bobbyw24
03-25-2009, 06:58 AM
Here's the latest in our fight to get judicial loan modification legislation passed. As of now the legislation is stalled in the Senate and will not be voted on until after Congress returns from its Easter break on April 20th. This delay in the vote is both good and bad for us. It is good in that we now have more time to have individual meetings with Senators with the goal of getting all the Democrats on the same page and persuading middle of the road Republicans to support the judicial modification legislation. Most of Congress will be home for a two week period in April (April 6th to April 20th) - which is a prime opportunity to holde in-district meetings with them to explain the foreclosure crisis and how judicial modification provides a real solution to the crisis. On the flip side, the delay in the vote is less than ideal because it also gives our opposition more time to persuade Republicans to bond together on this issue and refuse a vote.
Right now Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, is trying to kill the judicial modification legislation by telling all Senate Republicans to just vote no. He is urging no one to break ranks on this. However, we believe that there are several Republicans that can be persuaded otherwise (in particular because of their re-election cycle and/or the impact of the foreclosure crisis in their state. Those Republicans are as follows:
Mel Martinez (FL)
George Voinovich (OH)
Michael Enzy (WY)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Susan Collins (ME)
John Ensign (NV), and maybe
Arlen Specter (PA).
As for the Democrats, there are still negotiations going on behind closed doors. Our biggest concerns on the Democrat side are Senators:
Evan Bayh (IN) - he is leading the charge to limit judicial modifications to subprime loans.
John Tester (MT)
Kay Hagen (NC) - Bank of America is huge in her state.
If you live in one of these states (or even if you don't), I urge you to reach out to your Senators during their two week recess. I am now researching which Senators will be home from April 6th to April 20th and will circulate a list early next week. I am also hoping to obtain a list of all town hall meetings that Senators will be holding while at home in their districts.
Your Senators need to hear from you!!! Hearing from their constituents is a powerful means by which we can garner support for our issues. Judicial modification is at the forefront of the debate, but feel free to set-up meetings to discuss other concerns as well. As you know, there is a movement to reregulate the financial services industry and the insights you've gained by representing people in the trenches is invaluable. Again, Congress needs to hear from us!!
Right now Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, is trying to kill the judicial modification legislation by telling all Senate Republicans to just vote no. He is urging no one to break ranks on this. However, we believe that there are several Republicans that can be persuaded otherwise (in particular because of their re-election cycle and/or the impact of the foreclosure crisis in their state. Those Republicans are as follows:
Mel Martinez (FL)
George Voinovich (OH)
Michael Enzy (WY)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Susan Collins (ME)
John Ensign (NV), and maybe
Arlen Specter (PA).
As for the Democrats, there are still negotiations going on behind closed doors. Our biggest concerns on the Democrat side are Senators:
Evan Bayh (IN) - he is leading the charge to limit judicial modifications to subprime loans.
John Tester (MT)
Kay Hagen (NC) - Bank of America is huge in her state.
If you live in one of these states (or even if you don't), I urge you to reach out to your Senators during their two week recess. I am now researching which Senators will be home from April 6th to April 20th and will circulate a list early next week. I am also hoping to obtain a list of all town hall meetings that Senators will be holding while at home in their districts.
Your Senators need to hear from you!!! Hearing from their constituents is a powerful means by which we can garner support for our issues. Judicial modification is at the forefront of the debate, but feel free to set-up meetings to discuss other concerns as well. As you know, there is a movement to reregulate the financial services industry and the insights you've gained by representing people in the trenches is invaluable. Again, Congress needs to hear from us!!