Al Franken's Blog, page 82
December 6, 2011
New tradition: Senator Santa?
CNN – Republicans and Democrats in the Senate may not agree on everything, but 58 of them are teaming up for one measure that doesn't involve tax policy or budget showdowns: Christmas presents.
In what's billed as the first-ever Senate "Secret Santa" gift exchange, the lawmakers are engaging in a rare bipartisan effort meant to bring a little more "jolly" to the halls of the chamber.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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Franken to cellphone companies: Explain data
Star Tribune – Worried that smartphone software could transmit a phone user's whereabouts and personal data to manufacturers or wireless providers without the person's knowledge, Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has peppered four big players in the mobile communications industry with a long list of questions.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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December 2, 2011
Post Bulletin: Senators voted against 'War on Americans'
Thanks for voting against martial law, Senators Klobuchar and Franken. The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that no American citizen will be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law," and U.S. senators vow an oath to support and defend the Constitution upon taking office.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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FireDogLake: Franken Investigates Secret Surveillance Software Loaded onto Smart Phones
Over the Thanksgiving break, a relative of mine showed me his Android phone, and a new app that had recently popped up on it without his consent. He could not get it to go away, and according to him it was some kind of tracking facilitator. I forgot about this until I read Al Franken's complaint about tracking software on smart phones:
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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December 1, 2011
ARS Technica: Sen. Franken demands answers from Carrier IQ, suggests phone snooping violates federal law
US Sen. Al Franken today demanded answers from Carrier IQ about what kind of data its software for smartphones collects and how it is used and stored. Noting that Carrier IQ has been "accused of secretly logging location and private information of millions of smartphone users," Franken forwarded the company 11 questions, many of them with multiple parts, and asked for answers by Dec. 14.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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MinnPost: Franken questions firm tracking smartphone users
Sen. Al Franken has called on a software developer specializing in "mobile service intelligence" that is said to track even minute details about consumers' smartphone usage to detail exactly what data it tracks and how it uses it.
Earlier this week a researcher found that a software called Carrier IQ, embedded in Nokia, Android and Research in Motion smartphones, is logging and potentially transmitting users' data related to everything from when the phone is turned off and on to which websites they were visiting and topics they were searching.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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International Falls Journal: Franken releases report on payroll tax cut extension, expansion
U.S. Sen. Al Franken Tuesday released a report showing that families all over Minnesota would significantly benefit from an additional cut in the national payroll tax, which the Senate will vote on later this week.
"Families all over Minnesota are still struggling to make ends meet and this important tax cut has helped them make mortgage payments, pay medical bills, and put food on the table," said Franken, D-Minn. "This report shows how important it is that we extend this tax cut and put money back in the pockets of working Minnesotans so they can spend it at local businesses, create jobs, and grow our economy."
If the payroll tax cut is not extended by the end of 2011, the average Minnesota family will pay an additional $1,112 in payroll taxes next year. The payroll tax cut passed by Congress last year saved the average Minnesota family $1,112 in 2011, and the increased cut proposed by President Obama would save the average Minnesota family $1,724 in 2012 — an increase of fifty-five percent.
© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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November 23, 2011
KARE 11: Nathan Bauer goes to Washington
Nathan Bauer is proud of his home and he's giving a tour to his new friend.
"I call this the entertainment room," Nathan says as he shows his guest to the front of the house.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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Worthington Daily Globe: Column: Let's extend protections in Violence Against Women Act
Nobody should have to choose between safety and shelter. Yet 48 percent of homeless women in Minnesota have previously stayed in abusive situations because they did not have safehousing options available to them. Twenty-nine percent of homeless adult women in Minnesota are fleeing domestic violence, and more than half of those women are living with children. That simply is not acceptable.
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November 21, 2011
Capitol Chatter: Franken urges super committee to spare rural hospitals
Sen. Al Franken worries that the so-called congressional "super committee" could create super problems for Minnesota's rural hospitals.
The Minnesota Democrat sent a letter to leaders of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction urging them to keep in mind that rural hospitals rely on Medicare reimbursements.
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© Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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