Send Your Rep a Holiday Card
By Nathaniel Baer, Environment Iowa Advocate
This New Year, our representatives in Congress have a choice: they can invest in clean, renewable energy sources and give the American people the gift of a new energy future or they can continue to give the oil companies billions in taxpayer handouts.
Send your representative a personalized holiday card wishing them a happy new year and asking for a new energy future! The card already has your representative's name and address included -- all you have to do is print it and send it off!
To create your personalized New Energy Future holiday card, click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web browser. Then, ask your friends and family to get involved by forwarding this message to them.
http://static.environmentiowa.org/eia.asp?id=2070&id4=ES
Background
Oil Company Profits Continue to Skyrocket
Big oil companies are swimming in a sea of record-breaking profits while American consumers and taxpayers pay the price. In 2005, the world's biggest oil companies reported a combined $111 billion in profits. In the first three quarters of 2006 they reported more than $94 billion.
Some of the biggest oil company profits in 2005 were:
* ExxonMobil: $36.1 billion
* Royal Dutch Shell: $25.3 billion
* BP: $22.3 billion
* ConocoPhillips: $13.5 billion
* Chevron Texaco $14.1 billion
Federal Handouts Lavish Billions on Oil and Gas Companies
Despite earning record profits, oil and gas companies continue to benefit from billions in handouts courtesy of American taxpayers. Between tax incentives, below-market fees for drilling on public lands, research and development subsidies and accounting gimmicks, these companies will receive more than $31.6 billion from the federal government over the next five years.
Specifically, these handouts break down as follows:
* Tax breaks: $16 billion
* Research and development subsidies: $1.8 billion
* Below-market fees for drilling on public lands: $9.5 billion
* Accounting gimmicks: $4.3 billion
* Total: $31.6 billion
Some of most outrageous handouts to Big Oil include a deduction allowing oil and gas companies to write off taxes and fees paid to foreign governments. This giveaway is not only a boon for Big Oil, but also for the governments of the world's major oil-producing nations, many of which are openly hostile to American interests. According to estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation, modifying the deduction would save taxpayers $325 million over the next five years.
Another costly and unfair handout allows companies drilling for oil and natural gas in publicly-owned waters and on publicly-owned lands to pay below-market fees, or royalties, for the resources they extract. These royalty payments provide needed resources to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the oil-producing states and the federal treasury. Schemes that let oil companies off the hook for their royalty obligations will cost taxpayers at least $9.5 billion over the next five years.
Congress is pumping more than $1.8 billion into federal research and development, including one provision in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to give $1.5 billion to an oil consortium in Representative Tom DeLay's home district of Sugarland, TX.
Representative Nancy Pelosi has stated that one of her top priorities when Congress convenes in January will be to repeal the most outrageous handouts to Big Oil and invest that money in clean, renewable energy.
Send your representative a personalized holiday card wishing them a happy new year and asking for a new energy future! To create your New Energy Future holiday card, click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web browser. Then, ask your friends and family to get involved by forwarding this message to them.
http://static.environmentiowa.org/eia.asp?id=2070&id4=ES
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Baer
Environment Iowa Advocate
NathanielB@environmentiowa.org
http://www.environmentiowa.org
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Saturday, December 23
Send Your Rep a Holiday Card
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 23 Dec 2006 06:26 AM CST
Monday, December 11
Old Congress / New Congress Ag. Update
by
Sam Garchik
on Mon 11 Dec 2006 08:18 AM CST
Old Congress / New Congress Ag. Update
By the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Old Congress Lame “Duckling” Session Limps to a Close: With minutes to spare before a midnight government-shutdown deadline, the 109th Congress passed a Continuing Resolution until February 15 which sets funds FY2007 funding levels temporarily at 2006 or lower levels for the nine of eleven FY2007 Appropriations bills. Only the FY2007 Defense Appropriations and Homeland Security Appropriations have been enacted. Never at a loss for words, incoming House Appropriations Chair David Obey (D-WI) called the need for the Continuing Resolution “a blatant admission of abject failure by the most useless Congress in modern times.” The new Congress and new Democratic leadership will now have the chance to finish this year’s unfinished appropriations work early next year, most likely in the form of a large omnibus bill combining all nine unfinished bill. Congress then limped to a close early Saturday morning after passing a large bill reviving expiring tax breaks, increasing offshore oil drilling, extending trade benefits to certain developing countries, and protecting doctors from cuts in their Medicare payment structure. Disaster Aid: This week saw only limited action on FY2007 Agricultural Appropriations, with an amendment to the Senate bill offered on Tuesday by Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND). The amendment would have added