The Serrano Report

Op-Ed

THE SERRANO REPORT

Serrano's Bill Passes Subcommittee

On Tuesday, Chairman Serrano presented the fiscal year 2009 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill to the subcommittee of the same name. The bill provides funding for a variety of important government agencies and programs, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Department of the Treasury, the IRS, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the District of Columbia, and the Small Business Administration. Among Serrano's priorities in the bill were funding for improved elections, increasing funding to help consumer protection agencies to address abuses in lending, and increasing funding to help investment in low-income and minority communities.

Of particular importance was a provision that Serrano inserted to prevent funding in the bill from being used to administer the IRS's private debt collection program. This program currently hires private collection agencies to collect back taxes. The private agencies are paid on a commission basis, with the debt collectors taking home 24 cents out of every dollar taken in. "This is a very misguided and wasteful program," said Serrano. "It should be terminated."

The bill also included a provision expanding family travel to Cuba and one restricting FCC media ownership rules. The Cuba provision would increase the frequency with which Cuban Americans could travel home to Cuba to visit their relatives, and would allow them to visit aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and first cousins.

The FCC provision would keep the FCC from loosening its media ownership rules. This language would stop the enforcement of an FCC ruling that gives companies greater latitude to own newspapers, radio and television stations at the same time. Serrano expressed concern that the FCC ruling is having a negative impact on public discourse and keeping dissenting voices from being heard.

The bill is expected to be considered by the full Appropriations Committee sometime next week.

Serrano Again Votes to End War in Iraq

On Thursday evening, Congressman Serrano again voted against funding for the ongoing war in Iraq and in favor of additional funding for veterans programs. "It is long past time we ended this war," said Serrano after the vote. "I am pleased that we are taking further steps to provide support to those who have bravely served this country, but the best assistance we can give our service members is to end this war and bring them home."

The bill was voted on in two parts, one to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the other to provide educational benefits for veterans and for other domestic priorities. The first measure, funding the war, was passed by a vote of 268 to 155 with largely Republican support. Serrano joined 149 other Democrats to vote against the measure. The second measure, in addition to providing extra veterans benefits, included extended unemployment benefits and relief for the flooding in the Midwest.

The Department of Defense has said that it needs the extra funding soon. Therefore, although the supplemental funding measure has gone back and forth between the House and the Senate over differences over funding levels it is expected that the Senate will now act quickly to pass the current version.

Serrano Mourns Loss of Tim Russert

Last Friday, Congressman Serrano issued a statement upon hearing of Tim Russert's passing. Serrano knew Russert from their days in New York state politics--Serrano as a State Assemblyman, and Russert in his capacities working for both Senator Moynihan and Governor Cuomo.

"We lost Tim Russert today," said Serrano. "He was a friend who I knew since his days as a staff member for several NY elected officials. In the early days, a young Tim Russert and a fairly new Assemblyman Serrano would be asked by the State Democratic Party to talk to the press after debates on behalf of mayoral, gubernatorial, or presidential candidates. We both agreed at the time that it would be more fun to discuss sports with the press.

"In his capacity with both Senator Moynihan and Governor Cuomo, we worked on everything from Bronx concerns to issues dealing with Puerto Rico. One of the highlights of my career was an interview by Tim on Meet the Press during the Elian Gonzalez controversy.

"Tim loved New York. He loved politics. He adored his dad ‘Big Russ' and boy did he love his Buffalo Bills. We have lost a special person."
In the Bronx

At Serrano's Urging, MTA Begins New Shuttle Bus Service

Last week, the MTA announced that it will begin new bus service connecting subway stops in Longwood and Hunts Point with the Hunts Point industrial area and a new park on the western edge of the Hunts Point peninsula during the summer. The new seasonal service was initiated at the request of Congressman Serrano, who had responded to longstanding concerns about lack of transportation access to jobs and recreational opportunities in the southern tip of the Bronx. The shuttle service will connect the Hunts Point Industrial Park and Barretto Point Park with stops on the #2, 5 and 6 subway lines.

"I am so pleased that we could bring this important new service to the Bronx. The bus service will not only be a boon to families and other users of our new South Bronx Greenway but will also serve many of the nearly 16,000 people who go to work in the peninsula every day. For years, many of my neighbors have had to use car services to reach their jobs in the peninsula's industrial area. The shuttle service will be good for the local economy, good for local air quality, and good for the quality of life in our district."

The pilot shuttle service will begin on June 27th and run through September 1st. The shuttle bus will run every 30 min from 8 AM -7:30 PM, making stops at the Prospect Avenue, Intervale Avenue, and Hunts Point Avenue subway stations and terminating near the MTA depot adjacent to Barretto Point Park on Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue.
Grant Opportunities

Grants to Help People Quit Smoking

Application Deadline: November 24, 2008

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced the availability of research grants for projects designed to reduce the prevalence of smoking among low-income adults in the United States. The program encourages applicants to propose projects to directly address smoking cessation in the low-income population through targeted individual systems, or population-based treatment approaches. Nonprofit organizations, public and private institutions of higher learning, and businesses are all encouraged to apply.

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