SUNDAY EDITION

WH: President Donald J. Trump’s Weekly Address
POSTED ON THE WHITE HOUSE WEB PAGE 9/ 8/ 17 (link source)

Transcript:

My fellow Americans,

As Hurricane Irma approaches, my Administration is working closely with our state and local partners to help save lives, protect families, and assist those in need. This is a storm of absolutely historic destructive potential. I ask everyone in the storm’s path to be vigilant, and to heed all recommendations from government officials and law enforcement. Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our people. We are doing everything we can to help with disaster preparations and, when the time comes, we will restore, recover, and rebuild – together, as Americans. In times such as these, we see the strength and the resolve of the American Spirit – and we see the kindness and courage of our people. With gratitude for our first responders, and prayers for those in the storm’s path, America stands united – and I mean totally united. From Texas to Louisiana, from Florida to Puerto Rico, and always the US Virgin Islands, and everywhere in between that has been affected by these terrible storms: we will endure and come back stronger than ever before.

Earlier this week, I visited the hardworking citizens of North Dakota to promote our vision for tax cuts and tax reform that will create opportunity and prosperity for millions and millions of Americans. As President, I am committed to pursuing an economic policy that lifts up all of our citizens, provides hope for all of our communities, and generates wealth for everyday hardworking people and it’s about time.

Since January, we’ve already created 1.2 million jobs. Unemployment is near a 16-year low. Wages are rising. But for our economy to truly take off like it should, we must cut taxes and reform our badly-broken tax system.

Our current burdensome tax code is a massive lead weight against the American economy. It costs us millions of jobs, trillions of dollars, and billions and billions of hours wasted on paperwork and compliance.

My Administration is working closely with Congress to develop a plan that will deliver more jobs, higher pay, and lower taxes for businesses of all sizes and most importantly for Middle Class families all across America.

First, we are going to make filing taxes as simple as possible. If you're like most Americans, under our plan you will file your taxes on a single page. What a difference that will make – and you won’t need to keep endless receipts and paperwork. We are freeing you from the horrible tax maze.

Secondly, we will cut taxes for Middle Class families. We want you to keep more of your hard earned money. This way, you could spend it, you could save it, you could do whatever you want.

Third, we will restore our competitive edge so we can create more jobs and higher wages for the American worker.

Today we have the highest business tax rate anywhere in the developed world – 60 percent higher on average than our major foreign competitors. It is a crushing tax on every product Made in America, and it encourages American businesses to ship jobs and factories overseas – something that I have been fighting long and hard and we are making tremendous head way. Believe me, they are starting to move back to our country and the jobs are coming with them.

We are going to cut taxes on American Industry so we can create more business in our country. We want our companies to hire and grow in America, to raise wages for American workers, and to help rebuild our American cities and towns.

Finally, we will make it easier for companies to bring back trillions of dollars that they are now keeping overseas. And the reason is the tax is too high and the bureaucracy is too great. It is so complicated for them to bring back their money that they say “let’s just leave it over here, we won’t bring it back to the United States.” Terrible situation. We are going to take care of it. But this money should be brought back to American soil, where it can be invested in new factories and brand new beautiful jobs.

Our plan is pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-family and pro-American.

This is our chance to give American workers a level playing field, to end the rigged system that lets special interests win at the expense of the middle class, and to reestablish our economic dominance for generations to come.

That is how we all succeed and grow together - as one team, one people, and one American family. Frankly, that is how we Make America Great Again.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America.

