JFAV NATIONAL DAYS OF ACTION, January 18-20, 2012 (tags)
Los Angeles --More than 100 combined vets, widows, and advocates trooped to Senator Dianne Feinstein local offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco last January 18, 2012 to air public demand for equity that was denied for the last 65 years. This is a part of the three day national day of actions from January 18-20, 2012 in form of legislative visits, emails, fax and letter writing campaign to legislators to gather support for HR 210 in the US Congress. In Los Angeles, a delegation led by JFAV veteran leader John Aspiras and national Coordinator Arturo Garcia delivered more than 300 signed petitions and letters to Feinstein office in Santa Monica, west side Los Angeles. Feinstein is expected to introduce a companion bill in the US Senate for HR 210.
The Fix Is In: Expect Democrats to Buckle (tags)
Democrats will cave
Obama Cutting Social Security Funds in Deal to Extend Tax Cuts (tags)
To provide political cover for this giveaway to the rich, the plan includes an extension of federal long-term unemployment benefits for 13 months and a one-year reduction in the Social Security payroll tax from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. While this would temporarily increase paychecks for tens of millions, it would also deprive Social Security of $120 billion in funding. The White House said this shortfall would be made up through general revenue sources, but these have not been specified. [And probably do not exist.]
Sanction Congress, Not One Member (tags)
high political crimes
Obama's Outreach to Americans: Empty Rhetoric, Business As usual (tags)
Expect business as usual ahead
Newt Gingrich, "The GOP Poster Boy For Republicans' Hypocrisy" (tags)
Rachel Maddow & Chris Hayes EXPOSES Newt Gingrich 5/20/09
HUNDREDS ATTENDS IMMIGRATION REFORM HEARINGS IN LOS ANGELES, MARCH 13 (tags)
Familias Unidas, Jamas Cerra Vencidos! (Familes United Can never be defeated) Hundreds of immigrants and advocates packed the old La Placita Olvera Church to hear testimonies from people who are affected by the broken immigration laws of the US and attend a congressional hearing on immigration reform law. Present at the hearings were Assistant Speaker Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswomen Grace Napolitan0, Lucille Royal-Allard and Diane Watson. They were members of the Latino and Black Caucus. They also presented people from their district who spoke on their concerns on immigration reform.
HUNDREDS ATTNED IMMIGRATION REFORM HEARINGS IN LOS ANGELES, MARCH 13 (tags)
Familias Unidas, Jamas Cerra Vencidos! (Familes United Can never be defeated) Hundreds of immigrants and advocates packed the old La Placita Olvera Church to hear testimonies from people who are affected by the broken immigration laws of the US and attend a congressional hearing on immigration reform law. Present at the hearings were Assistant Speaker Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswomen Grace Napolitan0, Lucille Royal-Allard and Diane Watson. They were members of the Latino and Black Caucus. They also presented people from their district who spoke on their concerns on immigration reform.
SAN FRANCISCO VETS PETITIONS PELOSI ON STIMULUS BILL (tags)
A groups of San Francisco Filipino World War II veterans sent a petition to Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the San Francisco State Building to expresses grave concern on the fate of the Stimulus Bill on which the Filipino veterans benefits bill that now hangs by a thread. While the Stimulus bill passed the Senate last Tuesday, Feb 10, it will still go to a bicameral conference. The San Francisco Filipino veterans and their advocates sent the petition to the Speaker office last February 10, to make sure that it will not suffer the fate of S. 1315.
Alexander Wants Jobs for Local Communities, Construction Industry (tags)
Once again Stewart A. Alexander is rejecting the continuous flow of U.S. dollars to bailout banks and corporate America; instead, Alexander says any public funds should go to local communities to help working people, creating jobs in the building and construction industry. Alexander says the U.S. government should establish a $1 trillion fund to make available low interest loans for home improvements; this would create jobs across America and benefit local communities.
