Al Franken's Blog, page 73

Post Bulletin: Franken wants laptops with medical info encrypted

U.S. Sen. Al Franken says he plans to pursue legislation requiring encryption of all laptops containing private medical information, after holding a hearing Wednesday on aggressive debt collection practices in Minnesota hospitals.

The hearing in St. Paul featured harrowing stories from patients who were asked to pay while waiting for treatment and apologies from executives from Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services and Chicago-based Accretive Health Inc.

Franken is following up on Attorney General Lori Swanson’s lawsuit against Accretive, which accuses the company of breaking health privacy, debt collection and consumer protection laws.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Minnetonka Patch: Senator Al Franken Tours Rapala USA in Minnetonka

Senator Al Franken toured Minnetonka-based Rapala USA Wednesday morning. Rapala is the number one fishing lure company in the U.S., said Rapala creative director Robert Bussey who led the tour. Bussey shared with Sen. Franken the history of the company, its products, and its connection to the Minnesota economy and tourism.

Fishing brings to Minnesota’s economy $4.7 billion, according to information availabile from the Minnesota DNR. Minnesota ranks fourth highest in the country for number of anglers.

Sen. Franken also had the opportunity to watch a casting demonstration of different fishing lures in the demonstration pond. There were no fish in the pond, however. Bussey explained that previous attempts to conduct testing with live fish quickly resulted in fish conditioned to no longer react to the lures, which had the hooks removed.

Said Sen. Franken, the importance of fishing to Minnesota is part of why he cares so much about clean water in Minnesota.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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ECM Publishers: Franken, fed and state officials meet to talk Asian carp

Democratic U.S. Senator Al Franken boarded the “Magnolia Blossom” late last week in St. Paul and the cruise ship left her marina slip on the Mississippi River to head upstream to Lock and Dam No. 1 at the Ford Plant in St. Paul.

The creamy-surfaced river, swollen by recent rains, was fast flowing with trees at low points along the banks wearing dark collars of water.

It is exactly under these high-flow conditions that Asian carp like to move, say experts.

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner (DNR) Tom Landwehr, U.S. Army Corps and National Park Service officials and others joined Franken on the tour of the river, comparing and discussing strategies with him on halting the spread of Asian carp.

“I’m pretty confident we can stop it (Asian carp) from coming to the Upper Mississippi,” said Franken, who along with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and others has sponsored legislation that could have the Army Corps, under certain conditions, closing the Upper St. Anthony Falls locks in Minneapolis as a means of walling off the upper river to Asian carp.

“We’re certainly paying enough attention to it,” said Franken of the issue of Asian carp.

“This is too important for us not solve,” he said.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Bemidji Pioneer: Bemidji mail center safe from cuts for now

The plan to consolidate some of the United States Postal Service’s processing centers is moving forward, but Bemidji’s sorting facility won’t be among the first to close.

Mail processing centers in three Minnesota cities – Mankato, Rochester and Waite Park – are among 140 consolidations planned by February 2013.

Bemidji and Duluth, both targeted to lose mail sorting centers, were left off a list of first-round closures.

A second round of consolidations, effecting 89 centers is scheduled to begin in February 2014. It’s unclear what locations will be affected during the second phase.

Last year, the Postal Service said it planned to cut more than 260 mail processing centers nationwide, including five in Minnesota, to save billions of dollars.

Potentially, that meant the loss of overnight delivery of local mail. The Postal Service said Thursday it would keep overnight local mail service at least through 2013.

The Postal Service said during a Thursday news conference that its plans to move forward with a modified plan to consolidate mail processing facilities at 140 locations.

“Unless the circumstances of the Postal Service change in the interim, a second and final phase of 89 consolidations is currently scheduled to begin” in 2014, the Postal Service said in a news release.

“We revised our network consolidation timeline to provide a longer planning schedule for our customers, employees and other stakeholders, and to enable a more methodical and measured implementation,” said Patrick Donahoe, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the Postal Service.

“We simply do not have the mail volumes to justify the size and capacity of our current mail processing network. To return to long-term profitability and financial stability while keeping mail affordable, we must match our network to the anticipated workload.”

Donahoe said the current plan “meets our cost reduction goals, ensures seamless and excellent service performance throughout the implementation period.”

Consolidation is set to begin this summer, but it will be suspended for the election and holiday mailing seasons.

