International Rescue Committee statement on Special Immigrant Visa announcement
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, said:
New York, NY, January 31, 2017 — "Following the announcement over the weekend regarding green card holders, today's commitment by the Department of Homeland Security that Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders will be allowed into the US, in recognition of their service, is both a welcome step forward and further evidence that Friday's Executive Order was drawn up in haste and needs further urgent review.
One quarter of the IRC's refugee caseload for fiscal year 2017 will be SIV cases and there is no justification for any question mark over their standing. However, there is equally no justification for excluding the 60,000 refugees from across the world who are trapped in limbo by this order, including thousands of other Iraqis who also served the US, but are awaiting resettlement outside the SIV program. Also excluded are refugees seeking to be reunited with families in the US, including unaccompanied children. These are the most vulnerable and most vetted of any category of people admitted to the United States.
We urge the administration to rethink this harmful policy."
Ends
MEDIA CONTACTS
IRC Global Communications +1 646 761 0307 communications@rescue.org
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Donate to the International Rescue Committee.
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Latest news:
The International Rescue Committee announces first-ever emergency appeal for refugees in the U.S.
ABOUT THE IRC
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. Learn more at www.rescue.org and follow the IRC on Twitter & Facebook.
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ASA Insurance provides competitive home insurance rates in the Salt Lake City area.
According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, claims over $30,000 resulted in more disagreements about the cost of damages.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, USA, February 7, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, claims over $30,000 resulted in more disagreements about the cost of damages. Claims under this amount showed only seven percent of those surveyed disagreed with the amount of damages. Once the damage went over this price, 18 percent disagreed with the appraiser's estimate. ASA Insurance, a Salt Lake City homeowners' insurance provider, says it's important to consider claims response when choosing a company.
The survey also showed that delays in handling the claim were more significant with higher losses. Only four percent complained of delays for losses under $30,000, but the number went up to twelve percent over that number. This issue can cause a great deal of stress for homeowners who are already dealing with other problems in the claim. While many homeowners look at cost when it comes to choosing an insurance provider, this survey shows the need to look further at the companies. Customer service and claims management becomes critical components when a home is damaged. Delays in processing may mean the homeowner is displaced longer. They may have to make several concessions if they are unable to live in their homes. It means they cannot hire companies to start on the repair work, or they may be left with any additional expenses if the cost of repairs is above the amount approved by the insurer.
To avoid choosing a company with a record of slow claims processing or issues with approved amounts, it's important to do the research when comparing options. Many homeowners get quotes on insurance and make their decision solely from this information. Creed Anderson of ASA Insurance recommends a more thorough investigative approach. "Take the time to find out more about the companies that provide homeowners' insurance," he says. Anderson recommends checking with the Better Business Bureau to find out if there have been any formal complaints made and how they were resolved. He also suggests talking to friends and family to find out if they have filed a claim for their home and how it went.
There are also numerous online sites like Yelp that provide reviews for insurance providers. While someone might not put stock in just one negative review, multiple reviews that show a history of issues with a company should be a warning. Companies with good reputations may still have an occasional problem, but it should be handled and not ignored. Multiple issues indicate a company that is either not organized when it comes to handling claims or they aren’t providing a high level of customer service.
When a person's home has been damaged, they are faced with many issues to deal with to get their property back the way it was. The last thing they need to worry about is whether their insurance company is going to provide the service they promised with the policy. Companies like ASA Insurance that have been in existence for many years understand the importance of taking care of clients when they need help the most.
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DENVER—In response to reports that House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz met with President Trump to discuss Bears Ears National Monument and the Antiquities Act but not oversight, the Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Advocacy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn:
“Just last week Representative Chaffetz withdrew a piece of anti-public lands legislation after a strong backlash, saying ‘I hear you.’ In asking President Trump to abolish the Bears Ears National Monument, it’s clear he didn’t get the message.
“These sustained attacks on our parks and public lands by Utah politicians are why outdoor companies like Patagonia are leaving the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. When will Representative Chaffetz realize that America’s public lands are an asset that drives a powerful outdoor economy, not a punching bag?”
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org.
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The Center for Western Priorities is a conservation policy and advocacy organization focused on land and energy issues across the American West.
