By Steph Machado

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – Hundreds of people joined Rhode Island’s Democratic congressional delegation and other top leaders Sunday to rally in support of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have promised to repeal.

“They had seven years to build an alternative,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said to a crowd of hundreds at the Johnston Senior Center. “And what’ve they got? Nothing.”

Trump and Republican leaders have said they plan to replace the health law with something else, though the alternative proposal has not been publicly disclosed.

“It’s like asking someone to jump out of an airplane with no parachute, and say ‘trust me, we’ll build a parachute for you while you’re falling,’” Whitehouse said.

The Affordable Care Act has been credited with bringing the country’s uninsured rate down to its lowest rate in history. It also prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against customers for pre-existing conditions, allows young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, and expanded Medicaid to more Americans under a certain income level. States had a choice to opt in or out of the Medicaid expansion. But Republicans say the law is too expensive and has not done enough to bring down costs.

“This is a program that is helping millions of people across the country,” Sen. Jack Reed said in an interview with Eyewitness News. “You can’t take it away, particularly without any replacement. That’ll just cause a new hardship and undue economic uncertainty.”

In Rhode Island, about 100,000 people have health insurance as a direct result of Obamacare: 30,000 are insured through HealthSource RI, the state marketplace set up under the law, and 70,000 are insured through the Medicaid expansion.

“If we make enough noise, we can try to prevent this,” Gov. Gina Raimondo told the crowd. “We will prevent this, and we’ll save lives.”

So many people attended the event that the building reached capacity and police had to keep dozens more attendees outside. Similar rallies took place across the country, including one headlined by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Gina Rombley, a small business owner, told the crowd about her personal experience with Obamacare. She said before the health law was enacted, she tried to get insurance on the private market. When her insurance company didn’t pay her medical providers, she found out they were under investigation for doing the same to other customers. She ended up being on the hook for the bills, and now has insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

“When it came time to enroll, we were probably the first people on that computer,” Rombley said. “I depend on it.”

Both the U.S. House and Senate passed resolutions last week that set the stage for the repeal of Obamacare.

“It was the most reckless, irresponsible decision I’ve seen since I got to Congress,” Congressman David Cicilline said. He said many of his colleagues in Congress tell him they plan to keep the more favorable aspects of Obamacare, but still won’t disclose the details of their replacement law.

“Where’s your plan?” he said. “Let us look at it and understand.”

Cicilline’s House colleague from Rhode Island, Congressman Jim Langevin, said there’s no reason to repeal the law.

“Fix the problems that may exist with it, but don’t repeal it,” Langevin said. “It’s doing too much good.”

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, however, has said Obamacare is “collapsing,” citing high premiums and costs.

“We have plenty of ideas on how to replace it,” Ryan recently told reporters on Capitol Hill, declining to go into detail. “You’ll see as the weeks and months unfold.”

President-elect Trump has said he wants the replacement plan to pass as soon as possible after the repeal of Obamacare. He has signaled support for keeping some aspects of the law, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ plans and the prohibition on discriminating against customers with pre-existing conditions.

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) voted in strong opposition to S.Con.Res. 3, the GOP budget proposal that begins the process of dismantling the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the law otherwise known as Obamacare.

The resolution, which passed by a vote of 227 to 198, sets up an expedited process for consideration of a full repeal bill that Republicans plan to introduce later.

“Voting for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was one of my proudest moments in Congress. Before its passage, I heard from countless constituents who were unable to afford health insurance coverage. I met families bankrupted by medical bills in the wake of devastating accidents. I spoke with young people working entry-level jobs while saddled with student loan debt and mounting bills.

“Six years later, 20 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage through this historic and groundbreaking law, bringing the rate of uninsured individuals down to 8.6 percent, the lowest on record.

“Health care costs – though still on the rise – have increased at a slower rate, as the system shifts towards preventative medicine. Doctors are being rewarded for keeping patients healthy, and patients are being encouraged to receive regular medical attention.

“It is not a perfect law, but it has been a lifesaving reform for millions of families, and to throw it out wholesale without any regard for the tens of millions of Americans who stand to lose coverage is not only reckless, it’s unconscionable.

“Throughout President Obama’s Administration, House Republicans voted more than 60 times to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act but refused to come to the table to strengthen and improve the law. And despite having had six years to develop an alternative, we voted today without any replacement plans in hand.

“Repealing the Affordable Care Act could have enormous consequences, especially for the people in this country who can least afford health coverage.

“Seniors could lose essential Medicare benefits, people with disabilities and low-income children could lose access to critical coverage, middle-class families could see premiums begin to skyrocket, Rhode Island could lose thousands of jobs, and insurance companies would resume control of Americans’ health care.

“To dismantle the Affordable Care Act is to ignore the needs of our constituents. And to my constituents in Rhode Island who have shared their stories of how health care reform has changed their lives, I say this: we will continue to fight.
“We will fight for the economic security of American families, and we will fight for the health and well-being of the American people.”

By Joe Gould WASHINGTON — Democrats, and some Republicans, are counting on Gen. James Mattis, Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, to be a check on the impulsive, inexperienced president-elect.

