Public Policy
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public policy organizations whose goal it is to influence the debate Washington.
Featured Stories
Wilderness Society: Congress Should Strike MVP Provision From Fiscal Responsibility Act
WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The Wilderness Society issued the following news release on May 31, 2023:
Congress is expected to vote on the "Fiscal Responsibility Act" later today. In response, the following quote can be attributed to Lydia Weiss, Sr. Director of Government Relations at The Wilderness Society:
"The inclusion of a provision to fast track the disastrous Mountain Valley Pipeline project must be rejected by the Senate. The Mountain Valley Pipeline would carry gas hundreds of miles across Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, scarring forests, destroying habitat and leaving
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WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The Wilderness Society issued the following news release on May 31, 2023:
Congress is expected to vote on the "Fiscal Responsibility Act" later today. In response, the following quote can be attributed to Lydia Weiss, Sr. Director of Government Relations at The Wilderness Society:
"The inclusion of a provision to fast track the disastrous Mountain Valley Pipeline project must be rejected by the Senate. The Mountain Valley Pipeline would carry gas hundreds of miles across Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, scarring forests, destroying habitat and leavingwaterways (and the people that depend on them) vulnerable to toxic leaks. The pipeline's construction has already caused hundreds of 'pollution incidents' and occurrences of harmful sedimentation, resulting in considerable disruption to communities and wildlife in the region.
"It will continue to do so should it be irresponsibly rushed forward without regard for the foundational environmental laws meant to protect communities.
We call on Congress to preserve our bedrock environmental protections in communities across the country and strongly support Senator Kaine's amendment to remove the fast-tracking of the Mountain Valley Pipeline project from this legislation."
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Original text here: https://www.wilderness.org/articles/press-release/congress-should-strike-mvp-provision-fiscal-responsibility-act
[Category: Environment]
Public Interest Law Firm Applauds Oregon Lawmakers for Passing Bipartisan Homemade Food Bill, Encourages Gov. Kotek to Sign Into Law
ARLINGTON, Virginia, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The Institute for Justice issued the following news release:
The Oregon Legislature passed a bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Knopp, that would expand the state's cottage food industry, allowing at-home food producers a better chance to earn an honest living. The Institute for Justice (IJ), the nation's leading advocate for cottage food producers, applauds the passage and encourages Gov. Tina Kotek to sign the bill into law.
Cottage food producers are entrepreneurs who sell shelf-stable homemade foods, such as cakes, cookies and jam. Some do so to supplement
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ARLINGTON, Virginia, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The Institute for Justice issued the following news release:
The Oregon Legislature passed a bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Knopp, that would expand the state's cottage food industry, allowing at-home food producers a better chance to earn an honest living. The Institute for Justice (IJ), the nation's leading advocate for cottage food producers, applauds the passage and encourages Gov. Tina Kotek to sign the bill into law.
Cottage food producers are entrepreneurs who sell shelf-stable homemade foods, such as cakes, cookies and jam. Some do so to supplementincome, while others do it as a primary source of income.
If signed into law, this legislation will:
* Raise the annual gross revenue cap for cottage food producers from $20,000 to $50,000;
* allow for online sales, mail delivery, and sales to retail stores;
* protect the safety of food producers by no longer requiring them to list their home addresses on their food labels;
* and, ensure that the state cannot ban pet owners from selling homemade foods, as long as pets remain outside the kitchen during production.
"This bill is a huge step in the right direction for Oregon's cottage food producers," said IJ Director of Activism Special Projects Jennifer McDonald. "In particular, raising the revenue cap and allowing for retail sales will allow cottage food producers to more fully reach their potential and support their families. We call on Governor Kotek to sign this bipartisan bill into law."
