Emken Supports Sequestration Transparency Act

Republican U.S. Senate candidate calls on Feinstein to join House approval to require details of impact of automatic cuts to defense and other spending

(ORANGE COUNTY, CA) - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Emken today released the following statement on the House passage of H.R. 5872, The Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012:

“Massive cuts to our national defense are due to kick in right after the November election, and Californians deserve to know how much damage these ill-advised cuts will do to California’s economy. We’re proud of the contributions Californians are making every day to our national defense, including our men and women in uniform, and the workers at California defense contractors who provide equipment and support to our troops in the field,” said Emken.

“Senators campaigning for re-election like to cite the vast influence they have over all things Washington. Dianne Feinstein can start by supporting HR 5872 to require the President to detail the impact these cuts will have on our economy as well as our national security.”

Statement of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton Thanking Senator Feinstein for Defending Due Process for American Citizens

Senator Feinstein is right to fight for the removal of onerous provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that would allow the government to imprison American citizens indefinitely and without trial if they are suspected of terrorism.

 

The National Defense Authorization Act, as it currently stands, would not only weaken our nation's ability to fight terrorism by taking interrogation and prosecutorial functions out of the hands of the F.B.I., federal prosecutors, and the federal courts and transferring that authority to the military; it would also overturn one of the basic tenets of American jurisprudence: that all citizens have the right to trial.

 

Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Leahy (D-VT), the chairs of the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees respectively, both oppose the National Defense Authorization Act as it currently stands, as do the Department of Justice and President Obama. An amendment to the act that would have removed the provisions allowing for indefinite detention of citizens without trial was defeated yesterday and as such, President Obama has promised to veto the bill.

 

California Democrats are proud to have Senator Feinstein leading this fight.

Statement of California Democratic Party Women's Caucus Chair Christine Pelosi on Women's Equality Day

Today on Women's Equality Day as America celebrates the 91st birthday of the 19th Amendment, California Democratic Women celebrate having our voices heard at the ballot box and our seats at the leadership table. We are proud that California led the way by passing women's voting rights laws 100 years ago -- nine years before the 19th Amendment. Over 8.8 million women in California are able to cast our votes today because legions of women -- and men -- fought, marched, even suffered for the right to vote. The suffragettes of yesteryear, the activists of today, and the rising stars of tomorrow are connected in our commitment to the principle that women and men are equal.

Today over 4 million California Democratic women voters are making history. We are choosing presidents, transforming society, and electing outstanding national leaders including the first woman Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and United States Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.

Inspired by the suffragette spirit, we will continue to promote the vote and fight to protect the vote. We encourage all citizens 18 and over to register and vote. We oppose ill-conceived attempts to drown out our voices with corporate cash or voter suppression that would stop women from participating in America's civic sacrament.

We believe that best way to honor the 19th Amendment is to lift the voices of all voters, ensure that every voter who can vote does vote, and that every ballot is counted as cast. We will never take our votes for granted.