U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.) on Friday, Feb. 17, voted to extend the payroll tax cut through the end of the year for 4.7 million North Carolinians. The vote also extended enhanced unemployment benefits through the end of 2012. The measure passed the Senate 60 to 36 and will now go to the President’s desk for signature.
“Today I was proud to vote to extend the payroll tax cut for working, middle-class Americans that will benefit 4.7 million North Carolinians and ensure an extra $900 in the pockets of our hardworking families this year,” said Hagan. “With families still struggling to make ends meet, this extra money will go along way in helping to afford necessities such as groceries, gas and school supplies. While the entire final bill may not be perfect, I am pleased that Congress reached a bipartisan compromise that didn’t bring Congress again to the 11th hour, leaving middle-class families hanging in the balance.
“With North Carolina's unemployment rate at nearly 10 percent, the unemployment insurance represents a lifeline for many of our families who are trying to get back on their feet.”
To see an interactive map of how families in your county will save from this measure, click here.
See what ended up on The News of Orange County's cutting room floor.
Showing posts with label U.S. government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. government. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Price supports payroll tax cut extension
Rep. David Price (NC-04) issued the following statement Friday, Feb. 17, after voting in favor of legislation to extend the Obama Administration’s payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who have lost their jobs as a result of the recession. The measure—which will add an average of $1,000 to the paychecks of 160 million working Americans and inject $100 billion into the economy—also avoids an impending cut in Medicare payments to doctors, ensuring that millions of seniors will not lose access to affordable health care.
Although Price expressed strong support for the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance and Medicare doctors provisions, he also criticized congressional Republicans’ insistence on offsetting the cost of these measures by increasing federal employees’ contributions to their pension funds, reducing Medicare payments to hospitals and laboratory service providers, and rescinding funding from a key provision of the Affordable Care Act.
“I am proud to stand with the President and working Americans today by supporting this measure, which will add an average of $1,000 to the paychecks of working North Carolinians this year, extend unemployment benefits for Americans who have lost jobs through no fault of their own and ensure seniors on Medicare will be able to see their doctors," Price said. "After a year in which Republicans in Congress took the country from one manufactured crisis to the next, this bipartisan agreement is a step in the right direction—and at a time when so many families are still struggling to make ends meet, it may be our last chance to help revive the economy as we head into an election year.
“... I cannot in good conscience oppose a measure that puts money in the pockets of American workers, protects our fragile economic recovery and maintains the safety net for unemployed workers and health care for seniors. But we simply must do better if we are to maintain the promise of expanding opportunity for working and middle class Americans.”
Although Price expressed strong support for the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance and Medicare doctors provisions, he also criticized congressional Republicans’ insistence on offsetting the cost of these measures by increasing federal employees’ contributions to their pension funds, reducing Medicare payments to hospitals and laboratory service providers, and rescinding funding from a key provision of the Affordable Care Act.
“I am proud to stand with the President and working Americans today by supporting this measure, which will add an average of $1,000 to the paychecks of working North Carolinians this year, extend unemployment benefits for Americans who have lost jobs through no fault of their own and ensure seniors on Medicare will be able to see their doctors," Price said. "After a year in which Republicans in Congress took the country from one manufactured crisis to the next, this bipartisan agreement is a step in the right direction—and at a time when so many families are still struggling to make ends meet, it may be our last chance to help revive the economy as we head into an election year.
“... I cannot in good conscience oppose a measure that puts money in the pockets of American workers, protects our fragile economic recovery and maintains the safety net for unemployed workers and health care for seniors. But we simply must do better if we are to maintain the promise of expanding opportunity for working and middle class Americans.”
President Obama’s budget expands, simplifies small business health care tax credits
The Affordable Care Act includes a Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to help small businesses afford the cost of covering their workers. For tax year 2011 alone, the existing tax credit will benefit an estimated 360,000 small employers who provide health insurance to 2 million workers.
In his fiscal year 2013 budget, President Barack Obama has called for expanding and simplifying the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. If the President’s proposal is enacted, the tax credit would benefit nearly 0.5 million employers who provide insurance to 4 million workers. Over the next 10 years, the proposal would provide an additional $14 billion in tax credits. For a particular business, these changes could mean a tax cut of tens of thousands of dollars. The President has proposed to:
• Allow small businesses with up to 50 workers to qualify for the credit. Currently the tax credit is only available to employers with fewer than 25 full-time workers. (Part-time workers are counted proportionally based on the hours they work.) The President’s budget doubles this ceiling to 50. It also doubles—from 10 full-time workers to 20—the maximum size for a firm to receive the maximum credit matching rate (which is currently 35 percent and increases to 50 percent in 2014).
• Adopt a more generous phase-out schedule. The tax credit phases out based on both the average wage paid by the employer and the number of workers it employs. The President’s budget makes the phase-out schedule more generous and permits every otherwise eligible firm that falls within the limits for size (50 full-time workers) and average wage ($50,000 per full-time worker) to receive the credit.
• Simplify the credit by streamlining the rules. The President’s budget eliminates two requirements for claiming the credit:
o Uniformity requirement. The budget eliminates the requirement that employers claiming the credit determine that they contribute the same percentage of the cost of each employee’s health insurance. This will make the credit less dependent on the specific practices of the employer and easier to claim. Employers would still be required to contribute at least 50 percent of the premium, ensuring a substantial commitment to their employees’ health coverage.
o Cap based on state average premiums. The budget eliminates the cap that limits eligible employer contributions to the amount an employer would have contributed if it offered the plan with the average premium in the state—another requirement that can be complicated to calculate and which is unnecessary given other incentives to control premiums.
Together, eliminating these requirements will significantly simplify the process of claiming the credit.
Examples of how the budget proposal affects various businesses
Example 1: Budget makes small business with 30 full-time employees eligible
Business Profile:
• Full-time employees: 30
• Wages: Average $25,000 per employee
• Employer premium contribution per employee: $5,000
Tax credit in 2012:
• Under current law: Not eligible
• Under budget proposal: $35,000
Tax credit in 2014:
• Under current law: Not eligible
• Under budget proposal: $50,000
Example 2: Budget more than doubles credit for small business with 15 full-time employees
Business profile:
• Full-time employees: 15
• Wages: Average $35,000 per employee
• Employer premium contribution per employee: $6,000
Tax credit in 2012:
• Under current law: Up to $8,400
• Under budget proposal: $18,900
Tax credit in 2014:
• Under current law: Up to $12,000
• Under budget proposal: $27,000
In his fiscal year 2013 budget, President Barack Obama has called for expanding and simplifying the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. If the President’s proposal is enacted, the tax credit would benefit nearly 0.5 million employers who provide insurance to 4 million workers. Over the next 10 years, the proposal would provide an additional $14 billion in tax credits. For a particular business, these changes could mean a tax cut of tens of thousands of dollars. The President has proposed to:
• Allow small businesses with up to 50 workers to qualify for the credit. Currently the tax credit is only available to employers with fewer than 25 full-time workers. (Part-time workers are counted proportionally based on the hours they work.) The President’s budget doubles this ceiling to 50. It also doubles—from 10 full-time workers to 20—the maximum size for a firm to receive the maximum credit matching rate (which is currently 35 percent and increases to 50 percent in 2014).
