Friday, September 27, 2013

Conyers to Meet with White House Leaders in a United Front to Move Detroit Forward


(WASHINGTON) – Tomorrow, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) will join members of the Michigan Congressional Delegation at a meeting with senior White House officials, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and Attorney General Eric Holder. In addition, Governor Rick Snyder, Mayor Dave Bing, and Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr will be in attendance. After the public announcement of this meeting, Rep. Conyers issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.
"As we plan a path forward for the economic revitalization of Detroit, I am grateful that the White House and senior Cabinet officials are coming to our city to meet with elected officials and local leaders. This roundtable meeting will serve as a brainstorming session for policy solutions and an opportunity for collaboration between government at the federal, state, and local levels to confront the unprecedented bankruptcy filing,” said Conyers.

“All options for growth and redevelopment will be on the table during this discussion, including new proposals centered around job training, infrastructure, transportation, and blight removal projects. Our discussion will also center around efforts to reprogram existing federal grants towards shoring up public safety and early education funding, as well as the feasibility of the Executive Branch providing technical assistance to improve the City’s federal grant administration. I will continue my strong support to protect the earned pensions of all public employees who have spent their careers working for Detroit and its citizens.

“I look forward to welcoming the White House to the Motor City, and I thank the Obama administration for their commitment to helping Detroit move forward.”

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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Conyers Hails Report Showing Affordable Care Act Premiums Significantly Lower Than Projected in Detroit & Other Cities

(WASHINGTON) Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report demonstrating how, under the Affordable Care Act, increased competition in the federal Health Insurance Marketplace will lead to increased competition and lower health insurance premiums across the country. Specifically, the report details how premiums will be 16 percent lower than originally projected, and that the average consumer will have 53 different healthcare plans available for purchase on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Following the release of this report, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

U.S. RepresentativeJohn Conyers, Jr.
“I am delighted to see that a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services has clearly demonstrated how the Affordable Care Act is working to increase healthcare marketplace competition which means lower premiums and increased choice for residents of metropolitan Detroit and consumers across the country,” said Conyers.

“Prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans were unable to afford health insurance, or were outright denied coverage, typically due to a pre-existing condition. However, beginning January 1st of next year, near-universal health insurance will be extended to all. In addition, due to robust competition spurred on by provisions of the Affordable Care Act, a variety of low-cost plans will become available to meet the lifestyle needs of any family or individual.

“For the median family of four In Detroit, a basic ‘Bronze Plan’ would cost only $118 a month, and an intermediate ‘Silver Plan’ would cost only $282 a month, with federal credits. For the average 27 year old, a basic ‘Catastrophic Plan’ would cost only $105 a month, a ‘Bronze Plan’ only $138, a ‘Silver Plan’ only $157, and a high-end ‘Gold Plan’ only $181 monthly.

“I encourage my constituents in Michigan who lack health insurance, as well as all individuals around the Nation without coverage, to take advantage of these affordable options next Tuesday, October 1st when the online health insurance exchanges open. Those with private insurance or insurance provided by an employer will be able to keep their coverage. As reports continue to come out highlighting the positive ways the Affordable Care Act is reshaping the healthcare industry, I look forward to working with both my constituents and fellow lawmakers to make implementation of the law a success.”

###

The Department of Health and Human Services report on health insurances rates in all states can be found online here: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2013/MarketplacePremiums/ib_marketplace_premiums.cfm
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Judiciary Democrats Deliver Letter to Chairman Goodlatte Calling for Hearings on Gun Violence

After yet another mass shooting, this time resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals and injuries to others just blocks from the Capitol building at the Washington Navy Yard, we write to request that the Judiciary Committee commence hearings on the issues relevant to the subject of gun violence in America which are within the Committee’s jurisdiction.
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Sunday, September 22, 2013

$5 Million Reasons Not To Give The Kids Back - Baby LK Report For September 22nd 2013

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protection industry.
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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Conyers: $40 Billion Cut to Food Assistance Program Unconscionable


(WASHINGTON) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 217 - 210 to pass H.R. 3102, the “Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act.” This legislation would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $40 billion amongst other drastic changes. Following the House vote, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.
“For decades, House Republicans and Democrats have always worked together to pass a bipartisan farm bill that addressed the needs of farmers and ranchers as well as provided funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program.  However, after failure to pass the Farm Bill in June, House Republicans have taken an about-face and stripped the nutrition title from the farm bill with H.R. 3102, the so-called ‘Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act.’ They have instead introduced this separate nutrition bill that essentially takes all of the controversial amendments offered during the farm bill debate earlier this year, added an additional $20 billion cut to SNAP, which would amount to $40 billion in cuts over the next ten years.  The brunt of these immoral and unconscionable cuts would be borne by the most vulnerable - low-income families with children, senior citizens and disabled veterans,” said Conyers.

