Technology and the Imperative of Citizenship

President Obama is traveling to South by Southwest today -- the first sitting President to do so. In Austin, he’s going to make the case for people "from all walks of life, working inside or outside of government, to help us make this democracy even stronger." Coming from the tech industry, I was aware of the ways President Obama, his campaigns, and the White House have used technology to help people embrace the "imperative of citizenship." Tech, it seemed to me, was changing how our government engages with -- and provides services to -- people, and that's exciting. Giving people a voice, enabling them to be heard, and working with them to solve big problems is the animating principle of President Obama’s campaigns and the core of his presidency. It’s why he sought office and what drives his Administration. It’s how we make change in America. This is what he’ll be talking about today at South by Southwest -- how Americans can apply our ideas and talents to help the broader public and tackle big challenges in government. You can watch his conversation in Austin at 3:40 p.m. Eastern. Technology has the power to enhance this work. When it puts users first, it enables Americans to find their voice, for our government to deliver better services, and make our country more just. The chance to be part of this work -- to build a more user-centered government -- has inspired talented people to serve our country in new ways. The work they’re doing is impactful -- and it’s hard to see how they don’t become permanent features of our government. Indeed, this might be President Obama’s most important accomplishment as the First Tech President: establishing a lasting legacy of service that will carry on long after he leaves office. Along with the technologists serving in our government, companies from across the tech landscape have embraced this call and pitched in on issues ranging from the Syrian refugee crisis to providing rides to veterans for job interviews, from signing people up for health care to connecting young people with summer jobs. Take a look at some of the work that’s already been accomplished across the Administration, and stay tuned for more. Thanks, Jason Jason Goldman Chief Digital Officer The White House @Goldman44 ENVIRONMENT The hungry little bacterium that could hold the key to the world's plastic waste problem Efforts to deal with our huge amount of plastic waste may soon receive a much-needed boost, with Japanese scientists discovering a new bacterium with the ability to completely break down PET plastics in a relatively short space of time.  read more ENVIRONMENT Stepping back in time to protect the future of the Great Barrier Reef In the first study of its kind, a team of scientists has altered the seawater chemistry in a natural section of the Great Barrier Reef to mimic pre-industrial conditions, observing just how well the coral was able to grow before we came along and altered the landscape.  read more GOOD THINKING Project will bring life-saving tech to conflict zones A new cooperation between the Red Cross and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology will develop technological solutions that can be applied in conflict zones. The first project is an automated prosthetic foot.  read more ARCHITECTURE Home is where the Hub is: Self-contained module turns empty spaces into living spaces Bringing disused buildings back to life typically requires a lot of work, but architecture and design firm Kraaijvanger is seeking to eliminate a chunk of that work with its Hub modular kitchen and bathroom block.​ read more AUTOMOTIVE 707-hp Jeep Trailcat prepped for 50th Easter Safari Jeep never holds back when it comes time to stretch its imagination and create some crazy concepts. This year at the 50th Annual Easter Safari, the American off-roading brand has taken things to the next level with seven concepts, including a 707-hp Hellcat-powered Wrangler.  read more MILITARY Solid lubricant smooths the way for reduced weapon maintenance The US Army Research, Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) is developing a Durable Solid Lubricant (DSL) for rifles that replaces the more conventional wet lubricants and cuts down on required weapon maintenance.​  read more MEDICAL Brown cell-booster flicks the fat switch In search of such a trigger to turn bad fat into good, scientists have uncovered a switch in the fat cells of mice that helps them shed the extra pounds. The good news? That very same switch is present in humans. ​​ read more AUTOMOTIVE Italdesign gets modular and electric with GTZero concept Italdesign Giugiaro has had a very nice string of Geneva show cars – last year's GEA autonomous concept, 2014's Clipper electric MPV, and 2013's Parcour off-road sports coupe. This year, it adds the GTZero, a modular, all-electric grand tourer packed with innovation.  read more TELECOMMUNICATIONS Shooting planes with lasers makes for better comms Aircraft can prove to be a valuable "eye in the sky" for data-hungry ground crews. Their radio signals can be jammed or intercepted, however. That's why scientists are now using lasers instead.​  read more ENVIRONMENT Sin City going green: Las Vegas to use solar and pedestrian power for street lights A recently announced partnership with a New York City-based start-up is set to bolster Las Vegas' commitment to renewable energy sources. Soon enough, some of "Sin City's" sidewalks will be illuminated by EnGoPLANET's innovative, sun- and people-powered street lights.  