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June 22, 2006, 9:29 am
By
The National Association of Manufacturers
Heard a presentation by Jim Gattuso of Heritage yesterday. He's the author of this backgrounder on the nearly-incomprehensible -- and incomprehensibly-named -- topic of net neutrality.
Here's what we gleaned from that session: "Net neutrality" = "net regulation." If you want to regulate the net, you'll love net neutrality. Net regulation will require a one-size/one price fits all approach to the net. Today, you can spend more to get a better car, house, iPod, whatever. Even the US Postal Service allows you to spend more to send a letter or a package faster. So why is it bad for companies to be able to charge more for faster and more complex Internet service? If you don't want that, you'd pay less. Makes sense, no? Remember the market?
Read more...
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June 22, 2006, 9:11 am
By
N.H. GOP Sen. John Sununu
Government’s role in supporting the development of emerging technologies is to get out of the way. Imposing unnecessary regulations on the Internet is a sure way to discourage investment, limiting the deployment of new products. The marketplace has powerful incentives for private industry to continue the development of existing technologies, while at the same time providing safeguards to protect consumers. Furthermore, the most recent version of the Commerce Committee’s legislation includes an ‘Internet Consumer Bill of Rights,’ along with authority for the FCC to adjudicate complaints against providers. These provisions will help ensure that Internet users have unfettered access without stifling technological innovations that benefit consumers.
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June 22, 2006, 7:00 am
By
Pa. GOP Rep. Melissa Hart
The Death Tax is one of the most regressive taxes ever included in our Tax Code. All too often, children and other family members have to give up their family business or the farm because the tax bill they are handed by the government is too high for them to pay. This legislation ends the double taxation of the Death Tax and enables individuals to keep the business or farm in family hands.
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June 22, 2006, 6:58 am
By
House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer
The debate on the House Floor today is a stark illustration of how different Democratic priorities are from Republicans'. While Republicans push through yet another tax cut for the wealthiest few among us, Democrats are fighting for the hardworking Americans who struggle to make ends meet on the minimum wage. The minimum wage has not been raised since 1997 and is at its lowest level in 50 years when adjusted for inflation. Some say that an increase in the minimum wage would only help teenagers but in fact 6.6 million Americans, the vast majority of whom are over 20 years old, would benefit from a minimum wage increase - including hundreds of thousands of parents. Opponents also claim that an increase would hurt job growth, but research shows the exact opposite effect. After Republicans push forward a virtual repeal of the estate tax, which will add hundreds of billions of dollars to our nation's deficits in the next ten years, they are contemplating playing games with the minimum wage so that they can get rid of this political liability. The American people will not be fooled and Democrats will not stop fighting until we have a fair vote on a real minimum wage increase.
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June 22, 2006, 6:57 am
By
Ga. GOP Rep. Phil Gingrey
I'm quite frankly disappointed that the Senate couldn't obtain cloture on a full repeal of the Death Tax. However, the bill we're debating today is a strong compromise - and it will certainly protect many more families, small businesses, and family farms from the double taxation of the Death Tax. The old adage here is true - we cannot let the perfect become the enemy of the good. And we have an opportunity today to take a substantial and permanent chunk out of the Death Tax with a bill that can pass the Senate. The Death Tax is one of the more exasperating taxes on the books. Death should not be a taxable event. And yet, we continue to hand grieving families a "payment due" bill upon the death of a loved one. This tax is hurting our economy and costing us jobs. So while I would rather see it permanently repealed, we have an opportunity today to substantially reduce its burden - for good.
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June 22, 2006, 6:55 am
By
Fla. GOP Rep. Tom Feeney
On the heels of rising gasoline and natural gas prices, the House Resources Committee passed legislation yesterday related to oil and natural gas drilling. A key provision to this legislation would transfer power to state legislatures to expand or diminish the coastal buffer zone.
Just last month, the House was close to approving a measure that would have allowed natural gas drilling three miles off the Atlantic Coast. I represent 70 miles of that coast and I am extremely relieved the measure was narrowly defeated. Last month's close vote demonstrated how Florida's bargaining position is melting like snow in August.
