WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted on H.R. 807, a bill that would ensure Chinese bondholders are paid before American soldiers in the case of a government default.
After the vote, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter issued the following statement:
“I strongly oppose this deeply irresponsible legislation. Middle class families can’t pick and choose which bills to pay, and neither should Congress.
“H.R. 807 guarantees that if Republicans push our nation into default, bondholders from China and the Cayman Islands would be paid before America’s veterans, Medicare providers, and small businesses.
“Instead of playing chicken with our nation’s credit rating, Congress should act responsibly and pay the bills that it has incurred. I, once again, call on Speaker Boehner to appoint budget conferees so Congress can compromise on a sensible budget that ends sequestration, helps create jobs, and responsibly reduces the deficit.”
Congresswoman Annie Kuster also released a statement after her vote:
“This bill is nothing more than a plan to default on our nation’s obligations, plain and simple,” Kuster said. “It sets the stage for yet another manufactured crisis that would prioritize payments to China and other foreign creditors over our obligations to seniors on Medicare, veterans, and the men and women of our Armed Forces.”
“Rather than simply bracing for default, both parties need to work together to reduce the deficit in a balanced way that will help create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen the middle class,” Kuster added. “As we do, Congress must reassure creditors and the American people that our government will continue to meet its obligations and avoid a catastrophic default. Any suggestion that we would even consider doing otherwise would be irresponsible, undermine confidence in our government, and put our credit rating at risk.”
Concord – Thursday, a broad coalition of New Hampshire educators, taxpayers and concerned citizens will hold a press conference calling for the repeal of the misguided Bradley-O’Brien education voucher law. The reckless legislation which passed last year despite bipartisan opposition would divert taxpayer funding from public schools into an account for private and religious schools.
Earlier this year, the New Hampshire House passed a responsible repeal of the damaging legislation. The repeal is scheduled to be voted on in the state Senate next week, and speakers will detail efforts currently underway to ensure the Senate votes to protect public education including a petition launched this morning at NHDP.org/Protect-NH-Public-Schools.
What: Coalition of New Hampshire taxpayers, educators, and concerned parents will call for repeal of the misguided Bradley-O’Brien education voucher law
Who: Scott McGilvray NEA New Hampshire President, State Representative Lorrie Carey, and Bill Duncan, President Defending New Hampshire Public Education
CONCORD – Governor Maggie Hassan released the following statement today on passage by the House of Representatives of their FY 14/15 budget:
“Today’s passage of the House budget plan is another step forward in the legislature’s budget process. I appreciate the hard work by members of the House to develop their plan, and in many cases their funding priorities align with those in our balanced budget proposal, especially in taking steps to address our strained mental health system and to restore investments in New Hampshire’s community colleges.
“However, significant work remains in order to finalize a responsible, balanced budget that reinvests in the priorities needed for job creation and innovative economic growth. The House budget as it stands falls short of our balanced budget proposal in key areas that are critical for strengthening our economy and improving the health and well-being of our people.
“The cuts made to our restoration of university system funding put at risk the proposed tuition freeze at our public universities, making it more difficult for our young people to afford a higher education in New Hampshire.
“A top priority of our budget proposal was to begin to reverse the last legislature’s tax increase on hospitals, which is straining their operations and hindering our ability to move forward with strengthening our health care system. Unfortunately, the House budget goes in the opposite direction, relying more heavily on hospital taxes to pay for the general fund.
“I also have concerns that the back-of-the-budget cuts to Health and Human Services, combined with optimistic caseload levels, will force cuts to critical services. And cuts to school building aid will hurt the ability of our local school districts to provide the educational facilities our children need.
“The House budget recognizes that a number of these changes from our budget proposal are problematic, which is why it includes language calling for restoration of these funds if SB 152 is passed. We can address the challenges of the House budget by moving forward with a plan to license one high-end, highly regulated casino that will help us invest in our priorities. I look forward to continuing the dialogue with members of the House as they consider SB 152, and to working with both chambers to ensure that the next budget responsibly lays the foundation to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire.”
Congresswoman Shea-Porter speaks to the floor of the US House about working together to stop the automatic sequester cuts that are looming. This friday is the deadline and yet the US House has not held a vote on either of the submitted bills that could stop this from happening.
Congresswoman Shea-Porter is right. Congress must act now to avoid these economy crushing cuts. Working families throughout the country will be harmed by their inaction in Washington. This inaction will only solidify the belief that the Republicans in Congress is only out for themselves and are willing to once again hold the country and the economy hostage for their own gains.