“Four to six million people will lose SNAP benefits if this bill were to become law. It would also cause hundreds of thousands of children to lose access to free school lunches.  Additionally, another 1.7 million people in 850,000 households would see their benefits reduced by an average of $90 month. Low-income Americans are already struggling to put food on their tables and will automatically face an across-the-board cut to their SNAP benefits come November 1st.  The expiration of the 2009 Recovery Act’s temporary boost to SNAP will result in a benefit cut for every SNAP household.

“The cut to SNAP outlined in this bill would include the following provisions: the elimination of categorical eligibility, an incentive for states to cut people off the SNAP program, and a state waiver that eliminates a Governors’ option to temporarily waive SNAP’s harsh three-month time limit for childless unemployed adults in areas with high unemployment.  As a result of the state waiver, unemployed, childless adults would be thrown off SNAP regardless of how high the unemployment rate is where they live and regardless of how hard they are trying to find work or job. It is unconscionable to think that Congress would support these provisions and pass such a devastating bill considering our slow economy.

“I implore my colleagues to consider the impact of this bill.  Nutrition funding is vitally important to the Farm Bill. It connects our food system with those who struggle with hunger in our own backyard.  If we fail to provide adequate funding for food assistance then we will have failed to protect the most vulnerable in America. But we cannot fail them and must do everything we can to help lift them from the grips of poverty.

“Over the last thirty years, every major deficit reduction packaged signed into law has always been negotiated according to the principle of not increasing poverty or inequality.  We must not turn from this tradition now.  Investing in hunger relief is a fiscally sound decision. It is a cost-effective and an investment in our nation’s future. 

“Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3108, the ‘Extend Not Cut SNAP Benefits Act,’ a one-year extension of the 13% benefit increase through Fiscal Year 2014. SNAP benefits are the critical bridge during difficult economic times that helps to safeguard these families from facing hunger. Not only does SNAP help put food on the table for struggling families, it also helps stimulate economic growth. For every $1 increase in SNAP benefits, $1.70 in generated in economic activity. In 2011, SNAP lifted 4.7 million Americans above the poverty line, including 2.1 million children. Without SNAP, our economy would be worse off.”

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House Rules Committee Rejects Conyers Amendment Extending Food Assistance Program for an Additional Year


(WASHINGTON) – Yesterday, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) offered an amendment to H.R. 3102, the “Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act,” providing a one year extension of the 13.6 percent increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits included in the 2009 American Recovery and Restoration Act.  However, Republican Members of the House Rules Committee defeated the amendment by a vote of 3-9. Upon learning of the amendment’s defeat, Rep. Conyers issued the following statement: 

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.
“Today, the U.S. House of Representatives is voting on H.R. 3102, the so-called ‘Nutrition and Work Opportunity Act.’ This bill is dually immoral and will cause severe trauma to low-income Americans if it were to become law. At a time when Americans are already struggling to put food on their tables in the aftermath of the Great Recession, this legislation would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by a $40 billion. This is cruel and simply unacceptable,” said Conyers.

“To prevent this cut I offered an amendment to the ‘Nutrition and Work Opportunity Act’ that would substitute these massive cuts with a one year extension of the 13.6 increase in SNAP benefits included in the 2009 American Recovery and Restoration Act.  Unfortunately, Republican Congressmen on the House Rules Committee rejected my amendment, denying critical funding for assistance to millions in our country. 

