Committee Members Visit UN for Talks on Iran, Global Food Crisis, Other Current Issues

 

Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-CA) today led a bipartisan delegation of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to the United Nations for briefings on a wide array of issues, including Iran's nuclear weapons program, the global food crisis, the situation in Zimbabwe and U.N. management reforms.

 

The group met with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. envoy to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad, Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe and the U.N representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China, members of the Permanent Five member-states in the Security Council.

 

"The UN is a key player in every major issue affecting U.S. and global security," Berman said.  "For all of its flaws, it is an indispensible partner.  As such, sustained U.S. engagement must be a priority for our foreign policy."

 

"Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is a strong leader," Berman noted  "He is committed to improving the UN and making it an effective actor in tackling the complex global challenges we currently face.  Our committee continues to enjoy a close working relationship with the secretary general."

 

Participants in the delegation were:

 

Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman

Gary Ackerman (D-NY)

Donald Payne (D-NJ)

Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)

Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

Steve Chabot (R-OH)

Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX)

Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY)

Joe Crowley (D-NY)

Dianne Watson (D-CA)

Brad Miller (D-NC)

David Scott (D-GA)

Russ Carnahan (D-MO)

Jim Costa (D-CA)

Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)

Albio Sires (D-NJ)

Ron Klein (D-FL)

 

And Shelley Berkley (D-NV), a former member of the committee and current leader of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue

 

Source: www.HCFA.house.gov

 

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Save Our States Coalition

 

U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, Nevada Local Leaders Join Voices to Highlight State Budget Crisis and Potential Fiscal Relief

 

New Report Release Highlights Importance of New Economic Stimulus Legislation

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Shelley Berkley joined voices with Danny Thompson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO, and Mary Ann Abiuso, a registered nurse employed by Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, to discuss the impact of the budget crisis facing Nevada and to highlight the potential benefit a fiscal relief package could provide Nevada families.

 

Nevada has been hit especially hard by the recent economic downturn.  With a budget shortfall of $898 million for FY 2009, almost 14% of the state’s 2008 budget, Nevada is facing cuts in vital public services.  The situation is similar in many states throughout the nation – currently, 29 states and D.C. are facing budget shortfalls for FY 2009.

 

“There is no question that we are facing tough times in Nevada, but we cannot allow this situation to result in devastating cuts to vital programs that serve the needs of children, seniors and those with disabilities. That is why I am a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation in Congress that will protect state health care by providing a temporary increase in federal support for state Medicaid programs.  I remain hopeful that we can also work together to craft and pass a second legislative package to provide additional economic stimulus to Nevada and the other states.  One recent analysis found that Nevada could see more than 1,200 new jobs created, $46 million paid in additional wages and an infusion of $80 million in Medicaid funding should this proposal become law,” said Congresswoman Berkley.

 

The press call also featured the release of a new report on Nevada’s budget crisis by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The report highlights the specific impact that targeted Medicaid relief and flexible state grants could have on Nevada. The call for an increase in federal support for Medicaid to help states stimulate their economy has support from the National Governors Association, including Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.

 

Danny Thompson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO, stated that “the spending cuts that have been made in Nevada in education, health care, social programs and other services are being made at the moment when the worsening economy increases the need for these very these very services.”

 

The report also highlights that federal fiscal assistance to states will have an important role in preventing the economic downturn from becoming worse. When state budgets contract – like they have in Nevada – it removes much-needed spending and investment from the economy and impacts local communities.

 

“Proposed budget cuts will be devastating to both our mentally ill and the community we have been struggling to serve,” said Mary Ann Abuiso, who has been a mental health nurse in Nevada for 10 years. “Eliminating outpatient programs and services will, without a doubt, destabilize functional clients, living independently in the community and compel them to require acute and costly inpatient treatment.  The predicable domino effect will be increased numbers of psychiatric patients presenting in our already packed emergency rooms.”

 

For a copy of the referenced NV budget report, please contact Bridgett Frey at

202-510-0632 or Michael Earls at 202-296-4280

 

Save Our States is a national grassroots coalition dedicated to addressing the severe budget deficits facing more than half the states in our nation.  Without additional Federal assistance, state and local governments will be forced to take actions that will further shrink the economy.  Already, 32 states have cut or proposed cutting vital public services [CBPP, 6/08].  10 states have cut or proposed cutting K-12 education and 13 states have cut or proposed cuts to reduce access to health care services or health insurance [CBPP, 7/08].  Save Our States is committed to promoting solutions to invest in our states.  In addition to state and local elected representatives and ordinary Americans concerned with the growing budget crisis in their cities and states, some organizational members include the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT),  the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).