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| Weekly Washington Report (March 10-14, 2008) | March 13, 2008 |
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Among the key issues this week:
Best wishes,  U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein |
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President Bush Vetoes Legislation to Ban Torture
Return to Top  On Saturday, President Bush vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the CIA from using torture, including waterboarding. This was a chance for the President to end the debate on torture for good. Instead, the President decided to leave the door open to use torture in the future. The United States in not well served by this veto. Torture is a black mark against the United States. It goes against our nation's moral and legal traditions -- and it violates international law and the Geneva Convention. So, we're going to come back to this again and again and again -- until waterboarding and certain other coercive techniques are prohibited once and for all. We will not stop until this bill becomes law. >> To learn more, read Statement of Senator Feinstein on Expected Veto of Legislation Requiring CIA to Follow Army Field Manual in Interrogations (March 7, 2008) "President Should Sign Anti-Torture Bill," an op-ed by Senator Feinstein in the San Diego Union-Tribune (February 29, 2008) Congress Approves Feinstein-Hagel-Whitehouse Measure Requiring CIA to Follow the Army Field Manual in Interrogations (February 13, 2008)
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Californians Are Facing Record Numbers of Foreclosures
Return to Top  California has been hard-hit by the housing crisis. More people in California have lost their homes from foreclosure than anywhere else in the country. Lenders repossessed 84,375 homes in California last year, a nearly seven-fold increase over 2006.The situation is only likely to get worse -- with nearly 500,000 adjustable-rate mortgages to reset in California over the next two years. Homeowners need help. And we in Congress are trying to find solutions. I've authored a bill to protect future homeowners from unscrupulous actors in the mortgage industry. It would establish national standards and a licensing system for mortgage brokers. I'm also a cosponsor of a measure authored by Senator Richard Durbin that would provide relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure. It would allow homeowners who can keep up with the payments on a restructured, fixed-rate mortgage to keep their homes. To be sure, these actions alone cannot solve America's subprime mortgage crisis. But they're critical steps we can take now to help prevent more Americans from losing their homes. >> We need your help. Contact members of the Senate and urge them to support these important bills. Click here for a list of members of the Senate Banking Committee. To learn more, you can read: "U.S. Mortgage Industry Needs to be Monitored," an op-ed by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Mel Martinez in the Fresno Bee (March 6, 2008) "Our position: A National System is Needed to Rein in Errant Mortgage Brokers," an editorial by the Orlando Sentinel (February 26, 2008) Senator Feinstein Co-Sponsors Bills to Help Financially Strapped American Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure (February 15, 2008) Senators Feinstein and Martinez Introduce Legislation to Create Federal Registry and National Standards for Mortgage Brokers and Lenders (February 6, 2008)
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Protecting Young Children from Dangerous Phthalate Chemicals in Plastic Toys
Return to Top Good news in the effort to help ban toxic toys: the Senate has approved a bill that will help protect young children from phthalates in some of their favorite plastic toys -- rubber ducks, teething rings and soft bath books.  Phthalates are chemicals added to plastic products to make them soft and pliable. But when a child places a plastic toy into his or her mouth, phthalates leach out of the plastic and into the system — and exposure can cause serious long-term health effects, such as reproductive defects.We need to keep these dangerous chemicals out of the hands and mouths of our children -- and that's exactly what the Senate-approved bill will do. Specifically, the measure, which I authored, bans six types of phthalates commonly found in children's plastic toys. It is modeled after bans imposed by California and the European Union. It's now up to House and Senate negotiators to uphold this language in the final Consumer Product Safety Commission legislation. >> I encourage you to contact your Representative and urge them to support this important legislation. We need to do everything we can to protect the health To learn more, you can read or watch Senator Feinstein speak on the Senate Floor in support of the measure she offered to ban phthalates in children's toys. Senate Approves Feinstein Legislation to Impose a Nationwide Ban on Phthalates in Children’s Products (March 6, 2008) Senator Feinstein Offers Amendment That Would Ban Phthalates in Children’s Products (March 4, 2008) "Let's ban phthalates to keep our children's toys safe," an op-ed by Senator Feinstein in the Oakland Tribune (December 26, 2007)
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Preventing Harm to Infants and Young Children from Unsafe Secondhand Cribs
Return to Top Also some good news for infant crib safety: the Senate has approved a bill that will help reduce injuries and deaths that come from infant crib accidents. It would close a major loophole in our nation's consumer safety standards -- unsafe secondhand cribs.  Every year, more than 9,800 infants are injured, and 22 children die from the use of unsafe cribs. As many as half of all infant deaths occur in secondhand or hand me-down cribs. So, the danger is real. The measure approved by the Senate last week -- which I authored -- would require that commercially sold secondhand cribs meet the same safety standards as brand-new cribs. So, parents can have the peace of mind that their children are protected from harm. It's now up to House and Senate negotiators to uphold this language in the final Consumer Product Safety Commission legislation. >> I encourage you to contact your Representative and urge them to support this important legislation. Senate Approves Feinstein Measure to Prevent Harm to Infants and Young Children from Unsafe Secondhand Cribs (March 6, 2008)
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The New Fuel Economy Law Will Save You Money at the Pump
Return to Top Energy prices are skyrocketing. The price of oil topped more than $100 per barrel this week. Gas prices have spiked to $3.50 in California -- and, in some places, $4 per gallon. Millions of American families are struggling with the high cost of heating their homes. It's clear that something should be done. The good news is that Congress has already taken the first step for the long run. The new fuel economy law, which was approved by Congress and signed by the President in December, will help save American families between $700 - $1000 at the pump each year, (based on $3 gas price).  The centerpiece of the new law -- which I authored with Senator Olympia Snowe -- increases the fuel economy of America's sedans, light trucks and SUVs by 10 miles per gallon over 10 years -- or from today's fleetwide average of 25 miles per gallon to a fleetwide average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. This was the first action on fuel efficiency in more than three decades. The law also represents the first concrete action that Congress has taken to reduce global warming. By 2025, it will reduce emissions from the transportation sector by 17 percent below projected levels. This will help reduce our nation's carbon footprint and help the effort to slow global warming. Raising fuel economy standards will also help break our nation's addiction to oil. By 2025, it will save 2 million barrels of oil per day -- or roughly what we currently import from the Persian Gulf by 2025. So, this new law is a major step forward. It will help save money for families at the pump. It will help slow global warming. And it will help America build energy independence. It's a win-win. You can learn more about this new law: Senate Approves Landmark Legislation to Increase Fleetwide Average Fuel Efficiency 10 Miles Per Gallon Over 10 Years (December 13, 2007) Landmark Bipartisan Agreement to Increase Fuel Economy Standards Reached (November 30, 2007)
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