According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the scheduled cut would result in a reduction in benefits of $36 per month for a family of four. The cut will mean $5 billion less in SNAP benefits to help feed American families in fiscal year 2014 alone, a serious loss for families whose benefits will, after this cut, average less than $1.40 per person, per meal.  These cuts would cause hardship for SNAP participants, including 22 million children and 9 million people who are elderly or have a serious disability. It is unconscionable to think Congress would support such a devastating cut considering the painfully slow economic recovery. Rather than pursue divisive, ideological measures, I urge my colleagues to come together and support the working men and women of this country.”

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Rep. Conyers’ Jobs For All Meeting:



Thursday, September 19, 2013
1:30pm-3:30pm
Washington Convention Center, Room 143-A

Dear Jobs For All Supporters:

Instead of holding our usual Jobs For All Meeting in Rep. Conyers’ office, he has asked that each of you attend his Jobs Forum at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference onThursday, September 19 2013 at 1:30-3:30. The Conference is open to all and is free- please feel free to pass this information along widely. There is no need to register for the Conference. 
CBC ALC Panel on Jobs
Jobs Crisis: Growth, Inequality and Full Employment
Honorary Host: Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Thursday, September 19
1:30-3:30 pm
Washington Convention Center, Room 143-A
The Great Recession had a serious and enduring impact on African American employment, but even in the best of economic times, unemployment among African Americans tends to be substantially higher than the jobless rates for the country as a whole. Economists typically expect that increases in education and work experience will increase workers’ productivity and translate into higher compensation. But, the share of black workers in good jobs- one that pays at least $19 per hour, has employer- provided health insurance, and an employer-sponsored retirement plan- has actually declined even while education and work experience has increased. This panel will look at these trends and policies that would have a large, positive impact in creating quality jobs for black workers.
Moderator: Harold Meyerson, the American Prospect
Honorary Guest Speakers additional Members of Congress
Dr. John Schmitt, Senior Economist, Center for Economic Policy and Research
Dr. Lisa Bowleg, George Washington University Professor of Applied Social Psychology
Ms. Shamar Bibbins, National Policy Officer, Green For All
Mr. Michael Wenger, Senior Fellow at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and anadjunct faculty member at George Washington University
Dr. Charles Betsey, Howard University Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of the Center on Race and Wealth funded by the Ford Foundation
For more information or for questions, contact Jenny Perrino at jenny.perrino@mail.house.gov, or call202-225-5126.

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Conyers Announces $1.5 Million in Grant Funding for Youth & Community Development, Combating Online Crimes Against Children in Detroit



 (WASHINGTON) – Today, the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $1.5 million in grant funding to the state of Michigan and community programs in metropolitan Detroit. Specifically, $691,042 was designated to the Michigan Department of Human Services for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs; $59,639 in State and Community Development Division grant funding was designated to the Michigan State Police; $339,330 in Youth Development, Prevention and Safety grant funding was designated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit; and $482,419 in Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force grant funding was designated to the Michigan Department of State Police. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued this statement following the announcement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.
“I am pleased to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has designated more than $1.5 million in grant funding to the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Department of Human Services, and to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit,” said Conyers.

“In a time when states and local communities are tightening their belts, it is essential that we continue to fund youth and community development programs to reduce crime and empower young people to make responsible decisions. Organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit play a positive role in cultivating our youth, and programs like the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force safeguard our kids both on and offline. Similarly, the Justice Department’s grants to the Michigan State Police will help shore up flagging law enforcement funding and support our neighborhoods.

“The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has provided important assistances to communities across the country, and I applaud their commitment to making metropolitan Detroit safer and stronger.”

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Conyers Announces Judiciary Braintrust Forums at CBC Annual Legislative Conference


Forums will be held on: “H.R. 40 Sustaining a Dialogue on the Legacy of Slavery,” “The Trayvon Martin Tragedy,” “Protecting the Right to Vote,” and “The Return of Detroit: From Bankruptcy to Rebirth”

(WASHINGTON) – This Friday, September 20th at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislation Conference, in Room 143-A of the Washington Convention Center, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) will be hosting four separate Judiciary braintrusts on Advancing the Civil Rights Agenda. The four forums will include discussions with participants on the legacy of slavery, the Trayvon Martin Tragedy, protecting the right to vote following the Supreme Court’s decision in Holder v. Shelby County, and the way forward from Detroit’s bankruptcy filing. The braintrusts will feature panels composed of leaders in the civil rights movement, elected officials, prominent academics, critical advocacy organizations, and civic leaders.

