U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) Weekly E-Newsletter
February 20, 2008
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For more information, please visit http://judybiggert.house.gov/.
In this Week's E-Newsletter:
- This Week in Congress
- Week in Review
- Featured Story
- From the Press Desk
- In Her Own Words
- In the News
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This Week in Congress:
Congress is out of session this week for President’s Day district work period.
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Week in Review:
Monday, February 11, 2008 through Friday, February 15, 2008
Congress met last week for legislative business, including consideration of:
H. Con. Res. 281 – A resolution celebrating the birth of Abraham Lincoln and recognizing the important role the Declaration of Independence played in the development of his beliefs. Rep. Biggert voted yes. Passed the House by a vote of 357 to 0. Rep. Biggert is a cosponsor of this resolution.
H. Res. 972 – Supporting the Goals and Ideals of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day. This resolution reaffirms America’s commitment to fighting heart disease and stroke by supporting research and promoting awareness about causes, risks, and prevention. Rep. Biggert voted yes. Passed the House by a vote of 389 to 0. Rep. Biggert is a cosponsor of this resolution.
H. Res. 982 – Democrat resolution to hold White House Officials Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolten in contempt of Congress. This was a politically motivated resolution serving only to distract from an important debate on terrorist surveillance legislation. In protest, Rep. Biggert and 162 other Republicans refused to vote. Passed the House by a vote of 223 to 32.
H.R. 5349 – Protect America Act Short-Term Extension. This bill would temporarily extend – for the third time in six months – a law governing the ability of U.S. agents to conduct surveillance of electronic communications between foreign terrorists. Described by the Wall Street Journal as an attempt by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to “dodge the issue by passing another short-term extension of wiretap authority (Editorial, 2/19/08),” the bill was overwhelmingly defeated by a bipartisan vote of 191 to 229. Rep. Biggert voted no. House Leadership then chose to let the law expire rather than permit a vote on a bipartisan compromise, which had already passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 29. According to the Washington Times, the Speaker “realized that she was in danger of suffering yet another humiliating political defeat on the issue. So she pulled the bill from the floor.” As a result, “for at least one more week, U.S. intelligence agencies will need to get judicial permission to monitor any new suspected terrorist communications between Beirut and Tehran or Karachi and Kabul (Editorial, 2/18/08).”
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Featured Story – Addressing the Nurse Shortage:
Judy presents a check to Dr. Judith Dwyer, President of Saint Xavier University
Orland Park, IL – On February 19th, Biggert visited the Saint Xavier University School of Nursing to present $191,000 in federal funds to expand and enhance the nursing skills laboratory at its Orland Park Campus. The project will improve both the quality of area nursing instruction and increase the number of nursing students with access to a fully functional laboratory space. By training more students, Saint Xavier hopes to alleviate the current shortage of nursing care facing Illinois residents.
“Patients at every major health care facility in the Chicago area benefit from the care and leadership of Saint Xavier University’s nursing graduates,” said Biggert. “This educational investment will pay dividends for years to come to both nursing students and the Illinois residents they serve.”
At Biggert’s request, funding for the project was included in H.R.2764, which was signed into law on December 26th.
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From the Press Desk:
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Biggert Fights to Close Sex Offender Loophole
Introduces bill requiring all convicted sex offenders to register with authorities
Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) and Dennis Moore (D-KS-03) today introduced the Sex Offender Mandatory Registration Act, which will close a loophole in federal law that has allowed convicted sex offenders to avoid registering with the appropriate authorities.
“We can’t allow technicalities to let sex offenders prey on our children,” said Biggert, Co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. “This bill will help to restore confidence in the registry system and better protect children nationwide.”
To read more, click here.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Biggert Urges Caution on EJ&E; Merger
Calls on Transportation Board to Consider Local Impact of Proposed Rail Plan
Willowbrook, IL – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today sent a letter to Charles Nottingham, Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), urging caution in his agency’s evaluation of a pending railway merger that would dramatically affect suburban residents. The merger, between Canadian National Railway Corporation and Grand Truck Corporation (CN) and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E;), would increase train traffic on the line through Will and DuPage Counties by as much as 150%.