read more ARCHITECTURE Shipping container-based housing comes to South Texas A new housing development comprising seven shipping container-based apartments was recently installed in Encinal, Texas. The project consists of one and two bedroom units that feature a focus on energy efficiency and affordability.   read more MEDICAL Fresh approach to "organ-on-a-chip" tech adds a third dimension, may eventually replace test animals Finding a workable alternative to animal testing is one of the most important efforts under way in the medical world. Now, researchers have created a new platform called AngioChip, which provides a complex structure on which tissue can be grown that mimics functions of the human body.  read more HEALTH & WELLBEING Vaccine delays nicotine effects in mice brains – could it help humans kick the habit? The health benefits of quitting smoking are huge, but actually doing so can be extremely difficult. Recently, scientists have been working to develop vaccines to help people in the effort, and it's looking fairly promising, with a new treatment proving effective in tests on laboratory mice.  read more AROUND THE HOME Nest products get smarter by tracking everyone in the family When Nest launched its first thermostat in 2011, its aim was for the device to learn the rhythm of a user's household so it could automate heating. Now a new software update is seeking to take the next step in automation, with family accounts and geofencing.  read more ARCHITECTURE Austrian building looks like its namesake – a loaf of bread It’s not every day that an architectural firm gets to design a building that closely represents a company’s end product. But that’s exactly what Austrian firm Coop Himmleb(l)au did with the design of a new building appropriately titled “House of Bread” for international baking brand Backaldrin.  read more AUTOMOTIVE Honda injects more power and comfort into 2016 Civic Coupe This latest iteration of the Honda Civic Coupe incorporates some of the engine, suspension and interior upgrades Honda gave the Sedan, but with some further styling cues more in keeping with the sportier coupe.  read more MOBILE TECHNOLOGY A modular invasion? Innovative LG G5 hits US shores in early April We don't yet know if the LG G5 will provide as good an all-around experience as Samsung's new flagships, but the company did have the single most innovative smartphone feature at MWC 2016, with its modular add-ons. If you live in the US, you'll only have about a month to find out.  read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS Pay What You Want on 10 Cross-Platform Games Development Courses If you love gaming, why not spend all day immersed in a world of combat and fantasy? This bundle will teach you everything you need to know to build your own games from scratch, and it may even turn game coding into your full-time career.  read more an't see the images? Make sure your e-mail is set to download pictures in order to see the full content of this e-newsletter

Item 2 March 12, 2016

Senator Collins Fights to Preserve Successful ARCH Program Vital to Maine Veterans  Senator Collins has consistently fought to ensure that all of our veterans in Maine and across our country have local access to the quality health care they have earned through their service.  The Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) Program has been extraordinarily successful in helping countless veterans in Northern Maine receive the health care they need at Cary Medical Center in Caribou, in their communities and close to their families. More than 90 percent of veterans participating in ARCH are overwhelmingly satisfied with their access to care and the medical services they receive. Without this crucial program, these veterans would have to travel up to 600 miles roundtrip to access care at the Togus Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Augusta. Despite this success, the ARCH Program is due to expire on August 7, 2016, and the VA does not have systems in place to ensure quality care for all veterans. In fact, more than half of eligible Maine veterans have experienced difficulties in accessing care through the deeply flawed Choice Program, VA’s current community care program.  Senator Collins has consistently urged the VA to articulate a clear vision for the future of the critically important and successful ARCH Program. This week, Senator Collins continued her efforts and spoke with two top VA officials to underscore the vital importance and success of the ARCH Program for Northern Maine veterans, and to consider it as a model of care for veterans across the nation.  On Wednesday, Senator Collins met with VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson in her Washington, D.C. office to discuss the future of the ARCH Program. During the meeting, Senator Collins told Secretary Gibson the story of Aroostook County veteran Peter Miesburger, who was able to use the ARCH Program to receive emergency surgery for a broken hip at the height of a terrible winter storm. Instead of enduring a painful and bumpy ride for more than eight hours and 500 miles roundtrip to reach the VA hospital in Augusta, he was able to receive care at his local hospital, Cary Medical Center, through the ARCH Program and successfully recuperate close to home. Senator Collins illustrated Peter’s story and the stories of many other Maine veterans by showing Secretary Gibson a map displaying the distances between Northern Maine and Togus. Later in the week, during a Senate hearing, Senator Collins urged officials from the VA to extend the ARCH Program and ensure that all veterans have the choice of receiving the health care they need. Senator Collins further urgedVA Secretary Robert McDonald to use the ARCH Program as a model for VA health care throughout the nation.   