Aprueba Senado de EUA presupuesto militar
Washington, (Notimex).- El Senado de Estados Unidos aprobó el presupuesto militar para 2010 que otorga más recursos al Pentágono, una ayuda adicional para el personal en este sector y asignaciones para las operaciones militares en Irak y Afganistán.
El líder de la mayoría en el Senado, Harry Reid, afirmó que la aprobación del presupuesto militar le da a las tropas estadounidenses un apoyo adicional que se merecen al igual que la ayuda que sus familias necesitan.
El Senado de Estados Unidos aprobó este sábado el proyecto de ley de Adjudicaciones del Departamento de Defensa con 88 votos a favor y 10 en contra.
El presupuesto aprobado por 626 mil millones de dólares incluyen 128 mil millones de dólares para operaciones en Irak y Afganistán y 3.4 por ciento en aumento en salarios militares.
"En este momento 30 mil soldados latinos combaten en Irak y Afganistán y el desempleo entre los hispanos es de 12.7 por ciento comparado con 10 por ciento del resto del país. El voto se logró aun después que un senador republicano interpuso un obstáculo de carácter técnico", dijo Reid.
"Con la aprobación de este proyecto de ley esta mañana, los demócratas del Senado le han dado a nuestras tropas el apoyo adicional que se merecen al igual que la ayuda que las familias estadunidenses en apuros necesitan con urgencia", resaltó el líder del Senado.
"Además de aumentar el sueldo a nuestras tropas y adjudicarles más de 100 millones para la subvención de las guerras en Afganistán e Irak, este proyecto de ley extiende los beneficios de salud para los estadunidenses desempleados", abundó.
"Estamos velando por la seguridad de nuestro país mediante inversiones importantes en nuestra defensa a la vez que le damos un empujón a nuestra economía", enfatizó Reid.
Abundó que "esto no es ni debe ser un tema partidista. Sin embargo, los republicanos del Senado han interpuesto mil y un obstáculo legislativo para llegar a este voto, al punto de amenazar con impedir que las tropas recibieran estos fondos".
"Teniendo en cuenta que estamos en guerra y en una economía convaleciente, es inaudito que los republicanos hubieran siquiera amenazado con dejar sin herramientas a nuestras tropas y sin socorro a los desempleados", aseveró.
"Sus acciones esta semana han sido inapropiadas e irresponsables", consideró.
El líder del Senado señaló que "me complace que hayamos aprobado esta legislación tan importante. A pesar de la politiquería republicana, los senadores demócratas nos mantenemos inmutables y no permitiremos que el trabajo del Senado sea desbaratado", finalizo.

Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative Welcomes Beginning of Congressional Debate on Immigration Reform
SACRAMENTO, CA –Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP), a crucial step towards passing comprehensive immigration reform that will improve public safety and community trust. Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has repeatedly highlighted that comprehensive reform is a necessary component of our national security and community safety, echoing the analysis of law enforcement professionals and security experts. Rep. Gutierrez’ bill will initiate the dialogue in Congress on this critical issue.
 Arturo Venegas, former Police Chief of Sacramento and head of the Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative, remarked that, “Over the past year, I have worked with law enforcement professionals across the country who understand the necessity of common-sense reform of our immigration system. The results have been impressive because the people involved with enforcing our laws and policing our communities understand that reform can’t wait.
“I am glad that Representative Gutierrez is pushing Congress forward on this issue which is so crucial to the security of our communities and our nation. Now that legislation has been introduced in Washington, we can have a rational discussion of the issue that rejects fear mongering and works toward common sense solutions. My colleagues in the law enforcement community and I look forward to engaging with members of Congress to pass legislation that recognizes the reality of our broken immigration system. Ultimately, we need Congress to pass reform that will allow us to effectively identify and catch criminals, legalize undocumented immigrants currently in the country who work hard and pay taxes, rebuild the trust of our residents and restore the rule of law to our communities.”

Vice President Biden Announces Support for Up to $5 Billion to Accelerate Job Growth in Clean Energy Manufacturing
WASHINGTON, DC -- At a Middle Class Task Force meeting today which focused on manufacturing, Vice President Biden announced the Administration’s support for up to $5 billion in additional funding for a successful Recovery Act program that will accelerate job growth in Clean Energy Manufacturing.  This increase would more than triple the funding of the Recovery Act’s Section 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit.
 
