Showing posts with label Mark Warner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Warner. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Gloucester County, Virginia; Votes Made In Congress By Our Elected Representatives

presented by:
Military.com
February 13, 2017
In this MegaVote for Virginia's 1st Congressional District:
Recent Congressional Votes
  • Senate: Prohibit Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Speak on Senate Floor When Debating Sen. Sessions Nomination to be U.S. Attorney General
  • Senate: Confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General
  • Senate: Confirmation of Rep. Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
  • House: Disapprove BLM Land Use Planning Rule
  • House: Disapprove State Education Accountability Rule
  • House: Disapprove Teacher Education Program Rule
Upcoming Congressional Bills
  • Senate: Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury
  • Senate: Nomination of David Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs
  • House: Texas-Oklahoma Border Lands
  • House: Disapprove Unemployment Benefit Drug Testing Rule
  • House: Disapprove State Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule
  • House: Disapprove Local Government Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule
  • House: Disapprove Alaska Predator Control Rule
  • House: Disapprove HHS Planned Parenthood Funding Rule

Recent Senate Votes
Prohibit Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Speak on Senate Floor When Debating Sen. Sessions Nomination to be U.S. Attorney General - Vote Sustained (49-43, 8 Not Voting)

The Senate voted to sustain the ruling of the presiding officer (Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines) in which he prohibited Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren from speaking on the Senate floor for the remainder of the debate concerning Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to be U.S. attorney general. The presiding officer ruled that Sen. Warren violated Senate rule 19 prohibiting senators from "imputing" one another. 

Sen. Mark Warner voted Not Voting
Sen. Tim Kaine voted NO

Confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General - Vote Confirmed (52-47, 1 Present)

The Senate confirmed Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. attorney general.

Sen. Mark Warner voted NO
Sen. Tim Kaine voted NO

Confirmation of Rep. Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services - VoteConfirmed (52-47, 1 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed Georgia Republican Rep. Tom Price to be secretary of Health and Human Services.

Sen. Mark Warner voted NO
Sen. Tim Kaine voted NO

Recent House Votes
Disapprove BLM Land Use Planning Rule - Vote Passed (234-186, 12 Not Voting)

The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Dec. 12, 2016, which modified the process under which BLM develops plans for the use of the public lands it manages, including by considering a wider variety of issues and possible impacts.

Rep. Rob Wittman voted YES

Disapprove State Education Accountability Rule - Vote Passed (234-190, 8 Not Voting)

The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Nov. 29, 2016 which addresses implementation of a state's accountability systems when receiving federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA). Among other things, the rule requires states to identify low-performing schools for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement, and requires that each state's statewide plan use multiple indicators of student success that are the same for all public schools (including charter schools).

Rep. Rob Wittman voted YES

Disapprove Teacher Education Program Rule - Vote Passed (240-181, 11 Not Voting)

The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Oct. 31, 2016, relating to teacher preparation programs that require states to annually evaluate the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education and to publicly report this information, including the job placement and retention rates of graduates.

Rep. Rob Wittman voted YES

Upcoming Votes
Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury - PN26

The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be secretary of the Treasury.


Nomination of David Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs - PN39

The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of David Shulkin to be secretary of Veterans Affairs.


Texas-Oklahoma Border Lands - HR428

The bill would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to pay for a private survey to identify the south boundary line along the Red River separating Texas and Oklahoma with regards to land title and ownership, with the states of Texas and Oklahoma to determine which lands are federal lands and which are private.


Disapprove Unemployment Benefit Drug Testing Rule - HJRES42

The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 1, 2016, that defines the occupations for which states can require individuals applying for unemployment benefits to undergo drug testing.


Disapprove State Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRES66

The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 30, 2016, that exempts state-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities that don't offer retirement plans from certain restrictions and requirements under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).


Disapprove Local Government Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRES67

The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Dec. 20, 2016, that exempts local government-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities from certain restrictions and requirements under ERISA.


Disapprove Alaska Predator Control Rule - HJRES69

The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Interior Department on Aug. 5, 2016, that prohibits certain predator control practices in national wildlife refuges in Alaska (such as the taking of mother bears and their cubs, the killing of wolves and their pups at den sites, and aerial shooting).


