Moore votes for, Moran against terror bill
Terror bill(AP) Bickering escalates as Congress prepares to go home for midterm campaigns: The House approved legislation Wednesday giving the Bush administration authority to interrogate and prosecute terrorism detainees. The action moves President Bush to the edge of a victory with a key piece of his anti-terror plan. … Rep. Dennis Moore of Kansas was one of 34 House Democrats to back the bill. “This legislation provides a framework through which our military can bring enemy combatants to justice,” Moore said in a prepared statement. “It represents a comprehensive approach that takes into account the concerns of the Supreme Court, intelligence officers and military lawyers.” Moore’s colleague, GOP Rep. Jerry Moran of Kansas, was one of seven Republicans to vote against the bill.Sam Brownback(Christian News Wire) Rev. Schenck Delivers Invocation at Hispanic Gala: National Clergy Council president the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) delivered the opening prayer at the 2nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Dinner last night, September 27, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill. (Prayer is included below.) The event is produced by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute and was sponsored by Freddie Mac, BellSouth, Ford Motor Company, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and other major corporations. … Senator Sam Brownback, who is exploring a presidential bid in ’08, was publicly commended by Diaz-Balart for his courageous leadership on finding a way for undocumented aliens to obtain legitimacy. Brownback noted in his remarks that he has taken considerable criticism from fellow conservatives for his overall voting record on immigration.(New York Times) Terror Laws Cut Resettlement of Refugees: The number of refugees admitted to the United States fell 23 percent this year because of provisions in two antiterrorism laws that have sharply reduced the number of resettled refugees, State Department officials said Wednesday. The laws, the USA Patriot Act and the Real ID Act, deny entry to anyone who belongs to or has provided material support to armed rebel groups, even if that support was coerced and even if the armed groups fought alongside American troops or opposed authoritarian governments criticized by the Bush administration. … The antiterrorism provisions have also affected 500 asylum seekers in the United States, whose cases have been delayed and has prevented 700 people, who have already been deemed refugees or granted asylum, from becoming permanent residents here for the time being. Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas, urged the administration to redouble its efforts on behalf of the Burmese refugees and others who desperately need to resettle. “I know we have a lot security concerns to watch for,” Mr. Brownback said at the hearing. “But there are huge populations that are absolutely persecuted and have no other option.” (Kazinform) Kazakh-American coop has great prospects, S. Brownback: Kazakh-American cooperation and its dynamic development have great significance, the Senator Sam Brownback said at a briefing after the meeting with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev.It is necessary to pay special attention to interaction in the spheres of economy, human rights protection and security, Mr. Brownback noted. Pat Roberts(New York Times) Iraq Report Is Due in ’07; Skeptics Want to See It Now: n the fall of 2002, weeks before the midterm elections, American intelligence agencies were racing to complete an assessment of Iraq as the Senate prepared to vote on a resolution sought by the White House to prepare the groundwork for war. Four years later, in the shadow of another midterm campaign, the agencies are again drafting a formal assessment on Iraq. But this time, the document is one that the White House might prefer to see finished later rather than sooner. In mid-August, John D. Negroponte, the director of national intelligence, gave the go-ahead for a National Intelligence Estimate that will address security in Iraq and the potential for civil war there. White House and intelligence officials say the work is still in its early stages and will not be done until next year. … The intelligence estimate is being done at the behest of members of Congress, including Senator Pat Roberts, Republican of Kansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. It will be the American intelligence community’s first comprehensive assessment on the state of the Iraqi insurgency and the sectarian violence in the country since the summer of 2004.Dennis Moore(Insurance Journal) House Passes Surplus Lines Regulatory Reform Legislation: H.R. 5637 would give the ceding insurer’s state of domicile sole authority to govern reinsurance contracts and determine whether or not a particular reinsurance contract qualifies for credit for reinsurance. It would also prohibit states from applying their laws in an extra-territorial manner and provide uniform regulation of reinsurer solvency based upon National Association of Insurance Commissioner accreditation standards. The legislation was introduced by Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.) and Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) on June 19. On July 26, the bill was convened for a full committee markup at which H.R. 5637 was approved. How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation here.