cicilline – RI Future

June 27, 2016

Cicilline, Langevin hold gun safety ‘sit-in’ Wed in PVD

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Following on their successful sit-in action last week on the House floor to call attention to gun violence in America, Rhode Island congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin are hosting a local action called “No More Silence: A Public Sit-In to Reduce Gun Violence.”

The event will be on Wednesday, 3pm at the Providence Public Safety Complex.

Cicilline and Langevin both participated in the historic sit-in on the House floor last week that was organized to call attention to the GOP’s inaction on gun safety following the horrific Pulse massacre in Orlando that left 49 innocent people dead.

The follow-up event is being billed, by Cicilline spokesman Rich Luchette, as an opportunity to “discuss ways for Rhode Islanders to continue to push Republicans in Congress on ‘no fly, no buy’ and universal background checks,” he said.

Cicilline was an organizer of the 26-hour House floor sit-in, along with Georgia Congressman John Lewis, which for 12 hours prevented Republicans from conducting congressional business.

“Republicans can no longer ignore the voices of millions of Americans who are demanding commonsense legislation to address this epidemic,” Cicilline said in a statement following the protest action. “It is shameful that Speaker Ryan, using a procedural maneuver, adjourned the House in the dark of night, shortly after his party voted for another Wall Street giveaway, so that Republicans would not have to address the very real impact of gun violence. This isn’t Wall Street’s House – it’s the People’s House – and it’s time Republicans start acting like it by addressing the important issues facing American families. When the Speaker calls the House back into session we will continue to stand up once again for our constituents who are demanding we take action to reduce gun violence in our country.”

In a letter to congressional colleagues, the six organizers of the sit in wrote:

Dear Colleagues:

This week, Democrats in Congress made history while the world watched. Our sit-in showed that the Republican Leadership can no longer ignore the epidemic of gun violence. A movement was born and will only continue to grow.

We ask you to join us in a National Day of Action on June 29, 2016. While you are back home in your District, you can continue to build the momentum and engage your community. Whether it a press conference, roundtable, or telephone town hall, we encourage you host an event showing that Democrats in Congress will keep up the fight against gun violence. Local partners including survivors, law enforcement and faith leaders can be excellent partners and can help carry our message even further.

We look forward to working with you as we continue our fight to bring commonsense, bipartisan, gun violence prevention legislation up for a vote. Together, we can give voice to the overwhelming majority of the American people who want to see their Congress take action to help keep our communities safe.

Sincerely,

John Lewis

John B. Larson

Katherine M. Clark

David N. Cicilline

Robin Kelly

Mike Thompson

June 23, 2016June 24, 2016

Led by Cicilline and Lewis, Dems shut down House of Representatives

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Congressional Democrats shut down the U.S. House of Representatives by staging a sit-in on the floor that lasted more than 12 hours, led to disarray and physically prevented Speaker Paul Ryan from conducting business.

They were protesting against House Republicans who refuse to allow a vote on a bill that would get guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists. The civil disobedience was organized, in part, by Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline. Georgia Congressman John Lewis, a hero of the Civil Rights Movement, was the undisputed leader and moral compass of what some called the “beginnings of a movement.”

The planned direct action began shortly after 11am. RI Future reported on it just before 1pm. Shortly after 1am, Speaker Ryan and House Republicans called for vote to adjourn until July 5 at 2:30 am. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Republicans were sneaking out in the dark of night.

Earlier in the evening, Ryan was shouted down when he tried to conduct business and he retreated from the speaker’s rostrum. Democrats chanted “shame, shame, shame” as he and his fellow Republicans left the chamber. From the back of the chamber, Republicans tried briefly to shout down the Democrat’s protest. One yelled “radical Islam” over and over. The civil disobedience had devolved into bedlam. The New York Times called it a “remarkable scene of pandemonium.”

Democrats held control of the chamber for four more hours, broadcasting live not through the traditional TV cameras in the Capitol but rather through the Periscope and Facebook Live feeds of legislators.

“Still here,” Cicilline tweeted just after midnight.

Still here. Sit-in continues with @repjohnlewis, @RepKClark, and @RepTerriSewell. pic.twitter.com/0dueOajZom

— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) June 23, 2016

Cicilline was lauded by his colleagues throughout as a leading voice and organizer of the effort. RI Rep. Jim Langevin also participated, but Cicilline played a leading role throughout the event. He stood next to Rep. Lewis for much of the evening and even joined in the mayhem when Republicans made a failed effort to regain control early in the evening, shouting at House security who tried to remove spectators from the balconies, which are typically off limits to the public when the House is in session, saying “This is the people’s House!”

In a speech he delivered just after 2am, Cicilline said, “We’ve now been here for about 14 hours and I just want to make sure everyone understands what House leadership is about to do. We all talk about the great promise of America … none of it is real if we can’t keep people alive. We tried to have a discussion about these sensible ideas. The American people are going to wake up in the morning and realize the Republicans allowed us to do nothing about this problem. Shame on them for blocking these common sense proposals.”

House Democrats are calling for a floor vote on a bill that would deny guns for people being investigated as terrorists. While a similar bill was defeated in the Senate, Speaker Ryan has not let it come up for a vote in the House.

Outside Congress, a protest of the people convened. “In my 5 decades in Congress, I’ve never seen us come together like this,” said Michigan Congressman John Conyers.

The gravitas of Congressman Lewis, who has endured brutal beatings from the police for protesting during the Civil Rights era, was palpable throughout the affair.

“Thank you for getting in trouble,” he said during one of his speeches during the action. “By sitting-in you are standing up. I don’t know what the end is going to be. But my idea: just stay here. Just stay here.”

September 30, 2015October 1, 2015

Cicilline to Obama: Accept 100,000 Syrian refugees

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Congressman David Cicilline told President Barack Obama to increase tenfold the number of Syrian refugees the United States accepts – from 10,000 to 100,000.