But the president-elect just checked Mattis.

Trump’s transition team benched the former Marine Corps four-star just as he was to appear before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday. And in a single stroke, the transition offended HASC Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, complicated Mattis’ confirmation and undercut the central argument in Mattis’ favor with Democrats — that he can stand up to Trump.

Because Mattis retired in 2013, he needs Congress to pass legislation to waive a seven-year cooling-off period for uniformed leaders before he can take the Pentagon’s top civilian job. Until Tuesday night, Mattis was committed — and “eager,” Thornberry said — to testify before the HASC after his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday, as a show of deference to the principle of civilian control of the military. The waiver applies to a 70-year-old law, and it would be the second ever after 1950.

“Where Gen. Mattis was willing to come and testify on this topic before the House Armed Services Committee and the Trump White House said ‘no,’ clearly that concerns me, that they’re not listening to their own secretary of defense,” said HASC Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I. “On something like this, they could have and should have deferred to his wishes.”

House Democrats also accused their Republican counterparts of ceding the legislature’s power to the incoming president. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., told Defense News that Republicans privately expressed misgivings but were unable to rally for a tough stand.

“Early on, I think, there was some muscle, but I think it just atrophied,” she said, adding: “For eight years there’s been a drumbeat from Republicans about the president rolling over Congress. That’s the very first act, even before [Trump] is president, and they’re whimpering.”

The waiver faces a House floor vote Friday, where it is expected to pass in spite of surging Democratic opposition. The waiver passed the Senate 81-17 on Thursday in a largely bipartisan vote.

HASC Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, voted for the waiver, but said Wednesday of the transition team’s action: “It certainly sets a very bad precedent for a position that requires working very closely with Congress.”

“I’m very disappointed, I believe it’s a mistake. The legislative branch is being asked to deliberate and take an action without [Mattis’] input,” Turner said.

Through the Senate waiver vote, Mattis was the only Cabinet nominee Democrats could have unilaterally blocked. But many Democrats were willing to approve the waiver because of their high regard for Mattis, a former chief of US Central Command with 44 years of military service and a tough but thoughtful reputation.

Yet a day after Thornberry announced Mattis would appear at the HASC, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., broke the news to reporters Wednesday that Trump’s transition team had shut it down. This after Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, endured the first day of a lengthy, bruising confirmation hearing.

Trump transition spokeswoman Alleigh Marre, in a statement, said Mattis was instead focusing Thursday on his Senate testimony.

At the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis breezed through his three-hour confirmation hearing, in which lawmakers from both parties made clear they expect him to stand up to Trump and his White House national security team.

Mattis obliged with a warmer take than his presumptive boss on the Iran nuclear deal and NATO, and a cooler take on Russia. He also said he would forcefully advocate for his views.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member on the SASC, told Mattis that “many have supported the waiver legislation in your confirmation because they believe you will be, to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, ‘the saucer that cools the coffee.’ ”

Mattis at turns did side with Trump. In reference to Trump’s Twitter criticisms of the F-35 Lightning II program, which has suffered from major cost-overruns and delays, he said: “The president-elect has talked about the cost of it, but he has in no way shown a lack of support for the program; he just wants the best bang for the buck.”

Still, there is reportedly strife within Trump’s national security team over who will get top jobs in the Defense Department — and who gets to make those decisions. Mattis was rejecting large numbers of candidates offered by the transition team for several top posts, according to The Washington Post.

On Mattis’s nonappearance, HASC member Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., said the retired general “won’t tolerate for long” being boxed in, adding: “This was a very bad move by the incoming administration, bad for us and bad for them because I don’t think Mattis will put up with being jerked around. Period.”

At Thursday afternoon’s HASC hearing, the no-show fueled a partisan row, but the waiver passed in a symbolic 34-28 vote along party lines. Democrats fumed the transition team had made the committee irrelevant, and while they were confident in Mattis, they said they could not change a 70-year-old law without the chance to question him.

HASC ranking member, Rep. Adam Smith, argued the committee should have held out and refused to vote on the waiver until Trump’s team let Mattis appear.

“In this critically, critically important matter, who is going to be the secretary of defense, and civilian control of the military, the incoming president’s team has decided the House Armed Services Committee is irrelevant,” said Smith, D-Wash. “We are abdicating our authority on this committee, and I think that is an enormous mistake.”

An annoyed Thornberry had explained the transition team informed him Tuesday night Mattis would not appear, adding: “I think that was a mistake.”

“Let me be clear: Gen. Mattis was willing and eager to do so. I talked to him personally. He gladly agreed to answer our questions about the waiver or other topics we might have,” Thornberry said.

“I have complete confidence that Gen. Mattis would have answered our questions in a way that adds confidence to the wisdom of his selection,” Thornberry said. “It would have added strength to his position and gotten the partnership between him and our committee off to a good start. He recognized those advantages immediately. Unfortunately, short-sightedness prevailed.”

Still, Thornberry argued that Democratic claims of a Constitutional crisis were a stretch, noting that Gen. George Marshall did not appear before Congress, when Congress granted him a waiver in 1950.

“Men and women are risking their lives all over the world, they need a secretary of defense,” he said.

