June 16, 2009
Senate Passes FDA Regulation of Tobacco
On June 11, the Senate passed H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which provides the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products. Senator Nelson cosponsored the Senate version of the bill and voted for its passage. The bill stipulates that the FDA can prohibit certain artificial additives proven to make tobacco products more addictive and unhealthy than they already are, and crack down on companies that market tobacco to children.
Tobacco Regulatory Bill Includes SBP-DIC Provision
H.R. 1256 also includes a title that increases the special survivor indemnity allowance by $210 per month to widows affected by the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) offset. In the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, P.L. 110-181, Senator Nelson made a small step toward eliminating the SBP-DIC offset by paying affected survivors a special allowance of $50 per month that would increase to $100 per month in fiscal year (FY) 2013. The language in the Senate passed version of H.R. 1256 would increase the monthly payment to $310 in FY 2017.
Offshore Drilling Threat Resurfaces
Senator Nelson vowed to filibuster any energy bill that allows for drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico off Florida's west coast. Last week, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-10 to add a provision to a renewable energy bill that would open up drilling 45 miles off of Florida's west coast and ten miles in the Destin Dome area of the Panhandle. Drilling in the Eastern Gulf would markedly reduce the last remaining unfettered training range for U.S. military pilots and jeopardize Florida's beaches and tourism-based economy.
Looking Out for Dealers
Senator Nelson introduced S. 1253, the Automobile Dealers Assistance Act of 2009, which would require Chrysler and General Motors to use a portion of the tax dollars they receive during Chapter 11 bankruptcy to fully reimburse their rejected dealerships for the inventories of vehicles and parts purchased over the past nine months. The Automobile Dealers Assistance Act of 2009 would also stipulate that affected dealerships be given a minimum of 180 days to wind down their operations.
Senator Nelson also sent a letter to Steve Rattner, who leads the President's Auto Task Force, on behalf of the automobile dealers in Florida regarding the recent dealership closings by GM and Chrysler. In the letter, Senator Nelson expressed concern about the seemingly arbitrary nature of such decisions. Senator Nelson stressed that these dealerships are important and vital parts of their communities in Florida and emphasized that dealerships should be closed only when absolutely necessary and through a transparent process so that owners understand the justification and the decision process that leads to closure.
Bill Would Spur Algae-based Biofuel Production
Last week Senator Nelson introduced broadly supported, bipartisan legislation to promote the development of a new renewable energy source, algae-based biofuels. The Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act of 2009 (S. 1250), would expand existing alternative energy tax incentives to cover algae-based fuels. Certain algae need only sunlight, CO2, and in some cases, other nutrient inputs to produce biomass that can be converted into readily usable liquid transportation fuels -- gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel. Unlike some other energy sources currently under development, algae-based fuels can be incorporated into our existing energy infrastructure, including our pipelines, terminals, and our fleet of trucks, cars, and jets. By providing tax incentives to support the commercial viability of algae-based biofuels, we will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and create jobs in a vibrant new industry.
DHS Temporary Defers Widow Penalty
The Department of Homeland Security announced that it will defer action in widow penalty cases, meaning that the widows of citizen spouses who die before the couple reaches their second anniversary and before Citizenship and Immigration Services completes the adjudication of the petition that the citizen filed on the spouse's behalf, will not be immediately subject to deportation. DHS announcement emphasized that this decision to defer action is temporary and that legislation is required to impose a permanent fix to the problem. Sen. Nelson's S. 815, the Fairness to Surviving Spouses Act of 2009, would put an end to the widow's penalty once and for all.
Protecting U.S. Intellectual Property
Senator Nelson is a cosponsor of S. 1234, which protects U.S. trademarks and their owners from the effects of declared confiscations by foreign governments. This bill also would help the United States be more compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations and prevent WTO trade sanctions against the United States.
Tax Incentives to Preserve Short Line Rail
Senator Nelson is a cosponsor of S.461, which would provide tax incentives to railroad customers, contractors, and suppliers for preserving and maintaining the nation's short line railroad network. The program has proven to be successful since its inception in 2005; the replacement of railroad ties increased by half a million ties per year in both 2005 and 2006 as a result of the credit. Senator Nelson has supported the provision in the past.
Maximizing Bluefin and Swordfish Quotas for U.S. Fisheries
Senator Nelson and four bipartisan senators sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) encouraging adjustments in fishing regulations for U.S. Atlantic bluefin tuna and north Atlantic swordfish in U.S. waters. The United States is a member of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which distributes quota shares to its members. The letter asks for NOAA's assistance in ensuring that our fishermen retain their allocated quota at the upcoming ICCAT meetings by adjusting regulations governing bluefin tuna and swordfish fisheries to enable more thorough utilization of the available quota.
