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Tag: U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

  • Bennet, Colleagues Call for Increased Lifeline Funding to Keep Americans Connected During Pandemic

    Bennet, Colleagues Call for Increased Lifeline Funding to Keep Americans Connected During Pandemic

    Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined 26 senators in calling on Congressional leadership to commit at least $1 billion in funding for the Lifeline program in future Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) relief in order to meet the connectivity needs of Americans. Since 1985, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Lifeline program has made basic internet and telephone service more affordable for low-income Americans.

     “The Coronavirus and resulting public safety measures taken by states, municipalities, and vigilant citizens are a resounding demonstration of the importance of Lifeline and other FCC universal service programs,” wrote Bennet and the senators in the letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). “Already, Lifeline provides millions of Americans with essential connections by providing free or discounted broadband and voice services. This meaningful assistance is needed now more than ever. Social distancing, school closures, layoffs, and shelter-in-place rules have spurred a dramatic new reliance on telework, distance education, online employment, and telehealth. No one should have to put their health at risk, lose employment, lose access to education, or face isolation because they cannot afford broadband.”

     With tens of millions of Americans now working from home, attending school virtually, and using telehealth services, Bennet and the senators emphasized the critical need for additional funding to improve the program’s level of service, to expand the choice of eligible broadband providers, and to meet surging demand.

     Recently, Bennet and his colleagues wrote letters to both the Federal Communications Commission and Senate leaders calling for immediate action to help students access the technology they need to learn remotely. In March, Bennet and his colleagues also wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to ensure Americans are not disconnected from the Lifeline program during the coronavirus outbreak. Bennet also called on the nation’s top internet service providers to take extraordinary measures to maintain and expand online connectivity during the pandemic for students and families. 

     In addition to Bennet, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.).

     The text of the letter is available HERE and below.  

     Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, and Leader McCarthy:

    We write to urge you to consider the pressing needs of the Lifeline assistance program during the Coronavirus pandemic in any future relief package. As Americans face new financial hardships, turn to distance learning, attend religious services virtually, and are required to telework, access to fast, robust, and reliable home internet and telephone services is essential for their economic, social, and civic wellbeing. Congress should provide the dedicated funding necessary to meet the urgent increase in demand for Lifeline assistance and keep tens of millions of Americans connected.

     The Coronavirus and resulting public safety measures taken by states, municipalities, and vigilant citizens are a resounding demonstration of the importance of Lifeline and other FCC universal service programs. Already, Lifeline provides millions of Americans with essential connections by providing free or discounted broadband and voice services. This meaningful assistance is needed now more than ever. Social distancing, school closures, layoffs, and shelter-in-place rules have spurred a dramatic new reliance on telework, distance education, online employment, and telehealth. No one should have to put their health at risk, lose employment, lose access to education, or face isolation because they cannot afford broadband.

     We request that you include at least $1 billion in funding for the Lifeline program in order to meet the fundamental connectivity needs of tens of millions of Americans. Currently, the FCC sets a minimum Lifeline service standard for mobile carriers of 1,000 voice minutes and 3 Gb of data on 3G connections – service plans that resemble 2010, not 2020. The current baseline is woefully insufficient to last a few days for students taking online courses or families using video chat services, let alone for a full month in times of isolation. Moreover, as physicians turn to telehealth to protect patients and ensure continued care, better access is becoming more important for more communities. Increased funding would allow for a better reimbursement rate and other support that would secure the levels of service needed for modern applications.

     Further funding would also enable the FCC to expand the choice of eligible broadband providers, at least on a temporary basis during this health crisis and the economic recovery from it. That should mean opening up the program to other broadband providers and also allowing for more mobile hotspot coverage. While Congress made some limited progress in securing funding to improve infrastructure for rural communities, including in the CARES package, affordable connections for urban and suburban communities have been left out of these efforts. For far too many the insurmountable barrier is price, not availability. By allowing Lifeline subscribers to take their discount to residential broadband providers and others, Congress could open up much-needed competition, providing choice and improving outcomes for subscribers.

     Finally, Lifeline will need to meet an anticipated surge of demand. With sudden business closures, reduced hours, and new financial pressures, millions more Americans will qualify for assistance and need this vital help. We are concerned that without the additional funding requested above, the Lifeline program does not have the financial resources to equitably support even a moderate but prolonged increase in demand, in response to an economic downturn. The FCC should also have resources necessary to advertise Lifeline, as well as exercise its authority to ensure Lifeline providers aggressively advertise their Lifeline offerings. Funding can also improve the application process, including better oversight of the program and, importantly, streamlining the application process for those falling on hard times. Americans must know that help is available and be able to access that assistance.

