U.S. Rep John Conyers: America must uphold commitment to seniors

U.S. Rep John Conyers: America must uphold commitment to seniors

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

It is important we look back at why we honor the elderly among us for their hard work and wisdom passed down through generations. Since 1963 when President John F. Kennedy led us to officially pay tribute to older citizens, and again in 1980 when President Jimmy Carter changed the name of May to Older Americans Month, we have continued to honor those who are 65 years and older for their many contributions to this great country.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 there were more than 40 million citizens in the United States who were 65 years of age or older, some 13 percent of our population. Those numbers are expected to more than double by 2050 as more seniors enjoy their golden years in retirement and collect Social Security. It's important that we mention Social Security because seniors' lives are much different now than they were in the 1930s, when hundreds of thousands of elderly people were forced out of their communities and into state-run "poor houses" because of need, injury, or destitution.

America swore we would never return to those shameful days. When the program was developed in 1935, half of all older Americans in this country lived in poverty. Today, that number is down to 10 percent.

Unfortunately, a small but persistent group of current and former elected officials have been stomping around Washington, D.C., trying to slash Social Security benefits in the name of deficit reduction, including through the failed Bowles-Simpson fiscal commission plan.

Recently, billionaire Peter G. Peterson hosted an ultra-exclusive "Fiscal Summit" in Washington. House Speaker John Boehner attended this event and stated that he endorsed the Bowles-Simpson plan.

The irresponsible Bowles-Simpson plan raises the full retirement age for all Americans to 69, cuts Social Security and Medicare benefits for those left most vulnerable by the Great Recession, and changes the formula that has made our Social Security program stand the test of time.

Social Security has a $2.7 trillion surplus in the Trust Fund and is funded completely by the contributions of hard-working Americans. If it isn't broken, don't break it.

We have a choice in this country of whether we will embrace dismantling our social insurance foundations and return our parents and grandparents to poor houses, or reinforce a system generations of Americans built from the ground up.

Our founding fathers and mothers passed down to us a Constitution that has stood the test of time and a country that has seen war, hard times and triumph,while building a sense of resiliency. These are values that Republicans and Democrats share and must remember going forward, because they are values older Americans cherish too.

Previous generations invested in and maintained our Social Security system during their lifetimes, and now it is our turn. Presidents from Roosevelt to Reagan did their part to create and sustain the New Deal. Now, it's is our turn to maintain the system, not to turn it over to reckless Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers who would gamble away this critical source of retirement security.

Older Americans can give us a glimpse not only into our pasts, but also into the kind of future we want to create for our children and grandchildren. As we honor them, let's recommit ourselves to strengthening and preserving Social Security for future generations.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

The Voter Empowerment Act: More necessary than ever

By Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.)

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

There is no more important right in our society than the right to vote – it is the basis of all of our other rights. It is why generations of Americans have fought and died for the right to vote. And as a result of their sacrifices, today government and society as a whole has become more reflective of the democratic principles enshrined in our Constitution.    

Given the importance of this hard-fought right, the American people deserve an election system that not only protects but enhances every eligible voter’s ability to register, cast a ballot, and participate in our democracy. But rather than improve access to the ballot box, over the past year states have enacted laws which undermine this fundamental right.

Legislatures across the country have ended same day voter registration. Many have limited or eliminated early voting opportunities and severely restricted voter mobilization drives. And states have adopted restrictive photo identification requirements which exclude common forms of identification. These laws are barriers to voting and could disenfranchise millions of eligible minority, elderly, military, student, and low-income voters.

U.S. Representative
Bob Brady

As the Ranking Members of the Committees on the Judiciary and House Administration, we believe strongly in Congress’ role as a guardian of voting rights.  In light of this recent trend, Congress must do more to ensure all American citizens are able to freely exercise this precious right. That is why we have joined with Representative John Lewis, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn and many of our House colleagues in introducing the Voter Empowerment Act.       

