ENCORE! Audience Favorites

To open their 30th Anniversary Season, Nova Singers presents a program of audience favorites, featuring American folk songs and spirituals, English madrigals, Romantic gems and a sampling of world folk songs.  Come enjoy Duruflé's Ubi caritas, Brahms' Schaffe in mir Gott , O! Susanna, Amazing Grace, Shenandoah, Ain'a That Good News!, and the most dramatic and exciting of Moses Hogan's spirituals, Elijah Rock and Battle of Jericho.  Nova Singers will be joined by students from Northeast High School and North Scott High School as part of our educational outreach program, Project Sing!.  In addition, all former members of Nova Singers have been invited back to join the ensemble for the final three pieces of the program, creating a Nova Alumni Choir.  A special reception will follow the Galesburg concert.

Saturday, October 10

7:30 PM                            


Kresge Recital Hall, Knox College, Galesburg

Sunday, October 11

4:00 PM

St. Paul Lutheran Church, 

Davenport

PORT BYRON, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, is urging residents, local leaders and area schools to work together to prevent bullying as part of National Bullying Prevention Month, recognized in October.
"Too often, students feel unsafe or intimidated at school, keeping them from important experiences that will help them live up to their full potential," Smiddy said. "As a father, it's important to me that our schools are a place where all children can feel safe to learn and grow."
National Bullying Prevention Month encourages community members to partner with parents, teachers and students to reduce bullying in our schools. Participants are urged to reach out to isolated students, stand up for those who are being picked on and create positive messages and anti-bullying videos.
Last year, Smiddy sponsored a new law requiring schools to implement a comprehensive policy to prevent bullying. As more and more incidents occur on social media, Smiddy also pushed to require schools to include protocols for dealing with cyber-bullying.
"New legislation can help bring the issue of bullying to statewide attention, but addressing this challenge will require legislators, educators, parents and community members to work together," Smiddy said. "Everyone in our communities is responsible for the safety of our children, so if you see something that you find concerning, speak up. Together we can reduce bullying."
Bullying can affect people in very serious ways. If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released a series of fact sheets illustrating how the newly reached Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement can boost the U.S. agriculture industry, supporting more American jobs and driving the nation's rural economy. Created by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the fact sheets graphically depict how each state and individual commodities stand to benefit from increased agricultural trade with the 11 other TPP countries.

Trade ministers from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam concluded TPP negotiations on Oct. 5 in Atlanta, Ga. Trade with these countries accounted for 42 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2014, contributing $63 billion to the U.S. economy.

"Increased demand for American agricultural products and expanded agricultural exports as a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will support stronger commodity prices and increase farm income. Increased exports will support more good paying export-related jobs, further strengthening the rural economy," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "All of this activity benefits rural communities and keeps American agriculture on the cutting edge of global commerce. The TPP agreement will contribute to the future strength of American agriculture and helps to ensure that the historic agricultural trade gains achieved under President Obama since 2009 will continue."

The United States runs an agricultural trade surplus which benefits farmers, ranchers, and all those who live, work and raise families in rural America. Agricultural trade supports more than one million American jobs. TPP will remove unfair trade barriers and help further the global expansion of American agricultural exports, particularly exports of meat, poultry, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, cotton and processed products.

The information released today illustrates benefits for key commodities and all 50 states. Learn more about TPP and its benefits to the agricultural economy at http://www.fas.usda.gov/tpp. Here is just a snapshot of how the TPP would boost exports of some U.S. food and agricultural products:

Beef and Veal

Japan's beef tariff, currently as high as 50 percent, will be reduced to nine percent. Japan will eliminate duties on 75 percent of tariff lines, including processed beef products. Vietnam will eliminate tariffs and Malaysia will lock tariffs in at zero percent.

Pork

Japan will eliminate duties on nearly 80 percent of tariff lines, including processed pork. Remaining tariffs will be cut and the "Gate Price" system significantly altered. Nearly all Malaysian tariffs will be locked in at zero percent and Vietnam will eliminate tariffs.

Fruits

Japan, Malaysia, and Vietnam will eliminate tariffs on all fresh and processed fruits, including citrus.

Vegetables

Malaysia and Vietnam will immediately eliminate all tariffs, and Japan nearly all tariffs, on fresh and processed vegetables. All three countries will eliminate tariffs on potatoes and potato products.

Rice

Japan, which excluded rice from its prior trade agreements, will establish a new, duty-free quota for U.S. rice. Malaysia and Vietnam will eliminate tariffs.

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Des Moines, October 6, 2015– On Thursday, October 15, members of the Iowa Supreme Court will meet with students from six high schools and one college to discuss the Iowa judicial system and the role of the courts. The justices will visit high school students in Newton, Grinnell, Monroe, Bondurant, Saylor Township, and Williamsburg, and meet with college students on the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Newton Campus.