Disapprove HHS Planned Parenthood Funding Rule - HJRES43

The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) on Dec. 19, 2016, that modifies eligibility requirements for Title X grants for family planning services to specify that states awarding funds cannot prohibit a health care provider from participating for reasons other than its ability to provide Title X services.

http://www.military.com/

Monday, June 22, 2015

Mark Warner On "On Demand" Work Force




Friends,

I wanted to let you know about a significant issue I’ve started to focus on: the big shifts occurring in the workplace and among the workforce as more and more people work “on-demand” in what’s called the "sharing economy".

Whether by economic necessity or by choice, as many as one-third of American workers now piece together several on-demand opportunities to make a living. And with continuous advances in technology, that number continues to grow, especially as the Millennial generation enters the workforce.

Today, online platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, TaskRabbit and Etsy can provide easy-to-use digital platforms to match supply and demand for goods and services. These innovations are changing the traditional employee-employer dynamic.

The sharing or on-demand economy, where people are contract or freelance workers, provides exciting opportunities in terms of freedom and flexibility in hours and work-life balance. But many of these on-demand jobs do not provide traditional safety net protections for workers: unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation for injuries, or pension and retirement planning.

Yet Washington has mostly remained on the sidelines as the U.S. economy, its workforce and the work place, have undergone perhaps the most dramatic transformation in decades. As policymakers, we have a role to play with this tremendous shift.

Earlier this month, I delivered a speech about the potential impacts of generational and technological changes on the American economy. My recent op-ed in the Washington Postexplored some ways that policymakers might begin to address these challenges.

Finally, as I work to find solutions to make this sharing or on-demand economy work better for more people, I’d like to hear from you. If you are working in this on-demand economy, tell us your story: Is it working for you? Could it work better? What are the advantages of this type of work? Do you see any downsides?

Please email your thoughts to: projects@warner.senate.gov.

Thank you,


Mark R. Warner

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Gloucester, VA Animal Control Breaking and Entering? What About "YOUR" Rights? (Part 2)


On Sunday, August 24th, 2014 we did a story about how Animal Control Deputy Laura Dickie was about ready to break a window on a vehicle to remove an animal from a car because the animal was left in the car by itself and without air conditioning and would have been removed to an animal control truck for transportation, without air conditioning.  Well, that story by itself is horrific, however, can anyone actually blame the Animal Control officer for doing a job she has been told she must do?  Who is actually to blame?  What if she had actually broken in the window and was seriously hurt by doing so or maimed by the dog in the vehicle?  Who would have been at fault?

  Again, in our view, the local ordinance, 3-18 is itself highly illegal.  The above poster highly misleading and posted in the following locations, Wal Mart front doors, Tractor Supply, and Dollar Tree.  Who approved these posters?  Ted Wilmot is the county attorney who wrote this law or at least finalized approval for the Board of Supervisors to vote on and approve.  That was done in February, 2013.  4 present Board members approved that and now we have 3 new board members who had nothing to do with this.

  So that would mean the Ted Wilmot and 4 present Board of Supervisors would then be responsible for any harm that comes to any Animal Control deputy who follows this insane ordinance and gets hurt or even killed in the process?  There is also a great deal of responsibility by the County Administrator and Assistant Administrator for allowing this crazy ordinance to be on the books.

  Again, here is a recap of that ordinance;

 Sec. 3-18. Animals in enclosed vehicles

(a) It shall be unlawful to leave any animal in a vehicle without the benefit of air conditioning when the outside temperature reaches eighty (80) degrees fahrenheit or greater.

(b) Any person who confines an animal in an unattended vehicle so as to cause the animal to suffer from heat stress, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The animal control officer or other officer shall have the authority to remove any animal found in an enclosed vehicle that appears to be suffering from heat stress. The animal shall be provided immediate veterinary care. The animal owner or custodian shall be responsible for all expenses incurred during the removal of the animal or its subsequent treatment and impoundment.

(c) In the event that the person responsible for the violation cannot be ascertained, the registered owner of the vehicle, as required by Chapter 6 of Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia, shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that such registered owner was the person who committed the violation.

(Ord. of 7-1-2008(1), § (2); Ord. of 2-5-2013(1))

There is also a certain degree of fault by each animal control officer as each one is required to know state code and they should also know that if a local ordinance is out of compliance with state code, then the local ordinance is not legal according to the Dillon Rule.  Virginia is considered a Dillon Rule state.  It seems rather clear that the county has no issues with maintaining this ordinance and will continue to prosecute anyone and everyone they can with such until someone gets seriously hurt, sued, or even worse, killed.  Why?  Because the county thinks they can milk this for some serious money in our view.  The safety of employees?  Well, they can be replaced.  


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