The Serrano Report, Vol. VIII, #31
On Capitol Hill
Serrano Hails Removal of Cuba Language
Late Thursday night, Congressman Serrano and other Members of Congress reached an agreement to drop Cuba language from a large government spending package. The language that was removed would have cut off family travel to Cuba just days before the holiday season. Serrano said the agreement showed that cooler heads had prevailed and the basic belief that the American government should not separate families had been respected.
“We worked long and hard to ensure that the harmful provision was taken out of this spending bill,” said Serrano. “For days we had been arguing that ending family travel just days before Christmas and potentially stranding visitors in Cuba was too much. In the end, my colleagues agreed that we could not do such a thing, and we reached a deal to take the language out of the bill. The support of the White House and President Obama in this was invaluable. From the beginning the President maintained a firm commitment to family travel without which this deal might not have happened.
“I still believe that the U.S. government should not be in the business of restricting travel to any country, no matter what the issues we have with their government. I will still work to end the embargo, and to improve relations between our two countries. After five decades of a hard-line policy, it’s clear that we need new approaches. A policy of engagement, based on increased contact between our two people—especially families—is the best way to go.
“At times it is surreal to think that five decades after he took power, Fidel Castro is still a driving force in our national conversation. Arguments over our relationship with Cuba nearly caused a government shutdown here in the United States. It really is high time that we ended this hang up on Castro and Cuba policy that our nation cannot seem to move beyond.
“I am gratified to my colleagues that we were able to ensure family unity for these holidays. I urge them to move toward a new understanding of what policies we will not countenance in our disputes with other governments. Chief among these should be the belief that our government and Congress do not cause families to be separated. Frankly, a policy of family separation is un-American.”
Serrano Introduces Bill to End Cell Phone Tracking
Last Thursday, Congressman Serrano introduced a bill designed to discourage retail establishments from deploying cell phone tracking systems without the knowledge or consent of shoppers. The bill, H.R. 3629, would require retail establishments that are tracking the movement of customers to post signs in prominent locations to alert customers that they are being tracked and advise them that they can prevent the tracking by turning off their cellular devices. The technology and practice has been reported in the news in recent weeks.
“When I learned about the surreptitious tracking of customers by a few malls around the nation, I knew that this practice was only being carried out because customers didn’t know it was happening,” said Serrano. “I think that the easiest way to end this practice is to require tracking retailers to warn their customers and suffer the consequences of the customers’ views on it. I believe that the retailers will therefore voluntarily give up the use of this invasive practice before it catches on.
“We have a right to go about our business in retail establishments without our movements being precisely tracked. If retail establishments are forced to display a warning to customers, customers will vote with their feet and the technology will cease to be used. I think retailers have enough data on our habits and preferences already, without needing to resort to this level of intrusive surveillance. I look forward to working with my fellow lawmakers to get this bill passed and stop this practice before it spreads.”
Serrano Criticizes Failure to Confirm Aponte
Congressman Serrano reacted to the Senate’s failure to confirm Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte as Ambassador to El Salvador this week, saying that it confirmed his suspicions that Senate Republicans prefer to play politics to doing the nation’s business.
“Ambassador Aponte’s rejection in the Senate by a Republican filibuster marks a new low in their treatment of well-qualified nominees,” said Serrano. “Ambassador Aponte has been serving for the last year in that position with great distinction; she has support from all sides in El Salvador; and yet she has still found her nomination under attack for spurious reasons. Now her nomination has been rejected for purely political reasons. That is unfair and wrong.
“In my opinion, our nation’s relationship with Latin America has been deeply damaged by the Senate Republicans’ action. The people in Latin America are seeing Republicans putting their electoral strategies ahead of a positive relationship with a region of the world with which we should be seeking closer ties. That’s a sad statement.
“It is also a sad return to the days when certain Senators, through their sheer obstinacy, would dictate hard-right policies toward Latin America, despite a consensus that centrist policies were preferable. We should not impose our political views on Latin America through policies or through nominations. We must extend a neutral hand of friendship to the region.
“Ambassador Aponte should rest assured that she was well-qualified and just got caught up in the inappropriate politicization of the nomination process. I extend my gratitude to her for her service and look forward to working with her in another capacity in the near future.”
In the Bronx
Serrano Participates in Habitat for Humanity Ribbon-Cutting
Congressman Serrano was joined by NYC Councilmember Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, Habitat for Humanity’s NYC Executive Director Joshua Lockwood, and others on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of The Melody, a 63 unit building located on Macy Place in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx. Fourteen of the units are reserved for Habitat for Humanity residents; low-income families who are first-time homeowners and have also helped to build their new homes. “I am happy to have worked with all our partners to help create fourteen units for these families,” said Serrano. “It is wonderful to be a part of this great event and see the joy as all they move into their new homes.”
Serrano participating in the ribbon-cutting
Serrano Speaks at PCB Rally
On Monday, Congressman Serrano attended a press conference on PCBs in New York City schools focusing on the urgent need to protect women and girls from exposure to this dangerous chemical. Serrano has been active on this issue for several years; repeatedly calling for a complete removal from public schools of light fixtures and caulk that contain PCBs. The City has proposed a 10-year timeline for the removal, which Serrano and others consider to be far too slow. “We have repeatedly called for a much quicker timeline for the removal of PCBs from our schools. We’ve focused on the risks to our children, but today we are noting that these chemicals pose a very real hazard to the reproductive health of women and girls,” said Serrano. “We cannot tolerate a threat to the health of the women who work in our schools, and we certainly cannot tolerate a threat to the health of the girls attending our City schools.”
Serrano speaking at the press conference
Grant
Veteran Housing Grant
Deadline: February 15, 2012
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced the availability of funding under its Supportive Services for Veterans Families to help homeless veterans and their families. The purpose of the program is to provide support and counseling to very low-income veteran families who are homeless and seeking permanent housing and to those who have housing and are facing financial difficulties. Non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives are encouraged to apply to provide or coordinate such services.
For more information about this grant please visit The Department of Veterans Affairs website.
For more information about other federal grants please visit grants.gov.