• Adopt a more generous phase-out schedule. The tax credit phases out based on both the average wage paid by the employer and the number of workers it employs. The President’s budget makes the phase-out schedule more generous and permits every otherwise eligible firm that falls within the limits for size (50 full-time workers) and average wage ($50,000 per full-time worker) to receive the credit.
• Simplify the credit by streamlining the rules. The President’s budget eliminates two requirements for claiming the credit:
o Uniformity requirement. The budget eliminates the requirement that employers claiming the credit determine that they contribute the same percentage of the cost of each employee’s health insurance. This will make the credit less dependent on the specific practices of the employer and easier to claim. Employers would still be required to contribute at least 50 percent of the premium, ensuring a substantial commitment to their employees’ health coverage.
o Cap based on state average premiums. The budget eliminates the cap that limits eligible employer contributions to the amount an employer would have contributed if it offered the plan with the average premium in the state—another requirement that can be complicated to calculate and which is unnecessary given other incentives to control premiums.
Together, eliminating these requirements will significantly simplify the process of claiming the credit.
Examples of how the budget proposal affects various businesses
Example 1: Budget makes small business with 30 full-time employees eligible
Business Profile:
• Full-time employees: 30
• Wages: Average $25,000 per employee
• Employer premium contribution per employee: $5,000
Tax credit in 2012:
• Under current law: Not eligible
• Under budget proposal: $35,000
Tax credit in 2014:
• Under current law: Not eligible
• Under budget proposal: $50,000
Example 2: Budget more than doubles credit for small business with 15 full-time employees
Business profile:
• Full-time employees: 15
• Wages: Average $35,000 per employee
• Employer premium contribution per employee: $6,000
Tax credit in 2012:
• Under current law: Up to $8,400
• Under budget proposal: $18,900
Tax credit in 2014:
• Under current law: Up to $12,000
• Under budget proposal: $27,000
Monday, February 20, 2012
Hagan introduces bill to accelerate patient access to targeted treatments
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.) introduced Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Transforming the Regulatory Environment to Accelerate Access to Treatments Act to get targeted treatments to patients with serious or life-threatening diseases in a quick and safe manner. The bill will be referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that oversees healthcare issues. Hagan is a member of the HELP Committee.
“The TREAT Act is a commonsense bill that will get innovative treatments to patients more quickly, while maintaining FDA’s high standards for safety and effectiveness,” said Hagan. “Accelerated approval processes helped HIV and cancer treatments advance by leaps and bounds in the 1990s. For patients suffering today from rare diseases for which there are no current treatments, medical advances can’t come fast enough. This legislation creates a consistent process and a clear and effective pathway at FDA that will encourage the development of innovative treatments for patients otherwise dependent on the uncertainty of medical breakthroughs.
“Furthermore, in this global economy, American innovation means American jobs. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to build support for this bill.”
The TREAT Act accelerates the review and approval process for medicines that:
• treat an unmet medical need,
• significantly advance the standard of care or
• are highly targeted therapies for serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions.
“NORD appreciates that Senator Hagan and her staff have listened to the concerns of rare disease patients in drafting this proposed legislation,” said Peter L. Saltonstall, president and CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders. “We look forward to working with Senator Hagan in support of this effort to accelerate the process for bringing safe, effective therapies to patients who desperately need them.”
Dr. Ellen Sigal, Chair & Founder of Friends of Cancer Research also commended Hagan's efforts.
“Friends of Cancer Research would like to applaud Senator Hagan for her continued support of the Food and Drug Administration," she said. "The bill she introduced today addresses some very important issues that will help the FDA enhance its scientific capacity, continue to review new treatments in a timely and efficient manner and assure that patients—suffering from serious illness and disease—have access to the safest and most effective therapies.”
The bill enhances FDA’s access to external scientific and medical expertise. It allows the FDA Commissioner to better utilize waivers when potential conflicts of interest are outweighed by the need to have input from leading medical and scientific experts. It also recommends that patient and disease research organizations have more representation on FDA advisory committees. This is critical in areas where research is on the cutting edge.
The TREAT Act advances regulatory science within the FDA. It ensures that drug sponsors are provided explanations when their drugs are turned down so that they might address concerns, improve the treatment and get approved medications to patients more quickly.
The TREAT Act updates the FDA mission statement to reflect FDA’s role in advancing medical innovation while promoting and strengthening the agency’s safety and effectiveness standards. The bill establishes new positions to promote innovation, integration and oversight as well as a Management Review Board to help FDA keep pace with advancing medical innovation and ensure that safety precautions are adhered to.
For more background on the TREAT Act, click here.
“The TREAT Act is a commonsense bill that will get innovative treatments to patients more quickly, while maintaining FDA’s high standards for safety and effectiveness,” said Hagan. “Accelerated approval processes helped HIV and cancer treatments advance by leaps and bounds in the 1990s. For patients suffering today from rare diseases for which there are no current treatments, medical advances can’t come fast enough. This legislation creates a consistent process and a clear and effective pathway at FDA that will encourage the development of innovative treatments for patients otherwise dependent on the uncertainty of medical breakthroughs.
“Furthermore, in this global economy, American innovation means American jobs. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to build support for this bill.”
The TREAT Act accelerates the review and approval process for medicines that:
• treat an unmet medical need,
• significantly advance the standard of care or
• are highly targeted therapies for serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions.
“NORD appreciates that Senator Hagan and her staff have listened to the concerns of rare disease patients in drafting this proposed legislation,” said Peter L. Saltonstall, president and CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders. “We look forward to working with Senator Hagan in support of this effort to accelerate the process for bringing safe, effective therapies to patients who desperately need them.”
Dr. Ellen Sigal, Chair & Founder of Friends of Cancer Research also commended Hagan's efforts.
“Friends of Cancer Research would like to applaud Senator Hagan for her continued support of the Food and Drug Administration," she said. "The bill she introduced today addresses some very important issues that will help the FDA enhance its scientific capacity, continue to review new treatments in a timely and efficient manner and assure that patients—suffering from serious illness and disease—have access to the safest and most effective therapies.”
The bill enhances FDA’s access to external scientific and medical expertise. It allows the FDA Commissioner to better utilize waivers when potential conflicts of interest are outweighed by the need to have input from leading medical and scientific experts. It also recommends that patient and disease research organizations have more representation on FDA advisory committees. This is critical in areas where research is on the cutting edge.
The TREAT Act advances regulatory science within the FDA. It ensures that drug sponsors are provided explanations when their drugs are turned down so that they might address concerns, improve the treatment and get approved medications to patients more quickly.
The TREAT Act updates the FDA mission statement to reflect FDA’s role in advancing medical innovation while promoting and strengthening the agency’s safety and effectiveness standards. The bill establishes new positions to promote innovation, integration and oversight as well as a Management Review Board to help FDA keep pace with advancing medical innovation and ensure that safety precautions are adhered to.
For more background on the TREAT Act, click here.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Hagan urges action on National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined a bipartisan group of Senators in urging Senate leadership to take up the long-term reauthorization and reform of the National Flood Insurance Program. The Senate Banking Committee approved a unanimous, bipartisan version of the reauthorization in September 2011.
“North Carolinians hold over 137,000 policies through the National Flood Insurance Program,” said Hagan. “The National Flood Insurance Program is critical to homeowners in flood-prone regions, and the bill we passed out of the Senate Banking Committee will restore the program’s solvency while ensuring coverage remains available to homeowners. NFIP is simply too important to operate on short-term reauthorizations, and I urge my colleagues to take up this bipartisan bill that is so important for families in North Carolina and across the country.”
