Press Office of Hunter Rose (D-CO) Options

[Russell DeWitt]

U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO)
(IMG:http://hmssweblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/dad-toby-stephens-1.jpg)

Endicott W. Choate, Chief of Staff
(IMG:http://artofmarriage.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/carygrant.jpg)

Tara Delahunt, Legislative Director
(IMG:http://wwwimage.cbs.com/cms/files/images/primetime/shark/bio/jeri_ryan.jpg)

Carla Schaffer, Press Secretary
(IMG:http://panachereport.com/images/Rita_Hayworth_intro_000.jpg)

Roland Campbell, Staff Assistant
(IMG:http://www.outoftheparkproductions.com/nourishment/images/bio_john_fleck.jpg)

This post has been edited by Hunter Rose: 24 March 2010, 12:55

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE, MACLEOD INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN NATO WITHDRAWAL ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today announced that he had joined with U.S. Sen. Ken MacLeod (R-MT) to offer the bipartisan NATO Withdrawal Act, a bill to withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty.

In a press conference outside his office in the Cannon House Office Building, Congressman Rose said that the two former presidential candidates were spurred to action by the recent events in Georgia and South Ossetia, which, threaten, through the United States' membership in NATO, to drag America into war with Russia.

Said the Congressman, "The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949 to provide a mutual defense agreement against the Soviet Union. Though that purpose was fulfilled some 30 years ago with the collapse of Russian communism, NATO has lived on and even expanded. Today, thanks to our continued membership in this organization, we stand at the brink of another global war. Turkey, an honorary member of NATO, has launched an attack on Russia, and because of the mutual defense provisions of the treaty, should Russia retaliate, the United States may be legally compelled to enter the fray.

"The United States has no overriding strategic interest in the Caucasus. The United States did not sign any mutual defense pacts with Georgia. And it is incontrovertably true that Turkey and Georgia are the aggressors in the present conflict. But because of this outdated treaty, to which the United States remains a signatory, the very real possibility exists that we may be forced to fight with them against Russia, in a war we never had any part in. Now, more than ever, the necessity of withdrawal from NATO could not be more plain, and that is why Senator MacLeod and I have offered this bill."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE, SANTOS-CARTER INTRODUCE COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today announced that he had joined U.S. Senator Kevin Santos-Carter (D-NY) in offering the Make College Affordable Act, a bill, originally authored by former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), to make all college tuition and fees, reasonable student living expenses, and interest on most student loan payments 100% tax deductible.

In a press conference outside his office in the Cannon House Office Building, Congressman Rose said that he and Senator Santos-Carter had decided to sponsor the bill to combat the rising cost of college for American students, a major issue in Congressman Rose's campaign for President last year. Said the Congressman, "For millions of American families, the cost of tuition and living expenses for college has simply become too prohibitive, while many graduates who choose to take out student loans eventually find themselves crushed under the weight of the interest payments from their debt. With this bill, Americans will be able to deduct 100% of the cost of college tuition for themselves and their family members from their taxes, while graduates who choose to take out loans will be able to do the same with their payments. It is our hope that this bill will find swift passage through both House and Senate and will be signed into law by the President, so that all Americans can achieve their full education potential without fear of bankruptcy."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE PLEASED WITH DEM HOUSE DOMINANCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today attended his weekly press availability, where he noted his pride in the House Democratic Caucus' ever-expanding lead over the body's Republican Caucus. In the most recent docket, this lead grew to over a two-to-one margin, allowing the passage by overwhelming majority of bills to permanently allow GAO audits of the Federal Reserve System, add HIV and AIDS to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and allow automatic enrollment of all veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs' medical system. Other bills passed by the Democratic majority in recent dockets include legislation to combat sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace, create tax credits for union dues and textbook purchases, allow naturalized Americans to run for President, and enact sweeping reforms to the nation's public education system.