Center for Western Priorities | 820 16th Street Ste 450, Denver, CO 80202 | 303.974.7761
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Game-Changing Development in VidAngel Case: ClearPlay Streaming Service Was Secretly Shut Down in September 2016
Disney Argued in a Los Angeles District Court that VidAngel should scrap its business model and use the ClearPlay model; the Court enjoined VidAngel’s service based on the existence of that model
New evidence reveals that before Disney made that argument, ClearPlay was disabled from streaming any new filtered content, meaning that there is no way for U.S. consumers to watch filtered content at home even though Congress expressly authorized it via The Family Movie Act
(Provo, UT—February 7, 2017) VidAngel, the market-leading entertainment platform empowering users to filter language, nudity, violence, and other content from movies and TV shows, has been engaged in a high profile legal battle with Disney, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, and Lucasfilm. These Hollywood studios are working to eviscerate the 2005 Family Movie Act and prevent VidAngel from lawfully empowering parents and families to filter content on modern devices.
Today, VidAngel is revealing a major new development in the case.
“New information reveals that there is no way anyone can filter and stream new Hollywood movies today and that the evidence to the contrary the studios gave the court was in fact incorrect,” said VidAngel CEO Neal Harmon.
On December 12, 2016, Los Angeles District Court Judge Andre Birotte, Jr. granted Disney’s request for a preliminary injunction against VidAngel, causing a temporary shut down of its filtering service. This ruling was predicated on Disney’s argument that VidAngel should abandon its technology and stream to customers through Google Play, a method used by a much smaller service called ClearPlay. VidAngel argued that ClearPlay’s method was not tenable because ClearPlay was in violation of Google and YouTube’s terms of use. Google and YouTube are required by their agreements with the studios to prevent filtering.
VidAngel has now demonstrated that ClearPlay’s ability to filter and stream new content was secretly shut down after September 3, 2016. Thus, even though the Family Movie Act clearly authorizes filtering for family viewing, no new movies or television shows can be filtered and streamed to families by anyone or by any means. And, adding insult to injury, the sale of specialized DVD and Blu-ray disc players that consumers could pay a monthly service charge to use to watch discs they purchased elsewhere, is currently discontinued, leaving consumers with no method whatever to filter content for private family viewing.
For details on VidAngel’s discovery, click here: https://blog.vidangel.com/2017/02/07/breaking-clearplay-streaming-has-secretly-been-shut-down-since-september
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About VidAngel
VidAngel is the market-leading entertainment platform empowering users to filter language, nudity, violence, and other content from movies and TV shows. VidAngel's success has been well documented, earning a #1 BestCompany.com user rating and making VidAngel one of the fastest growing entertainment companies in the U.S.
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GLSEN Statement on Confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education
NEW YORK (February 8, 2017) – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Betsy DeVos’ nomination for Secretary of Education, despite hundreds of thousands of calls, emails and letters from parents, students and advocates for inclusive public education asking Senators to vote no. GLSEN’s Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement in response.
“During her confirmation hearing, DeVos refused to commit to ensuring federal-level protections are maintained for all youth – particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, students with disabilities and students who have experienced sexual assault. While this remains a concern for GLSEN, we draw inspiration from the tremendous outcry, which demonstrates that support for inclusive public education remains strong.
“This is the first time in our nation’s history that the Vice President has had to vote for a Cabinet member to reach a Senate majority. This confirmation process has shown the heart and soul of our country is grounded in our support of public education, and we will not cease to demand equity for all students. We want our schools and our teachers to have the right resources to serve every child, and we expect every child to receive a meaningful education.
“Ms. DeVos worked remarkably hard to be seen as unthreatening to LGBTQ youth. The proof will be in her actions while she serves as Secretary of Education. Whatever her plans once in office, those prepping her for the hearings clearly understood that attacking LGBTQ youth is no longer a winning formula. That has been a transformation 26 years in the making and one of which we can all be tremendously proud. But we will remain vigilant in advocating whenever LGBTQ students are put at risk.
“While we are disappointed in those Senators who voted to confirm her nomination, we are incredibly thankful for the support from Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who along with Senate Democrats, voted against DeVos, citing real concerns about her readiness to lead the nation’s public schools and ensure full access to education for all students.
“We call on Secretary DeVos to honor her confirmation commitment to address ‘the needs of all parents and students’ and to be ‘a strong advocate for great public schools.’ DeVos can begin these efforts by continuing in the tradition of the departing Department of Education staff and meeting with LGBTQ youth from GLSEN Chapters and student clubs nationally.
“GLSEN is willing to work with DeVos and the Department of Education to organize this meeting, and to discuss how Department of Education funding can best be utilized to meet the needs of marginalized communities.”
About GLSEN
GLSEN champions safe and affirming schools for all students. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach tens of thousands of K-12 schools across the United States, largely through our network of chapters working in their local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact has won support for our work at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research and educator training programs, please visit glsen.org.
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