By SHAUN KIRBY

WARWICK—After a stop at their Groton, Conn. facility earlier that morning, officials from Electric Boat met with state legislative leaders in Warwick Monday to announce its plans to increase job positions in Quonset. Gov. Gina Raimondo was on hand, along with Senators Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, and a handful of state leaders. 

“When I took office a couple years ago, I pledged my administration would move decisively to give Rhode Islanders the training they needed to fill jobs at Electric Boat,” said Raimondo in her opening comments at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick.

According to Jeffrey Geiger, President of General Dynamics Electric Boat, the submarine contractor hopes to hire approximately 2,000 new jobs in 2017, 650 of which are expected to be in Quonset. With 11 out of 15 submarines contracted to be built for the U.S. Navy under construction, Geiger expects more jobs to be created by the 2020s.
Geiger added that approximately 80 percent of the U.S. Navy’s submarine work is done by Electric Boat, with another 20 percent at the Newport News Shipbuilding facility in Virginia. He said that EB typically builds two Virginia-class, nuclear-powered submarines a year. With the new Columbia-class submarine in design phases and expected to begin construction in 2018, the Navy is expected to tap even more into EB’s resources and manpower.

“I believe there is a much higher probability for the future to increase beyond what we are currently projecting because of the need and roles these subs play,” said the EB president. “This signals only good things for the communities we operate in.”

Raimondo announced the approval of $3.6 million to hire and train nearly 500 workers at Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility through the Real Jobs RI program. The initiative, which began in April 2015, currently holds approximately $15 million in federal and state monies to help fund 26 workforce training partnerships across the state, one of which is with Electric Boat.

“These programs are going to make sure Rhode Islanders get these jobs,” said the governor. “I couldn’t be more proud to be the governor of a state that makes the most sophisticated ships in the world.”

Electric Boat also received over $360,000 in grant funds last year for job training initiatives through the Real Jobs RI program. Geiger said on Monday that the Quonset Point facility, which currently has approximately 3,500 workers, expects to employ nearly 5,500 by the 2020s. The submarine contractor and the state are subsequently placing a heavy emphasis on partnerships with local career and technical programs, including those in the Chariho and Coventry school districts.

“We have a lot of programs in process today,” said Geiger. “The initial results are very encouraging and exciting.”

In North Kingstown, Superintendent Philip Auger said that although the district does not currently have a career and technical partnership with EB, it is currently pursuing one.
“[The Rhode Island Dept. of Education] knows we have a big interest in establishing some kind of training program,” he said Tuesday. “In the next week or two, I am looking to be meeting with Electric Boat representatives.”

Michael Healey, spokesperson for the Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training (DLT), said on Tuesday that 64 workers currently employed at Electric Boat will receive ‘up-skill’ training at the Community College of Rhode Island and New England Institute of Technology in order to move into different, high-skilled positions within the company.

“They are workers already employed by EB, but have expressed desire in wanting to do something different,” he said. “They don’t have these skills, and that is what the training program is for.”

Raimondo and Geiger praised Rhode Island’s congressional delegation for securing federal monies over the past year to help fund labor training and hiring programs. Reed and U.S. Congressman James Langevin gave praise to Electric Boat and Rhode Island’s legislative leaders, in turn.

“The real credit goes to the men and women at Electric Boat,” said Reed. “They build the best, most sophisticated war craft in the world, ahead of schedule and ahead of budget.”

“We are proud of the workforce and product [Electric Boat] produces,” said Langevin. “At the end of the day, it really is a team effort.”

By ALAN FRAM and ANDREW TAYLOR The Associated Press WASHINGTON – Ascendant Republicans drove a budget through Congress on Friday that gives them an early but critical victory in their crusade to scrap President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

The vote trains the spotlight on whether they and Donald Trump can deliver on repeated pledges to not just erase that statute but replace it.
Demonstrating the GOP’s willingness to plunge into a defining but risky battle, the House used a near party-line 227-198 roll call to approve a budget that prevents Senate Democrats from derailing a future bill, thus far unwritten, annulling and reshaping Obama’s landmark 2010 law. The budget, which won Senate approval early Thursday, does not need the president’s signature.

Rhode Island Representatives David Cicilline and James Langevin voted “no.”
An estimated 70,000 Rhode Islanders were added to the Medicaid rolls since 2014 as part of the state’s implementation of the Act.

“Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans are putting the health and well-being of millions of working families at risk just to settle a political score,” U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline, D-R.I., said in a statement. “It’s one of the worst and most reckless things I’ve ever seen in this town.”

If the effort succeeds, Cicilline said, nearly 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions will find it “next to impossible…to get health coverage.”

“Repealing the Affordable Care Act could have enormous consequences, especially for the people in this country who can least afford health coverage,” Langevin said in a statement. “Seniors could lose essential Medicare benefits, people with disabilities and low-income children could lose access to critical coverage, middle-class families could see premiums begin to skyrocket, Rhode Island could lose thousands of jobs, and insurance companies would resume control of Americans’ health care.

Langevin vowed to “continue to fight” efforts to repeal the law.
“The ‘Unaffordable’ Care Act will soon be history!” Trump tweeted Friday in a dig at the statute’s name, the Affordable Care Act. Trump takes the presidential oath next Friday.

