• On Jan. 28, more than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara), sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting the United States take immediate action to address the situation in Gaza. “The violence in Israel and Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis calls for the international community to take swift and decisive action to alleviate human suffering,” Capps said in a release to the media. “It is imperative that we work with Israel to open the borders so the wounded can be treated, basic aid can reach those in need, and rebuilding can begin. Addressing the humanitarian needs of this emergency and restoring hope to Palestinian civilians is the only way to build a lasting peace in the region.” In their letter, the Representatives emphasized the importance of opening border crossings into Israel to allow supplies to reach people in Gaza. They also reminded the Obama administration that rebuilding Gaza will depend on the international community making significant financial contributions. The Representatives officially requested that Secretary Clinton, or her staff, inform Congress of the strategies that will be pursued to address the crisis. before the Feb. 13 recess.
• State Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) recently spoke against California budget proposals that would cut funding to educational programs, claiming such suggestions violate the 2004 Williams Settlement. According to a press release from Maldonado’s office, that agreement affirms the right of all California students to have access to a high-quality education—specifically qualified teachers, quality textbooks and other instructional materials, and a safe learning environment. “As an institution of lawmakers, we cannot simply thumb our noses at legal mandates because we have fallen on economic hard times,” Maldonado said in the release. “Now is not the time to turn our backs on the millions of students who depend on us. They expect and deserve equal access to qualified teachers, effective and up-to-date instructional materials, and buildings that don’t leak or pose other hazards.”
This article appears in Feb 5-12, 2009.
