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5, Issue 35,
September 9, 2005 |
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In Arkansas alone, there are estimated to be more than 50,000 people – our very own neighbors from Mississippi and Louisiana - who evacuated their homes and are staying with family and friends, and at hotels, churches, church camps, and convention centers. Perhaps most remarkably, families throughout Arkansas have opened their homes and provided hospitality to perfect strangers who have nowhere else to turn. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which solely exists to help the nation prepare for and recover from significant catastrophes, failed to take immediate action following Hurricane Katrina, and needlessly jeopardized the lives and created intolerable conditions for untold thousands of men, women and children. Part of the reason for FEMA's slow response to victims of Hurricane Katrina is that it currently exists under the complicated and bureaucratic structure of the Department of Homeland Security. When FEMA was a stand-alone agency and reported directly to the President, it was able to respond to disasters in a much more efficient and timely manner. By restoring FEMA to its status as an independent agency, our nation will undoubtedly be better prepared to handle natural disasters of catastrophic nature in the future. This week, I co-sponsored legislation which would remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation, introduced by Congressman John Dingell (MI-15), mandates that the Director of FEMA be a cabinet-level official, report directly to the President, and establishes two Deputy Directors within FEMA, one to focus on natural disasters and one for terrorism related disasters. As I traveled throughout the rural Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas in the days following Hurricane Katrina, I witnessed firsthand already inflated gas prices jump from $2.45 to $3.25 overnight. In an effort to address these outrageous gas prices, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, of which I am a member, held a hearing entitled, “Recovering from Hurricane Katrina.” Additionally, I have written a letter to the Federal Trade Commission requesting the FTC conduct an immediate investigation of the status of our nation's oil companies and refineries, how the devastation of Hurricane Katrina has impacted our domestic oil industry, and what can be done to ensure that climbing gas prices are not a result of unfair price gouging. Price gouging following such a catastrophic event is intolerable and must be investigated. As our nation struggles to recoup from the devastation to our Gulf States, I will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure our nation is prepared for future catastrophes on American soil. I urge you to visit my website, www.house.gov/ross and click on hot topics for information regarding the ongoing relief and recovery efforts for our southern neighbors. |
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“Days before Congress recessed for the August District Work Period, the United States Congress passed a comprehensive Energy Bill that directs the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether or not the high price of gasoline was due to market manipulation or gouging practices,” said Ross. “Just six weeks later, in the aftermath of what is arguably the worst natural disaster in our nation’s history, I have witnessed firsthand already inflated gas prices skyrocket from $2.45 to $3.25 overnight.” “Price gouging and market manipulation in days following Hurricane Katrina is intolerable and American citizens deserve an explanation,” continued Ross. “This legislation puts a timeline on what the United States Congress has already agreed to and the President has signed into law.” Ross is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which maintains oversight of the Federal Trade Commission. |
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Hearing addresses $10 billion in cuts to Medicaid “Thank you Mr. Chairman. I just want to make some comments after sitting here and listening to a lot of things that have been said this morning. “Mr. Chairman, we are talking about $10 billion worth of cuts to Medicaid. In the same budget we are talking about $106 billion in tax cuts. Those tax cuts will not be debated in this committee, but they will be debated in this Congress, and last time I checked, we are all members of the 109th Congress. So, it’s about priorities. There is a lot of talk these days about faith. Some people talk about it, some try and do something about it. As we go through this debate affecting the poorest among us, I hope all of us will pause for a moment and think about Matthew 25:40: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” “Let me tell you about my America. Half of the children in Arkansas are on Medicaid. Eight out of ten seniors in the nursing homes in Arkansas are on Medicaid. One in five people in my home state of Arkansas are on Medicaid. Now we have 60,000, the number could be larger, we are still trying to figure it out, but we have at least 60,000 of our neighbors from Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Orleans now in Arkansas and many of them are in desperate need of Medicaid. “Now the gentlemen from Oregon talked about the Erectile Dysfunctional Drug and how it’s covered by Medicaid. I don’t know where the gentlemen got his information from, but I can tell you that my wife and I own a small town family pharmacy, and in Arkansas Medicaid does not pay for Erectile Dysfunctional Drugs. Perhaps the gentleman from Oregon is confused because the Medicare Drug Bill that he voted for does cover Erectile Dysfunctional Drugs, but Medicaid in Arkansas does not. In terms of the hair loss drug, I am still trying to get an answer to that question. But, I can tell you this, my wife and I own a pharmacy, and never once has Medicaid paid for a hair loss drug at our pharmacy. “So, let’s get our facts straight as we debate these issues because we are talking about peoples’ lives. We are talking about $10 billion in cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid is the health insurance plan for the poor, disabled, and the elderly. In my business and from my home state, I see a lot of poor people, and never once has someone walked up to me and said, ‘I like being poor.’ As I mentioned, my wife and I own a family pharmacy and we see a lot of sick people. But never once has someone walked through our door and said, ‘You know, I just love being sick.’ And when you talk about cutting Medicaid $10 billion, it’s as if we are going to wake up tomorrow and people are going to quit getting sick or quit being poor. “This is more about shifting more of the expense to the state. We saw it happen with the end of Federal Revenue Sharing in the early 1980’s and poor states like Arkansas simply cannot afford to take on anymore of the burden. This is about shifting more of the burden to the states. Mr. Chairman, I believe that is wrong. Thank you.” Ross is a member of the House Committee
on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid.
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1-800-223-2220 mike.ross@mail.house.gov or www.house.gov/ross |
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