But the real work looms in coming months as the new administration and congressional Republicans write binding legislation to erase much of the health care law and replace it with a GOP version. Republicans still have internal divisions over what that would look like, though past GOP proposals have cut much of the existing law’s federal spending and eased coverage requirements while relying more on tax benefits and letting states make decisions.

Friday’s final vote was preceded by debate that saw hyperbole on both sides and underscored how the two parties have alternate-universe views of Obama’s overhaul. Democrats praised it for extending coverage to tens of millions of Americans, helping families afford policies and seniors buy prescriptions, while Republicans focused on the rising premiums and deductibles and limited access to doctors and insurers that have plagued many.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said the health care law was “so arrogant and so contrary to our founding principles” and had not delivered on Obama’s promises to lower costs and provide more choice.

“We have to step in before things get worse. This is nothing short of a rescue mission,” Ryan said.

“Our experimentation in Soviet-style central planning of our health care system has been an abject failure,” said freshman Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Ryan was peddling “mythology” and said the GOP was moving toward making things worse for health care consumers.
“They want to cut benefits and run. They want to cut access and run,” she said of Republicans.

“This is a sad day in the history of this country as Republicans begin the process of destroying health care in America,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who said the GOP has no replacement in hand.

“All you have is smoke and mirrors, and the American people are getting ready to get screwed,” he said.

Approval of the budget means Senate Democrats won’t be allowed to filibuster the future repeal-and-replace bill – a pivotal advantage for Republicans. They control the Senate 52-48, but it takes 60 votes to end filibusters, which are endless procedural delays that can scuttle legislation.

Congressional Republicans have made annulling Obama’s law and replacing it a top goal for the past seven years. GOP rifts and an Obama veto prevented them from achieving anything other than holding scores of votes that served as political messaging.

Trump also made targeting Obama’s statute a primary target during his campaign. At his news conference Wednesday, Trump – who’s supplied few details of what he wants – said his emerging plan will be “far less expensive and far better” than the statute.

Despite their conceptual unity, plenty of Republicans have shown skittishness in recent days about the political repercussions of charging into a battle that, with Trump in the White House, puts enacting new laws within reach.
Many congressional Republicans expressed opposition to leaders’ initial emphasis on first passing a repeal bill and then focusing on a replacement – a process that could produce a gap of months or longer. Trump has also pushed Congress to act fast.

Twenty million Americans are covered by Obama’s expansion of Medicaid or by policies sold on exchanges, and millions of others have benefited from the coverage requirements It has imposed on insurers. Many Republicans have insisted on learning how their party will re-craft the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system before voting to void existing programs.

There are internal GOP chasms over Republican leaders’ plans to use their bill to halt federal payments to Planned Parenthood and pare Medicaid coverage. There are also disagreements over how to pay for the GOP replacement, with many Republicans leery of Ryan’s proposal to tax part of the value of some health insurance provided by employers.

Even with their disputes, the GOP’s rallying behind their budget spotlighted the political imperative facing Republicans to deliver on a battle cry that has sustained them for years.

Moving ahead on the budget was “a bottom-line, party survival vote,” said Thomas P. Miller, a health care authority at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

By Ian Donnis

Members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation say unverified claims alleging collusion between the Russian government and the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump need to be scrutinized.

“Like all Americans, Senator Reed finds these allegations extremely disturbing,” said Chip Unruh, spokesman for US Senator Jack Reed. “He will wait for facts before jumping to conclusions. But this is yet another example of why an independent select committee is needed to quickly and carefully examine the evidence and ensure the American people get the truth.”

Trump has flatly dismissed as false allegations of collusion between his campaign and Russian intelligence services.

Members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation reacted cautiously to the details, but said the allegations underscore the need for a careful review of the information.

“These new allegations are obviously serious, but we don’t have all the facts,” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said, in a statement. “We do know that the Russian government deliberately hacked into private emails and spread propaganda in an attempt to sway American voters and undermine confidence in our democracy. We do know that the Russians have a long history of using surveillance to gather compromising information on visitors. The American people have the right to know whether, and precisely to what extent, the Russian government may have coordinated with the Trump campaign, or may have compromising material on the President-elect.”

“We will learn more when the leaders of the intelligence community brief the Senate later this week,” Whitehouse continued. “Congress has an ongoing role in getting to the bottom of Russian meddling and connections, and in making sure no foreign power can influence future elections. That’s why I continue to support the creation of a special committee in the Senate for this purpose.”

Congressman Jim Langevin sounded a similar theme.

“We know, without question, that Russia executed a plan to interfere with and influence the 2016 presidential election,” Langevin said. “Recent unsubstantiated reports have indicated that associates of the President-elect may have had contact with Russian agents during the campaign. While I have no reason to trust the veracity of these claims, answering questions like this is precisely why I have called on Speaker Ryan to create a Select Committee on Cybersecurity and why I have joined every one of my House Democratic colleagues in sponsoring a bill to create an independent commission to investigate the hacks. Any attempt to influence an election is an attack on our democracy and must be fully investigated and responded to.”

