomas Priselac, President and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles, told Representatives that his hospitals are committed to and applaud reform, but says H.R. 3200 has “room for improvement.”
Priselac said he’s concerned about tying the public option to Medicare rates because of what he said is “broad discretion for the Secretary to set and negotiate rates.”
He also said he questions the bill’s method of reducing patient readmissions and discharges.
“Preventing unnecessary readmissions is a complex, system-wide goal that involves hospitals, physicians, skilled nursing facilities, and other providers who manage patient’s care, as well as patients and their families,” Priselac said. “Policies that provide incentives to reduce readmissions should focus only on unplanned readmissions that are in fact related to the initial admission, and for which the greatest opportunity exists for hospitals to reduce their reoccurrence.”
Priselac says the method, which would be used as a way for determining incentive payments, is not practical because some patient discharges and readmissions are not preventable.
While there will undoubtedly be reform ideas that are left out of the House Reform proposal, most of today’s panel guests and Representatives seemed to agree that bettering the Medicare system is a good place to start health care reform.
Jacob Hacker, Yale Political Science Professor, said that if the Government continues with a public option plan, that plan must start an extensive network of providers immediately.
He said providers who want to, should be allowed to “opt out” rather than be required to “opt in.”
“Since participation will be voluntary for providers, the plan should be able to establish rates based on Medicare rates, much like many private insurers do today,” Hacker said.
Unlike Priselac, Hacker believes, “Requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to figure out new prices from scratch, in consultation with providers, is inefficient and gives private plans, which already have networks in place, an unfair advantage over the public plan.”
Republicans and special interest groups are promoting a “false suggestion that the health care reform bill before the House allows illegal immigrants to get access to the health care benefits,” says Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). He identifies Section 246 in the bill as a provision which states “no Federal payment for undocumented aliens.” (0:35)
Republicans have suggested that the health care bill circulating in Congress will encourage the elderly to end their lives, says Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). “It’s just outrageous that they would play that kind of fear on that vulnerable population when they know in fact that there’s nothing in that bill that does that.” Miller explains that a provision in the current version allows a patient to voluntarily discuss a life-threatening illness and end-of-life care with their doctor. (0:45)
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
Two more House committees have passed versions of health care reform legislation following discussions that stretched into the early hours of Friday morning. That brings the total up to three out of the five House and Senate Committees that have now reported legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) noted in Friday’s press conference that this is the farthest comprehensive health reform has ever gotten in Congress.
The House Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) completed their discussion and reported legislation at around 2 AM Friday. The Committee on Education and Labor chaired by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) had an even longer discussion which lasted till 6 AM and came back at 9 AM to complete the votes.
Pelosi said, “Congress has made historic progress on health insurance reform that will put patients and doctors back in charge and ensure quality, affordable, accessible health care for America’s middle class.”
Pelosi also noted the recent endorsement from the American Medical Association (AMA) of America’s Affordable Health Care legislation.
“This legislation includes a broad range of provisions that are key to effective, comprehensive health system reform…The AMA wants the debate in Washington to conclude with, real, long overdue results that will improve the health of America’s patients.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) joined the Speaker and two Chairmen to announce the “historic progress.”
“These next pivitol months will finally be our chance to deliver-and we will,” said Hoyer.
Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News
The legislative stars were out for H.R. 1388 – Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, which supports volunteerism, partially with a stipend or grant toward higher education.
Backed by phalanx of representatives from Be the Change, AmeriCorps alums, Experience Corps, Serve Next, Survivor Corps, DC Central Kitchen, the court-appointed special advocates of DC, and the Young Marines, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) thanked everyone who worked on the bill and compared Obama’s effect on this generation with the way John Kennedy had inspired her and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).
Hoyer said, “In one year, the millions of Americans (who volunteered) generated in excess of $150 billion. Every dollar we invest in AmeriCorps gives anywhere from $1.50 to $3.90 in return. Boy, oh boy, wouldn’t we like to have a lot of companies who did as well as that.” He cited several volunteer home-weatherizing projects around the country.
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) said volunteerism is for everyone: young, retired, and those displaced from their jobs.
Perriello, who has spent his entire career working for non-profits in Africa and the U.S., said, “What we’ve all found is that service isn’t just a matter of giving back to our community, it was a matter of forming our very character. Every American feels a call to service, this cannot be something that only rich young people can afford. This is a bill that is not about anything other than enabling young people to answer that call.” He also pointed out the expertise that volunteers gain doing this work, and the need to bank those skills against emergencies and disasters. “We’ve found that once people have volunteered a little bit, they become a volunteer for life.“Volunteerism is addictive,” he finished.
Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) introduced Survivor Corps US Program Manager Capt. Scott Quilty. While leading a patrol in the Sunni Triangle in Oct. ’06, he was a victim of a roadside bomb,losing his right arm and leg.
“Service saved my life twice. Veterans and their families will be given the chance to continue serving their community, by this legislation,” Quilty said. “ Service doesn’t have to end when we take of the uniform, and it shouldn’t end.”
Miller predicted strong bipartisan support in Congress today and tomorrow.
Addendum: H.R. 1388 passed the House 03/18/09
