The Serrano Report, Vol. VII, #15
On Capitol Hill
Serrano Holds FCC Hearing
On Wednesday, Congressman Serrano chaired a hearing of his appropriations subcommittee to consider the FCC's proposed 2011 budget and to examine its National Broadband Plan, which was released in March. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski appeared before Serrano's subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government to explain his budget and answer questions about the Broadband Plan and other pending issues before the FCC. The biggest debate of the hearing revolved around the FCC's authority to carry out its broadband plan after a recent court ruling cast doubt on the foundation of its legal authority to regulate internet service.
During the hearing, a Republican member of the subcommittee forcefully asserted that because of the ruling the FCC had no authority to carry out its plan and should wait for Congressional action before moving forward. Genachowski responded that the ruling had merely called into question one justification for the FCC's authority, but he believed that the plan was now based on a firm foundation so that the FCC would be able to work towards bringing broadband to all Americans. Serrano voiced his support for Genachowski's plan and his approach, saying, "it is essential for the FCC to have authority over the Internet, the dominant 21st Century mode of communications." Later, he added that he fully supported the FCC's efforts to put their plan on firmer foundations and that he looked forward to their efforts to bring better service to all Americans under the flag, particularly those in urban and rural areas, and including those in Puerto Rico and the other territories.
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Serrano questioning Genachowski during the hearing |
Serrano to Bronx Seniors: Help with Prescription Drugs is on the Way
On Thursday, Congressman Serrano announced that the first $250 checks would go out this week to help an estimated 3,000 Bronx Medicare recipients in his Congressional district who fall in the prescription drug benefit ‘donut hole.’ The checks, which were mandated by the health care reform package, will be mailed monthly to seniors who enter the prescription drug coverage gap this year. The ‘donut hole’ coverage gap is currently the period in the prescription drug benefit—once the beneficiary’s prescription drug costs exceed $2,830—in which the beneficiary pays 100 percent of the cost of their drugs until they hit the catastrophic coverage threshold of $6,440.
“We are starting to see the benefits of the health care bill that we passed earlier this year,” said Serrano. “These $250 checks, which will go out to thousands of seniors in the Bronx, represent the first step towards providing full coverage of prescription drugs for Medicare recipients. This payment to seniors will put around $750,000 in total into the pocketbooks of seniors in the 16th District. Seniors tell me that this donut hole is a considerable burden and I am very proud that we were able to finally begin to close it.” The checks represent the first step in the process to close the coverage gap. Beginning in January 2011, seniors in the donut hole will receive a 50% discount on brand name drugs, and by the end of the decade, the ‘donut hole’ will be completely eliminated. The spending associated with these checks and closing the ‘donut hole’ is fully offset by savings, and will not add to the deficit.
“Bronx seniors often face serious economic difficulties, and finding themselves in the coverage gap can make for difficult choices between needed medicine and things like food and rent. But with this benefit, Medicare recipients don’t have to do anything to get the $250 check – once their drug costs for the year hit $2,830, the one-time check will be issued automatically. I urge Bronx seniors to be on the lookout for fraud—there is nothing to sign up for, nor anything needed of you—and anyone who tells you otherwise is incorrect and possibly trying to defraud you.”
In the Bronx
Serranos to March in 53rd Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade
On Sunday, Congressman José E. Serrano and State Senator José M. Serrano will march in the 53rd National Puerto Rican Day Parade along Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th Street. The Parade, one of many events taking place this weekend to honor the heritage of Puerto Rican people, is one of the largest outdoor activities in the nation.
The first New York Puerto Rican Day Parade was held in East Harlem on April 12, 1958. For thirty-eight years the Parade was celebrated in “El Barrio” until 1995, when organizers moved it to Fifth Avenue to accommodate the growing number of participants each year.
“On June 13th delegates representing more than thirty states, including Alaska and Hawaii, will join the millions of parade goers every year who turn New York’s Fifth Avenue into a sea of traditional red, white, and blue flags,” said Serrano in anticipation of the festivities. “It’s a picture and an experience unlike anything you will see anywhere else in the country. It signals to all who witness it that the Puerto Rican community, both in New York and nationally, represents an exquisite tapestry of individuals, and its power can be seen on the faces and heard in the streets, as millions come together to joyously proclaim their heritage.”
Serrano has been a near permanent fixture in the Parade for almost three decades. This year he will serve as an Honorary Marshal for the Parade.
Serrano to Help Unveil First Commercial All-Electric Delivery Truck in New York
WHO: Congressman José E. Serrano; Down East Seafood; The Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College; Smith Electric Vehicles US; NYSERDA; the Natural Resources Defense Council; The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation; The Bronx Empowerment Zone; The New York City/Lower Hudson Valley Clean Communities; and The Point Community Development Corporation
WHEN: Monday, June 14, 2010, 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Down East Seafood, 311 Manida St. (corner of Viele Avenue), Bronx, NY 10474
WHAT: Congressman Serrano and other officials will unveil and help dedicate "Big Green," the first medium-duty fully electric delivery truck in New York, owned and operated by Down East Seafood, which is based in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. The truck, which runs solely on electric power, is a first step towards greening New York’s commercial fleets, and in part will demonstrate the viability of this new technology for business and government applications.
Serrano, who introduced the American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act (H.R. 4399) late last year, also sees this as a step toward cleaning the notorious air pollution in the Bronx, and as a concrete response towards our nation’s dependence on oil, which produces not only greenhouse gases but also environmental catastrophes like the one unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. The program will include remarks as well as a demonstration of the truck’s operation.
Grant Opportunities
Financial Education and Counseling Grant
Application Deadline: July 8, 2010
The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund recently announced the availability of funding to provide financial education and counseling services to prospective home buyers. The Financial Education and Counseling Pilot Program will help prospective home buyers develop budgets, improve their credit scores, and understand their options to build savings for the short and long term. Community Development Financial Institutions are encouraged to apply.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the CDFI website.
For information on other government grants, please go to: www.grants.gov.