Holocaust Museum Tragedy
Senator Nelson cosponsored a resolution introduced by Senator Cardin condemning last week's shooting at the Holocaust Museum.
Commemorating Slaves' Contributions to Capitol Building
Senator Nelson co-sponsored a resolution calling for the placement of a marker in the Capitol Visitors Center's Emancipation Hall that would acknowledge the role slave labor played in the construction of the U.S. Capitol.
Helping the People of Zimbabwe
On June 9, Senator Nelson cosponsored a resolution, S. Res. 176, which expresses the Senate's dissatisfaction with the political transition in Zimbabwe. S. Res. 176 also asserts that the United States, foreign governments, and international institutions should continue to provide humanitarian assistance for the people of Zimbabwe and work to promote human rights, the restoration of the rule of law, and economic growth in Zimbabwe.
June 23, 2009
Senate Passes Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report
On June 18, Senator Nelson voted in favor of the conference report to H.R. 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009. This legislation provides supplemental funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This legislation also responds to threats to stability in the international monetary system and to security along the Southwest border. The Senate passed this conference report by a vote of 91-5.
Holocaust Restitution Resolutions Pass Senate
On June 18, the senate passed resolutions introduced and cosponsored by Senator Nelson, S. Res. 153 and S. Con. Res. 23, which support the restitution of compensation for property seized during the Nazi and Communist eras. S. Con. Res. 23 highlighted the goals and objectives of the Prague Conference on Holocaust Era Assets.
Land for new Miami Dade College Building
S. 814, the Miami Dade College Land Conveyance Act, passed the Senate on June 19. This bill directs the Attorney General to transfer a parcel of land from the Bureau of Prisons to Miami Dade College for a new educational building.
Support for A Child is Missing
Senator Nelson is a cosponsor of S. 1301, a bill that would direct the Attorney General to make an annual grant of $5 million to the A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center (ACIM) for the years 2010 to 2015 to assist law enforcement agencies in the rapid recovery of missing children. ACIM, which is based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was founded as a nonprofit Florida corporation created to assist federal, state, and local law enforcement in the early recovery of missing children, the elderly, college students, and the disabled. ACIM has strong support from both federal and state law enforcement.
Tax Relief for Homeowners with Faulty Drywall
On June 16, Senator Nelson and three other Members of Congress sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requesting that the agency provide appropriate tax relief to homeowners impacted by faulty Chinese drywall. Specifically, the letter asks the IRS to examine whether impacted homeowners can claim a Section 165(h) “casualty loss” deduction for “unexpected, unusual and sudden” loss of property value due to metal corrosion and possible health impacts linked to the drywall.
Closing the Doughnut Hole
On June 16, Senator Nelson cosigned a letter to Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley of the Finance Committee, asking them to make the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” a priority in the health care reform debate. The doughnut hole is a flaw in Medicare Part D in which beneficiaries who have paid $2,700 in prescription expenses receive no further benefit until they have racked up a total of $4,350 in out-of-pocket expenses, despite the fact that they never stop paying premiums. Senator Nelson has introduced S. 266, the Medicare Prescription Drug Gap Reduction Act, to address this issue. President Obama also announced this week that he has reached a deal with pharmaceutical companies to help close the doughnut hole.
Protection for the Florida Panther
Senator Nelson sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, supporting a request for an additional full-time law enforcement officer at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. This letter was in response to the recent shooting death of a two year-old female Florida panther near Big Cypress National Preserve. Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuges once had two full-time law enforcement offices and two dual-function officers. Currently, Florida Panther Refuge has one and Ten Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge does not have any.
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (AFC) River System
Senator Nelson sent a letter to Secretary Salazar, calling upon the Department of Interior to use its resources and its related agencies to provide an independent and scientific assessment of the impacts of changes to the flow of the Apalachicola River. Disputes over the allocation of water amongst Florida, Georgia, and Alabama have continued for nearly two decades. The Apalachicola ecosystem (the river, bay, and estuary) supports a multi-million dollar oyster industry, a valuable spawning ground for fish, and is home to many threatened and endangered species.
Continuing Support for Haiti
On June 18, Senator Nelson voted in favor of the conference report to H.R. 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009. This legislation will provide over $255,000,000 for assistance to vulnerable populations in developing countries affected by the global financial crisis. Senator Nelson advocated for Congress to help direct these funds to Haiti, and Congress approved giving priority to Haiti when the funds are disbursed.
