Politics
Jo Freeman On Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta and Then Got Written Out of History by Howell Raines
Jo Freeman Writes: This book is about Raines’ effort to put together a jigsaw puzzle about Union sentiment in Alabama, beginning with his family. Raised in Birmingham, Raines’ ancestral roots are in Winston County in NW Alabama, famous for the legend of the Free State of Winston. According to the legend, a mass meeting was held at Looney’s Tavern in Winston County to decide how to respond to Alabama’s vote to secede from the Union. (pp.121-2) Those present passed a resolution that no state can legally get out of the Union, but if it could, then a county could cease to be a part of the state. Winston County didn’t set up its own independent government; it just asked to be left alone because its citizens didn’t want “to shoot at their neighbors ... or the flag of Washington, Jefferson and Jackson.” more »
Women's Congressional Policy Institute: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA, Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023
Child Protection: The House is scheduled to consider S. 2051, the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023; Hearing: “The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce;” On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA. Child Protection: The House is scheduled to consider S. 2051, the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023, with an amendment to broaden the definition of child sexual abuse material, expand the AMBER alert system, and create additional reporting processes. Hearings: Child Care - The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing, “The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce.” Veterans - On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA.” more »
Chair Jerome H. Powell Remarks at the Stanford Business, Government and Society Forum
"The Fed has been assigned two goals for monetary policy — maximum employment and stable prices. Our success in delivering on these goals matters a great deal to all Americans. To support our pursuit of those goals, Congress granted the Fed a substantial degree of independence in our conduct of monetary policy. Fed policymakers serve long terms that are not synchronized with election cycles. Our decisions are not subject to reversal by other parts of the government, other than through legislation. This independence both enables and requires us to make our monetary policy decisions without consideration of short-term political matters. Such independence for a federal agency is and should be rare. In the case of the Fed, independence is essential to our ability to serve the public. The record shows that independent central banks deliver better economic outcomes." more »
Legislative Update: Bills, Resolutions, Introduced: March 18-22, 2024; Hirono, Gillibrand, Tillis, Graham, Duckworth, Murkowski, Granger, Ernst and More
"Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) –– A bill to authorize a grant program to increase capacity for providing abortion services and other sexual and reproductive health care. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) –– A bill to direct the Attorney General to study issues relating to human trafficking. Sen. Thomas Tillis -- A resolution to protect the Iranian political refugees, including female foreign political prisoners, in Ashraf-3 in Albania. Sen. Lindsey Graham –– A resolution to demand that the international community hold accountable those who perpetrated acts of sexual violence and sexual torture during and after the attack on the state of Israel on October 7, 2023. S. 3983––Sen. Mazie Hirono –– A bill to authorize a grant program to increase capacity for providing abortion services and other sexual and reproductive health care."
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