For more information and to see a copy of the letter, click here.
“North Carolinians hold over 137,000 policies through the National Flood Insurance Program,” said Hagan. “The National Flood Insurance Program is critical to homeowners in flood-prone regions, and the bill we passed out of the Senate Banking Committee will restore the program’s solvency while ensuring coverage remains available to homeowners. NFIP is simply too important to operate on short-term reauthorizations, and I urge my colleagues to take up this bipartisan bill that is so important for families in North Carolina and across the country.”
For more information and to see a copy of the letter, click here.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Hagan applauds committee passage of Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.) applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011. The Act included Hagan’s Violence Against Women Health Initiative, intended to raise awareness of domestic violence among health care providers, allowing them to better assess and treat survivors of domestic violence.
“The rates of violence and abuse in our country are astounding and unacceptable, and I applaud the Judiciary Committee for making progress on the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act,” said Hagan. “Domestic violence is a threat to the health and well-being of our families and our children, and it costs our system over $8.3 billion annually. As a mother of two daughters, I was proud to include my Violence Against Women Health Initiative to streamline efforts to prevent and respond to domestic partner violence, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take swift action on this very important bill.”
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act will now move for consideration by the full Senate. Since its passage in 1994, the original Violence Against Women Act has transformed our criminal justice system and victim support system, helping to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence. This reauthorization strengthens and streamlines crucial existing programs and incorporates new approaches—such as Hagan’s bill—to more effectively combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Hagan’s provision in the bill would consolidate the existing three health programs into one program while increasing evaluation and accountability. Hagan worked with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on including the research portion of her bill. Specifically, her language would:
1. Foster public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence;
2. Provide training and education of health professionals to respond to violence and abuse; and
3. Support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women
Nearly one in four women in the U.S. has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the United States. Young women experience the highest rates of sexual assault and stalking. And sadly, 15.5 million children in the United States live in families in which partner violence has occurred in the past year, with seven million children in families in which severe partner violence has occurred.
Domestic violence has a significant impact on our country’s health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, intimate partner violence costs the health care system over $8.3 billion annually.
“The rates of violence and abuse in our country are astounding and unacceptable, and I applaud the Judiciary Committee for making progress on the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act,” said Hagan. “Domestic violence is a threat to the health and well-being of our families and our children, and it costs our system over $8.3 billion annually. As a mother of two daughters, I was proud to include my Violence Against Women Health Initiative to streamline efforts to prevent and respond to domestic partner violence, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take swift action on this very important bill.”
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act will now move for consideration by the full Senate. Since its passage in 1994, the original Violence Against Women Act has transformed our criminal justice system and victim support system, helping to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence. This reauthorization strengthens and streamlines crucial existing programs and incorporates new approaches—such as Hagan’s bill—to more effectively combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Hagan’s provision in the bill would consolidate the existing three health programs into one program while increasing evaluation and accountability. Hagan worked with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on including the research portion of her bill. Specifically, her language would:
1. Foster public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence;
2. Provide training and education of health professionals to respond to violence and abuse; and
3. Support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women
Nearly one in four women in the U.S. has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the United States. Young women experience the highest rates of sexual assault and stalking. And sadly, 15.5 million children in the United States live in families in which partner violence has occurred in the past year, with seven million children in families in which severe partner violence has occurred.
Domestic violence has a significant impact on our country’s health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, intimate partner violence costs the health care system over $8.3 billion annually.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Price filed for re-election
Rep. David Price, D-N.C., who represents North Carolina’s 4th District, filed for re-election to Congress on Monday, Feb. 13, and issued the following statement:
“Today I filed for re-election in the Fourth Congressional District
“For the last four years, it has been my great honor to stand with President Obama to take on some of the greatest challenges of our generation. Together, we have reformed the health insurance system, reined in the excesses of Wall Street, expanded access to higher education through student loan reforms and—most importantly—begun a recovery that has seen the economy create 3.2 million new jobs. These are major accomplishments, but we still have unfinished business. This election is a make-or-break moment for our middle class and those trying to reach it.
“I am running to continue the fight for what’s right: to put Americans back to work, to build a sustainable fiscal future and to make the investments necessary for renewed prosperity and expanded opportunity for all—not just the wealthy few. The federal budget must reflect both our nation’s commitment to working people and common sense. We can protect special tax treatment for millionaires and billionaires, or we can invest in renewing our middle class, but we cannot do both—and we shouldn’t. As a matter of fundamental fairness, millionaires and billionaires should not pay a lower effective tax rate than middle class Americans, or students, or seniors. These policies don’t create jobs; they exacerbate income inequality.
“That’s why expanding access to education has been one of my top priorities in Congress. Public education is the bedrock of our democracy and our economy. It is the means by which people from all walks of life are able to help their children achieve the American dream, and we must continue to invest in it. I’ve authored laws that make interest on college loan payments tax deductible, bolster the capacity of community colleges to offer 21st-century workforce training and help ensure every classroom has a trained, highly-qualified teacher. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I also fought for Recovery Act funding to prevent massive teacher layoffs in North Carolina. We must roll back the penny-wise and pound foolish cuts the Republican House has made to key education programs.
“The Tea Party Congress has not shared these priorities. In fact, Republicans in Congress don’t appear to be terribly concerned about doing what’s best for the country. If they were, why would they manufacture crises like the debt ceiling fiasco and threaten shutdowns that only further threaten our economic recovery? They’ve put party and political advantage ahead of everything else to the detriment of all. That is not what representative government is all about.
“My goal is to provide the most effective representation I can for the people of the Fourth District. That means knowing your views and concerns on the issues before Congress and working hard to address them on Capitol Hill. For the last six months, I’ve been traveling the redrawn Fourth to get to know folks in the new areas of the district—like Burlington, Lillington and Fayetteville—and to reconnect with old friends in parts of Raleigh and Chatham County that are rejoining the district. I am heartened by the warm reception I’ve gotten, and I am determined to use the coming campaign to reach out widely, exchange good ideas and chart a course that enables North Carolina and our country to realize their full potential.”
Rep. Price is seeking his 13th term in Congress. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and a member of the House Democracy Assistance Commission. A Morehead Scholar, Price graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and then earned a bachelor’s degree in divinity and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. He was a Senate aide, a political science and public policy professor at Yale and Duke, and Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party before entering Congress in 1986.
“Today I filed for re-election in the Fourth Congressional District
“For the last four years, it has been my great honor to stand with President Obama to take on some of the greatest challenges of our generation. Together, we have reformed the health insurance system, reined in the excesses of Wall Street, expanded access to higher education through student loan reforms and—most importantly—begun a recovery that has seen the economy create 3.2 million new jobs. These are major accomplishments, but we still have unfinished business. This election is a make-or-break moment for our middle class and those trying to reach it.
“I am running to continue the fight for what’s right: to put Americans back to work, to build a sustainable fiscal future and to make the investments necessary for renewed prosperity and expanded opportunity for all—not just the wealthy few. The federal budget must reflect both our nation’s commitment to working people and common sense. We can protect special tax treatment for millionaires and billionaires, or we can invest in renewing our middle class, but we cannot do both—and we shouldn’t. As a matter of fundamental fairness, millionaires and billionaires should not pay a lower effective tax rate than middle class Americans, or students, or seniors. These policies don’t create jobs; they exacerbate income inequality.
