News from Congressman Joe Sestak

eNewsletter – February 2009 Review

Dear Constituents of the 7^th District,

As your Representative in Washington, my focus – as it has been for the last year –  is on your economic security. To that purpose, my efforts over the last two months have been targeted at informing constituents and county, municipal, educational, and non-profit organizations about key provisions of the “Economic Stimulus Bill” (H.R. 1: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) – both before and after its passage.  This newsletter contains information on some of the recent events and outreach efforts I and my office have used to keep you informed about the work we are doing to overcome the economic challenges we face.

I have supported legislation that will stem the loss of jobs in the 7^th District and across the nation, extend unemployment benefits and COBRA health coverage for those hurt by the recession, open the lines of credit that are the lifeblood of our financial sector, help struggling homeowners who have behaved responsibly, and lay the foundations of our future prosperity by investing in education, health care, and clean energy. The Economic Stimulus Bill will stop the hemorrhaging of jobs. Unemployment in our District has increased almost 45 percent in one year, reflecting the surge in unemployment nationwide. The stimulus bill will create 7,800 jobs here in the District over the next two years, and for my support of the measure I received a letter of thanks from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Already, we are starting to see the stimulus take effect and have a tangible benefit here our community. After working alongside concerned citizens for over two years to secure funding, I am proud to say that ChesPenn Health Services will receive more than $1 million for a new health center in Upper Darby. This is a project that was deemed eligible for federal support, but would not have been funded without the stimulus bill. Now, we are going to see good, high paying  jobs saved and created and a community get the care it needs.

I have worked hard to communicate with everyone in the District and keep you all informed about these developments. I held a series of four tele-town halls, over the course of which every registered number received a personal call from me and everyone was invited to join a live forum and pose questions on the economy and other issues. I also held meetings with 53 of the 59 municipalities in the District, conferred with the area Chambers of Commerce, and hosted a series of grants and appropriations seminars, including one just for emergency first responders.

We will not see the full benefit of the Economic Stimulus Bill here in the 7^th District unless our businesses, organizations, and local governments know how to apply for and secure funding. That is why I’ve  released a comprehensive guide – to be updated weekly – to accessing funding through the Economic Stimulus Bill on my Web site, www.sestak.house.gov. This guide includes detailed information on the funding process, including Web sites, telephone numbers, and contact names. I am also hosting a Business Procurement Summit on March 27 for local businesses, municipalities, and organizations to get firsthand information on how to secure stimulus funds. For more information on the summit or to sign up, visit: http://www.sestak.house.gov/upcoming_events.shtml.

In my legislative efforts, I have continued to look after our most vulnerable citizens. I’m proud to announce the passage by the House of Representatives of my Elder Abuse Victims Act, the first bill on elder abuse to pass the House in 17 years. I also co-sponsored two other important bills that passed the House, the Silver Scholarship Act, which will provide scholarships for seniors who volunteer, and the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act, which will protect children  who are away from home in programs that treat behavioral, emotional, or mental health problems.

Recently, I announced a responsible and effective alternative to the flawed FAA Airspace Redesign Plan and met with Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to promote it. My plan will utilize regional airports that are able and eager to handle increased traffic, protect our communities and our environment, and provide real delay reductions at Philadelphia International Airport.

Here in Media, my District Office continues to remain open seven days a week. We’ve completed more than 10,000 constituent cases – where the average cases completed for a district is only 3,200. We hosted a major education summit that brought together local and regional educators, business leaders, and other community members interested in improving education in our region and nation. I have continued to enjoy visits to schools, hospitals and homes, veterans organizations, fire stations, local business, and many community organizations and events, including celebrations for the 100^th Anniversary of the founding of NAACP. If I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact my District Office at 600 N. Jackson St, Suite 203, Media, PA 19063, 610-892-8623.

Congressman Joe Sestak is now on Twitter. You can receive updates on the Congressman’s daily events as well as links to information about legislation, YouTube clips and photographs from around the District. Sign up at http://www.twitter.com/JoeSestak.

