Politics
A House Foreign Affairs Hearing: "Lessons Learned from Super Bowl Preparations: Preventing International Human Trafficking at Major Sporting Events"
S. 1922 —- Senator David Vitter, having announced his entry into the 2015 Louisisana Governor's race, has introduced bill to prevent the illegal trafficking of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits by requiring all program beneficiaries to show valid photo identification when purchasing items with program benefits. On Tuesday, the House passed H.R.7, The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. more »
A New Woman In the House, Women's Health and Proposed HR 7's Effect on It
Dr. Susan Wood, director, Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, testified about the impact of [H.R. 7] on the private insurance market. "It is the nature of health insurance that insurers may no longer provide plans that include coverage which would come with burdensome regulatory requirements such as proposed in H.R. 7. Since approximately 60 percent of women of reproductive age, or 37 million women, get their health coverage through private insurance, this legislation could have a profound effect."
On January 9, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a hearing on the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” (H.R. 7).
Speaking in support… more »
A Puppy Lemon Law, Minimum Wages, Gas Taxes, Legal Marijuana Among New State Laws
Elaine S. Povich writes: A wide-ranging collection of new state laws went into effect Jan. 1, including legalized pot, a puppy "lemon law" and a ban on unauthorized drone surveillance. One new law protects the "Possum Drop," a Brasstown, NC, New Year's Eve event. According to the National Conference of State Elaine S. Povich writes: Legislatures, states enacted nearly 40,000 laws and resolutions during 2013 legislative sessions, and many of them take effect on Jan. 1. Many of the laws made headlines when they passed. Now state residents will feel the effects. more »
Senators Press Medicare for Answers on Drug Program
ProPublica reporters, using Medicare's own data, identified scores of doctors whose prescription patterns within the program bore the hallmarks of fraud. The cost of their prescribing spiked dramatically from one year to the next — in some cases by millions of dollars — as they chose brand-name drugs that scammers can easily resell. more »