#reauthorize

[newshare-blog1]

Taken from /r/news/

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[thecurrentaffairs-blog1]

U.S House has Reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act

The U.S House of Representatives has voted to reauthorize the “Violence Against Women Act”. It jammed efforts of the National Rifle Association to stop the bill over a provision that would keep guns out of the hands of convicted domestic abusers. The move comes nearly 2-months after the 1994 law...

U.S House has Reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act

[newsfrombankscom]

New Post has been published on News From Banks | Banking and Investment Blog

New Post has been published on http://www.newsfrombanks.com/reauthorize-us-export-import-bank.html

Reauthorize US Export-Import Bank

In my six years serving on the City Council, my office has received thousands of constituent calls regarding various issues. One call, however, that I’ve never received is, “Councilman Lopez, how many jobs have you created today?”

Our residents may not always think about it, but one of the most important responsibilities we are tasked with is creating an atmosphere of economic development and prosperity. As chairman of the city’s Economic and Community Development Committee, I take that responsibility very seriously. The city has multiple resources we utilize to attract businesses to locate here, and encourage small businesses to grow and expand their services. One of those vital resources is the U.S. Export-Import, or Ex-Im, Bank.

Unfortunately, the Export-Import Bank is in serious danger. Losing it would hurt Texas businesses and jobs, and put the country at a competitive disadvantage in the world economy. Congress needs to act now to renew the Ex-Im Bank’s authorization, which officially expired last week.

Momentum had been building in recent weeks against the Ex-Im Bank. Whether that is because of a growing number of lawmakers seeing political gain in advocating for its extinction, ideological purity or a matter of waning days before authorization expired, the simple truth is that Texas and the nation will be harmed if the Ex-Im Bank disappears.

The Ex-Im Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States; it finances and insures foreign purchases of U.S. goods when the private sector is unwilling to accept the risk. In simpler terms, the Ex-Im Bank has provided loans to help American companies sell their products to other countries when no one else will.

Since its creation more than 80 years ago, the Ex-Im Bank supported business and helped create jobs. In 2014 alone, the bank provided financing and guarantees totaling $ 27.4 billion in U.S. exports, supporting an estimated 164,000 jobs in more than 3,000 companies.

During the past eight years, 1,600 Texas companies, including 867 small businesses, utilized the Ex-Im Bank to facilitate sales totaling more than $ 30 billion. Locally, 64 San Antonio companies have been supported by the Ex-Im Bank, generating more than $ 1 billion in export value. In addition, San Antonio’s trade and investment strategy, introduced in December, specifically identifies that a company’s ability to export is a crucial part of its growth strategy, and providing exporting companies access to financing is the single most important component of their ability to increase business and grow.

Billions of dollars in trade and thousands of jobs are at risk if the Ex-Im Bank is not reauthorized. Other countries will gladly fill the void left by the United States’ unilateral retreat. The nearly 60 other countries’ export credit agencies are ready, willing and able to support their own companies.

The benefits of the Ex-Im Bank do not end at job creation and improved opportunity for U.S. business, as the bank actually generates revenue for the U.S. The Ex-Im Bank has responsibly managed its loan portfolio and had a default rate of less than one-fifth of 1 percent in 2014. In the same year, commercial banks’ default rate was 2.1 percent, 12 times larger than the Ex-Im Bank. This responsible management combined with the fees charged for services has generated nearly $ 7 billion for the U.S. Treasury above and beyond the bank’s costs of operation.

Failure to revive the Ex-Im Bank will cost jobs and put Texas and the country at a competitive disadvantage. Our country faces real and difficult issues that we must address. Eliminating a job-creating and revenue-generating agency is not one of them. Join me in asking our federal elected officials to help San Antonio’s economy by supporting the reauthorizing of the Ex-Im Bank.

Ray Lopez represents District 6 on San Antonio’s City Council.

[madrigalmaniac]

Support the Older Americans Act (OAA)

Support the Older Americans Act (OAA)

The Older Americans Act was passed by congress in 1965 to provide needed services for the elderly. It authorizes a wide array of service programs through a national network of 56 State agencies on aging, 629 area agencies on aging, nearly 20,000 service providers, 244 Tribal organizations, and 2 Native Hawaiian organizations representing 400 Tribes. The OAA also includes community service…

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[jodrescher]

Gun fight upends hunting bill By Ramsey Cox - 07-10-14 12:39 PM EDT

Gun fight upends hunting bill By Ramsey Cox - 07-10-14 12:39 PM EDT Senate Republicans and Democrats blocked progress on a bipartisan hunting and fishing bill Thursday after Democratic leaders refused to bow to their demands for amendments related to guns. The Senate failed in a 41-56 vote to end debate on the measure, which would make it easier to hunt and fish on federal lands. Sixty votes were needed to end debate. Both Republicans and Democrats have demanded amendments related to gun control on the bill. Democrats want to vote on measures that would tighten gun control, while several GOP senators have offered pro-gun amendments. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) accused Republicans of filibustering their own bill given the fact that more than half the GOP conference is co-sponsoring the legislation. "People who sponsored this bill voted against it," he said. Republicans, who have repeatedly criticized Reid for not allowing amendments to legislation, said they were objecting because they wanted to offer their measures. “When we don’t get amendments we don’t let the bill pass,” Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said ahead of the vote. Most of the "no" votes on Thursday came from the GOP side, but 11 votes also came from Democrats, highlighting the irritation on both sides of the aisle. Democratic Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Ed Markey (Mass.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Bob Menendez (N.J.) and Barbara Boxer (Calif.) voted against moving forward on Thursday. So did Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate. Signs that gun control could upend the otherwise non-controversial bill emerged on Monday when a number of Democrats voted against moving forward in an 82-12 vote because the bill lacked gun control measures. The bill's chief backer is Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), and Reid had hoped to use this week's debate to bolster her tough reelection fight. The Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act would also reauthorize wetland and fishing conservation programs and would allow online sales of duck stamps.

[aabany-group]

NAPABA Applauds President Barack Obama for Signing Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Into Law

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400  Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  March 7, 2013

Contact: Azizah Ahmad  [phone]

NAPABA APPLAUDS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA FOR SIGNING  VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT INTO LAW

Today, President Barack Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) into law. Advocates, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, members of Congress, and Vice President Joe Biden, the author of the original VAWA passed in 1994, attended the signing ceremony.

"The Violence Against Women Act will provide much needed protections to some of the most vulnerable members of our society," said Wendy Shiba, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). "Today marks a historic day because immigrant, Native American, and LGBT victims of violence will finally receive the resources that they so desperately need and deserve. NAPABA commends Congress for reauthorizing the bill and the President for signing it into law."

VAWA was first enacted into law in 1994 and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005. The bill expired in 2012 and last month, the House and Senate voted to reauthorize VAWA. The 2013 reauthorization includes increased safeguards for immigrant, Native American, and LGBT victims of violence. The law also includes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was originally a stand-alone bill that expired in 2011. VAWA will remain in effect until 2018, when it will again be up for reauthorization.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 63 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of people of color in the legal profession.