Maria's Monday Memo

Maria's Monday Memo

Senator Maria Cantwell's Weekly Update for Washington State

Fighting for Tougher Sex Offender Laws

Parents and law enforcement officials must have the tools they need to protect our children from sex offenders. With over 18,000 registered sex offenders residing in Washington state, we must keep track of where these criminals are so that the well being of Washington 's children is not put at risk. For this reason I'm fighting for stricter registration standards and the creation of a nationwide sex offender database. The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act would link state tracking systems and create a national database to prevent these criminals from escaping existing tracking systems through a move to another state. Currently, t here's great disparity among states, which sex offenders can exploit with tragic consequences. We need to put a stop to this. We also must help bring more information to the local level, which this bill does through the creation of searchable internet databases, giving citizens access to the information they need to keep our children safe. By putting in place stronger, nationwide registration standards, by expanding the scope and duration of sex offender registration requirements, and by mandating that sex offenders update their information frequently and in person, we can reduce the risk of repeat crimes against children. In addition to implementing sensible and much needed registration and tracking guidelines, this bill would make failing to register or updating registry information a federal felony, giving real teeth to the law. It would also subject sex offenders to tougher sentences for their heinous crimes and the irreversible damage they inflict on victims . I can think of no worse crime than one against a child, and there's a real need for better, nationwide protections. If this bill becomes law, it will be easier for law enforcement officers to safeguard the communities they serve, and easier for parents to keep their children safe.

Helping Struggling Families with Home Heating Costs

Each winter, high energy costs leave hundreds of hard working families out in the cold. Seniors and the working poor are often literally faced with the question: Do I buy groceries, or stay warm? As energy costs continue to rise, I'm working to make sure people can do both. To help bring much needed assistance to struggling families, I'm introducing legislation to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). An amendment I'm introducing later this week would add $3.1 Billion to the LIHEAP program, and would ensure that at least 36,000 more Washington households received the assistance they need to heat their homes in the face of skyrocketing energy costs. For more than two decades, LIHEAP has helped low income households meet home heating needs. However, the program has suffered from chronic under funding. Right now, pending appropriations drastically shortchange LIHEAP for next year, funding the program at a level far below the $5.1 billion target approved by Congress. Without additional funding, a vast majority of the eligible families in Washington state could literally be left out in the cold. Last year, over 75 percent of the families in Washington state that qualified for home heating assistance didn't receive help as a result of under funding. Now, with high energy prices placing an ever-increasing burden on consumers, it's more important than ever for the federal government to keep its commitment to helping families stay warm.

Leading the National Campaign for Energy Independence 2020

We in Pacific Northwest have the resources and technological expertise needed to lead our nation's way toward increased energy independence by the year 2020, and I'm thrilled that Democratic Leader Harry Reid has asked me to lead the Senate Democrats' national campaign. By working together, we can break America 's addiction to foreign oil and protect working families from skyrocketing energy prices and unfair market manipulation by energy companies. We are all feeling the pain of high energy prices. It's crippling our economy, and we need alternatives. The only way to truly protect consumers from skyrocketing gas prices and home heating bills is to diversify our energy sources and implement fair and sensible consumer protection laws. I'm committed to continuing the fight to stop gasoline price gouging, and will keep working to promote meaningful investments in biofuels infrastructure, renewables, and new energy technologies. We must also work to improve the fuel efficiency of the American economy, and to make math and science education a national priority so that the United States takes the lead in the next generation of energy innovations. Together, I believe these steps will help put America firmly on the path toward energy independence.

http://cantwell.senate.gov/updates/weekly_update.html