Congressman Culberson strongly supports physician pay increases under Medicare and believes the entire formula determining physician reimbursement should be revised. Unfortunately, the Democrats continue to insist on bringing up a bill that would gut Medicare Advantage, denying coverage to over 1,200 seniors in District 7. Medicare Advantage's private-fee-for service plans gives seniors the opportunity to see any doctor they choose rather than Medicare’s limited provider network.

On June 26, Congressman Culberson, along with 68 of his House colleagues, sent a letter to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley asking them to bring a responsible bill to the Senate floor that would reverse the decline in the Medicare physician reimbursement and not raid Medicare Advantage's private-fee-for service coverage. The letter states: "All of us are committed to ensuring that our physicians can continue to practice across the country and provide the best care to our seniors. Without adequate reimbursement and certainty about the reimbursements they are going to receive, we fear that many doctors will simply be unable to see new Medicare patients. We cannot allow these cuts to take effect. Our seniors deserve better, and our physicians deserve better." Congressman Culberson will continue advocating an increase in their Medicare reimbursement so that physicians are not punished for serving Medicare patients.

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Democrats have adopted the misleading mantra, “Use it or lose it,” with regard to oil and gas producers operating on federal lands. Once again, instead of addressing real reforms to lower energy prices for hard-working Americans, Democrats choose to deliberately mislead Americans into believing American oil companies are to blame for high energy prices.

Do not be fooled. America’s oil and gas producers don’t and can’t sit on federal oil and gas leases instead of producing energy. In fact, it is the Democrat’s fault that federal lands are “unproductive” – they are prohibited from being developed. Only 3f the United States’ 1.76 billion acre outer continental shelf (OCS) is leased for oil and gas exploration and development. Tell the Democrats to stop all of their hoodwinking. Tell them you want OCS opened for development.

Posted in Energy | 3 Comments | View Full Posting

Washington, D.C. – The dangerously narrow Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge that was declared a hazard to navigation by the Coast Guard in 2001 is another step closer to replacement today after several members of Congress announced additional federal funding.

Houston-area Reps. Gene Green (D-Houston), Ted Poe (R-Humble), John Culberson (R-Houston) and Ron Paul (R-Lake Jackson), who all requested funding for the bridge replacement project at the beginning of the appropriations process earlier this year, announced that the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security approved $5 million for the project, which supplements previous years’ appropriations totaling $25.8 million. The estimated total cost of the project is $68 million.

“Replacing this bridge is crucial for several industries in our area, plus it would help ensure the safety of barge operators, recreational vehicles on the water, and the bridge itself,” Green said.

Paul said he was proud to support the project for the benefit of Galveston. “I have always said it is important to take care of our infrastructure here at home,” he said.

Barges up to 104 feet wide and 1000 feet long carry 29 million tons of cargo through a 105-foot gap in the Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge every year. Strong winds and currents and limited visibility often contribute to accidents that cause more than $5 million in damage annually.

“The Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge is the most hazardous spot on the entire Gulf Intracoastal Waterway,” Poe said. “More accidents occur there than at any other bridge on the Gulf Coast. I appreciate the work by my colleagues in the Texas Congressional delegation to address a risk to our citizens, the environment and the efficient flow of commerce. This funding moves us closer to a construction start on this important project.”

Federal funding for the widening project, which must still be approved by the House Appropriations Committee and the full House of Representatives, will be supplemented by a 10 percent contribution from Galveston County. The estimated cost includes design, engineering, and construction of a new 300-foot navigation span lift bridge.

“The Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge is an essential part of the infrastructure and economy of Southeast Texas, and replacing this aging bridge will improve the flow of goods and traffic and ensure a vibrant economy,” Culberson said. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I was pleased to work with my colleagues from Southeast Texas to help secure funding for this vital project.”

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The Senate passed the NASA 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act by unanimous consent last week. The coin set, featuring tributes to astronauts, missions to outer space, and the solar system itself, is set to be issued into currency until December of 2009. NASA has captured the imagination of the American public since its inception in 1958 and significantly contributes to our national identity and culture. A Gallup poll conducted earlier this month reported that 68f Americans believe the benefits of manned spaceflight outweigh the risks; and 69gree that the space program '”inspires young people to consider an education in science, technology, math or engineering fields.”  Congressman Culberson is a proud author of this legislation and looks forward to getting it to the President’s desk.

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The CONTACT Program is proud to award student travel grants to Hao Lu, Yang Lu, and Yogeeswaran Ganesan from Rice University. These three outstanding graduate students will have the opportunity to apply their award money to use world-class equipment at centers including the CONTACT nanotechnology centers located in Dallas, Arlington, Houston, and Austin.

CONTACT, or Consortium for Nanomaterials for Aerospace Commerce and Technology, is a federally funded program which partners the Air Force Research Laboratory with Rice University and six other Texas universities focused on developing and commercialzing new nanomaterials for the defense aerospace industry.

Thanks to Congressman John Culberson’s support for this program, “Texas and the Air Force can have the forefront position in the field of new market products emerging from nanotechnology research,” says Jack Agee, Director of the program.

In November 2006, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison announced a $1.4 million Department of Defense grant for a new research consortium called CONTACT. CONTACT’s activities build upon a program called Strategic Partnership for Research in Nanotechnology, or SPRING, a four-year federal investment in nanotechnology research infrastructure at the partner institutions.

The CONTACT Student Travel Grant was established to award graduate and undergraduate students currently enrolled in a nanotechnology related program at any university in Texas. This award provides an opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment and facilities available at the participating CONTACT Program universities. These grants also help promote interactions and collaborations between Texas universities which is a vital component to the advancement of nanotechnology research.

To learn more about the CONTACT Program and the Student Travel Grant, please contact Jack Agee’s office at (713) 348 6338 or visit the website at www.contact.rice.edu.

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