High school visit schedule for Thursday, October 15

8:30 a.m. Chief Justice Cady Grinnell High School

8:58 a.m. Justice Hecht PCM High School

9:05 a.m. Justice Appel Bondurant-Farrar High School

9:45 a.m. Justice Mansfield Newton High School

9:45 a.m. Justice Wiggins Saydel High School

10:00 a.m. Justice Waterman Williamsburg High School

11:00 a.m. Justice Zager DMACC real time reporting students, Newton Campus

In addition to the school visits, the supreme court will hold a special session in Newton on Wednesday evening, October 14, at 7:00 p.m., in the Newton High School Center for Performance, 800 East 4th Street South, Newton. During the special session, the court will hear oral arguments in one case. The oral arguments are open to the public. A public reception with the justices in the Newton High School cafeteria will follow the oral arguments.

Special session

Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.

Newton High School Center for Performance

800 East 4th Street South

Newton, Iowa

 

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear lawyers argue in one case:

Hutchison, et al. v Warren County Board of Supervisors, et al.:

Former employees of Warren County contend the Warren County Board of Supervisors violated Iowa's "open meetings law," Iowa Code chapter 21, when individual supervisors met separately with the county administrator, serving as a go-between, to deliberate a proposed restructuring of the county workforce. The district court determined there was no open meetings violation because there was no gathering of a majority of supervisors. A question before the supreme court is whether "walking quorums" or "serial communications" constitute a "gathering" within the definition of "meeting" in Iowa's open meetings law.

Public reception

There will be a public reception in the Newton High School cafeteria following the oral arguments.

 

For more information about the oral arguments

Attorneys' briefs for the case and a guide to oral arguments are posted on the Iowa Judicial Branch website at:

http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Supreme_Court/Offsite_Oral_Arguments_Newton

Note to news media

News media are invited to attend the oral arguments. Court rules apply regarding still camera, video camera, and audio recording devices used during the oral arguments. Information on expanded media coverage is available on the Iowa Judicial Branch Website at: http://www.iowacourts.gov/For_the_Media/Expanded_News_Media_Coverage/

Chapter 25 of the Iowa Court Rules regarding cameras and other electronic devices in courtrooms is available on the Iowa Legislature website at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ACO/CR/LINC/04-30-2014.chapter.25.pdf .

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November 6-8, 2015

 

AMANA, Iowa- Join us in the historic Amana Colonies for Girls Getaway Weekend November 6-8! There's a unique, hands on experience waiting for women of all ages during this first annual Girls Getaway celebration! Great sampling, shopping and relaxation!

Activities will begin Friday, November 6th, at 4pm and will go through Sunday, November 8th. Businesses will be featuring products and special services all weekend long.

Local B&B's will be offering special packages so ladies can get the most out of their weekend stay. Activities are dispersed throughout the seven villages including food, beer, and wine sampling, a Fall Fiber Show, Theater Performances, a Vintner's Dinner, a Vendor Fair, and pampering. Most of the local restaurants are offering special dining options. There is something to please everyone's tastes and hobbies.

For more information about Girls Getaway Weekend, visit amanacolonies.com or call 319-622-7622. And for complete list of upcoming events and festivals, visit amanacolonies.com.

'Family Event' celebrates 'family music'

The Quad-Cities will host a musical family reunion - of sorts. The FISHERMEN'S HOLLER FAMILY BLUEGRASS CONCERT will be held Saturday October 17 at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds located at 4200 Archer Drive in East Moline, IL inside the Big Red Barn. Tickets purchased before October 1st are very reasonably priced at $10 per adult per show with children 12 and under free with adult. After October 1st tickets will be available in advance and at the door for $15 per adult per show with children free with adult. A limited number of campsites are available with 30 amp RV hookups for an additional charge. Call (309) 235-3923 for more information. The all-day, family friendly event will feature matinee and evening concerts at 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM showcasing a playbill of impressive bluegrass music talent including, SPECIAL CONSENSUS, FARIS FAMILY, BLUEGRASS MARTINS, and host artist JOSIE DEWITT & FISHERMEN'S HOLLER.

GRAMMY nominated, international touring, Compass Records recording artists, SPECIAL CONSENSUS will headline the talent roster. Led by Chicago-based banjo artist Greg Cahill, the 'artist accord' has entertained widely throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the U.K. Last fall the group made their first tour of Australia.

