Indian Health Care Improvement Act Deserves Reauthorization

By: Chris Lugo

This month the Senate is considering the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization Bill, SB 1200. This bill, which is designed to address the health care needs of some two million residents of the United States who can claim American Indian ancestry, is an important step toward honoring the obligations that we as Americans have toward the health and welfare of Native Americans. This bill will make up-to-date amendments to the health care available to 1.9 million rural and urban indigenous people in the United States, and will restore honor to the federal government's trust and obligation to native tribes.

Congress passed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act in 1976 to address health disparities between Native Americans and the rest of the populace. Since 1992, when the act was last reauthorized, the U.S. health care delivery system has been revolutionized, while the Indian health care system has not.

This bill lays the foundation for program change, including shifts from acute care to prevention and the provision of mental health services for children. It addresses health crises such as diabetes, youth suicide, and drug addiction that have escalated among native peoples in the past 15 years. It facilitates greater input to program operation from the local tribal level and enhances recruitment and retention of health professionals in facilities serving native populations.

As a candidate for the US Senate I believe it is vitally important that the United States consider major health care initiatives to improve the quality of life for all Americans. I also believe it is important that the Senate take steps to honor the health care needs of the first Americans by passing the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization Bill.

Lets Make Tennessee Nuclear Free

By: Chris Lugo

In August of 1945 the United States embarked on a new chapter in world history with the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since that time the United States has built up an arsenal of thousands of deadly nuclear warhead, ready to strike at a moment's notice anywhere in the world delivering their deadly, destructive power. Regardless of how we feel about the decision to use the atomic bomb in 1945, now we can take a step toward insuring that they are never used again on innocent civilians and non-combatants.

Tennessee has a unique role in the development of the nuclear bomb with the Oak Ridge National Laboratories. At the beginning of World War II President Roosevelt ordered the construction of the Oak Ridge National Laboratories and the Y-12 Complex for the processing of uranium and other components vital to the construction of the nuclear bomb. Oak Ridge employed thousands of people during the construction of these bombs and the processing all done in a top secret security environment.

In the 1980's the world stood on the verge of thermonuclear war during the extended global conflict between the United States and the former Soviet Union. Since that time, the issue has faded from the national spotlight, but the United States remains the greatest threat to international stability with its 5000 plus arsenal of nuclear weapons still ready at a moment's notice to wreak havoc on the planet. Oak Ridge has continues to play an instrumental role in the maintenance of weapons of mass destruction. Recently, the National Nuclear Security Administration has announced its plans to build a new nuclear weapons production plant in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Oak Ridge is being targeted for new bomb production facilities. The United States committed in 1970 to pursue complete nuclear disarmament “at an early date” in the Nonproliferation Treaty. It is time for us to keep our word.

If we remain silent, we are giving our approval to a new nuclear arms race, an enduring nuclear arsenal, and a nuclear shadow over generations to come. The threat of nuclear weapons remains the greatest threat to global peace and security. As a world leader the United States plays a fundamental role in the direction of global security. It is time for us to take steps toward peace and disarmament.

I encourage citizens to attend a public hearing in Oak Ridge on February 26th to speak out against continued nuclear weapons production in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As a candidate for federal office I support full and open disclosure regarding our nuclear arsenal, the dismantling of all weapons of mass destruction, elimination of the nuclear weapons maintenance and production facilities still in existence including Tennessee's Y-12 and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. I support redirection of DOE and EPA dollars to cleanup and restoration where possible of environments devastated by our nuclear legacy, including the Oak Ridge bioregion, Savannah River, Hanford Complex, Nevada Test Site and Rocky Flats. I do not support the long term storage of radioactive nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.

Together we can make a difference. We can spend our money on warfare and the apocalypse or we can spend billions on building a stronger society, where everyone has food, shelter, health care, and the prospect of a living wage job. It is time to lead the world to true security and keep the promise we made in the Nonproliferation Treaty in 1970 to pursue complete disarmament.