Pelosi Pushed Book, While Taxpayers Revolted Over Bailout (tags)
When the Congress was debating the $700 billion bailout of the greedy bankers on Wall St., an overconfident Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in Baltimore hawking her book, “Know Your Power.” On Sept. 29, 2008, the House of Representatives, responding to a taxpayers’ revolt, rejected the Bush-Cheney Gang’s bailout scheme. Speaker Peolsi, in her library spiel, conveyed a false sense of security about the grim economic situation facing the nation.
PASS THE HOUSE VERSION OF SB 1315, NOW! (tags)
It’s been 18 years running and with less than a week left, the house version of SB 1315 still hangs in a balance. The democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi have not authorized the bill to be discussed or voted on the floor since April. House veterans affairs committee chairman Bob Filner, running for re-election in California’s heavily ethnic southern San Diego district, has offered a compromise bill that would provide a one-time, lump-sum payment of $15,000 for US-based Filipino veterans and $9,000 for those in the Philippines. JFAV and ACFV and other veterans advocates have rejected the Filner proposal, confident that S-1315 still has a chance. “The way we see it,” says Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) leader Arturo P.Garcia said: “The Democrats are not doing their job. We voted them into office to pass this bill. But now, they are not moving and making the same empty promises.”
JFAV PURSUES PASSAGE OF THE HOUSE VERSION OF SB 1315, DISAPPOINTED WITH PELOSI (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) coordinator Arturo P. Garcia expressed this stand and say they are seriously disappointed with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Bob Filner, head of the House of Representatives Veterans Committee who said that "S. 1315 is dead because the democrats do not have the 2/3 majority votes needed to pass it." JFAV also expressed disenchantment with the democrats when Filner further said, "Speaker Pelosi can crack the whip for the 40 or so Democrats holding out but she won't. She is concerned that their (40+ Reps) re-election bids will be affected by this vote. [Filner] does not agree but [he] does not have the whip.
AN OPEN LETTER TO SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (tags)
We are writing to you on the matter of the pending House version of SB 1315 pending at the House of Representatives. We hold you, as the Speaker and the leader of the Democratic Party, responsible for not passing the bill in the house You have the responsibility to answer why the bill has not been discussed or have not been put into vote despite several promises. Time is of the essence for these American veterans who were victims of the unjust Recession Act that was passed on February 18th, 1946. Of the 250,000 Filipino soldiers who served under the American Flag during World War II, only 18,000 are still alive with more veterans dying everyday
AN OPEN LETTER TO SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (tags)
Dear Ms. Speaker, We are writing to you on the matter of the pending House version of SB 1315 pending at the House of Representatives. We hold you, as the Speaker and the leader of the Democratic Party, responsible for not passing the bill in the house You have the responsibility to answer why the bill has not been discussed or have not been put into vote despite several promises. Time is of the essence for these American veterans who were victims of the unjust Recession Act that was passed on February 18th, 1946. Of the 250,000 Filipino soldiers who served under the American Flag during World War II, only 18,000 are still alive with more veterans dying everyday.
JUSTICE AND EQUITY NOW! (tags)
Different Filipino Veterans groups marked the 67th year Filipino soldiers conscription day or the USAFFE DAY, July 26, 1941 with festivities and protests. More than 15 veterans and community leaders of Southern California. In a symbolic protest-- signed an open letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding the passage of the SB 1315 version in the house that has been languishing in the US Congress for more than 18 years. In a community forum sponsored by the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) held at SIPA on July 25, 2008, they declared: “ We hold you as a the speaker and the leader of the Democratic Party responsible for not passing the bill in the house. You have the responsibility to answer why the bill has not been discussed or have not been put into a vote despite several promises.” The Filipino leaders demand that the SB 1315 version in the house be passed before the US Congress recess on August 31.
There is an inherent conflict in writing a weekly opinion column, as I have done for the last 20 years, and in being an elected public official in San Francisco, as I have been for the last 17 years. It is an occupational hazard that from time to time, I have expressed opinions which offended certain individuals who happen to be San Francisco voters. Most recently I wrote two columns about the need for the Filipino community to express our unequivocal support for the Filipino veterans equity bill, S.1315, which passed the U.S. Senate 96-1 on April 24, 2008, and which is currently pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Betrayal of the Filipino Veterans (tags)
Just as the U.S. House of Representatives was about to vote on S.1315 -- known as the "Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007" -- a group of Filipino-Americans from San Francisco drove a polarizing wedge that could potentially impede the passage of the bill. Indeed, what was almost a certainty two weeks ago is now in jeopardy.