Congress has long acted on a bipartisan basis to protect and expand the right to vote. Since it originally passed in 1965, Congress has voted three times to enhance the Voting Rights Act, including reauthorizing the Act in 2006.  In 1993, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act which improved access to voter registration and provided protection from wrongful purges on voter rolls. And in 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act to enhance voters’ access to the ballot box. Protecting and enhancing the right to vote is a long-standing Congressional prerogative. 

The Voter Empowerment Act protects the integrity of elections by improving eligible voters’ access to the ballot box. It modernizes voter registration using existing technology to automatically and permanently enroll consenting eligible voters while also making certain voter information is secure and accurate.  It would also provide for online registration, allow same day voter registration at the poll, and simplifies the registration process for members of the military serving overseas. The bill also ensures the integrity of elections by providing funds to better train poll workers and by banning officials in charge of elections from participating in campaigns.                    

The first political campaign after passage ofVoting Rights Act.

Additionally, this legislation protects voting rights by outlawing vote caging and deceptive practices designed to interfere with an individual’s right to vote through intimidation and misinformation. Voter caging is the practice of sending mail to voters at their addresses maintained on voter rolls, creating a list of the mail that is returned as undeliverable or without a return receipt, and using that list to purge or challenge a voters’ registrations on the basis that the voters on the list do not legally reside at their registered address. The bill declares that a voter shall not be denied the right to vote unless the challenge is corroborated by independent evidence, and it also prohibits persons other than election official from challenging a voter’s eligibility based on voter caging and other questionable challenges. Majority-minority neighborhoods are often the target of this practice. And Vote caging disproportionately harms individuals who change addresses often such as students and service members.  

These are common sense steps Congress can take to ensure every eligible voter who desires to participate can do so and that federal elections proceed in a fair and transparent manner. Given there is an election six months away, it is our hope that our colleagues on the Committees on the Judiciary and House Administration will demonstrate their commitment to the democratic process by holding hearings on the Voter Empowerment Act.

The loudest sound that exists in a democratic society is the voice of a voter in an election. Ensuring that every minority, every service member, every senior citizen, and every student has the right to vote should not be a partisan issue.
                           
Rep. Conyers (D-Mich.) is the ranking Democrat on the the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Brady (D-Pa.) is the ranking Democrat on the House Administration Committee.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Attorney General Holder Promises to Defend Voting Rights

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder promises to defend voting rights at Conference of National Black Churches annual meeting.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder promised to uphold voting rights in his keynote address this morning at the Conference of National Black Churches annual meeting in Washington D.C. The three-day event is being held in conjunction with the Congressional Black Caucus and focuses on issues of concern to members of the nation’s nine largest African American denominations.

The Attorney General promised to defend the Voting Rights Act of 1965, especially Section 5, which requires Justice Department clearance before changes can be made to voting laws in Southern states and those that have a history of disenfranchising Black voters.

“This process, known as ‘preclearance,’ has been a powerful tool in combating discrimination for decades.  And it has consistently enjoyed broad bipartisan support – including in its most recent reauthorization, when President Bush and an overwhelming Congressional majority came together in 2006 to renew the Act’s key provisions – and extend it until 2031. Yet, in the six years since its reauthorization, Section 5 has increasingly come under attack by those who claim it’s no longer needed,” said Holder.

He also said that between 1965 and 2010, only eight challenges to Section 5 were filed in court, but in the last two years there have been “no fewer than nine lawsuits contesting the constitutionality of that provision.” Each challenge “claims that we’ve attained a new era of electoral equality, that America in 2012 has moved beyond the challenges of 1965, and that Section 5 is no longer necessary,” he said, adding that “nearly two dozen new state laws and executive orders” enacted in more than a dozen states “could make it significantly harder for many eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.”