raised emergency agricultural disaster assistance for crop and livestock producers affected by drought and other disasters in 2005 and 2006 from $3.5 billion to $4.9 billion. Farmers would have the option of disaster payments or a 25 percent increase in commodity program direct payments, the latter available if an economic loss actually occurred. The direct payment option increased the cost of the amendment from $4.5 billion to $4.9 billion. The amendment was blocked Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), chair of the Senate Budget Committee who raised a point of order under the Budget Act challenging the amendment for the lack of offsets. Gregg also noted that some of the assistance is not tied to directly to production losses. A waiver of the point of order required 60 votes and only 57 Senators voted for the waiver. According to Conrad, three Senators who were not present – Joe Biden (D-DE), Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Sam Brownback (R-KS) - would likely have voted for the waiver, enough to hit 60. Conrad noted that the close vote on the point of order indicates that the measure may well pass in the next Congress, even if President Bush continues to threaten to veto agricultural disaster assistance which is not offset by cuts in other programs. The only Democrats to oppose the waiver were Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Mark Pryor (D-AR). They did so because they favored the underlying provision already in the Senate bill which the amendment would have replaced. That provision would provide a 30 percent direct payment bonus without having to prove even an economic loss, much less a production loss. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) attempted to amend the agricultural appropriations bill with a rider prohibiting the EPA from regulating dust and particulate matter from agricultural operations. EPA says it will not rule on the matter until finishing a scientific review and then taking up the matter when the rule comes up for review in about 5 years. Grassley’s amendment has so far been effectively blocked by incoming Environment and Public Works chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Farm Bill Comments from New Chairs: Incoming House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson (D-MN) spoke this week at a Farm Foundation Forum on the 2007 Farm Bill. Peterson reiterated his strong interest in keeping the commodity title essentially unchanged, adopting a new permanent disaster payment program, and starting a new program to enroll and pay rental payments on 5 million acres of land that farmers dedicate to growing switchgrass and other potential biomass feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production. These three points have become the new chairman’s mantra for the upcoming farm bill. Peterson also mentioned his lack of interest in adopting a comprehensive competition title, but noted he realized that Senate Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) would be pushing that point. In a similar vein, he mentioned that the House Committee would have to deal with the Conservation Security Program because of the interest in it in the Senate Committee. Turning to Committee structure and process, Peterson confirmed that there will likely be six rather than five subcommittees, with one likely to deal with energy, conservation and research. Currently conservation and research are in the same subcommittee as rural development and credit, which would now likely be a separate subcommittee or added to existing subcommittees. Energy is currently in the subcommittee that handles food stamps and nutrition, so the switch to conservation and research certainly makes logical sense. The new Chairman also reiterated that the new subcommittee chairmen will be Tim Holden (PA), Mike McIntrye and Bob Ehteridge (both NC), Joe Baca and Dennis Cardoza (both CA), and David Scott (GA) – making the chairman himself the only Midwest member of the leadership team. Final decisions on the names and chairs of each subcommittee are not likely to be known until January. Peterson has clearly stated his intent to allow each subcommittee to mark-up its section(s) of the farm bill independently, before any farm bill legislation is brought to the full committee. This constitutes a move back to “regular order,” a practice which has been suspended for the most part during consideration of the past two farm bills developed under Republican control in 1995/6 and 2001/2. New Senate Chair Tom Harkin met with Peterson this week to start reviewing farm bill process. In a press conference on Thursday, Harkin said they agreed to have the farm bill finished in both chambers by the August recess, and then move to a House-Senate conference committee in September. That strikes some observers as an optimistic scenario, but if nothing else clearly signifies an intent for full-scale consideration of the bill in the committees by late spring. Cochran Aid Keenum Confirmed in Number 3 Slot at USDA: The Senate this week confirmed Mark Keenum, long time agricultural assistant to Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), as the new Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, generally considered the third most important position at USDA. Keenum, who has handled farm bills and agricultural appropriations for Cochran since 1989, has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Mississippi State. The move to USDA, widely supported by general farm and commodity organizations, is widely viewed by observers as a move by farm bill interests to keep more reformist elements around the Secretary from going too far. Keenum has been a leader in formulating cotton and rice commodity provisions in the last three