WASHINGTON - A year after warning America of its addiction to oil,
President Bush is expected to renew concerns about energy security in his State of the Union address. But will the rhetoric be followed by action? Up to now, the record has been mixed.
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Aides hint of a major pronouncement on energy in the speech before Congress and the nation Tuesday night. Yet the president is expected to take a predictable path, urging expanded use of ethanol in gasoline, more research into cleaner burning coal and on gas-electric "hybrid" cars, and greater nuclear energy.
He may tweak his voluntary program on climate change. Aides, however, say the president remains opposed to mandatory cuts in carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping "greenhouse" gases as has been proposed in Congress.
A year ago, Bush declared "America is addicted to oil" and he set a goal of replacing three-fourths of today's oil imports from the Middle East by 2025. He pledged to press for alternatives to oil and for more efficient use of energy.
He has had some success in getting more domestic production.
The Bush administration has opened new federal lands for oil and gas drilling. Last month, Congress approved opening a large new area in the Gulf of Mexico to drilling. This month, Bush lifted a longtime ban on oil and gas drilling in Alaska's Bristol Bay.
But when it comes to weaning the country away from oil, the president's critics say his rhetoric has not been matched by action.
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"President Bush actually cut funding for the key energy-saving technologies," says Joseph Romm, a former head of the renewable fuels and efficiency programs at the Energy Department during the Clinton administration.
The department's requests for renewable fuel and conservation programs have stayed flat at about $1.18 billion annually over the past six years — really a decline if inflation is considered, energy efficiency advocates say.
"Since 2002, the energy efficiency programs at the Energy Department have dropped by a third in real dollars," says Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Safe Energy, a private advocacy group.
When one program is increased, others have suffered, these critics maintain.
They acknowledge spending increases for research into solar and wind energy, but contend that came at the expense of two other renewable energy programs that were eliminated: research into geothermal energy deep within the earth and efforts to make hydroelectric dams more fish friendly.
Congress has not been all that helpful, either.
The energy law passed in 2005 authorized $3.8 billion worth of renewable energy and conservation programs. But a vast majority of those programs are without funds, neither requested by the administration nor approved by Congress.
Callahan points to a $450 million consumer education and outreach campaign on energy efficiency in that law, but says "not one penny has been appropriated" nor has the money been sought by the administration.
Energy Secretary
Samuel Bodman says the administration over the years has spent nearly $12 billion in developing new energy technologies. He cited the president's $2.1 billion "advanced energy initiative" in the State of the Union a year ago.
But most of that program goes for nuclear research and clean coal technology that generally has little impact on the country's dependence on oil, 70 percent of which is used in transportation.
For that, Bush told a renewable fuels conference last year in St. Louis, "we need to change how we power our automobiles. ... I like the idea of promoting a fuel that relies upon our farmers."
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Bush has supported lawmakers' push to use more corn-based ethanol as a gasoline blend and he is expected to call for a sharp escalation of ethanol use in his speech.
It is a political sure bet as ethanol has widespread bipartisan support.
Among the first bills introduced in the new Democratic-run Senate calls for using 60 billion gallons of ethanol, 10 times current production capacity, by 2030.
Two 2008 presidential hopefuls, Democratic Sens. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois and Joe Biden of Delaware, are its leading co-sponsors.
Ethanol is "riding a big wave" this year, says Mark McMinimy, a policy analyst at the Stanford Group. "The renewable fuels-ethanol juggernaut enjoys one of the most prized commodities in Washington — broad-based support, bipartisan political momentum."
But even there, the administration has been criticized for not living up to the rhetoric.
In last year's State of the Union speech, Bush announced a goal to make a "new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years." His administration followed within days with a budget calling for only a modest increase — about $29 million — for research into cellulosic ethanol development.
Last week, the House passed legislation that would funnel $14 billion in money collected from oil companies into a renewable fuel fund. Ethanol lobbyist Bob Dinneen of the Renewable Fuels Association welcomed the action and urged that the fund finance loan guarantees — approved by Congress in 2005, but not funded — for cellulosic ethanol plants.
Yet the White House strongly opposed the House-passed bill in part because it said additional taxes on the oil companies should not be used to pay for such new programs.
A report last week by the General Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, concluded "it is unlikely" that the government's current research and development programs will provide the alternative energy sources needed to "reverse our growing dependence on imported oil."
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Monday, January 22, 2007
Clinton confident in her 2008 prospects
NEW YORK - Starting her first full week as a presidential contender, Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed confidence she can win the 2008 Democratic nomination.
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Clinton, speaking publicly for the first time since declaring her candidacy on her Web site, said Sunday she decided to run after doing a "thorough review" of the challenges facing the country. She said she is the best candidate for the job and is eager to begin campaigning.
"It'll be a great contest with a lot of talented people and I'm very confident. I'm in, I'm in it to win and that's what I intend to do," she said.
The former first lady was vying to be the first woman and first presidential spouse to win the White House. Polls show her leading a crowded field of Democratic candidates that includes Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record), who hopes to become the first black president.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday shows Clinton is the favorite of 41 percent of Democrats, more than double the support of any of her rivals.
Despite abundant strengths, Clinton remains a polarizing figure to many voters and faces questions about her ability to win a general election. Her position on the
Iraq war — she voted to authorize the invasion in 2002 and has refused to call for a date-certain removal of troops — has alienated many Democratic activists, who vote heavily in primaries.
Howard Wolfson, a senior adviser to Clinton, conceded Monday that there were those who didn't like her. But, he told CBS' "The Early Show," "For people who wonder whether Senator Clinton can win, we say Senator Clinton is already winning in the polls."
Terry McAuliffe, a former Democratic Party chairman who has joined her campaign, said one of Clinton's challenges is to get people to know her.
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He also said he did not believe there was any concept such as Clinton fatique in the U.S. electorate.
"People look very fondly upon those eight years of the Clinton administration," McAuliffe said on NBC's "Today" program. He said that one advantage Clinton has over her Democratic rivals is that "She knows every world leader on a first-name basis, and that's what we need ... Americans want to know that their president can keep them safe."
Clinton was scheduled to start a three-day series of Web chats with supporters Monday evening, and travels to Iowa, site of the first nominating caucuses, next weekend.
"I want to have a conversation with our citizens about what we want for our country," Clinton said.
Clinton's comments came during a visit to a Manhattan community health clinic, where she was promoting a federal children's health-care program.
Clinton said she would introduce legislation to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to all families who need it, regardless of income. Aides said Clinton was determined to attend to her Senate duties throughout the campaign.
Reflecting her new status as a leading presidential contender, the room was packed with media — some two dozen television camera crews jockeyed for position with scores of reporters from as far away as Germany. Photographers waited outside in chilly temperatures for over an hour to snap pictures of Clinton's arrival.
Clinton said she decided to run after talking to family, friends and supporters since her re-election in November.