“That’s why expanding access to education has been one of my top priorities in Congress. Public education is the bedrock of our democracy and our economy. It is the means by which people from all walks of life are able to help their children achieve the American dream, and we must continue to invest in it. I’ve authored laws that make interest on college loan payments tax deductible, bolster the capacity of community colleges to offer 21st-century workforce training and help ensure every classroom has a trained, highly-qualified teacher. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I also fought for Recovery Act funding to prevent massive teacher layoffs in North Carolina. We must roll back the penny-wise and pound foolish cuts the Republican House has made to key education programs.
“The Tea Party Congress has not shared these priorities. In fact, Republicans in Congress don’t appear to be terribly concerned about doing what’s best for the country. If they were, why would they manufacture crises like the debt ceiling fiasco and threaten shutdowns that only further threaten our economic recovery? They’ve put party and political advantage ahead of everything else to the detriment of all. That is not what representative government is all about.
“My goal is to provide the most effective representation I can for the people of the Fourth District. That means knowing your views and concerns on the issues before Congress and working hard to address them on Capitol Hill. For the last six months, I’ve been traveling the redrawn Fourth to get to know folks in the new areas of the district—like Burlington, Lillington and Fayetteville—and to reconnect with old friends in parts of Raleigh and Chatham County that are rejoining the district. I am heartened by the warm reception I’ve gotten, and I am determined to use the coming campaign to reach out widely, exchange good ideas and chart a course that enables North Carolina and our country to realize their full potential.”
Rep. Price is seeking his 13th term in Congress. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and a member of the House Democracy Assistance Commission. A Morehead Scholar, Price graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and then earned a bachelor’s degree in divinity and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. He was a Senate aide, a political science and public policy professor at Yale and Duke, and Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party before entering Congress in 1986.
Price to hold two town hall meetings Monday, Feb. 20
On Monday, Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) will hold two town hall meetings in Fourth District communities. All Fourth District residents are invited to attend the Q&A sessions. Rep. Price will open both discussions with a brief outline of his work in the 112th Congress. Space is limited at both locations, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Orange County town hall meeting
When: Monday, February 20, 2012 from 7:30 PM – 8:45 PM
Where: Southern Human Services Center Board Room
Wake County town hall meeting
When: Monday, February 20, 2012 from 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM
Where: The Gov. James Martin Building at the NC Fairgrounds
Orange County town hall meeting
When: Monday, February 20, 2012 from 7:30 PM – 8:45 PM
Where: Southern Human Services Center Board Room
Wake County town hall meeting
When: Monday, February 20, 2012 from 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM
Where: The Gov. James Martin Building at the NC Fairgrounds
Hagan invites small business owners to attend Exporter Forum in Greensboro
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Small Business and Banking committees, invites all North Carolina small business owners to attend a Small Business Exporter Forum on Friday, Feb. 24, at the Gateway University Research Park in Greensboro. The "Ex-Im Bank Global Access Forum for Small Business," which Hagan will cohost with Export-Import Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg, will include industry, academic and government experts who will provide North Carolina businesses practical information they need to sell their products and services overseas. Hagan previously hosted a similar exporter forum with Hochberg in Charlotte last summer.
The forum is tailored to address the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses with 500 or fewer employees. All business owners interested in attending must register here.
The exporter forum will serve as another stop on Hagan’s North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour, which is taking Hagan across the state to focus on action and ideas that will get unemployed North Carolinians back on the job as quickly as possible.
WHAT: Hagan invites North Carolina small business owners to attend Small Business Exporter Forum
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon
WHERE: Gateway University Research Park, 2901 E. Lee St. in Greensboro
HOW: Registration is required for participants. Register here.
The forum is tailored to address the needs of small- and medium-sized businesses with 500 or fewer employees. All business owners interested in attending must register here.
The exporter forum will serve as another stop on Hagan’s North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour, which is taking Hagan across the state to focus on action and ideas that will get unemployed North Carolinians back on the job as quickly as possible.
WHAT: Hagan invites North Carolina small business owners to attend Small Business Exporter Forum
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon
WHERE: Gateway University Research Park, 2901 E. Lee St. in Greensboro
HOW: Registration is required for participants. Register here.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Hagan comments on Department of Defense report opening more jobs to servicewomen
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, on Friday, Feb. 10, commented on the Pentagon’s decision to allow women to serve in more jobs closer to the front lines.
“Since coming to the Senate, I have fought to ensure America’s servicewomen are afforded the same opportunities for promotion as their male counterparts,” said Hagan. “The Pentagon’s recommendation is welcome progress and will open up more than 14,000 additional jobs to women in the Armed Forces. Nevertheless, more must be done to provide women in the Armed Services equal opportunities for advancement.
“I have long said that the armed forces must come up with a mechanism to give women the same leadership opportunities as their male counterparts so that they can equitably compete for advancement and promotion. Military women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have been engaged in activities that are consideredcombat-related, including serving side by side with combat units and engaging in direct combat for self defense. These brave women are exposed to the same risks as their male counterparts—including IEDs—and should be eligible for the same opportunities for advancement. As a proud member of a military family, I have nothing but the utmost respect for our troops—both men and women—and the rigorous training they undergo.”
The Pentagon’s announcement in a Department of Defense report required by the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, which Senator Hagan supported. The report notified Congress that the Department of Defense intends to make two changes to rules in place since 1994 governing the service of female members of the armed forces: first, occupations will no longer be closed to women solely because the positions are required to be co-located with ground combat units; and second, a sizable number of positions will be opened to women at the battalion level in select direct ground combat units in specific occupations. Department of Defense will also continue to assess their experience with these changes to help determine whether future modifications to the 1994 rules are appropriate.
Hagan is proud and honored to have had the aid of four servicewomen in her Senate Office. Navy Veteran Jean Reaves served as a WAVE during the Vietnam era. Today, Reaves provides Veteran Affairs Services for Senator Hagan’s office. North Carolina National Guard Cpt. Jennifer Hartsock is currently Senator Hagan’s Military Liason. Hartsock served more than five years of active duty in the Army after graduating from West Point, including a 2007 Iraq tour as a Battle Captain with a Combat Engineer Unit. Lt. Col. Kristin McCann is a United States Marine and serves as a Defense Legislative Fellow to Senator Hagan. Captain Laura Keenan preceded Lt. Col. McCann as the Senator's Defense Legislative Fellow.
“Since coming to the Senate, I have fought to ensure America’s servicewomen are afforded the same opportunities for promotion as their male counterparts,” said Hagan. “The Pentagon’s recommendation is welcome progress and will open up more than 14,000 additional jobs to women in the Armed Forces. Nevertheless, more must be done to provide women in the Armed Services equal opportunities for advancement.
“I have long said that the armed forces must come up with a mechanism to give women the same leadership opportunities as their male counterparts so that they can equitably compete for advancement and promotion. Military women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have been engaged in activities that are consideredcombat-related, including serving side by side with combat units and engaging in direct combat for self defense. These brave women are exposed to the same risks as their male counterparts—including IEDs—and should be eligible for the same opportunities for advancement. As a proud member of a military family, I have nothing but the utmost respect for our troops—both men and women—and the rigorous training they undergo.”
