U.S. Newswire

New Help for People with Parkinson's and Other Movement Disorders;Presentation Feb. 9 at National Press Club in Washington

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- People with Parkinson's are finding new help to cope with the challenges of their disease thanks to a new program developed by Professor Janet Hamburg, Chair of the Dance Department at the University of Kansas. Professor Hamburg, a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA), today demonstrated a new groundbreaking exercise regimen used successfully on Parkinson's patients that improves quality of life and maintains a fuller range of movement. The exercises can res...

Former Rep. Stenholm Joins 'for Our Grandchildren' Team; Bipartisan Organization Leads Public Education Efforts On Soc. Sec. Reform

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- For Our Grandchildren, a national bipartisan and non-profit organization working to promote Social Security reform, today announced that former Rep. Charlie Stenholm (D-Texas) has joined the organization as a spokesperson and senior advisor. Stenholm, who served in Congress for twenty- six years, earned a reputation on Capitol Hill for building bipartisan alliances and for his leadership on complex economic policy issues including the need to reform Soc...

Poll Finds Majority Opposes Drilling in Arctic Wildlife Refuge;Bipartisan Survey Reveals Opposition to Backdoor Budget Maneuvers

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A bipartisan national survey has found that by a margin of 53 percent to 35 percent, Americans oppose proposals to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The bipartisan telephone poll of 1,003 registered voters was conducted Jan. 13-17, 2005, by Republican firm Bellwether Research and Democratic pollsters Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates for the Alaska Coalition, an alliance of national and local groups who favor protection for the Arctic...

Brookings, Princeton Announce Publication of First Joint Future of Children Journal; Volume Addresses Racial, Ethnic Gaps in Achievement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Brookings Institution and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University today announced the publication of the first volume of the Future of Children journal. The volume, School Readiness: Closing Racial and Ethnic Gaps, focuses on children's lives before they get to kindergarten in an effort to understand how to close the racial and ethnic gaps in school achievement.

Speaker Announces Republican Members for Homeland Security Committee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the full slate of Republican Members to serve on the House Committee on Homeland Security for the 109th Congress: Christopher Cox of California, chairman; Don Young of Alaska; Lamar Smith of Texas; Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania; Christopher Shays of Connecticut; Peter King of New York; John Linder of Georgia; Mark Souder of Indiana; Tom Davis of Virginia; Daniel Lungren of California; Jim Gibbons of Nevada; ...

Department of Energy Officials to Testify Before House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee On Energy and Air Quality

News Advisory: David K. Garman, assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and Guy Caruso, administrator of the Energy Information Administration, will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 regarding the upcoming energy bill, energy efficiency, conservation, and upgrading the nation's electricity infrastructure.

Administration's Proposed Budget Strengthens Refugee Protection, Comes Closer to Addressing President's Refugee Goals, Group Says

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Refugee Council USA -- the nation's leading coalition of refugee resettlement, human rights, and humanitarian organizations -- commends the White House for making refugee assistance a priority in the President's fiscal year 2006 (FY06) budget proposal, and urges further support for the world's most vulnerable populations. The proposed increase for the Department of State's Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account comes as humanitarian assistance and...

Pelosi: Congress Must Reopen Medicare Drug Bill to Hold Down Costs and Give Seniors the True Benefits They Deserve

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the White House's newest budget figures, which revealed that the Republican Medicare prescription drug law will cost $1.2 trillion over the next decade: "An ethical cloud has hung over the Republican Medicare law since it was passed in the dark of night more than a year ago. The Bush Administration misrepresented to the Congress and the American people the true cost of the bil...

Pcrm Develops World's First Cruelty-Free Insulin Assay

WASHNINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- If you're an organization dedicated to humane alternatives to the use of animals in research and you want to conduct research of your own that requires using animals as part of the testing, what do you do? In the case of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, you invent your own test. PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D., announced today that PCRM has developed the world's first cruelty-free insulin assay, a test used to measure insulin levels i...

