https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=37991A80-2520-4222-BB56-59E953334C9D
(Washington, D.C.)—Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after meeting this afternoon with Secretary Betsy DeVos in the Dirksen Senate Office Building about her role as head of President Trump’s new commission on school safety.
“I appreciated that Secretary DeVos came to meet with me, but I was extremely disappointed at how the meeting went. I was hoping that Secretary DeVos would be able to talk to me about real and meaningful steps she could move quickly on as head of President Trump’s new gun commission, but everything I heard from her in our conversation suggested that this is just the latest effort to delay and shift the conversation away from the gun safety reforms that people across the country are demanding.
“While Secretary DeVos said she had no interest in meeting with the NRA as a part of this process, she couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me how the NRA would be allowed to influence the commission’s recommendations, or even that they wouldn’t have veto power. She couldn’t tell me how quickly the commission would move, or give me any kind of clear timeline at all. She wouldn’t agree to put survivors of gun violence, families of victims, or experts on preventing gun violence on the commission—in fact, she told me that the only people on the commission would be federal officials. And she pushed back and asked for continued delay when I suggested that we start by quickly addressing the most common sense gun safety policies supported by the vast majority of Americans—like universal background checks and raising the age for purchasing assault weapons.
“I am hoping that Secretary DeVos gets a handle on this issue and changes her tune, but based on this meeting today, I have no confidence that this commission will be anything other than a tool for continued distraction and delay.”
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Senator Murray’s Statement on Education Secretary DeVos’ Attempts to Invalidate State Laws Protecting Students from Predatory Student Debt Corporations
press release 3/ 9/ 18
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=0BE782EC-F651-4A91-9E5F-707D76E5F803
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Education’s announcement asserting that state laws protecting students do not apply to student loan companies. Last week, the Washington state legislature passed a ‘student bill of rights’ to address the growing amount of student debt by providing students with support to pay back their loans and protecting them from predatory corporations, including debt collectors.
“While Secretary DeVos has spent the last year putting student loan companies ahead of students, I’m proud my home state of Washington has passed legislation to make it easier for students to pay back their loans and protect them from predatory corporations. Secretary DeVos’ latest move to invalidate students’ protections at the state level is concerning and telling, and I hope the Republicans who claim to care so deeply about states’ rights will join me in fighting back against this overreaching and harmful decision.”
Secretary DeVos Issues Full Forgiveness of HBCU Hurricane Relief Loans
Press release issued 3/ 14/ 18
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-issues-full-forgiveness-hbcu-hurricane-relief-loans
Today U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced full forgiveness of the hurricane relief loans provided to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005.
"This additional disaster relief will lift a huge burden and enable the four HBCUs to continue their focus on serving their students and communities," said DeVos. "This relief provides one more step toward full recovery."
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 made funds available to fully forgive the loans of Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, Tougaloo College and Xavier University of Louisiana under the HBCU Hurricane Supplemental Loan program.
DeVos Announces Additional Funds to Support Students at Colleges and Universities Impacted by Hurricanes
Press release issued 3/ 13/ 18
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/devos-announces-additional-funds-support-students-colleges-and-universities-impacted-hurricanes
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the reallocation of $22.9 million in unexpended funds to assist students at colleges and universities located in Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared major disaster areas impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as postsecondary schools across the nation that have enrolled a significant number of students from the affected areas.
Prepared Remarks to the National Parent Teacher Association Legislative Conference
Press release issued on 3/ 13/ 18
https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/prepared-remarks-national-parent-teacher-association-legislative-conference
Quote: " The tragedy in Parkland, Florida was a sad reminder that there is still much work to be done to ensure no parent, no teacher, no student has to again endure what many did at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
But now is not another occasion to race off to our political corners or to insulate ourselves from each other and jab at perceived enemies, as too often happens. The practice of talking past each other doesn’t serve anyone, and it doesn’t accomplish anything. Now is the time to have an open and honest conversation with everyoneabout what went wrong, and what we must do now and in the future to ensure our children are safe."
WA AG: APPEALS COURT AGREES WITH AG OPINION ON LOCAL MARIJUANA BANS
Press release issued 3/ 13/ 18
http://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/appeals-court-agrees-ag-opinion-local-marijuana-bans
OLYMPIA — A three-judge state court of appeals panel today ruled that local jurisdictions have the authority to ban marijuana sales, agreeing with Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s arguments and a 2014 Attorney General Opinion.