PUBLIC HEARING on the Future of Nuclear Weapons Tuesday Feb 26 2008 11:00 AM-3:00 PM & 6:00 PM-10 PM (eastern time) New Hope Center *Scarboro Road* Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Gustavus Puryear Nomination Raises Conflict of Interest Issues

By: Chris Lugo

In his State of the Union address on February 5th, President Bush said, " Because courts must always deliver impartial justice, judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench ... the Constitution also gives the Senate a responsibility: Every judicial nominee deserves an up or down vote." The reality of federal appointments is that they are often political in nature, as is the case with Gus Puryear, who is currently under consideration for nomination to the federal judgeship for the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Tennessee. Puryear is a dedicated Republican supporter, having previously worked under Republican Senators Bill Frist and Fred Thompson. In addition he has served as Dick Cheney's advisor prior to the 2000 election. Federal judges, who are supposed to be impartial, should not be as partisan as reflected by Puryear's record.

Although technically qualified for the job, the US Senate should vote thumbs down on Puryear's nomination. Puryear would have a conflict of interest in regard to all litigation involving the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), his former employer. CCA has made Puryear a multi-millionaire which would seriously compromise Puryear's ability to make fair decisions regarding CCA, which is based in Nashville. CCA has been involved in hundreds of cases naming CCA or CCA employees in federal court, including cases involving deaths or abuse of prisoners while in CCA custody.

Fundamental to the expansion of the prison industrial complex in America is the role that private prisons have played in the growth that industry. At the heart of the prison privatization movement is Tennessee's home grown Corrections Corporation of America, CCA, the nation's largest private prison company. In a criminal justice system in which millions of Americans are incarcerated, on parole or on probation, the profits of privatization are tempting to many investors. The danger of excessive privatization is a fundamental conflict of interest between the investor and the government.

The current nomination of Gustavus A. Puryear to the federal judgeship for U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Tennessee presents a clear conflict of interest. Puryear was CCA's general counsel and would hold a judgeship in the same district where CCA's corporate office is located, where numerous lawsuits against CCA are filed. The top lawyer for the nation's largest private prison company is ill suited to serve as a federal judge. In an ideal world, there would be no prisons. The role that prisons play in segregating those who have violated the laws of the society is a path of last resort for the state and for society. In the real world, investments and profits drive the economy, thus setting up a fundamental conflict between the role of private industry and the interests of the state.

As a federal candidate I support ending all federal funding for Tennessee based Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest private prison corporation, whose multiple failures to properly house, feed, and care for prisoners is well documented. I support the re-introduction of programs eliminated by previous administrations such as education, job training, general education equivalency programs and college level educational access. Instead of supporting partisan federal judges who will only contribute to the growing privatization of the prison economy, it is time for us as a society to invest in social programs which improve the quality of life for everyone and offer those incarcerated a real opportunity at a successful re-integration into mainstream society.

The Fair Pay Restoration Act Will Restore Work Place Dignity

By: Chris Lugo

Working women deserve equal opportunity in the workplace. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to the rights of working women and civil rights protection recently when they voted by a decision of 5-4 to overturn basic worker's protection. It has been nearly forty years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which was supposed to help level the playing field in the workplace, but the sobering reality is that women still only make 68 cents for every dollar that a man earns. One of the reasons that this gap continues to persist is because of discriminatory pay practices.

There is a remedy to this deep social inequity which the Congress is considering that would give working women a break. It is called the Fair Pay Restoration Act, Senate Bill 1843. This act would remedy the recent decision of a conservative Supreme Court by reinstating the long standing wage discrimination protections which have been fundamental to women's progress in the workplace. The bill was passed by the House along party lines but is still being stalled in the Senate. I find this situation unacceptable. It is time for the Senate to vote for the Fair Pay Restoration Act (S. 1843) so that women will be able to earn equal pay in the workplace.

