109th Congress

Number: 
109

Reaction to Bush’s FDA Nominee

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Bush nominated acting Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach to be the agency’s permanent commissioner. The FDA has repeatedly postponed a decision on the application to make the Plan B emergency contraceptive available without a prescription, and that is likely to be a key issue during the Senate approval process.

Congresswoman Maloney Reiterates Strong Support for Marriage Equality

NEW YORK, NY – Today Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) reiterated her strong support for marriage equality for same-sex couples.  In a statement to the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) -- New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization -- issued in connection with ESPA’s new advocacy campaign, Congresswoman Maloney said:

Rep. Maloney and Colleagues Introduce Landmark Whistleblower Protection Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC - During a news conference today, lawmakers announced landmark whistleblower protection legislation for federal workers and contractors. The legislation authored by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Edward Markey (D-MA) in the House (H.R. 4925) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in the Senate will give protection for whistleblowers who risk their careers to stand up for the American people.

Preventing Another Dubai Ports Fiasco

WASHINGTON, DC - Now that the Dubai ports deal seems to be dead, members of the House Financial Services Committee want to create a stricter foreign acquisition approval process so that the United States does not go down the same road again. New bipartisan legislation (H.R. 4915) would strengthen the national security component of the Council on Foreign Investment in the United States review process.

71 Senators, Members of Congress Ask President Bush to Maintain Survey for Evaluating Living Standards and Government Programs

WASHINGTON, DC – Twenty-nine U.S. Senators and forty-two Members of Congress have sent a letter to President Bush asking him to reverse the administration’s decision to eliminate a Census Bureau survey that is critical for evaluating American living standards and the effectiveness of government programs such as unemployment insurance, food stamps, Medicaid, and welfare. The President’s budget would eliminate the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), the only large-scale government survey that collects high-quality, policy-relevant data on the economic well-being of American families over time.

First Federal Money for 9/11 Health Treatment Announced

WASHINGTON, DC - The Centers for Disease Control's plan to distribute $75 million for sick and injured 9/11 responders has been unveiled. Among the funds is the first-ever federal money spent on medical treatment for 9/11 health effects. The money is part of the $125 million that the New York Congressional delegation fought hard to save after the administration announced plans to rescind the money last year.

Northwest Flight Attendant Outsourcing Plan Grounded

WASHINGTON, DC - A plan to replace 2,600 Northwest Airlines flight attendants on international flights with foreign workers has been dropped as part of the tentative labor agreement between the airline and the Professional Flight Attendants Association. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), who in November led 99 Members of Congress in urging Northwest’s CEO to scuttle the outsourcing plan, said today that she is pleased with the developments.

New York Italian-American Community Leader Attends Italian Prime Minister's Address to Congress

WASHINGTON, DC - As Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi addressed a joint session of Congress this week, one of the New York Italian-American community's leading figures was watching up close and personal from the chamber of the House of Representatives. Maria T. Fosco, Vice President of the Italian American Museum in Manhattan , was in Washington as a guest of Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens ).

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