Further information about the four braintrusts is detailed below:

What:
Chairman Conyers Judiciary Braintrust – H.R. 40: Sustaining a Dialogue on the Legacy of Slavery
Who:
Ø  Moderator – Dr. Ron Daniels – Institute of the Black World 21stCentury

Ø  Dr. Julianne Malveaux – Former President of Benedict College
Ø  Nkechi Taifa – Open Society Institute
Ø  Council Member JoAnn Watson (Detroit At-Large)

When:
Friday, September 20th, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Where:      
Washington Convention Center: Room 143-A


What:
Chairman Conyers Judiciary Braintrust – The Trayvon Martin Tragedy: The Intersection of Criminal Justice Reform and Racial Profiling
Who:
Ø  Moderator – Tanya Clay House – Public Policy Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights

Ø  Benjamin Crump, Esq. – Counsel to Trayvon Martin Family at Parks & Crump
Ø  Chief John Dixon – President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
Ø  Professor Charles Ogletree – Harvard Law School
Ø  Laura Murphy – Director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, DC
Ø  Patricia Rosier, Esq. – President of the National Bar Association
Ø  Ron Scott – Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality
Ø  Reverend Al Sharpton – President and Founder of the National Action Network
Ø  Imani Walker – Executive Director of the Rebecca Project
Ø  Donnell White – Detroit Police Commissioner

When:
Friday, September 20th, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where:      
Washington Convention Center: Room 143-A


What:
Chairman Conyers Judiciary Braintrust – Protecting the Right to Vote
Who:
Ø  Moderator – Professor Spencer Overton – George Washington University Law School

Ø  Barbara R. Arnwine – Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Ø  Nicole M. Austen-Hillery – Director and Counsel Washington Office, Brennan Center for Justice
Ø  Wade Henderson – President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Ø  Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. – Founder Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
Ø  Dr. Tyson D. King-Meadows, Ph.D. – University of Maryland Baltimore County
Ø  Greg Moore – Executive Director of the NAACP National Voter Fund
Ø  Professor Charles Ogletree – Harvard Law School
Ø  Becky Pringle – Secretary/Treasurer of the National Education Association
Ø  Hilary Shelton – Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy of the NAACP
Ø  Deborah J. Vagins – Senior Legislative Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office

When:
Friday, September 20th, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where:      
Washington Convention Center: Room 143-A


What:
Chairman Conyers Judiciary Braintrust – The Return of Detroit: From Bankruptcy to Rebirth
Who:
Ø  Moderator – Dr. Michael Eric Dyson – Professor, Georgetown University

Ø  Reverend Wendell Anthony – President of the NAACP, Detroit Chapter
Ø  Krystal Crittendon – Former counsel for the City of Detroit
Ø  Al Garrett – President of AFSCME, Detroit Chapter
Ø  Harvey Hollins III – Director of the Michigan Office of Urban and Metropolitan Initiatives
Ø  State Senator Bert Johnson (MI-2nd District)
Ø  James Spiotto – Partner and head of the Special Litigation, Bankruptcy and Workout Group, Chapman & Cutler LLP
Ø  Professor John A. E. Pottow – University of Michigan Law School
Ø  Council Member JoAnn Watson (Detroit At-Large)

When:
Friday, September 20th, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where:      
Washington Convention Center: Room 143-A

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Conyers Announces $458k in Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Grant Funding to Michigan



(WASHINGTON) – Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded the Michigan Department of Human Services more than $458,000 in juvenile accountability block grant funding to reduce criminal offenses by individuals under the age of 18. The grant funding will go towards programs aimed at reducing and offering treatment for substance abuse, in addition to efforts to reduce truancy, increase graduation rates, and boost community service. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued this statement following the announcement:

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.
“I applaud the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for their sizable grant to the state of Michigan to help address the issue of youth crime. It is critical that we continue to devote federal resources to steer youth in our communities down a positive path, and to help reduce recidivism. Efforts to increase graduation rates, combat substance abuse, and promote community service will go a long way towards assisting at-risk youth, in addition to keeping our communities safe. I thank the Department of Justice for their commitment to these juvenile justice programs, and for championing youth rehabilitation and deterrence programs.”

