Author: AliceDem

This is an incomplete list of legislation that, if enacted, would protect and promote the status of women. It is just from the Senate side. Readers are encouraged to make additions.

I am soooooo sick of hearing about how our Democratic leaders “lack balls.” Could we lose that expression? Please?

Could we learn to say our leaders lack spine? And then only when deserved. It is not true that they are not providing leadership. Aside from the great investigative hearings, almost all of them are carrying a very heavy legislative load. It would be immensely helpful to them, and more importantly our country, if we could take the trouble to learn about their legislation and use our blogs to educate and agitate for its passage as we think best.

S.RES.93 : A resolution supporting the goals of “International Women’s Day”.

Sponsor: Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [DE] (introduced 3/5/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Boxer, Sen Cantwell, Sen Clinton, Sen Feinstein, Sen Klobuchar,Sen Landrieu, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Stabenow

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/5/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.RES.102 : A resolution supporting the goals of “International Women’s Day”.

Sponsor: Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [DE] (introduced 3/9/2007)      Cosponsors (9)
Latest Major Action: 3/9/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.AMDT.528  to S.CON.RES.21 To increase funding by $100 million for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs administered by the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Humans Services, with an offset of an unallocated reduction to non-defense discretionary spending and/or reduction to administrative expenses.

Sponsor: Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [DE] (introduced 3/22/2007)      Cosponsors (3)

Latest Major Action: 3/23/2007 Senate amendment agreed to. Status: Amendment SA 528 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.147 : A bill to empower women in Afghanistan, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 1/4/2007)      Cosponsors:
Sen Biden, Sen Dodd, Sen Feinstein, Sen Mikulski, Sen Stabenow

Committees: Senate Foreign Relations
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

S.1173 : A bill to protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman’s freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 4/19/2007)      Cosponsors:
Sen Baucus, Sen Bingaman, Sen Cantwell, Sen Cardin, Sen Clinton, Sen Feinstein, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Lieberman, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer, Sen Stabenow, Sen Tester

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/19/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.137 : A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide additional beneficiary protections.

Sponsor: Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] (introduced 1/4/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.301 : A bill to provide higher education assistance for nontraditional students, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 1/16/2007)      Cosponsors:Sen Durbin, Sen Lieberman, Sen Mikulski

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/16/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.766 : A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies of victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/6/2007)      Cosponsors:Sen Biden, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Dodd, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Levin, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Obama, Sen Reed, Sen Reid, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 3/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.507 : A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for reimbursement of certified midwife services and to provide for more equitable reimbursement rates for certified nurse-midwife services.

Sponsor: Sen Conrad, Kent [ND] (introduced 2/6/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Collins, Sen Crapo, Sen Durbin, Sen Murray, Sen Sanders

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.634 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish grant programs to provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated followup care once newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize programs under part A of title XI of such Act, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 2/15/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Bayh, Sen Bingaman, Sen Bond, Sen Brown, Sen Clinton, Sen Cochran, Sen Coleman, Sen Durbin, Sen Hatch, Sen Lincoln, Sen Lugar, Sen Murkowski, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/15/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.RES.168 : A resolution congratulating the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team for winning the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Championship.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 4/24/2007)      Cosponsors (1)

Latest Major Action: 4/24/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 3. S.393 : A bill to transfer unspent funds for grants by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Office of Justice Programs, and the Office on Violence Against Women to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program
.
Sponsor: Sen Harkin, Tom [IA] (introduced 1/25/2007)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 1/25/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 S.1087 : A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex, race, or national origin, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Harkin, Tom [IA] (introduced 4/11/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] – 4/11/2007
Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Levin, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Obama, Barack [IL] – 4/24/2007
Sen Sanders

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/11/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.J.RES.10 : A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to equal rights for men and women.

Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 3/27/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Biden, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Cardin,
Sen Clinton, Sen Dodd, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Feinstein, Sen Harkin, Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Levin, Sen Lieberman, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Obama, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer, Sen Stabenow, Sen Whitehouse

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 3/27/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.RES.170 : A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of a National Child Care Worthy Wage Day.

Sponsor: Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 4/24/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Boxer, Sen Dodd, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Inouye,
Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/24/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.1023 : A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to eliminate the remainder of funding shortfalls for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 3/29/2007)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 3/29/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1137 : A bill to authorize grants to carry out projects to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 4/17/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Baucus, Sen Cantwell

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/17/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.1212 : A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit direct payment under the Medicare program for clinical social worker services provided to residents of skilled nursing facilities.

Sponsor: Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] (introduced 4/25/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Cantwell, Sen Inouye, Sen Kennedy, Sen Murray, Sen Stabenow

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 4/25/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1136 : A bill to promote the economic security and safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 4/17/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Brown, Sen Dodd

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 4/17/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

. S.579 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer.

Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 2/14/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Bayh, Sen Bennett, Sen Biden, Sen Bingaman, Sen Boxer, Sen Cardin, Sen Clinton, Sen Collins, Sen Dodd, Sen Dole, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold,
Sen Feinstein, Sen Grassley, Sen Hagel, Sen Harkin, Sen Hatch, Sen Hutchison, Sen Johnson, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Kohl, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy,Sen Lugar, Sen McCain, Sen McCaskill, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murkowski, Sen Murray, Sen Nelson, Sen Reed, Sen Salazar, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer, Sen Snowe, Sen Specter, Sen Stabenow, Sen Sununu, Sen Voinovich, Sen Warner, Sen Whitehouse

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/14/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.803 : A bill to repeal a provision enacted to end Federal matching of State spending of child support incentive payments.

Sponsor: Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [WV] (introduced 3/7/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Coleman, Sen Cornyn, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Kohl, Sen Levin, Sen Snowe, Sen Stabenow

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.573 : A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women.

Sponsor: Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] (introduced 2/13/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Akaka, Sen Boxer, Sen Cantwell, Sen Casey, Sen Clinton, Sen Cochran, Sen Collins, Sen Conrad, Sen Dole, Sen Dorgan, Sen Durbin, Sen Feinstein, Sen Hutchison, Sen Klobuchar,Sen Landrieu, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Levin, Sen Lieberman, Sen Lincoln, Sen McCaskill, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murkowski, Sen Murray, Sen Sanders,
Sen Snowe, Sen Tester, Sen Whitehouse

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

There is very little legislation being offered to address the gun plague in our country.

S.594 : A bill to limit the use, sale, and transfer of cluster munitions.

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 2/14/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Kennedy, Sen Leahy, Sen Mikulski, Sen Sanders

Committees: Senate Foreign Relations
Latest Major Action: 2/14/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

S.77 : A bill to improve the tracking of stolen firearms and firearms used in a crime, to allow more frequent inspections of gun dealers to ensure compliance with Federal gun law, to enhance the penalties for gun trafficking, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 1/4/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Before we can get meaningful action we will need a massive public education effort. That means those of us who care about this need to start blogging about the gun plague.

Resources:
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Gun Guys

Protect Police

The Story of a Gun

Hot Guns: Ring of Fire

List of School Shootings since 1997

This is an incomplete list of legislation that, if inacted, will improve care for members of the armed forces and veterans. It includes only legislation that is being proposed by Senators. There is undoubtedly a lot of good things happening on the house side, I just didn’t look. Readers are encouraged to make additions.

It is important for us to know that elected Democrats are working on our nation’s problems. I hope some will look more closely at this and write about this.

S.383 : A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the period of eligibility for health care for combat service in the Persian Gulf War or future hostilities from two years to five years after discharge or release.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/24/2007)      Cosponsors Sen Brown, Sen Murray, Sen Rockefeller

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/24/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.423 : A bill to increase, effective as of December 1, 2007, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/29/2007)      Cosponsors
Sen Brown, Sen Craig, Sen Ensign, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Rockefeller, Sen Sanders, Sen Snowe, Sen Webb

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/29/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.1113 : A bill to facilitate the provision of care and services for members of the Armed Forces for traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 4/16/2007)      Cosponsors Sen Clinton

Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/16/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1065 : A bill to improve the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in members and former members of the Armed Forces, to review and expand telehealth and telemental health programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/29/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Collins, Sen Kerry, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Mikulski, Sen Rockefeller, Sen Stabenow

Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/29/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1043 : A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to Congress on proposed changes to the use of the West Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, California.

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 3/29/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/29/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.479 : A bill to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Harkin, Tom [IA] (introduced 2/1/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Baucus, Sen Brown, Sen Brownback, Sen Cantwell, Sen Chambliss, Sen Clinton, Sen Coleman, Sen Domenici, Sen Durbin, Sen Grassley, Sen Kerry, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Murray, Sen Obama, Sen Reid, Sen Rockefeller, Sen Schumer, Sen Smith, Sen Snowe, Sen Thune, Sen Voinovich, Sen Whitehouse

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/1/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.882 : A bill to require a pilot program on the facilitation of the transition of members of the Armed Forces to receipt of veterans health care benefits upon completion of military service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] (introduced 3/14/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Casey, Sen Durbin, Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Mikulski, Sen Rockefeller,Sen Wyden

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/14/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.713 : A bill to ensure dignity in care for members of the Armed Forces recovering from injuries.

Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 2/28/2007)      Cosponsors
Sen Baucus, Sen Bayh, Sen Biden, Sen Bingaman, Sen Bond, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Byrd, Sen Cantwell, Sen Cardin, Sen Carper, Sen Conrad, Sen Dorgan, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kerry, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Landrieu, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Lieberman, Sen Lincoln, Sen McCaskill, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murkowski, Sen Pryor, Sen Rockefeller, Sen Sanders,Sen Snowe, Sen Whitehouse, Sen Wyden

Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

This is an incomplete list of legislation that, if passed, would restore some of our civil liberties. It is important for us to know that our voices have been heard and Democratic leaders are moving in the right direction.