House Leaves Surveillance Law to Expire (tags)
The refusal of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, to schedule a vote on a surveillance measure approved Tuesday by the Senate touched off an intense partisan conflict over the national security questions that have colored federal elections since 2002 and are likely to play a significant role again in November.
JFAV Asks De Venecia to Stop Raising False Hopes on Equity Bill (tags)
The Justice For Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) scored Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. announcement last January 6, 2008 ” that the United States House of Representatives, headed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has assured that a bill that would provide $90 million a year to Filipino World War II veterans is being prioritized in Capitol Hill." The Speaker quoted Pelosi as telling him during a telephone conversation in California, that they “will try to organize a financial package” for Filipino war veterans. JFAV claimed that Speaker Pelosi did nothing to get the equity bill pass this year. "
Pilipino WWII veterans in the Philippines to get $90M a year- Speaker De Venecia (tags)
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. yesterday announced that the United States House of Representatives, headed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has assured that a bill that would provide $90 million a year to Filipino World War II veterans is being prioritized in Capitol Hill. De Venecia said the bill, Filipino Veterans Equity Bill, may be scheduled for a floor vote following its approval last July in a markup hearing by the US House of Representatives veterans affairs committee headed by by Bob Filner. The bill was reported out by the Congressional Budget Office for Budget Estimates last September. The Speaker quoted Pelosi as telling him during a telephone conversation in California, that they “will try to organize a financial package” for Filipino war veterans.
A Lesson in Community Empowerment: (tags)
Last November 11,2007, more than eight hundred youth together with the Filipino World War II Veterans marched through the streets of Historic Filipinotown to protest the 61 years of injustice and inequities. The 7th Annual Veterans Day march-parade was held by the Justice For Filipino Veterans (JFAV), an alliance of students,youth and veterans groups. The parade was held for the eight straight year and is sponsored by the Office of Councilmember Eric Garcetti.
Why Did The Equity Bill Did Not Pass (tags)
Last November 11,2007, the youth together with the Filipino World War II Veterans marched through the streets of Historic Filipinotown to protest the 61 years of injustice and inequities. The 7th Annual Veterans Day march-parade was held by the Justice For Filipino Veterans (JFAV), an alliance of students,youth and veterans groups. The parade was held for the eight straight year and is sponsored by the Office of Councilmember Eric Garcetti. In San Francisco, American Coalition For Filipino Veteran (ACFV) staked out at the residence of Speaker Nancy Pelosi to no avail. Pelosi fresh from her defeat for the Armenian genocide resolution in the lower house did not even bothered to sponsor the equity bill.
Incompetence or Cover-Up? Air Force Report on the Minot-Barksdale Nuclear Missile Flight (tags)
"It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck." --Pentagon official
House Committee Rejects Trans inclusion on Employment Non Discrimination Act [ENDA]/ Cable TV to Air Cong. Frank Interview
Peace and Freedom Party War Protestor Arrested (tags)
Yesterday John Reiger, a member of Peace and Freedom Party, was among ten war protestors that were arrested at the office of Congresswoman Doris Matsui in Sacramento California. The protestors were part of a nationwide movement of anti-war protestors that oppose the Iraq War and congressional support for the war.
Top House Democrats retreated Monday from an attempt to limit President Bush's authority for taking military action against Iran as the leadership concentrated on a looming confrontation with the White House over the Iraq war.
Israel's Extremists Plotting Nuclear Strike (tags)
Democrats Urge Speaker Nunez to Return Money (tags)
The questionable $4 million Election Day contribution that Speaker Fabian Nunez received from the California Democratic Party immediately drew condemnation from good government activists, but now Democratic activists are wondering why grassroots contributions were refunded to a term-limited incumbent in a safe Democratic district.