*For the most complete and up-to-date information on Congressman Sestak’s work in Washington and in the 7^th Congressional District, please visit http://sestak.house.gov. For help with a problem for which the Congressman can offer assistance, please call his District Office at 610-892-8623.

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Efforts to Restore our Economic Security

Voted for Final Passage of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (Economic Stimulus Bill)

For more information, please visit http://www.sestak.house.gov/list/press/pa07_sestak/090214_EconStim.shtml and http://www.sestak.house.gov/pdf/ARRA%20Resource%20Directory.pd

“To avoid a deeper and more protracted economic recession that would devastate the economic security of my constituents, while ensuring a more rapid recovery from this recession, I voted for H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which passed the House by a vote of 246-183 and provides $787 billion in urgently needed stimulus funds. The legislation is a compromise between the House and Senate that begins to rebuild the economy and puts Americans back to work during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. This measure will create143,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania and 7,800 new jobs here in the District, and I was pleased to receive a letter of support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“The global financial system – while edging back from the apex of panic in October – is still in a deep crisis of limited lending. Lost jobs, and the healthcare that comes with it, along with declines in real GDP, industrial production, and retail sales, have impacted all sectors of our economy and every household. While the stimulus will not immediately reverse the economic downturn, it will provide a vitally needed boost to the flagging economy and prevent what is now a serious recession from becoming a depression. It will help prevent even more lost jobs, small businesses shutting their doors, homeowners facing foreclosure, and a more severe budget deficit because of a greater decline in the economy generating less government revenues, which would mean greater budget outlays required for a longer period. With the passage of this stimulus, independent modeling shows our GDP could return to its previous 2007 peak by the beginning of 2011.”

ChesPenn to Receive more than $1 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Upper Darby Health Center

“I’m proud to announce that the proposed Center for Family Health in Upper Darby (CFH-UD) will receive more than $1 million in Recovery Act funding. This is the culmination of several years of hard work. When I ran for Congress, I did so with the commitment that I would regard health care as one of the pillars of our national security. It was clear to me – as it was to many constituents of the 7^th District who spoke to me – that we needed a health center in Upper Darby. One of my very first acts after I was elected to Congress was to help ChesPenn Health Services secure $10,000 from Crozer-Keystone Health System to conduct a study for the proposed health center. In my second year in Congress, I supported ChesPenn’s application for federal grant funding under a Health and Human Services” Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) program to establish community health clinics. Although the project was found eligible, due to a limitation in funding the project was not awarded the grant. Under HRSA guidelines, the project scored a 95 out of 100, missing that year’s cutoff by one point. Since then, I have continued to support the effort and was preparing to fight for Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations funding. Today, however, I am proud to say that because of our efforts to get this project ‘shovel ready,’ ChesPenn will receive more than $1 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be used for this health center. This is the stimulus at work. This project will create quality, high-paying jobs right here in the 7^th District and will foster a healthy, productive workforce and community.”

Issued Comprehensive Guide to Recovery Act Resources

“Before the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, I recognized the importance of providing easy access to information about the Act and its implementation.  During the debate on the legislation and immediately following its passage, I met with 53 of the 59 of the municipalities in the 7^th District, conferred with school district superintendents, convened forums with the area Chambers of Commerce, hosted six seminars – including one designed just for emergency first-responders – and held four telephone town halls to respond to questions directly from constituents.  During that time, my staff went line by line through the Act to assemble an online directory that matches provisions in the Act – ranging from school funding to energy efficiency initiatives to transportation projects – with the government agencies responsible for their implementation. The directory indicates where the information is available, how the provisions will be executed, and who to contact for assistance. The preliminary edition of the The 7^th Congressional District ARRA Resource Directory is now available on the my Web site – www.sestak.house.gov.