The reality of the workplace is that it is difficult for employees to discover the salaries and raises of other employees. Unfortunately this means that it is also difficult for an employee to discover if they are being paid a comparable wage, or if they are being discriminated against in terms of their salary. The Supreme Court ruled that employees must discover pay discrimination within 180 days of when the pay discrepancy occurred. This is a bad decision for employees and especially for women and minorities. It means that if an employer can get away with hiding the fact of their discrimination for six months, then after that time there is nothing an employee can do to challenge this decision or demand equal pay.

The Fair Pay Restoration Act will remove these unreasonable time limits which will allow victims of discrimination to seek back pay and damages when they become aware of this injustice. Women deserve fair pay in the workplace and this bill is an important component of ensuring they get it. I promise to take every step I can to reduce the pay gap and utilize the tools of federal law to insure that all Americans are paid fairly for their work.

Tennessee Proposed Cuts Highlight the Need for National Health Care

By: Chris Lugo

The time has come for national health care. Tennesseans are waking up to the reality of the health care crisis in America and politicians are hearing their concerns. On the democratic side of the isle, Senators Clinton and Obama have been making health care a core item of their speeches and making promises to do something about an issue that is affecting 47 million Americans, including an estimated 700,000 in Tennessee. That number is about to rise unless the federal government acts now.

On Monday, in Tennessee, Governor Bredesen addressed the General Assembly in his annual State of the State affair. The Governor presented a fiscally conservative budget, the sign of an economic recession that is hitting Tennessee hard with the mortgage crisis, low productivity and high costs of basic domestic goods dragging Tennessee down and revenue expectations as well. The Governor proposed further Tenncare cuts, which are on top of the cuts of almost 300,000 Tennesseans in 2005 from the health care rolls.

The discussion in the health care community has revolved around the proposed 56,000 Tennesseans to be cut in the next year, which is a carryover from the Tenncare cuts of 2005 as well as an additional 140,000 Tennesseans who will most likely be cut in the next year who will lose their Tenncare but retain their Medicare or other benefit. These people are being affected during the worst of times economically being denied one of the most basic of human needs - quality preventative health care.

We know that many people died after the 2005 Tenncare cuts in addition to hundreds if not thousands are being made destitute due to the lack of health insurance coverage. Most of these people are hard working Tennesseans, who do not have health insurance coverage through their low paying jobs or have lost their health insurance because they have existing conditions such as cancer or heart disease. Who knows how many more people will have their quality of life reduced or even ended as a result of this latest round of Tenncare cuts.

Tennesseans cannot afford to let almost twenty percent of her citizens go without health care. The costs of not having quality preventative care are too high. It is much more affordable in the long term to diagnose and treat illness in its preventable stages rather than wait until someone without health insurance shows up in the emergency room.

Still, we must lay the blame not on the Governor instead we should look at the federal government for its failure to address the basic human right of quality health care. Every industrialized country in the world except the United States extends this basic right to all of its citizens. The irony is that we already pay more per capita of our public dollars on health care than most western nations but we still have a system that fails to insure everyone, but this is not an agenda that we can leave up to the states. Tennessee should not share the burden alone of trying to insure everyone. This is part of what led to the Tenncare debacle in the first place.

Tennessee generates a large portion of its revenue from sales tax, which is an up and down stream of revenue, which disproportionately affects the poor and working classes. The only way Tennessee could have insured the preservation of Tenncare was through a state income tax, which does not yet have the political will to pass in the general assembly. In the meantime, a universal health care program could be easily implemented to provide basic, quality health care to an additional 47 million Americans for about $120 billion dollars, which is only 1/5 of the budget expenditure for the military. If we simply pulled our troops out of Iraq we could easily redirect the cost of an expensive, failed war to provide health care for all of our citizens.

Although it is easy to blame the current leadership in Tennessee for the health care crisis that is affecting hundreds of thousands, let us instead direct our attention to a solution which will really meet our needs - a universal single payer health care system. This is truly the best way to address not only the Tenncare crisis and the current round of health care cuts, by doing so we can also address the health care needs of the citizens of an entire nation.

The momentum is building in America for universal health care, now it is time to elect leaders to Washington who will accomplish the job of insuring all Americans.