farm bills. NEW CONGRESS NEWS Democratic Leadership Sets Opening Agenda for 110th Congress: Democratic leadership has set an ambitious agenda for the opening days of the 110th Congress which begins Jan. 4, 2007. The plan calls for approval of the Democratic “100-hour” legislative agenda by the time of the President’s State of the Union address to Congress, tentatively scheduled for January 23. The legislative agenda will start with the first increase in the federal minimum wage in a decade and advancing federally-funded stem cell research. These measures will be followed by legislation to given Medicare the right to negotiate drug price discounts, make college loans cheaper, and roll back oil industry tax breaks. The agenda also includes a House ethics package, which might include earmark reform. House Republicans Ratify Committee Ranking Members: On Thursday, the House Republican Conference confirmed its slate of committee ranking members for the 110th Congress. As expected Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) will be the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee and Jerry Lewis (R-CA) will take the position on the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Don Young (R-AL) will be Resources ranking member and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) takes over as Judiciary ranking member. Contested ranking memberships included the House Budget Committee with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) a relatively new House member beating out Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL). As Budget Committee ranking member, Ryan will have key GOP role in the debate over the farm bill spending. Congressional Recesses Announced: Attention all organizers! We now have the rough congressional schedule for the coming year. Mark your calendars now for the times to be asking for meetings in the state/district with your Senators and Representatives! Contrary to normal practice, Congress will be in session for most of January, as the Democratic leadership attempts to pass its first 100-hour agenda. The first major recess will be President’s Day week, from Feb. 19-23. The House will be home for two weeks at Easter – the weeks of April 2 and 9, with the Senate only taking the first of those weeks. Both houses will be off the week of May 28 for Memorial Day and the week of July 2 for the Fourth. Both expect to go on summer recess August 6 for four weeks. All told, the new leadership plans on many more working days in Washington than has been true in recent years, leading some Congressmen this week to complain about the reversal of the “family friendly” three day a week work schedule and additional recess weeks of recent years. URGENT ACTION NEEDED Reminder – Sign onto the Competition Agenda Letter: We are continuing to circulate for sign-on the letter calling on the new Congress to enact a comprehensive farm bill competition title. Please sign on and also circulate the letter to other groups you work with for their consideration. The letter is now available on our website at www.msawg.org. USDA NEWS Conservation Innovation Grants RFP: On Monday, the Natural Resources Conservation Service issued the FY2007 Request for Proposals for up to $20 million for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). The CIG program is designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Funds for single- or multi-year projects, not to exceed three years, will be awarded through a nationwide competitive grants process. There are three CIG categories available in FY 2007: Natural Resource Concerns, Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and Technology. Applications are due Feb. 2, 2007. The RFP is posted on the web at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig. USDA Taking Comments on Label for “Natural” Meats: In a news release that seems to have caught many groups by surprise, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced plans to develop a new definition for the “natural” labeling claim used on meat and poultry products. FSIS has scheduled a public meeting on December 12 to initiate discussion of the issue, and will be accepting general public comments until January 11, 2007. Following this period of information gathering, the agency will issue a proposed rule for a new standard. See www.fsis.usda.gov/ to view the complete announcement. Interest in revisiting the 24-year-old definition of “natural” has peaked since a 2005 FSIS decision to allow products containing chemical preservatives (including sodium lactate) and synthetic ingredients appearing on the National Organic Policy list (NOP list) to carry the “natural” label. This past October, Hormel Foods, marketer of the well-known Spam products, submitted a petition to FSIS requesting the agency codify the definition of natural, and clarify the circumstances under which a meat or poultry product may use the label. The petition echoes earlier calls from trade industry groups and consumer organizations for FSIS to resolve what many describe as significant inconsistencies created by the exceptions for preservatives and NOP list synthetic ingredients, which seemingly contradict “natural” claim regulations prohibiting “any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, or chemical preservative...or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient.” In addition to the FSIS decision to initiate a new rulemaking for the “natural” labeling claim, the Agricultural Marketing Service will conduct several public listening sessions on the proposed development of a voluntary marketing claim for “naturally raised” livestock beginning Monday, December 11 (see www.ams.usda.gov/news/283-06.htm). This flurry of labeling claim activity may be further