“We’ve always been a beacon to the rest of the world,” Cicilline told RI Future, in explaining why he implored the president to do more. “It speaks to our character as a nation. We need to regain that moral high ground.”

Earlier this month the Obama Administration announced it would increase the number of Syrian refugees the US takes in this from about 1,500 to 10,000. Subsequently, Cicilline wrote a letter to the president saying the US should take in 100,000 Syrian refugees.

“Other countries look to the United States to lead when it comes to refugee resettlement, and so it is absolutely critical that the U.S. lead by example,” reads the letter. “The U.S. should use its considerable global influence to encourage other nations, including within the European Union, to accept additional refugees and increase the resources available to support them.”

More than 70 members of Congress co-signed the letter to Obama, including Joe Kennedy, of Massachusetts. Congressman Jim Langevin did not sign the letter. Langevin spokeswoman Meg Geoghegan said, “While he shares Congressman Cicilline’s belief that the U.S. should do far more for these refugees, he does not feel comfortable prescribing that specific number until we have assurances that the resources exist to actually process that many people in a timely way without risking any potential impact to American security.”

Langevin told RI Future in a prepared statement: “We are facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in history, and our country and others around the world must do more for those who have faced unimaginable suffering, leaving their homes behind in fear for their families. The United States must significantly increase the number of refugees we take, while ensuring adequate resources to protect the security of our citizens.”

Cicilline said his request to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees is based on the recommendation of the Refugee Council USA, a coalition of 20 of the leading refugee aid organizations in this country. Refugee Council USA also recommends the United States increase the overall number of refugees it takes in this year from 100,000 to 200,000. Last year, the US accepted about 70,000 refugees but only 1,500 from Syria, which has seen an exodus of more than 4 million citizens since the start of a bloody civil war four years ago.

Cicilline’s letter points out that accepting 100,000 Syrian refugees would only increase the US population by “less than a quarter of one percent” while “Lebanon’s population by contrast has grown 25% with the influx of refugees at its borders.” In a reference to the viral video of a Syrian boy who died while fleeing his country, the letter continues, “How can we tell little Aylan’s family that we simply can’t manage to welcome them, that it would be too dangerous or take jobs away. Surely we can do better.”

Cicilline visited Syrian refugee camps on a recent trip to Jordan, which helped cement in his mind the need for the United States to be a leader in responding to the crisis. In a conversation with a Jordanian man, he explained that there is some political resistance to accepting Syrian refugees in the United States. The Jordanian man told him, “This wasn’t a debate. These are our brothers and sisters fleeing war and we welcomed them,” according to the congressman.

Cicilline also said taking in refugees is a “sensible economic decision,” saying “in 2013 69 percent of all refugees were self-sufficient after 180 days. By comparison, refugees living in camps around the world are often relying on international assistance for a very long time – 10, 15, 20 years – and in most cases the United States is paying for most of that.”

Cicilline spoke earlier this week in Washington at a press conference about the Syrian refugee crisis.

September 3, 2015September 3, 2015

Cicilline stands with child care providers

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Congressman David Cicilline met Wednesday with local child care workers to discuss the need for high quality care that pays a living wage.

“It’s time for Congress to take action to ensure that high quality, affordable child care is accessible for every American family,” said Cicilline. “And that the childcare workforce can access the training and wages they need to make a living.”

Cicilline joined a forum of 11 child care workers, state representatives, and local parents to discuss House Resolution 386, which recognizes the need for better child care for the working parents.

Among possible solutions identified by the participants on Wednesday, raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour for child care workers was the most popular.

“They want us to better ourselves, but we need help,” said Nichole Ward, a certified nursing assistant and mother of two. Ward spoke of the difficulties finding care for her two children while working and going to school at the same time.

Ultimately she had to ask her family to watch her children as childcare proved too expensive, a common solution for working families. Ward explained that her children had “fallen behind.” in their educations. Her mother and sister “aren’t teachers,” unlike the child care providers, and cannot provide the vital early childhood development.

“Between 2007 and 2015, funding for Rhode Island’s subsidized child care program shrank by 30 percent (from $71 million to $51 million),” said Rachel Flum, senior policy analyst at the Economic Progress Institute. “The reduction was primarily in state support for the program which was accomplished by reducing eligibility – causing hundreds of families to lose coverage.”

Cicilline cited a University of California, Berkeley study that found child care workers are paid less than $10 an hour and wages have stagnated with no real increase since 1997 while at the same time child care costs have doubled.

“Pay the workers like their work matters,” said Marti Murphy with Fight for 15, an advocacy group currently celebrating victories big and small across the nation.

Cicilline expanded that childcare is becoming the “biggest number, bigger than rent, bigger than food.”

“Things are different now than 25-years-ago,” he said, talking about the need for Congressional action. “We can’t pretend it’s 1950…and recognize the reality that both parents are working.”

Added Chas Walker of 1199 SEIU New England, “From 1-5-years-old are the most important years in a child’s life. We have to value the people providing the care for them.”

August 11, 2015

RI delegation noncommittal on Iran deal

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The lines are drawn on a proposed nuclear containment deal with Iran. President Obama and “peace-loving” progressives are united in support while the GOP is unsurprisingly against it. Stuck in the middle are the American people and congressional Democrats.

A new poll from Monmouth State University released Monday shows 41 percent of respondents are unsure if the deal should be inked while 32 percent think lawmakers should not support it and 27 percent think they should. And according to The Hill, 35 House Democrats support the deal and 29 are undecided while 18 Senate Democrats support and 20 are undecided.

The Rhode Island congressional delegation is on the fence, too.

