ALERT: Discussion about Microchipping

2016 National:

Recently I have been asked about "micro chipping" of Americans because of a bill in Congress (HR 4919) the “Kevin and Avonte's Law of 2016”..

Folks need to read the bill esp. one section:

SEC. 302. Standards and best practices for use of non-invasive and non-permanent tracking devices.
(a) Establishment.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and leading research, advocacy, self-advocacy, and service organizations, shall establish standards and best practices relating to the use of non-invasive and non-permanent tracking technology, where a guardian or parent, in consultation with the individual’s health care provider, has determined that a non-invasive and non-permanent tracking device is the least restrictive alternative, to locate individuals as described in subsection (a)(2) of section 240001 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14181), as added by this Act.

Notice what the bill requires "NON-INVASIVE." That is the direction of Congress.

Until there is a wind to the contrary, I'll leave this topic here.

Have a great day and a better tomorrow.
eAdvocate

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ALERT: H.R.5970 TEXT has been posted.

9-10-2016 National:

Rep. Ted Poe of Texas introduced H.R.5970 - To amend title 18, United States Code, to permit sentencing judges in child sex trafficking cases to order the Attorney General to publicize the name and photograph of the convicted defendants, and for other purposes.

Here is exactly what the TEXT says:

To amend title 18, United States Code, to permit sentencing judges in child sex trafficking cases to order the Attorney General to publicize the name and photograph of the convicted defendants, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Shame Act of 2016”.

SEC. 2. Publication of information pertaining to persons convicted in connection with child sex trafficking.

Section 1591 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(f) The court may order the Attorney General to publish publicly the name and photograph of any person convicted under this section.”.

Anyone care to comment?

eAdvocate

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ALERT: H.R.5970 INTRODUCED which could permit sentencing judges in child sex trafficking cases to order the Attorney General to publicize the name and photograph of the convicted defendants, and for other purposes.

9-10-2016 National:

Rep. Ted Poe of Texas introduced H.R.5970 - To amend title 18, United States Code, to permit sentencing judges in child sex trafficking cases to order the Attorney General to publicize the name and photograph of the convicted defendants, and for other purposes.

At this time the TEXT of the bill has not been posted, but considering current sex offender laws, this bill would be a waste of Lawmakers time as the name and photo of sex offenders is automatically posted when convicted; and sex trafficking is already a sex offense.

So, is the "and for other purposes" a clue to expect some other restriction on sex offenders? Until we see the actual TEXT of the bill we will not know. More when that is posted.

eAdvocate

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VA Wants Vets Charged in Serious Sex Crimes Barred From VA Burials

2-12-16 Washington DC:

The Department of Veterans Affairs is asking Congress to pass legislation (H.R.2490 - Bertie's Respect for National Cemeteries Act )prohibiting veterans charged with the most serious category of sex crimes from interment in veterans' cemeteries (National Cemeteries).

The proposed ban would go further than current law prohibiting convicted and registered Tier III sex offenders from being buried in VA cemeteries by barring those who die before being convicted or who flee to avoid prosecution.

Tier III sex offenders are those convicted of aggravated sexual abuse, or sexual abuse or abusive sexual contact against a minor under age 13, according to federal statute.

In 2011, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Missouri, sponsored the Hallowed Grounds Act, which was signed by President Obama in January 2013. (see S.3202 - Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012) and HERE)

The law put Tier III sex offenders in the same category as veterans convicted of capital crimes, who have been barred from veteran cemetery burials since 1997. That year, President Clinton signed legislation to ensure Army veteran Timothy McVeigh, convicted of blowing up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma, would not be eligible for such interment.

Veterans groups backed the intent of Hartzler's bill.

According to VA spokesman James Hutton, a veteran already may be forbidden a VA cemetery or Arlington National Cemetery burial in the event he dies before being convicted if he is being prosecuted for a Tier III sex offense under federal statute.

"In other words, the deciding factor is whether prosecution would have occurred at the federal or state level ... and the choice of which body of law is applied depends solely on law enforcement and prosecutorial discretion," Hutton said.

The VA's legislative proposal would amend the definition of a state capital crime to include Tier III sex offenses, Hutton said, thereby filling a statutory gap and eliminating inconsistent -- federal or state -- application of the law for the same offense.

The VA is not the first to ask for the change. The U.S. Army appealed to Congress for the same kind of bill during a 2012 hearing to consider Hartzler's bill.