complicating USDA’s ongoing development of standards for a grassfed beef label (a final rule is expected early next year) and three associated labeling claims addressing livestock pasture requirements, and the use of hormones and antibiotics. Consistent with its involvement in the development of the grassfed beef labeling claim standards, SAC will continue to work with its partners and the USDA to ensure that all labeling claims provide clear and meaningful guidance to both producers and consumers. Section 2501 Program FY2006 Grants Awarded: On Monday, USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) announced the award of 21 competitive Section 2501 program grants, totaling more than $5.6 million in FY2006 funding, to strengthen efforts aimed at serving minority and disadvantaged farmers. Among the grantees is SAC member Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) in Salinas, California, which received a grant of $289,679. Other non-profit organizations receiving grants included the Federation for Southern Cooperatives, Indian Nations Conservation Alliance, National Tribal Development Association, Rural Coalition, and Winrock International. The other grants went to 1862 and 1890 land grant universities around the country. The full list of grant awards and links to more information on the Section 2501 program are on the web at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2006news/oasdfr_06.html. New Members of the National Organic Standards Board: On Tuesday, USDA announced the appointment of four new members to the NOSB, who will serve terms running from Jan. 24, 2007 to Jan. 24, 2012. Tracy Miedema, a Consumer/Public Interest member, who is the national sales and marketing manager of Stahlbush Farms in Oregon, has served as an adjunct professor in consumer behavior at Western Washington University, and created an organic learning center for retailers and stakeholders within Small Planet Foods. Tina Ellor, an Environmental member, is the technical director of Phillips Mushroom Farms, a member of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, and active in small farm and rural development in Pennsylvania. Steve DeMuri, a Handler member, is the senior manager for commercialization and improvement for Campbell Soup Company in California and the technical expert and manager of their organic production. Katrina Heinze, the scientist member, has a doctorate degree in chemistry and is the manager of global regulatory affairs for General Mills, responsible for food safety and regulatory matters. The NOSB has 15 members representing all sectors and interests of organic producing, handling, and consuming (4 producers, 2 handlers, 1 retailer, 3 environmentalists, 3 consumers, 1 scientist, and 1 certifying agent). SAC/MSAWG Winter Meeting and Farm Bill Campaign Conference and Fly-In: Prepare to come to Washington DC on March 6-8, 2007! Along with our regular SAC and MSAWG business and committee meetings, we will also hold capacity building and strategy sessions for our work on the 2007 Farm Bill to be followed by visits to Capitol Hill. We will be inviting other national and grassroots partners to join us for the last two days as we begin our work to win passage of sustainable agriculture priorities in the Farm Bill. More details will be announced soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions, contact Margaret Hueslman at 317-536-2315 or mhuelsman@msawg.org. Saturday, December 9
New Watchdog Group to focus on Environment in Iowa
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 09 Dec 2006 07:41 AM CST
New Watchdog Group to focus on Environment in Iowa
By Alana Stamas, Nathaniel Baer, and Meshawn Ayala As one of the thousands of supporters on our email-update list, we want you to be among the first to know about an exciting development -- one that will give us even greater opportunities to make a difference on environmental and consumer issues here in Iowa. As you know, Iowa PIRG works hard to give Iowans a voice on a range of critically important issues, especially those where powerful special interests stand in the way of reform. Thanks to your support, we have contributed to many victories that have resulted in cleaner air, lakes, rivers, and streams, fewer consumer rip-offs, more clean renewable energy, and a stronger democracy for Iowa. But, obviously, there is much more to be done. After careful thought and planning, we have concluded that the best way to advance all of our work -- both for consumers and the environment -- is to separate our organization into two distinct groups. That's why we are writing to tell you about Environment Iowa, which, beginning today, will be the new home of Iowa PIRG's environmental work. Click here to visit the new home of Environment Iowa: http://www.EnvironmentIowa.org
Click here to learn more about Iowa PIRG's work to stand up to powerful interests:
At the same time, we expect Iowa PIRG's sharper focus will raise the visibility of our consumer and democracy work and attract the support of many Iowans who care greatly about those issues, but thought of us as working only on the environment. We hope that you and other Iowa PIRG supporters will continue to take action for both Environment Iowa and Iowa PIRG. For the moment, in recognition of your support, you will automatically receive updates from Environment Iowa every week, as well as updates from Iowa PIRG. Of course, you may unsubscribe from either or both lists at any time (please see below). From now on, watch your inboxes for news about the activities of two important advocates for the people of Iowa -- Environment Iowa, the environmental action group, and Iowa PIRG, the consumer action group. Wednesday, December 6
People Party vs. Money Party: Who's Who Among the Democrats