The Pentagon’s announcement in a Department of Defense report required by the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, which Senator Hagan supported. The report notified Congress that the Department of Defense intends to make two changes to rules in place since 1994 governing the service of female members of the armed forces: first, occupations will no longer be closed to women solely because the positions are required to be co-located with ground combat units; and second, a sizable number of positions will be opened to women at the battalion level in select direct ground combat units in specific occupations. Department of Defense will also continue to assess their experience with these changes to help determine whether future modifications to the 1994 rules are appropriate.
Hagan is proud and honored to have had the aid of four servicewomen in her Senate Office. Navy Veteran Jean Reaves served as a WAVE during the Vietnam era. Today, Reaves provides Veteran Affairs Services for Senator Hagan’s office. North Carolina National Guard Cpt. Jennifer Hartsock is currently Senator Hagan’s Military Liason. Hartsock served more than five years of active duty in the Army after graduating from West Point, including a 2007 Iraq tour as a Battle Captain with a Combat Engineer Unit. Lt. Col. Kristin McCann is a United States Marine and serves as a Defense Legislative Fellow to Senator Hagan. Captain Laura Keenan preceded Lt. Col. McCann as the Senator's Defense Legislative Fellow.
Hagan votes for long-term FAA reauthorization
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.) on Monday, Feb. 6, voted for a bipartisan agreement that authorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration for the next four years. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which passed the Senate by a vote of 75-20, authorizes $15.9 billion annually for federal aviation programs. It now goes to the President’s desk.
“In the last five years, Congress has funded the FAA with 23 separate short-term extensions,” said Hagan. “Today, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass legislation that significantly improves federal aviation programs and provides certainty to the millions of workers across the country—including more than 88,000 in North Carolina—whose jobs depend on the aviation industry. While this bill is not perfect, it does demonstrate that Democrats and Republicans are capable of putting political posturing aside and advancing legislation important to the American people. I will continue working across party lines on initiatives that get people in North Carolina and across the country back to work.”
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act will provide stable funding for FAA programs, enhance safety, expand access to air service in rural areas and help modernize the national air system. For example, the bill will accelerate the deployment of NextGen, the FAA’s air traffic control system that uses satellite-based global positioning system capabilities. This new technology will reduce delays, increase safety and make flying quieter, cleaner and more fuel-efficient.
The bill also allocates $13.4 billion over four years for the Airport Improvement Program. The AIP provided more than $1.2 billion in critical planning and development grants to North Carolina’s public airports between FY2007 and FY2011.
“In the last five years, Congress has funded the FAA with 23 separate short-term extensions,” said Hagan. “Today, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass legislation that significantly improves federal aviation programs and provides certainty to the millions of workers across the country—including more than 88,000 in North Carolina—whose jobs depend on the aviation industry. While this bill is not perfect, it does demonstrate that Democrats and Republicans are capable of putting political posturing aside and advancing legislation important to the American people. I will continue working across party lines on initiatives that get people in North Carolina and across the country back to work.”
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act will provide stable funding for FAA programs, enhance safety, expand access to air service in rural areas and help modernize the national air system. For example, the bill will accelerate the deployment of NextGen, the FAA’s air traffic control system that uses satellite-based global positioning system capabilities. This new technology will reduce delays, increase safety and make flying quieter, cleaner and more fuel-efficient.
The bill also allocates $13.4 billion over four years for the Airport Improvement Program. The AIP provided more than $1.2 billion in critical planning and development grants to North Carolina’s public airports between FY2007 and FY2011.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Hagan, Bass comment on Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012
U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D—NC) and North Carolina Public Transportation Association President Randy Bass on Friday, Feb. 3, commented on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee’s approval of the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012. Hagan, who sits on the Banking Committee, fought to include over $200 million in the bill for important North Carolina infrastructure investments. The two-year reauthorization and reform of federal public transportation programs was passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. The legislation will be included in a broader surface transportation reauthorization bill.
“Maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure is about creating jobs, not just in the construction sector, but in the businesses, plants and factories that rely on our ports, roads, rails and airports to get American-made products to markets around the globe,” said Hagan. “Investing in our transportation infrastructure will enable our economy to grow and keep our country competitive.”
Bass also commended the Senate Banking Committee for approving the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012.
“Our association represents public transportation systems in all 100 counties in North Carolina," he said. "Despite the challenges we face in these tough economic times, North Carolina’s public transportation infrastructure is a testament to how public and capital investments can create a network of transportation services critical to the economic vitality of our state. We are proud and grateful to have the exceptional leadership of Sen. Hagan and her colleagues on the Banking Committee to keep public transportation a priority of our nation.”
The Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012 provides funding for critical investments in North Carolina’s infrastructure. The bill authorizes $20 million in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 for competitive grants to help communities develop and plan public transportation projects designed to enhance economic development, increase transit ridership, and promote multi-modal connectivity and accessibility.
Few communities exemplify the benefits of Transit-Oriented Development better than Charlotte. Since its opening, there has been $1.4 billion in development adjacent to the LYNX light rail Blue Line. It is anticipated that through 2035, there will be approximately $5 billion in new development adjacent to the Blue Line Extension—a continuation of the LYNX Blue Line to the UNC-Charlotte campus.
The bill streamlines and includes a slight increase in funding for rural transit. In fiscal year 2010, North Carolina received $47.61 million in rural transit grants, more than any other state except California.
The bill also includes $20 million for a New Appalachian Development Public Transportation Assistance Program. The funds are to be distributed across the Appalachian region—including 29 counties in North Carolina—to increase and enhance public transportation opportunities to residents in these areas.
“Maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure is about creating jobs, not just in the construction sector, but in the businesses, plants and factories that rely on our ports, roads, rails and airports to get American-made products to markets around the globe,” said Hagan. “Investing in our transportation infrastructure will enable our economy to grow and keep our country competitive.”
Bass also commended the Senate Banking Committee for approving the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012.
“Our association represents public transportation systems in all 100 counties in North Carolina," he said. "Despite the challenges we face in these tough economic times, North Carolina’s public transportation infrastructure is a testament to how public and capital investments can create a network of transportation services critical to the economic vitality of our state. We are proud and grateful to have the exceptional leadership of Sen. Hagan and her colleagues on the Banking Committee to keep public transportation a priority of our nation.”
The Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012 provides funding for critical investments in North Carolina’s infrastructure. The bill authorizes $20 million in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 for competitive grants to help communities develop and plan public transportation projects designed to enhance economic development, increase transit ridership, and promote multi-modal connectivity and accessibility.
Few communities exemplify the benefits of Transit-Oriented Development better than Charlotte. Since its opening, there has been $1.4 billion in development adjacent to the LYNX light rail Blue Line. It is anticipated that through 2035, there will be approximately $5 billion in new development adjacent to the Blue Line Extension—a continuation of the LYNX Blue Line to the UNC-Charlotte campus.
The bill streamlines and includes a slight increase in funding for rural transit. In fiscal year 2010, North Carolina received $47.61 million in rural transit grants, more than any other state except California.
The bill also includes $20 million for a New Appalachian Development Public Transportation Assistance Program. The funds are to be distributed across the Appalachian region—including 29 counties in North Carolina—to increase and enhance public transportation opportunities to residents in these areas.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Hagan comments on mortgage settlement announcement
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, on Thursday, Feb. 9, commented after an agreement was reached on a national settlement to bring relief to American homeowners.