Given the tremendous success of the ARCH program, Senator Collins remarked during Thursday's hearing that, “I just can’t overstate how satisfied the veterans are with this program.”  She also stated that it doesn’t make any sense to replace a system that works with one that is broken. Last month, Senators Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to VA Secretary McDonald regarding the implementation of the Choice Program. In addition, in October 2015, Senators Collins, King, and Jerry Moran (R-KS) wrote to VA Secretary McDonald, urging him to provide support for the crucial ARCH Program for veterans who live in rural communities. Reminder to Remain Vigilant Against IRS Impersonation Scams During Tax Season As Mainers across our state file their taxes, Senator Collins, who chairs the Senate Aging Committee, is warning of a recurring IRS impersonation phone scam, the number one fraud reported to the Senate Aging Committee fraud hotline. Through this scam, of which there are multiple variations, con artists demand immediate payment of “back taxes” and threaten retaliation, such as home foreclosure and even arrest, if payment of “back taxes” is not made. The IRS impersonation scam calls most often involve a disguised, or “spoofed,” caller ID to make the victim believe that the call is coming from the “202” area code, or Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service are headquartered.  In a newer variation of this scam, calls appear to be coming from either the “509,” “360,” and “206” area codes, which are Washington State area codes.   With such scams reaching epidemic proportions across the country, the IRS has released several tips to help taxpayers identify suspicious calls that may be part of a scam: The IRS will mail a bill to the taxpayer before trying to call to demand payment.  The IRS will never demand that a taxpayer pay taxes without giving him or her the opportunity to question or appeal the amount claimed to be owed. The IRS will never ask for a credit or debit card number over the phone. The IRS will not threaten to send local police or other law enforcement to have a taxpayer arrested. The IRS will never require a taxpayer to use a specific payment method for taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.  Seniors who receive an unexpected call from someone claiming to be from the IRS should call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at1-800-366-4484.  Seniors should also report these calls to the Senate Aging Committee’s Fraud Hotline (1-855-303-9470) and local law enforcement. Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill Cosponsored by Senator Collins to Address Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Senate passes bill targeting opioid abuse with Collins, King support  From Congressional Quarterly - By:  Andrew Siddons "The Senate on Thursday passed 94-1 a bill that aims to combat the nation’s opioid drug and heroin epidemic. The legislation, known as the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, would allow the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants for states to expand treatment efforts and access to overdose-prevention drugs. "Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was a co-sponsor of the legislation and spoke on the Senate floor in support of the legislation. .. "'The heroin and opioid abuse epidemic can be seen in emergency rooms, local jails, on main streets, and in homes across Maine and throughout our country,' Collins said in a statement. 'In 2014, there were a record 272 overdose deaths in the state of Maine, the vast majority due to heroin or prescription opioids, and the problem is only getting worse. This legislation recognizes opioid and heroin abuse for the public health crisis that it has become, and it offers meaningful and effective ways to support communities seeking to expand treatment, prevention, law enforcement and recovery efforts."' To read the full article click here. Chairman Collins Leads Letter Seeking Release of Former Maine Pastor Incarcerated Abroad, a Victim of an International Drug Smuggling Scam Susan Collins, other senators seek Mainer’s release from Spanish prison  From the Portland Press Herald - By Dennis Hoey "U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and eight of her Senate colleagues have asked Secretary of State John Kerry to negotiate the release of a retired Maine pastor from a Spanish prison. "Collins, chairwoman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, the ranking Democrat on the panel, announced their intentions in a news release Monday. "The bipartisan letter to Kerry asks that he work with foreign governments to re-examine the cases of more than 30 American senior citizens who were duped into serving as drug mules for international criminal enterprises and remain in prison. Though the number of seniors now in foreign prisons is believed to be closer to 44, federal agents have only been able to verify that more than 30 that are currently being held. "Of the 145 Americans