     We urge you to provide additional funding for the Lifeline program in any future Coronavirus relief packages to ensure that Americans can continue to depend on critical assistance when they need it. As our financial, educational, social, civic, and healthcare needs become more dependent on the internet during this crisis, Congress must commit to ensuring that no one loses connectivity. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    image credit: MGN Online

     

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  • Bennet Denounces Firing of Lead Oversight Official for $2.2 Trillion CARES Act, Calls for Stronger Accountability and Transparency

    Bennet Denounces Firing of Lead Oversight Official for $2.2 Trillion CARES Act, Calls for Stronger Accountability and Transparency

    Denver – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet wrote to President Donald Trump to condemn his firing of Glenn Fine, the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General, effectively blocking his service as incoming chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). Congress created the PRAC to strengthen transparency and oversight of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history.

     Your decision to remove Mr. Fine…sent a clear and chilling message across government: Those who raise fact-based concerns and truths within the administration will be silenced,” wrote Bennet in the letter to President Trump. “We cannot think of a message more at war with America’s commitment to the rule of law and our constitutional checks and balances. Your decisions risk lasting damage, not only to the proper implementation of the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history, but to the confidence of the American people in our government.”

    Last week, Congress learned that the president had fired Glenn Fine as the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General. Mr. Fine had been chosen to lead the PRAC by a consensus of inspectors general across the federal government, as required by the CARES Act. As Inspector General for the Department of Justice from 2000 to 2010 and Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense from 2016 to 2020, Mr. Fine developed a bipartisan reputation for integrity and independence. Over his career, he led large, complex, and controversial investigations that exposed, among other things, violations of civil liberties and ethics at the Department of Justice. He was the longest-serving inspector general in the Department’s history.

    President Trump’s firing of Mr. Fine came on the heels of his decision to remove the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and to criticize the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services over their report on testing shortages. It also followed the president’s statement after signing the CARES Act that risked hindering the PRAC’s ability to share timely information with Congress required for proper oversight of the massive emergency legislation.

     The text of the letter is available HERE and below. 

     Dear Mr. President:

     I write to express profound concern about your removal of the Department of Defense’s Acting Inspector General, Glenn Fine, effectively blocking his service as incoming chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). I urge you to reinstate him and do everything in your power to subject the new authorities in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to the highest degree of scrutiny and oversight.

     Congress established the PRAC to promote transparency and accountability for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, the largest emergency spending bill in American history. This unprecedented level of funding, combined with the need to rapidly deliver said funds to those in need, raises obvious risks of waste, fraud, abuse, and favoritism. Rigorous and independent oversight is therefore essential to giving the American people confidence that their money is supporting a broad economic recovery by going to workers, families, small businesses, and historically overlooked communities in need, instead of the politically-connected. That is why Congress created the PRAC.

     Mr. Fine was ideally suited to lead the PRAC. Before his termination, Mr. Fine brought to the position impeccable credentials and a distinguished career serving administrations of both parties. As Inspector General for the Department of Justice from 2000 to 2010 and Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense from 2016 to 2020, Mr. Fine developed a bipartisan reputation for integrity and independence. Over his career, he led large, complex, and controversial investigations that exposed, among other things, violations of civil liberties and ethics at the Department of Justice. It is one reason he was the longest-serving inspector general in the Department’s history.

     As with any oversight role, leadership of the PRAC is especially susceptible to undue influence – a concern made especially salient given the Administration’s record of withholding taxpayer funds to advance personal, political goals. Mr. Fine’s experience underscored his ability to manage investigations without succumbing to political pressure. It is why a consensus of federal inspectors general selected him for the position, as required by law.

     Your decision to remove Mr. Fine, which came on the heels of decisions to remove the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and to criticize the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services over their report on testing shortages, sent a clear and chilling message across government: Those who raise fact-based concerns and truths within the administration will be silenced.

     We cannot think of a message more at war with America’s commitment to the rule of law and our constitutional checks and balances. Your decisions risk lasting damage, not only to the proper implementation of the largest emergency spending bill in U.S. history, but to the confidence of the American people in our government. To make matters worse, your statement after signing the CARES Act risks hindering the PRAC’s ability to share timely information with Congress required for proper oversight.

     We urge you to reinstate Mr. Fine, safeguard the PRAC’s independence, and subject implementation of the CARES Act to the highest degree of scrutiny and oversight.

     Sincerely,

     

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  • Bennet, Colleagues Urge Support for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

    Bennet, Colleagues Urge Support for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

    Denver – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined a bipartisan group of 41 senators in a letter to Senate leaders requesting that any future legislation to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis includes support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In the letter, Bennet and the senators express concern over reports from service providers stating that abusers are using the crisis to isolate their victims, withhold financial resources, and refuse medical aid. In addition, rape crisis centers are seeing an increased need for services and many local law enforcement agencies are receiving an increased number of domestic violence-related calls.

     “We appreciate that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $45 million for domestic violence services funded through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline,” wrote Bennet and his colleagues. “While this funding provides critical resources, the legislation did not include any additional support for sexual assault or domestic violence-related programs funded through the Department of Justice. These programs deliver essential support that is particularly needed at this time, including support for sexual assault service providers, law enforcement, and transitional housing programs, as well as for organizations that address the needs of communities of color and underserved populations.”

