Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 10, 2012.   Index for Today’s Briefing CHINA Chen Case / Contact with Chinese Authorities NATO Assistant Secretary Gordon’s Testimony on the Hill SOUTH CHINA SEA Collaborative Diplomatic Efforts Needed / Oppose Use of Force Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty LAW OF THE SEA Renewed Ratification Efforts in Congress[Read More…]

 Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 10, 2012 – 2:07 P.M. EDT DR. BIDEN:  Good afternoon, everyone.  And thank you all for being here.  It’s great to have you at the White House.  I want to thank my great friend and partner, First Lady Michelle Obama, who has done so much for military families. [Read More…]

En Route Seattle, Washington–(ENEWSPF)–May 10, 2012 – 10:42 A.M. EDT MR. CARNEY:  Remember this? Q    For the record, Jay Carney is holding up a sign that says “Congress To-Do List.” MR. CARNEY:  That’s right.  It’s a handy pocket-sized graphic. Q    Is it because you need a reminder? MR. CARNEY:  No, it’s[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–10 May 2012.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council have strongly condemned deadly bomb attacks in Damascus today, and called for an end to the ongoing violence in the Middle Eastern country. “The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call on all sides fully to comply with their obligations[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 10, 2012.  Responding to the troubling findings of a new PBS documentary, “Crossing the Line at the Border,” 16 members of Congress called for justice in the tragic case of Anastacio Hernandez-Rojas and reiterated the need for tougher oversight of Border Patrol personnel to end the abuse of[Read More…]

WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 10 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Postal Service reported quarterly losses: “Understated in the Postal Service’s financial report of today is one simple fact: Ninety-four percent of the Postal Service’s losses this year are a direct result of an onerous payment,[Read More…]

Under Bloomberg, Close to 400,000 Mostly Young Black and Latinos Arrested on Low-Level Marijuana Charges, Despite Marijuana Being Decriminalized and Whites Using Marijuana at Higher Rates Illegal Searches and Manufactured Misdemeanor Arrests Make Marijuana Arrests #1 Offense in NYC and Make Up 15% of All Arrests; Cost to Taxpayers is[Read More…]

WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 10, 2012.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) needs to issue regulations to tackle the trade in minerals fuelling conflict and human rights abuses in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a group of non-profits, investors and companies said today. A provision directing the SEC to publish[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—May 10, 2012.  What follows is the testimony of Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Chairman Kerry, Ranking Member Lugar and Members of the Committee, Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss the NATO Summit, which the[Read More…]

Phoenix, Arizona—(ENEWSPF)—May 10, 2012.  Today, the Department of Justice did something it has done only once before in the 18-year history of our civil police reform work; we filed a contested lawsuit to stop discriminatory and unconstitutional law enforcement practices. In our police reform work, we have invariably been able[Read More…]