"I concluded, based on the work of my lifetime and my experience and my understanding of what our country has to confront in order to continue to make opportunity available to all of our citizens here and to restore our leadership and respect of America around the world, that I would be able to do that — to bring our country together to meet those tough challenges," she said.
Clinton and Obama are the most visible candidates in a field that includes the 2004 vice presidential nominee,
John Edwards. Other candidates include Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, and Ohio Rep.
Dennis Kucinich. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson jumped in Sunday; Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has said he is running and would formalize his decision soon.
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Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed confidence she can win the 2008 Democratic nomination.
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Clinton, speaking publicly for the first time since declaring her candidacy on her Web site, said Sunday she decided to run after doing a "thorough review" of the challenges facing the country. She said she is the best candidate for the job and is eager to begin campaigning.
"It'll be a great contest with a lot of talented people and I'm very confident. I'm in, I'm in it to win and that's what I intend to do," she said.
The former first lady was vying to be the first woman and first presidential spouse to win the White House. Polls show her leading a crowded field of Democratic candidates that includes Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record), who hopes to become the first black president.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday shows Clinton is the favorite of 41 percent of Democrats, more than double the support of any of her rivals.
Despite abundant strengths, Clinton remains a polarizing figure to many voters and faces questions about her ability to win a general election. Her position on the
Iraq war — she voted to authorize the invasion in 2002 and has refused to call for a date-certain removal of troops — has alienated many Democratic activists, who vote heavily in primaries.
Howard Wolfson, a senior adviser to Clinton, conceded Monday that there were those who didn't like her. But, he told CBS' "The Early Show," "For people who wonder whether Senator Clinton can win, we say Senator Clinton is already winning in the polls."
Terry McAuliffe, a former Democratic Party chairman who has joined her campaign, said one of Clinton's challenges is to get people to know her.
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He also said he did not believe there was any concept such as Clinton fatique in the U.S. electorate.
"People look very fondly upon those eight years of the Clinton administration," McAuliffe said on NBC's "Today" program. He said that one advantage Clinton has over her Democratic rivals is that "She knows every world leader on a first-name basis, and that's what we need ... Americans want to know that their president can keep them safe."
Clinton was scheduled to start a three-day series of Web chats with supporters Monday evening, and travels to Iowa, site of the first nominating caucuses, next weekend.
"I want to have a conversation with our citizens about what we want for our country," Clinton said.
Clinton's comments came during a visit to a Manhattan community health clinic, where she was promoting a federal children's health-care program.
Clinton said she would introduce legislation to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to all families who need it, regardless of income. Aides said Clinton was determined to attend to her Senate duties throughout the campaign.
Reflecting her new status as a leading presidential contender, the room was packed with media — some two dozen television camera crews jockeyed for position with scores of reporters from as far away as Germany. Photographers waited outside in chilly temperatures for over an hour to snap pictures of Clinton's arrival.
Clinton said she decided to run after talking to family, friends and supporters since her re-election in November.
"I concluded, based on the work of my lifetime and my experience and my understanding of what our country has to confront in order to continue to make opportunity available to all of our citizens here and to restore our leadership and respect of America around the world, that I would be able to do that — to bring our country together to meet those tough challenges," she said.
Clinton and Obama are the most visible candidates in a field that includes the 2004 vice presidential nominee,
John Edwards. Other candidates include Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, and Ohio Rep.
Dennis Kucinich. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson jumped in Sunday; Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has said he is running and would formalize his decision soon.
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Poll: Most think country on wrong track
WASHINGTON - Americans are in a dark mood about the state of the union, the administration, Congress,
Iraq and even some personal traits of
President Bush, a poll finds.
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Most believe the country is on the wrong track — a complete flip from five years ago, according to an AP-AOL News poll that finds little to cheer about in advance of Bush's State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
Americans see the president as likable, decisive and strong — but also stubborn. Only a minority think he is honest — 44 percent, down from 53 percent two years ago.
And people seem to have little confidence Bush and the Democrats who now control Congress and share responsibility with him for running the country can work together to solve its problems. Only four in 10 think the country will be better off with Democrats in charge of the House and Senate, the poll suggests.
Bush's speech will come nearly two weeks after he told the nation he is sending 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq in a new effort to end violence there.
The White House says the speech will focus on a few issues, energy and health care among them, on which Bush might be able to reach agreement with Democrats, who control the House and Senate for the first time during his two-term presidency.
Two-thirds of Americans, 66 percent, think the country is on the wrong track. That's about the same as a year ago, when 65 percent thought so, the poll found.
That's a stark reversal from mid-January 2002, when 68 percent said the country was on the right track and 29 percent said it was not. Then, the nation was still coming to grips with the terrorist strikes four months earlier on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people. And, U.S. troops Bush sent to
Afghanistan had toppled the Taliban government that harbored the terrorists believed responsible.
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After the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq in March 2003, public support for the mission there began to slide as the war continued, the U.S. death toll climbed and the violence raged on.
John Raab, 77, of Allentown, Pa., a conservative Republican, said the United States can change course "if people rally around the president and he can get this fiasco in Iraq under control."
Kerry Moore-O'Leary, a 31-year-old Democrat from Boston, said it will take new leadership.
"I really think the only time we are going to see some real changes is when we elect a new president," she said. "Even people who are moderate Republicans are going to say that we need someone who's a breath of fresh air."
Lawmakers in both political parties have promised more bipartisanship and comity since the November elections, when voters took away the reins of Congress from Bush's Republican Party.
But the public appears largely skeptical of those pledges.
Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, have no confidence that the political institutions at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue can work together to solve the nation's problems. Overall, the public has grown less confident since the days after the election when nearly half, 47 percent, expressed confidence that Bush and Congress could work together.
Four in 10, or 42 percent, think the country will now be better off with Democrats controlling Congress, while 18 percent think it will be worse off. Thirty-nine percent think it won't make much difference.
Iraq remains the public's top concern, with 65 percent disapproving of Bush's handling of the situation.
Support for sending more troops to Iraq grew slightly after Bush's speech, although the idea is still unpopular.
Almost one-third of the public — 31 percent — favor the plan, an improvement from 26 percent in a survey done almost entirely before he spoke to the country Jan. 10. Thirty-five percent now believe additional troops will help stabilize the situation in Iraq, also up from 25 percent.
Bush's overall approval rating inched upward to 36 percent, from 32 percent early in the month. Despite that low score, 53 percent of Americans say he is likable; 58 percent, decisive; and 58 percent, strong.
In the eyes of 83 percent of Americans, he also is stubborn.
"Mainly it's his 'stay the course' attitude," said Bill Basher, 21, a Republican from Angola, N.Y.
In other survey findings:
_Americans rated health care, the economy and Iraq and terrorism the issues they care about most. When asked to choose the issue most important to them personally, 24 percent named Iraq, the top choice.
_House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., the first woman in that office, scored a job approval rating of 51 percent, significantly higher than that of Congress, at 34 percent approval.
The telephone poll of 1,005 adults was conducted Jan. 16-18 by Ipsos, an international polling firm. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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Iraq and even some personal traits of
President Bush, a poll finds.