OUR HEALTH

Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on a new qualified health claim advising that early introduction of peanuts to certain high-risk infants may reduce risk of peanut allergy
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 7/ 17 (link source)

As the science governing allergies and diets continues to evolve, so do expert recommendations around how best to safely introduce babies and children to various foods. Perhaps one of the most challenging decisions for parents of my generation is when and how to introduce foods that pose a potential for a significant allergic reaction. These decisions are made more difficult as the prevalence of certain food allergies appear to be on the rise. Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. It’s also one of the most dangerous. Peanut allergy is the leading cause of death related to food-induced anaphylaxis in the United States. For these reasons, it’s rightly a cause of significant concern among new parents. The majority of individuals who are allergic to peanuts developed the allergy early in life and never outgrew it. You would be hard pressed to find a parent who doesn’t know a child who suffers from a serious peanut allergy. Even if our own children don’t have a peanut allergy, most of us have friends or relatives whose children do. That’s not surprising, given that the prevalence of peanut allergy has more than doubled in children from 1997 to 2008 alone. Today, about two percent of American children are allergic to peanuts.
As the incidence of peanut allergy grew, along with an awareness of the consequences, doctors began advising parents not to introduce peanut-containing foods to children under the age of three who were at high risk for peanut allergy. While this advice was well intended, new evidence-based guidelines recommend that the medical community consider a different approach. A recent landmark clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health found that introducing foods containing smooth peanut butter to babies as early as 4 months of age who are at high risk of developing a peanut allergy -- due to severe eczema or egg allergy or both -- reduces their risk of developing peanut allergy later in childhood by about 80 percent. That finding led the NIH to issue new guidelines in January, recommending that parents of infants with severe eczema, egg allergy, or both introduce peanut-containing foods into a child’s diet as early as 4 to 6 months of age. The guidelines advise parents to check with their infant’s healthcare provider before feeding their baby peanut-containing foods in order to determine whether an allergy test is needed first and whether feeding should be done under a doctor’s supervision.

Along with the information that you currently see on food labels, which disclose when a food contains peanuts or peanut residue, the new advice about the early introduction to peanuts and reduced risk of developing peanut allergy will soon be found on the labels of some foods containing ground peanuts that are suitable for infant consumption. Whole peanuts, on the other hand, are a choking hazard for young children and should not be consumed. Recognizing the importance of science-based food decisions, the FDA has responded to a petition for a new qualified health claim that states “for most infants with severe eczema and/or egg allergy who are already eating solid foods, introducing foods containing ground peanuts between 4 and 10 months of age and continuing consumption may reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy by 5 years of age.” This is the first time the FDA has recognized a qualified health claim to prevent a food allergy. Our goal is to make sure parents are abreast of the latest science and can make informed decisions about how they choose to approach these challenging issues.

The new claim on food labels will recommend that parents check with their infant’s healthcare provider before introducing foods containing ground peanuts. It will also note that the claim is based on one study. The FDA will continue to monitor the research related to peanut allergy. If new scientific information further informs what we know about peanut allergy, the FDA will evaluate whether the claim should be updated.

We know that there’s more to learn about food allergies. The more we learn, the better we can consider how best to introduce allergenic foods, as well as prevent and treat food allergies. We need to continue to invest in the science related to our diets. The FDA remains committed to advancing and supporting research and innovations that help lower the rate of food allergies and better protect the public health.


CDC Releases New Data on the Connection between Health and Academics
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 7/ 17 (link source)

As millions of students across the United States head back to school, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released new data confirming the close connection between student health and academic performance.

The data published in the September 8 issue of The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report suggest that regardless of sex, race/ethnicity and grade-level, high school students reporting lower academic marks also reported greater health risk behaviors associated with substance use, violence, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and sex. They also reported fewer healthy behaviors than did students who made better grades.

“These findings highlight the connection between student health and academic achievement,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “Schools, parents and communities can all work together to ensure a healthy and successful future for our children.”

The analysis uses information from CDC’s 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. While the results do not address causality, they confirm that across nearly 30 health behaviors, students with lower grades reported higher levels of health risk behaviors or negative outcomes. On the other hand, students who reported positive academic outcomes were more likely to report healthy behaviors. Examples include:

Students who reported receiving mostly Ds and Fs, were nine times more likely than students who received mostly As to report having ever injected any illegal drugs.
Students who reported receiving mostly Ds and Fs, were five times more likely than students who received mostly As to report that they did not go to school at least one day in the past month because of safety concerns.
Students who reported receiving mostly Ds and Fs were more than four times more likely than students who received mostly As to report that they had four or more sexual partners.
Conversely, students who reported receiving mostly As were twice as likely as students who received mostly Ds and Fs to report eating breakfast every day in the past week.
Similarly, students who reported receiving mostly As were almost one and a half times more likely than students who received mostly Ds and Fs to report being physically active at least 60 minutes per day on five or more days in the past week.
To support America’s schools in improving the health of their students, CDC provides data, expertise and resources that can be helpful in developing and carrying out effective programs. This includes funding state and local education agencies that reach approximately 23 million American students to help them avoid risky health behaviors. In addition, CDC promotes the use of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, which focuses on a child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development.

