A Blog Called Hope

The Hill newspaper reports today that 76 of the current U.S. Senators have been to Iraq since the war
began, with at least 38 saying they’ve made the trip in the last 12 months. None, however, have been there more than Rhode Island’s own Jack Reed, who has been there 1o times. Reed is one of nine senators who have made at least six visits to Iraq since the war began.

James Thurber, professor of political science and director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University, said that Iraq visits give lawmakers more credibility on the war.

“The more trips you go give you more authority,” Thurber said.

Making good on a pledge to clean up the GOP-fostered culture of corruption in Washington, House Democrats like Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin today voted in favor of sweeping ethics legislation that will shine new light on federal campaign finance reports.

From Congressman Kennedy:

“The American people are demanding open and honest government and it is my firm belief they should receive nothing less,” said Congressman Patrick Kennedy. “With this comprehensive lobbying reform bill Congress is making a commitment to change the way business is done in Washington and in turn we are working to earn back the trust and the confidence of the American people.”

Here’s what it does:

• New transparency for lobbyist bundling and political campaign fund activity, as well as other financial contributions – requires disclosure when lobbyists bundle campaign contributions for any federal elected official, candidate, leadership PAC or national political party; and requires lobbyists to detail their own campaign contributions, and payments to Presidential libraries, Inaugural Committees or entities controlled by or named for Members of Congress.
• Greater transparency in earmarking and the legislative process – requires that all earmarks included in bills and conference reports, and their sponsors, be identified on the Internet at least 48 hours before Senate votes; subjects “dead of night” additions to conference reports to a 60-vote point of order; requires Senators to certify that they and their immediate family members have no financial interest in the earmark; ends the practice of secret Senate holds; makes conference reports available for public review on the Internet 48 hours before the vote.
• Lavish convention parties – prohibits Members of Congress from attending national political convention parties held in their honor and paid for by lobbyists or their clients.
• Ends K-Street Project – Prohibits Members of Congress and their staff from attempting to influence employment decisions in exchange for political access.
• A strong lobbyist gift ban – prohibits lobbyists and their clients from giving gifts, including free meals and tickets, to Senators and their staff; House passed similar gift ban in rules package in January.
• Limits on privately funded travel – bars lobbyists and their private-sector clients from paying for multi-day travel trips by Senators and their staff; House passed similar travel ban in rules package in January.
• Restrictions on corporate flights – requires Senators, Senate candidates and Presidential candidates to pay charter rates for trips on private planes; bars House candidates from accepting trips on private planes.
• Strong revolving doors restrictions – prohibits Senators and their senior staff from gaining undue lobbying access by increasing the “cooling off” period for Senators from one to two years before they can lobby Congress; prohibits senior Senate staff from lobbying contacts with the entire Senate for one year, instead of just their former employing office.
• Expands public disclosure of lobbyist activities – requires lobbyists to file reports on their lobbying twice as often each year, and for the first time to file them electronically in a public, searchable database; and increases civil and criminal penalties for knowingly and corruptly violating lobbying disclosure rules.
• Congressional Pension Accountability – Denies Congressional retirement benefits to Members of Congress who are convicted of bribery, perjury and other similar crimes.

WASHINGTON –On July 30, 2007, the United States House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation H.R. 3123, sponsored by Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, extending Liberians’ Temporary Protected Status until at least September 30, 2008. Kennedy has authored and sponsored legislation regarding the citizenship status and opportunities of Liberian-Americans every year since 1998, and has tirelessly advocated for its passage.

“Thousands of Liberians who live in Rhode Island and America have rebuilt their lives here, have contributed to their communities, and have raised American-born children,” said Congressman Patrick Kennedy. “Furthermore, from within the United States, they are in a much stronger position to not only continue their contributions to American society, but at the same time, they can also continue to play a pivotal role in furthering Liberia’s recovery from years of strife and turmoil.”

Advocates of this legislation include bipartisan Members of Congress, as well as, Charles A. Minor, Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States, and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who explains, “For those unable to come back home now, we must appeal to you to grant them continuing protection status, and residency where appropriate, to put them in a condition to contribute to their country’s reform and development.”

Currently, 3600 Liberian refugees living in the United States have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until October of this year, when it is due to expire. Thousands of Liberians –– including the estimated 7,000 to 15,000 who live in Rhode Island (the largest concentration of Liberians per capita in the U.S.) –– have resided here in the United States since the outbreak of civil war in the African nation in March 1991, with many already achieving legal citizenship.