Congressman David Cicilline added, “We already know that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in order to assist Donald Trump’s campaign – even President-elect Trump finally conceded this fact during his press conference earlier [Wednesday]. What remains unknown is the full scale of their efforts to undermine the foundations of American democracy at home and our interests across the globe. While I cannot speak directly to the allegations that were raised last night regarding the President-elect’s conduct, what’s important now is that an independent, bipartisan commission fully investigate Russia’s actions and uncover all the facts so we ensure this never happens again.”

By Samantha Fenlon

Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation is fighting hard against Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare.

“I’m going to fight with everything I have to make sure that I speak specifically against that repeal and ultimately I’m going to vote no,” said Congressman Jim Langevin.

Congressman Langevin cites a new report that finds the state stands to lose some 12,000 jobs in 2019 if the repeal happens.

“It will come potentially from the construction sector, the real estate sector, the retail sales sector,” said Congressman Langevin. “And, most especially a third of it will come from the health care direct related jobs in Rhode Island.”

With President Elect Trump pushing Congress to act quickly Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Tuesday he will aim to repeal and replace Obamacare at the same time.

“This is about people’s lives we need to act before things get worse. Remember this is a rescue mission. We are in the midst of a rescue mission to save the families who are getting caught up in the death spiral that has become Obamacare,” said Speaker Ryan.

Senator Jack Reed spoke out about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act on the Senate floor earlier this week.

“Rhode Island in another aspect of this stands to lose over 7 billion dollars in federal funding over the next 10 years with repeal. Again, that is a staggering number for my state,” said Senator Reed.

The Senator says that loss of money would have a catastrophic effect for the state.

“That would be devastating for the state because they would have to step up as best they could and frankly they don’t have the kind of resources to replace that loss,” said Senator Reed.

Massachusetts lawmakers also taking a stand, Senators Warren and Markey are planning a rally in boston this weekend to fight to preserve the Affordable Care Act.

By Donita Naylor

Updated at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 7, to include Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s statement

Three of Rhode Island’s four congressmen have called for a congressional investigation into Russia’s interference with the U.S. election of 2016.

“Our elections should be decided by American citizens, not foreign hackers, heads of state, or their propagandists,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said Friday in reaction to a U.S. intelligence report saying Russia had “actively manipulated” the election.

Reed, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said he agreed with Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, who called the cyber campaign “an attack on all Americans because it undermines our democracy.”

Reed said from Washington that the hard evidence and “broad consensus from U.S. intelligence officials” should compel the United States “to take corrective action” against Russia.

“I realize this may be an uncomfortable situation for President-elect Trump, but the American people and the strength of our democracy should come first,” Reed said.

U.S. Rep. James Langevin, the R.I. Democrat who serves on the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees in the House and is cofounder and cochairman of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, noted that the Russians did not hack into systems for casting or counting votes but said he agrees that election systems should be declared critical infrastructure. “We must also act as a nation to build our resilience against future information warfare attacks,” Langevin said from Warwick.

Because Putin’s goals favored Trump, Langevin said, “it is essential that Mr. Trump act immediately to denounce this act of Russian interference and pledge to continue and enhance sanctions on Russia in response.”

From Pawtucket, U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline called Russia’s actions “truly disturbing, and they cannot go unanswered.”
Saying Trump and some Republicans “have attempted to excuse Russia’s egregious behavior when it advances their own political goals,” Cicilline called the Russian leader “a brutal dictator” and said Republicans should “stop playing politics and work to hold Russia accountable.”

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse issued a statement on Saturday.

“Our intelligence community has spoken in no uncertain terms: Vladimir Putin led Russia in a far-reaching influence campaign designed to undermine the American people’s faith
in the democratic process and to elect Donald Trump. Now it is up to President-elect Trump to acknowledge the truth and resolve that such attacks never again succeed,” Whitehouse said

By IOT Journal

Press Release:

The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) released its updated IoT Trust Framework at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Serving as a product development and risk assessment guide for developers, purchasers and retailers of Internet of things (IoT) devices, the Framework is the foundation for future IoT certification programs. OTA’s goal is to highlight devices and companies that demonstrate a commitment to device lifecycle security and embrace responsible privacy practices. Such notifications and disclosures will aid consumers to make informed IoT device purchasing decisions.

Echoing written testimony he recently provided to the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, OTA Executive Director and President Craig Spiezle said; “Recent IoT attacks like those which compromised hundreds of thousands of connected devices to take websites like Amazon, Twitter and Netflix offline were just a ‘shot across the bow.’ The next incident could create significant safety issues. While most IoT devices are safe and secure, many still lack security safeguards and privacy controls placing users and the Internet at large are at risk.”

OTA recognizes that while there is no perfect security, companies that apply the Framework principles should be shielded from regulatory oversight and class action suits, and potentially realize lower insurance premiums. The updated Framework reflects input from hundreds of leading security and privacy industry leaders including ADT, Microsoft, SiteLock, Symantec, TRUSTe, Verisign and others. This newest Framework builds on the first version released in March 2016, and incorporates a broad range of public and private efforts to secure IoT devices.