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Most believe the country is on the wrong track — a complete flip from five years ago, according to an AP-AOL News poll that finds little to cheer about in advance of Bush's State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
Americans see the president as likable, decisive and strong — but also stubborn. Only a minority think he is honest — 44 percent, down from 53 percent two years ago.
And people seem to have little confidence Bush and the Democrats who now control Congress and share responsibility with him for running the country can work together to solve its problems. Only four in 10 think the country will be better off with Democrats in charge of the House and Senate, the poll suggests.
Bush's speech will come nearly two weeks after he told the nation he is sending 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq in a new effort to end violence there.
The White House says the speech will focus on a few issues, energy and health care among them, on which Bush might be able to reach agreement with Democrats, who control the House and Senate for the first time during his two-term presidency.
Two-thirds of Americans, 66 percent, think the country is on the wrong track. That's about the same as a year ago, when 65 percent thought so, the poll found.
That's a stark reversal from mid-January 2002, when 68 percent said the country was on the right track and 29 percent said it was not. Then, the nation was still coming to grips with the terrorist strikes four months earlier on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people. And, U.S. troops Bush sent to
Afghanistan had toppled the Taliban government that harbored the terrorists believed responsible.
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After the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq in March 2003, public support for the mission there began to slide as the war continued, the U.S. death toll climbed and the violence raged on.
John Raab, 77, of Allentown, Pa., a conservative Republican, said the United States can change course "if people rally around the president and he can get this fiasco in Iraq under control."
Kerry Moore-O'Leary, a 31-year-old Democrat from Boston, said it will take new leadership.
"I really think the only time we are going to see some real changes is when we elect a new president," she said. "Even people who are moderate Republicans are going to say that we need someone who's a breath of fresh air."
Lawmakers in both political parties have promised more bipartisanship and comity since the November elections, when voters took away the reins of Congress from Bush's Republican Party.
But the public appears largely skeptical of those pledges.
Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, have no confidence that the political institutions at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue can work together to solve the nation's problems. Overall, the public has grown less confident since the days after the election when nearly half, 47 percent, expressed confidence that Bush and Congress could work together.
Four in 10, or 42 percent, think the country will now be better off with Democrats controlling Congress, while 18 percent think it will be worse off. Thirty-nine percent think it won't make much difference.
Iraq remains the public's top concern, with 65 percent disapproving of Bush's handling of the situation.
Support for sending more troops to Iraq grew slightly after Bush's speech, although the idea is still unpopular.
Almost one-third of the public — 31 percent — favor the plan, an improvement from 26 percent in a survey done almost entirely before he spoke to the country Jan. 10. Thirty-five percent now believe additional troops will help stabilize the situation in Iraq, also up from 25 percent.
Bush's overall approval rating inched upward to 36 percent, from 32 percent early in the month. Despite that low score, 53 percent of Americans say he is likable; 58 percent, decisive; and 58 percent, strong.
In the eyes of 83 percent of Americans, he also is stubborn.
"Mainly it's his 'stay the course' attitude," said Bill Basher, 21, a Republican from Angola, N.Y.
In other survey findings:
_Americans rated health care, the economy and Iraq and terrorism the issues they care about most. When asked to choose the issue most important to them personally, 24 percent named Iraq, the top choice.
_House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., the first woman in that office, scored a job approval rating of 51 percent, significantly higher than that of Congress, at 34 percent approval.
The telephone poll of 1,005 adults was conducted Jan. 16-18 by Ipsos, an international polling firm. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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Call for Entries: Religion Journalism Entries Sought for Wilbur Awards, Due Feb. 1
Religion journalists in the secular media are invited to submit their best works for consideration by the 2007 Wilbur Awards competition. Entries are due no later than Thursday, Feb. 1.
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Information and entry forms are available at
http://www.religioncommunicators.org/wilbur.html.
The Wilbur Awards, first given in 1960, recognize the work of secular journalists who communicate about religious issues, values and themes with utmost of professionalism, fairness and honesty. This highly regarded competition is judged by media professionals in a jury process, under the supervision of Religion Communicators Council.
The Religion Communicators Council, which sponsors the annual Wilbur Awards, promotes excellence in writing about religious faith and values in the public arena.
The 2007 Wilbur Awards will be held April 28, 2007, at the Muhammad Ali Center during the RCC national convention in Louisville, Ky.
SOURCE Religion Communicators Council
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Information and entry forms are available at
http://www.religioncommunicators.org/wilbur.html.
The Wilbur Awards, first given in 1960, recognize the work of secular journalists who communicate about religious issues, values and themes with utmost of professionalism, fairness and honesty. This highly regarded competition is judged by media professionals in a jury process, under the supervision of Religion Communicators Council.
The Religion Communicators Council, which sponsors the annual Wilbur Awards, promotes excellence in writing about religious faith and values in the public arena.
The 2007 Wilbur Awards will be held April 28, 2007, at the Muhammad Ali Center during the RCC national convention in Louisville, Ky.
SOURCE Religion Communicators Council
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Outstanding Individuals and Groups Receive Special Olympics Minnesota Distinguished Service Awards
Working Films has teamed with John Quigley of Spectral Q, who will direct a human aerial image encouraging the growing community concerned with the perils of global warming, to take immediate action by becoming carbon neutral.
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Today 800 students, along with the cast and crew of "Everything's Cool," a film that premiered this week at the
Sundance Film Festival, will form a message with their bodies which will spell out "Step It Up." The image also contains a circle with bear paws, representing carbon neutral footprints and a word in Inuktitut meaning, "I hear you and I am doing something about it."
Park City's students are sending that message back to the Arctic Inuit Community, who on Earth Day 2005 lay on the Arctic Sea ice in 30 below temperatures sharing the ancient wisdom of their elders and warning the world about the devastating impact the melting arctic will have on the rest of the world.
Working Films, a 501 (c) 3 dedicated to the advancement of social, environmental and racial justice issues is partnering with "Everything's Cool" in a two-year audience and community engagement campaign for action on global warming. "The themes and messages of this film arrive at such a critical moment in our struggle to see action on the issue of global warming," said Robert West, co-founder and executive director of Working Films. "The image we're creating today demonstrates that each individual is a necessary part of the chain for change; by linking together, we can create a call to action."
Shelia Watt-Cloutier, the most decorated environmental activist of 2006 and former chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference will be on hand to link the two communities Iqaluit and Park City under the banner of action.
Spectral Q and Cucolaris who specialize in social messaging are jointly coordinating the event. This is part of a series of aerial images; the next will be created in Greenland in May of this year to encourage individuals and corporations to go carbon neutral.
