Politics

            Senator Nelson introduced S. 3125, the Superfund Polluter Pays Act on March 16. The legislation seeks to renew the “polluter pays” principle of Superfund by reinstating excise taxes on crude oil and petroleum products, certain hazardous chemicals, and imported substances that are manufactured with hazardous chemicals. 

            The original Superfund law was signed by President Carter in 1980, and began as a program under President Reagan in 1981.  But a key funding mechanism, which required producers of toxic materials to pay into an account for cleanup of those materials, expired in the mid-1990s.  Since then, the taxpayer has been left to pay over a billion a year for cleanups—an amount insufficient to force responsible parties to clean up or take over sites that are abandoned by bankruptcy.

            In Florida, there are 52 Superfund sites and about 13 other locations that are polluted enough for Superfund status.  The bill adjusts the excise tax rates for inflation—for the first time since the 1980s--and establishes an annual inflation adjustment going forward. President Obama proposed reinstating the Superfund in his budget request last year. The bill has been referred to the Finance Committee, which Nelson serves on.

A strong education system is vital to everyone's future. Get involved and send your legislators a message today demanding that they put kids and our schools at the top of their agenda. Don't let them vote on legislation that attacks teachers, retreats on class size, and cuts school funding.

It's simple.
Create and send a message to your state legislators.
Don't forget to sign on-line petition too!

Thank you for helping Make Our Schools a Priority!

It literally takes only a minute or two, and could make all the difference.

Now, more than ever, our lawmakers need to hear from FEA - and all Floridians - that threatening teachers is NOT the way to ensure our children receive the world-class education they deserve.

Regards,

Andy Ford
President, Florida Education Association

The Obama-Biden Plan

Rural communities face numerous challenges but also economic opportunities unlike anything we have witnessed in modern history. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that together we can ensure a bright future for rural America. They will help family famers and rural small businesses find profitability in the marketplace and success in the global economy.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The debate over Medicare Advantage misses a key point. It's not so much the extras, such as gym memberships, vision and dental care, that drew more than 10 million seniors to the plans. It's the affordable deductibles, co-pays and other such out-of-pocket expenses.  Click Here to Read More...