"There is no provision in the [Hallowed Grounds Act] for those accused but not yet convicted," Kathryn Condon, executive director of the Army National Cemeteries Program, told lawmakers. "And we would like to work with the [Congress] if we could ... to insert suitable language in the bill that would address this concern."

The ban on burying accused Tier III sex offenders in VA cemeteries is one of more than a dozen legislative proposals being sought by the VA as part of its budget request for next year. These include proposals to allow the VA to furnish government headstones and markers for the privately marked graves of all Medal of Honor recipients; tie the authorized burial allowance to the Consumer Price Index; expand eligibility for grave medallions; and expand certain benefits to veterans buried on tribal lands.

The VA said the costs associated with providing government headstones and markers for privately marked MoH recipient graves would be insignificant.

Currently, the VA may pay no more than a $300 burial allowance. Tying the allowance to the CPI would cost $471,000 in 2017. Over a 10-year period, the VA expects the allowance will total $83 million.

The VA also wants to honor requests for grave medallions from families of veterans who died before Nov. 1, 1990, and were buried with a government headstone. Before that date, the medallions were available only for vets buried with a privately bought headstone, said Raymond Kelly, legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

If you were buried with a government headstone, you were not eligible, he said, but there has long been a demand for the medallions among veterans' families.

"They're doing the right thing" with this, he said.

The VA estimates it will cost about $480,000 in 2017 and just over $5 million over a 10-year period.

In other proposed legislation, the VA is looking for expanded or new authorities to provide benefits to veterans buried on tribal lands.

Among these: authority to provide headstones and markers to the eligible spouses and dependents at tribal veteran cemeteries; provide caskets and urns for the unclaimed remains of eligible veterans buried in state and tribal cemeteries; and provide an allowance to transport certain deceased veterans to state and tribal veterans cemeteries

VA officials said the first provision would cost VA about $890,000 over 10 years.

Officials said there "are no benefit costs or savings associated" with the proposals to provide caskets and urns, or to transport some veterans to state or tribal cemeteries. ..Source.. by Bryant Jordan

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ALERT: Sex Offenders DENIED Fresh Start Relief

2-9-2016 National:

On 2-1-16 Rep Cohen introduced HR-4410 "Fresh Start Act of 2016 which allows certain folks to petition for expungement of criminal records.

However, if one is a person convicted of ANY sex offense they are excluded from the relief of this bill, if enacted into law.

Rep Cohen's remarks on introduction were as follows:

SPEECH OF HON. STEVE COHEN OF TENNESSEE
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Fresh Start Act, a bill I reintroduced earlier today.

If enacted, it would allow certain individuals who have been convicted of nonviolent offenses, have paid their debt to society, and are now law-abiding members of the community to petition courts to have their nonviolent conviction expunged from their records.

A criminal record, even for a minor, nonviolent offense, can pose a barrier to employment, education and housing opportunities--the very things necessary to start one's life over. This is not only bad for rehabilitated offenders, it is bad for their families and for the community in which they live.

The Fresh Start Act would give nonviolent offenders a chance to start over again, a chance to become productive members of society. The bill allows offenders to apply for expungement to the court where they were sentenced and allows the United States Attorney for that District to submit recommendations to the court. Applicants who are denied could reapply once every two years. Once seven years have elapsed since an offender has completed their sentence, expungement would be automatically granted. However, sex offenders and those who commit crimes causing a loss of over $25,000 would not be eligible for automatic expungement.

Finally, the bill would also encourage states to pass their own expungement laws for state offenses. States that pass a substantially similar law would receive a 5 percent increase in their Byrne funding while those that do not would lose 5 percent of their Byrne funds.

It is one thing to convict someone of a nonviolent crime. It is quite another to condemn him to a de facto life sentence for it. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Bill Would Make It Harder for Sex Offenders to Travel Abroad

Clearly this violates U.S. Supreme court precedent set in Wooley v Maynard 430 U.S. 705 (1997) which held that the government cannot force someone to PHYSICALLY carry the government's message. Passports will be carried by the person they are issued to which have the "unique identifier."

2-1-16 Washington DC:

Registered sex offenders who have committed crimes against children will have a harder time traveling internationally under legislation Congress has sent to the president's desk.

The House passed the legislation by voice vote Monday after Senate passage in December. If signed by the president, the U.S. would let other countries know when a registered sex offender is traveling abroad. The United States would work with countries to receive information about sex offenders traveling here.

