Congressman Bob Filner's
Congressional Update

May 2005

In this Issue:

• Fighting for Lower Gas Prices and a 21st Century Gas Policy
• Working to Protect Public Safety from Sexual Predators
• Building Bi-partisan Support for Filipino Veterans and the Philippines
• Nominations to the White House Council on Aging
• Hot Bill: H.R.917, the Better Access to Chiropractors to Keep Our Veterans Healthy Act � the BACK Our Veterans Health Act!
• Citizens of the Month
• Crime Fighter of the Month
• Constituent Mail Bag
• Cool Web Site: National Allergy-Asthma Awareness Month

Working to Protect the Public from Sexual Predators
This month I brought together Representatives Susan Davis, Duncan Hunter, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, and Darrell Issa ( the Congressional Delegation from the San Diego area) to request federal funds for protection against sexual predators.

If approved, these funds will allow the San Diego County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force to purchase new equipment to fulfill its mission to monitor and apprehend sexual offenders.

With more than 4,400 sex offenders spread over San Diego County�s 4,200 square miles, the SAFE Task Force resources are stretched dangerously thin. With improved equipment like a Global Positioning System, the SAFE Task Force can more effectively accomplish its mission and spend more time and energy on high risk sex offenders.

These funds are vital to our community and are an absolute necessity. I am very happy to be working with other regional Representatives on this issue.

With the State's recent request to place two Sexually Violent Predators (SVPs) on private property in the Otay Mesa community, it is more important than ever to properly fund the SAFE Task Force. I am glad to be leading the charge, across party lines, for these funds for our community.

Building Bi-partisan Support for Filipino Veterans and the Philippines
In early April Congressman Randy �Duke� Cunningham joined me in hosting a national videoconference to promote the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act (H.R. 302). Members of Filipino Veterans Groups, Filipino-American groups, and their allies in Washington D.C., Houston, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco participated in the videoconference.

On another note, Congressman Darrell Issa and I are leading a bi-partisan effort to restore full funding for U.S. assistance to the Philippines. The White House has proposed reducing U.S. aid to the Philippines from $129 million to $96 million.

This is no time for the Bush Administration to forget about our close partnership with the Philippines. We need to keep working closely with the Philippines on fighting terrorism and poverty.

Seven other Members of Congress have joined in our effort to persuade the Appropriations Committee to provide full funding for U.S. aid to the Philippines.  Our letter states: �A sharp cut in assistance to the Philippines now would send the wrong signal to our common enemies in the region and to the Filipino people.�

I have a clear message for the White House: You cannot give tax rebates to the rich and try to compensate for lost revenue by cutting aid to a close ally like the Philippines! I will keep fighting to straighten out the government�s priorities and maintain aid to our friends in the Philippines.

From the left, I am pictured with Nazario Santos, Post Commander Filipino-American Veterans Post #7476, Congressman Randy �Duke� Cunningham, Major General Delfin Lorenzana, Special Presidential Representative of Veterans Affairs, Embassy of the Philippines in Washington D.C.

 

Nominations to the White House Council on Aging
Once a decade, the White House Conference on Aging is called to order to discuss issues affecting senior citizens. Every Member of Congress is asked to send a delegate, and I am honored to name Cynthia White Parks to represent the 51st Congressional District of California. The conference will take place in Washington D.C. on October 23-26th.

Cynthia was selected as the representative to the conference for her long tenure in the health services community. Cynthia is a registered nurse, retired from the San Diego Veterans Affairs Hospital. She is the founder of Metro AARP Chapter 4916, served as its President from 1992-98 and is currently their Vice President. Cynthia is a member of the Fourth City Council District Seniors Commission, San Diego County Aging & Independent Services, and a member of the Board of Directors of ARC�s Arrow Center, serving developmentally disabled citizens. She is the African American Representative of AARP for San Diego and Imperial Counties.

I am honored to have Cynthia representing our community and look forward to reviewing the product of this conference. For more information on the conference please visit them on the internet at www.whcoa.gov.

 

Crime Fighter of the Month
I am delighted to name two very special Latinas as the May �Crimefighters of the Month�!

Berety Duran and Paulina Marquez are the only two females in the graduating class of twenty-six cadets to complete the Southwestern College (SWC) Basic Police Academy. Long considered a male-dominated field, very few women pursue a career in law enforcement.

Established in 1984, the Southwestern College Basic Police Academy is an intensive 11-month Certification Program designed to prepare students for entry level employment with police and sheriffs departments throughout California. Police Academy cadets receive nearly 900 hours of training in areas such as criminal law, basic and tactical firearms, defensive tactics, community relations, emergency vehicle operations, physical fitness, basic criminal investigation, patrol procedures, report writing, and laws of evidence.

Our community should be proud of these two courageous young women. I commend their decision to pursue careers in law enforcement. They are trailblazers and role models for the young women of our community. I hope more women follow in their footsteps.

Constituent Mail Bag

From Chula Vista:
The President has expressed his support for extending the FCC's control over cable and satellite radio.

H.R. 1440 has been introduced to block the FCC from impeding on our freedoms. We cannot let our freedom of choice be taken from us! This country was founded on this freedom of speech and choice!

As my representative in the 51st district, I hope you will see that HR 1440 is Imperative to our freedom of choice.

Congressman Filner replies:
Thank you for contacting me regarding regulating cable television.

I wholeheartedly agree! The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should not have authority to regulate cable television or satellite radio. These forms of media are pay-for-service, and therefore are not in the scope of the public airwaves. As you have requested, I have co-sponsored H.R. 1440.

I appreciate your advocacy on this issue.

Contact My Office

COOL WEB SITE: National Allergy-Asthma Awareness Month
May is National Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month. As part of my on-going War on Asthma, I encourage you to visit the home page of the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics. Their website (www.aanma.org) provides useful tips for families who are trying to protect their children from the dangers of allergies and asthma.