“Congressman Langevin continues to review the agreement and consider the options in advance of Congressional action this fall,” said his spokeswoman Meg Geoghegan. “He has not yet made a final decision on how he will vote on the issue.” Rich Luchette, a spokesman for Congressman David Cicilline said simply, “Congressman Cicilline is reviewing the proposed agreement.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse “hasn’t announced a position on the Iran deal yet,” according to spokesman Seth Larson. And Chip Unruh, spokesman for Senator Jack Reed, said the ranking member of the RI delegation, and a nationally-regarded foreign policy expert, “continues to thoroughly review.”

As a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Reed has been conducting hearings on the issue with Arizona Sen. John McCain. The Hill lists Reed in the yes column but RIPR coverage from July 16 says Reed “has not decided whether he supports President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran.” Unruh said The Hill “must be speculating.”

Speculation or not, The Hill lists noted progressive leaders Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as supporting the deal.

This agreement is obviously not all that many of us would have liked but it beats the alternative – a war with Iran that could go on for years,” Sanders said, according to The Hill. And quoting her from the Boston Globe, Elizabeth Warren has said, “The question now before Congress — the only question before Congress — is whether the recently announced nuclear agreement represents our best available option for preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. I am convinced that it does.”

Progressives have largely supported the deal with Code Pink calling it “a great victory for peace-loving people around the world.” The New York Times has a 200 word summary of the deal.

April 22, 2015April 23, 2015

RI delegation doesn’t love fast tracking TPP deal

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President Barack Obama is aligning with Republicans and corporations while openly bickering with Sen. Elizabeth Warren and is on the opposite side of “most Congressional Democrats” over a potential Trans Pacific Partnership deal.

The president is also largely at odds with Rhode Island’s congressional delegation on fast-tracking a potential trade compact with 12 Pacific Rim nations. Of the Ocean State’s four elected officials in Congress, three have now spoken out against giving Obama fast track authority. Only Senator Jack Reed is still holding his cards close as the Senate Finance Committee considers granting the president trade promotion authority today.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said he opposes fast track authority for the TPP deal, he told RI Future exclusively today.

“It would be a mistake to provide fast-track authority for trade agreements that could further undermine American wages, manufacturing jobs, and our environment,” he said in an emailed statement. “We need the opportunity carefully review any proposed trade agreements to ensure we’re not repeating the mistakes of past free trade deals.”

In February, Whitehouse gave a speech against trade agreements in general on the Senate floor in February, saying: “I start with a state that has been on the losing end of these trade deals. People say that they are going to enforce the environmental and human rights and labor and safety requirements of these agreements. I haven’t seen it. And I gotta say I don’t like the process very much either. It is secret, we are kept out of it. Who’s in it is a lot of really big corporations and the are up to, I think, a lot of no good in a lot of the deals.”

Congressman David Cicilline is against it, too. He wrote this op/ed in the Providence Journal last month.

“Any agreement that promotes fast-track trade to advance the Trans-Pacific Partnership without thorough review and Congressional input is a bad deal for Rhode Island workers,” he told RI Future yesterday. “Congress should play an important role in making sure trade policies are fair for American workers, businesses, intellectual property holders, and consumers. The fast-track model undercuts oversight of trade agreements and makes it more difficult to protect the interests of working families. We should be working to promote American manufacturing, implement flexible workplace policies that benefit middle-class families, and finally raise the minimum wage so everyone has an opportunity to succeed.”

Also yesterday, Congressman Jim Langevin reaffirmed his opposition to a TPP deal. In February he and Cicilline signed onto a letter opposing it and yesterday he emailed this statement to reporters:

“The United States has been working with TPP negotiating partners for more than three years. This agreement could greatly shift global trading patterns and accordingly deserves the highest level of scrutiny to ensure it does not displace U.S. jobs or undermine our country’s competitiveness. While I favor expanding global trade, it is important that any free trade agreement places American workers and companies on an enforceable level playing field with foreign trading partners when it comes to labor rights, environmental regulation, intellectual property protection and other critical issues. For that reason, I am opposed to passing Trade Promotion Authority legislation with respect to the TPP.

“Congress has the responsibility to set trade policy, and ‘fast track’ procedures largely circumvent this important review. There is a better way to make decisions of this magnitude that significantly impact America’s place in the global economy, and that must include robust debate and discussion from all partners, including Congress. I will continue to work to ensure that trade agreements protect American workers and consumers and do not undermine America’s ability to compete in the global market.”

Reed, on the other hand, isn’t as vocal, according to spokesman Chip Unruh, who said Rhode Island’s senior senator “will take a look at the Finance Committee’s proposal, but he wants to ensure any trade agreement benefits Rhode Island consumers, workers, and businesses.” Unruh noted Reed rejected such TPA authority in both 2002 and 2007.

According to the Washington Post “most Congressional Democrats are opposed” but Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is pushing for a deal that he says has benefits for liberals.

In March the New York Times reported the “ambitious 12-nation trade accord pushed by President Obama would allow foreign corporations to sue the United States government for actions that undermine their investment “expectations” and hurt their business, according to a classified document.” The Nation called the TPP proposal “NAFTA on steroids” in 2012.

March 31, 2015April 1, 2015

Cicilline to sponsor LGBT civil rights bill; would trump state RFRA laws

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Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline is drafting a bill with Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon that would extend civil rights protections to LGBT people, he explained in an interview with RI Future.

The bill, long in the works, he said, would prevent states like Indiana from using so-called “religious liberty” laws to sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“Many of us started to feel that the time had come to approach LGBT equality in a different way,” Cicilline said. “Why aren’t we putting together a comprehensive bill that prohibits discrimination against the LGBT community, period? We looked at a variety of federal protections that exist in the civil rights area based on race, and gender, and ethnic origin and religious tradition … why don’t we just add sexual orientation and gender identity to those existing categories that are protected from discrimination.”

Cicilline is co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus and, according to a press release, “one of six openly gay Members of the U.S. House of Representatives.” When asked about Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), he said: “The law permits discrimination, which it should not. It should be repealed.”

When I asked Cicilline about Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s attempt to “clarify” the new law, Cicilline said, “It’s very hard to enact a law that discriminates against people or permits discrimination based on sexual orientation and then try to clarify that away.”