The State Department would also develop a way for U.S. passports to identify that a person is a sex offender.

Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey sponsored the legislation and has been pushing for it for eight years. It expands on a law that requires public notification of sex offenders in the United States. ..Source.. by Mary Clare Jalonick

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ACTION ALERT: International Megan's Law is up for a vote TODAY

Unfortunately the House passed the bill under suspension of the rules. I have never heard so many untruthful claims since the passage of AWA. Co-mingling of facts and comment to make it appear that U.S. RSOs were traveling to foreign countries for the purpose of sex w/children. Not ONE fact to show that was true, Lawmakers claimed since RSOs were issued passports that was to commit crimes in foreign countries and there wasn't a single study or report to show that was true. Its going to have to be fought in the courts were there is a good likelihood of winning on the passports issue.

2-1-16 Washington DC:

Everyone needs to call, e-mail, Fax or any other method you know of, and tell your U.S. House Representative to VOTE NO on International Megan's law.

According to the House Majority Leader's weekly Schedule, here is Kevin McCarthy's Schedule:

The Leader's Weekly Schedule

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST
On Monday, the House will meet 12:00 p.m. for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:

5) Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 515 – International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders (Sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith / Foreign Affairs Committee)
.

The Senate Amendment to H.R. 515 would permit putting a "unique identifier" on covered sex offenders' Passports to identify them as "Sex Offenders" just like Hitler did marking "J" to indicate Jew in the past. See "The yellow star, the scarlet letter, and ‘International Megan’s Law’" by David Post

Such a marking would violate U.S. Supreme court precedent set in Wooley v Maynard 430 U.S. 705 (1997) which held that the government cannot force someone to PHYSICALLY carry the government's message.

Passport are PHYSICALLY carried by the person they are issued to. It doesn't matter what is chosen as a "unique identifier" (a red dot, the words 'sex offender' or any other words or marks) such would still be PHYSICALLY carried by the person and violate the Wooley case.

This is something that needs to be done ASAP, Monday, call your U.S. House representative (NOT the Senate). You can find you representatives HERE (Lower left. Enter your zip code) or use this site. We also suggest you phone their office in DC and leave a message with whoever answers.

Tell them the "Senate Amendment" violates U.S. Supreme court precedence, and to VOTE NO sending the bill back for discussion before the House.

For now have a great day & a better tomorrow.

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ACTION ALERT: Challenging International Megan's Law in Federal Court

1-29-16 Washington DC:

From: Galen Baughman
To: Peter Romer-Friedman
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 12:58 PM
Subject: Challenging International Megan's Law in Federal Court

Dear Leaders in Sex Offender Policy:

If you're getting this message it's because I believe you can help me. A number of lawyers are working with me to lay the foundations for a legal challenge to International Megan's Law if it is signed into law. We expect H.R. 515 to pass on a suspension vote in the House this Monday (2-1-16) and be sent to President Obama's desk.

We're looking for ideal plaintiffs and we need your help to find people who meet one of these criteria:

• 1- Does not have a passport, but wants one
• 2- Has a passport about to expire
• 3- Travels internationally a number of times per year (especially for work)
• 4- Has been harassed while traveling in or out of the US based on registration status

If you think you fit any of these four categories, please write to me with the following information:

• 1-Name
• 2-Age
• 3-Age at time of offense
• 4-Offense(s)
• 5-Which of the four (4) categories you fit into
• 6-Would you be willing to be a name plaintiff to challenge this law?
• 7-State you live in

All responses will be treated as confidential by the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs and Human Rights Defense Center.

Time is of the essence. Please respond soon and share this with your networks.

Warmly yours,

Galen Baughman
Soros Justice Fellow
Human Rights Defense Center
11 Dupont Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 681-8121
gbaughman@humanrightsdefensecenter.org

"Are We All Sex Offenders?" | TEDx Talk
Open Society Foundations Q&A Profile

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U.S. House declares snow week

"The office of Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy says the House won't be holding votes on Tuesday or Wednesday because of the snow storm. The next voting session is expected to be the week of Feb 1, 2016.

1-24-16 Washington DC:

The House will be out of session this week due to “the severity of the winter storm in the D.C. area,” according to an email sent to lawmakers on Sunday.

The House was already scheduled for a short week, with Democratic lawmakers attending their annual legislative retreat in Baltimore from Wednesday to Friday.

