NAACP-Supported Public Financing Of Congressional Campaigns Bill Intorduced In The House And Senate

Legislation To Limit The Role Of Big-Money Interests In Congressional Campaigns

THE ISSUE:
The cost of a congressional campaign, as well as candidates� need to raise large amount of money from special interests, has spiraled out of control. In the last election, the cost of the top ten competitive Senate races averaged $34 million per campaign � double what it was just four years ago.

One direct result of this race for campaign money is the perception by voters that candidates are too busy talking to Political Action Committees (PACs) or special interests to listen to their constituents. To address this very real problem, Senators Richard Durbin (IL) and Arlen Specter (PA), along with Congressmen John Tierney (MA), Raul Grijalva (AZ) and Todd Platts (PA) have introduced in the House and Senate the �Fair Elections Now Act� (S. 936 / H.R. 1614). These bills, which deal with the financing of campaigns for the US Senate and House of Representatives, would allow qualified candidates to receive campaign financing from a public fund instead of from lobbyists and other special interests.

This legislation, which is based on working models in Maine and Arizona, would create a voluntary system that gives candidates the option to stop attending fundraisers and dialing their "friends" for donations without risking a loss to a well-funded opponent. For those who choose to participate, fundraising would be limited to "seed money" in amounts of no more than $100 per person to pay for campaign start-up costs. Participating candidates would also be required to show that they are serious contenders by raising qualifying contributions of $5 each from a minimum number of state residents, based on the population of the state.

Once they are able to prove their viability, candidates will then begin to receive money from the "Fair Election Fund." The amount of money each candidate would receive would be based on the population of the state. Candidates would also receive vouchers for a discount on television and radio time.

If enacted, the Fair Elections Now Act would restore the confidence of the voters that their federally elected officials were responsive to them. It would also allow candidates to spend less time talking to special interests and more time listening to their potential constituents.

THE ACTION WE NEED YOU TO TAKE!
NAACP Supports Passage of Comprehensive Ex-Offender Reentry Legislation

House Bill Would Help Prevent Recidivism

THE ISSUE:
Each year, more than 650,000 men and women are released from prison, which equates to roughly 1,700 individuals returning to our communities every day.  This has a disparate effect on communities of color, since two-thirds of the people in prison are now racial and ethnic minorities.  For African American males in their twenties, one in every eight is in prison or jail on any given day.  These numbers are expected to grow, as more men and women are incarcerated each year and more complete their sentences.

For most ex-offenders, the transition back into their communities is difficult:  many lack the necessary skills to successfully reenter into society.  Studies have shown that many of those released from prison come back into society with a substance abuse addiction or mental health problem.  Employment and housing are often difficult; one study found that applicants with criminal records experienced a 50% reduction in job offers for entry level jobs, compared to those without records.  This was compounded by racial bias as African American former inmates experienced a 64% reduction in offers.  As many as a quarter of all ex-offenders go to homeless shelters upon release.  Furthermore, most communities where prisoners go upon release already struggle with high poverty, unemployment, fragile families and a dearth of jobs.

Over two-thirds of released prisoners are rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years and one-half of those rearrested were convicted and re-incarcerated.  Not only does this recidivism cause tremendous problems for our communities, but it also places a huge burden on American taxpayers.  The average cost of incarcerating each prisoner exceeds $22,600 per year; expenditures on corrections alone have increased from $9 billion in 1982 to $60 billion in 2002 and it continues to skyrocket out of control.

To combat this problem, Congressmen Danny Davis (IL) and others have introduced H.R. 1593 and Senator Biden (DE) and others have introduced S. 1060, the " Second Chance Act:  Community Safety through Recidivism Prevention".  The House bill has been approved of by the full House Judiciary Committee; full floor consideration is expected on Tuesday, 5/15/2007. Under this legislation states and local communities would receive federal assistance to establish ex-offender reentry projects, with enhanced focus on job training, housing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, as well as programs to work with the children and families of ex-offenders.  In short, the Second Chance Act would encourage new community partnerships to help educate, train and employ those recently released who might otherwise return to a life of crime.

THE ACTION WE NEED YOU TO TAKE!

NAACP Supports Divestment from Sudan
to Advance an End to Genocide in Darfur

Bills Would Support Divestment by States And Companies From Corporations That Help Fund Genocide In Darfur

THE ISSUE:
According to recent estimates, at least 400,000 people have died in Darfur since the genocide began in February of 2003.  It is impossible to know what the final number will be, however, as the genocide is still taking place today.  What is known is that there are approximately 3.5 million men, women and children in the western Darfur region of Sudan trying to survive the Sudanese government-sponsored campaign of violence and forced starvation.  These innocent victims are essentially on life support, their continued existence dependent on U.S. and international humanitarian aid and the presence of African Union peacekeepers.  Despite the best efforts of the under-funded and under-manned African Union peacekeeping force, attacks have increased in recent months, leading to tens of thousands of new arrivals at refugee camps in Darfur and across the border in Chad. 