     Bennet also joined his colleagues in a letter of support for domestic violence programs authorized by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act at the Department of Health and Human Services.

     In addition to Bennet, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.),  Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The letter is supported by leading organizations, including Break the Cycle; National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; National Domestic Violence Hotline; and more. 

     The text of the letter is available HERE and below. 

     Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Chairman Shelby, and Vice Chairman Leahy:

     We write to respectfully request that any future legislation to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) provides funding to support victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including through programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). At a time when people who experience domestic violence are at increased risk, and requests for sexual assault and domestic violence-related services have sharply increased, additional funding for these programs is critical.

     On Sunday, April 5, 2020, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for governments around the world to help address the “horrifying global surge in domestic violence” by making services for victims and survivors a “key part of their national response plans for COVID-19.” The United States must demonstrate leadership in this effort by continuing to provide the additional resources needed to support at-risk families and children. 

     Historically, instances of domestic violence have increased in times of national crisis—and this crisis may be particularly dangerous for people who experience domestic violence. Following the urging of public health officials, approximately 95% of Americans are now living under a stay-at-home order to help prevent the spread of the virus.  But for many, home is not a safe place. Reports suggest that abusers are using COVID-19 to isolate their victims, withhold financial resources, and refuse medical aid.  Rape crisis centers are seeing increased need for services and are confronting complex and difficult requests.  And in communities across the country, local law enforcement agencies are receiving an increased number of domestic violence-related calls.  

     Domestic violence service providers across the country are facing funding and staffing challenges related to the pandemic and have seen an increased need for services including crisis intervention, shelter and transitional housing, and legal assistance. Rape crisis centers need funding to shift their services from in-person to virtual and meet the emergency needs of survivors. This strain on resources is expected to disproportionally impact traditionally underserved populations such as black and Latino communities as well as people who live in rural areas.

     American Indian and Alaska Native communities in particular face disparities in shelter capacity and resources that have been exacerbated by the virus, and many of these communities already experience overcrowding in homes and a lack of sanitation services. We ask that Tribal sovereignty is acknowledged and that the federal government fulfill its trust responsibility to Indian Tribes by providing equitable resources to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to address domestic violence. Shelters and Tribal advocacy programs are often all that stand between safety and Native women going missing and/or murdered (MMIW). In addition, because many rural Tribal communities lack the necessary infrastructure to take advantage of internet-based options, we ask that there be outreach to these communities whether from the federal departments or through enlistment of technical advisers who have established relationships with many of these communities.

     We appreciate that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided $45 million for domestic violence services funded through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. While this funding provides critical resources, the legislation did not include any additional support for sexual assault or domestic violence-related programs funded through the Department of Justice. These programs deliver essential support that is particularly needed at this time, including support for sexual assault service providers, law enforcement, and transitional housing programs, as well as for organizations that address the needs of communities of color and underserved populations. 

     Therefore, we respectfully request that any future legislation to address COVID-19 include the following:

     Support through the Department of Justice

    • At least $100 million for the Sexual Assault Service Program;
    • At least $225 million for VAWA STOP Grants with a priority on flexible funding for victim service providers, with at least 20 percent of the funding for eligible entities under 34 U.S.C. § 20124(c) and equitable distribution of funding between services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault;
    • At least $10 million for Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations; and,
    • At least $40 million to VAWA Transitional Housing Assistance Grants.
    • We also request that the matching fund requirements for the Victims of Crime Act grants be waived during this crisis to more quickly meet survivors’ needs.

     Set-aside assistance for Tribes and Tribal Organizations

    • VAWA programs:
      • $22.5 million for grants to Tribal governments;
      • $10 million to Tribes under the Sexual Assault Services Program;
      • $3 million to Tribal jurisdiction; and
      • $3 million to Tribal coalitions.
    • Office of Victims of Crime:  $16,765,000 additional set aside for Tribal governments.

     As we work together to address the health, wellness, and economic security of all Americans, we urge you to support victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and your consideration of this request.

     Sincerely,

     

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  • Bennet Announces Support for U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement

    Denver – Monday, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement announcing his support for the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA):

     “I’ve long said that we should modernize NAFTA. The final USMCA brings our trade policies into the 21st century, and I am optimistic that it will strengthen labor and environmental standards in North America. Any trade agreement must expand opportunity for American workers and their families, and I commend the Democratic negotiators for securing enforcement tools that the Trump Administration initially left out to make this a much better deal for workers. 

     “The USMCA also provides some certainty for Colorado’s farmers and ranchers who have spent the last three years wondering whether President Trump would drive away another customer, or sacrifice another market to a foreign competitor with his feckless trade war — which has inflicted real and lasting damage on their bottom line. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and as a coauthor of two bipartisan farm bills, I understand the importance of stability and certainty for American producers. I also recognize that much more needs to be done to expand access to growing foreign markets instead of simply maintaining the ones we already have.

     “While modernizing this agreement is a step in the right direction, more must be done to create trade policies that expand opportunities for American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers.”

     

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