Established in 1975, the band is now celebrating 40 years of touring, entertaining appreciative audiences across a variety of venues including television and internet broadcasts, radio, festival and concert stages. In 2014, SPECIAL CONSENSUS was awarded Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year by the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

SPECIAL CONSENSUS mandolin performer, Rick Faris was raised a multi-instrumentalist and award-winning guitar performer in FARIS FAMILY - a Kansas-based independent recording and touring band who performed across the U.S. and Canada for more than a decade before individual career choices took them in separate ways in 2009.  Among other honors, the group was named five consecutive years Entertaining Group of the Year, and four times Instrumental Group of the Year by the fan-based membership of the Society for the Preservation of Blue Grass Music of America (SPBGMA). The family's performance during this event will mark a musical reunion and a rare treat for their supporters among QC bluegrass fans.

Eddie Faris met his talented wife, the BLUEGRASS MARTINS' award-winning fiddler and vocalist Jeana Martin Faris, as their families crossed paths touring. Their courtship gave a new definition to the term "performance dates". BLUEGRASS MARTINS, based in Jefferson City, Missouri, have been awarded dozens of accolades from SPBGMA including twice named Vocal Group of the Year, and for nine consecutive years, Instrumental Group of the Year. In addition, they have individually received the nod for Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year, Fiddle Performer of the Year, Guitar Performer of the Year, Dobro Performer of the Year, and Banjo Performer of the Year. In 2008, three of the sisters appeared on the Blue Circle Records release "Bluegrass Bouquet - the Daughters of Bluegrass" which was named IBMA Recorded Event of the Year.

Quad-Cities' singer-songwriter, JOSIE DEWITT & FISHERMEN'S HOLLER will be performing selections from her considerable catalog of bluegrass and gospel music. She regularly performs to appreciative audiences from among her growing list of fans. To make the familiar ties complete, Ms. DeWitt is the sister of master of ceremonies, wife, mother, and performer, Michelle Faris of FARIS FAMILY.

Please bring lawn chairs. For advance tickets sales and information contact 309-235-3923; send checks or money orders to: Fishermen's Holler, Inc.; P.O. Box 56; Rapids City, IL 61278.

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Quad Cities, IA/IL:  Hundreds of Red Kettle Campaign bell ringers will be needed this season to help stand all fifty Quad Cities Red Kettle Locations.  The hours can be as few as 8 hours per week, and as many as 40 hours per week.  The bell ringing campaign will begin Friday, November 6, 2015.

The applications will be taken in ROCK ISLAND COUNTY beginning October 5th:

2200 -5th Avenue, Moline, IL

Monday through Friday   9am - 1pm

The applications will be taken in SCOTT COUNTY beginning October 5th:

3400 W. Central Park Avenue, Davenport, IA

Mondays   12pm  -  2:30pm

Wednesdays 1pm - 4pm

Fridays 11am - 2pm

Social security card and current photo id are required to be hired.

Volunteers are also sought:  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer bell ringer, please go to www.ringbells.org for easy sign-up.

82 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used to sustain

year-round programs that foster hope, and help change lives.

(Quad Cities, IA) - Service to humanity is the best work of life. It's not just part of our creed but our DNA as Jaycees members. 100% Volunteer driven Jaycees of the Quad Cities give countless hours and donations to make our community a better place to live, work and play.

During the four hour work session, the Jaycees will help a disadvantaged home owner make improvements to their home. Duties include :

  • Prep and painting a bedroom

  • Prep and painting a hallway

  • Replacing a toilet and two faucets

  • Installing three new ceiling fans with lights

  • Removing carpet and installing a laminate floor

  • Stain handicap ramp to home

"This is a project with a longstanding history for our organization. One of our former Presidents started this manyxx years ago when and it's been a staple ever since. We have a few handy helpers but mostly people want to do good work and learn from others while helping out a neighbor," said Caitlin Breedlove, project coordinator.

Working through Rebuilding Together, we work to preserve affordable home ownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing free home repairs to homeowners in-need. We not only donate our money but our time to this worth organization that directly impacts community members.

The increasing cost of living and decreasing social service budgets, leave our most vulnerable neighbors without the most basic of necessities: a warm, safe, and dry home.

"Sometimes our few hours of helping hands is all someone needs to remain in their home safely," said Jennifer Kincaid, President of Jaycees of the Quad Cities. "I mean who says no to that?"

The Jaycees of the Quad Cities supports this and other projects aimed at cleaning up our neighborhoods and community. Individuals and groups interested in volunteering with Jaycees of the Quad Cities should contact info@jayceesqc.org or call (563) 484-0041.

About Jaycees of the Quad Cities: Jaycees aim to build personal and professional relationships by work together on projects to strengthen and grow the Quad-Cities community. The Quad Cities Chapter is one of the oldest chapters in the state of Iowa and has grown to include young professionals from both sides of the Mississippi River. They pride themselves on blending social opportunities with service - like planning the annual Bridal Expo and the Brew Ha Ha that raise funds for charitable initiatives.