I also asked Cicilline if he’s ever been the victim of discrimination based on his sexual orientation. Listen to the full interview to find out what he said:

December 10, 2014December 10, 2014

RI congressional delegation on CIA torture report

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“We are a nation of laws and principles,” said Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed about the now-declassified CIA torture practices made public yesterday in a Senate Intelligence Committee report. “This report highlights a systemic failure to uphold those laws and principles. It is troubling and difficult to digest, but it’s important to have all the facts to prevent a repeat of these mistakes.”

The Senate report, more than five years in the making, details how CIA agents tortured suspects in the so-called war on terror to little or no avail and systematically lied to Congress and the American public about the efficacy of such techniques.

Reed, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee who is often on the short list for a high-level position in the Pentagon, said in a statement: “The use of torture is abhorrent and stands in stark contrast to our constitution and values. It is not an effective tool to obtain reliable intelligence. As we continue to confront the threat of terrorism at home and abroad, we are reminded that we are stronger as a nation when we remain true to our democratic principles.”

Senator Sheldon Whithouse was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the early stages of developing the report. He’s taken an active role in opposing torture, such as chairing a 2009 Judiciary Committee hearing on torture during the Bush Administration.

Whitehouse said of the report in a statement sent out yesterday, “After years of effort and millions of documents reviewed, the Senate report at last lays out in painstaking detail how the CIA under President Bush and Vice President Cheney turned down the dark path to torture, and then to cover its tracks misled Congress and executive officials about the efficacy of the torture program. These are hard facts to face as Americans, but it’s important that the facts be known. Chairman Feinstein and our Intelligence Committee staff deserve our country’s deep appreciation for their extraordinary efforts.”

Congressman David Cicilline, a member of the House Foreign Intelligence Committee, said in a statement: “The Senate Intelligence Committee’s report is deeply disturbing. Among the many findings, this report reveals that the CIA employed more brutal interrogation techniques than had been previously detailed publicly, deliberately misled Congress and the White House about the program’s effectiveness, and damaged the United States’ reputation around the world. These abuses are a violation of basic human rights and are in stark contrast to our values as a nation, and this report provides further confirmation that these techniques simply fail to provide results that strengthen our national security. I applaud the members of the Senate Intelligence Committee for their efforts to provide the American people with an account of the actions carried out in their name. It is now our duty as elected officials, and American citizens who believe in the values upon which our nation was founded, to ensure serious violations such as this never occur again.”

And said Congressman Jim Langevin in a statement: “I am deeply concerned by the findings of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The tactics detailed in the report are contrary to American values, and these programs have been rightly ended. Human rights must be preserved in times of peace and war, and I sincerely hope we can learn from this dark moment in our history.”

December 9, 2014December 11, 2014

Cicilline fought racial profiling as congressman, mayor and lawyer

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“Like many Rhode Islanders,” Congressman David Cicilline said in an email to RI Future, “I’m saddened by the recent loss of life in Ferguson and New York City, and understand the frustration felt by so many Americans. We know that effective policing requires the trust and respect of the community and these events have undermined the confidence many people have in law enforcement’s ability to treat everyone equally under the law. We have a responsibility to find a solution to this problem.”

For decades, Cicilline has been working on a solution.

As a congressman, as mayor of Providence and as a lawyer in private practice, Cicillne has throughout his career been ahead of the curve on rooting out racial profiling.

“Racial profiling is wrong and creates more problems than it solves,” he said in an email to RI Future. “When individuals are targeted because of their race, the most important crime-fighting tool police officers have, the trust of the community, is damaged.”

Cicilline, D-RI, is one of 60 co-sponsors of Congressman John Conyers’ 2013 End Racial Profiling Act. The bill is similar to the new federal rules announced Monday by the Justice Department with the very notable exception that an act of Congress would apply to state and local law enforcement agencies. The new Justice Department guidelines apply only to federal law enforcement officers.

“I welcome Attorney General Eric Holder’s update of racial profiling guidance for federal law enforcement agencies,” Cicilline told me. “This is a step in the right direction, but we must go further and end racial profiling wherever it may occur. The End Racial Profiling Act will address the root cause of racial profiling, protect individuals’ civil liberties and educate law enforcement on the differences between a suspect description and discriminatory profiling.”

The bill, according to this summary, defines racial profiling as: “the practice of a law enforcement agent or agency relying, to any degree, on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or religion in selecting which individual to subject to routine or spontaneous investigatory activities, or in deciding upon the scope and substance of law enforcement activity following the initial investigatory activity, except when there is trustworthy information relevant to the locality and timeframe that links a person of a particular race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or religion to an identified criminal incident or scheme.”

It would require police departments to develop policies aimed at eliminating racial profiling and would create federal guidelines for collecting data.

As mayor of Providence, Cicilline put together “a plan for tackling racial profiling, a practice that the city’s police have been charged with engaging in,” according to Rhode Island Lawyer’s Weekly.

The plan was critiqued by the ACLU but won praise by the Police Assessment Resource Center. The group said the action plan contained “several recommendations, such as more police/community interaction, data collection and analysis, and mandatory diversity training for officers every two years. Under the plan, officers found to have engaged in racial profiling would be required to attend counseling and training sessions, and could face reprimands or dismissal.”

Cicilline campaigned for mayor, in part, on reforming the police department. He won some praise from the late Providence Phoenix, and even Steve Brown of the ACLU. Wrote Wrote Ian Donnis in 2003:

“It will take time to change public perceptions, particularly in the poorer Providence neighborhoods where police-community relations are most in need of improvement, but many observers are optimistic about the outlook. As put by Steve Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, ‘Things can only go up. I think that’s a fair statement and I have no reason to doubt that they will. The mayor has certainly demonstrated in his other roles a strong concern about this issue. I would be very surprised if we didn’t see some significant changes in police-community relations.'”

