Hillary Clinton Unveils Environmental, Immigration Plan Details

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton delivered two major speeches during which she outlined her plans for environmental action and her proposal to create a Department of Immigrant Affairs to help immigrants become American citizens. This morning, Clinton was endorsed by the New York State Immigrant Action Fund, and Clinton attended a round table event during which she discussed her plans for immigration reform. She criticized Republican Donald Trump for his anti-immigration rhetoric and vowed to help immigrants become American citizens. During her remarks, she proposed the introduction of a Department of Immigrant Affairs that would work at all levels of government to assist immigrants and refugees as they settle in the United States.

In the afternoon, Clinton spoke at the National Action Network Convention where she was introduced by Rev. Al Sharpton. Clinton introduced her plan for environmental and climate justice which is a small part of her larger Breaking Every Barrier agenda. The plan not only includes fighting climate change, but eliminating lead as a public health threat. The main points of the plan include:

• Eliminating lead as a major public heath threat within five years
• Protesting public heath and safety by modernizing drinking and wastewater systems
• Prosecuting criminal and civil violations that expose communities to environmental harm and work with Congress to strengthen public health protections in our existing laws
• Creating new economic opportunity through brownfield clean-up and redevelopment
• Reducing urban air pollution by investing in clean power and transportation
• Broadening the clean energy economy, build career opportunities, and combat energy poverty by expanding solar and energy efficiency in low-income communities and communities of color
• Protecting communities from the impacts of climate change by investing in resilient infrastructure
• Establishing an Environmental and Climate Justice Task Force to make environmental and climate justice, including cumulative impacts, an integral part of federal decision-making

A video of speech is below and a transcript can be read HERE. Full details of Clinton’s Environmental and Climate Justice plan can be read on The Briefing.

Clinton then spoke at an organizing event in the Bronx. During the event, she spoke about a variety of topics including working for New York as senator, improving education, building upon the progress made in heath care, and ensuring that all Americans have an opportunity to prosper. She took the time to point out the differences between her and her Republican rivals, especially front-runner Donald Trump. She said, “He wants to build walls; I want to build bridges.” Clinton went on to ask for everyone’s support during next week’s primary. A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Norwood News, MSNBC, International Business Times, Think Progress, The Briefing

Chelsea Clinton Campaigns for Hillary in New Hampshire

On Tuesday, Chelsea Clinton hit the campaign trail on behalf of her mother, Hillary Clinton, and Hillary for America. In New Hampshire, she hosted events in Concord, Manchester, and Portsmouth. Each of the events were smaller in size and were conversational. She focused on Hillary’s plans to provide early childhood education, lower the cost of higher education, and improve upon the Affordable Care Act. Chelsea took the opportunity to criticize her mother’s chief rival, Bernie Sanders, for his plans to dismantle the current heath care system. She said, “I never thought that I would be arguing about the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare in the Democratic primary. Senator Sanders wants to dismantle Obamacare, dismantle the CHIP program, dismantle Medicare and private insurance.” A video from Chelsea’s events will be posted when/if available.

Today, Bill Clinton also attended a fundraiser hosted by Oni Chukwu in Black Rock, Connecticut. He was also scheduled to appear at a fundraiser reception hosted by John and Lisa Levy Goldberg in New York City. All three Clintons have been on the campaign trail, and have focuses on the early primary states, particularly New Hampshire and Iowa. Both states have primaries in early February.

The next event for Chelsea is a fundraiser in Atlanta on Thursday. For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: WHDH, ABC News

Clinton Unveils Plans for VA

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets audience members following a veterans roundtable discussion with the Truman National Security Project at the VFW Hall in Derry, New Hampshire November 10, 2015. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

On Tuesday, Hillary Rodham Clinton attended a round table event with the Truman National Security Project in Derry, New Hampshire. During the event, Clinton outlined her plans to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a department that has been heavily scrutinized for its outdated practices and massive backlog. Clinton said, “These problems are serious, systemic and unacceptable. They need to be fixed and they need to be fixed now.” She made it clear that the VA and its processes would not be privatized, but modernized in a way that honors the commitment of the veterans it serves. Clinton then spoke to veterans in attendance and answered to their questions while listening to their concerns. A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

Clinton’s plan is complex and contains multiple facets. The Clinton campaign released a full outline of the plan, and key points are below. CLICK HERE to read the full plan.

