Great Lakes Politics

U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D, MI) made a speech on the floor of the United States Senate yesterday regarding the on-going war in Iraq.  It was a good speech and the full text of it can be found on-line.

However, the fact remains that Mr. Levin's speech will quickly be forgotten.   I firmly believe that the only speech that will be remembered for long by anyone 10 or 20 years from now is the one delivered by U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D, DE).

Mr. Biden's speech from yesterday is one that opponents of the war in Iraq have been waiting for years to hear.  Cynics might argue that it was an effort to revitalize his presidential campaign; they might even be right.  There can little doubt that he was passionate and articulate in his remarks.

His speech can be viewed on YouTube.com. 

Posted by fnemecek at 02:34 PM | Permalink

Citing $100 billion in revenue drained from the U.S. Treasury at the expense of honest, hardworking American families who pay their fair share, U.S. Senators Carl Levin (D, MI), Norm Coleman (R-MN), and Barack Obama (D-IL), introduced comprehensive legislation to stop offshore tax haven and tax shelter abuses.

For more than four years, Mr. Levin and Mr. Coleman, the Chairman and senior Republican of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations respectively, have led an in-depth Subcommittee investigation into offshore tax havens, abusive tax shelters, and the professionals who design, market, and implement these tax dodges. Experts have estimated that the total loss to the Treasury from offshore tax evasion alone approaches $100 billion per year, including $40 to $70 billion from individuals and another $30 billion from corporations engaging in offshore tax evasion. Abusive tax shelters add tens of billions of dollars more.

The Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act is a strengthened version of a tax reform bill that Levin, Coleman, and Obama introduced in the last Congress. The legislation was strengthened as a result of a year-long Subcommittee investigation which resulted in a hearing and report on August 1, 2006, examining a series of case studies showing how U.S. taxpayers are using offshore secrecy jurisdictions to dodge U.S. taxes.

Among other measures, the 68-page bill would:

• Establish Presumptions to Combat Offshore Secrecy by allowing U.S. tax and securities law enforcement to presume that non-publicly traded, offshore corporations and trusts are controlled by the U.S. taxpayers who formed them or sent them assets, unless the taxpayer proves otherwise;
• Impose Tougher Rquirements on U.S. Taxpayers Using Offshore Secrecy Jurisdictions by listing 34 jurisdictions which have already been named in IRS court filings as probable locations for U.S. tax evasion;
• Authorize Special Measures to Stop Offshore Tax Abuses by giving Treasury authority to take special measures against foreign jurisdictions and financial institutions that impede U.S. tax enforcement;
• Strengthen Detection of Offshore Activities by requiring U.S. financial institutions that open accounts for foreign entities controlled by U.S. clients, open accounts in offshore secrecy jurisdictions for U.S. clients, or establish entities in offshore secrecy jurisdictions for U.S. clients, to report such actions to the IRS;
• Close Offshore Trust Loopholes by taxing offshore trust income used to buy real estate, artwork and jewelry for U.S. persons, and treating as trust beneficiaries those persons who actually receive offshore trust assets;
• Strenthen Penalties on tax shelter promoters by increasing the maximum fine to 150% of their ill-gotten gains, and on corporate insiders who hide offshore stock holdings by increasing the maximum fine on them to $1 million per violation of U.S. securities laws;
• Stop Tax Shelter Patents by prohibiting the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from issuing patents for “inventions designed to minimize, avoid, defer, or otherwise affect liability for Federal, State, local, or foreign tax”; and
• Require Hedge Funds and Company Formation Agents to Know Their Offshore Clients by requiring them to establish anti-money laundering programs like other U.S. financial institutions, under regulations to be issued by the Treasury Department.

A summary of the Levin-Coleman-Obama bill, the bill text, and a floor statement by Levin explaining its provisions in more detail are available at levin.senate.gov.

Posted by fnemecek at 10:29 AM | Permalink

U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D, MI) secured a commitment from U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to meet with Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land (R, MI) during his upcoming trip to Michigan regarding her proposal to streamline new federal ID requirements for border crossings with state-issued drivers’ licenses.  This commitment came during a hearing in Washington, DC of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee today.

Ms. Land has proposed a dual-purpose driver’s license/personal identification card that would combine the convenience and familiarity of a license with the secure technology of a passport. Such a document would harmonize the requirements of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and the REAL ID Act in one identification card.

WHTI will require individuals from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to present a passport or other document proving citizenship before entering the United States. Some border states have expressed concerns that this requirement could hurt cross-border commerce and tourism and delay traffic at border crossings.