“Foreclosure affects every aspect of a family’s life," Hagan said. "Today’s settlement is a piece of welcome news for those North Carolina homeowners who have acted responsibly but have been wrongfully foreclosed on or who owe more than their homes are currently worth.
"North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the nation, and I am pleased that this settlement includes a number of provisions designed to protect servicemembers and veterans. I am also proud that Joseph Smith, North Carolina’s widely-respected Commissioner of Banks, will oversee the settlement fund.
“While today’s settlement is a step in the right direction, we know it will not be enough to turn around our sluggish housing market. The housing crisis continues to be the main driver of our economic downturn, and many North Carolina families are hurting. We need to take a serious look at reforming our housing finance system to get more private capital into the system and make sure credit is available for well-qualified, responsible borrowers.”
Hagan is a co-sponsor of the Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act of 2011, which would incentivize financial institutions to comply with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Enacted in 2003, SCRA is intended to prevent active duty military from certain financial and legal hardships as a result of their absence due to military service. Financial institutions have repeatedly failed to comply with the SCRA. Major loan servicers have been responsible for mistakes that led to thousands of mortgage overcharges and a number of unlawful foreclosures and evictions.
Since taking office, Hagan’s constituent services team has worked on 851 mortgage assistance cases for North Carolinians. Hagan’s office cannot file modifications, but it can follow up on pending applications with bank regulators. If you need assistance following up on a pending mortgage modification, please contact Hagan’s office toll-free at 1-877-852-9462.
“Foreclosure affects every aspect of a family’s life," Hagan said. "Today’s settlement is a piece of welcome news for those North Carolina homeowners who have acted responsibly but have been wrongfully foreclosed on or who owe more than their homes are currently worth.
"North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the nation, and I am pleased that this settlement includes a number of provisions designed to protect servicemembers and veterans. I am also proud that Joseph Smith, North Carolina’s widely-respected Commissioner of Banks, will oversee the settlement fund.
“While today’s settlement is a step in the right direction, we know it will not be enough to turn around our sluggish housing market. The housing crisis continues to be the main driver of our economic downturn, and many North Carolina families are hurting. We need to take a serious look at reforming our housing finance system to get more private capital into the system and make sure credit is available for well-qualified, responsible borrowers.”
Hagan is a co-sponsor of the Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act of 2011, which would incentivize financial institutions to comply with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Enacted in 2003, SCRA is intended to prevent active duty military from certain financial and legal hardships as a result of their absence due to military service. Financial institutions have repeatedly failed to comply with the SCRA. Major loan servicers have been responsible for mistakes that led to thousands of mortgage overcharges and a number of unlawful foreclosures and evictions.
Since taking office, Hagan’s constituent services team has worked on 851 mortgage assistance cases for North Carolinians. Hagan’s office cannot file modifications, but it can follow up on pending applications with bank regulators. If you need assistance following up on a pending mortgage modification, please contact Hagan’s office toll-free at 1-877-852-9462.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Price, Holt, Capps lead 64 members of Congress in urging Secretary Salazar to protect Arctic waters from hazardous drilling
Reps. David Price (N.C.-04), Rush Holt (N.J.-12), and Lois Capps (Calif.-23) led a group of 64 members of Congress Wednesday, Feb. 8, in sending a letter to Interior Secretary Salazar thanking the administration for excluding new oil and gas development in the Atlantic or Pacific and urging caution against too quickly moving forward with additional leasing in the Arctic. The Members have joined a groundswell of voices building over recent months to protect the Arctic.
During the public comment period that ended Wednesday, Feb. 8, on the Obama administration’s proposed Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program for 2012-2017, more than 250,000 people have urged Obama to remove the two Arctic lease sales proposed in the draft plan. In addition, more than 500 distinguished U.S. and international scientists signed an open letter asking the Obama administration to follow through on its stated commitment to science in managing resource extraction in the Arctic.
The administration’s proposal would open the Arctic to new oil and gas development even though there is no viable method to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic’s extreme conditions and scientists lack basic information about the Arctic’s fragile marine environment.
“Last summer, a report from the nation’s leading scientists identified major gaps in scientific knowledge about the Arctic ecosystem and the impacts of drilling in the region,” Price said. “There are also serious questions about our ability to respond effectively to a spill in Arctic conditions. America has already learned the pitfalls of allowing risky oil and gas drilling to proceed without the proper safeguards in place to protect the environment and ensure quick spill containment. We should listen to the scientists, and not repeat our mistakes.”
“The Arctic is among the most challenging places on Earth to drill for oil—frigid, remote, dark and underdeveloped,” said Holt. “It is bizarre for oil companies to suggest that, despite their failure to contain the Deepwater Horizon spill under much kinder conditions, they are fully prepared to manage an Arctic disaster. Secretary Salazar should ensure that Arctic waters are managed as public trust, enforcing strong protections for public health and the environment.”
“While I’m pleased Secretary Salazar is committed to preventing new oil and gas drilling off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, I remain concerned with any proposal that would allow new drilling in the Arctic Ocean,” Capps said. “Despite assurances from the oil industry that it’s safe and some recent steps taken by the Interior Department to improve safety and environmental requirements, offshore drilling is a dirty and dangerous business. My constituents know firsthand that oil spills can and do happen and how hard they are to clean up. They can tell you that if it was that hard to clean-up the spill in the relatively calm conditions off Santa Barbara, it’s going to be near-impossible to respond to and contain any spill in the Arctic Ocean.”
The members’ letter notes that there are significant hurdles to resource extraction in the unique Arctic environment and outlines a series of strategies that should be in place prior to including any new leasing in the region.
During the public comment period that ended Wednesday, Feb. 8, on the Obama administration’s proposed Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program for 2012-2017, more than 250,000 people have urged Obama to remove the two Arctic lease sales proposed in the draft plan. In addition, more than 500 distinguished U.S. and international scientists signed an open letter asking the Obama administration to follow through on its stated commitment to science in managing resource extraction in the Arctic.
The administration’s proposal would open the Arctic to new oil and gas development even though there is no viable method to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic’s extreme conditions and scientists lack basic information about the Arctic’s fragile marine environment.
“Last summer, a report from the nation’s leading scientists identified major gaps in scientific knowledge about the Arctic ecosystem and the impacts of drilling in the region,” Price said. “There are also serious questions about our ability to respond effectively to a spill in Arctic conditions. America has already learned the pitfalls of allowing risky oil and gas drilling to proceed without the proper safeguards in place to protect the environment and ensure quick spill containment. We should listen to the scientists, and not repeat our mistakes.”
“The Arctic is among the most challenging places on Earth to drill for oil—frigid, remote, dark and underdeveloped,” said Holt. “It is bizarre for oil companies to suggest that, despite their failure to contain the Deepwater Horizon spill under much kinder conditions, they are fully prepared to manage an Arctic disaster. Secretary Salazar should ensure that Arctic waters are managed as public trust, enforcing strong protections for public health and the environment.”
“While I’m pleased Secretary Salazar is committed to preventing new oil and gas drilling off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, I remain concerned with any proposal that would allow new drilling in the Arctic Ocean,” Capps said. “Despite assurances from the oil industry that it’s safe and some recent steps taken by the Interior Department to improve safety and environmental requirements, offshore drilling is a dirty and dangerous business. My constituents know firsthand that oil spills can and do happen and how hard they are to clean up. They can tell you that if it was that hard to clean-up the spill in the relatively calm conditions off Santa Barbara, it’s going to be near-impossible to respond to and contain any spill in the Arctic Ocean.”