More than 10,000 flights were cancelled to and from the East Coast due to the blizzard this weekend, making air travel back to the nation’s capital a perilous prospect.

Votes in the House will recommence on Feb. 1.

The Senate will return for votes at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. ..Source.. by Bradford Richardson (The Hill)

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ACTION ALERT: International Megan's Law up for a vote in the U.S. House on Tuesday Jan 26th

1-23-16 Washington DC:

Well what we hoped would not happen is going to happen, International Megan's Law (IML) will be coming up for "concurrence with Senate amendments" consideration in the U.S. House on Tuesday Jan 26th. at 10AM. And to make matters worse, it will be under Suspension of the Rules (more on this below), which is BAD because no changes can be offered by any lawmaker (but they can verbally debate the bill), they can only vote Y/N (or Abstain) on the bill.

Interestingly actual voting will not be until 6:30 PM so that means EVERYONE must voice their opinions to their respective U.S. House Representatives ASAP, meaning right now, today before doing anything else!!!!!!! Use your PopVox account or e-mail your U.S. House Representatives or try THIS or directly to PopVox of the bill, to contact them; do this ASAP!!!!!!!!

It is imperative to focus on U.S. House members. This is NOT a non-controversial bill, Sen Smith is using suspension of the rules to STOP House members from making changes to HR-515; it is one of the rule tricks Lawmakers use to get things passed into law. PS: Don't count on the Snow storm either b/c that makes it easier to get bill passed (a majority means of Lawmakers present [thats how they got AWA passed]}.

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Suspension of the rules in the United States Congress: Is a procedure generally used to quickly pass non-controversial bills in the United States House of Representatives.

A motion to suspend the rules is in order on Mondays and Tuesdays and towards the end of a session of Congress and may only be made by the Speaker of the House or their designee, though it is customary for committee chairs to write the Speaker requesting a suspension. Once a member makes a motion to "suspend the rules" and take some action, debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments can be offered to the motion or the underlying matter, and a 2/3 majority of Members present and voting is required to agree to the motion.

A suspension motion sets aside all procedural and other rules that otherwise prohibit the House from considering the measure—but the motion never mentions the specific rules that are suspended. Typically, a suspension motion is phrased as a motion to "...suspend the rules and pass the bill," and, if the Motion is agreed to, the bill is considered passed by the House. A Member can also move to suspend the rules and take another action, such as to "suspend the rules and consider the bill," and the House shall take the proposed action if two-thirds of those voting are in favor of the motion.

Most often, bills "on suspension" are non-controversial legislation -- such as naming Post Offices of the United States Postal Service or federal buildings -- and nearly all bills that are considered under suspension rules have bipartisan support.

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ACTION ALERT: Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act of 2015

1-13-16 Washington DC:

Yesterday the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, by voice vote, passed this bill (HR-1854 Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act of 2015) out of committee.

This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to an eligible entities for mental health issues of incarcerated folks (incarcerated in jails, prisons, probation, etc.).

The intent of this bill is wonderful helping folks with mental health issues, but the bill has a MAJOR FLAW, see the following:

“(iii) has been determined, by each person described in clause (ii) who is involved in approving the adult or juvenile for participation in a program funded under this section, to not pose a risk of violence to any person in the program, or the public, if selected to participate in the program; and

“(iv) has not been charged with or convicted of—

“(I) any sex offense (as defined in section 111 of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (42 U.S.C. 16911)) or any offense relating to the sexual exploitation of children; or

“(II) murder or assault with intent to commit murder.

This also includes Veterans. Folks need to contact their representatives in Washington DC (U.S. House or U.S. Senate or use your POP VOX account) and tell them to amend bill so that -person charged or convicted of- sex offenses are NOT NOT NOT EXCLUDED from the benefits of this bill!

Recently there has been much said in the news about folks with mental health issues. It makes no sense to EXCLUDE anyone with such an issue, if public safety is the real goal of this bill.

For now have a great day & a better tomorrow.
eAdvocate

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The yellow star, the scarlet letter, and ‘International Megan’s Law’

See also: Labeling sex offenders’ passports is overkill

1-7-2016 National:

When I was growing up, in a Jewish family in Brooklyn in the 1950s, Hitler and the Holocaust were common subjects of conversation in my household. Though at the time it all seemed like ancient history — along with the Civil War, the Black Death, the fall of Rome, and everything else that had ever happened before I was born — I realized, when I became an adult, that to my parents and their generation it must have seemed as though it had happened the day before yesterday.