“We’re now examining a number of redistricting plans in covered jurisdictions, as well as other types of changes to our election systems and processes – including changes to the procedures governing third-party voter registration organizations, to early voting procedures, and to photo identification requirements – to ensure that there is no discriminatory purpose or effect.  If a state passes a new voting law and meets its burden of showing that the law is not discriminatory, we will follow the law and approve the change.  And, as we have demonstrated repeatedly, when a jurisdiction fails to meet its burden of proving that a proposed voting change would not have a racially discriminatory effect – we will object, as we have in 15 separate cases since last September,” said Holder.

The Attorney General also promised to protect the voting rights of military personnel and other Americans living abroad, as well as veterans, citizens with disabilities, college students, and language minorities at home, but said “no form of electoral fraud ever has been – or ever will be – tolerated by the United States government.”

Coincidentally, in a statement published by The Hill today, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), the ranking members of the Committees on the Judiciary and House Administration, announced that they were joining other Democrats in introducing theVoter Empowerment Act, which they say “protects the integrity of elections by improving eligible voters’ access to the ballot box” by modernizing voter registration, “automatically and permanently enroll consenting eligible voters,” providing for online registration, allowing same day voter registration at the poll, and simplifying the registration process for members of the military serving overseas, among other things.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Black mayors come to Atlanta for 38th annual convention

More than 250 mayors and state and federal officials are scheduled to be in Atlanta through Sunday for the National Conference of Black Mayors' 38th annual national convention.

"As leaders of large urban cities and rural areas, mayors play a vital role in ensuring the future economic growth and safety of our nation as we address challenges at home and increasing global competition from emerging economies," Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said in a statement. “Crumbling transportation infrastructure, joblessness and failing public schools are issues that mayors tackle on a daily basis."The gathering is billed as a forum in which rural and urban mayors can exchange ideas. The Atlanta convention is expected to deal with job creation, housing, health, sustainability, green technology, international trade, good governance and ethics and broadband.

Reed will serve as official host of the meeting. He plans to welcome the officials on Thursday night with a reception at City Hall.

It's a high-profile event for the 42-year old mayor, who has received doses of national exposure on CNN and Meet the Press and in forums organized by the Aspen Institute and other groups.

Atlanta’s history as the cradle of civil rights and its evolution into an "economic and political powerhouse" led the group to select the city as its meeting place, said Robert L. Bowser, president of the NCBM and mayor of East Orange, New Jersey. The conference will be held at the Marriott hotel in Buckhead.

Founded in 1974, the National Conference of Black Mayors represents more than 650 African-American mayors across the United States.

Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama, is scheduled to be there. So are Rep. John Conyers and Ambassador Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta. Representatives from Senegal, Colombia, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago are also expected to attend.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Dems push for report on consequences of military strike on Iran

Democrats on Thursday are hoping the House accepts an amendment that would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to report to Congress on the consequences of a military attack against Iran.

House Judiciary Committee ranking member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) and two other Democrats won the right to have their language considered as an amendment to the 2013 intelligence authorization bill, H.R. 5743. Under their amendment, the DNI would have 60 days after passage to send a report to the congressional intelligence committees that includes an "assessment of the consequences of a military strike against Iran."

Democrats in particular have grown more concerned about what they see as a risk that the United States will soon be at war with Iran. In recent weeks, Congress has taken several steps that worry these members.

For example, both the House and Senate have approved Iran sanctions legislation — the Senate bill, S. 2101, says the United States will pursue all options to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran.

Earlier this month, the House approved a resolution saying a nuclear-capable Iran is unacceptable. Also, the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 includes language that would require the movement of military assets into the Middle East to counter Tehran, and says the United States will take "all necessary measures, including military action if required," to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran.

On Wednesday, the House Rules Committee decided against making another Iran-related amendment in order. This one, from Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), would have required a report on the nuclear activities of Iran, including whether it is trying to build a nuclear weapon.Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) said this language is moving the country closer to war. "We're getting ready for war against Iran," he said.

The unclassified text of the Intelligence Authorization Act makes no mention of Iran, although most of the bill is classified, making it hard to determine what steps it might authorize as it relates to intelligence gathering against Iran.

