The Serrano Report
Op-Ed
THE SERRANO REPORT
Congress Overrides Presidential Veto of Medicare Bill
On Wednesday, Congress voted overwhelmingly to override the President's recent veto of Medicare legislation, H.R. 6331. The bill will roll back a planned 10.6 percent cut in Medicare fees paid to physicians. Physicians had warned that they could be forced to reduce services to seniors in the face of the fee reductions. The override passed the House by a margin of 383-41 and the Senate by a margin of 70-26.
The House initially passed the legislation on June 24; however it stalled in the Senate before the 4th of July recess as Democrats fell one vote short of the 60 votes needed to bring the bill to a vote.
After the week long recess in which physicians and constituents called their Representatives to urge passage of the measure, Senator Kennedy surprised everyone by returning from cancer treatment to cast the deciding vote and move the legislation on to the President.
As the Senate put the finishing touches on the override, Congressman Serrano expressed excitement for the fact that he and his colleagues "were able to once again come together in a bipartisan manner and override the President's veto of a bill that is so important to the American people." He added that "Senator Kennedy flying in to deliver the coup de grace was the icing on the cake."
In a show of gratitude, Congressman Serrano along with the entire Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent a letter to Senator Kennedy thanking him for his "continued unwavering commitment to the welfare of this country and the Latino community."
In the Bronx
Serrano Expresses Concern about Bronx Employment Study Findings
This week, Congressman Serrano expressed concern about the findings of a study conducted by the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), the Urban Justice Center, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The report, which investigated the state of employment in the Bronx, found that there is massive unemployment, underemployment and few high-paying jobs in the Bronx. While praising the sponsors of the report for their important research, Serrano said the findings were "deeply troubling" and "show how far we still have to go."
"The Bronx is successfully rebuilding from a difficult past. In that process, however, we must ensure that there are quality jobs for Bronx residents," Serrano said. "Often they say that a rising tide lifts all boats. Our challenge in the Bronx is to make sure that everyone has a boat to be lifted, and that the tide rises high enough to lift our working families out of poverty. A great deal of the new jobs that have been created in our community in recent years have kept families at or near the poverty line, as this new report indicates. I commend the NWBCCC and the Urban Justice Center for undertaking this valuable study and highlighting the need for a multi-faceted approach to living-wage employment in the Bronx."
Some of the key findings of the study included:
* 32% of all adults surveyed are not employed and are looking for work.
* 79% of community members who are unemployed and seeking work have been out of work for 6 months or more.
* 79% of 14 and 15 year olds, 86% of 16 and 17 year olds, 74% of 18 to 24 year olds, and 43% of 25 to 65 year olds are currently looking for work.
* In each age group, the majority of community members surveyed did not know about job centers and did not think there were adequate resources in the community.
* Only 55% of employed adults with a high-school education or below make a living wage, compared to 79% of employed adults with a higher level of formal education.
* Only 32% of the community have attended some college or beyond.
Serrano to Sponsor Public Forum on New York Organic Fertilizer Company (NYOFCo)
When: Thursday July 24, 2008, 6pm
Where: The Point CDC, 940 Garrison Avenue, the Bronx, NY 10474
Who: NYState Department of Environmental Conservation officials, Serrano staff, community groups, interested individuals
What: The office of Congressman Serrano will sponsor an open community forum at The Point CDC regarding the air and waste permits soon to be issued by the NYState DEC for the NYOFCo sewage sludge treatment plant in Hunts Point. NYOFCo has been the subject of multiple community complaints due to ongoing odor issues.
Grant Opportunities
Grant to Promote the Arts among Those with Limited Mobility
Application Deadline: August 27, 2008
The National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) recently announced the availability of funding for projects that provide career opportunities or arts programming for people with special needs. The AccessAbility Program will target individuals with disabilities, older adults, or persons in healthcare settings, and will support technical assistance in the area of monitoring, identifying and providing resources for participants. Prospective applicants are encouraged to seek out career opportunities that span all arts disciplines, such as museum curator, media artist, visual artist, costume designer, actor, director, arts gallery manager, poet, and writer. State and local governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, independent school districts, and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply.
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