To begin to address this problem, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA), working with Congressman Barney Frank (MA) and others have introduced H.R. 180 the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007. Under this legislation companies, states or persons with direct investments in Sudan would be required to disclose these investment activities to the federal government.  This list of companies would then be regularly updated and published in a forum available to the general public.  These investments provide financial support to the Government of Sudan, which uses the monies earned to fund military operation.  Through identifying the connections between investments in Sudan and the crisis in Darfur, companies and persons will be encouraged to divest from Sudan. Senator Richard Durbin (IL) has introduced similar divestment legislation in the Senate (S. 831).

Divestment is a proven tool in struggles against inhumane governments:  Americans’ divestment was a major contributor to bringing down the racist apartheid regime in South Africa in the 1980’s, when people, municipalities (including the federal government) and corporations pulled billions of dollars out of that country rather than make money off of a government that supported slavery.

THE ACTION WE NEED YOU TO TAKE!

Established June 1, 1941, the NAACP Washington Bureau is the federal legislative liaison and national public policy office of the NAACP. For more than 55 years the NAACP Washington Bureau has been the premier civil rights advocacy entity on Capitol Hill; the Bureau was a leading force behind the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the 1991 Civil Rights Restoration Act and the 2002 Help America Vote Act, the most current reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act among countless others. The Washington Bureau has been lead in the past by such greats as Clarence Mitchell (1950 - 1978), who was known as the "101st Senator"; Althea Simmons (1979 - 1990) and Wade Henderson (1990 - 1996).

The current Director of the Washington Bureau, Mr. Hilary Shelton, has placed a renewed effort on engaging the grassroots NAACP membership in the federal legislative process. Thus the Bureau has heavily recruited NAACP branches, members and friends to join the Action Alert network, through which NAACP Action Alerts and Issue Updates are e-mailed or faxed letting the recipient know about actions on Capitol Hill that affect the NAACP legislative priorities and how people across the nation can have an effect on those actions.

The job of the Washington Bureau is to turn NAACP priorities, as approved by the national Board of Directors, into federal public policy through the legislative process. General topics include the promotion and protection of civil rights, securing a fair and equal criminal justice system, ensuring high quality educational opportunities for all Americans, a fair labor environment, and securing affordable adequate housing and health care for all Americans.

The Bureau has also produced, since 1914, an annual Civil Rights Legislative Report Card. This resource is designed to provide NAACP members with insight into the general voting patterns of their congressional representatives (Senators and members of the House of Representatives) over the course of the year. The NAACP Civil Rights Legislative Report Card demonstrates how every Member of Congress voted on the bread and butter civil rights issues important to the NAACP.

Finally, as part of our mission, the NAACP Washington Bureau takes pride in helping to educate and organize our grassroots membership and engage them in the federal legislative process. As such, we offer a number of legislative advocacy tools for our members and friends to help them become more effective advocates.

Copyright 2007 El Paso Branch NAACP, All Rights Reserved
ACTION ALERT!

THE NAACP HAS FILED AN HISTORIC LAWSUIT AGAINST MORTGAGE LENDERS ALLEGING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

The Facts:
On July 11, 2007, the NAACP filed a Federal class action lawsuit against fourteen of the country’s largest subprime mortgage lenders.
  • This lawsuit is designed to stop these lenders from engaging in systematic, institutionalized racism in making home mortgage loans.
  • In a 2006 study, the Center for Responsible Lending found that when creditworthiness and credit risk were equal, African-Americans were still 31 percent to 34 percent more likely to receive higher rate, more expensive subprime loans than Caucasians.
  • The National Community Reinvestment Coalition revealed that lenders on average made high-cost subprime loans to higher-qualified African-Americans 54% of the time, compared to 23% of the time for Caucasians, even when the Caucasian applicants were less qualified.
  • These and other studies demonstrate that African-American homeowners are paying higher mortgage interest rates than their Caucasian counterparts.

       WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE NAACP

IF AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW TOOK OUT A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN OR REFINANCED A HOME, WHETHER WITH ONE OF THESE LENDERS OR ANOTHER LENDER, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF THESE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.  PLEASE CONTACT ANY ONE OF THE PERSONS LISTED BELOW. 

WE NEED YOU TO HELP STOP DISCRIMINATORY LENDING AND TO RECOVER THE MONEY THE NAACP ALLEDGES WAS CHARGED ILLEGALLY BY THESE LENDERS. PLEASE TELL YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

NAACP
Angela Ciccolo, Esq. Interim General Counsel
4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore MD 21215
(877) NAACP-98
(410) 580-5777

FEAZELL & TIGHE LLP
Austin Tighe, Esq.
6300 Bridgepoint Pkway
Bridgepoint 2, Suite 220
Austin, TX, 78730
(877) 948-4842 info@feazell-tighe.com

KABATECK BROWN KELLNER, LLP
Brian Kabateck, Esq.
644 South Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(866) 266-1800
bsk@kbklawyers.com