“American manufacturing plays a vital role in our society and economy. It was instrumental in building our middle class and we must work with the industry to retool to remain competitive for the economy of the future,” said Vice President Biden. “We have to jumpstart growth in green manufacturing – and part of that is encouraging companies to build the components of green technology right here on American soil.  By combining the most talented workforce, the most entrepreneurial businesses, the best universities in the world with seed capital from government investment, we can once again produce cutting-edge technology that creates 21st century jobs here in America.”
 
This announcement builds on the job creation ideas that the President discussed last week.  As he highlighted in a major speech on job creation, there are a select set of Recovery Act clean energy programs that are substantially oversubscribed and can be leveraged to help accelerate job growth. Providing tax incentives for investing in renewable energy manufacturing facilities in the U.S. is a particularly promising way to create jobs quickly, leverage private investment, and continue America’s emerging leadership in making the clean energy products of the future.  
 

Copenhagen – A Glimmer of Hope

Copenhagen, Denmark (December 19, 2009)The “Copenhagen Accord” has failed to create a legally binding framework for nations to address climate change, and has not properly addressed the key issues of deforestation and adaptation, but it does provide hope for the future, Conservation International said today. 

It is a step forward – agreement among a majority of nations, developed and developing, to stabilizing the climate below 2 degrees Celsius, long-term finance, transparent reporting, and a prompt start for developing country action has never before been achieved. But time is running out for a global solution to climate change and we must move quickly towards a global agreement.

The Copenhagen Accord has been created as a pragmatic attempt to play a “long game” in which key players, such as the US, China, India and Brazil, are properly engaged. However, the inherent risk in taking this long-term approach to achieving a solution is that every passing day, month and year where industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deforestation continue at their current pace exacerbates climate change and its impacts - and will make solutions to the problem more costly and painful.

In particular, Conservation International is disappointed that REDD+ - the mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation - which had broad support from most nations, was not formally codified at COP15. The recognition in Copenhagen that REDD+ is essential to effectively mitigate climate change quickly and cost-effectively, and a pledge of immediate financing to begin its implementation are both critical steps, but greater achievements on REDD+ were within reach and were not achieved - these must be secured. Deforestation and Forest degradation is responsible for almost 17 per cent of global GHG emissions, more than all the motorized vehicles in the world.

Dr Fred Boltz, head of Conservation International’s Copenhagen delegation, said: “It is, of course, critical that the US, China and all major economies are properly engaged in solving the climate crisis, and as such the Copenhagen Accord is important. But it does not create a legally binding global framework to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, and time is running out.

“However the inability of the UNFCCC to create a legally binding framework does not mean that climate change cannot be addressed – but it means that the responsibility still rests with individual nations rather than the global community. We must all, in every developed country, push our governments to act with speed and decisiveness to reduce emissions both domestically and abroad, and to invest heavily in supporting developing nations to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The commitment to a Copenhagen Green Climate Fund creates an opportunity, which we must seize and translate to developing country action without delay.”

The creation of this $30bn Fund to tackle climate change over the next three years is an important move, but the amount is woefully inadequate to meet the needs and commitments of developing countries to tackling both emissions reductions and adaptation to climate change. The rest of the world must respond at a scale that equals the ambitions of nations like Peru which has committed to ending deforestation by 2020 and Brazil, which is demonstrating true global leadership in reducing deforestation, setting ambitious mitigation goals and even financing global efforts. 

The Accord offers a means of building confidence within the US that its legislation will not be preempted or prejudiced by international agreements.  It will enable the US to engage more aggressively in emissions reduction and financing commitments, based upon a sound foundation agreed and committed by the American people.  We have confidence that such legislation will be achieved and will provide a platform for the US to take its place of leadership along countries from all regions to tackle the climate challenge.

Dr Boltz added: “The UN process has not delivered the goods. The Copenhagen Accord, while better than nothing, is not enough. We must take advantage of the prompt start that it offers to translate rhetoric to action in reducing deforestation and other forms of emissions, and providing for the adaptation needs of threatened communities and ecosystems. 

“We face the challenge of preserving a planet suitable for humankind. We must regroup and act decisively in 2010 to forge a proper global agreement with adequate emissions cuts and financing to tackle climate change. The clock is no longer just ticking – it’s ringing an alarm, and if we don’t listen the consequences for people and biodiversity will be catastrophic.”