In addition, the Postal Service said Thursday it would soon modify its existing service area for overnight delivery, shrinking the geographic reach of overnight service to local areas and enable consolidation activity in 2013. Service areas could be further reduced in 2014.

For the second phase of consolidations, which means mail sorting services would be transferred to larger facilities like those in the Twin Cities, decisions will be made based on long-term service standards that would significantly revise mail-entry times for customers seeking overnight delivery.

The Postal Service projects it will lose $14 billion this fiscal year, and future years would be similar under its current structure.

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., issued a statement after the Postal Service announced its plans.

Franken said he has spent several months working on the Senate’s postal reform bill to prevent the closure of the processing center.

“I’ve been fighting to save Bemidji’s processing center since I heard it was on the chopping block last winter,” Franken said. “I’m relieved to announce that it will remain open for the foreseeable future and that the people employed there won’t lose their jobs.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Star Tribune: Sen. Al Franken: Farmers need a safety net

A May 7 editorial (“Small farms lose as crop program grows”) took me to task for supporting a strong safety net for Minnesota farmers.

Minnesota is a farm state — agriculture is 20 percent of our state’s economy — so I’ve spent a lot of time with Minnesota producers and farm leaders discussing the best way to structure a new five-year farm bill.

Farmers understand that in tight budget times, every part of the budget — including agriculture — must take hits. So, far from “throwing money at farmers,” as the editorial argues, the farm bill moving through the Senate not only cuts billions in spending but also eliminates direct payments and other farm subsidies.

But farming is inherently risky. In return for these cuts, Minnesota farmers need an adequate safety net — including a strong crop-insurance program — so that disease, pests, drought, flood, hail or other disasters won’t devastate them and the rural communities they support.

I agree we must help more Minnesotans get into farming, but our crop-insurance program is not — as the editorial contends — the major barrier to getting started. There are significant entry barriers, which is why I am a huge supporter of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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ABC Newspapers: Franken speaks to new class of ARCC graduates

Nearly 900 students took the final step in their Anoka-Ramsey Community College student career May 11 – they became graduates.

Approximately 224 graduating students participated in the graduation ceremony at Coon Rapids High School.

Guest speaker U.S. Sen. Al Franken was on hand to congratulate the graduates.

The number one economic topic in this county is figuring out how to bounce back from the recession, Franken said.

While there are signs of recovery, he wants to see economic security rebuilt. It is about restoring the feeling that if a person works hard and plays by the rules, he/she will be able to carve out a comfortable life, he said.

“And there is no trampoline quite like education,” Franken said.

During his speech, Franken talked about the World War II debt the country had and how economic security was rebuilt after the war by the country’s investment in innovation and the space race.

“We bounced back to build a county where families could build… economic security,” he said.

By the late 1970s, America had the strongest economy in the world because it was the most educated country in the world, Franken said.

There was a national commitment to education through the GI Bill and Pell Grants, he said.

But the county is now the 16th most educated, Franken said.

“(Becoming college graduates) is a personal achievement you can be proud of,” Franken said.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Proud

Dear friend,

Yesterday was a great day for our country.

I was so proud to see our President affirm that no couple should be denied the right to marry. And I was proud of you — the grassroots activists who have worked hard to change minds and show support as the nation, and the President, have evolved to this point.

The President’s words won’t change the law. The discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act is still on the books (although we’re fighting to repeal it). And, in many states, gay and lesbian couples are still being told that their unions simply don’t merit official recognition.

Franni and I have been married for nearly 37 years. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. And I will never understand how the ability of others to share in the joys of marriage is supposed to hurt mine. In fact, the way I see it, the more people who are able to experience the hard work and incredible fulfillment that comes with marriage, the stronger the institution becomes.

And, by the way, the same is true for a movement like the one we’re building. The more people who are part of it, the stronger we are.

That’s why a great way to celebrate President Obama’s courageous and historic announcement would be to invite others to share in our fight to enshrine equality in the law. You can do that by sharing on Twitter or Facebook, or just by forwarding this message to a friend.

Whether you’re gay or straight, married or not, there’s no doubt that removing discrimination from our laws makes us a better country. And there’s no doubt that we only move forward when good people like you decide to take action.

Thanks for helping to make yesterday possible. And thanks for all you’ll do to make the next big victory for equality happen, too.

Al

P.S.: If you’re proud, too, use the hashtag #proud to tell the world on Twitter.

© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Post tags: DOMA, equality

Northland’s NewsCenter: Sen. Franken Named Honorary Chair for Duluth Airshow

U.S. Senator Al Franken will be the honorary chair for the 2012 Duluth Airshow.

“I couldn’t be prouder that Duluth is home to such a prestigious event … I can’t wait to see all the action this September,” Senator Franken said.

The Duluth Airshow is the largest air show in Minnesota and will feaure a lineup of performers from across the world.

Some performers will include the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, a Czechoslovakian MiG-21demonstration and many more.

Sen. Franken has been working with the aviation community; he has successfully made the 148th Fighter Wing an Active Association unit.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |



Post tags: Duluth

Winona Daily News: Sen. Al Franken: VAWA would keep Wellstone legacy alive

When my wife, Franni, and I decided that I should run for the Senate, we were greatly influenced by the example set by Sen. Paul Wellstone and his wife, Sheila.

The Wellstones’ example serves as a constant reminder of what public service is all about — it’s about helping others; it’s about giving a voice to those who otherwise might go unheard; it’s about making the law more just and more fair, especially for those who need its protections the most.

Franni and I have a personal responsibility to carry on the Wellstones’ legacy. We all do. And I think that Paul and Sheila would be proud that the Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act.

Paul and Sheila were extraordinary people. When Paul was elected to the Senate in 1990, Sheila didn’t really see herself as a public figure. In fact, she was a bit shy, and she avoided public speaking when she could. But Sheila started spending time at women’s shelters in Minnesota and elsewhere, listening to painful stories about domestic violence and assault. She realized there were a lot of women across the country who needed a voice — who needed someone to speak up for them.

Sheila set out to become that person. She became a champion for survivors of domestic violence in Minnesota and throughout the country. She and Paul championed the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark federal law that affirmed our nation’s commitment to women’s safety.

Signed into law in 1994, VAWA increased the number of beds and shelters that were available to women who needed refuge. It provided critical support to law enforcement officers and prosecutors so they could respond more effectively to incidents of domestic violence. It funded support services and crisis centers for victims. And, perhaps most importantly, VAWA sent a message: Domestic violence no longer will be tolerated in America.

Since VAWA was enacted, incidents of domestic violence have been reduced significantly. VAWA has improved lives. It has saved lives. It is part of the Wellstones’ proud legacy.

The VAWA Reauthorization Act renews our national commitment to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual assault, a heinous crime that remains all too common in America, even while domestic violence is becoming less common.

And the VAWA Reauthorization Act cuts red tape and spending by consolidating grant programs and improving accountability measures.

This is a good bill. I was proud to vote for it.

I’m also proud to have written two of its provisions.

First, the VAWA reauthorization bill includes a provision — taken from the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act — that ensures that survivors of sexual assault never again will suffer the indignity of paying for forensic medical exams, commonly known as rape kits, which are used to collect evidence in sexual assault cases.

The problem is that, under current law, grant recipients can charge the survivor for the up-front cost of administering the exam, leaving the survivor to seek reimbursement later. Too often, survivors aren’t reimbursed — they get lost in a maze of paperwork or are left high and dry when funds run out.

This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s common sense.

The VAWA reauthorization bill also includes the Housing Rights for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence Act, legislation that I introduced with Sens, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., last fall. This bill will help women stay in their homes when they are most vulnerable — when they need a roof over their heads the most.

My housing rights legislation will make it unlawful to evict a woman from federally subsidized housing just because she is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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Post tags: VAWA, women

Human Rights Campaign: President Obama Endorses Critical Safe Schools Bills

President Obama is throwing his support behind the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA).

SNDA is sponsored by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) in the Senate and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) in the House of Representatives. SNDA would prohibit public elementary and secondary schools from discriminating against any student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. SSIA is sponsored by Sens. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the Senate and by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) in the House. The bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require schools and districts receiving federal funds to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This is the first time the President has expressed his support for either piece of legislation.

Discrimination and bullying against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity contributes to high dropout rates, absenteeism, adverse health consequences and academic underachievement. When left unchecked, such discrimination can lead to, and has led to, dangerous situations for young people. Federal statutory and/or constitutional protections expressly address discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex and disability, but do not expressly address sexual orientation or gender identity. As a result, students and parents have limited legal recourse to redress for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2012. |
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