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State Dept spokesman denies
report of settlements agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)—Following are excerpts of the press briefing conducted on Wednesday, July 8, by State Department spokesman Ian Kelly:
QUESTION: There are U.S. reports from an Israeli newspaper that the Israeli Government and the United States Government have struck a deal which would allow the construction or the completion of 2,500 more settlements in the West Bank, this while Secretary Clinton is calling, in no uncertain terms --
MR. KELLY: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- for a complete freeze. Any comments? Is that true?
MR. KELLY: No, that report, and that Israeli media outlet, is inaccurate. What I can say is that Senator Mitchell and Defense Minister Barak did have good, productive discussions, but our position has not changed. And that’s that – our position that all parties have the responsibility to create the context that will support the renewed negotiations toward a comprehensive peace in the region. And our bottom line is the same, it has not changed; and that’s that all parties in the region have to honor their obligations. And you know what our position is regarding settlements.
QUESTION: So there’s no --
MR. KELLY: This activity has to stop. This is laid out in the Roadmap. So the reports aren’t accurate.
QUESTION: Can I follow up on that?
MR. KELLY: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: Will Mitchell meet with Netanyahu next?
MR. KELLY: I’m not prepared to announce any specific date, but I do believe that Senator Mitchell plans to go to Israel soon. I just don’t have a date for you yet.
Hodes unveils bill to give tax credit to small business providing health insurance for employees
 CONCORD, New Hampshire (Press Release)--- Congressman Paul Hodes was joined by small business leaders to announce new legislation Tuesday at a press conference in Concord that will help New Hampshire small businesses get more affordable health insurance for their employees.
His plan would provide small businesses that employ less than 50 a tax credit to of up to $1,000 annually for an individual coverage and up to $2,250 annually for a family coverage. The plan would also provide premium assistance for small business employees so that they can afford the same coverage Members of Congress have.
"In New Hampshire, small business is big business," Congressman Paul Hodes said. "The rising cost of health is pricing too many families out of the American Dream. This plan will help small business in this difficult economy and provide more families the exact same health insurance members of Congress receive.
We have been debating health care reform for decades and nothing has happened except prices have gone up and more families go without coverage. It’s time for a serious dialogue on health care reform and I look forward to working in Congress to provide affordable, portable health insurance for every American," Hodes added.
"Every year, the rising cost of health care premiums forced us to consider how we could continue to run a viable business and continue to offer effective health benefits to our employees," Frank Edelblut Former CEO of Control Solutions Inc. "This legislation will provide a tremendous boost for small businesses in New Hampshire, helping them to provide quality health coverage for their employees."
For family health coverage in New Hampshire from 2000 to 2007, the average employer’s portion of annual premiums rose 72 percent, while the average worker’s share grew by 101 percent. In New Hampshire, it costs the average employer over $3600 to insure an employee which is $300 above the national average. To insure a family, it would cost an employer over $9300.
Preceding provided by Congressman Hodes
Klein calls for grants for
training of service dogs
 BOCA RATON, Florida – Congressman Ron Klein (Democrat, Florida) announced on Tuesday that he will introduce new, bipartisan legislation to help train guide dogs and other service animals for wounded veterans. Klein’s bill, the Wounded Warrior K-9 Corps Act, will establish a grant program for organizations that provide wounded warriors and disabled veterans with service animals, such as physical therapy dogs and guide dogs. This legislation helps keep America’s promise to disabled soldiers and improves veterans’ quality of life after their service.
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“Since being elected to Congress, I have made it a top priority to stand with our nation’s service members, veterans and their families,” Klein said. “Recently, I learned of a new way that we can serve those that have served us. Right here in South Florida, and in other places around the country, private organizations are training animals to work with disabled soldiers and veterans. These service animals can be guide dogs, physical therapy partners, and new best friends for our veterans, and that is why I introduced to Wounded Warrior K-9 Corps Act to stand behind these organizations and the veterans they serve.”
“I have seen these programs in action,” Klein continued. “I have witnessed the growth of veterans and wounded soldiers after working with a guide dog or an animal that can assist them with physical therapy. These programs succeed, and I believe that every American who puts on a uniform and risks their life for this country should have our full support.”
Klein announced his new legislation on Tuesday morning at the Broward VA Clinic. He was joined by Irwin Stovroff, a South Florida resident and former World War II Prisoner of War, who started an organization to train guide dogs for wounded veterans with funds out of his own pocket. Klein’s legislation is designed to help non-profit organizations like Stovroff’s meet their goal of assisting wounded veterans, even in difficult economic times, by providing competitive grants to supplement their private fundraising.
Last week in debate on the floor of the U.S. House, Congressman Klein raised the issue of the importance of a bill to help supply service animals to wounded veterans with the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Ike Skelton. In response, Chairman Skelton expressed his strong support for this legislation, saying that it will “surely take the next step with a grant for therapy dogs for our disabled soldiers and veterans.”
Klein said Tuesday that he looked forward to working with Chairman Skelton and other members of the U.S. Congress to see this bipartisan legislation passed as soon as possible.
Franken sworn in as senator; near minyan on Judiciary Committee
 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Former comedian Al Franken was sworn in Tuesday as a U.S. senator from Minnesota by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Not long afterwards, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada appointed Franken to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and the Senate’s Select Committee on Aging.
Franken brought Democratic membership on the Judiciary Committee almost to a minyan. Besides him, other Jewish members of that panel are Senators Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Dianne Feinstein of California, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Charles Schumer of New York, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, for a Jewish total of 7. Chairman of the committee is Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
Feinstein in bipartisan effort
to control carbon allowances
 WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release0– U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California.) and Olympia Snowe (Republican,Maine) annnounced on Tuesday they have introduced legislation to establish federal oversight for markets that trade carbon allowances, which are permits to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The bill also establishes a framework to regulate carbon derivatives.
Carbon markets will be an integral part of a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and the Feinstein-Snowe bill is designed to prevent Enron-like fraud, manipulation and excessive speculation in the new federal, state and regional carbon markets that will be established by such a system. Full oversight authority for all carbon market trading is granted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
“Some experts predict that the new carbon markets could generate upwards of $100 billion to $370 billion in economic activity each year. That’s why it is so critical that we provide consistent federal oversight now – at the outset – to guard against fraud and manipulation in every federal, state or regional carbon trading market,” Senator Feinstein said. “We can’t afford to unleash another Western Energy Crisis and jeopardize the environmental goals of the cap-and-trade system.”
Senator Snowe said: “As critical as expeditiously moving on meaningful climate change action, we must not allow carbon trading to become a new unregulated market without transparency and federal oversight. This legislation that Senator Feinstein and I have developed will clearly and firmly place regulatory powers at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to prevent the market failures that we have recently witnessed in our derivative markets. While legitimate hedging and trading is an intrinsic element of cap-and-trade legislation, market manipulation must not be associated with reductions in greenhouse gas reductions and as a result this measure must be a fundamental component of any climate change bill.”
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