I remember asking my dad, when he had been talking about the roundup of the Jews and the infamous “yellow star,” a simple question that deeply puzzled my 7-year-old brain: How did the Germans know who to round up? How did they know who was, and who wasn’t, Jewish? My own family wasn’t observant in the least — we didn’t go to synagogue, or celebrate the Jewish holidays, I didn’t go to Hebrew School, etc.; so if they were rounding up all the Jews in Brooklyn, how would they know about us?

And I vividly remember his reply: They knew it because in Germany, they recorded your religion on your birth certificate, and on all your other important government documents (ID card, passport, etc.). [I’m not sure that that was entirely accurate — but it does capture the substance of the matter***]. And, he reassured me, we — here in the United States — don’t allow that sort of thing.

I was reminded of all that by a provision in a statute that recently sailed through the House and Senate: “International Megan’s Law” (IML for short), ostensibly designed to “prevent child exploitation and other sexual crimes through advanced notification of traveling sex offenders.”

The statute (full text here) requires the secretary of state to affix a “unique identifier” on all passports issued to “covered sex offenders” — a “visual designation affixed to a conspicuous location on the passport indicating that the individual is a covered sex offender.” A “covered sex offender” is anyone previously convicted, at any point in his/her life, for a sex offense involving a minor.

It is, as far as I can determine, the first time in U.S. history that any such special designation will appear on the passports of any U.S. citizens, and I think it should send at least a small chill down all of our spines. Not to overdo the analogy, but it does call to mind Martin Niemoller’s famous dictum (“First they came for the communists . . .”). It is part and parcel of a dispiriting and disheartening campaign (on which I have commented a number of times in the past — see e.g. here, here and here) piling punitive disability upon punitive disability — not just public shaming, but also restrictions on residency locations, employment, Internet use, etc. — on this particularly despised class. ..Continued and worth reading.. by David G. Post is a Sr. Fellow at the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute. He taught intellectual property/Internet law at Georgetown and Temple Universities, and is the author of In Search of Jefferson's Moose: Notes on the State of Cyberspace. Views expressed are his own and should not be attributed to his affiliated institutions.

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IRS Gets New Powers to Revoke Passports

1-5-2016 National:

Why did the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration give the IRS powers to revoke passports in order to collect federal taxes?

Submarined deep in the transportation bill passed by Congress last December was a bold, brand new power given to the IRS to collect taxes. If you have a federal tax debt amounting to $50,000 or more, starting this month, the IRS can get your passport cancelled by sending a message to the State Dept. to do so. That $50,000 includes penalties and interest.

Yes, people should pay what they owe, especially if they want to leave the country. But given the fact that the IRS collection unit has at times not been so state of the art, given the mistakes the IRS has already made in wrongfully emptying bank accounts and seizing assets, does anyone really think it’s okay for unelected bureaucrats to seize passports, blocking a basic freedom, that is freedom of movement?

The new law can be a big pain in the neck, since the federal government is now moving to enact a new identification card to supplant state identification, which are typically drivers’ licenses. That means in the interim travelers could be forced to use their passports at the airport check-in counter even for domestic travel, but they won’t be able to if the IRS yanks them.

The new law, entitled “Revocation or Denial of Passport in Case of Certain Tax Delinquencies,” could mean taxpayers will even be rejected for passports upon renewal.

Meanwhile, the IRS is still seizing bank accounts from small businesses without a warrant if the entrepreneur is making a series of small bank deposits.

The new IRS powers means that now more than ever taxpayers are being walled in. Americans have been renouncing their U.S. citizenship in record numbers, with analysts arguing many taxpayers are doing this because of the reach of the U.S. tax man. The Joint Committee on Taxation says the IRS’s new passport powers are expected to raise $398 million over 10 years. Currently, there are an estimated seven million U.S. citizens living abroad. People who live overseas often use their passports to check into hotels or open bank accounts, among other things.
Does anyone think the IRS’s execution of its new passport revocation power will be state of the art?