One of the ways Cicilline demonstrated his commitment to police-community relations was as the initial lawyer in the Bernie Flowers case. Flowers was a 50-year-old African American who in September of 2000 was pulled over at gunpoint by the Westerly police. He sued the Westerly police department for violating his civil rights.

“This lawsuit is intended to hold accountable the police who violated Mr. Flowers’ civil rights and to discourage others from engaging in this kind of racial profiling, which continues to be one of America’s greatest shames,” Cicilline said in an ACLU press release from 2001.

Flowers got a new lawyer when Cicilline became mayor and a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2004.

October 25, 2014October 27, 2014

Cicilline, Lynch debate: long on one liners, loud voices

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Congressman David Cicilline and his Republican challenger Cormick Lynch win the prize for the most spirited debate of the 2014 election cycle.

Twice did NBC 10 News Conference host Bill Rappleye ask Congressman David Cicilline and Republican challenger Cormick Lynch not to touch each other during the shouting match, as well as one phrase (“BS”) perhaps not suitable for children (it airs at 11:30 Sunday morning).

And, oh yeah, one unicorn reference.

News, Weather and Classifieds for Southern New England

“People are sick to death of the Democrat and Republican BS.” said Lynch. Which is certainly true, but this was his response to Cicilline talking about raising the minimum wage, bringing manufacturing jobs back to Rhode Island and the United States, rebuilding roads and bridges and lowering the cost of higher education.

When asked, pretty directly, why he is opposed to raising the minimum wage, Lynch began, “It’s not the liberals aren’t intelligent….” but eventually got around to indicating Rhode Island should model its economy after North Dakota rather than raise the minimum wage. He stressed working with the state leaders to lower the corporate tax. “We need to attract businesses here.”

Cicilline: “Raising the minimum wage is going to help lead to job growth because what happens, Bill, is that when people have more money in their pocket who are minimum wage earners they spend that money.”

Lynch: “Congressman what color was the unicorn you rode in on? And what planet did it take you here from. There’s no customers coming into anyone’s business in Rhode Island. That’s why we are in the state we are in.”

All that, just in the first segment. Here’s the second:

News, Weather and Classifieds for Southern New England

I think it’s fair to label Lynch a hawk. “I think it’s not politically correct to say, stop trying to democratize countries and kill the enemy. These guys gotta go. I wouldn’t rule boots on the ground out. If you need someone to board a flight and go over there, I’d be more than happy to go over there myself.”

Based on the way he debates, ISIS should be afraid.

Rob Paquin and I discuss here:

News, Weather and Classifieds for Southern New England

September 12, 2014September 12, 2014

RI delegation on Obama’s ISIS speech

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While Rhode Islanders were still celebrating or commiserating their candidate’s primary performance earlier this week, President Barack Obama was addressing the nation about his plans to “destroy” ISIS without putting more troops on the ground.

Here’s his 15 minute speech:

Taking the nation’s temperature, The New York Times reports this headline: “Weary of War, but Favoring Airstrike Plan”. It could as easily apply to Rhode Island’s congressional delegation.

All four supported additional airstrikes and, for various reasons, agreed more troops on the ground would be counterproductive. Here are each of their full statements.

Senator Jack Reed (senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee):

“Tonight, the President made a clear, compelling case that denying these terrorists safe havens will require a targeted, smart, and sustained multi-national effort.

“Like many Americans, I am skeptical of deeper military involvement that could lead to an open-ended conflict. I don’t want to see more U.S. combat troops on the ground because I think that is what ISIL wants: to try to bog us down in a bloody and costly fight that helps them recruit more terrorists. Indigenous forces on the ground are going to have to step up.

“This President’s deliberate and thoughtful strategy ensures we will not repeat the mistakes of rushing into ground combat as we did in Iraq in 2003. Instead, he developed a comprehensive strategy that includes our allies in the region, together with the force of our diplomatic power, intelligence capabilities, and targeted military might.”

Congressman David Cicilline (A member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Cicilline received a national security briefing from Administration officials on Thursday, before issuing this statement):

“Last night, President Obama addressed the nation and outlined a comprehensive strategy to defeat the terrorist group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, including increased U.S. military action in the region and military and technical support for our allies. The President reaffirmed his position that our response will not include U.S. combat troops on the ground and the President made clear he has no plans to do so. I strongly support this position.

“It is clear that ISIL poses a serious threat to U.S. national security interests in the region and has expressly threatened the American homeland, and we must do everything we can to prevent another terrorist attack on American soil. We must also remain vigilant as a nation and ensure we’re fully equipped to respond to all threats against America or American personnel. The President laid out a thoughtful strategy to work with Iraqi and Kurdish forces on the ground, as well as a broader international coalition, to defeat this grave danger to U.S. national security interests and regional stability.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Whitehouse visited Syria in January 2013):

“After a decade of war, I share the concerns of many Rhode Islanders about further military engagement, but I also share their alarm over the rising influence of ISIL and their horror over the brutal tactics used by these extremists. I will continue to oppose the deployment of regular ground troops, but we must take seriously ISIL’s ruthless beheading of Americans, its threat to U.S. personnel and facilities in the region, and its ability to capture territory and resources to conduct terrorist attacks. I believe the plan outlined by the President tonight – to build a coalition of regional partners and work with the newly formed Iraqi government to drive ISIL out of that country – is the right approach. I also support expanding our efforts to provide military advice and airstrikes, and arming moderate rebels in Syria – a step I first called for after visiting the region early last year. Syria and ISIL present a complex set of problems to which there are no easy answers, but I believe President Obama is pursuing the best set of options available to us at this time.

Congressman Jim Langevin (senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence):

“The threat posed by ISIS demands the world’s attention and action. They are the very definition of extremist, and their brutality knows no bounds. They have perpetrated unspeakable acts of violence against innocent people, including women, children and religious minorities who have been targeted for their refusal to adhere to an extreme and dangerous set of principles cloaked in religious sentiment.