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 06 Dec 2006 07:51 AM CST
People Party vs. Money Party: Who's Who Among the DemocratsBy David Sirota, AlterNet The fact that our nation's politics is divided not between Democrats and Republicans but between the People Party and the Money Party is obvious to anyone who looks at the political system honestly (which is to say, not most journalists or Washington political hacks). Calls for "bipartisanship" and faux "centrism" that has nothing to do with the actual center of American public opinion are most often moves to prevent the political debate from analyzing the People vs. Money divide that actually fuels our politics. We already have plenty of "bipartisanship" -- Republicans and a faction of Democrats who regularly join hands to screw over the vast majority of Americans. Many people ask me who? Who are the leading members of both sides of the actual divide? The answer is that there is no official list because no one is forced to formally declare their allegiance to the People Party or the Money Party. But it is fairly obvious which lawmakers in the new majority have specifically defined themselves on economic justice issues. Though this is by no means a comprehensive list, here are the ones to watch in the coming Congress: People Party Leaders Freshman Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jim Webb (D-VA): This is the core group of economic populists who defined the larger populist trend in the 2006 election. Brown has a long record in the House as an economic justice champion, as has Sanders (who I worked for years ago). Tester (pictured above from an event he did here in Helena last night) made his campaign about cleaning up K Street corruption, and Webb has declared that his top issue is going to be addressing the taboo issue of economic inequality. Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL): Dorgan has been one of the strongest voices against profiteering by the energy and pharmaceutical companies, and has recently written a book called "Take This Job and Ship It," which is one of the strongest declarations against lobbyist-written trade deals from any sitting Senator in recent memory. Similarly, Feingold has voted against every major lobbyist-written trade deal that has come through the Senate, even airing campaign ads on the issue well before that kind of message became more popular. Kennedy, as the incoming chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is expected to continue his rabid support for the People Party on nearly every economic issue. And Durbin, now the number two Democrat in the Senate, has also had a solid record on trade, and is additionally talking about pushing public financing of elections -- the most effective way to cut off K Street's ability to manipulate Congress. House Chairpeople George Miller (D-CA), David Obey (D-WI), John Conyers (D-MI), Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Henry Waxman (D-CA): Miller will now head the Education and Workforce Committee where he is expected to turn his longtime leadership on pension security, wage protection and union organizing rights into legislative action. Obey, who will head the Appropriations Committee (and who I worked for a few years back), will make sure that any budget submitted by the White House that slashes health care, education and labor law enforcement will be dead on arrival, and replaced with a real spending plan that protects people (Obey was the guy who famously authored amendments to slash tax cuts for millionaires in order to better fund these priorities). Conyers will head the Judiciary Committee, which oversees all sorts of regulatory affairs where his pro-consumer record will finally have a chance to shine. Slaughter will chair the powerful Rules Committee -- the panel that governs how the entire chamber operates. She has been an outspoken leader against media consolidation -- one of the toughest issues to champion because the broadcasting industry is so powerful. And finally Waxman will head the Government Reform Committee, where we will now have a chairman who is serious about rooting out the waste, fraud and corruption that has plagued the no-bid Iraq contracts given to President Bush's cronies. Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Nancy Boyda (D-KS), and Bruce Braley (D-IA): Ohio's trio of Kaptur, Ryan and Kucinich have been among the staunchest critics of lobbyist-written trade pacts and advocates for the middle-class agenda in the House. Freshmen Boyda and Braley both ran their campaigns almost exclusively on the trade issue. In Braley's case, the Wall Street Journal noted that he made opposition to the Bush administration's free-trade agenda a centerpiece of his campaign" urging "more focus on labor rights in national trade policy and talked of using economic sanctions to keep America competitive." Money Party Leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Reps. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD): All three of these men, now in leadership positions, have made very little effort to conceal that they answer to Big Money interests. Schumer, for instance, recently trumpeted a new report calling for post-Enron corporate reforms to be gutted. Emanuel was the architect of NAFTA who used the prospect of his being in the majority on the Ways and Means Committee to suck corporate cash out of Wall Street. Hoyer bragged on his website about starting his own K Street Project, and, as I documented in Hostile Takeover, one of his top legislative staffers serves simultaneously as an official for his corporate fundraising operation -- 'nuff said. To read the rest of this article, click here: |
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