About Rebuilding Together Quad Cities: Rebuilding Together Quad Cities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has served over 775 families in the Quad Cities since it'sits inception. RTQC started in 1990 as Hearts and Hammers QCA. In May 2001, we changed our name to Rebuilding Together Quad Cities ("RTQC") to reflect our mission of working together to rebuild homes, communities, and lives. We are affiliated with the national office of Rebuilding Together. We work to unite people of all backgrounds in a voluntary effort to provide emergency and needed home repairs for elderly, disabled, and low income homeowners at no cost to the home owner. More recently, we are especially honored to support our nation's disabled veterans improve the safety and accessibility of their homes. Rod Jennings, (563)322-6534 rebuilding@rebuildingtogetherquadcities.org

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Grassley, Franken Re-introduce Bipartisan Bills to Help Students Understand Cost of College, Make Cost Comparisons Easier

 

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota today re-introduced two bills that would give students and their families better information about the costs of college.   The bills continue the senators' long-time collaboration to help college students avoid sticker shock and insurmountable debt.

"College sticker prices don't mean much.  That means students are flying blind when making one of the most expensive commitments in their lives," Grassley said. "It's almost impossible for students to compare college costs until they have applied and received their financial aid award letter.  Even then, the financial aid award letter they receive from one school might be a lot different than one from another school.   As a result, students have a very hard time determining which school is the most economical choice.   Our legislation would help take the mystery out of college costs.  Also, the more information available, the more there will be price competition to help keep tuition costs down."

 

Franken said, "Minnesota students and families are finding it more and more difficult to pay for college, and that's why I'm working so hard on this issue. Part of the problem is that students often don't have a clear picture of how much their education is going to actually cost them, and often don't fully understand what schools they can and cannot afford. Our bipartisan bills will increase the transparency of college costs and provide students and families with a better estimate of what they will need to earn, borrow, or save to attend the best school for them."

The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act would improve the effectiveness of and access to net price calculators, the tools that provide students with early, individualized estimates of higher education costs and financial aid figures before they decide where to apply.  The bill would require schools to put their calculators on webpages where students and families are likely to look for cost and admissions information. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act also would authorize the Department of Education to develop a "universal calculator" that lets students answer a standard set of financial and academic questions to get cost estimates from many schools so they could better compare costs across institutions.

The Understanding the True Cost of College Act would create a universal financial aid award letter so that students easily could compare financial aid packages between schools.  It would clarify what financial aid families will receive from a school and create standard terms for the aid offered so that students could accurately compare offers from different schools. Right now, schools do not use standard definitions or names for different types of aid, so students and families often report having difficulty figuring out the differences between grant aid ? which does not need to be repaid ? and student loans, which do need to be repaid.

A summary of the Net Price Calculator Improvement Act is available here.

A summary of the Understanding the True Cost of College Act is available here.

 

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Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing on Sentencing Reform Bill Ahead of Markup

 

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said today that he intends to hold a hearing on the newly-introduced Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act prior to taking further committee action on the legislation.

The hearing will provide senators an opportunity to gather valuable feedback from interested parties on the legislation ahead of a committee markup, which is slated for Oct. 22.

The legislation, which has been placed on the agenda for Thursday's executive business meeting, will be held over until the following executive business meeting, as is customary.  Details on the hearing are forthcoming.

The bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act was introduced last Thursday.  The bill aims to recalibrate prison sentences for certain drug offenders, target violent criminals, and grant judges greater discretion at sentencing for lower-level drug crimes. The package also seeks to curb recidivism by helping prisoners successfully re-enter society.

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Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee

The Real Story on Nominations

Today, the Senate confirmed the 314th judicial nominee during President Obama's presidency. This is in contrast to only 291 judicial nominees the Senate had confirmed by this point in 2007, during George W. Bush's presidency?23 more judicial nominees confirmed than at this point in 2007. With that record, it is hard to see what there is to complain about. But because we continue to hear complaints, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have you believe there is a vacancy crisis in this country. There is no vacancy "crisis." This so-called "crisis" has been manufactured. This year, 2015, boasts the fifth lowest average vacancy rate of the last 25 years.

The Senate is finally back to work after years of stagnation under Democratic leadership. This year alone we have held over one hundred and sixty-five roll call votes on amendments as opposed to last year when the Senate held votes on only fifteen amendments. Rather than complaining about a problem that does not exist, we should focus on solving issues facing hard-working Americans.

Furthermore, as I have said before, the Senate Judiciary Committee is moving at the same pace this year that it did under the Democrat control in 2007 during the last two years of President Bush's presidency. By this point in 2007, the Committee had held 8 hearings for a total of 23 nominees (22 judicial nominees and 1 executive nominee). Including last week's hearing, we have held 8 hearings for a total of 25 nominees (5 executive nominees and 20 judicial nominees) including hearings for both the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General.

