Squeezed! Caught between Unemployment Benefts And Health Care Costs, January 2009, by Families USA Foundation. “This report shows that, to maintain their employer-based health coverage under COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986], most unemployed people would have to devote an unrealistically high proportion of their incomes to health insurance. For many, it would… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Legislation
House and Senate Appropriations Committees Announce New Earmark Reforms
News release: “Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), incoming Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced three significant changes to further increase transparency and reduce funding levels for earmarks, building on reforms brought about in the last Congress…new reforms to begin with the 2010 bills… Continue Reading
California AG Sues to Overturn Bush Administration Rules Undermining Endangered Species Act
News release: “California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. has filed suit in federal court to block an audacious attempt by the Bush Administration to gut provisions in the Endangered Species Act mandating scientific review of federal agency decisions that may threaten endangered species and their habitat…The new regulations, initially proposed by the Departments of… Continue Reading
Recent CRS Reports: U.S.-Iraq Withdrawal/Status of Forces Agreement, Financial Market Turmoil and U.S. Macroeconomic Performance, U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry
December 12, 2008 – U.S.-Iraq Withdrawal/Status of Forces Agreement: Issues for Congressional Oversight December 11, 2008 – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Final Part B Regulations December 08, 2008 – Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act of 1979: Background, Provisions, and Cost December 03, 2008 – Financial Market Turmoil and U.S. Macroeconomic Performance December 03,… Continue Reading
A Call for Action: Enabling Healthcare Reform Using Information Technology
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Call for Action: Enabling Healthcare Reform Using Information Technology “outlines specific priorities and recommendations for the Obama Administration and 111th Congress to harness IT’s power to reform healthcare and stimulate the U.S. economy.” HIMSS Recommendations to Obama Administration and 111th Congress Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Adoption Model for… Continue Reading
Project On Government Oversight Concerned About TARP Funds
POGO letter to Congressional Oversight Committee leaders concerning certain financial companies seeking backdoor access to TARP funds: “The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a non-partisan, non-profit government watchdog that works to achieve a federal government that is effective, accountable, open, and honest. In our continuing scrutiny of the Troubled Asset Relief Program’s (TARP) implementation,… Continue Reading
Bush Administration's Plan to Assist Automakers
Follow up to previous postings on auto industry, today’s White House press release: “…the only way to avoid a collapse of the U.S. auto industry is for the executive branch to step in. The American people want the auto companies to succeed, and so do I. So today, I’m announcing that the federal government will… Continue Reading
CRS – U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry: Federal Financial Assistance and Restructuring December 3, 2008
Follow-up to previous postings on the auto industry, this CRS report, U.S. Motor Vehicle Industry: Federal Financial Assistance and Restructuring, December 3, 2008: “The three domestically owned U.S. manufacturers of cars and light trucks are requesting federal financial assistance in the form of bridge loans to assure their ability to continue in business. The companies,… Continue Reading
Deterioration of the Nations Clean Water Act Enforcement Program
“Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James L. Oberstar wrote to President-elect Obama regarding their investigation into the drastic deterioration of the Clean Water Act enforcement program. New internal documents obtained by the Committees show that hundreds of Clean Water Act violations have not been pursued… Continue Reading
Comparison of Legislative Resources on GPO Access and Selected Government and Non-Government Web Sites
“A comparison of legislative resources available on GPO Access and other Government and non-Government Web sites was recently completed. Eight Web sites were selected for in-depth analysis including GPO Access, THOMAS, House.gov, Senate.gov, CQ.com, HeinOnline, Lexis-Nexis Congressional, and Westlaw. The report specifically evaluates the availability of legislative resources on all of the databases examined, the… Continue Reading
EPA Final Rule Exempts Farm Reporting on Animal Waste
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a final rule to provide an administrative reporting exemption for releases to the air from animal waste at farms of any hazardous substance at or above the reportable quantity for those hazardous substances. EPA is saying that these reports are unnecessary because there is no reasonable expectation… Continue Reading
Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act
Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act – H.R. 7321 passed authorizing financial assistance to eligible automobile manufacturers, and for other purposes. New York Times: “The Senate on Thursday night abandoned efforts to fashion a government rescue of the American automobile industry, as Senate Republicans refused to support a bill endorsed by the White House and… Continue Reading