“Safety, noise, traffic, pollution -- this merger could have a serious impact on life in our community,” said Biggert. “The Surface Transportation Board needs to address our concerns before approving any major rail deals.”
To read more, click here.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Biggert Applauds Progress on Rare Isotope Project
Dept. of Energy Releases Draft Proposal for New Accelerator Facility
Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today applauded the release by the Department of Energy of a draft Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the long-awaited Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). The University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory intend to compete for the project, which is estimated to carry a price tag of $550 to $600 million.
“The rare isotope facility holds enormous potential for our country’s technological and economic competitiveness,” said Biggert, a senior member of House Science Subcommittee on Energy, which has oversight over the DOE’s research and development programs and national laboratories. “This world-class user facility could bring millions in revenue and high-tech jobs to our local economy.”
To read more, click here.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Biggert to Consumers: DTV Deadline Just One Year Away
Why your TV may not work next year and what to do about it
Willowbrook, IL – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today advised area residents to plan ahead for the transition to digital television. On February 17, 2009, stations across the country will stop broadcasting analog television signals, which could leave some in the dark.
“We’re just one year away,” said Biggert. “If you’re buying a TV, you’ll want to make sure its digital. And if you or a neighbor has an older TV, you’ll want to be prepared with a converter box.”
To read more, click here.
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In Her Own Words:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Statement of U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL)
On H. Res. 975 - Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives on the death of the Honorable Tom Lantos
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say goodbye to a good man and a cherished colleague. Chairman Lantos was one of the most respected and distinguished Members of the House of Representatives, and he will be missed.
During his 14 terms in this body, he championed the cause of people everywhere who face oppression and cruelty. Through his leadership of both the Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Human Rights Caucus, he guided U.S. policy with morality and integrity.
I think I will remember him most as one of those rare breeds of old-world statesmen who bring clarity and respect to our national debate. And while he was indeed an accomplished speaker, Chairman Lantos inspired not just through his words, but through his own personal story.
From his tragic experiences in the Nazi camps to his rise in Congress, he showed how one truly remarkable individual can overcome the worst sort of tyranny and achieve great things.
To Chairman Lantos’ dear wife, Annette, and his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, I send all my thoughts and prayers. We can all take comfort that his was a full life with a legacy that will never be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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In the News:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Southtown Star
By Isaac Wolf
Staff Writer
Sim Man offers 'wonderful' opportunity
Here's a riddle for the breakfast table: What kind of robot has no heart but allows you to listen to its heartbeat?
No, he's not made of tin. Rather, the name's Sim Man.
Short for "Simulation Man," he's a life-size mannequin used to acquaint nursing students with the afflictions they'll have to treat after receiving their diplomas.
"He'll groan in pain. You can listen to his heart. You can listen to his bowel sounds," said Kay Thurn, Interim Dean of Saint Xavier University's School of Nursing. "He can have a bed sore. He can have gangrene in his foot. He's just wonderful."
This fall, the wonderful, gangrenous mannequin makes a grand - if not grotesque - entrance into the Southland, becoming a fixture at Saint Xavier University's Orland Park campus. Sim Man and other new devices come thanks to a new $191,000 federal grant awarded to the university.
The funding will transform the nursing classroom into a mock hospital room, complete with hospital beds, video recording equipment and devices to help teach how to give injections.
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Hinsdale) helped see through Congress the spending bill that includes the money for the new equipment. That money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health resources account, according to John Noak, a spokesman for Biggert.
The money should be transferred this summer or fall, Noak said. As soon as it is, Saint Xavier will order Sim Man and the other equipment and hopefully receive it in time for fall classes, Thurn said.
The Orland Park campus serves 60 to 70 nursing students, while Saint Xavier, overall, has about 670 nursing students, Thurn said.
In case you were wondering, Sim Man isn't lonely. The company that makes him, Laerdal Medical, has created a whole family of mannequins to keep him company: There's "Little Anne" for CPR training, "Tuff Kelly" for first aid training and "Nita Newborn," a 4-pound, 16-ounce baby girl.
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