Finally, with respect to those judges on the executive calendar, everyone knows that at the end of last year the Senate rammed through 11 judges, which under regular order, should have been considered at the beginning of this Congress. That is what happened in 2006, when 13 nominations were returned to the President and then renominated in 2007. Had we been able to consider those nominees this year under regular order, the Senate would have confirmed more judges this year.

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U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley made the following comment after learning of the death of Art Small.

"I just learned of the passing of Art Small.  I had the pleasure of serving with him in the state legislature and as an opponent for a seat in the United States Senate in 2004.  I very much enjoyed serving with him in the Iowa House of Representatives.  He was a hard-working, smart legislator who represented his constituents well.  Barbara and I extend our deepest sympathies to his family."

Judiciary Committee Chairmen Press Homeland Security Secretary for Swift Action on 'Sanctuary' Jurisdictions

 

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte today are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to back words with actions when dealing with state and local jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal immigration requests. States, cities and counties that refuse to comply with the federal government for immigration enforcement purposes are commonly referred to as "sanctuary" jurisdictions.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson recently said it is "not acceptable to have no policy of cooperation with immigration enforcement."  However, the Department of Homeland Security has not taken demonstrable action to address the unwillingness of sanctuary jurisdictions to work with federal immigration authorities. More than 12,000 federal detainer requests were ignored by state and local jurisdictions in 2014.  Moreover, in June of this year, the administration rolled out a new program that reduces the "enforcement priorities" and announced it would not seek the custody of many criminals who are in the country illegally.

In a letter to Secretary Jeh Johnson, the lawmakers detailed three recent cases in which people have been assaulted or murdered by individuals who are in the country illegally.  In each case, the suspects were in law enforcement custody, but were later released because of a sanctuary policy or because of a lack of action taken by Homeland Security officials.

The lawmakers are requesting an update from the Department on its efforts to engage state and local law enforcement to promote greater cooperation with federal immigration requests. The full text of their letter to Johnson

Grassley Brings National Attention to Iowa Meth Fight

 

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is hosting a field hearing next Tuesday in Des Moines to discuss the ongoing fight against methamphetamine in Iowa.

"During my 99 county meetings I often hear from constituents and law enforcement officials about how severe the meth problem is in Iowa, and how it's changing.  The hearing is designed to bring awareness to current trends concerning meth use and distribution in Iowa and explore ways that the federal government can help address the problem," Grassley said.

Iowa is one of many states that face the evolving challenge of combating meth use.  While state and federal laws have helped to limit meth production in Iowa, Mexican drug cartels are now flooding the state and nation with cheaper, more addictive meth. The latest data indicates that meth labs are at an all-time low in Iowa, but treatment admissions are at an all-time high.

Witnesses from Iowa dedicated to battling meth abuse will share their experiences and expertise at the hearing.  Additionally, Iowans are welcome to submit written testimony to the hearing record.  The hearing is open to the public and the media.

WHAT:           Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing titled "The New Era in the Fight Against Methamphetamine in Iowa"

WHEN:           Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. CST

WHERE:         Cowles-Kruidenier Auditorium of the State Historical Building, 600 East Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319

The hearing will also air live throughout Iowa on Mediacom, channel 22.

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Congressional Trademark Caucus to Hold Inaugural Panel Discussion

WASHINGTON - Senators Chuck Grassley and Chris Coons, and Representatives Randy Forbes and Suzan DelBene, co-chairs of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, are hosting the caucus' inaugural event on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. in room 215 of the Senate Visitors Center.

The event will feature a panel discussion entitled, "Trademarks 101," where panelists will discuss trademark law basics, current issues, and the role of trademarks in protecting public health and safety.

The caucus co-chairs said that this kick-off event will be an enormous help to anybody looking to get up to speed on trademark matters and will feature a panel of experts on trademark law.  Prior to the panel discussion, Mary Denison, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Commissioner for Trademarks, will also make introductory remarks.

The panel will include Robert Brauneis, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Intellectual Property Program, The George Washington University Law School; Joe Ferretti, Vice-President & Chief Counsel for Global Trademarks, PepsiCo-Frito Lay and Vice-President, International Trademark Association; and Grant Ashley, Vice President & Chief Security Officer, Merck & Co.

Jon Kent of the International Trademark Association and Frank Cullen of the U.S. Intellectual Property Policy, Global Intellectual Property Center will co-moderate the discussion.

The caucus was founded to support congressional committees with jurisdiction over Intellectual property, with special attention to consumer issues; help increase awareness among Congress, the media and the public about trademarks' importance to global commerce; play a role in creating public policy dialogues on the responsibilities of state and federal governments and brand owners in decreasing the presence of counterfeit goods in the marketplace; and highlight trademark protection in discussions between the U.S. and other nations and world governing bodies.