Already, the IRS is seizing bank accounts of small businesses without warning, much less a warrant. That happened in August 2013 to Carole Hinders, owner of a Mexican restaurant in Arnolds Park in northwest Iowa. Hinders said the IRS seized about $33,000 from her checking account. Even though she was never accused of committing a crime, the IRS was suspicious because she made frequent small deposits. The IRS can seize accounts even though no charges have been filed, much less convictions won. ..Continued.. by Elizabeth MacDonald

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ALERT: New Jersey's Rep Smith and International Megan's Law, Another Violation

12-29-15 Washington DC:

Here is what we know about International Megan's Law (IML) right now, it has been amended in the U.S. Senate and returned to the U.S. House for their approval before final voting on the bill. We also know there is going to be a second session of 114th Congress on 1-4-16 where bills can be voted on and passed into law. IML has gone to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The main U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HERE) is Chaired by Rep Ed Royce of California. However there are a few subcommittees, we are concerned with "Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations" which is Chaired by Rep Smith of New Jersey, author of IML.

Note: Certain Members serve on the FULL House Foreign Affairs Committee, and are also Members of a Subcommittee: See HERE. Rep Smith is one who serves on both. All of these committees must follow Committee rules. See HERE. Yes they are technical.

One thing we do know about Committees is, that bills only pass out of Committee if the Chairman of the committee says so. Clearly IML will have Rep Smith's support. However there are SEVEN other committee members from: California, Rhode Island, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and New York (See HERE right side).

It is strongly recommended that folks living in those states make their voices heard by contacting these folks specifically asking them to vote against IML for many reasons. One is that, IML violates the rights of any foreign sex offender coming to the United States (included in IML). We have often seen Foreign Courts REFUSE to extradite someone because they are protected by the European Convention on Human Rights and other foreign documents.

U.S. Citizens (including former sex offenders) are protected by that Convention when they are in a covered foreign country. Accordingly, if Congress votes to pass IML, they are voting AGAINST the principles and protections of the European Convention of Human Rights. Congress needs to be reminded of this VIOLATION when they vote on IML.

1-4-16 is fast approaching, folks need to act as quickly as possible. Contact your U.S Reps in Washington DC and raise this issue to them.

It is no wonder why many foreign powers dislike the U.S., this is one of the reasons; Congressional disrespect of foreign laws.

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H.R.2029 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Includes Funding for AWA Programs)

12-23-15 Washington DC:

The President has signed HR-2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 into law.

The essence of this LAW is to refund all sorts of programs, including the Adam Walsh Act.

This means whatever AWA authorized originally, or as amended since 2006, (Grants etc.) has been refunded again.

This is not something that can be changed as it is now law.

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ALERT: H.J.Res.76 - Appointing the day for the convening of the second session of the 114th Congress.

12-22-15 Washington DC:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the second regular session of the 114th Congress shall begin at noon on Monday, January 4, 2016. ..Source..

All Advocates need to be aware of this SECOND SESSION where bills can be passed into law.

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International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders'.

UPDATE 12-22-15: ALERT: H.J.Res.76 - Appointing the day for the convening of the second session of the 114th Congress.

12-18-15 Washington DC:

The Senate passed HR 515 formerly known as "International Megan's Law" with another NEW title "International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders" and added a section about Passports.

Essentially, all current passports for folks CONVICTED of a sex offense/s MUST be reissued, with the words "SEX OFFENDER" prominently displayed on the passport. And all new passports for folks convicted of sex offenses will be issued with same wording.

Note 12-21-15: Interestingly, the bill on the Thomas website which supposedly includes the Senate amendments (which my comments above were drawn from), and the Senate amendments as published in the Federal Register, are at odds with each other as to "covered sex offenders." Although I note this point it is likely mute given no Congressional action on the bill as of today.

The Senate also added a section for appropriating funding ($6,000,000) for each of these years (2017-2019) to implement IML.

The Senate then sent the bill with changes back to the House for them to review and pass. It is very likely this will be on the FAST TRACK because lawmakers want to go home for Christmas break.

Advocates and their families and others need to immediately contact their U.S. House Representatives and object to the entire IML bill (and concept), and any other similar bills that may arise.

The FULL bill may be found HERE and the Senate Amendments HERE (The Corker amendment [Sen Bob Corker R-TN] in the Federal Register).

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International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking

11-19-15 Washington DC:

Here we go again, AGAIN they changed the name of the bill HR-515 to "International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders" and they consider this a SHORT title.

They also completely gutted the bill and inserted new language, so this is notice of what they have done, not a full review of the bill, we will get to that.

For now click on link above and goto "TEXT" the latest version will appear, then you need to scroll down past what they have gutted to get to the NEW language.