Posted by fnemecek at 10:01 PM | Permalink

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced yesterday that eight Michigan fire departments will receive $638,809 to pay for fire operations and fire safety programs, including training, equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to facilities. The funds are awarded through the fiscal year 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program helps rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States to prepare for emergencies and acts of terrorism.  It is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Grants and Training, in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

Individual grant awards can be found in the table below:

Organization	Location	Program	$ Amount
Williamston Fire Department	Williamston	Operations and Safety	$72,346
Hudson Fire Department	Hudson	Operations and Safety	$17,442
Porter Fire Department	Union	Operations and Safety	$57,468
Almont Fire Department	Almont	Operations and Safety	$10,731
St. Clair Area Fire Authority	St. Clair	Operations and Safety	$108,001
Troy Fire Department	Troy	Operations and Safety	$247,200
Hastings Fire Department	Hastings	Operations and Safety	$34,737
Springfield Township Fire Department	Davisburg	Operations and Safety	$90,884

Posted by fnemecek at 10:49 AM | Permalink

U.S. Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced today that four Michigan fire departments have been awarded $144,055 through the fiscal year 2006 Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP). The funding will be used to support operations and firefighter safety.

The AFGP awards grants directly to fire departments and EMS organizations to improve the effectiveness of operations and health and safety programs, and to establish or expand fire prevention programs throughout the United States. Grants are awarded competitively through an application process.

The four fire departments are:

• Barton City Volunteer Fire Department in Barton City, which received $46,360;
• Coloma-Hagar Fire Department in Coloma, which received $21,386;
  
• Oakfield Township Fire Department in Rockford, which received $45,125; and
  
• Salem Township Fire Department in Burnips, which received $31,184.
  

Posted by fnemecek at 06:20 PM | Permalink

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) today announced that the Bay Mills Indian Community and Community College will receive $906,000 to construct a plastics technology research, testing, manufacturing and training center. The funds were awarded through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“This investment is great news for the economy of Northern Michigan,” insists Ms. Stabenow. “These funds will create good paying jobs in Chippewa County and help bolster economic development throughout the community.”

“This is great news for the eastern Upper Peninsula,” insists Mr. Levin. “This federal funding will bring jobs and investment dollars to the U.P. and help make Michigan a leader in plastics technology.”

This funding will create fifty five new jobs and generate over $2.8 million in private investments, according to the EDA. It is the goal of the EDA to enhance regional competitiveness and promote long-term development in regions experiencing economic hardship.

Posted by fnemecek at 02:31 PM | Permalink

Last month, GreatLakesPolitics.com underwent an extensive overhaul - adding new features to the site and making it easier for users to find exactly what they're looking for.

Last week, U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D, MI) launched a new version of his campaign website:  CarlLevin.com.

We at GLP are so proud to be trendsetters.  

Posted by fnemecek at 07:34 PM | Permalink

U.S. Senator Carl Levin announced the other day that he would seek a sixth term of office in 2008.

This prompts two questions to go racing through my mind:

First, who will the Republicans run against him?

Second, how will this effect other races?

As far as Republicans who are likely to challenge Levin go, my money is on Michigan's Attorney General Mike Cox.  He's smart, well-connected and, quite frankly, has the best chance of beating Mr. Levin.

 Plus, even if he doesn't win, the race will put him in a better position to run for governor in 2010.

As for the impact on other races, the fact that a popular incumbent is running for re-election means that the Democrats won't have to put a lot of resources into this race; thereby making it easier for them to put more of their money into the Presidential race as well as picking up other Congressional seats.

Posted by fnemecek at 09:59 PM | Permalink

Stabenow Bill Waives Financial Penalties for Americans Trapped in War Zone

Posted by fnemecek at 04:11 PM | Permalink

Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced on Friday that Michigan will receive $3,498,000 in fiscal year 2006 federal grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Detroit area is also eligible for additional DHS transportation and port security funding.

“There is no issue more important than keeping our citizens and neighborhoods safe, and these grants will help meet the security challenges of a post-9/11 world,” said Stabenow. “I am especially pleased Secretary Chertoff responded favorably to the letter we sent him last year noting the importance of the Port of Detroit, the unique security risks this busy border community faces, and the need for federal support.”

“This federal funding is a solid step towards securing some of Michigan’s most vulnerable areas,” said Levin. “These important grants will help state and local authorities to protect the people of Michigan from a wide range of potential dangers.”

Chemical Sector Buffer Zone Protection Program: Michigan will receive $1,553,000 to secure sites identified as key targets for chemical attacks. With this funding, Michigan will develop plans to protect the areas directly around these sites, as well as the surrounding communities. The list of award sites within Michigan will remain classified for security purposes.

Buffer Zone Protection Program: Michigan will receive $1,945,000 to secure sites identified as critical infrastructure and key resources by developing measures to make it more difficult for terrorists to conduct surveillance or launch attacks near these potential targets. The list of award sites within Michigan will remain classified for security purposes.

Transit Security Grant Program: Three Michigan transportation systems are eligible to apply for grants to secure public transit systems: the Detroit Department of Transportation and Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) for intra-city bus systems; and rail system funding for the City of Detroit. The grant awards are expected to be announced later this year.

Port Security Grant Program: The Port of Detroit is eligible to apply for federal grants to enhance the security of the nation’s most critical seaports as identified by the United States Coast Guard. The grant awards are expected to be announced later this year.

Posted by fnemecek at 03:44 PM | Permalink