The US Senate’s Joint Economic Committee says veterans from the post 9/11 era are having a hard time finding and keeping jobs. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania who chairs the committee released the report “Meeting the Needs of Veterans in Today’s Labor Force” yesterday.
The report found that the unemployment rate among Post-9/11 veterans in April was 10.9 percent, compared to the overall veteran-unemployment rate of 7.7 percent. The report goes on to note that nearly 2.5 million men and women have left active duty in the Armed Forces since September 2001
Of the Post-9/11 veterans who are employed more than two-thirds work in the private sector. However the report finds that federal programs aimed at helping vets transition into the civilian workforce must be improved.
Casey has introduced legislation that he said would modernize the Department of Labor’s Veteran’s Employment and Training Service program. Another bill aimed at boosting federal services to vets is also making its way through the upper chamber. Casey said he was pleased to be a co-sponsor for the “Hiring Heroes Act” introduced last month.
Showing posts with label Bob Casey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bob Casey. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Casey: Health Care Repeal Doesn't Make Sense
A day after a Florida federal judge struck down the entire Affordable Care Act as "unconstitutional," the White House and Democratic lawmakers continue to warn about the negative impact of repealing the law.
U.S. District Judge C. Roger Vinson said through through the law, Congress exceeded its power to regulate interstate commerce. Vinson agreed with the plaintiffs that the law cannot force citizens to obtain health insurance or face a fine. He is the first judge to strike down the entire act while 2 other courts upheld the health care law. However, Vinson did not issue an injunction to prevent the law from proceeding pending appeal.
White House Deputy Senior Advisor Stephanie Cutter said the President has indicated that anything can be improved and he's willing to work to make the law better and care more affordable but not re-fight the battles of the last 2 years.
Pennsylvania's senior U.S. Bob Casey says he agrees with the President ...
"There are plenty of reasons to have discussions about changes we can make. But the idea of repeal and turning the clock back on families in Pennsylvania makes no sense, especially when we're trying to fully recover from a horrific recession."
Casey says repeal would mean insurance companies could again deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and could deny or cap coverage unexpectedly.
Although the House voted to repeal the health care overhaul law, the Democrat-controlled Senate is highly unlikely to do so, and President Obama would veto it.
Casey says he's still reviewing the Florida judge's ruling....
"I just want to make sure that as we have a debate, it won't just be a debate that takes place in the courts with and among lawyers, that this is a debate across the country. I think it's important
that people understand the stakes."
U.S. District Judge C. Roger Vinson said through through the law, Congress exceeded its power to regulate interstate commerce. Vinson agreed with the plaintiffs that the law cannot force citizens to obtain health insurance or face a fine. He is the first judge to strike down the entire act while 2 other courts upheld the health care law. However, Vinson did not issue an injunction to prevent the law from proceeding pending appeal.
White House Deputy Senior Advisor Stephanie Cutter said the President has indicated that anything can be improved and he's willing to work to make the law better and care more affordable but not re-fight the battles of the last 2 years.
Pennsylvania's senior U.S. Bob Casey says he agrees with the President ...
"There are plenty of reasons to have discussions about changes we can make. But the idea of repeal and turning the clock back on families in Pennsylvania makes no sense, especially when we're trying to fully recover from a horrific recession."
Casey says repeal would mean insurance companies could again deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and could deny or cap coverage unexpectedly.
Although the House voted to repeal the health care overhaul law, the Democrat-controlled Senate is highly unlikely to do so, and President Obama would veto it.
Casey says he's still reviewing the Florida judge's ruling....
"I just want to make sure that as we have a debate, it won't just be a debate that takes place in the courts with and among lawyers, that this is a debate across the country. I think it's important
that people understand the stakes."
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Casey, Specter to Vote For Obama Compromise Bill
Both Pennsylvania U.S. Senators are supporting President Obama’s tax cuts for unemployment compensation legislative deal. Democrats Bob Casey and Arlen Specter both supported the compromise measure on a procedural test vote yesterday, and say they’ll be “yeas” when the bill comes up for a final vote as soon as today.
Casey says there are aspects of the measure he doesn’t want to vote for, but argues the overall package is needed.
"As much as I can point to the estate tax provision, which I don’t like, I was open to the idea of a a two-year extension of the upper income tax brackets, as long as the middle class, middle income folks got a longer break. That probably won’t happen. So that part is hard for me to swallow."
Casey says he’s looking past aspects of the bill he doesn’t like, in order to pass what he calls critical aspects of the measure.
"You got to figure out ways to compromise. Because the key thing here – the overriding objective here is the economy and jobs. And I think this – getting this resolved and having a compromise will help on a lot of fronts."
Casey says he also supports earned income tax credits and a child tax credit in the bill, along with the extended emergency unemployment compensation.
The state’s Department of Labor and Industry is urging people whose benefits have expired to continue filing claims, so they can speed up payments if and when the bill becomes law and extended compensation goes back into effect.
Casey says there are aspects of the measure he doesn’t want to vote for, but argues the overall package is needed.
"As much as I can point to the estate tax provision, which I don’t like, I was open to the idea of a a two-year extension of the upper income tax brackets, as long as the middle class, middle income folks got a longer break. That probably won’t happen. So that part is hard for me to swallow."
Casey says he’s looking past aspects of the bill he doesn’t like, in order to pass what he calls critical aspects of the measure.
"You got to figure out ways to compromise. Because the key thing here – the overriding objective here is the economy and jobs. And I think this – getting this resolved and having a compromise will help on a lot of fronts."