Footage of the Park City aerial message will be fed via satellite
FEED #1
DATE Monday, January 22, 2007
TIME 14:45 -- 15:15 ET (12:45 -- 13:15 MT)
FEED #2
DATE Monday, January 22, 2007
TIME 17:45 -- 18:15 ET (15:45 -- 16:15 MT)
KU Digital Satellite Space IA8/Transponder K17 Slot B (9 MHz)
Uplink Frequency 14344.5 Horizontal
Downlink Frequency 12044.5 Vertical
Symbol Rate 6.511
Data 9.0005
FEC 3/4
Tandberg 4:2:0
FEED TROUBLE NUMBER (714)856-7452, 7457, 7458
Working Films
Working Films was co-founded by veteran film festival curator and media educator Robert West and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and organizer Judith Helfand in late 1999.
We are neither a production company nor a distributor. We work with filmmakers -- at every stage -- to maximize their work in coordinated community education efforts, consumer organizing campaigns, activist movements and classroom projects. We work with organizers to enrich their on-going grassroots efforts with relevant, vital media. We work with educators to bring into the classroom critical independent film and video on issues of social and economic justice. With a diverse staff and board, we are an innovative, active and strategic resource for the world of independent film, serving a national role as strategists, consultants and community builders.
Spectral Q
John Quigley of Spectral Q has created 75 human aerial art images involving nearly 100,000 people around the globe. From icebergs in Antarctica to the disappearing arctic ice shelf, to landscapes all over North America and Europe, these images have generated extensive global media coverage. The mission of Spectral Q is to cultivate creative expression and to facilitate collaborative art for the common good. Past images have focused on the issues of global warming, peace, human rights, freedom and protecting the environment.
Everything's Cool, a toxic-comedy directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand, is about the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. The good news: America finally gets global warming, the chasm is closing and the debate is over. The bad news: the United States, the country that will determine the fate of the globe, must transform its fossil fuel based economy fast, (like in a minute). While the industry funded naysayers sing what just might be their swan song of scientific doubt and deception, a group of self-appointed global warming messengers are on a life-and-death quest to find the iconic image, proper language, and points of leverage that will help the public go from embracing the urgency of the problem to creating the political will necessary to push for a new energy economy. Hold on -- this is bigger than changing your light bulbs.
SOURCE Working Films
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Today 800 students, along with the cast and crew of "Everything's Cool," a film that premiered this week at the
Sundance Film Festival, will form a message with their bodies which will spell out "Step It Up." The image also contains a circle with bear paws, representing carbon neutral footprints and a word in Inuktitut meaning, "I hear you and I am doing something about it."
Park City's students are sending that message back to the Arctic Inuit Community, who on Earth Day 2005 lay on the Arctic Sea ice in 30 below temperatures sharing the ancient wisdom of their elders and warning the world about the devastating impact the melting arctic will have on the rest of the world.
Working Films, a 501 (c) 3 dedicated to the advancement of social, environmental and racial justice issues is partnering with "Everything's Cool" in a two-year audience and community engagement campaign for action on global warming. "The themes and messages of this film arrive at such a critical moment in our struggle to see action on the issue of global warming," said Robert West, co-founder and executive director of Working Films. "The image we're creating today demonstrates that each individual is a necessary part of the chain for change; by linking together, we can create a call to action."
Shelia Watt-Cloutier, the most decorated environmental activist of 2006 and former chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference will be on hand to link the two communities Iqaluit and Park City under the banner of action.
Spectral Q and Cucolaris who specialize in social messaging are jointly coordinating the event. This is part of a series of aerial images; the next will be created in Greenland in May of this year to encourage individuals and corporations to go carbon neutral.
Footage of the Park City aerial message will be fed via satellite
FEED #1
DATE Monday, January 22, 2007
TIME 14:45 -- 15:15 ET (12:45 -- 13:15 MT)
FEED #2
DATE Monday, January 22, 2007
TIME 17:45 -- 18:15 ET (15:45 -- 16:15 MT)
KU Digital Satellite Space IA8/Transponder K17 Slot B (9 MHz)
Uplink Frequency 14344.5 Horizontal
Downlink Frequency 12044.5 Vertical
Symbol Rate 6.511
Data 9.0005
FEC 3/4
Tandberg 4:2:0
FEED TROUBLE NUMBER (714)856-7452, 7457, 7458
Working Films
Working Films was co-founded by veteran film festival curator and media educator Robert West and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and organizer Judith Helfand in late 1999.
We are neither a production company nor a distributor. We work with filmmakers -- at every stage -- to maximize their work in coordinated community education efforts, consumer organizing campaigns, activist movements and classroom projects. We work with organizers to enrich their on-going grassroots efforts with relevant, vital media. We work with educators to bring into the classroom critical independent film and video on issues of social and economic justice. With a diverse staff and board, we are an innovative, active and strategic resource for the world of independent film, serving a national role as strategists, consultants and community builders.
Spectral Q
John Quigley of Spectral Q has created 75 human aerial art images involving nearly 100,000 people around the globe. From icebergs in Antarctica to the disappearing arctic ice shelf, to landscapes all over North America and Europe, these images have generated extensive global media coverage. The mission of Spectral Q is to cultivate creative expression and to facilitate collaborative art for the common good. Past images have focused on the issues of global warming, peace, human rights, freedom and protecting the environment.
Everything's Cool, a toxic-comedy directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand, is about the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. The good news: America finally gets global warming, the chasm is closing and the debate is over. The bad news: the United States, the country that will determine the fate of the globe, must transform its fossil fuel based economy fast, (like in a minute). While the industry funded naysayers sing what just might be their swan song of scientific doubt and deception, a group of self-appointed global warming messengers are on a life-and-death quest to find the iconic image, proper language, and points of leverage that will help the public go from embracing the urgency of the problem to creating the political will necessary to push for a new energy economy. Hold on -- this is bigger than changing your light bulbs.
SOURCE Working Films
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CBP Border Patrol Agents Rescue Migrant Trapped in Mineshaft
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents in New Mexico rescued a 26-year old migrant Sunday who crossed the international border and fell into a 50-foot abandoned mineshaft south of NM Highway 9, west of Columbus, N.M.
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The migrant, a 26-year old citizen of Mexico, received multiple severe injuries after falling into the deep shaft before dawn Saturday. National Guard members notified Border Patrol agents after a group of migrants approached the soldiers at a surveillance site and told them about the accident. Border Patrol agents immediately summoned the El Paso Sector BORSTAR team. Once BORSTAR arrived at the scene, two members were lowered into the cavern. Sub-freezing temperatures, falling snow, and freezing rain challenged team members during the rescue effort that lasted several hours.
The subject suffered a concussion, multiple spinal/neck injuries, a broken left wrist, lacerations on his head, severe bruising, and suffered from hypothermia. The man was conscious when he was hoisted in a vertical litter from the shaft at 8:30 a.m. using a rope and pulley system. Once extracted from the shaft, the man was immediately turned over at the scene to Columbus, N.M. EMS. The man was transported to Mimbres Memorial Hospital in Deming, N.M. and later flown to Thomason Hospital in El Paso, Texas for further treatment, due to the extent of the injuries.