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Original text here: https://ij.org/press-release/public-interest-law-firm-applauds-oregon-lawmakers-for-passing-bipartisan-homemade-food-bill-encourages-gov-kotek-to-sign-into-law/
[Category: Law/Legal]
First Focus on Children: Statement - Budget Deal 'Short-Sighted, Unfair and Fiscally Irresponsible,' Children's Advocate Says
WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNStalk) -- First Focus on Children, an advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions, issued the following statement on May 31, 2023:
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First Focus on Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement in response to the debt-ceiling deal making its way to the House floor:
"We are relieved that the nation seems to be on a path to avoid default and its disastrous economic consequences. But make no mistake: The process led to a legislative proposal that harms children. This proposal is
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WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNStalk) -- First Focus on Children, an advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions, issued the following statement on May 31, 2023:
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First Focus on Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement in response to the debt-ceiling deal making its way to the House floor:
"We are relieved that the nation seems to be on a path to avoid default and its disastrous economic consequences. But make no mistake: The process led to a legislative proposal that harms children. This proposal isshort-sighted, unfair and fiscally irresponsible. Many of our lawmakers claim to be addressing the debt for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Yet, this bill disproportionately will cut investments in our children's health, safety and well-being and will instead increase funding for defense and protect many of the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations against paying their fair share for the good of the country.
Our nation's budget process already greatly disadvantages children and this agreement reached by the Administration and House leaders only makes things worse for them, their families and our nation's future. Even before this bill, First Focus on Children and members of our Children's Budget Coalition identified the many unique, unmet needs of our nation's children and the harmful spending trends that have created a rapidly declining share of federal investments in them.
Children are not faring well right now. Their mortality rates are rising. The improved Child Tax Credit, which lifted millions out of poverty, has expired. Millions more may lose health care coverage through the Medicaid unwinding process, and will continue to face crises in our education, early childhood, and child care systems created by decades of disinvestment. Now is when Congress should be investing in our children, not targeting them for cuts.
As President Biden and Congress move forward in the debates over taxes, the appropriations process, and the Farm Bill, First Focus on Children calls on them to recognize the significant threats facing our nation's children and to make them a priority in all federal policy and budget decisions."
Research shows that targeting children stands in sharp contrast to what the American people want. In a May 2022 poll by First Focus on Children with Lake Research Partners, voters clearly demonstrated by wide margins that they believe we are already spending too little rather than too much on children. A recent poll by the advocacy organization Zero-To-Three finds that an overwhelming majority of voters wants children to be a greater priority in the federal budget.
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Original text here: https://firstfocus.org/news/press-release/statement-budget-deal-short-sighted-unfair-and-fiscally-irresponsible-childrens-advocate-says
[Category: Sociological]
FOREIGN POLICY FOR AMERICA HONORS FP4A HONORS UKRAINE AMBASSADOR OKSANA MARKAROVA WITH ITS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNSawa) -- Foreign Policy for America issued the following news release:
Foreign Policy for America is pleased to announce that it will present Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, with its Outstanding Community Leadership Award at its flagship annual Leadership Summit on June 12, 2023.
Oksana Markarova was appointed the Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States and arrived in Washington, DC on April 20, 2021. She served in Ukraine's Ministry of Finance from 2015-2020, First as deputy Minister and Government commissioner on investments and then as
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WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNSawa) -- Foreign Policy for America issued the following news release:
Foreign Policy for America is pleased to announce that it will present Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, with its Outstanding Community Leadership Award at its flagship annual Leadership Summit on June 12, 2023.
Oksana Markarova was appointed the Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States and arrived in Washington, DC on April 20, 2021. She served in Ukraine's Ministry of Finance from 2015-2020, First as deputy Minister and Government commissioner on investments and then asMinister of Finance. Since Russia's horrific full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people have inspired the world in a fight for freedom and democracy. Thanks to the unwavering commitment to partnership and diplomacy of Ambassador Markarova and her colleagues, the U.S. and Ukraine have been in lockstep against Russia's aggression. FP4A is pleased to recognize the Ambassador's leadership and dedication our shared values as our community continues to work to ensure the U.S. government sustains its support for Ukraine.