Said Congressman Rose, "The events of the last few weeks have demonstrated not only the Democratic Caucus' fierce commitment to enacting progressive change, but also our unyielding and tireless work ethic. While members of the minority have squabbled and offered childish amendments to add Spanish road sides to a National Wilderness in Oregon, the House Democratic Caucus has been hard at work passing real progressive reforms for the benefit of all Americans. The actions of my party's members in past weeks are an example of the very best that representative government has to offer, and I am proud to have been a part of it."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE, JACKSON INTRODUCE SOCIAL SECURITY PRESERVATION ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today announced that he had joined Senate Minority Leader Addie Jackson (D-CA) in offering the Social Security Preservation Act, a bill, originally authored by former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), to protect the Social Security Trust Funds from depletion by requiring that all excess funds be invested in either U.S. Treasury bonds or in insured, interest-bearing CDs. The bill also prohibits federal officials from tampering with the Trust Fund to manipulate the public debt limit.

Said Congressman Rose, "For too long now, the Social Security Trust Fund, depended upon by millions of retired and disabled Americans as a primary source of income, has been exposed to the depradation of Washington politicians eager to pirate it to pay for their pet project or artificially balance the budget. With this bill, that will all end. The only place that unused Social Security funds will be going is into interest bearing accounts or bonds backed by the full faith and credit of the government. Social Security surpluses will grow, be reinvested, and grow again, and the future of the Trust Fund will be secured for not only this generation, but generations to come."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE RE-INTRODUCES MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today announced that he had reintroduced his Marriage Equality and Family Protection Act, a bill, authored by the Congressman himself, to repeal the grossly misnamed Defense of Marriage Act and make gender-neutral the definition of marriage for the purposes of government benefits. The Congressman originally proposed this legislation six years ago, when he was first elected to Congress, and the failure not only of the federal government to act, but also of any regional government to expand the rights of marriage in the years since moved him to introduce it again.

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE INTRODUCES PAID VACATION BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) today announced that he had introduced in the House the Paid Vacation Act, a bill to end America's status as the world's only industrialized nation not to require employers to provide workers with paid vacation time. Under the bill's provisions, starting immediately upon its enactment, businesses employing 100 or more workers would be required to offer their employees one week of paid vacation time per year. Starting three years after enactment, that time would increase to two weeks' vacation.

Said Congressman Rose, "For decades now, America has been the only industrialized nation in the world that fails to require that workers receive a certain period of paid vacation time every year, and the results of this flawed policy show themselves in the hundreds of billions of dollars lost to job-stress-related absenteeism, lost productivity, and health costs. With the enactment of this bill, the workers of America will finally receive the relaxation time they need and deserve without worrying about lost pay in uncertain economic times. I ask that my colleagues in Congress pass this legislation with all due speed, so that all of our constituents may enjoy its benefits."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE

ROSE TO SENATE: "REJECT GRAHAM"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO), who previously chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee when he served as Senior Senator of the Sunbelt, today told a gathering of reporters at his regular press availability that he hoped the U.S. Senate would reject the President's nominee to the Supreme Court, Justice William Graham (R-SC).

Said Congressman Rose, "Justice Graham's answers to questions posed by the Judiciary Committee demonstrate that he is possessed of a judicial philosophy that can only be described as extremist. He told Senators Santos-Carter that, had he served on the Supreme Court in 2003, he would have voted to leave in place laws regulating the private behavior of consenting adults in their own homes. He made statements implying that he does not believe in the right of women to make their own reproductive decisions. He stated that he does not believe that sexual minorities are entitled to the protection of the 14th Amendment. He has said that he feels that corporations, legal constructs under the law, are entitled to all the same rights as flesh-and-blood people. And he has made statements that indicate his belief that that the Court should all but eliminate judicial application of strict scrutiny. Clearly, this is a candidate who has no business serving on the highest court in the nation, and I frankly feel that the President should be ashamed of himself for nominating such a man."

[Russell DeWitt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE NAMED JUDICIARY VICE CHAIR

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Hunter Rose (D-CO) was pleased to announce today that he had been named as the new Vice Chairman of the House Judiciary and Regulatory Committee, replacing outgoing Vice Chairman Jamal Kinte (D-MD). The appointment was announced earlier today by Judiciary Chairwoman Angelina Rockefeller (D-IL). Congressman Rose previously served on the Judiciary Committee in his first term as a member of the House, and also chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee during his service as Senator from the Sunbelt.