NHLN Editors note: This is an LTE from Caroline French of Dover, talking about the Fix The Debt Campaign.
‘Fox’ the Debt?
To the editor:
Peter G. Peterson is a Wall Street billionaire who has been using his money for years trying to slash earned benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Fix the Debt is his latest trick to attack seniors. He loves to go after Social Security and Medicare under the pretense of fixing the nation’s “debt problem.” He has spent millions of his own dollars trying to make sure that rich people stay rich.
Blowing the cover on Fix the Debt should be a goal of every senior citizen in New Hampshire. Fight back. Tell Republicans and Democrats alike who support this trick the truth about your earned benefits and the evil doers who want to take your earned benefits away.
The debt will be fixed by a strong economy, job growth and making things in this country again. The word “fox” used as a verb means to trick. These Fix the Debt people are trying to fox the debt on the backs of Social Security and Medicare.
Highlights new report showing middle class New Hampshire families will pay the price without it.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) spoke on the House floor last night about the need for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a balanced, bipartisan plan to avert the automatic spending cuts that are scheduled to take effect on March 1. If Congress fails to act, these devastating cuts will hurt middle class families, undermine our economy, and threaten our national security.
“If Congress fails to act, the sequester is going to trigger mindless, across-the-board cuts that will hurt middle class New Hampshire families and undermine our economy,” Kuster said. “There’s no question we need to reduce the deficit. But we have to do it in a balanced way that distinguishes between wasteful spending we can’t afford to keep and critical investments we can’t afford to cut.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that these automatic spending cuts would reduce economic growth by half in 2013 and cost up to 1.4 million jobs nationwide. A recent study by George Mason University estimated that New Hampshire would lose more than 6,300 jobs. On Sunday, the White House issued a new report outlining the devastating impacts these automatic cuts would have on middle class New Hampshire families over the next year alone:
· Teachers and Schools: New Hampshire will lose approximately $1,078,000 in funding for primary and secondary education, putting teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 1,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 10 fewer schools would receive funding.
· Military Readiness: In New Hampshire, approximately 1,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $5.4 million in total.
· Job Search Assistance to Help those in New Hampshire find Employment and Training: New Hampshire will lose about $138,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 4,950 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.
· Work-Study Jobs: Around 120 fewer low income students in New Hampshire would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 130 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
· Child Care: Up to 100 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job.
· Vaccines for Children: In New Hampshire around 680 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $46,000.
· STOP Violence Against Women Program: New Hampshire could lose up to $28,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 100 fewer victims being served.
Kuster has repeatedly called on Congress to replace these automatic cuts with a balanced plan to reduce the deficit. Last week, Kuster called on both parties to work together to avert the sequester during a visit to Polartec, which produces uniform and combat clothing for the Department of Defense and would be negatively impacted by the defense cuts included in the sequester.
Kuster recently wrote an op-ed highlighting the damaging impacts the automatic cuts would have on families and businesses in New Hampshire, and urged Congress to take a more balanced, bipartisan approach to reducing the deficit that will spur job creation, grow the economy, and protect middle class families.
In February, Kuster also helped establish the United Solutions Caucus, a new bipartisan coalition of Republican and Democratic freshman focused on resolving our nation’s fiscal challenges in a common sense, bipartisan way.
PULL THE PORK FROM THE PENTAGON! NH CITIZENS ALLIANCE & NH PEACE ACTION CALL FOR REINING IN WASTEFUL PENTAGON SPENDING IN ORDER TO INVEST IN AMERICA’S MIDDLE CLASS
Nashua, NH — As part of a National Day of Action across the U.S., NH Citizens Alliance and NH Peace Action will gather in front of the Office of U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte, 144 Main Street in Nashua on Wednesday, February 27th at noon to demand an end to wasteful Pentagon spending and to call on Congress to shift that spending into health care, education, housing and infrastructure.
“Pull the Pork from the Pentagon: Protect Our Priorities” events are taking place in Nashua, NH and across the country on February 27th. In Nashua, NH Citizens Alliance and NH Peace Action will have a rally with a brief speaking program, a petition signing, and calls to Congress on the spot in support of ending Pentagon waste.
The Feb. 27 National Day of Action is taking place as Congress faces a series of deadlines on our country’s budget priorities, including possible automatic spending cuts scheduled to take place on March 1.