"On February 24, 2022, many observers believed that the war between Russia and Ukraine would be over in a matter of weeks, if not days. That it continues 15 months later affirms a simple but powerful reality: the effort to conquer cannot extinguish the will to endure," said Ali Wyne, who serves on Foreign Policy for America's Board of Directors. "Ambassador Markarova has embodied the Ukrainian people's resilience throughout her diplomatic tenure in the United States. This award recognizes her leadership at a time of profound upheaval across and beyond Europe."
"Ukraine's endearing spirit in its fight against Russia serves as a rallying cry to the world that authoritarian aggression cannot be tolerated," said Bishop Garrison, who serves on Foreign Policy for America's Board of Directors. "When the international order is violated, so too are human rights, diplomatic norms, and the very essence of liberty. We praise Ambassador Markarova for her continued leadership in this historic moment, and are thankful for her dedication to those values we hold dear."
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Original text here: https://www.fp4america.org/fp4a-honors-ukraine-ambassador-oksana-markarova-oustanding-community-leadership
[Category: Law/Legal]
Consumer Reports Urges Texas to Bolster Newly Passed Privacy Bill
AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 (TNSgov) -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release:
Consumer Reports calls on the Texas legislature to strengthen H.B. 4, a recently passed consumer data privacy bill.
The bill includes some important consumer rights, such as the right to know the information companies have collected about them, the right to correct and delete that information, and the right to limit some data disclosures through universal opt-out mechanisms. However, the bill only applies to businesses that sell personal information and are not a small business under the SBA definition, leaving
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AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 (TNSgov) -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release:
Consumer Reports calls on the Texas legislature to strengthen H.B. 4, a recently passed consumer data privacy bill.
The bill includes some important consumer rights, such as the right to know the information companies have collected about them, the right to correct and delete that information, and the right to limit some data disclosures through universal opt-out mechanisms. However, the bill only applies to businesses that sell personal information and are not a small business under the SBA definition, leavinga wide swath of information uncovered. The bill also contains insufficient enforcement mechanisms and allows companies to discriminate against consumers who exercise their right to opt out by denying service or charging extra.
"While we applaud the Texas legislature for strengthening this bill by adding a universal opt-out provision, there are many additional ways it should be improved to better protect consumers," said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst at Consumer Reports.
"This bill should apply to any entity that collects and processes significant amounts of consumer data, regardless of if they sell it or not. The cure provisions in the administrative enforcement section are also far too deferential to businesses that break the law. We urge lawmakers in Texas to consider how they can build on this bill to provide the consumer protections their constituents truly deserve."
If the Governor signs HB 4 into law, Texas will become the latest state to enact a comprehensive privacy law, joining the ranks of California, Utah, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, and Tennessee.
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Original text here: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/consumer-reports-urges-texas-to-bolster-newly-passed-privacy-bill/
[Category: Business]
Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Require Automatic Emergency Braking With Pedestrian Detection
WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNStalk)(TNSrpt) -- The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety issued the following statement on May 31, 2023, by President Cathy Chase:
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection on all new passenger vehicles and light trucks, as required in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, Pub. L. 117-58). Advocates commends Congress for including this requirement in the IIJA and Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth
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WASHINGTON, June 1 (TNStalk)(TNSrpt) -- The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety issued the following statement on May 31, 2023, by President Cathy Chase:
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection on all new passenger vehicles and light trucks, as required in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, Pub. L. 117-58). Advocates commends Congress for including this requirement in the IIJA and Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth(D-IL) as well as Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6th) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9th) for their steadfast advocacy of this critical safety issue.
According to NHTSA, taking this commonsense regulatory action will save over 360 lives and prevent over 24,000 injuries annually. The rulemaking also will result in savings of over $5 billion dollars per year. We applaud the agency for advancing the rulemaking process to require this proven safety system and urge them to issue a comprehensive final rule promptly.
