FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
November 24, 2010                                                                                    (317) 848-0201

Miami County Awarded Economic Development Administration Grant

PERU, IN –  The Miami County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) received big news from the  US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) on Wednesday, November 24, 2010.  The EDA announced the approval of a $2.5M Grant as the last piece in a financing package to bring 200 new jobs in aircraft maintenance to the Grissom Aeroplex and the region.  The grant, combined with other local, state and a US Department of Agriculture Loan, will fund renovations and expansion of Hangar 200 at Grissom Aeroplex to close a deal with an aircraft maintenance company looking to expand operations into Miami County, at the former Grissom AFB.   The Hangar at Grissom, which is owned by the County, requires an expansion to accommodate larger wide body aircraft to include the B747-400, B767, B777 aircraft for the company.

The aircraft maintenance company, currently operating in the Southwestern United States, has been in business for 43 years.  The company has provided service for most major airlines in the United States, including United, US Airways, Sky West, American Eagle and Air Canada.  The company is seeking to expand its existing operations to Grissom Aeroplex, where they project 200 new jobs will be created, at an estimated five-year regional economic impact of over $160 million.  The project is pending final lease negotiations.

Upon hearing the news, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement:

“In August, I reached out to the Federal Economic Development Administration to urge them to give every due consideration to the Miami County Economic Development Authority’s application because I understood the importance of this contract for the future of the Grissom Aeroplex.  Winning this grant was absolutely critical for the completion of this deal and I am very pleased that I could help put the final piece of the puzzle in place.  Now Hoosiers hit so hard by the downturn in the economy, have a new opportunity for some good paying jobs.”

Don Cates, Chairman of the Miami County Economic Development Authority, remarked, “This is fantastic news.  In addition to Congressman Burton efforts, the community received non-partisan support and assistance from Senator Lugar, Senator Bayh,  Congressman Donnelly, and Congressman Ellsworth and their staff’s with this project – thank you.  A special thanks to Phil Lehmkuler, State Director of USDA, Robert Sawyer, Director EDA Chicago Regional Office, and Governor Daniels for their leadership and vision in support of this project as well.  It is refreshing when all of us, local, state and Federal officials and agencies work together to improve local, regional and State economies and create jobs.  An aviation project, such as this, has been the vision for the redevelopment of Grissom for a long time by local and regional entities.  This project is an excellent example of how our local and region al economy of North Central Indiana can become more diversified and stable.“

(POC is Jim Tidd, Executive Director Miami Co Economic Development Authority at (765) 689-0159)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
November 23, 2010                                                                                    (317) 848-0201

Rep. Burton Strongly Condemns North Korean Attack on South Korea

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05), Republican Co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea issued the following statement in response to North Korea’s artillery attack on the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong:

“Once again Kim Jong Il’s despotic communist regime has shattered the peace of the Korean peninsula. I stand with President Obama in strongly condemning this atrocity, and I call on President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton to rally the international community against these attacks and send a strong message to Kim Jong Il that the world stands strongly behind the people of South Korea.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
November 18, 2010                                                                                    (317) 848-0201

Burton Condemns Miscarriage of Justice in Terrorist Trial

“This goes to show we should not conduct social experiments in a time of war.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement in response to the surprise acquittal of terrorist Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani by a New York jury:

“Yesterday’s decision is an appalling miscarriage of justice and a stinging rebuke of the Obama Administration’s ill-conceived decision to treat terrorists as petty criminals and not enemy combatants.  The terrorists now have a blueprint to follow on how to game and twist the American legal system which will only increase the likelihood of further terrorist attacks against Americans here at home and abroad.”

“No one in the Justice Department should be congratulating themselves today.  This terrorist deserves more than twenty years in prison for plotting to destroy U.S. government property; he should be facing death for the cold-blooded calculated murders of 224 innocent people.  This goes to show we should not conduct social experiments in a time of war.”
 
Rep. Burton also spoke on this issue on the House Floor this morning.  Please see the linked video.
 

Background: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani is a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who was on trial for his alleged role in the bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 where 224 people were killed, including 12 Americans.   Gailani was charged with 286 counts – including 224 counts of murder – and convicted of only one count – conspiracy to destroy U.S. Government property.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
November 4, 2010                                                                                      (317) 848-0201

Rep. Burton Reasserts the Need for a Tough Stance on Border Security from President Obama

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) sent a follow up letter to President Barack Obama expressing concern regarding the deteriorating security situation along the United States southern border.  The letter was sent following the deaths of five more Americans along the border region.