For now have a great day & a better tomorrow.
eAdvocate

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International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking,

Amendments have not yet been posted on the Congressional website, as of this notification!

11-10-15 Washington DC:

Business Meeting: Senate Foreign Relations Comm.
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Time: 09:45 AM Location: S-116 Capitol Building Presiding: Senator Corker

Agenda
LEGISLATION

1. S. 2184, Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015, with an amendment

2. H.R. 515, International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking, with amendments

3. S. Res. ___, Calling upon the President to condemn the ongoing sexual violence against women and children from Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, Turkmen, and other religious communities by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants and to urge the prosecution of the perpetrators and those complicit in these crimes

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Study Finds Congress Is Paying More Attention to Social Media

See also: Just a Handful of Social Media Comments Can Grab the Attention of Congress, Study Shows

11-9-15 Washington DC:

It turns out Congress cares what you say on Twitter.

A new report released this week from the Congressional Management Foundation finds members of Congress are more engaged in social media than in previous years and are far more responsive to constituent concerns that come in via various social media platforms.

One of the more surprising findings includes the relatively few number of comments needed for a congressional office to pay attention on an issue: 80 percent of congressional staff responding to the survey said fewer than 30 posts would cause them to “pay attention.”

The CMF’s report notes that garnering an office’s attention is significant because “it represents conduit to the lawmakers and staff: access to policy decision-makers.” And 30 comments or interactions is relatively few. Thirty people at a town hall meeting would capture a lawmaker’s attention, but showing up in person is different from accessing social media on a smartphone. The barrier to Congress, it appears, is easier to cross when using social media.

The study is based on two online surveys conducted between July and August 2014, targeting House and Senate communications directors, legislative directors and legislative assistants.

There are other intriguing findings from the report.

Members of Congress are more inclined to use social media than they were in the past, and the CMF predicts that trend will continue. As more members and staff come to Congress from other workplaces, they will bring skills and expectations for having a robust social media presence.

Social media is improving relationships between lawmakers and constituents. More than 75 percent of respondents felt social media enabled more meaningful interactions with constituents.

The debate on the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act in 2011 was a clear example of social media tipping the scales in Congress. In a case analysis included in the report, the CMF goes into detail about the debate over that legislation and how the effective use of social media played a part in the bill being pulled from consideration, complete with members of Congress taking the unusual action of “un-cosponsoring” the bill.

“The authenticity of a tweet or Facebook post, whether by a citizen or lawmaker, has the inescapable power to change minds,” said Bradford Fitch, the CMF’s president and chief executive officer and co-author of the report. “This report shows a glimpse at how that process happens. It opens a window into the perceptions and motivations of how social media influences public policy decisions on Capitol Hill.” ..Source.. by Rebecca Gale

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Related:
Social Media Rules on Capitol Hill: What Not To Do

Benjamin Cole, spokesperson for Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., has resigned after his racially charged Facebook comments surfaced on the ThinkProgress website.

From Roll Call’s Heard on the Hill:

In the screenshots highlighted by TP Senior Investigative Reporter Josh Israel, the 38-year-old senior adviser for policy and communications … categorizes a pair of African Americans outside his window as “animals,” advocates for speedier gentrification efforts, nonchalantly describes a neighborhood incident (“one of the hood rats on my street just got shot by another hood rat,” he scribbled online) and vents about an altercation he had on the street.

“You white people need to learn,” Cole said a black woman chided him after the two bumped into one another while walking.

Cole is not the first flack to meet an untimely job ending after social media comments went awry. A similar flare-up recently cost Elizabeth Lauten her job as communications director for Tennessee Republican Stephen Fincher after her disparaging comments on the first daughters and their clothing went viral.

What did Cole and Lauten have in common? A lack of understanding of the rules of social media.

The first rule of social media: There is no expectation of privacy on social media.

The second rule of social media: There is no expectation of privacy on social media.

Yes, social media is excellent for baby pictures, wedding photos, late-night group selfies or #tbt puppy tweets. But for political comments, or off-color language, even overly judgmental critiques of friends (or whole groups of people), keep in mind that what you’re writing will be viewed by many, many more people than your immediate group of Facebook friends.

Cole removed his inflammatory Facebook posts, but screenshots remained, long after the posts were taken down. And while social media rules may be common sense to some, staffers on Capitol Hill — particularly those handling communications — are held to a higher standard.