The national BORSTAR team was formulated in 1998, as a direct response to the escalating number of migrant injuries, deaths and violence perpetrated by smuggling organizations along the U.S. Mexico border. Most Border Patrol sectors have a BORSTAR unit, which consists of specially trained Border Patrol agents that perform high and low angle rescues, emergency medical response, desert and mountain rescue, air operations, and swift water rescue. BORSTAR team members receive advanced medical training ranging from Emergency Medical Technician status to the title of Paramedic.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of
Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
SOURCE U.S. Customs and Border Protection
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The migrant, a 26-year old citizen of Mexico, received multiple severe injuries after falling into the deep shaft before dawn Saturday. National Guard members notified Border Patrol agents after a group of migrants approached the soldiers at a surveillance site and told them about the accident. Border Patrol agents immediately summoned the El Paso Sector BORSTAR team. Once BORSTAR arrived at the scene, two members were lowered into the cavern. Sub-freezing temperatures, falling snow, and freezing rain challenged team members during the rescue effort that lasted several hours.
The subject suffered a concussion, multiple spinal/neck injuries, a broken left wrist, lacerations on his head, severe bruising, and suffered from hypothermia. The man was conscious when he was hoisted in a vertical litter from the shaft at 8:30 a.m. using a rope and pulley system. Once extracted from the shaft, the man was immediately turned over at the scene to Columbus, N.M. EMS. The man was transported to Mimbres Memorial Hospital in Deming, N.M. and later flown to Thomason Hospital in El Paso, Texas for further treatment, due to the extent of the injuries.
The national BORSTAR team was formulated in 1998, as a direct response to the escalating number of migrant injuries, deaths and violence perpetrated by smuggling organizations along the U.S. Mexico border. Most Border Patrol sectors have a BORSTAR unit, which consists of specially trained Border Patrol agents that perform high and low angle rescues, emergency medical response, desert and mountain rescue, air operations, and swift water rescue. BORSTAR team members receive advanced medical training ranging from Emergency Medical Technician status to the title of Paramedic.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of
Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
SOURCE U.S. Customs and Border Protection
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U.S. Institutional Investors Continue to Boost Ownership of U.S. Corporations
NEW YORK, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Institutional investors continue to significantly boost their equity ownership of U.S. markets as well as their ownership of the largest 1,000 U.S. corporations, The Conference Board reports today in the latest edition of its Institutional Investment Report.
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Latest available year-end 2005 data show that U.S. institutional investors -- defined as pension funds, investment companies, insurance companies, banks and foundations(1) -- suffered a brief hiatus in the trend of steadily increasing ownership during the market break of 2000-2002, but have since rebounded robustly to control $24.1 trillion in assets in 2005, up from a low of $17.3 trillion in 2002. Institutional assets thus grew 19.0% in the 2002 to 2003 time period, another 11.7% from 2003 to 2004 and yet another 5.1% from 2004 to 2005.
Institutional investor ownership of U.S. corporations also rebounded during the post-2002 market break period and, in 2005 institutional investors held a record 61.2% of total 2005 U.S. equities, up from 51.4% in 2000. Institutional ownership of the largest 1,000 U.S. corporations has increased from 61.4% in 2000 to a peak of 69.4% in 2004, and dropped just slightly to 67.9% in 2005, but still in record historic territory. Within the categories of institutional investors, the "activist" state and local pension funds have increased their percentage share of U.S. equity markets (from 2.9% in 1980 to 9.8% in 2005) while private trusteed corporate funds who rarely participate in corporate governance activism have declined in their percentage share of U.S. equity markets (from 15.1% in 1980 to 12.3% in 2005).
"The rise in the institutional share of U.S. equity markets means that the economic power and clout of U.S. institutional investors -- including the activist state and local pension funds -- continues," says Dr. Carolyn Kay Brancato, Senior Fellow and Director Emeritus of The Conference Board Governance Center and co-author of the report, together with consultant Stephan Rabimov. She adds: "These state and local fund investors tend to be the most vocal in demanding corporate governance reforms and will continue to have a profound impact on companies not only in the U.S. but also in global markets, since U.S. investors tend to be out in front of global shareholder activism."
INSTITUTIONS HOLD RECORD AMOUNTS OF THE U.S. EQUITY MARKET
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U.S. institutional investors as a whole have increased their share of U.S. equity markets substantially -- rising from holding 37.2% of total U.S. equities in 1980 to 51.4% of total U.S. equities in the year 2000 then to 61.2% of total U.S. equities in 2005. "This is a staggering increase," Dr. Brancato commented.
Looking at the change in the mix of institutional investors over the last 25 years, the activist state and local funds have consistently gained, although mutual funds have gained even more. Pension funds as a whole held 32.6% of total institutional investor assets in 1980, which grew to 38.9% of total assets by 2005. But, within the pension fund category, private trusteed funds (primarily the corporate pension funds) went from holding 19.2% of 1980 institutional investor assets to 19.8% of 2005 institutional investor assets, whereas the state and local pension funds increased their share of total institutional investment from 7.4% of total institutional investor assets in 1980 to 11.2% in 2005. The biggest gainer in amassing institutional investor assets in the last 25 years is the category of open end mutual funds, which went from owning only 2.3% of total institutional assets in 1980 to 23.8% in 2005. At the same time, bank and trust companies have declined substantially (38.8% of total institutionally-held assets in 1980 to 11.2% in 2005).
ACTIVIST STATE AND LOCAL PENSION FUNDS GROWING IN OWNERSHIP AND CLOUT
As the "activist" public employee pension funds have grown relative to the private sector corporate pension funds they have also devoted a greater percentage of their assets to equities, where their clout can be felt via their proxy voting patterns and their corporate governance intervention strategies. "This continued growth is significant because, among the categories of institutional investors, the public state and local pension funds tend to be the most activist and the most coordinated in terms of activism with other global institutional investors," says Brancato. "Ten years ago, these funds weren't likely to join in lawsuits or exert pressure in out of court settlements, but now, having been severely burned by the Enron and WorldCom situations, these funds are asserting themselves as never before. In addition, as the election of directors becomes more heated, and as many companies adopt bylaws saying their directors will resign if they don't get a majority of shareholder votes, the voting clout of these activist investors becomes more meaningful."
Institutional investors as a group are also gaining even greater equity control of the largest 1000 corporations. In 2000, they held 61.4% of the equity of the largest 1000 corporations. By 2005, they held 67.9% of these corporations. Looking just at the largest 25 corporations, in 2005, there were four companies registering institutional investor ownership in excess of 70% compared with two in 2004 and one or none in all prior years.
INVESTMENTS RISE OUTSIDE THE U.S.