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New Embrace of the Filibuster

Floor Speech of Sen. Chuck Grassley Delivered Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015

I would like to comment on the extraordinary about-face we have seen from many of my colleagues across the aisle with respect to the filibuster.  Like Paul on the road to Damascus, they have seen the light and have now embraced the filibuster wholeheartedly.  And, like many converts, they are very active in their new faith.  Naturally, this has caused frustration for many Americans who wonder why we cannot address the pressing issues that we were elected to address.  And, not surprisingly, the recent series of filibusters on legislation of enormous consequence for our nation has resulted in new calls for changes to Senate rules.

First, let's take stock of where we are.  It was just last year that the previous majority leader was abusing the cloture motion to shut down debate and amendments on virtually every single bill, even before debate had begun, all while blocking any amendments.  Any senator who routinely votes for cloture motions under those circumstances is abdicating his or her responsibility to the people that elected that senator to offer and debate different ideas.  Nevertheless, when those of us who were then in the minority voted against abdicating our responsibilities as senators, we had a parade of Democrat senators come to the floor and accuse us of that most dastardly deed, at least according to them, the filibuster.  They repeatedly claimed that strict rule by the majority faction was the principle by which the Senate ought to operate, with little or no input from the minority party, just like in the House of Representatives.

We now have a majority that has tried to restore the Senate to function as a deliberative body, as it used to and as it was intended to by the Framers of the Constitution.  For instance, last year, the previous majority leader didn't bring a single individual appropriations bill to the floor of the Senate for consideration and a vote.  By putting off appropriations until the end of the fiscal year, he calculated that the threat of being blamed for a government shutdown would force Republicans to accept a massive Omnibus bill containing policies that would otherwise be rejected.  This year, the Senate Appropriations Committee has done its work and reported out each separate appropriations bill, all twelve of them, most on a bipartisan basis.  Then, when the majority leader has attempted to bring them to the floor, he has been met with a Democrat filibuster of the motion to proceed to the bill.  What is the justification for that?  The majority leader is not blocking amendments.  If there is something they wish to change or add to the bill, they can offer an amendment.  We have to pass appropriations bills or the government shuts down, so why can't we even bring them up for consideration?

The answer is, the Democratic leadership is up to its old games.  By blocking the appropriations bills and threatening to blame us for a shutdown, they hope to bully us into busting open the spending caps that a majority in both the House and the Senate agreed to in the Budget Resolution earlier this year.  So much for majority rule, which the Democrats claimed was such a deeply held principle only last year.  They justify filibustering the appropriations bills because President Obama has threatened to veto them unless he gets more spending.  That doesn't make any sense.  The first appropriations bill they filibustered was the Defense Appropriations Bill, not because that bill didn't provide enough funding, but because they want to hold it hostage to extract additional spending in other areas.  Now they are holding hostage the bill that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs.  So they are holding hostage funding for our men and woman in combat and our veterans who have served our nation in order to protect the President from having to follow through on his threat to veto these bills.  I understand that the President might not want to have to defend vetoing funding for our troops and veterans as a bargaining chip to extract additional deficit spending from Congress.  But, protecting him from having to follow through with his threat is not a very good reason for a filibuster.

A similar thing happened with the filibuster of legislation to disapprove the Iran deal.  A bipartisan majority in both the House and the Senate were in favor of legislation to block President Obama's dangerous nuclear deal with Iran.  Because the deal was set to go into effect unless Congress acted, the Democrats cannot claim their filibuster was needed for additional deliberation.  It was a blatant attempt to run out the clock so the President would not have to use his veto pen.  So clearly it's not as though the Democrats have now grudgingly accepted the utility of the filibuster only in extraordinary circumstances.  They have now embraced it so completely that they use it simply to prevent embarrassing the President.

In light of this, it is understandable that many in my party and in the grassroots have questioned whether we ought to get rid of the filibuster on legislation.  After all, the Democrats unilaterally abolished the filibuster on nominations, contrary to Senate Rules.  Well, they will have to live with that come 2017 when a Republican president is inaugurated.  But, just as I think they will live to regret that move, I think those of us on my side of the aisle would ultimately regret the loss of the Senate as a deliberative body if we were to change the cloture rule for legislation.  What would the Democrats do with unchecked power?  We don't have to guess.  The Democrats briefly had the 60 votes needed to overcome any filibuster and they promptly rammed an unpopular healthcare law down the throats of an unwilling American public.  They dismissed legitimate criticisms from Republicans and skepticism from citizens.  They promised that Americans would like it once it had passed and we found out what's in it.  Well, Americans now know what was in it and the law hasn't become any more popular.