In 2021, traffic fatalities reached nearly 43,000, and preliminary 2022 data reveal the figures remain incomprehensibly high. Additionally, pedestrians and cyclists continue to be killed on our roads at an alarming rate. Tragically, over 7,300 pedestrians died in vehicle crashes in 2021, a 13 percent increase over 2020, according to NHTSA. In the same time period, almost 1,000 pedalcyclists died on U.S. roads. A total of 117,081 pedestrians and cyclists suffered injuries. All road users whether inside or outside the vehicle can and must be protected by AEB.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), AEB can decrease front-to-rear crashes with injuries by 56 percent. The standards for AEB must ensure all road users are protected in all lighting conditions and at all appropriate speeds. Approximately three-quarters of all pedestrian deaths occur in dark/unlighted conditions, and research indicates that today's pedestrian AEB systems do not reduce pedestrian crash risk in the dark without street lighting. In addition to this rulemaking, final rules on minimum performance standards for verified crash avoidance technologies including AEB for all new trucks, lane departure warning (LDW) and lane keeping assist (LKA) for new vehicles, as well as impaired driving prevention technology must be advanced expeditiously.
With the clock ticking down on the Biden Administration and the number of preventable deaths piling up, there is no time to spare on bringing these rules over the finish line and these safety technologies onto production lines.
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Note: Advocates is in the process of reviewing the lengthy NPRM and will be submitting comments to the docket.
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REPORT: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2023-05/AEB-NPRM-Web-Version-05-31-2023.pdf
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Original text here: https://saferoads.org/2023/05/31/statement-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-to-require-automatic-emergency-braking-with-pedestrian-detection/
[Category: Transportation]
ACLU-CT HERALDS PASSAGE OF BILL TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM POLICE DECEPTION
HARTFORD, Connecticut, June 1 (TNStalk) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut issued the following statement on May 31, 2023:
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The Connecticut House of Representatives today voted to pass S.B. 1071, a bill to ban police from using deceptive interrogation tactics against children. The legislation now awaits action by Governor Lamont.
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The following is a reaction from ACLU of Connecticut public policy and advocacy director Claudine Constant:
"Children should be safe and protected everywhere, including when they're in a police interrogation room, facing down police who
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HARTFORD, Connecticut, June 1 (TNStalk) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut issued the following statement on May 31, 2023:
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The Connecticut House of Representatives today voted to pass S.B. 1071, a bill to ban police from using deceptive interrogation tactics against children. The legislation now awaits action by Governor Lamont.
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The following is a reaction from ACLU of Connecticut public policy and advocacy director Claudine Constant:
"Children should be safe and protected everywhere, including when they're in a police interrogation room, facing down police whohave handcuffs and guns. It's wrong to lie to children in our daily lives, and it's especially wrong, although currently legal, for police to lie to children during interrogations. Deceptive police interrogations most harm people whom our state has made most vulnerable, including Black and Latinx youth and people with disabilities. We are thrilled that today, the legislature took a stand for protecting children and against deceptive police interrogation tactics, and we urge Governor Lamont to sign this bill quickly."
The legislation would make a police interview with a person under the age of 18 unusable in court if police interrogators knowingly used false facts, false promises of leniency, or threats during the interrogation, or if police threated to use force or denied the person's physical and/or mental health needs.
Deceptive interrogation tactics by police frequently result in false confessions. At least 29 percent of Connecticut's wrongful convictions involve false confessions, including those made by people who were youth at the time, such as in the cases of Bobby Johnson and Peter Reilly.
Lawsuits resulting from wrongful convictions involving police using deceptive interrogations have cost Connecticut's taxpayers at least $37.5 million in state compensation and an additional $10.74 million in civil settlements.
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Original text here: https://www.acluct.org/en/press-releases/aclu-ct-heralds-passage-bill-protect-children-police-deception
[Category: Law/Legal]