The 25 pension funds that are the largest investors abroad continue to place significant amounts of their investments outside the U.S., although this group decreased their equity investments outside the U.S. from 15.0% of their assets in 2004 to 13.5% of their assets in 2005. This decline in investments outside the U.S. may possibly coincide with the decision to place an increasing share of their investments in hedge funds, 88% of which are estimated to be domiciled within the U.S. Nevertheless, these top 25 pension funds are likely to have a sizeable impact outside the U.S. according to Dr. Brancato. "Since 18 out of the top 25 largest investors investing outside the U.S. are public pension funds and likely to be more 'activist' in corporate governance, they are increasingly likely to have a substantial impact on the corporate governance practices of foreign corporations," says The Conference Board report. This activism of these relatively large U.S. public pension funds may be even more striking since companies outside the U.S. tend to have smaller capitalizations.
(1) Data are calculated for The Conference Board's "traditional" group of
institutional investors -- pension funds, investment companies,
insurance companies, banks and foundations. The report does not
attempt to break out new classes of investors such as hedge and
private equity funds, because of a lack of concrete data and because
many of the traditional investor classes invest in hedge and equity
funds raising the possibility of double counting.
SOURCE The Conference Board
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Latest available year-end 2005 data show that U.S. institutional investors -- defined as pension funds, investment companies, insurance companies, banks and foundations(1) -- suffered a brief hiatus in the trend of steadily increasing ownership during the market break of 2000-2002, but have since rebounded robustly to control $24.1 trillion in assets in 2005, up from a low of $17.3 trillion in 2002. Institutional assets thus grew 19.0% in the 2002 to 2003 time period, another 11.7% from 2003 to 2004 and yet another 5.1% from 2004 to 2005.
Institutional investor ownership of U.S. corporations also rebounded during the post-2002 market break period and, in 2005 institutional investors held a record 61.2% of total 2005 U.S. equities, up from 51.4% in 2000. Institutional ownership of the largest 1,000 U.S. corporations has increased from 61.4% in 2000 to a peak of 69.4% in 2004, and dropped just slightly to 67.9% in 2005, but still in record historic territory. Within the categories of institutional investors, the "activist" state and local pension funds have increased their percentage share of U.S. equity markets (from 2.9% in 1980 to 9.8% in 2005) while private trusteed corporate funds who rarely participate in corporate governance activism have declined in their percentage share of U.S. equity markets (from 15.1% in 1980 to 12.3% in 2005).
"The rise in the institutional share of U.S. equity markets means that the economic power and clout of U.S. institutional investors -- including the activist state and local pension funds -- continues," says Dr. Carolyn Kay Brancato, Senior Fellow and Director Emeritus of The Conference Board Governance Center and co-author of the report, together with consultant Stephan Rabimov. She adds: "These state and local fund investors tend to be the most vocal in demanding corporate governance reforms and will continue to have a profound impact on companies not only in the U.S. but also in global markets, since U.S. investors tend to be out in front of global shareholder activism."
INSTITUTIONS HOLD RECORD AMOUNTS OF THE U.S. EQUITY MARKET
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U.S. institutional investors as a whole have increased their share of U.S. equity markets substantially -- rising from holding 37.2% of total U.S. equities in 1980 to 51.4% of total U.S. equities in the year 2000 then to 61.2% of total U.S. equities in 2005. "This is a staggering increase," Dr. Brancato commented.
Looking at the change in the mix of institutional investors over the last 25 years, the activist state and local funds have consistently gained, although mutual funds have gained even more. Pension funds as a whole held 32.6% of total institutional investor assets in 1980, which grew to 38.9% of total assets by 2005. But, within the pension fund category, private trusteed funds (primarily the corporate pension funds) went from holding 19.2% of 1980 institutional investor assets to 19.8% of 2005 institutional investor assets, whereas the state and local pension funds increased their share of total institutional investment from 7.4% of total institutional investor assets in 1980 to 11.2% in 2005. The biggest gainer in amassing institutional investor assets in the last 25 years is the category of open end mutual funds, which went from owning only 2.3% of total institutional assets in 1980 to 23.8% in 2005. At the same time, bank and trust companies have declined substantially (38.8% of total institutionally-held assets in 1980 to 11.2% in 2005).
ACTIVIST STATE AND LOCAL PENSION FUNDS GROWING IN OWNERSHIP AND CLOUT
As the "activist" public employee pension funds have grown relative to the private sector corporate pension funds they have also devoted a greater percentage of their assets to equities, where their clout can be felt via their proxy voting patterns and their corporate governance intervention strategies. "This continued growth is significant because, among the categories of institutional investors, the public state and local pension funds tend to be the most activist and the most coordinated in terms of activism with other global institutional investors," says Brancato. "Ten years ago, these funds weren't likely to join in lawsuits or exert pressure in out of court settlements, but now, having been severely burned by the Enron and WorldCom situations, these funds are asserting themselves as never before. In addition, as the election of directors becomes more heated, and as many companies adopt bylaws saying their directors will resign if they don't get a majority of shareholder votes, the voting clout of these activist investors becomes more meaningful."
Institutional investors as a group are also gaining even greater equity control of the largest 1000 corporations. In 2000, they held 61.4% of the equity of the largest 1000 corporations. By 2005, they held 67.9% of these corporations. Looking just at the largest 25 corporations, in 2005, there were four companies registering institutional investor ownership in excess of 70% compared with two in 2004 and one or none in all prior years.
INVESTMENTS RISE OUTSIDE THE U.S.
The 25 pension funds that are the largest investors abroad continue to place significant amounts of their investments outside the U.S., although this group decreased their equity investments outside the U.S. from 15.0% of their assets in 2004 to 13.5% of their assets in 2005. This decline in investments outside the U.S. may possibly coincide with the decision to place an increasing share of their investments in hedge funds, 88% of which are estimated to be domiciled within the U.S. Nevertheless, these top 25 pension funds are likely to have a sizeable impact outside the U.S. according to Dr. Brancato. "Since 18 out of the top 25 largest investors investing outside the U.S. are public pension funds and likely to be more 'activist' in corporate governance, they are increasingly likely to have a substantial impact on the corporate governance practices of foreign corporations," says The Conference Board report. This activism of these relatively large U.S. public pension funds may be even more striking since companies outside the U.S. tend to have smaller capitalizations.
(1) Data are calculated for The Conference Board's "traditional" group of
institutional investors -- pension funds, investment companies,
insurance companies, banks and foundations. The report does not
attempt to break out new classes of investors such as hedge and
private equity funds, because of a lack of concrete data and because
many of the traditional investor classes invest in hedge and equity
funds raising the possibility of double counting.
SOURCE The Conference Board
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Supreme Court passes in corruption case
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court said Monday it would not review the public corruption conviction of a Los Angeles-area congresswoman's son, who argued that prosecutors put him on trial in a neighboring county to keep blacks off the jury.
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Roderick Keith McDonald, who is black, said he should have been tried in Los Angeles county instead of Orange county, where the jury pool is less than 2 percent African-American.
McDonald, a former municipal official in the Los Angeles area, was convicted in 2004 for his role in extortion schemes involving municipal contracts. His mother is Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles, which brought the criminal charges against McDonald, also is responsible for federal prosecutions in Orange County.