“Intelligence officials estimate that thousands of Americans and Europeans have joined ISIS fighters, and these individuals could return home with the intent of doing harm to the United States and our allies.

“This terrorist threat, combined with existing sectarian tensions and an Iraqi government that, until now, has marginalized too many of its people, has created a complex challenge in the region, and it will take a multifaceted, collaborative effort to ultimately defeat ISIS. That approach must include a more inclusive government in Iraq, and I am encouraged by the improvements we are starting to see on that front.

“Like so many of my constituents, I do not want to see the United States embroiled in another ground war in the Middle East. We have learned over the past 13 years from our mistakes in Iraq. But on the eve of September 11, a date so deeply ingrained in the minds and hearts of Americans, we remember where we have been, and can see a clearer path forward. Evil cannot be left unchallenged. I applaud the President’s speech tonight as a first step towards addressing this threat, and I appreciate his commitment to working with Congress and keeping the American people informed. Going forward, I expect to hear further details of the timing and scope of the strategy he proposes, and I will continue to exercise rigorous oversight of the military commitment to come.

“The challenges we face are tremendous, but in the face of this adversity, the United States of America is ready to lead a broad coalition of partners in the region and worldwide to address the threat posed by ISIS. And as we face this threat, I continue to be so grateful to the brave men and women of our military. To the service members here and abroad, and to the troops that will join this effort to defeat ISIS, thank you for your tireless commitment to preserving freedom and protecting our country.”

August 12, 2014August 12, 2014

Cicilline, Langevin unveil ‘Middle Class Jumpstart’

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If you’d like to know what Congress could be focusing on if Democrats controlled the House, Rhode Island representatives David Cicilline and Jim Langevin will be offering up the policy priorities they will be working on next session, if reelected.

Today at 2pm at the Providence CCRI campus on Hilton St, Democrats Cicilline and Langevin will unveil what they are calling the “Middle Class Jumpstart” agenda. It’s a suite of legislation they will be looking to implement in the next session ranging from encouraging local manufacturing and affordable education to discouraging gender inequality.

“Rather than focusing on the very serious challenges facing the American people, Republicans have chosen to waste time and taxpayer money on a frivolous lawsuit against President Obama,” Cicilline said. “Americans work hard and they deserve a Congress that is working hard for them. It’s time for Congress to turn its attention to what really matters: helping middle class families and growing our economy

Langevin added, “Our Middle Class Jumpstart agenda will increase economic growth by strengthening America’s manufacturing industry, investing in our critical infrastructure, supporting equal pay for women, and making college more affordable for every student. This is our pledge to America – to fight for the middle class, put families before special interests, and reignite the American Dream for all those who work for it.”

Here’s a list of the legislation that is included in the Middle Class Jumpstart plan, courtesy of Cicilline’s office:

Middle Class Jumpstart

Within 100 days of a Democratic House Majority, Democrats will pass legislation to jump-start the middle class and those working to get into the middle class. The three-pronged plan focuses on Make It In America, When Women Succeed, America Succeeds, and affordable education.

‘MAKE IT IN AMERICA’

Democrats will introduce the “21st Century Make It In America Act” to invest in American manufacturing and provide tax incentives for creating good-paying jobs here at home. The agenda focuses on creating the best conditions for our businesses to produce, innovate, and create jobs here at home by:

· Adopting & pursuing a national manufacturing strategy

· Promoting the export of U.S. goods

· Encouraging businesses to bring American jobs and innovation back to the U.S.

· Training & securing a 21st century workforce

Republicans voted to give tax breaks to companies that ship American jobs overseas

Democrats will introduce the “21st Century Make It In America Act” to provide tax incentives for creating good-paying jobs here at home.

Republicans blocked legislation to make long-term investments in our nation’s aging highway system and opposed creating clean energy jobs of the future

House Democrats will pass the “Build America Bonds Act” to boost job growth and modernize America’s infrastructure by building roads, bridges, broadband technology and investing in clean energy initiatives – paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes

Republicans refused to raise the minimum wage but gave massive tax giveaways to corporate special interests and the ultra-wealthy

House Democrats will pass the “Fair Minimum Wage Act” and the “CEO/Employee Pay Fairness Act” to deny CEOs the ability to claim tax deductions for pay over $1 million unless they give their employees a raise

WHEN WOMEN SUCCEED, AMERICA SUCCEEDS

Democrats will pass the “Paycheck Fairness Act” to guarantee both women and men get equal pay for equal work. The bill gives employees new tools to fight unequal pay by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which has not been updated in 51 years, and protecting employees from retaliation for sharing salary information.

House Republicans refused to ensure equal pay for equal work, and voted to reduce access to child care and against paid sick leave

House Democrats will pass the “Paycheck Fairness Act” to guarantee both women and men get equal pay for equal work, pass the “Healthy Families Act” to ensure paid sick leave for men and women, and increase access to affordable child care

House Republicans voted to weaken domestic violence laws that protect women and voted to defund Planned Parenthood

House Democrats will strengthen the “Violence Against Women Act” and will expand women’s access to comprehensive health care and family planning

AFFORDABLE EDUCATION TO KEEP AMERICA #1

Democrats will pass the “Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act,” to help Americans refinance their existing college loans to new, lower rates. The bill enables borrowers to refinance their loans at lower rates similar to those available to new student loan borrowers.

House Republicans voted to pile more debt on the backs of students and families by preventing Americans from refinancing their student loans and by voting to cut Pell Grants

House Democrats will pass the “Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act” to help Americans refinance their college loans to new, lower rates, and will increase access to Pell Grants for higher education

House Republicans voted to limit access to quality early childhood education

House Democrats will pass the “Strong Start for America’s Children Act” to increase access to effective early childhood learning.