• Ensure that Veterans have access to timely and quality health care
• Create a new framework for heath care delivery by the VHA
  • Refocus as a veteran-centric provider of service-connected care
  • Synchronize and coordinate VHA benefits with other programs
  • Strategically purchase private-sector care
  • Establish a VHA Strategic Oversight and Governance Board
• Ensure better communication between the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA
  • Streamline the DoD-VA health care footprint
  • Synchronize procurement to find cost savings
  • Streamline VA and DoD IT Systems
• Improve healthcare for women at the VHA
  • New funding to ensure women equal and respectful access to health services
  • Requiring the provision of reproductive services
  • Broadening initiatives to provide childcare at VA medical facilities
• End the veteran suicide epidemic
  • Increase funding for metal health providers and training
  • Expand programs targeted at providing effective mental heath treatment
  • Promoter better prescriber and treatment practices
  • Ensure that Military Sexual Trauma is acknowledged as a valid form of PTS
  • Encourage state VA departments to include mental health programs
  • Provide proper legal assistance to review and upgrade other than honorable discharge categorizations for those separated from service due to service-connected mental health and cognitive issues, such as TBI, PTS, and addiction
• Continue to identify and treat invisible, latent, and toxic wounds of war
  • Maintain presumptions of service for latent and invisible connected wounds from the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq war, and Afghanistan war
  • Expand the current VA burn pit registry
  • Dedication research funding and provide mechanisms for collaborative efforts to improve veteran treatments
• End disability benefits and appeals backlog
  • Streamline and simplify the claims process
  • Improve the VA’s partnership with the DoD
  • Launch an Innovation Initiative to develop innovative solutions for sustainably managing the claims and appeals process
• Bring sustained and focused White House leadership to attention
  • Create a standing President’s Council on Veterans
  • Conduct an end-to-end evaluation to optimize the full scope of benefits afforded to our veterans
  • Convene a White House Summit on Veterans
  • Continue to engage private and philanthropic sectors
• Support and broaden initiatives that provide educational benefits, job training, and support for veteran entrepreneurs.
  • Make the post-9/11 GI Bill part of the nation’s social contract with those who serve
  • Expand tax credit for veterans’ employment
  • Improve concurrent certification and credentialing programs
  • Strengthen veteran entrepreneurship programs
  • Create pathways and platforms for service member to enter growing career fields
• Protect veterans
  • Fight back against schools that prey on veterans and the GI Bill
  • Enforce zero tolerance for firms that overcharge service members and veterans
  • Strengthen non-discrimination laws
• Move decisively to end veteran homelessness
  • Increase funding for reducing homelessness while expanding public-private partnerships
  • Expand complementary programs and services
  • Address the needs of homeless women veterans and homeless veteran families
• Support Veterans Treatment Courts nationally
• Recognize the honorable service of LGBT veterans
• Create a culture of accountability, service, and excellence
  • Hold every employee accountable for their performance and conduct
  • Revamp the performance evaluation system
  • Bolster critical whistleblower protections
• Provide budgetary certainty
• Ensure our veterans are buried with the honor, distinction, and integrity they deserve
• Support smart compensation and benefits reform
  • Ensure reforms to military compensation and retirement benefits improve readiness for quality of life
  • Modernize the military health system
• Adopting modern and inclusive personnel policies
  • Attracting millennials to military service
  • Zero-tolerance for Military Sexual Assault and Harassment
  • Welcoming women to compete for all military positions
  • Supporting the DoD policy review on transgender service
• Promote family policies
  • Increase access to child care
  • Create flexibility around military moves
  • Expand military spouse employment initiatives
• Champion efforts to care for our military members and families
  • Ensure continued focus on mental health for military members and their families
  • Remain committed to extended leave policies
  • Continue to support Gold Star Families

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Wall Street Journal, The Briefing

Clinton Attends Events in Massachusetts

Hillary Rodham Clinton attended a number of events across Massachusetts today. She began by attending a private fundraiser at the home of Linda Mason and Roger Brown in Belmont. Following the event, Clinton went to Boston where she hosted a substance abuse community forum. She has held a number of round table discussions in the Northeast to discuss drug abuse and has used the information to form her drug policy platform. She has stressed that substance abuse should be treated as a disease. Clinton said, “If you have heart disease, cancer, diabetes, you can find a place and you should be able to find a place, and I want substance abuse put on the same level. It saves people’s lives. There’s nothing more important. Save somebody’s life. Give somebody a second chance.”

This evening, Clinton attended a private fundraiser hosted by Boston for Hillary. The press was not in attendance for the private events, but if/when a video from the round table discussion is available, it will be posted.

Tomorrow, Clinton will take part in several events in Florida before attending the Human Rights Campaign’s National Dinner and appearing on Saturday Night Live on Saturday. For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: WWLP, WTOL, The Boston Herald

Clinton Holds Round Table in Puerto Rico

On Friday, Hillary Rodham Clinton held a round table event at the Centro Cardiovascular de Puerto Rico y del Caribe in San Juan, Puerto Rico where she discussed health care and Puerto Rico’s economic challenges. Puerto Rico’s government is struggling to make payments on its $72 billion debt. Clinton’s event was held less than ten miles away from an event being held by Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio. Clinton and Rubio disagree on Puerto Rico’s option of filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy. Clinton supports the plan while Rubio opposes it.

Clinton listened to the concerns of those attending the round table event. Health care was the central topic, specifically the Affordable Care Act and Puerto Rican doctors leaving for the mainland. The primary theme of Clinton’s discussion was including Puerto Rico in American policy. She said, “One of the challenges we face, which we will discuss today, is the unfortunate legacy of inconsistent, incoherent and inequitable treatment for health care here in Puerto Rico. As president I will do everything I can to put Puerto Rico on a path towards equal treatment.” A video from the round table event is below.

Next week, Clinton hits the road again and will make stops in Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is also scheduled to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 10.

UPDATE (9/22): Added full video from the event.

News Source: The New York Times, The Guardian

Girls: A No Ceilings Conversation

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, and America Ferrera hosted an event in New York City for the Clinton Foundation entitled “Girls: A No Ceilings Conversation.” Clinton has championed the advancement of women and girls across the globe, and this event covered a number of topics including immigration reform, education, and women’s rights. Toward the end of the event, Chelsea surprised the audience when she announced that she is pregnant with her and her husband’s (Marc Mezvinsky) first child.

We are unable to embed the LiveStream video, but you may watch the full event by CLICKING HERE.