We created the Resource Directory in advance of our upcoming Business Procurement Summit, to be held on March 27 at the Springfield Country Club. The summit will provide local businesspeople a face-to-face opportunity to act on information contained in the Directory or find solutions for problems or questions they may have. The event will feature discussions on how funds are being distributed from the ARRA and how local businesses, municipalities, and organizations are able to benefit. The event will also provide opportunities for business networking and direct interaction with government agencies. You can find more information or sign up here: http://www.sestak.house.gov/upcoming_events.shtml.

Voted for Omnibus Appropriations Bill

“I’m proud to vote in favor of necessary, responsible spending measures that will help American working families navigate the economic challenges we face. This bill, which provides $410 billion to complete the regular Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations process, will jumpstart clean energy and efficiency programs, improve access to the quality health care that Americans need and deserve, and make crucial investments in our children’s education. Today, we also recognize that Americans are crying out for accountability and transparency in their government. We’ve gone through the spending to eliminate programs that aren’t needed or aren’t effective. We’ve put teeth in the measures that regulatory agencies use to protect us from fraudulent or predatory business practices and unsafe goods. And Americans can be assured: there will be real, effective, independent oversight carried out by the Inspectors General and the Government Accountability Office.”

The bill includes $57.9 billion (10%) more than the current level for the Commerce and Justice departments, including a 16% increase in funds to assist state and local law enforcement agencies; $33.8 billion for the Energy Department, Interior Department, Army Corps of Engineers, and related programs — $2.3 billion (7%) more than the current level. It provides 12% more than current funding for energy assistance and alternative energy research, but 18% less for nuclear energy and 9% less for "clean coal" projects; $625.7 billion, of which $152.3 billion is discretionary funding and $473.4 billion is mandatory spending, for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services(HHS), and Education. The discretionary total is $7.4 billion (5%) more than the current level, and includes $30.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health, 3% more than current funding, $15.8 billion for education for disadvantaged children programs, 2% more than the current level; 7% more for Education Department programs; and 4% more for the center for Disease Control; $108.7 billion in budgetary resources for the Transportation Department, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department, and five related agencies. This total includes $55 billion in discretionary appropriations, $6.2 billion (13%) more than current funding.

Legislation

House Passes Congressman Sestak’s Elder Abuse Victims Act: “Everyday, too many of our nation’s seniors become victim to physical, emotional, financial, or other abuse. This legislation recognizes the limitations on our country’s approach to elder abuse prosecution and rehabilitation and puts in place a system to assess and effectively respond to these deficiencies. I originally introduced the Elder Abuse Victims Act in the 110^th session. It is now the first bill to pass the House of Representatives in 17 years on elder abuse. The legislation focuses on protecting seniors from abuse by evaluating state and federal programs, advocacy grants, and prosecution of elder abuse cases. Notably, it funds elder abuse prosecutorial departments at the local, state and federal levels; trains law enforcement officials on appropriate action in these cases; funds nurse-investigators who are experts in identifying elder abuse; and requires the Attorney General to conduct a study evaluating state programs and practices designed to protect seniors from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”

Silver Scholarship Program to Reward Our Senior Volunteers Introduced: “This month, I introduced legislation to create The Silver Scholarship program. This program would provide individuals over the age of 55 who commit to volunteering for 500+ hours per year a $1,000 education award to be used for continuing education. Today, there are 77 million baby boomers that are better educated, healthier than previous generations and want or need to keep physically and mentally active in their golden years. This legislation capitalizes on this wealth of human resource by closing the gap between the shortage of mentors – there are only 500,000 in this country – and the millions of children in need of direction.”

Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Teens: “The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009, which I co-sponsored, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 295 to 102. This legislation puts into place necessary regulations to protect our nation’s children when they are away from home in programs that treat behavioral, emotional, or mental health problems. Reports of abuse in these types of programs have gone unchecked for too long, and this legislation begins to right years of wrong by putting careful checks in place where they were so sorely lacking before. I co-sponsored the bill in the 110^th Congress and voted for the bill when it came up in the House Education and Labor Bill.  Regrettably, the bill never was voted on by the entire House and thus was reintroduced in the current session. I’m proud to say that today we are one step closer to taking proper care of some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Celebrating Black History Month and Honoring the NAACP: “This month, I co-sponsored a resolution “Recognizing the Significance of Black History Month” that the House of Representatives passed by a vote of 420 to 0. The resolution recognizes the significance of Black History Month as an important time to honor the contributions of African-Americans in our nation’s history. It encourages the continued celebration of this month to provide an opportunity for all peoples of the United States to learn more about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the nation. It also affirms that the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States enriches and strengthens the nation.

I also co-sponsored legislation honoring and praising the NAACP on the occasion of its 100^th anniversary that passed by a vote of 424 to 0. The NAACP’s impact on the United States today must not be understated. This exceptional organization has worked relentlessly to realize the most powerful truth of our Declaration of Independence – that all men are created equal. When our society failed to deliver on the promise of that principle, the NAACP stood tall and refused to allow our leaders to forget the sacred promise made by our founding fathers that all Americans must be equal before the law. We, as citizens, continue to rely on the NAACP to remind us that our country will never be as great and as prosperous as it might if we fail to recognize and encourage the dignity and ability of all of our citizens. The NAACP is an institution that has earned the respect of all for its defense of civil rights.”

February Highlights

Education and the Economy Summit: On February 2, Congressman Sestak hosted an Education and Economy Summit that brought together local-area educators, business leaders, and others interested in improving education in our region and nation.  There were panel discussions on Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Middle and High School Education, and the intersection of these programs with the needs and expectations of businesses and institutions of higher learning.

First Responders Grants and Appropriations Seminar: On February 5, Congressman Sestak hosted a First Responders Grants and Appropriations Seminar at Brookhaven Borough Hall. This forum presented an opportunity for first responders, many of whom serve on a volunteer basis, to engage in a dialogue with their federal representative and learn how to obtain the resources they need to protect our communities. Congressman Sestak distributed copies of the 2^nd Edition of his Pennsylvania 7^th Congressional District Federal and State Grants & Resource Directory, available online at http://www.sestak.house.gov/services2.shtml.

Meetings with Municipalities and Chambers of Commerce: Congressman Sestak held meetings with 53 of the 59 municipalities in the District as well as the Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery County Chambers of Commerce to discuss provisions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and other efforts to address our economic challenges.

Series of Four Telephone Town Halls: The week of February 16, Congressman Sestak hosted a series of four Telephone Town Halls with constituents of the 7^th District. Calls were placed to every registered landline phone number in the District and constituents were invited to join a live Town Hall teleconference with Congressman Sestak. The Congressman addressed constituent questions on a wide range of issues, from the Economic Stimulus Bill to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to ways to improve education and health care.

Upcoming Events

Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District Business Procurement Summit

March 27, 2009 from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Springfield Country Club in Springfield, PA.
Registration the day of the event begins at 7 a.m.

The Summit will provide small businesses direct access to government agencies and prime contractors as well as offering educational and networking opportunities. It will feature discussions on how funds are being distributed from the ARRA and how local businesses, municipalities, and organizations can benefit under the Economic Stimulus Plan.

Prime contractors who will be exhibiting will include Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Analytical Graphics Inc., and Moog Components Group Inc. Government agencies who will be exhibiting include SEPTA, the Delaware River Port Authority, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, State, and Navy.

Speakers are scheduled to include Dr. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, who has advised Members of the House and Senate on the most effective ways to stimulate the economy, and Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.

To defray the cost, there will be a charge for participation:

• $40 for individual participants,
• $100 for Government Agency / Non-profit Exhibitors
• $300 for Non-Governmental Agencies

Payment must be made in the form of a check or money order payable to Congressman Joe Sestak, and sent to my District Office at 600 North Jackson Street, Suite 203, Media, PA, 19063.

Contact Molly Abbott in my District Office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 610-892-8623 for additional information.