Press Releases: 2010

SACRAMENTO- Communities across California lacking investment from mainstream banks are the victors of Thursday's Senate Appropriations bipartisan vote to pass Assembly Bill 2581, the California Banking Development Districts bill, which encourages mainstream financial investment on Main Street and increases the financial security of unbanked Californians.

The New America Foundation's Asset Building Program applauds the FDIC's (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) decision to establish a Model Safe Accounts Pilot program and encourages insured depositories, large and small, to participate, aiming at serving the unbanked and underbanked population.
 

During the 19th century a handful of wealthy industrialists dominated steel, oil refining and railroads; striking agreements to receive favorable terms for the carriage of their goods, while subjecting farmers and competitors to unreasonable and excessive charges.

On July 8, 2010, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative and Columbia Telecommunications Corporation jointly submitted comments in response to the Federal Communication Commission's Public Notice seeking comment on the measurement of mobile broadband network performance.

Today, President Barack Obama awarded a $6.4 Million grant to the City of Philadelphia to create or enhance 77 public computer centers. This project will greatly expand digital literacy in North, West and South Philadelphia to reach over 14,500 of the most vulnerable residents of the City.

In reaction to today's release of a letter from Cuban human rights and democracy advocates calling on the U.S. Congress to lift the travel ban on Cuba, the New America Foundation's Anya Landau French, Director of the U.S.-Cuba Policy Initiative, issued the following statement:

The NBC Network and Joe Mathews recently launched Prop Zero, a new blog focused on the state of California politics. Joined by political experts, reporters, and observers from across the state, Prop Zero offers the smart and relevant commentary needed to raise the level of political discourse and shine a light on new ideas throughout California.

The Global Assets Project at the New America Foundation is pleased to announce that it is a founding member of the YouthSave Consortium, an initiative of four organizations – Save the Children, the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis, New America and CGAP – conducting a landmark, global research initiative that will test how to sustainably deliver savings services to low-income youth in the developing world. 

SACRAMENTO – Californians can save more than $300 billion in health spending over the next decade by building on best practices developed here in our state, finds a study released today by the New America Foundation. Many of those practices also are included in the newly approved federal health reform legislation, positioning California to be a catalyst for positive changes across the country.