The members’ letter notes that there are significant hurdles to resource extraction in the unique Arctic environment and outlines a series of strategies that should be in place prior to including any new leasing in the region.
Hagan supports bipartisan Iran Sanctions Bill
U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee and Chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, supported the bipartisan Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Human Rights Act during a markup yesterday in the Senate Banking Committee.
“As the Chair of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, I know that the potential of a nuclear-armed Iran is a clear concern for our country, our ally Israel and the stability of the Middle East,” said Hagan. “It is important that we cut off resources that would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. The Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Human Rights Act is an important step in choking off funding for Iran's national oil and shipping companies, and in restricting its ability to tap into electronic banking services.”
The bipartisan bill expands and broadens the President’s authority to increase pressure on Iran to comply with its international obligations. The legislation will:
o Broaden the list of available sanctions,
o Require intensified targeting of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps,
o Require firms traded on U.S. stock exchanges to disclose Iran-related activity to the Securities and Exchange Commission,
o Sanction energy and uranium mining joint ventures with Iran’s government outside of Iran,
o Penalize U.S. parent firms for certain Iran-related activities of their foreign subsidiaries,
o Mandate sanctions for those who supply Iran with weapons and other technologies used to commit human rights abuses, and
o Provide other similar measures designed to increase pressure on Iran’s government.
“As the Chair of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, I know that the potential of a nuclear-armed Iran is a clear concern for our country, our ally Israel and the stability of the Middle East,” said Hagan. “It is important that we cut off resources that would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. The Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Human Rights Act is an important step in choking off funding for Iran's national oil and shipping companies, and in restricting its ability to tap into electronic banking services.”
The bipartisan bill expands and broadens the President’s authority to increase pressure on Iran to comply with its international obligations. The legislation will:
o Broaden the list of available sanctions,
o Require intensified targeting of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps,
o Require firms traded on U.S. stock exchanges to disclose Iran-related activity to the Securities and Exchange Commission,
o Sanction energy and uranium mining joint ventures with Iran’s government outside of Iran,
o Penalize U.S. parent firms for certain Iran-related activities of their foreign subsidiaries,
o Mandate sanctions for those who supply Iran with weapons and other technologies used to commit human rights abuses, and
o Provide other similar measures designed to increase pressure on Iran’s government.
Hagan launches North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.) on Friday, Jan. 27, launched her North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour to determine the most effective ways to get North Carolinians back to work right now.
Hagan began the tour in Scotland County, where unemployment stands at 16.6 percent—the highest of any county in North Carolina. She toured Service Thread Manufacturing, a textile company that employs approximately 75 people and manufactures industrial yarns and sewing threads, converted multifilament yarns and engineered specialty textile products.
“Jobs are my No. one priority,” said Hagan. “Everywhere I go in our state, unemployment is the issue I hear about from North Carolinians. I am launching my North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour to focus on action and ideas that will get unemployed North Carolinians back on the job as quickly as possible. With unemployment at almost 10 percent in our state, and as high as 16.6 percent in Scotland County, we don’t have a minute to waste in rolling up our sleeves to find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to get employment back on track.”
The North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour included stops in communities across North Carolina. Hagan met with small business owners, workers, veterans, manufacturers, workforce development officers, community college administrators and others to gain input and feedback about concrete steps that can put people back to work right now. The tour explored many aspects of the unemployment crisis, including a strong emphasis on job training and job readiness.
“With North Carolina’s outstanding community colleges and workforce training centers, it is unacceptable that middle-class families are struggling to make ends meet while employers are struggling to fill open jobs.," Hagain said. "I want to continue bringing together all the stakeholders—business owners, workforce training administrators, unemployed workers and veterans—so that we can get people back on the job. I want to connect job seekers and employers to the many resources and incentives of which they may not be aware.”
Hagan’s AMERICA Works Act encourages national industries—like construction, automotive and aerospace—to come together and agree on the skill sets necessary for employees. When the industries have agreed upon standards, curricula will be developed for training programs at community colleges that will offer industry-recognized credentials. When workers have earned an industry-recognized credential, they will be qualified for employment in any state. For more about the AMERICA Works Act, please click here.
Hagan began the tour in Scotland County, where unemployment stands at 16.6 percent—the highest of any county in North Carolina. She toured Service Thread Manufacturing, a textile company that employs approximately 75 people and manufactures industrial yarns and sewing threads, converted multifilament yarns and engineered specialty textile products.
“Jobs are my No. one priority,” said Hagan. “Everywhere I go in our state, unemployment is the issue I hear about from North Carolinians. I am launching my North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour to focus on action and ideas that will get unemployed North Carolinians back on the job as quickly as possible. With unemployment at almost 10 percent in our state, and as high as 16.6 percent in Scotland County, we don’t have a minute to waste in rolling up our sleeves to find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to get employment back on track.”
The North Carolina Back to Work Jobs Tour included stops in communities across North Carolina. Hagan met with small business owners, workers, veterans, manufacturers, workforce development officers, community college administrators and others to gain input and feedback about concrete steps that can put people back to work right now. The tour explored many aspects of the unemployment crisis, including a strong emphasis on job training and job readiness.
“With North Carolina’s outstanding community colleges and workforce training centers, it is unacceptable that middle-class families are struggling to make ends meet while employers are struggling to fill open jobs.," Hagain said. "I want to continue bringing together all the stakeholders—business owners, workforce training administrators, unemployed workers and veterans—so that we can get people back on the job. I want to connect job seekers and employers to the many resources and incentives of which they may not be aware.”
Hagan’s AMERICA Works Act encourages national industries—like construction, automotive and aerospace—to come together and agree on the skill sets necessary for employees. When the industries have agreed upon standards, curricula will be developed for training programs at community colleges that will offer industry-recognized credentials. When workers have earned an industry-recognized credential, they will be qualified for employment in any state. For more about the AMERICA Works Act, please click here.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Hagan hails federal, state partnership protecting the military community
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D—N.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Banking Committees and an advocate for consumer protections, Friday, Jan. 27, hailed a new federal-state partnership and the development of a database to combat consumer financial fraud directed at military members, veterans and their families. The Repeat Offenders Against Military Database was developed by the Department of Defense, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
“The development of this database is a huge service to North Carolina, which has the third largest military footprint in the nation,” said Hagan, who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Banking Committees. “Too often, our servicemembers and their families become victims of unlawful or predatory financial practices. Last May, I was proud to host a roundtable at Fort Bragg with Holly Petraeus, who heads the CFPB's Office of Servicemember Affairs, to hear from military leaders and families about the unique financial challenges facing our military communities. I will continue working to ensure that our servicemembers and their families, who sacrifice so much for our country, are protected from predatory financial practices.”
The ROAM Database will track completed enforcement actions against companies and individuals who repeatedly scam military personnel. Law enforcement officials across the country—including state attorneys general, United States attorneys, and judge advocates from all five branches of the armed forces—will be able to search the ROAM Database for publicly available information about completed civil and criminal legal actions against perpetrators of financial scams aimed at military personnel, veterans and their families.
Law enforcement officials can contribute data and request access to the database, which should be up and running by early February, by sending an email to ROAMDatabase@cfpb.gov.