The court has never ruled whether a decision on where to hold a trial, if influenced by race, violates a defendant's constitutional due process rights, former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr argued in court papers on behalf of McDonald.
McDonald enlisted both Starr, who investigated
President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, and former deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, who served in the Clinton administration, to argue his case.
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The case is McDonald v. United States, 06-440.
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Roderick Keith McDonald, who is black, said he should have been tried in Los Angeles county instead of Orange county, where the jury pool is less than 2 percent African-American.
McDonald, a former municipal official in the Los Angeles area, was convicted in 2004 for his role in extortion schemes involving municipal contracts. His mother is Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles, which brought the criminal charges against McDonald, also is responsible for federal prosecutions in Orange County.
The court has never ruled whether a decision on where to hold a trial, if influenced by race, violates a defendant's constitutional due process rights, former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr argued in court papers on behalf of McDonald.
McDonald enlisted both Starr, who investigated
President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, and former deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, who served in the Clinton administration, to argue his case.
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The case is McDonald v. United States, 06-440.
New coalition aims to keep Dems in check
WASHINGTON - Looking to instill discipline among Democrats, a coalition of labor, trial lawyers and liberal groups is launching lobbying and campaign organizations this week to keep Democratic lawmakers from straying on populist issues.
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Democrats who don't hew to this agenda could find themselves facing well-funded primary opponents — an aggressive strategy to counter moderate and conservative blocs within the party.
The groups have organized as two entities — a lobbying wing called They Work For Us and a campaign arm called Working for Us PAC.
"Our PAC will encourage Democrats to act like Democrats — and if they don't — they better get out of the way," Steve Rosenthal, one of the coalition's main organizers, wrote in a memorandum describing the organization.
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The new effort is emerging as House Democrats conclude the first stage of their legislative agenda — a two-week rush of legislation that had wide appeal within the party and even among Republicans.
"Now we move into issues like improving access to health care, fighting jobs moving overseas, protecting rights of workers to organize," Rosenthal, a leading labor political strategist, said in an interview. "It's really going to take a very strong effort for Democrats to keep people in line."
Rosenthal founded America ComingTogether, a political organization that mobilized Democratic voters in the 2004 presidential election.
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In addition to Rosenthal, the two groups are led by some of the most influential organizers in labor and liberal politics, including Anna Burger, the secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union; Eli Pariser, the executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action, and Linda Lipsen, a senior vice president at the American Association for Justice, formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association.
The lobbying arm is organized as a non-profit organization and already has raised $200,000 toward a goal of more than $3 million for the next two years, Rosenthal said. It would concentrate on certain key congressional districts to pressure moderate or conservative Democrats to vote with the party's leadership.
The labor wing of the Democratic Party has been especially frustrated by Democrats who have voted in favor of trade deals that union leaders said hurt U.S. workers by driving jobs overseas. The new political action committee, Rosenthal said, would be ready to recruit more liberal Democrats to run against them.
"If Democrats in Congress don't stand strong and fight for the goals we are supposed to share, then progressives need to agitate so they will, or work hard to replace them," said Donna Edwards, a member of the They Work for Us board who unsuccessfully challenged Democrat Al Wynn, a 14-year House veteran from Maryland, in last year's Democratic primary.
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Keeping the party unified won't be easy for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) of California as she moves ahead with the rest of the Democratic agenda. Many of the new Democratic lawmakers elected in November replaced incumbents in typically Republican districts. That could make it difficult for many to support some of the party's stances on economic and social issues.
Rosenthal said the new coalition would not single out members with moderate to conservative constituencies. Instead, it will target lawmakers who coalition organizers believe are out of step with their voters.
"We're not trying to force people to the left of their districts," he said. "We want to make sure that Democrats primarily represent their districts."
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Democrats who don't hew to this agenda could find themselves facing well-funded primary opponents — an aggressive strategy to counter moderate and conservative blocs within the party.
The groups have organized as two entities — a lobbying wing called They Work For Us and a campaign arm called Working for Us PAC.
"Our PAC will encourage Democrats to act like Democrats — and if they don't — they better get out of the way," Steve Rosenthal, one of the coalition's main organizers, wrote in a memorandum describing the organization.
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The new effort is emerging as House Democrats conclude the first stage of their legislative agenda — a two-week rush of legislation that had wide appeal within the party and even among Republicans.
"Now we move into issues like improving access to health care, fighting jobs moving overseas, protecting rights of workers to organize," Rosenthal, a leading labor political strategist, said in an interview. "It's really going to take a very strong effort for Democrats to keep people in line."
Rosenthal founded America ComingTogether, a political organization that mobilized Democratic voters in the 2004 presidential election.
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In addition to Rosenthal, the two groups are led by some of the most influential organizers in labor and liberal politics, including Anna Burger, the secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union; Eli Pariser, the executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action, and Linda Lipsen, a senior vice president at the American Association for Justice, formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association.
The lobbying arm is organized as a non-profit organization and already has raised $200,000 toward a goal of more than $3 million for the next two years, Rosenthal said. It would concentrate on certain key congressional districts to pressure moderate or conservative Democrats to vote with the party's leadership.
The labor wing of the Democratic Party has been especially frustrated by Democrats who have voted in favor of trade deals that union leaders said hurt U.S. workers by driving jobs overseas. The new political action committee, Rosenthal said, would be ready to recruit more liberal Democrats to run against them.
"If Democrats in Congress don't stand strong and fight for the goals we are supposed to share, then progressives need to agitate so they will, or work hard to replace them," said Donna Edwards, a member of the They Work for Us board who unsuccessfully challenged Democrat Al Wynn, a 14-year House veteran from Maryland, in last year's Democratic primary.
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Keeping the party unified won't be easy for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) of California as she moves ahead with the rest of the Democratic agenda. Many of the new Democratic lawmakers elected in November replaced incumbents in typically Republican districts. That could make it difficult for many to support some of the party's stances on economic and social issues.
Rosenthal said the new coalition would not single out members with moderate to conservative constituencies. Instead, it will target lawmakers who coalition organizers believe are out of step with their voters.
"We're not trying to force people to the left of their districts," he said. "We want to make sure that Democrats primarily represent their districts."
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FDA proposal allows gluten-free label
WASHINGTON - Foods made without a protein found in wheat, rye and barley could be labeled gluten-free under a proposed rule released Monday by federal health officials.
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The proposal would allow companies to voluntarily flag foods without the cereal protein, which can cause inflammation of the small intestine in the estimated 1.5 million to 3 million Americans with celiac disease. Most have never been diagnosed.
Gluten can trigger an immune response in celiac sufferers that damages the lining of the small intestine. Eventually, that damage can hamper the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients.
Celiac disease has no cure but can be managed by avoiding foods that contain gluten.
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The label could be used on foods that have been processed to remove the protein. The rule wouldn't apply to foods that ordinarily don't contain gluten, like corn and rice.
The
Food and Drug Administration posted the proposed rule for comment on its Web site Monday.