Aaa-Fund Endorses Rep. Honda for Dnc Vice Chair; Citing Rep. Honda's Broad Appeal to Democrats of All Stripes and Colors

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- AAA-Fund Chair and Co- founder Yeni Wong and AAA-Fund Executive Director Irene Bueno today announced their group's endorsement of Rep. Mike Honda, D- Calif., in his bid to be vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, putting the former teacher, who is also fluent in Spanish, in a strong position to win the election later this week. The AAA-Fund endorsed Rep. Honda today during a national conference call with its board members. In endorsing Rep. ...

State Legislators Group Commends Bush Administration for Focusing On Energy Security

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) commends the Department of Energy for re- affirming its commitment to securing existing energy resources and developing viable energy supplies for the future in its new budget, released yesterday. Demonstrating fiscal restraint, the department cut back two percent of its discretionary spending from 2005. While many programs were trimmed back, the administration will increase funding for non-proliferation p...

Perchlorate Detected in Drinking Water in 26 States, Awwa Report Says; Most Detections at Levels Below 12 Micrograms Per Liter

DENVER, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Perchlorate has been detected in drinking water in 26 states and Puerto Rico, according to an occurrence study released today by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). The study shows that most of the detections were at levels below 12 micrograms per liter (ug/l) (SEE NOTE 1).

Couples Quiz: Test Your Financial Compatability; Texas Cpas Give Tips for Meeting in the Middle When It Comes to Finances

DALLAS, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- If Cupid's arrow hits its mark and you find yourself on the road to commitment this Valentine's Day, consider talking money before you say "I do." Sharing perspectives about money can help couples resolve the financial issues that doom many marriages. If you want to learn to meet in the middle when it comes to finances, take this financial compatibility quiz from the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. 1. How often do you and your significant other...

Bush Administration to Expand Department of Energy Former Worker Medical Screening Program

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today announced that the Bush administration will add nine additional medical screening centers as part of the department's Former Worker Medical Screening Program at no additional cost to the taxpayer. Under this expansion, the Former Worker Medical Screening Program will offer all former Energy Department employees, contractors and subcontractors free medical examinations to determine if possible exposure to ha...

Tsa's New 'Pledge to Travelers' Emphasizes Security, Customer Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today unveiled its "Pledge to Travelers," a statement of rights and expectations for all persons who go through the screening process at America's airports. The Pledge is TSA's latest demonstration of the agency's ongoing commitment to customer service in the fulfillment of its security mandate. "TSA's mission is to provide world class security with world class customer service," said Rear Admiral David M....

Reservation Economic Summit (Res) 2005 -- Indian Country's Largest,Longest Running Business Convention and Trade Fair

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "Reservation Economic Summit (RES) 2005" got underway yesterday with more than 2,000 representatives from Native American-owned businesses, the federal government and corporate America in attendance at Indian Country's largest and longest running business convention and trade fair. "RES 2005" is organized by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, a national non-profit organization that is celebrating 35 years of bringing business o...

Astro Welcomes New Director of Government Relations

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology is pleased to announce that Lisa Shuger Hublitz has been hired as its new Director of Government Relations. Shuger has more than 17 years of experience in public policy and advocacy roles with many different non-profit organizations. In addition, she served for five years in the City of New York's Washington, D.C. office. She has worked with such varied subject matter as healthcare, mental health...

Human Rights Case Against Poland Opens New Legal Front in Seeking Restitution for Victims of Holocaust

STRASBOURG, France, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) has filed a case against the government of Poland in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The case challenges Poland's failure to provide compensation to victims of the Holocaust whose properties were stolen by the Nazis and confiscated by the government in the years during and following WWII. The legal action represents the first of its kind in a decades- long effort to compel the government of P...

National League of Cities, National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials to Protest Budget Cuts to Major Economic Development Programs

News Advisory: Representatives from the National League of Cities (NLC) and National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) will hold a news conference on Friday, Feb. 11, in New York City to protest major proposed cuts to key Federal programs that allow cities and towns to boost economic development in their communities.

U.S. Census Bureau Black History Month Daily Feature for Feb. 10: Hallie Brown

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the daily Black History Month "Profile America" feature for Feb. 10 from the U.S. Census Bureau: HALLIE BROWN