I believe Florida's delegation should support this new deal out of the Resources Committee so that we will not have to stare at drilling platforms three miles off of our coast. Tourism and the environment are too important to our great state to allow close coastal drilling.
This is a very good deal for Floridians and I do not see any scenario in the near future in which my former colleagues in Tallahassee would allow drilling within 100 miles of Florida.
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June 22, 2006, 4:58 am
By
Calif. Dem. Rep. Adam Schiff
While the President possesses the inherent authority to engage in electronic surveillance of the enemy outside the country, Congress regulates wiretapping within the United States. And Congress intended to fully occupy the field when it passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act requiring court approval for domestic eavesdropping.
There is no limiting principle to the Administration's argument that as commander in chief the President can do as he chooses during the war on terror. We are left solely to rely upon the good faith of the executive, and that is not good enough. When the executive shows that it is infallible, a good faith standard may be enough; but they are no more infallible than Congress. The Constitution doesn't say, as my opponents on the floor argued 'trust us.' In fact, in its system of checks and balances, the Constitution actually says, 'don't trust us,' and sets each institution as a check on the self-aggrandizing tendencies of every other.
Electronic surveillance of al Qaeda operatives and others seeking to harm our country can and will continue; it can and should be done in compliance with the law.
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June 22, 2006, 4:26 am
By
Nev. Dem. Rep. Shelley Berkley
The United States and the world cannot allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
I believe the President is moving in the right direction. A nuclear Iran is a threat to Israel, to Europe, and to the United States.
To put nuclear weapons in the hands of a President like Ahmadinejad who demonstrates every time he opens his mouth that he is incapable of holding the awesome power of nuclear weapon would be a monumental mistake.
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June 22, 2006, 4:09 am
By
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO
Something is very wrong when Congress can vote itself NINE raises while failing to increase the $5.15 an hour minimum wage since 1997. Congressional inaction has pushed the value of the minimum wage to its lowest level since 1955—a 51 year low!
The disregard in which leaders of the current Congress hold working families has rarely been on greater display than in today’s defeat of Sen. Kennedy’s “Fair Minimum Wage Act."
Republican leaders have the nerve to try to sneak in poison pill provisions that weaken and eliminate the wage and hour protections workers currently have. They tried to don a political fig leaf with a smaller increase, but could not resist adding measures that would have stripped overtime and minimum wage protections from more than seven million workers and undermined the 40 hour workweek. Fortunately, that cynical move failed.
Full-time work at the minimum wage is not enough to keep even a small family out of poverty. And when the wage floor rises, all workers benefit.
Republicans should come out of the shadows and support a straightforward minimum wage increase that will give workers the raise they deserve, not one that provides political cover.
An increase to $7.25 is the right thing to do, and America’s working families are counting on it.
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June 22, 2006, 3:59 am
By
Calif. Dem. Rep. George Miller
The doors to college should be open for every student who wants to attend, but instead skyrocketing tuition costs will price millions of qualified young people out of an education in the next ten years. And students who don’t forgo college are taking on unprecedented levels of debt to pay for it. This college affordability crisis is about to get worse – on July 1, interest rates on college loans will go up. And Republican leaders have responded to all of this by cutting $12 billion out of the federal student aid programs. Democrats believe that making college affordable should be one of our nation’s highest priorities. We need a highly educated workforce to stay ahead of the global pack in competitiveness and innovation. Senator Durbin and I have introduced new legislation that would cut interest rates in half on new college loans for students and parents. If passed, our legislation would save the typical undergraduate student borrower – with $17,500 in debt – $5,600 over the life of his or her loan.
Over the past few months, House Democrats have heard from hundreds of students and families who are all struggling with crippling college costs. From California to Wisconsin to Vermont to Alabama, students ask why their Congress is not giving them a much-needed hand as they pursue a college education and their dreams. Their voices cannot be ignored. It is time for Congress to listen. Cutting interest rates on college loans will be a critical first step to making college more affordable for all Americans.
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