Rep. Burton wrote “Americans are dying; it is time to recognize that the drug violence along the border is a direct threat to the United States and to act accordingly.”

Rep. Burton urged President Obama to consider the proposals that were laid out in his initial letter from October 26th.  Those proposals included more serious dialogue with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, complete construction of a border fence to secure our border and immediate deployment of additional National Guard troops to the region.  Rep. Burton's letter to President Obama is as follows (PDF of actual letter linked):

November 4, 2010

Dear Mr. President:

    On October 26th I and four of my colleagues, sent you a letter expressing our extreme concerns regarding the deteriorating security situation along our Nation’s southern border.  Since that time five more Americans have been killed along the border region.   Protecting our borders and our citizens is a paramount responsibility of the Federal government; enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution.  I strongly urge you to consider the proposals laid out in my letter from October 26th.  Americans are dying; it is time to recognize that the drug violence along the border is a direct threat to the United States and act accordingly.

    Thank you for giving your personal time and attention to this critically important issue.


                                Sincerely,


                                Dan Burton
                                Member of Congress

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie
October 26, 2010                                                                        (317) 848-0201

Burton Demands Tough Stance on Border Security from President Obama

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) along with Congressmen Ted Poe (TX-2), Ralph Hall (TX-4), Pete Olson (TX-22) and Congressman Ed Royce (CA-40) sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing concern regarding the deteriorating security situation along the United States southern border.  The letter addresses the murder of a U.S. citizen that took place on Falcon Lake on the Texas border with Mexico.  Rep. Burton is strongly urging President Obama to pursue more serious dialogue with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, calling for complete construction of a border fence to secure our border and pushing for an immediate deployment of additional National Guard troops to the region.  Rep. Burton's letter to President Obama is as follows (PDF of actual linked):

October 26, 2010

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to you today to express our extreme concern regarding the deteriorating security situation along our Nation’s southern border.  It seems that every day brings a new report of some atrocity; the most recent being the apparent murder of a U.S. citizen at Falcon Lake, Texas; yet little if anything appears to be being done by our government or the Mexican government to stop the bloodshed and bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Protecting our borders and our citizens is a paramount responsibility of the Federal government; enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution.  It would be an unforgiveable breach of our constitutional responsibilities if we do not take stronger measures not only to prevent the upward spiral of violence from further spilling over into the United States and threaten the safety of U.S. citizens on American soil but to reclaim those areas of our border already overrun by smugglers and criminals.  We can no longer pretend that this is simply Mexico’s problem.  The time has come to recognize that the drug violence along the border is a direct threat to the United States and act accordingly. 

First, it has become apparent that the Mexican government and law enforcement authorities are either unwilling or unable to address this problem unilaterally.  Therefore, we believe it is imperative that you immediately begin serious dialogue with President Calderon on building a comprehensive framework, in the spirit of Plan Colombia, that will better coordinate a more aggressive and proactive strategy to turn the tide of this conflict. 

Second, we must complete construction of the border fence.  Any responsibility we have to minimize the impact of the fence on the physical landscape or native species in the region pales in comparison when measured against the value of human lives that will be lost if we do not seal the border.

Finally, we believe it is critical that we deploy additional National Guard troops to the border. Media reports indicate that 17,000 National Guard troops were deployed to the Gulf region to respond to the recent oil spill.  Yet, you have only pledged 1,200 National Guard troops to protect the border – and according to media reports only a small fraction of those troops have arrived to date.  It is unrealistic, if not pure insanity, to believe that a mere 1,200 National Guard troops, even with the support of the Border Patrol, can effectively cover the nearly 2,000 mile long Southwestern border of the United States.   We must put additional bodies on the ground and we must give them the weapons and specify rules of engagement that give them the authority to do whatever is necessary to secure the border.  A National Guard trooper armed with only a pistol and given no authority to engage the enemy is useless against a criminal armed with military grade weapons and ammunition.

Mr. President, we implore you to view this situation for what it is, a war and to act accordingly.

Sincerely,