“I have long supported multi-stakeholder processes to address the significant cybersecurity challenges facing our nation,” said Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. “Recent attacks leveraging IoT devices have only highlighted the need for the work of organizations like OTA. It is essential that companies manage the cybersecurity risk of their IoT devices, applications, and services, and the IoT Framework provides clear principles that developers can use to mitigate risk and protect their customers.”

OTA researchers integrated IoT security and privacy recommendations from U.S. government agencies including the Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In addition OTA incorporated several key recommendations advocated by organizations including the Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (BITAG), Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), Consumer Federation of America (CFA), Consumer Technology Association (CTA), I am The Cavalry, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Internet Society and National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

The IoT Trust Framework includes 37 principles, segmented into four key categories:

• Security (1-9)—Applicable to any device and their applications and backend cloud services. These include embracing a rigorous software development security process, adhering to security principles for data stored and transmitted by the device, supply chain management, penetration testing and vulnerability reporting programs. Further principles outline the requirement for lifecycle security patching.

• User Access & Credentials (10-14)—Requiring encryption of all passwords and usernames, shipping devices with unique passwords, implementing generally accepted password reset processes and integrating mechanisms to help prevent “brute” force login attempts.

• Privacy, Disclosures & Transparency (15-30)—Requirements consistent with generally accepted privacy principles including prominent disclosures on packaging, point of sale and/or posted online. Provide the capability to reset devices to factory settings and be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including but not limited to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Require disclosures about the impact to product features or functionality if connectivity is disabled.

• Notifications & Related Best Practices (31-37)—Key to maintaining device security is having mechanisms and processes to promptly notify a user of threats and action(s) required. Principles include requiring email authentication for security notifications and that messages must be written clearly for users of all ages and reading levels. In addition, tamper proof packaging and accessibility requirements are highlighted.

Posted: Jan 05, 2017 6:45 AM EST
Global support for Online Trust Alliance’s security and privacy framework, integrates efforts of DHS, FCC, FTC, the Department of Commerce, trade organizations and others

Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) January 05, 2017

Today the Online Trust Alliance (OTA) released its updated IoT Trust Framework® at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Serving as a product development and risk assessment guide for developers, purchasers and retailers of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the Framework is the foundation for future IoT certification programs. OTA’s goal is to highlight devices and companies that demonstrate a commitment to device lifecycle security and embrace responsible privacy practices. Such notifications and disclosures will aid consumers to make informed IoT device purchasing decisions.

Echoing written testimony he recently provided to the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, OTA Executive Director and President Craig Spiezle said; “Recent IoT attacks like those which compromised hundreds of thousands of connected devices to take websites like Amazon, Twitter and Netflix offline were just a ‘shot across the bow.’ The next incident could create significant safety issues. While most IoT devices are safe and secure, many still lack security safeguards and privacy controls placing users and the Internet at large are at risk.”

OTA recognizes that while there is no perfect security, companies that apply the Framework principles should be shielded from regulatory oversight and class action suits, and potentially realize lower insurance premiums. The updated Framework reflects input from hundreds of leading security and privacy industry leaders including ADT, Microsoft, SiteLock, Symantec, TRUSTe, Verisign and others. This newest Framework builds on the first version released in March 2016, and incorporates a broad range of public and private efforts to help secure IoT devices.

“I have long supported multi-stakeholder processes to address the significant cybersecurity challenges facing our nation,” said Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. “Recent attacks leveraging IoT devices have only highlighted the need for the work of organizations like OTA. It is essential that companies manage the cybersecurity risk of their IoT devices, applications, and services, and the IoT Framework provides clear principles that developers can use to mitigate risk and protect their customers.”

OTA researchers integrated IoT security and privacy recommendations from U.S. government agencies including the Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In addition, OTA incorporated several key recommendations advocated by organizations including the Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (BITAG), Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), Consumer Federation of America (CFA), Consumer Technology Association (CTA), I am The Cavalry, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Internet Society and National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

The IoT Trust Framework includes 37 principles, segmented into four key categories:
Security (1-9) – Applicable to any device, and their applications and backend cloud services. These include embracing a rigorous software development security process, adhering to security principles for data stored and transmitted by the device, supply chain management, penetration testing and vulnerability reporting programs. Further principles outline the requirement for lifecycle security patching.
User Access & Credentials (10-14) – Requiring encryption of all passwords and usernames, shipping devices with unique passwords, implementing generally accepted password reset processes and integrating mechanisms to help prevent brute force login attempts.
Privacy, Disclosures & Transparency (15-30) – Requirements consistent with generally accepted privacy principles including prominent disclosures on packaging, point of sale and/or posted online. Provide the capability to reset devices to factory settings and be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including but not limited to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Require disclosures about the impact to product features or functionality if connectivity is disabled.
Notifications & Related Best Practices (31-37) – Key to maintaining device security is having mechanisms and processes to promptly notify a user of threats and action(s) required. Principles include requiring email authentication for security notifications and that messages must be written clearly for users of all ages and reading levels. In addition, tamper proof packaging and accessibility requirements are highlighted.
Multi-Stakeholder Support
“OTA’s IoT Trust Framework provides actionable and prescriptive advice to help every IoT developer secure their apps and embrace responsible privacy practices. In order to continue to drive innovation and keep regulation at bay, these principles are an essential roadmap,” Jonathan Zuck, President of ACT – The App Association.