This is the first appellate court to rule on the issue. Judges in five trial-court cases have also agreed with the attorney general’s interpretation. The Attorney General’s Office intervened in the case to uphold the will of the voters and ensure proper interpretation of Washington’s marijuana law.
“My office is aggressively working to uphold the will of the voters,” Ferguson said. “Today’s ruling affirms my office’s position and formal opinion. I have said from the beginning: If the Legislature or the drafters of Initiative 502 had intended to require local jurisdictions to allow the sale of recreational marijuana, they could have done so in a single sentence. They did not.”
In its ruling on Emerald Enterprises v. Clark County, the state Court of Appeals Division II panel held that while Washington law “permits the retail sale of marijuana, it does not grant retailers an affirmative right to sell marijuana.”
The plaintiffs in the case sought to open a marijuana retail business in unincorporated Clark County, despite the county’s ban on such businesses in unincorporated areas (several cities in Clark County, including Vancouver, allow marijuana businesses). The county argues it is not required to allow marijuana retailers under voter-approved law legalizing marijuana.
Local governments like Clark County that have banned marijuana businesses have indicated that if I-502 requires them to allow marijuana businesses, then they will challenge I-502 and argue that it is preempted by federal law. If courts agree with this argument, it could potentially threaten I-502 and Washington’s regulated marijuana system. But if courts continue to agree with the AGO opinion that Washington’s marijuana law does not require local governments to allow marijuana businesses, this threat will be avoided, because courts will not need to rule on the question of federal preemption. This allows legalized marijuana to continue in Washington, in accordance with voters’ wishes.
Ferguson described this threat in detail in an op-ed to The Seattle Times in 2015. He wrote: “While a patchwork system might not be perfect, allowing local bans of marijuana businesses actually protects the initiative against legal challenges.”
Deputy Solicitor General Jeff Even presented arguments to the court.
In WORLD NEWS HEADLINES...
UN NEWS RELEASE: Moscow ‘Highly Likely’ Behind Salisbury Chemical Attack, Prime Minister of United Kingdom Says in Letter to Security Council
Russian Federation Calls Statement Irresponsible, Threatening
The Security Council met today to discuss a letter written by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to the President of the Security Council, which outlined a nerve-agent attack against Sergei Skripal and his daughter that had left them both in critical condition.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13247.doc.htm
UN NEWS RELEASE: Better Laws, Data Essential for Tackling Cyber abuse, Growing Digital Gender Gap, Deputy Secretary-General Tells Event on Ending Online Violence against Women
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the Commission on the Status of Women side event organized by Estonia “Ending violence against women — opportunities and challenges of information and communications technology”, in New York today.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/dsgsm1142.doc.htm
Security Council Committee Concerning Sudan Amends Three Entries on Its Sanctions List
On 14 March 2018, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan enacted the amendments specified with strikethrough and underline in the entries below on its Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the travel ban and assets freeze set out in paragraph 3 of Security Council resolution 1591 (2005) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13248.doc.htm
NEWS FROM THE UN NEWS CENTER...
Mexico: UN report points to torture, cover-ups in probe into disappearance of 43 students
The United Nations human rights wing said Thursday that it has strong grounds to believe that the investigation into the disappearance of 43 students from a rural Mexican college in 2014 was marred by torture and cover-ups.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1005022
UN-World Bank panel calls for ‘fundamental shift’ in water management
With 700 million people worldwide at risk of being displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030, water infrastructure investment must be at least doubled over the next five years, a panel set up by the United Nations and the World Bank recommended on Wednesday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1004982
As Syria conflict enters eighth year, UN agencies join call for peace and safe aid delivery
Two United Nations relief agencies on Wednesday joined a chorus of international organizations and partners in the quest to end seven years of conflict in Syria, urging warring parties to allow humanitarian access for the delivery of life-saving assistance to those desperately in need.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/03/1004942
IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION
Men who would be king. A reminder to those who gain power then don't know when to walk away.
OH! BY THE WAY!
OH! BY THE WAY!
HAPPY ST. PATS DAY!
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