National and local health and safety data provided by CDC guide program activities, ensure the most effective use of resources and empower states to make the case for the programs and services students need.

“As our nation’s children embark on another school year, it’s important to remember that health and academic performance are not mutually exclusive,” said Dr. Fitzgerald. “When it comes to youth, health and education professionals should work in concert with communities and parents to help them create the best possible environment for the health, well-being and future success of the next generation.”

CDC: Preventing stroke deaths
Posted on 9/ 6/ 17 (link source)

After decades of decline, progress has slowed in preventing stroke deaths. Not only has progress in preventing deaths slowed, but there has also been an increase in stroke death rates among Hispanics and among people living in the South, while blacks continue to be the hardest hit by stroke.

This Vital Signs examines trends in stroke deaths in the U.S. from 2000-2015 by age, sex, race/ethnicity and geographic area.  Although this report does not specifically address the reasons behind the slowdown in progress, other studies point to increased prevalence of obesity and diabetes, as contributors.

Key findings in the Vital Signs report include:

After decades of steady decline, the progress in preventing stroke deaths has slowed.
Stroke death rates increased among Hispanics by 6 percent each year from 2013 to 2015; and blacks continue to be the hardest hit by stroke deaths.
About 3 out of every 4 states showed a slowing down in the rate of decline from 2000 through 2015.
Almost 800,000 people have a stroke each year, approximately 140,000 die and many survivors face disability. This is disturbing because about 80% are preventable. High blood pressure is the most important treatable risk factor for stroke. Preventing, diagnosing, and controlling it through lifestyle changes and medicine is critical to reducing strokes. Health systems (hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare professionals) can help address stroke risk factors and improve patient outcomes if a stroke occurs.

Stroke is an emergency. When stroke happens, minutes count. Call 9-1-1 right away. Stroke patients have better outcomes if they get to the hospital in time. Reducing stroke risk factors and improving stroke systems of care are needed to continue the decline in stroke deaths.

HHS Office for Civil Rights Enters Into Agreement with Oklahoma Nursing Home to Protect Patients with HIV/AIDS from Discrimination
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 8/ 17 (link source)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has entered into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with Heritage Hills Living & Rehabilitation Center, LLC (Heritage Hills). The Agreement resolves a complaint alleging that Heritage Hills discharged a seriously ill patient from its facility upon learning that she was HIV positive and in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Heritage Hills is a for-profit, 81-bed, certified skilled nursing facility located in the City of McAlester, in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. Because Heritage Hills receives Federal financial assistance through its participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, it is subject to the requirements of Section 504 and Section 1557.

Heritage Hills agreed to resolve the complaint after OCR initiated an investigation into whether Heritage Hills discriminated against the complainant’s daughter on the basis of the daughter’s disability (HIV/AIDS) in violation of Section 504 and Section 1557.

Under the Agreement, Heritage Hills will ensure compliance with Section 504 and Section 1557; report admissions and discharge data to OCR for a 12 month period; appoint a Civil Rights Coordinator; publish and post a new non-discrimination policy; implement a new patient grievance procedure and inform patients of their right to file complaints with OCR; require its staff to receive training on HIV/AIDS and Federal non-discrimination obligations; and revise its admissions policy to ensure that all individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to HIV/AIDS, are provided equal access to and an equal opportunity to participate in all programs, benefits and services offered by the facility.