“The OTA IoT Trust Framework is really quite remarkable, covering technical and procedural aspects of trust throughout the entire IoT lifecycle; if tech companies, hardware manufacturers, and software producers were to abide by these principles, the IoT wouldn’t be the wild, wild west it is now,” Joseph Lorenzo Hall, Chief Technologist, Center for Democracy & Technology.

“Sometimes in the rush to get new technology to market not enough thought is placed on privacy and security” said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy at Consumer Federation of America. “With the OTA IoT Trust Framework as a guide, companies can develop products and services that not only deliver great value but that consumers can be confident in using.”

“The OTA IoT Trust Framework provides a broad array of best practices that taken together will significantly increase the security and privacy of IoT devices,” said Philip Reitinger, the President and CEO of the Global Cyber Alliance. “These devices are of significantly increasing importance to our daily lives and the functioning of the Internet, and our individual and collective security and privacy will depend on our ability to secure them. As an excellent and continually improving set of security and privacy principles, OTA’s recommendations should be implemented by IoT vendors and developers.”

“The IoT Trust Framework is a good example of the security culture that is needed in the connected devices space,” said Olaf Kolkman, Chief Internet Technology Officer for the Internet Society. “If companies are in the business of selling smart devices, they need to implement the requirements outlined in this framework before calling them ‘smart.’”

“Time has come to establish a clear understanding of what can be expected from IoT suppliers and users. The OTA IoT Trust Framework is excellent input in the global dialogue on Internet of Things good practice and deserves the full attention of all those that care about a sustainable way forward in developing and deploying Internet of Things products, services and ecosystems,” said Maarten Botterman, Chairman of the IGF Dynamic Coalition on the Internet of Things.

“The Online Trust Alliance’s IoT Trust Framework includes valuable practices that companies should embrace to make sure consumer smart home technology is secure, private and sustainable for the future,” said National Association of REALTORS® President William E. Brown, a Realtor® from Alamo, Calif. “The collaboration between NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Technology and OTA has allowed us to understand and address best practices and technologies necessary to protect anyone using smart and connected device technology in their home.”

“The Internet of Things is at the forefront of driving the digital economy. However, recent cyberattacks make it clear that there’s more to be done to cement trust into IoT devices. OTA’s IoT Trust Framework is precisely the type of industry-led, consensus-based approach that can help industry thrive and innovate, without being weighed down by potentially onerous and preemptive regulations,” said Ryan Hagemann, Technology and Civil Liberties Policy Analyst, Niskanen Center.

“Symantec has helped protect over a billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices so far, but unfortunately, the vast majority of new IoT devices lack proper security fundamentals when they come to market,” said Brian Witten, co-chair of the IoT working group and senior director of Symantec Research Labs. “The OTA IoT Trust Framework provides device manufacturers with the appropriate guidelines to build in security and ensure that consumers are protected from day one. We are happy to see the Online Trust Alliance’s commitment to aligning the industry on IoT security requirements.”

Interactive Marketing, Technology & Privacy Leaders
“OTA’s IoT Trust Framework is impressive and much needed to achieve our vision of trust, and we support the OTA’s work in bringing the myriad of stakeholders together to help solve these security and privacy issues,” said Ben Williams, head of operations and communications with Adblock Plus. “At the end of the day, companies need to take responsibility for engineering into their IoT products and protocols some appropriate protections from exploits and vulnerabilities.”

“The IoT is expanding rapidly and is expected to grow further over the coming years. Unfortunately, security is typically an afterthought, simply because it is deemed too difficult to do and to facilitate effectively at the scale required for IoT devices,” said Device Authority CEO Darron Antill. “The OTA’s IoT Trust Framework addresses critical challenges and provides important guidelines for device manufacturers to implement – essentially a best practice guide for IoT security, privacy and safety.”

“With the rapid growth of connected devices, it’s critical that developers incorporate key security protections such as identity, authentication and encryption into their product designs,” said DigiCert CTO Dan Timpson. “The OTA Trust Framework outlines essential security practices that manufacturers need to follow to advance market confidence and protect their IoT investments.”

“IoT and connected devices become more and more common in our everyday life. Healthcare, law enforcement, space and telecommunication companies rely on smart devices in many aspects of their everyday work. This is why it’s extremely important to adopt a clear and comprehensive framework addressing IoT security and privacy. We applaud OTA in creating the IoT Trust Framework in this emerging sector of the global economy,” said Ilia Kolochenko, CEO, High-Tech Bridge.

“Our identities can be exploited due to vulnerabilities in IoT connected devices,” said Neil Daswani Chief Information Security Officer at LifeLock, Inc. “We applaud efforts, such as the 2017 IoT Trust Framework, to boost security standards across the industry and protect entry points associated with identities in a way that is accessible by business and consumers alike.”