Hagan is a member of the Senate Armed Services and Banking Committees, and she is a founding member of the Military Family Caucus. She cosponsored the Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act to protect military families from wrongful foreclosures.
Hagan hails from a strong military family—her father-in-law was a two-star Marine General; her brother and father served in the Navy; her husband, Chip, is a Vietnam veteran who used the GI Bill to help pay for law school; and she has two nephews who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The development of this database is a huge service to North Carolina, which has the third largest military footprint in the nation,” said Hagan, who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Banking Committees. “Too often, our servicemembers and their families become victims of unlawful or predatory financial practices. Last May, I was proud to host a roundtable at Fort Bragg with Holly Petraeus, who heads the CFPB's Office of Servicemember Affairs, to hear from military leaders and families about the unique financial challenges facing our military communities. I will continue working to ensure that our servicemembers and their families, who sacrifice so much for our country, are protected from predatory financial practices.”
The ROAM Database will track completed enforcement actions against companies and individuals who repeatedly scam military personnel. Law enforcement officials across the country—including state attorneys general, United States attorneys, and judge advocates from all five branches of the armed forces—will be able to search the ROAM Database for publicly available information about completed civil and criminal legal actions against perpetrators of financial scams aimed at military personnel, veterans and their families.
Law enforcement officials can contribute data and request access to the database, which should be up and running by early February, by sending an email to ROAMDatabase@cfpb.gov.
Hagan is a member of the Senate Armed Services and Banking Committees, and she is a founding member of the Military Family Caucus. She cosponsored the Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage Abuses Act to protect military families from wrongful foreclosures.
Hagan hails from a strong military family—her father-in-law was a two-star Marine General; her brother and father served in the Navy; her husband, Chip, is a Vietnam veteran who used the GI Bill to help pay for law school; and she has two nephews who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Hagan ranks 20th in office funds returned
Politico ranked senators based on the amount of their annual authorized budgets returned in the combined fiscal years 2009 and 2010. Hagan ranked 20th out of 95 Senators in returned money. Hagan returned 14.34 percent, or $890,952, of her budget for those two fiscal years.
For more information, see the rankings online.
Hagan is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Congressional Budget Accountability Act, which ensures that unspent funds from Senate office budgets will help pay down the national debt or reduce the deficit.
Hagan said of the bill: “Our nation’s mounting federal debt demands bipartisan solutions, which is why I am cosponsoring the Congressional Budget Accountability Act to ensure our unneeded office funds are used to help pay down our national debt. It is imperative that we work together—and my office staff is trying to do its part—to find commonsense solutions to put our fiscal house in order. On my statewide Budget Listening Tour last summer, North Carolinians told me that they wanted Congress to stop the bickering and get to work on balanced, bipartisan measures to lower the deficit and to help put people back to work.”
For more information, see the rankings online.
Hagan is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Congressional Budget Accountability Act, which ensures that unspent funds from Senate office budgets will help pay down the national debt or reduce the deficit.
Hagan said of the bill: “Our nation’s mounting federal debt demands bipartisan solutions, which is why I am cosponsoring the Congressional Budget Accountability Act to ensure our unneeded office funds are used to help pay down our national debt. It is imperative that we work together—and my office staff is trying to do its part—to find commonsense solutions to put our fiscal house in order. On my statewide Budget Listening Tour last summer, North Carolinians told me that they wanted Congress to stop the bickering and get to work on balanced, bipartisan measures to lower the deficit and to help put people back to work.”
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Hagan votes to prohibit Congressional insider trading
U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) on Thursday, Feb. 2, voted for bipartisan legislation to prohibit members of Congress from using information they gain from their position for personal benefit. The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act passed the Senate today by a vote of 96 to 3. Last year, Hagan cosponsored similar legislation barring insider trading by Members of Congress.
“Using privileged information to gain an upper hand has no place in the chambers of Congress,” Hagan said. "By passing the bipartisan STOCK Act, the Senate today reaffirmed that members of Congress must play by the same rules as the people of North Carolina. Now we can hopefully move on to action to help middle-class workers and families throughout the country, starting with a year-long extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits."
The STOCK Act would bar all members of Congress and their staffs from using nonpublic information acquired through their position for personal benefit. Members and staff are also prohibited from sharing this type of privileged information for the purpose of trading. In addition, members would be required to publicly report any major financial transactions within 30 days.
Hagan has long been committed to promoting a government that is as open and accessible as possible. One of the first bills she cosponsored in the Senate was the Senate Campaign Disclosure Disparity Act, which supported greater transparency for Senate financial disclosures.
“Using privileged information to gain an upper hand has no place in the chambers of Congress,” Hagan said. "By passing the bipartisan STOCK Act, the Senate today reaffirmed that members of Congress must play by the same rules as the people of North Carolina. Now we can hopefully move on to action to help middle-class workers and families throughout the country, starting with a year-long extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits."
The STOCK Act would bar all members of Congress and their staffs from using nonpublic information acquired through their position for personal benefit. Members and staff are also prohibited from sharing this type of privileged information for the purpose of trading. In addition, members would be required to publicly report any major financial transactions within 30 days.
Hagan has long been committed to promoting a government that is as open and accessible as possible. One of the first bills she cosponsored in the Senate was the Senate Campaign Disclosure Disparity Act, which supported greater transparency for Senate financial disclosures.
Monday, January 30, 2012
US Department of Labor announces supplemental funding to help North Carolina residents looking for work cover health insurance payments
The U.S. Department of Labor announced a $2 million National Emergency Grant supplemental award, in the form of a National Emergency Grant, to provide an estimated 1,175 additional jobless workers in North Carolina with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage. The state qualified for funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
An initial award of $2 million was approved on Aug. 11, 2009, to serve about 1,800 people. A supplemental award of $2.2 million was provided on June 30, 2010, to serve an additional 2,400 individuals. January 2012's $2 million supplement brings the total funds awarded to date to $6.2 million and the number of jobless workers served to 5,375.
“Health insurance is an important benefit for millions of American workers and their families,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “These additional funds will ensure that these North Carolinians keep their health insurance while they search for new jobs.”
Awarded to the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment and Training, the funding will be used to make payments for unemployed individuals who are receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits and are eligible for the Health Coverage Tax Credit. The “gap filler” payments enabled by this funding cover up to three months, which is the amount of time it takes to complete Internal Revenue Service enrollment, processing and first payments under the Health Coverage Tax Credit program. Through the credit, eligible individuals can receive 72.5 percent of premium costs for qualified health insurance programs.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor’s discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state’s ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG.
An initial award of $2 million was approved on Aug. 11, 2009, to serve about 1,800 people. A supplemental award of $2.2 million was provided on June 30, 2010, to serve an additional 2,400 individuals. January 2012's $2 million supplement brings the total funds awarded to date to $6.2 million and the number of jobless workers served to 5,375.
“Health insurance is an important benefit for millions of American workers and their families,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “These additional funds will ensure that these North Carolinians keep their health insurance while they search for new jobs.”
Awarded to the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment and Training, the funding will be used to make payments for unemployed individuals who are receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits and are eligible for the Health Coverage Tax Credit. The “gap filler” payments enabled by this funding cover up to three months, which is the amount of time it takes to complete Internal Revenue Service enrollment, processing and first payments under the Health Coverage Tax Credit program. Through the credit, eligible individuals can receive 72.5 percent of premium costs for qualified health insurance programs.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor’s discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state’s ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG.
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