“It is heart-wrenching to see a seriously ill person ejected from a federally-funded medical facility simply because they were HIV positive. Such conduct is not only tragic, it is illegal, and as our investigation and resolution of this complaint demonstrates, OCR is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities– including those with HIV/AIDS – are afforded equal access to health care,” said Roger Severino, OCR director.

OCR enforces civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion or exercise of conscience. Collectively, Section 504 and Section 1557 prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in health programs or activities that receive HHS funding, such as nursing homes and hospitals.

During the last five years, OCR has engaged in more than 200 enforcement and outreach efforts involving HIV/AIDS, including public education campaigns, HIV-related civil rights complaint investigations, HIV-related health information privacy investigations and 12 joint civil rights/health information privacy compliance reviews, which were the subject of OCR’s report, Protecting the Civil Rights and Health Information Privacy of People Living with HIV/AIDS. The report is available at: 

Of particular note, OCR has launched an Information is Powerful Medicine public education campaign, which encourages those living with HIV to be proactive in their health care. The campaign explains individuals’ health information privacy rights, including how individuals can monitor and access a copy of their medical records; and is available at http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/information-is-powerful-medicine/index.html.

A copy of the voluntary resolution agreement can be found at .

For additional information on OCR’s work on HIV/AIDS issues, visit www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/HIV/index.html.

To learn more about non-discrimination and health information privacy laws, and to find information on filing a complaint, visit us at www.hhs.gov/ocr.

NEWS REPORT COMMENTARY

News article from the Peninsula Daily News headline: The Port Angeles City Council has approved a code change, saying it will promote transparency in its advisory board and committee meetings.

QUOTE: " Among the changes, the ordinance requires that public comment periods be offered at each meeting and that agendas be posted online five days prior to the meeting."

Agenda item review from the last city council meeting
Background/Analysis: On May 23, 2017, City Council held a worksession to review the workings of all Council-appointed advisory boards and commissions. During the worksession,
Council discussed several aspects of these boards, including the interview and recruitment process for board members, and options for allowing public comment during board meetings.
Council agreed by consensus to:
 Direct staff to create a recruitment and interview policy, and to post agendas online in a consistent manner prior to all board meetings.
 Allow for a public comment opportunity at each meeting.
 Whenever practical, hold all meetings in the Council Chambers.
 Eliminate the Real Estate Committee.
 Change to quarterly meetings for the Port Angeles Forward Committee.
 Leave the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) as it is, but have a joint UAC-Council meeting when the City goes through a full Cost of Services Analyses (COSA).
The proposed ordinance incorporates Council’s wishes, mainly by adding a new Chapter 2.25
titled General Provisions of Boards and Commissions. The new Chapter formalizes the interview and selection process, streamlines the term expiration dates for the various boards, incorporates public comment into the meeting formats, and to the extent possible, requires advisory board
meetings to be held in the Council Chambers. The ordinance also requires that advisory board meeting agendas be published on the City’s webpage at least 5 calendar days prior to committee meetings.
In addition, staff are proposing a few minor changes to Chapter 2.40 - Port Angeles Forward
Committee and Chapter 2.68 - Utility Advisory Committee. The primary change to Chapter 2.40 is altering the meeting schedule of the PA Forward Committee to be quarterly, and in Chapter 2.68 adding one citizen-at-large member to the UAC.
Council conducted a first reading of the ordinance at its August 15th meeting.
The only change to
the ordinance since the first reading is in Section 2.40.040 B, which now incorporates Council’s wishes to have the Port Angeles Forward Committee meet quarterly as opposed to monthly.
(See full agenda)


Editorial Comment: It's good they want to be more transpartent, but not availing themselve to be interviewed by the media at times is that transparent? Not allowing the media be in those executive sessions, is that transparent? NO! On both questions.





Weekly Bible Study
Gospel Way: Criticizing Other People's Religion
We frequently hear people say, "I don't believe in criticizing other people's religion." Some people become angry - even violent - when people criticize their beliefs. Surely we should not condemn beliefs that are pleasing to God, but does this mean we should even avoid pointing out the religious errors of others?
https://www.gospelway.com/topics/teaching/criticizing_others.art.php