“This bill is about fundamental fairness. This bill is about keeping hard-working families together. This is a bill that strengthens our foreign policy. It would be unfair for families who have lived in the United States for over 10 years serving in all facets of society, from nurses and doctors to Marines and NFL Players, to face deportation to a country that is not yet ready for their return,” said Kennedy.

Congressman Kennedy spoke on the Floor of the House earlier this evening in support of legislation that would dramatically increase funding for veterans assistance programs, including mental health care.

Kennedy has been recognized as a national leader in the mental health parity movement.

Congressman Kennedy invited Speaker Pelosi to Rhode Island Saturday, here’s some video of her discussing the growing influence of women in politics.

The Democratic Party of Rhode Island is looking for volunteers interested in serving in the RIDP Women’s Caucus to promote gender equality and a number of other issues important to all Rhode Islanders. If you’re interested in getting involved, all you have to do is email the party.

UPDATE Apparantly, the Bush administration thinks Americans are stupid as chief flak Tony Snow vehemently defended Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and refused to acknowledge the false testimony he gave to Congress.

“He has testified truthfully and tried to be very accurate,” the chief White House spokesman, Tony Snow, said of Mr. Gonzales’s testimony this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Snow said repeatedly that Mr. Gonzales had not been contradicted by Robert S. Mueller III, the F.B.I. director, as has been widely reported, on whether there were serious disagreements within the Bush administration on its secret surveillance program.

Here’s some video from yesterday on Sen. Whitehouse’s call for a special counsel perjury investigation.
WASHINGTON –Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is among a group of Senate Democrats seeking an investigation into whether U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales committed perjury.Whitehouse has signed a letter asking for a special counsel to look into whether Gonzalez perjured himself regarding the firings of U.S. attorneys and administration dissent over President Bush’s domestic surveillance program.The three other Democrats who authored the letter are Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Charles Schumer of New York and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.A draft copy of the letter was obtained by The Associated Press shortly before a news conference planned by the senators. They say the attorney general should be held — quote — to the “highest ethical standards.”more

UPDATE: The House just overwhelmingly voted in favor of the legislation implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations.

Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Bill Lynch issued the following statement after the vote:

PAWTUCKET – Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Bill Lynch today applauded the four members of the state’s Congressional delegation for keeping their promise to make our communities safer and more secure. This week, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin voted to implement the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations, something Republicans refused to do for the last three years.

Langevin played a critical role in crafting the final version of this legislation as he served as a member of the House-Senate conference committee. Over the last week he worked with his fellow House conferees and their Senate counterparts to draft the final version of the bill.

In July 2004, the 9/11 Commission announced its recommendations for how to avoid a future terrorist attack in the United States. For three years, Republicans put their partisan loyalty ahead of our nation’s security, first by resisting Democratic efforts to appoint the bipartisan blue Ribbon in the first place, then by joining President Bush in ignoring the Commission’s recommendations.

But this week, Democrats in Congress voted to send a long-overdue bill that finally implements the 9/11 Commission recommendations to the President’s desk. The bill would tighten screening of air and sea cargo, strengthen transit security, improve oversight of our intelligence and homeland security systems, and allocate $3.3 billion to help communities improve communications among first responders—a major problem during both the September 11 attacks and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“Republicans have fought us every step of the way, but Democrats scored a victory for the American people today by sending the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations to the President’s desk,” said Lynch.

“During last year’s election, Democrats promised to end the failed policies of Bush Republicans and have kept that promise by passing the Commission’s commonsense recommendations for making our communities safer and more secure. The time has come for Bush Republicans to stop standing with the President and start standing up for the people of Rhode Island.”

Last night the Senate passed the conference report on legislation to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations. The House is taking it up right now and is expected to approve it in a vote sometime this afternoon. The next stop is Bush’s desk! This is another example of how Democrats are keeping their promise to make our communities safer and more secure.

Kudos to Congressman Jim Langevin who worked tirelessly as a member of the conference committee to move this critically important legislation to the floor.

FBI Director Robert Mueller testified yesterday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was not accurate in his sworn testimony to the Senate on Tuesday, raising new questions about whether or not Gonzales committed perjury.

Read the AP story

WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to help homeless Rhode Islanders with mental health or substance abuse issues transition to permanent, stable housing, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will award the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals $300,000 through its Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness Program (PATH).

See the release from Senator Reed