July 28, 2014July 28, 2014

Fecteau to Cicilline: support marijuana reform ‘or be held accountable’

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As a candidate for Congress, I am concerned with the way marijuana has been used to incarcerate and detain people from mostly low income and minority backgrounds. While I support federal regulation of marijuana, I can settle for what is known as the Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act.

Congressman David Cicilline’s ambivalence on marijuana regulation is concerning. In 2012, Congressman Cicilline supported regulation of marijuana “so long as you have those kind of protections [similar to alcohol], you should treat it the same.” However, in a recent interview with Tim White on Newsmakers (12:20), Congressman Cicilline said he is “very conflicted” and is “still studying this.” Congressman Cicilline seems either incredibly inconsistent or breathtakingly insincere about regulating marijuana at the federal level.

Our beliefs and laws are incrementally progressing, but not far enough. My former White House employer, President Barack Obama, acknowledged marijuana is “no more dangerous than alcohol.” Attorney General Eric Holder stated the focus will be on the criminal element of marijuana – though that is hard to define. Despite all of this and its regulation in both Washington and Colorado, marijuana is still a controlled substance. At the federal level, someone can be prosecuted even if it is regulated in the respective state. I want to revise this policy, but not if Republicans get there way.

The Republicans could undermine this in two ways: first, a Republican president enforce more stringent marijuana prohibition again and second, the Republicans in Congress could pass the Enforce the Law Act. This act would give Congress the power to sue the President to enforce marijuana prohibition. We need to work together to fight for reasonable laws.

The cost of federal marijuana prohibition is high. The US has approximately 2.3 million people behind bars or 25% of the world’s prisoners. These prisoners cost taxpayers at the federal, state, and local level $68 billion annually. This is just the quantifiable cost.

While solving little or nothing, marijuana prohibition rips families apart, destroys individuals’ lives, and causes perennial suffering. According to FBI statistics, of all arrests involving drug abuse violations, roughly 43.3% are people who are arrested for mere possession. Yet, even with these arrests, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 34% of teens say it is easier to obtain marijuana than alcohol or tobacco.

While I still favor federal decriminalization and even regulation, I support what is known as the Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act as a reasonable middle ground. The Respect States’ and Citizens Rights Act does not decriminalize marijuana per se. Instead, it provides states with the legislative leeway to develop their own laws to regulate marijuana so long as state government regulation does ensue. It predominantly becomes a state issue instead of a federal issue. Congressman Cicilline should be implored to cosponsor and promote this very reasonable piece of legislation or be held accountable on September 9th 2014.

I support the Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act because for far too long, people have been thrown in jail for infractions that hurt few and cause limited, if any, collateral damage to society at large. From my stand point, this incremental act does not go far enough, but as they say, ‘perfect is the enemy of good enough.’

June 30, 2014

Cicilline condems SCOTUS for Hobby Lobby decision

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In a pointed and detailed statement, Congressman David Cicilline called out the United States Supreme Court for its Hobby Lobby decision made public today saying, “women, not their bosses, should be in charge of their own personal health care choices.”

The controversial SCOTUS decision sent ripples through progressive Rhode Island today. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse also released a statement critical of the high court.

Here is Cicilline’s full statement:

Women, not their bosses, should be in charge of their own personal health care choices. While much work remains, we have made tremendous progress in affording women full equality over many years and this decision rolls back that progress by limiting women’s access to contraceptive health care services.

The Affordable Care Act is designed to ensure women have access to quality, affordable health care, including contraception and family planning — services that are critical to a woman’s health care needs. In fact, an overwhelming majority of women use birth control or contraceptives at some point in their lives and the idea that they should be denied access to these basic health care services because their boss finds it religiously objectionable is ridiculous. While today’s ruling will not undo all the benefits under the Affordable Care Act that allow millions of women to access birth control, it wrongly dictates that a CEO’s religious beliefs outweigh a woman’s right to access affordable contraception. This unfair discrimination contradicts the values of a majority of Americans and has no place in the 21st century. Importantly, today’s decision also sets a bad precedent encouraging other for-profit corporations to deny health care coverage to their employees based on their owners’ religious beliefs.

I am deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s ruling and will continue working to stop attacks on women’s access to complete health care services and to advance women’s basic rights. This fight is not over.

June 20, 2014June 23, 2014

RI delegation weighs in on situation in Iraq

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As President Obama prepares to deploy some 300 “military advisers” to Iraq in hopes of quelling the Sunni-led violence there, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is mixed on the move.

Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Jim Langevin said they support the president’s decision. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said he will “cautiously support” the president’s decision. Congressman David Cicilline, on the other hand, said he would “continue to urge the Obama Administration to proceed cautiously.”

Each offered a detailed statement to RI Future about the escalating strife in Iraq. Assuming the progressive position is opposing war and violence, here are their statements in order of how opposed they seemed to me based on their statements alone:

Congressman David Cicilline:

I am very concerned about the implications of any new U.S. military engagement in Iraq and strongly oppose sending American combat forces to this country.

The resolution of the current crisis in Iraq is ultimately the obligation of the Iraqi people. Their leaders have the responsibility to establish a pluralistic and inclusive government that will provide stability in Iraq. America has spent more than $1.7 trillion and sacrificed 4,486 American lives in this terrible war. After nearly a decade of war in Iraq, Rhode Islanders and most Americans think it’s time to focus on nation building right here in America. I will continue to closely monitor this situation and continue to urge the Obama Administration to proceed cautiously.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:

I will cautiously support the Administration’s efforts to help Iraqis regain control of their territory. This insurgency could become a real threat to our interests and we need to find ways to support the Iraqis who seek a peaceful democracy. But that should not mean sending American troops into combat. The Iraqi government needs to include all its citizens – not just the Shiite majority – in their democracy if they wish it to last.