Casey says he also supports earned income tax credits and a child tax credit in the bill, along with the extended emergency unemployment compensation.
The state’s Department of Labor and Industry is urging people whose benefits have expired to continue filing claims, so they can speed up payments if and when the bill becomes law and extended compensation goes back into effect.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Casey Pushes for Release Of Montgomery County Man
Democratic Senator Bob Casey is back in Washington, DC, after a five-country tour of the Middle East.
Casey visited Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Lebanon with other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He says he spent a lot of time pressing for the release of three young Americans who have been detained by Iran for the past year.
"We have to just keep trying and keep pushing and keep bringing attention to this, so that the pressure doesn’t start to wane on the Iranians for their outrageous act arresting and imprisoning three Americans who are totally innocent."
One of the hikers, Josh Fattal, is from Montgomery County.
Casey says the three Americans who were detained while hiking in the mountains along the Iran-Afghanistan border and need to be released.
Casey was in Baghdad over the Fourth of July holiday, when Vice President Joe Biden visited the capital to talk to top Iraqi officials.
Casey visited Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Lebanon with other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He says he spent a lot of time pressing for the release of three young Americans who have been detained by Iran for the past year.
"We have to just keep trying and keep pushing and keep bringing attention to this, so that the pressure doesn’t start to wane on the Iranians for their outrageous act arresting and imprisoning three Americans who are totally innocent."
One of the hikers, Josh Fattal, is from Montgomery County.
Casey says the three Americans who were detained while hiking in the mountains along the Iran-Afghanistan border and need to be released.
Casey was in Baghdad over the Fourth of July holiday, when Vice President Joe Biden visited the capital to talk to top Iraqi officials.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Big Hole IN PA Budget Without "FMAP" Bill
Democrat Bob Casey says he’s frustrated by the Senate’s inability to pass an extension in federal Medicaid funding.
States across the country have budgeted the increased federal medical money into their spending plans.
Virginia, for instance, counts on the money to fill a 400 million dollar hole, and Washington State is expecting 480 million dollars from the FMAP bill.
Governor Rendell’s spending plan relies on 850 million dollars from the proposal.
But last week, two test votes on the measure failed, as Republicans and a group of Democrats voiced concern about more federal spending.
Senator Casey argues the spending boost will ultimately bring the deficit down, since it will save and create state jobs.
"The best way to attack deficits is to have a fully recovered economy, where you’re getting growth. Like we did in the 90s. where you have growth and the pie’s getting bigger and you can dedicate more dollars to deficit reduction."
Casey says he’s hoping for another vote this week.
Rendell has said he’ll start moving the 850 million dollars into budgetary reserve if the bill doesn’t pass Congress by July 1. The governor says that translates to thousands of layoffs.
States across the country have budgeted the increased federal medical money into their spending plans.
Virginia, for instance, counts on the money to fill a 400 million dollar hole, and Washington State is expecting 480 million dollars from the FMAP bill.
Governor Rendell’s spending plan relies on 850 million dollars from the proposal.
But last week, two test votes on the measure failed, as Republicans and a group of Democrats voiced concern about more federal spending.
Senator Casey argues the spending boost will ultimately bring the deficit down, since it will save and create state jobs.
"The best way to attack deficits is to have a fully recovered economy, where you’re getting growth. Like we did in the 90s. where you have growth and the pie’s getting bigger and you can dedicate more dollars to deficit reduction."
Casey says he’s hoping for another vote this week.
Rendell has said he’ll start moving the 850 million dollars into budgetary reserve if the bill doesn’t pass Congress by July 1. The governor says that translates to thousands of layoffs.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Health Group: Pre-Existing Conditions Rife in PA
Health care advocacy group Families USA has released a report saying more than one in five Pennsylvanians less than 65 years old has a diagnosed pre-existing condition.
Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack says although 2.3 million non-elderly state residents are diagnosed with pre-existing conditions, many more remain undiagnosed. Anyone with a such a health problem can be denied health insurance, including nearly 178,000 children across the state.
The national health care reform bill passed this March will outlaw that practice, but Pollack says Families USA released the report anyway because many people aren’t aware of the contents of the act.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey says children with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage starting September 23 of this year. He says that right will be extended to adults in 2014.
“It’s inexcusable that we allowed this to persist year after year, decade after decade, when we were literally putting families in the path of a system that was harming them, literally,” says Casey.
Pollack says nearly three quarters of Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions have incomes more than double that of the national poverty level – at or above $44,100. Governor Ed Rendell signed an executive order last week to begin implementing the new federal health care law. He says the immediate priority is to apply for $160 million in federal aid to set up an insurance program for those with pre-existing conditions.
Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack says although 2.3 million non-elderly state residents are diagnosed with pre-existing conditions, many more remain undiagnosed. Anyone with a such a health problem can be denied health insurance, including nearly 178,000 children across the state.
The national health care reform bill passed this March will outlaw that practice, but Pollack says Families USA released the report anyway because many people aren’t aware of the contents of the act.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey says children with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage starting September 23 of this year. He says that right will be extended to adults in 2014.
“It’s inexcusable that we allowed this to persist year after year, decade after decade, when we were literally putting families in the path of a system that was harming them, literally,” says Casey.
Pollack says nearly three quarters of Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions have incomes more than double that of the national poverty level – at or above $44,100. Governor Ed Rendell signed an executive order last week to begin implementing the new federal health care law. He says the immediate priority is to apply for $160 million in federal aid to set up an insurance program for those with pre-existing conditions.
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