“It’s time for Congress to commit once and for all to ending Pentagon waste and instead shift that spending into housing, health care, education, and infrastructure repair,” said Melissa Bernardin, Coordinator for NH Citizens Alliance’s Campaign to End Pentagon Waste. “We are calling for a fundamental restructuring of our priorities so that we can pay for programs that create jobs and protect our communities.”
Pull the Pork From the Pentagon
What: Rally to End Pentagon Waste
Where: 144 Main Street, Nashua NH – Office of U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte
When: Wednesday, February 27th at Noon
Why: Pending Congressional action, possible automatic spending cuts scheduled to take place on March 1. With all the attention focused on the national debt and deficit, the American public is paying attention, public opinion supports ending wasteful Pentagon spending, and the time for action is NOW.
The Alliance for Retired Americans is an advocacy group in 33 states that work to push for or against legislation that impacts seniors. For example last week, Ron Geoffroy from the NH Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, spoke for the repeal of the Voter ID law in the NH House public hearing.
Recently much of the Alliance for Retired Americans actions revolved around preserving Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Most recently they joined with the NH AFL-CIO to ask Senator Kelly Ayotte to stop playing roulette with seniors Social Security.
Today the 33 Presidents of the State Chapters of the Alliance for Retired Americans sent a letter to President Obama. They are asking for him to take a stand, and be the man they elected. They want President Obama to use the State of the Union address to “reaffirm your commitment” to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Below is the letter signed by New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans President Charlie Balbon. (Charlie is a retired Sheet Metal Worker)
Dear Mr. President:
We write you as the national officers and the presidents of the state chapters of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a national organization of four million members dedicated to securing a better quality of life for all Americans in retirement. We believe that you have the opportunity to renew the nation’s commitment to the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs during the State of the Union Address next week.
Mr. President, we were heartened by your inauguration address. It captured the long American tradition that a lifetime of hard work should create the foundation for a secure retirement. And should unfortunate circumstances visit any one of us, these vital programs are a lifeline for continued personal and family security. Your words, “The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great” embody this great American tradition.
We are concerned, Mr. President, that many in Washington will try to take advantage of the nation’s current fiscal situation and cause permanent damage to the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. We strongly urge you to resist such efforts. We urge you to speak forcefully in favor of strengthened Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs.
We recognize that long term efforts will be necessary to keep these programs financially sound as well as being able to provide benefits that are adequate to maintain a dignified quality of life. However, the debate over the current fiscal situation is not the forum for addressing the future of these programs. We applaud your leadership on vital issues such as health care reform which has benefited our members. We believe you are now in a position to demonstrate that same leadership on behalf of the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. Sincerely yours
Guess the GOP still thinks they should be able to dictate the terms of the fiscal cliff “compromise”. What a way to “fix” the crisis that Congress created. Most of us are still hurting from one of the worst recessions in history; 12 million Americans are still unemployed. Shouldn’t the GOP be concerned about something other than protecting the wealthy?
A full week later, the story was still being spread – by an anti-union newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Does this remind you of anything? Maybe Mitt Romney’s infamous allegations about Jeep moving production to China? Again, that story was immediately and thoroughly debunked – by the company – but Romney’s campaign kept spreading it, through television and radio ads.
Truth? Romney’s pollster said it didn’t matter: “We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers.”
Yes, there’s a connection here. Romney’s campaign was funded by many of the same people and corporations that have invested millions in the “union avoidance” industry. Take a few minutes and read this analysis of the 2010 elections. It’s the very same players, now:
Karl Rove, of election night meltdown fame, toured the country in 2009 opposing the Employee Free Choice Act;
“Americans for Job Security” is a secretive group run out of a mail-drop box in a UPS store, but they spend millions on false advertising attacking candidates who support labor unions;
“Americans for Prosperity” is run by the Koch brothers, spends tens of millions on misleading ads; and in 2009 sponsored a multi-state publicity tour opposing the Employee Free Choice Act;
and the list goes on, and on.
The “union-avoidance” industry doesn’t care about the truth – it just cares about results. Haven’t heard of the industry before? Read more about it here and here.
Looking for the truth about how labor unions responded to Hurricane Sandy? Read more here and here, and updates on the Teamster’s blog here.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted on H.R. 807, a bill that would ensure Chinese bondholders are paid before American soldiers in the case of a government default.
“This bill is nothing more than a plan to default on our nation’s obligations, plain and simple,” Kuster said. “It sets the stage for yet another manufactured crisis that would prioritize payments to China and other foreign creditors over our obligations to seniors on Medicare, veterans, and the men and women of our Armed Forces.”