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Friday, September 13, 2013

Court revokes Michigan Children's Institute guardianship

Bill Johnson, Superintendent of MCI
Bill Johnson, Superintendent of the infamous Michigan Children's Institute, has filed an appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court because the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the paternal grandmother of four children was granted guardianship as his guardianship was revoked.

I do believe this is the first time the Court has revoked the legal powers of MCI.

Out of respect of the people involved, I will not publish the MCI appeal at this time, but I will be using a few choice demonstratives when commenting on the legal arguments.

Daniel Beaton, the Assistant Attorney General who always represents Bill Johnson, is a rather nice man but can lie his ass off in a courtroom.  He is good.  That is why Bill Johnson always wins.  But this time is a different story.

The grandmother applied to for adoption and was denied but applied for legal guardianship and was approved upon appeal.  Brilliant.

Bill Johnson went to the Court of Appeals and was thrown out.

Now, he goes to his buddy Maura Corrigan's (former Chief Justice of Michigan Supreme Court and current Director of Department of Human Services) old stomping grounds, the Michigan Supreme Court to cry the blues about the beginning of the end of his omnipotent reign.

Bill Johnson wants to cry the blues that he was not party to the case and had his guardianship stripped.

First of all, the state was just released from federal monitoring of relative preference placements, so Bill is violating a federal settlement agreement.

Second, there is no law which states that a person who has guardianship must adopt.

Third, Bill Johnson completely ignored the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.  He overrode the decision of another state governor.

Bill Johnson is the legal guardian for more than 7,000 children.  How can he possibly know what the best interests of the children are without third party knowledge?

Michigan Children's Institute is a 3 man circus that is an absolute waste of taxpayers dollars.  It is about time judges of Michigan's bench start making decisions.  Let the people who actually care for kids be the guardians and tell Bill to go far away.

Bill Johnson is one of the last paleo-conservatives of chattel law.  I expect him to be denied his petition for leave to appeal.

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Rep. Maxine Waters Introduces Bill to Remove Mandatory Minimums From Federal Code


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September 12, 2013


Washington, D.C. - Today on Capitol Hill, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), a Congressional leader in the fight to eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing, reintroduced the Major Drug Trafficking Prosecution Act(H.R. 3088). This bill would re-focus scarce federal resources to prosecute major drug kingpins and give courts and judges the authority to use greater discretion to make individualized determinations rather than being held to a stringent sentencing requirement prescribed by Congress.  

This past August, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he would instruct federal prosecutors to forgo the pursuit of mandatory minimum sentences in certain cases involving low-level, non-violent drug offenders. TheMajor Drug Trafficking Prosecution Act of 2013 would build on the Attorney General’s announcement and codify into law the repeal of mandatory minimums for non-violent offenders so that no one, regardless of the Administration in office, will be subject to these harsh and ineffective sentencing policies.

"Although the Justice Department’s policy shift is a welcoming step towards more "smart on crime" initiatives, the fight is far from over as long as mandatory minimums still remain in law," said Congresswoman Waters. "Mandatory minimum sentences have not reduced drug use and have contributed to exploding prison populations throughout the United States."

According to the Bureau of Prisons, when the Anti-Drug Abuse Act passed in 1986 containing lengthy mandatory minimum sentences, the prison population was 36,000. Today, the federal prison population is over 215,000 prisoners, an increase of nearly 800 percent in 28 years, costing taxpayers approximately $26,000 to keep one prisoner in federal prison for one year.

Congresswoman Waters has worked over the last 20 years to raise awareness and educate communities about mandatory minimums and sentencing disparities. On many occasions, Rep. Waters has partnered with organizations such as Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), the Open Society Institute, Drug Policy Alliance, and the Sentencing Project during these forums. She also worked alongside courageous advocates such as Professor Charles Ogletree and Kemba Smith, who was sentenced to serve a mandatory minimum before she was commuted under the Clinton Administration.
"Mandatory drug sentences have broken communities and destroyed lives. Mandatory minimums are not only ineffective, but they are also in direct contradiction with our fundamental principles of justice and the rule of law," added Congresswoman Waters. "It time for us to renew the call to action and continue the fight for the full repeal of these substandard sentencing policies."


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