arrested in the scam so far, 116 were over the age of 60. "Collins said Joseph Bryon Martin, 77, a retired pastor from Dresden, was arrested and sentenced in January to six years in prison after Spanish customs and border agents found him in possession of 1.4 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs were concealed in real estate documents that Martin had agreed to pick up in South America and was trying to deliver to a woman he had fallen in love with online. "'Because of his age and poor health, this may be a life sentence for Mr. Martin,' the senators told Kerry. "The 'romance scam' typically can take months or years to develop. Martin’s son, Andy Martin of Nevada, testified last month that his father met a woman named Joy online about six years ago." To read the full article click here. Senator Collins Chairs Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing, Questions HUD Secretary Castro and HUD IG Montoya on President's HUD Funding Request  Senator Collins, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, questioned U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julian Castro on a range of important issues related to HUD’s fiscal year 2017 budget request, including the need to reduce youth homelessness. During the hearing, Senator Collins noted that, "one area where there’s clearly a breakdown among the supporting agencies at all levels of government, is in the context of youth who are aging out of the foster care program. Youth that are exiting foster care are at a significantly higher risk of falling into homelessness, yet HUD’s budget materials are silent, not only on coordination with the child welfare system, but also on how to better leverage the significant funding resources.” Senator Collins has been a longtime advocate for reducing youth homelessness. Last year, at the invitation of Senator Collins, Secretary Castro joined the Senator in touring the New Beginnings’ Ann Geiger Center in Lewiston to see firsthand how organizations in Maine are working to end youth homelessness.   In January of last year, Senator Collins introduced the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act with Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), which would reauthorize programs that help youth obtain housing, education and job training.   Celebrating International Women's Day Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), leading a bipartisan coalition of Senators, announced their resolution to recognize March 8, 2016, as International Women’s Day and commemorate the achievements of women around the world. The resolution also calls attention to the need to end discrimination and violence against women and girls, guarantee basic human rights for women and girls no matter where they live, and promote the participate of women in every aspect of society. “With this resolution, the U.S. Senate has reaffirmed its commitment to International Women’s Day and the pursuit of a world that not only empowers women, but also recognizes the important contributions that women are making across the globe,” Senator Collins said. “It is imperative that we continue to pursue policies that guarantee the basic human rights of our mothers, daughters, and sisters around the world.” In a Facebook post this week marking International Women's Day, Senator Collins also told a story outlining the importance of role models. Senior Bipartisan Senate Women Collins and Mikulski Speak at Edward M. Kennedy Institute  Senator Collins delivered remarks and served as a panelist at a Women in Leadership: Pathways and Possibilitiesconference hosted by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.  The conference, in honor of Women’s History Month 2016, highlighted the role and pathways to women leadership in public service at federal, state and local levels.  Senators Barbara Mikulski, Dean of Senate women, and Susan Collins, the senior Republican woman, headlined the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s event. Collins Speaks at Women's Leadership Forum  From MPBN - By: Mal Leary "AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was a speaker at the Women's Leadership Forum held by the Edward Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. "Collins outlined her rocky road to becoming Maine's senior senator. She noted that she lost a race for governor badly in 1994 before narrowly winning her first Senate race in 1996. "She told participants that women have an important role in Senate leadership. 'Although it is dangerous to generalize, I believe that our life experiences tend to produce a more collaborative pragmatic and problem solving approach.' To read the full article click here.  Go Black Bears! Senator Collins recently celebrated Senior Night with the UMaine Women's Basketball Team! Congrats to the seniors and the entire UMaine Women's Basketball Team on a successful season! Go Black Bears!  Mainers Visiting Washington   Top left: Calvin Ames, Madison Top right: Maine Municipal Association Middle left: Becca Kieffer, Saco Middle center: Maine Representatives from the American College of Obstetricians Middle right: Pellegrini Family, Edgecomb Bottom left: Husson University Students  from the United Student Association and the International Student Association Bottom right: Peter Madigan

OFFICE OF SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS  413 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 224-2523  Fax: (202) 224-2693