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Health care reform upheld

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In another ruling that surprised some observers, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the sweeping health care reform law passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in 2010. The decision was made on a 5-4 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority opinion (PDF). He was […]

USDA to hold meetings regarding FSA office closures

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Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to close hundreds of offices nationwide, including four in Oregon. Three are Farm Service Agency offices. FSA issued this press release today announcing meetings where officials will take public comment on the proposed closures: USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that Lynn Voigt, state […]

USDA to close 250 offices nationwide

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced yesterday that the USDA is closing some 250 offices across the country, including 131 Farm Service Agency offices. The closures will save $150 million per year and are part of the across-the-board federal budget cuts. “We must innovate, modernize and be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars,” Vilsack […]

High court will hear challenge to Arizona SB 1070

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The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will take up the issue of state-based immigration enforcement in 2012, setting up a major showdown over the future course of U.S. immigration policy. The justices will hear arguments, pro and con, over the constitutionality of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, but the case is likely to […]

Alabama legislators have second thoughts

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The New York Times reports that several Alabama legislators and officials are having second thoughts about the state’s controversial immigration law. Some are calling for tweaks, while others are asking for outright changes. The law remains popular among residents, so it’s not likely that it will be repealed entirely, in spite of the reported impacts. […]

Christmas tree marketing fee delayed

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Just one day after it was announced, USDA officials have decided to delay implementation of a 15-cents-per-tree marketing fee to pay for the promotion of natural grown Christmas trees. Growers in favor of the plan hope to launch a campaign to promote a preference for natural over artificial trees. Such an effort could be similar […]

Voters recall author of Arizona immigration law

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Voters in his Phoenix-area district have recalled Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa, Ariz.), the Arizona senate president who wrote and successfully passed Senate Bill 1070. The state law made unauthorized immigration a criminal offense at the state level, allowing police to stop people suspected of being an illegal immigrant, and demand proof of their legal status. […]

U.S. deportations reach record levels in fiscal 2011

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U.S. immigration officials announced Tuesday that during the year ending Sept. 30, they deported a record number of individuals — nearly 400,000 of them. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, enforcement efforts concentrated on sending criminal offenders back to their home countries. Some 55 percent of the deportees were criminals convicted of misdemeanors or felonies. […]