Aside from the Conyers amendment, eight others will be considered today before the bill is passed — these deal with information sharing with Canada and Mexico, improving security clearances for subcontractors and ensuring the rights of racial and ethnic minorities within the intelligence agencies.

More broadly, the bill would authorize U.S. intelligence activities for the next fiscal year, as well as the Department of Defense's new Clandestine Service, which is meant to gather intelligence beyond the countries in which U.S. forces are already engaged.

House to Vote on Bill Penalizing Abortion Based on Sex of Child

House to Vote on Bill Penalizing Abortion Based on Sex of Child The House will vote this week on legislation imposing criminal penalties on anyone performing an abortion based on the sex of the child, but the measure runs the risk of failing on the floor because of how the GOP is calling it up. Republican leaders have scheduled a vote on H.R. 3541, the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), under a suspension of House rules, which will require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. Suspension votes are usually reserved for non-controversial bills, but Republican leaders have occasionally used the process for bills that Democrats oppose, and the PRENDA bill appears to be one of those. Democratic opposition to the bill began with its original name, the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Non-discrimination Act. Democrats argued in February that while the bill was named after these civil rights heroes, it has nothing to do with protecting civil rights. "It is offensive that the sponsors of this bill would invoke the names of two of our nation's historic civil rights pioneers," House Judiciary Committee ranking member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said. The original name reflected that the bill also sought to ban abortions based on the race of the child, but took out that language in committee. Republicans agreed to strike that language in the Judiciary committee, and also changed the name of the bill.  Still, the bill was voted out of committee with only Republican support. That partisan vote, and Democrats' ongoing opposition to the bill, could make it difficult for the bill to be approved by a two-thirds vote on the floor. Roughly 50 Democrats would need to join Republicans to pass the bill under suspension of the rules. Democrats point out that the suspension vote violates the Republicans' own rules, which say they will not schedule bills for consideration under a suspension of the rules if they are opposed by more than one-third of committee members. The Judiciary Committee approved the bill 20-13, with all Democrats voting against. Despite the changes in committee, Democrats argue that the bill looks to erect new hurdles to women's right to abortion. The legislation looks to ensure there are no gender-based abortions by authorizing fines and prison terms of up to five years against doctors who perform these abortions, and requires health professionals to report suspected violations of the law. "This legislation violates a woman's right to privacy as affirmed by the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade," Conyers said after the committee approved the legislation. "The bill would require doctors to police their patients, undermining patient-doctor privilege. It limits a woman's right to choose and jeopardizes her access to safe, legal medical care." Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said when he introduced the bill that his aim is to ensure equal rights for unborn children. In December, his office put out a statement saying, "A minority baby is currently five times more likely to be aborted than a white baby, and nearly half of all black babies are aborted, with over 70 percent of abortion clinics being located in predominantly minority neighborhoods. "Our innate sense of human fairness should make it abundantly clear that aborting a little baby because he or she happens to be black or because he or she has been arbitrarily deemed 'lesser' is fundamentally wrong," Franks said.

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Conyers Applauds Renewal of HOPWA grant to Cass Community Social Services

(DETROIT) – Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement applauding the renewal of a $1,350,000 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grant to Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The grant will help CCSS to continue to provide housing for chronically homeless individuals at the Cass House facility, which also provides educational and substance abuse counseling opportunities.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN CONYERS, JR.

“Cass Community Social Services provides invaluable services and opportunities to the Wayne County community,” said Conyers.  “The Cass House, which offers housing, educational support, and substance abuse counseling to individuals with HIV/AIDS, supplies a vital service to homeless individuals with HIV/AIDS.  I commend the efforts of the staff of Cass Community Services on their work to improve the lives of the homeless.”

The grant is a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program.  Organizations that receive HOPWA grants are encouraged to partner with local non-profit organizations, and develop community-wide strategies.  The purpose of the program is to provide housing assistance and related supportive services.  Grant funds may be used to cover housing, social services, program planning, and development costs.

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