Congressman Jim Langevin:

The violence in Iraq is very disturbing, and it is something we must monitor closely. Like the President, I am opposed to sending any new combat troops into the area, but I respect and agree with his decision to provide additional security to the United States embassy in Baghdad and Special Operations advisors to better assess the situation on the ground. Going forward, we must continue to explore all of our options as the situation develops. However, U.S. actions must not be in any way a substitute for meaningful action on the part of the Iraqi government to mend the rifts between Sunni, Shi’a, and Kurdish leaders.

Senator Jack Reed:

Iraq represents a very difficult situation. The U.S. needs to be vigilant when it comes to ISIS, which is so ruthless that even Al Qaeda disavows it, and we obviously need to protect our diplomatic personnel and other assets. But the responsibility to maintain the security and stability of Iraq belongs to the Iraqi government. We can’t be their air force and U.S. combat troops are not the solution. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has so far managed to politicize Iraq’s military and militarize its politics, a dangerous approach that will only breed more instability. To even begin to solve this conflict, Maliki must make serious political reforms to build an inclusive and stable Iraq. This country’s future must be decided by every segment of its society, not just by certain groups, and certainly not by the United States.

Reed also spoke with CNN’s Erin Burnett Wednesday about the issue.

June 16, 2014June 16, 2014

Cicilline promotes National ASK Day to prevent gun violence

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Congressman David Cicilline held a press conference this morning in Lippitt Park in Providence ahead of National ASK Day (June 21), a day organized nationally by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and supported locally by the Rhode Island Coalition Agains Gun Violence (RICAGV).

“ASK (Asking Saves Kids) aims to reduce unintentional firearm deaths and injury to children by encouraging parents to ASK, “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” just as they would other health & safety questions, before their child visits another home. The ASK Campaign was created by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics. National ASK Day takes place every year on the first day of summer, as summer is a time when children are increasingly likely to be playing in other homes. ASK Day is on June 21st.”

Moving and emotional testimony was given by Karen Reed, a mother who, two years ago, nearly lost her five year old son to a terrible gun accident when her nine year old son found an unsecured pellet gun on Christmas Eve, and shot his brother in the eye, nearly killing him. Not only was one son grievously injured, but the other was forced to deal with the trauma and guilt of having accidentally caused so much harm. Yet who can blame a nine year old boy for such an accident? Isn’t it the responsibility of adults to secure weapons in the household?

Full press conference:

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014

David Cicilline wants to tell John Boehner your story

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If you are an unemployed Rhode Islander, David Cicilline wants to tell House Speaker John Boehner and the rest of Congress your story.

Cicilline is collecting stories and photographs of unemployed Rhode Islanders as a way to put a human face on a bill to extend federal unemployment insurance that House Republicans are refusing to let come to a floor vote. The Senate bill, championed by Jack Reed and Republican Dean Heller of Nevada, passed with bipartisan support.

“It seems like in many ways unemployed individuals are just invisible to the Republican leadership,” Cicilline told me in a phone interview yesterday. His plan is to plaster the outside of his office with pictures of unemployed people.

“Every member of Congress will have to walk through the hallways and see the thousands of Americans who are suffering because of our failure to fix unemployment,” he told me. “We can’t continue to put our heads in the sand and pretend like this isn’t hurting real people.”

If you’ve got a story to tell, you can share it with Congressman Cicilline here. And please listen to our entire interview below, and check our our complete coverage of this bill (no real people though) here.

April 10, 2014April 11, 2014

How popular are RI pols? Taubman poll gives reference

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Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most popular politician of them all? According to a new Taubman Center poll, it’s Senator Jack Reed followed by Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

Reed and Taveras are the only two elected officials who more than 50 percent of respondents said were doing either an excellent or good job. On the other end of the spectrum, Congressman David Cicilline and Governor Linc Chafee were the least popular pols asked about. A whopping 73.5 percent of respondents said Chafee was doing an only fair or poor job and 58.2 percent said Cicilline was doing only fair or poor.

General Treasurer Gina Raimondo was more popular than she was unpopular with 49.3 percent of respondents saying she was doing an excellent or good job and 34.2 percent saying she was doing only fair or poor. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Jim Langevin were both more unpopular than they were popular.

Here’s how the congressional delegation stacked up against each other:

And here’s what it looks like to compare Angel Taveras, Gina Raimondo and Linc Chafee:

March 13, 2014

David Cicilline is protecting your tax dollars against Congressional Republicans

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There’s little House Democrats can do if the Republican majority wants to spend its time suing President Obama. But Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline has managed to at least hold the GOP fiscally responsible for doing so.

Wednesday the House of Representatives passed 233-181 the so-called ENFORCE Act. It would create a expedited process for members of Congress to sue the president if they feel he or she isn’t fully executing the law.

“Instead of tackling the real issues facing our country, the House Republicans continue to make a mockery out of Congress by bringing politically-motivated bills to the floor that do absolutely nothing to improve the lives of Americans,” Cicilline said. “The ENFORCE Act would allow for a Congressional majority to sue the Executive Branch without any oversight, safeguards, or accountability to prevent abuse.”

On the House floor he said, “The bill raises its own constitutional issues, and fails to put in place responsible safeguards to prevent abuse. This I believe Mr. Chairman is dangerous attack that threatens the careful balance of power developed by our founding fathers.”

But Cicilline did more than just talk about the bill. He also authored a successful amendment that would attach a fiscal note to the ENFORCE Act.

“Ultimately, the tab for litigation under the ENFORCE Act is to be paid by the American people,” Cicilline said. “At a minimum, they should be informed of how much of their hard earned money is being spent pursuing these lawsuits.”

He said Republican leadership spent “up to $3 million” defending DOMA, the federal law that allowed states to ignore same-sex marriages before it was ruled unconstitutional and “we still do not have an adequate accounting of how much the House Majority has spent on defending this discriminatory law, or whether it continues to spend taxpayer funding on this matter.”

Cicilline and Rep. Jim Langevin both voted against the bill. Here’s video of Cicilline’s remarks:

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