“IoT devices have tremendous promise, but also carry great risks. As 20 billion new IOT devices come online over the next five years, adherence to security and privacy principles are essential for users and the resiliency of the Internet. It is clear the status quo is not acceptable. But even with the recent events involving Mirai and its derivatives, we likely won’t see a serious effort in securing these emerging technologies. The IoT Trust Framework from the OTA is a crucial step in the right direction. It includes baseline requirements for every new IoT product coming to market and should be used by businesses, consumers and retailers alike to assess risk prior to selling or buying any connected device,” Jean-Philippe Taggart, Senior Researcher, Malwarebytes.

“As a leading consumer online brand, Publishers Clearing House has learned security and privacy practices are the foundation of trust and long-term consumer relationships. With the rise of IoT solutions in the home, office and classroom, the risks to consumers and the internet at large is being amplified exponentially,” said Sal Tripi, AVP at Publishers Clearing House. “The IoT Trust Framework serves as a self-regulatory framework providing balanced criteria for every IoT company to adhere to.”

“Every individual and organization has much greater security exposure than most realize,” said Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy, CEO of SecurityScorecard, the leader in security ratings. “Our vulnerability research shows the proliferation of IoT devices in an interconnected society has created an alarming risk for every organization. The OTA framework is key for IoT manufacturers to standardize on and for enterprises to measure and help protect their customers’ data and privacy.”

“It’s always best to build in comprehensive security practices from the very beginning. Unfortunately, this is not always the case which ultimately leads to a reactive versus proactive approach impacting both customer and company. We hope that the OTA’s IoT Trust Framework becomes widely utilized from concept to launch in the development cycle to help prevent security and privacy compromise,” Neill Feather, President of SiteLock.

“Responsible privacy practices are a global requirement for all IoT solutions, when they are sold and through their entire life. The OTA IoT Framework provides clear guidelines for all device manufactures to implement from providing disclosures prior to purchase through the ability for users to delete or transfer data when devices are sold or use terminated,” Chris Babel, CEO of TRUSTe.

“With malicious actors exploiting security vulnerabilities on IoT devices in an effort to compromise the resiliency and availability of websites and services, companies must consider the impact their devices can have on the broader Internet ecosystem. OTA’s IoT Trust Framework is a set of essential security principles for vendors to use in development as well as for enterprises to use to assess every connected device on their network from the boardroom to the breakroom,” said Danny McPherson, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer, Verisign.

“As innovation in the digital age keeps growing, so do the risks associated with every exciting new product or concept. The OTA as an organization has made exceptional strides to limit those risks while still promoting the benefits of an interconnected world and its recent IoT Trust Framework is a great example of this. It provides detailed best practices for tackling security challenges and privacy concerns while protecting developers, companies and consumers from the potential pitfalls of IoT technology that’s still in its infancy.” – Michael Fisher, President, Yes Lifecycle Marketing

“As more IoT solutions become data and ad driven, it is incumbent on the industry to adopt security standards and responsible privacy practices. The IoT Trust Framework is an excellent roadmap to maximize data protection, privacy and regulatory compliance,” Roy de Souza, CEO, ZEDO.

“The IoT Framework represents outstanding collaboration of some of the world’s most respected cybersecurity and privacy advocates. This comprehensive collection of best practices serves as an excellent and much needed guide for data security and privacy for all types of organizations, regardless of size or mission,” said Rich LaMagna, President of LaMagna and Associates. “As a baseline for certification programs it is an excellent assessment tool for developers, retailers and consumers.”

“The OTA IoT Trust Framework is a benchmark set of security standards for the Internet-connected home and wearables device market. Developed as the first comprehensive set of criteria, it puts a minimum set of controls on manufacturers and device service providers to help protect consumers not only from privacy and device risks, but exposing intruders to other Internet-connected computers in the home and workplace,” said Scott Perry, Principal at Scott S. Perry CPA, PLLC.

OTA is meeting with leading manufacturers and retailers at CES to accelerate the adoption of the Framework, and discuss the importance of device security and responsible privacy practices. In addition, Spiezle will be speaking about IoT threats and solutions during a panel at the CES Cybersecurity Forum at the Venetian today at 1pm PST alongside leaders from DHS, Intel Security and RSA. Also at CES, OTA is a Platinum sponsor of the Consumer Technology Association “Alliance Community Reception” being held on Friday, Jan. 6 at 4pm PST in the Venetian, Level 2, Bellini 2005, where OTA will be providing onsite briefings. The updated Framework and supporting resources are posted at https://otalliance.org/IoT.

About OTA
The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) is a non-profit think tank with the mission to enhance online trust and user empowerment while promoting innovation and the vitality of the Internet. Its goal is to help educate businesses, policy makers and stakeholders while developing and advancing best practices and tools to enhance the protection of users’ security, privacy and identity. OTA supports collaborative public-private partnerships, benchmark reporting, and meaningful self-regulation and data stewardship. Its members and supporters include leaders spanning the public policy, technology, ecommerce, social networking, mobile, email and interactive marketing, financial, service provider, government agency and industry organization sectors. https://otalliance.org

For More information Contact:
Andrew Goss /Voxus PR (for OTA)
253.444.5446
agoss(at)voxuspr(dot)com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/01/prweb13959683.htm