Not sure if your statement on social media is worth posting? Ask how you’d feel if a reporter writes it up, particularly one right here at Roll Call. Still not sure? Don’t post it, that hesitation is usually for the best.

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The Best News Sources for Staffers to Read

Are you reading this while at your desk? On your smartphone on the Metro? Maybe you get Hill Navigator delivered directly to your inbox. But how do you know if you’re reading the best news sources to do your job effectively? Hill Navigator discusses.

Q. Every morning I start checking my phone for news alerts and daily clips. When I get into the office I’m still sorting through news clips from my boss’s committees, our office press team, and trade groups, on top of the various Beltway news outlets. I know Roll Call is the best source for all news, but I sometimes question how much news I really need to do my legislative job. As I prepare for a new Congress and a new year, what are some tips to get my media consumption under control?

A. You’re asking a journalist if there is a limit to the media consumption? Never, media consumption is limitless! (Especially print, print media forever! But I digress …)

You’re wise to start thinking about your news sources. Your inbox only has so much space, and you don’t want to spend your entire morning combing through news clips. So here are several ways to target your media consumption so you’re keeping up with your boss, doing your job and staying on top of the ever-changing news landscape.

1) Read what your boss is reading. Some members of Congress still receive hard copies of The Washington Post and expect staffers to know the front page stories; others get their headlines from their inbox but rarely click through to the stories. Find out which news outlets your boss relies on, what stories he or she reads and how, and mimic those habits. The surefire news articles your boss is definitely reading? Those that mention him by name. Read all of them. Set up a Google alert and check through the daily clips to see if there are any you missed.

2) Set alerts from multiple outlets. Roll Call and other news agencies put out breaking news alerts with information deemed crucial or interesting to a wider audience. Sign up for those. Members of Congress rely on their staffs to keep abreast of major news, from international peace accords to celebrity breakups.

3) Get smart policy news. Everyone can be an “expert” with a Twitter account nowadays, but if your job includes following policy news, get it from several sources you and your boss trust. News organizations like CQ offer custom news alerts that send immediate email notifications on action pertaining to a specific bill, issue area, committee hearing or member of Congress. (If you’re a CQ subscriber, sign up for alerts here.)

4) Read something you like. Even the most dedicated staffer is well-served reading a news outlet he or she enjoys. Include in your daily roundup something that you’ll be excited to open. Maybe that’s Roll Call’s At the Races, or Politico’s Huddle, or Washington Post’s The Fix or even Hill Navigator (and thank you for reading!).

5) Be wise about social media. News breaks on Twitter constantly, another clever Buzzfeed list shows up in your Facebook feed, or a story may be HUGE on Reddit. These are all good avenues to follow but keep in mind that social media is one aspect of media consumption, and it tends to have a self-selection bias of your friends and social circle. Before you assume major news is trending based on the hashtag activism you’re seeing on Twitter, get another perspective. Preferably from a news outlet.

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Survey: LinkedIn Lacks Appeal for Hill Staffers

Capitol Hill offices may vary on their Facebook and Twitter interactions, but they agree on one thing: opting out of LinkedIn. The business-oriented social networking site was recently rated as least important by congressional staff in establishing their member of Congress as a thought leader.

“It makes sense, offices are looking for mediums to communicate with constituents, like Facebook or Instagram,” said Jennifer Curley, a former hill staffer and president and CEO of the Curley Company, Inc., which commissioned the survey.

The survey found that media interviews, official website and networking were considered very important in establishing their member of Congress as a thought leader. Least important: an official blog, YouTube and — ranked last for importance — LinkedIn. Out of the 101 hill staffers who responded, only three listed LinkedIn as “very important.”

LinkedIn boasts over 300 million users and calls itself the “World’s Largest Professional Network.” That network, it seems, excludes the Capitol Hill community.

Curley found it unusual that hill staffers weren’t using LinkedIn to cultivate their own digital reputation, which she said is common in the corporate world. “When you have a meeting with someone, you go online and look at their LinkedIn profile,” she said. “It makes sense for your own thought leadership or digital reputation.”

But hill staffers may not feel the need for such digital assistance, “Junior staff see [LinkedIn] as an old guy’s tool, and the older, experienced staff on the Hill don’t need a virtual network to connect them to new jobs because they’re so much in demand,” said Brad Fitch, president and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation.

Curley defended LinkedIn and believes Capitol Hill staffers could benefit from the site. “People in our business use it all the time.”

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