JERROLD NADLER ON DEFENCE OF MARRIAGE
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We received the following story from Congressman Jerrold Nadler.
We agree with his thoughts on these issues.
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We received the following story from Congressman Jerrold Nadler.
We agree with his thoughts on these issues.
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Jerrold Nadler
Impeding the NRC’s ability to regulate nuclear plants will not save one job but could threaten countless lives. Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, for example, lies less than 40 miles from New York City, with 20 million people living within 50 miles of the plant – the same distance recommended as an evacuation zone after the recent nuclear disaster in Japan. Indian Point also sits near two fault lines and, according to the NRC, is the most likely nuclear power plant in the country to experience core damage due to an earthquake.
Now is not the time to undermine nuclear safety and the common-sense regulations that keep us safe and protect our way of life.
Furthermore, despite the tea party belief that regulation hurts the economy and costs jobs, there is no evidence to support this position. In reality, according to the Economic Policy Institute, "economy-wide studies do not find a significant decline in employment from regulatory policies," and some regulations actually create jobs.1 More broadly, findings from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) show that the benefits of regulations far outweigh the costs.2 Recently, OMB found that the average economic benefit for all major rules issued between 2001 and 2010 was seven times greater than the costs--ranging from $132 billion to $655 billion in benefit to the economy while imposing costs of only between $44 billion and $62 billion.
Fighting LGBT Discrimination
Important progress has been made in the fight to overturn the cruel and discriminatory law known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies lawfully married same-sex couples the same federal rights and benefits accorded to heterosexual couples. Recently, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Senate version of my legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, which would overturn DOMA and send that shameful law into the history books. Never before has the effort to repeal DOMA advanced so far in the Senate, and I look forward to it being brought to the Senate floor for final passage.
While we work to repeal DOMA in Congress, we are also battling it in the courts. Just last month, I was joined by Leader Pelosi and 132 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in a federal case which challenges DOMA as unconstitutionally discriminating against lawfully married same-sex couples. This historic show of support only adds further momentum to our push to repeal this cruel and disgraceful law.
Now is not the time to undermine nuclear safety and the common-sense regulations that keep us safe and protect our way of life.
Furthermore, despite the tea party belief that regulation hurts the economy and costs jobs, there is no evidence to support this position. In reality, according to the Economic Policy Institute, "economy-wide studies do not find a significant decline in employment from regulatory policies," and some regulations actually create jobs.1 More broadly, findings from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) show that the benefits of regulations far outweigh the costs.2 Recently, OMB found that the average economic benefit for all major rules issued between 2001 and 2010 was seven times greater than the costs--ranging from $132 billion to $655 billion in benefit to the economy while imposing costs of only between $44 billion and $62 billion.
Fighting LGBT Discrimination
Important progress has been made in the fight to overturn the cruel and discriminatory law known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies lawfully married same-sex couples the same federal rights and benefits accorded to heterosexual couples. Recently, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Senate version of my legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, which would overturn DOMA and send that shameful law into the history books. Never before has the effort to repeal DOMA advanced so far in the Senate, and I look forward to it being brought to the Senate floor for final passage.
While we work to repeal DOMA in Congress, we are also battling it in the courts. Just last month, I was joined by Leader Pelosi and 132 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in a federal case which challenges DOMA as unconstitutionally discriminating against lawfully married same-sex couples. This historic show of support only adds further momentum to our push to repeal this cruel and disgraceful law.
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