So does that mean that we have to just accept that Obamacare and other aspects of the "fundamental transformation of America the President promised are here to stay?  Of course not.  But we must not be shortsighted.  Keep in mind that the American Left was greatly influenced by the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century, which held that history is continually progressing toward a future of more governmental control over people's lives, for their benefit of course.  This led the early Progressives to reject the Declaration of Independence and its focus on individual liberty, and to oppose our Constitution's system of checks and balances designed to protect that liberty, because it made it harder for government to act.  It also means those on the Left play the long game, sometimes biding their time, sometimes accepting incremental progress toward their goals, and other times making radical changes when they see an opening.  Those of us who are animated by the principle of individual liberty recognize that liberty is the exception in human history and threats to liberty must be fought constantly or we risk losing it.  As such, we are impatient to correct every loss of liberty right away, as we should be.  However, in doing so, we must be very careful not to break down those very safeguards that are in place to prevent government encroachment on individual liberty.  If we are not careful, short term gains could lead to even greater loss of liberty in the future.

The President's former chief of staff was famous for saying "You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."  In other words, we've seen a concerted effort to take advantage of momentary passions and temporary majorities to enact longstanding policy goals of more governmental intervention in the economy and the lives of Americans.  Preventing such a power play is precisely the role the Senate was designed to play.  Just listen to this passage from Federalist Number 62, "The necessity of a senate is not less indicated by the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders into intemperate and pernicious resolutions."

That was written by James Madison, who is rightly called the Father of the Constitution.  Madison prepared extensively for the Constitutional Convention by studying ancient republics and ancient and contemporary political philosophers.  He came to the convention with what was called the Virginia Plan, which the convention used as the starting point for what became the U.S. Constitution.  Madison also took extensive notes throughout the Constitutional Convention.  In other words, when he speaks about the intent behind the structure of the Constitution, he ought to know better than anybody. 

 

It's true that Madison did not speak to the filibuster itself, and the Constitution leaves the rules of the House and the Senate up to each chamber, but you cannot read the Federalist Papers without a clear understanding that our system of government was intended to allow only measures that have broad and enduring support to become law.  The Constitution was not designed to allow whatever faction happens to be in power to have a free hand to do whatever it wishes. As Madison said in Federalist Number 10, "...measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority."  In fact, in arguing for the necessity of the Senate in Federalist 63, Madison is quite critical of pure majoritarian democracies in ancient times and attributes their failure to the lack of a senate.

That said, I understand why some of my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives are frustrated with the fact that many of the things they pass become stalled in the Senate.  So am I, and we need to make sure those obstructing are held accountable.  But, anyone who would change the Senate Rules to give the majority leader the power to ram any bill through the Senate on party line vote should ask whether they can trust that this power will be used fairly by future majority leaders.  Remember, the previous majority leader tried to shut the minority party out of the legislative process at every stage.  The Senate was routinely presented with bills, often written behind closed doors in the majority leader's office, and told there would only be an up or down vote, with no amendments.

Moreover, what would conservatives gain by abolishing the filibuster?  In the short run, we would have the emotional satisfaction of seeing President Obama have to use his veto pen, but that's about it.  In the long run, you can bet that modern day progressives will use those tools to impose all sorts of policies to expand the scope of government that would otherwise not make it through our constitutional system.  If you want to know what some of those "intemperate and pernicious resolutions" Madison warned about might be, we need only look to the past.  Had the Senate operated on a purely majoritarian basis in the past, our country would be in much worse shape than it is now.

 

For instance, if you think Obamacare is bad, we would have had a single payer, totally government run health care system if it weren't for the 60 vote requirement.  We would have the disastrous cap and trade bill in 2008 with its crony giveaways making special interests rich while destroying jobs for hardworking Americans.  The list of items that would have passed the Senate goes on and on: The 2007 Immigration Amnesty Bill, The DISCLOSE Act to intimidate private groups that engage in political speech in 2010, the abolition of secret ballot elections for unions in 2007, prohibitions on businesses replacing striking employees in 1992, a bill to encourage public safety employees to unionize in 2010, the 1992 Clinton crime bill, drug price negotiations in Medicare Part D that amount to federal price controls in 2007, an amendment to the Constitution to cancel First Amendment protections for speech around election time in 2014, stripping religious liberty protections from Christian business owners who object to paying for drugs that can cause an abortion in 2014, President Obama's second big-spending stimulus proposal in 2011, the so-called Buffett tax several times, a tax increase to pay local government employee salaries in 2011, and who knows how many other tax increases they would have passed if they knew they could get away with it.  And, of course as Senator Alexander has argued, one of the first things the Democratic Leadership would do is follow the orders of their union bosses and outlaw the many right to work laws in the United States.