S.717 : A bill to repeal title II of the REAL ID Act of 2005, to restore section 7212 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which provides States additional regulatory flexibility and funding authorization to more rapidly produce tamper- and counterfeit-resistant driver’s licenses, and to protect privacy and civil liberties by providing interested stakeholders on a negotiated rulemaking with guidance to achieve improved 21st century licenses to improve national security.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/28/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Leahy, Sen Sununu, Sen Tester)

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.576 : A bill to provide for the effective prosecution of terrorists and guarantee due process rights.

Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 2/13/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Bingaman, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kennedy, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Sanders)

Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.236 : A bill to require reports to Congress on Federal agency use of data mining.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 1/10/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Akaka, Sen Cardin, Sen Feinstein, Sen Kennedy, Sen Leahy, Sen Sununu, Sen Whitehouse

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/12/2007 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

S.AMDT.441  to S.4 To require appropriate reports regarding data mining by the Federal Government.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 3/8/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Latest Major Action: 3/13/2007 Senate amendment agreed to. Status: Amendment SA 441 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.1114 : A bill to reiterate the exclusivity of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 as the sole authority to permit the conduct of electronic surveillance, to modernize surveillance authorities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 4/16/2007)      Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 4/16/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 S.1178 : A bill to strengthen data protection and safeguards, require data breach notification, and further prevent identity theft.

Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 4/20/2007)      Cosponsors: Sen Pryor, Sen Smith, Sen Stevens )

Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Major Action: 4/20/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

S.495 : A bill to prevent and mitigate identity theft, to ensure privacy, to provide notice of security breaches, and to enhance criminal penalties, law enforcement assistance, and other protections against security breaches, fraudulent access, and misuse of personally identifiable information.

Sponsor: Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (introduced 2/6/2007)      (Cosponsors:
Sen Brown, Sen Feingold, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer, Sen Specter)

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.453 : A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections.

Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 1/31/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Boxer, Sen Cardin, Sen Clinton, Sen Feingold, Sen Feinstein, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Landrieu, Sen Leahy, Sen Levin, Sen Schumer)

Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 1/31/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. – note – this is under civil liberties because all our loss of civil liberties stem from the stolen election in 2000

S.674 : A bill to require accountability and enhanced congressional oversight for personnel performing private security functions under Federal contracts, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 2/16/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/16/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.780 : A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the unlawful acquisition and use of confidential customer proprietary network information, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Pryor, Mark L. [AR] (introduced 3/6/2007)      Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Major Action: 3/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

I think it is important to recognize the good work that is being done by elected Democratic officials. Below is a partial list of anti-usury legislation being offered by Democratic Senators. It is incomplete and doesn’t include anything from the House side. Readers are encouraged to make additions.
S.511 : A bill to provide student borrowers with basic rights, including the right to timely information about their loans and the right to make fair and reasonable loan payments, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 2/7/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Boxer, Sen Kerry, Sen Lieberman, Sen Mikulski)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/7/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

 S.335 : A bill to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from using private debt collection companies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Dorgan, Byron L. [ND] (introduced 1/18/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Akaka, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Cardin, Sen Feinstein, Sen Inouye, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Levin, Sen Lieberman, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Reed, Sen Rockefeller)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/18/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.486 : A bill to establish requirements for lenders and institutions of higher education in order to protect students and other borrowers receiving educational loans.

Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 2/1/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Brown, Sen Clinton, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kerry, Sen Obama, Sen Rockefeller,Sen Schumer, Sen Snowe)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/1/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.572 : A bill to ensure that Federal student loans are delivered as efficiently as possible in order to provide more grant aid to students.

Sponsor: Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] (introduced 2/13/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Clinton, Sen Durbin, Sen Obama, Sen Smith)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Below is a list of some of the pro-worker legislation being sponsored by Democratic Senators. I didn’t check the House. Readers are encouraged to post additions to this list:
S.1004 : A bill to make ineligible for Federal contract awards any expatriated corporations and any companies that do business with, or own foreign subsidiaries that do business with, state sponsors of terrorism or foreign terrorist organizations.

Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 3/28/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Dorgan)

Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/28/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

 S.766 : A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies of victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/6/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Biden, Sen Boxer,Sen Brown, Sen Cantwell, Sen Dodd, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Klobuchar, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Menendez, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Reed, Sen Reid, Sen Sanders, Sen Schumer, Charles E.)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 3/6/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.969 : A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to modify the definition of supervisor.

Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 3/22/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Clinton, Hillary, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Harkin, Sen Kennedy, Sen Tester, Sen Whitehouse)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 3/22/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.CON.RES.11 : A concurrent resolution providing that any agreement relating to trade and investment that is negotiated by the executive branch with another country comply with certain minimum standards.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 2/13/2007)      (No Cosponsors)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.581 : A bill to amend the Buy American Act to increase the requirement for American-made content, to tighten the waiver provisions, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 2/14/2007)      (No Cosponsors)

Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/14/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

S.AMDT.127  to H.R.2 To amend the Buy American Act to require each Federal agency to submit reports regarding purchases of items made outside of the United States, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 1/23/2007)      (No Cosponsors)

Latest Major Action: 1/24/2007 Senate amendment agreed to. Status: Amendment SA 127 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

S.1087 : A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex, race, or national origin, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Harkin, Tom [IA] (introduced 4/11/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Akaka, Sen Boxer, Sen Brown, Sherrod, Sen Durbin, Sen Feingold, Sen Kennedy, Sen Kerry, Sen Lautenberg, Sen Leahy, Sen Mikulski, Sen Murray, Sen Sanders)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/11/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.1157 : A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to eliminate the consumptive demand exception relating to the importation of goods made with forced labor.

Sponsor: Sen Harkin, Tom [IA] (introduced 4/19/2007)      ( No Cosponsors)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 4/19/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.96 : A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure a fairer and simpler method of taxing controlled foreign corporations of United States shareholders, to treat certain foreign corporations managed and controlled in the United States as domestic corporations, to codify the economic substance doctrine, and to eliminate the top corporate income tax rate, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 1/4/2007)      (No Cosponsors)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.709 : A bill to promote labor force participation of older Americans, with the goals of increasing retirement security, reducing the projected shortage of experienced workers, maintaining future economic growth, and improving the Nation’s fiscal outlook.

Sponsor: Sen Kohl, Herb [WI] (introduced 2/28/2007)      (Cosponsors: Sen Cochran, Sen Craig, Sen Durbin, Sen Lincoln, Sen Snowe)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 S.445 : A bill to establish the position of Trade Enforcement Officer and a Trade Enforcement Division in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, to require identification of trade enforcement priorities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] (introduced 1/31/2007)      (Cosponsors:Sen Graham, Sen Levin, Sen Voinovich)

Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/31/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Great live blogging from Just a Bump in the Beltway.
Pepperverse tells us that the hearing was pretty funny, if by funny you mean horrifying.

Citizens Against Lies tells us that Hatch bent over.

4&20 blackbirds says that “For those of us who like to see incompetence and malice appropriately rewarded, Gonzalez’ appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee is especially sweet.”

POE 3> tells us that it is judgment day for Gonzalez

All in One Boat captures Feinstein’s displeasure.

Bob-net Residua advises us to get popcorn.

The Ruth Group thinks Gonzalez might be Bush’s fraternal twin, “amiable, un-curious, unthoughtful, willing to do what he perceives the powerful want…”

A Spork in the Drawer tells us that Republicans are pathetically delusional. He’s been live blogging the whole hearing. Very entertaining.

The News Blog tells us that Gonzales Picked Carol Lam For Purge.

Power Pop said Gonzalez said “don’t recall” 74 times.

Two years ago the Virginia Democratic Bloggers established a joint RSS reader that would enable anyone to scan all the Virginia Democratic blogs. The idea was that we would collectively attract a much larger audience that we could separately. By putting the blogdigger link on our blog rolls we promoted the reader. It worked, many, many more people began to read our blogs. It was a precursor to Local Lefty Blogs.
There is no reason this could not be duplicated. The high traffic liberal blogs have a Feedburner RSS reader that they jointly promote. There is an RSS reader for the Eschaton community, but since only a few of them link to it, it does not build their collective audience.

For my own convenience I put together an RSS reader for Democratic Black Bloggers. It consists of blogs I know about that are published by African Americans writing mostly about politics from a Democratic point of view. I don’t pretend that this RSS reader is definitive, it just gives the reader a general idea about black blogosphere.

There is no reason you couldn’t do the same thing for women bloggers, or any other group.

RSS readers based on topics would also be likely to attract audience. You could have an economics RSS reader, environmental RSS reader, labor RSS reader, etc.

Moreover, once RSS readers became popular bloggers could link to them rather than individual blogs, thus greatly increasing the reach of individual blogs.

I am puzzled that this has not been more widely exploited.

cross posted at MyDD,  Daily Kos, and GOTV blog.

At the request of Virginia’s registrars Gov. Kaine has amended the verified voting bill to delay it’s enactment until July 1, 2008. This means registrars can continue to buy the DRE machines until that date.

Please contact your Delegate and Senator and ask them to overide the Governor and get rid of DRE’s this year.

Note, Virginians only, if you do not live in Virginia, please learn what is happening in your state.