The Serrano Report, Vol. VI, #28
On Capitol Hill
Serrano v. Ellison Mirrors Yanks v. Twins
With the baseball playoffs kicking off on Wednesday, Congressman Serrano and Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn) looked for a way to bring the budding playoff rivalry between their hometown baseball teams to the halls of Congress. They decided that the representative of the losing team should take to the House floor to sing the praises of the winning team. As avid fans of their respective teams, the Congressmen felt that this was the best way to show their commitment.
“I remember the 2003 and 2004 ALDS, but I think my friend Keith Ellison has forgotten those magnificent series,” said Congressman Serrano. “Luckily I went ahead and reminded him that both times my Yankees beat the Twins in four games. I feel confident that the Yankees will continue the streak, since they already swept the season series against the Twins. Congressman Ellison had better bone up on his Yankees knowledge, because it’s practically inevitable that he will end up on the House floor giving a speech about the greatest franchise in sports history. I look forward to the series, and the speech.”
“Here’s a history lesson for my friend José Serrano: The Twins played their very first game on April 11, 1961 and beat the Yankees 6-0. Victory this week will be just as sweet in their final season playing in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome,” said Congressman Ellison. “Today the Yankees may have more trophies and money than the Twins, but none of those things are tools for winning a game. My friend likes to talk about inevitability, but I rather like the proverb: the bigger they come, the harder they fall.”
This is the 3rd time since 2003 that the Yankees and Twins have met in a divisional series. The series will feature one ballpark hosting its first postseason (Yankee Stadium), and one hosting its last (the Metrodome).
On Thursday afternoon, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2647, which included the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, formerly a stand alone bill. Because of the inclusion of this landmark hate crimes legislation, Congressman Serrano voted in favor of the overall bill.
“We have taken a great step towards eliminating crimes based on bias and hate,” said Serrano. “Our nation should not tolerate crimes motivated by someone’s personal characteristics - whether that be their race, their religion, their sexual orientation or anything else. Unfortunately, hate crimes occur far too often in this nation. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act will provide the federal government, states, and localities with the resources they need to combat these crimes. The passage of this bill is an important victory for advocates of tolerance.”
The hate crimes legislation included in the bill expands federal authority to prosecute crimes motivated by an individual’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. In addition, the bill provides resources to local authorities in the investigation of hate crimes, and authorizes the Department of Justice to assist in such investigations. The bill had previously passed the House of Representatives as stand-alone legislation in April. Congressman Serrano was an original cosponsor of that legislation.
The Senate is expected to also pass the legislation, and President Obama has vowed to sign the bill into law.
House Passes FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
On Tuesday, the House of Representative passed H.R. 2997, the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report, by a vote of 263-162. The bill funds the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and several related agencies for fiscal year 2010. The conference report marks the final agreement on funding levels between the differing House and Senate versions of the legislation.
Within the bill, $83 billion is provided for Nutrition Programs, $4 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, and $3 billion for agricultural research. This funding will help increase food quality, develop solutions to agricultural problems, and increase people’s access to nutritional programs. Among many programs in the legislation, significant support was provided to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program helps provide food assistance to over 36 million low-income people across the country.
In addition, the bill increased funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program to ensure that families in need receive assistance through the economic downturn. The program helps provide nutritious food to more than half a million low-income women, infants, children, and elderly citizens struggling with rising food costs.
“This is an important bill for New York City," said Serrano. "A million households in New York receive supplemental nutrition assistance through these programs each month. In the face of this tough economy it is vital that we provide a sufficient safety net to give people an opportunity to get back on their feet. It is comforting to know that the elderly have been well provided for in this bill.”
The Conference Report has already been approved by the Senate and has been sent to President Obama to sign into law.
Grant Opportunities
Cancer Research Grant
Application Deadline: December 15, 2009
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced the availability of funding to address the cancer burden in racial/ethnic minority communities and other underserved populations. The Community Networks Program (CNP) aims to reduce cancer disparities through a combination of outreach, research, and training, and places special emphasis on early detection. State and local governments, institutions of higher education and 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations are encouraged to apply.
For more information about this opportunity please, visit the NIH website.
For information on other government grants, please go to: www.grants.gov.