 

I know well what it is like in the majority and the minority in the Senate and I know things look very different from each perspective.  I would ask my conservative colleagues who are frustrated that the current majority is not able to work its will to consider the example of history and look to the future.  It is also interesting to observe the behavior of the many Democrats who had never experienced the minority before who have now gained a new perspective on the filibuster by supporting it every chance they get.  And it didn't take long.  On the third vote the Senate took after the change in control, most of the Democrats, including some of the loudest critics of the filibuster, voted against cloture on a motion to proceed, which until that point they claimed to be an egregious and inappropriate abuse of Senate rules.

 

I know there are some Senate Democrats who still say they are opposed to the filibuster in principle, although apparently not in practice.  It's no good saying, "Stop me before I filibuster again."  If you think it's wrong, don't do it.  It's as simple as that.  When Senator Wyden and I began to work on ending the practice of secret holds, we pledged to disclose any hold we placed in the Congressional Record, and did so for years before any rule required us to.  The Senate Democrats have shown through their actions that they now fully support the Senate filibuster.  I guarantee that the next time Republicans are in the minority, we too will see the necessity of this traditional protection against what Madison referred to as "the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority." 

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DAVENPORT, Iowa - Oct. 5, 2015 -- Healthcare terms and technology can be confusing and frightening in any language, creating possible gaps in vital communication between healthcare providers and patients. As the local patient population becomes more global, Genesis Health System is responding with a global solution.

Genesis is working with Stratus Video Interpreting of Clearwater, FL. to bridge communication gaps with patients, no matter what language is their "first'' language. Video Remote Interpreters (VRI) will be available throughout the health system.  When fully implemented, Genesis will have 44 Video Remote Interpreters available at the medical centers, convenient care locations, physician offices and outpatient care offices.

"These video interpreters will go a long way in bridging the gaps we had identified,'' said Tyne Rieck, service excellence coordinator, Genesis Health System. "Communicating with patients is an issue throughout healthcare. "We identified our needs and started researching solutions.'' Stratus is working with more than 600 hospitals and healthcare systems across the country.''

Video Remote Interpreters work like this:

If important information needs to be explained to a patient whose first language is a language other than English, the healthcare provider taps on an icon on the iPad screen to activate the language translation service.  From a list of 27 available video languages and 200 more languages available from Stratus with audio only, the provider selects the appropriate language.  Within 30 seconds to a minute an interpreter appears on the screen.

Accurate Information

The interpreter and healthcare provider exchange information such as department and patient name, and then the healthcare provider speaks. They pause after every sentence or two, to allow the interpreter to give the information in the patient's preferred language.  It's a little slower than a normal conversation, but the extra effort is worth it when a patient receives all of the necessary information and their questions are answered accurately. The iPad-based devices are mobile and adjustable to give a patient who is lying in a hospital bed a face-to-face look at the interpreter.

Genesis was already using a face-to-face language interpreter service and continues to use that service but in emergent situations or during non-business hours, it can take a period of time to get an interpreter where they are needed. "Live interpreters on site will always be best, and their use will not diminish. This is the next best thing,'' Rieck explained.  "The mobility and quick response we've experienced have really been a benefit to the patients.  We can get care started right away.  The response from patients has been good so far.''

Rieck explained that Stratus has call centers scattered throughout the country. If one area of the country was experiencing a loss of power, the service would still be available from other call centers.

Sign Language, Spanish Most Common Requests

Rieck said American Sign Language and Spanish are the interpreter services Genesis has used most often since introducing the devices a month ago. "One of the reasons we looked for new solutions is that in talking with the deaf community, we knew we needed something better,'' Rieck said. "That was what they were telling us. That started our research and search for a solution.''

Among the other video services available are Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Mandarin, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali and Vietnamese.

Rieck demonstrated the system by activating a session in American Sign Language. A pleasant woman introduced herself as Aralyn and explained by voice and ASL how the system works. "Both of my parents were deaf and we didn't have anything like this,'' Aralyn explained.  "My parents either had to write down what they needed or we had to use sign language.  This is so much better.

"Most of us with Stratus have been translating for a long time ... in my case about 40 years ... and we have all received training in medical terms and procedures.'' Rieck said using family to interpret to a family member is usually a last resort and shouldn't  be necessary with the mobile video translators. "By using interpreters who are not family, we are making sure there is a literal interpretation of the information we need to share,'' said Rieck. "There is not as much paraphrasing going on this way. A family member might protect a loved one and tell them what they think the patient should know to make them feel better instead of what they really need to know.''

Genesis Health System continues to explore new technologies for the benefit of patients. Genesis has been named one of the nation's Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems for 12 consecutive years.

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