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The proposal would allow companies to voluntarily flag foods without the cereal protein, which can cause inflammation of the small intestine in the estimated 1.5 million to 3 million Americans with celiac disease. Most have never been diagnosed.
Gluten can trigger an immune response in celiac sufferers that damages the lining of the small intestine. Eventually, that damage can hamper the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients.
Celiac disease has no cure but can be managed by avoiding foods that contain gluten.
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The label could be used on foods that have been processed to remove the protein. The rule wouldn't apply to foods that ordinarily don't contain gluten, like corn and rice.
The
Food and Drug Administration posted the proposed rule for comment on its Web site Monday.
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House delegates may get some voting rights
WASHINGTON - When the bells ring announcing a vote, 435 members of the House stream out of their hearings and offices and head for the House floor. Five others, banned from voting, seldom bother.
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That would change if the new Democratic majority succeeds in changing the rules this week to give partial voting rights to the delegates from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam and the Virgin Islands. A vote is scheduled Wednesday on restoring the rule.
It was in effect in 1993 and 1994 — the last time Democrats were in power — but rescinded when Republicans took over Congress in 1995.
"We believe that was unfortunate because we have five people here sent by their constituents to the House but who do not have an opportunity to express their views in a public way," said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
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The rule that existed briefly a decade ago let delegates vote in what is called the "committee of the whole," a term for the procedures the House uses when debating and amending a bill before going to a final vote. But the rule also stipulated that if a delegate's vote has a decisive impact on the outcome, the committee of the whole disbands and the full House votes on the issue without delegate participation.
That was to avoid a constitutional challenge. A federal judge in 1993 upheld the rule letting delegates vote, but only because of the automatic revote feature. He said that because the delegate vote had no ultimate effect on legislative power, it did not violate Article I or any other part of the Constitution.
Virgin Islands Del. Donna Christensen said her fellow delegates would have preferred getting full voting rights. But "it's important because it's a step forward," she said. "It gives the delegate more opportunity to participate in the work of the House."
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House Republican Whip Roy Blunt , R-Mo., in a floor discussion with Hoyer, suggested that since the delegate vote can't affect the outcome, the real purpose of the rule change was to "give a deceptively large margin" to the Democrats. The only Republican among the five delegates is Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico.
Blunt also questioned the fairness of giving votes to delegates who represent far fewer people than representatives with districts of 600,000 or more. American Samoa has fewer than 60,000 people, the Virgin Islands 109,000. Guam has about 171,000.
"The decision to have a relationship with the territories, that was not made anticipating that the territories would be represented as states are represented," Blunt said.
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, a 10-term delegate for American Samoa, responded that Puerto Rico has 4 million residents and while he represents the smallest constituency in the House, "my little territory has the highest per capita casualty rate in the whole United States" in
Iraq.
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Congress established the category of delegate soon after the Constitution was ratified to give a voice to areas eventually expected to enter the union as states. The first delegate, representing the area south of the Ohio River, was seated in 1794.
Puerto Rico has been represented in the House since the beginning of the 20th century. The District of Columbia received a seat in 1971, followed the next year by Guam and the Virgin Islands and in 1978 by American Samoa. The delegates have full voting rights in committees and can rise through the committee ranks like other members.
District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton said it was a "complete disgrace" that she is barred from voting on the House floor.
She said she appreciated Hoyer's efforts on behalf of the delegates but added that it is no longer relevant to District of Columbia, which is moving aggressively to win full voting status now that Democrats are back in charge of the House.
Norton and Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., have introduced legislation that would increase the full House membership to 437, with Washington, overwhelmingly Democratic, getting one seat and the other going to solidly Republican Utah, which narrowly missed getting a new seat after the last census.
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Hoyer, at a news conference last week, said that he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported giving Washington, D.C., a vote and had asked Norton to set up a meeting to discuss strategy. Norton said her goal was a committee vote in February and floor action in March.
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That would change if the new Democratic majority succeeds in changing the rules this week to give partial voting rights to the delegates from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam and the Virgin Islands. A vote is scheduled Wednesday on restoring the rule.
It was in effect in 1993 and 1994 — the last time Democrats were in power — but rescinded when Republicans took over Congress in 1995.
"We believe that was unfortunate because we have five people here sent by their constituents to the House but who do not have an opportunity to express their views in a public way," said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
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The rule that existed briefly a decade ago let delegates vote in what is called the "committee of the whole," a term for the procedures the House uses when debating and amending a bill before going to a final vote. But the rule also stipulated that if a delegate's vote has a decisive impact on the outcome, the committee of the whole disbands and the full House votes on the issue without delegate participation.
That was to avoid a constitutional challenge. A federal judge in 1993 upheld the rule letting delegates vote, but only because of the automatic revote feature. He said that because the delegate vote had no ultimate effect on legislative power, it did not violate Article I or any other part of the Constitution.
Virgin Islands Del. Donna Christensen said her fellow delegates would have preferred getting full voting rights. But "it's important because it's a step forward," she said. "It gives the delegate more opportunity to participate in the work of the House."
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House Republican Whip Roy Blunt , R-Mo., in a floor discussion with Hoyer, suggested that since the delegate vote can't affect the outcome, the real purpose of the rule change was to "give a deceptively large margin" to the Democrats. The only Republican among the five delegates is Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico.
Blunt also questioned the fairness of giving votes to delegates who represent far fewer people than representatives with districts of 600,000 or more. American Samoa has fewer than 60,000 people, the Virgin Islands 109,000. Guam has about 171,000.
"The decision to have a relationship with the territories, that was not made anticipating that the territories would be represented as states are represented," Blunt said.
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, a 10-term delegate for American Samoa, responded that Puerto Rico has 4 million residents and while he represents the smallest constituency in the House, "my little territory has the highest per capita casualty rate in the whole United States" in
Iraq.
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Congress established the category of delegate soon after the Constitution was ratified to give a voice to areas eventually expected to enter the union as states. The first delegate, representing the area south of the Ohio River, was seated in 1794.
Puerto Rico has been represented in the House since the beginning of the 20th century. The District of Columbia received a seat in 1971, followed the next year by Guam and the Virgin Islands and in 1978 by American Samoa. The delegates have full voting rights in committees and can rise through the committee ranks like other members.
District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton said it was a "complete disgrace" that she is barred from voting on the House floor.
She said she appreciated Hoyer's efforts on behalf of the delegates but added that it is no longer relevant to District of Columbia, which is moving aggressively to win full voting status now that Democrats are back in charge of the House.
Norton and Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., have introduced legislation that would increase the full House membership to 437, with Washington, overwhelmingly Democratic, getting one seat and the other going to solidly Republican Utah, which narrowly missed getting a new seat after the last census.
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Hoyer, at a news conference last week, said that he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported giving Washington, D.C., a vote and had asked Norton to set up a meeting to discuss strategy. Norton said her goal was a committee vote in February and floor action in March.
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