Congressman Bob Filner's
Congressional Update

November 2010

In this Issue

• Thank you!

• Local Small Businesses Begin to Feel Effects of Small Business Jobs Act

• Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 Signed Into Law 

• Federal Funding Awarded to Imperial Valley College

• Fighting for Family Farms

• $20.2 Million Recovery Grant Awarded for Interchange in Otay Mesa!

• Calling On President’s Deficit Reduction Commission to Look to Cuts in Pentagon’s Budget

• Federal Funds Awarded to San Diego Rail Projects

• $1.7 Million Grant for Seeley County Water District Upgrades

• Groundbreaking for Geothermal Energy Project in the Imperial Valley

• Constituent Mail Bag

• Useful Website: Honor Flight

Thank you!

I want to thank you for returning me to serve another term as Congressman for the 51st District! 

Over the next two years, we must all come together, regardless of political party, to improve the economy and get people back to work.  We must fight to protect the rights and expand the benefits of our service men and women as they return home from war.  We must unite to make renewable energy the focal point of our energy policy so that we can get off of dirty, imported energy sources.  While there may be many things this new Congress doesn’t agree on, we as a country cannot afford to get caught up in distractions that limit our ability to act on these key issues.

This week, I return to Washington, D.C. where I will go back to work fighting for you. Please know that I remain committed to serving you.

Local Small Businesses Begin to Feel Effects of Small Business Jobs Act

Just a little more than a week after the President signed the Small Business Jobs Act, close to 2,000 small businesses had been approved for SBA-backed loans.  A total of nearly $1 billion went to these small businesses.

I’m glad the administration worked quickly to get money in the hands of the business owners that need it to expand and hire new employees. Locally, at least three business owners have already been approved since the new law went into effect.  Apon Industries Corporation of San Diego, Hector Romero and Leonor Rom of Chula Vista and Timothy Lewis and Mary Jane also of Chula Vista will be receiving a combined total of more than $4 million in SBA-backed loans.

In August, I held a banking forum to bring together the big and small banks, small businesses, housing advocates and government agencies for an economic roundtable to address job creation, small business expansion and increased bank lending opportunities. The one thing I heard from every group at the Banking Forum was that small businesses need more access to capital. With this law, we have already begun to meet that demand for capital.

Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 Signed Into Law 

As House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman, I announced last month that President Obama signed H.R. 3219 into law.  The Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 improves and modernizes certain benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans and their families.

This new law is the result of numerous productive hearings and markups, meaningful oversight and bi-partisan compromise – all to ensure that those who were willing to lay down their lives for our country and their families and survivors, receive meaningful, world-class, 21st Century benefits.  These improvements will make a big difference in the lives of many of America’s brave veterans.

Specifically, the new law addresses the needs of veterans by enhancing employment opportunities, preventing and caring for homeless veterans, ensuring the welfare of veterans and their families by increasing insurance limits, protecting service members called to combat, honoring fallen service members and their families, strengthening education benefits, addressing housing needs of disabled veterans, and investing in research for Gulf War veterans. 

This Congress has been extraordinarily productive for America’s veterans. American Legion National Commander Jimmie Foster offered the following assessment of progress made for veterans: “The 111th Congress may be remembered for banner legislation such as health-care reform, financial regulation and the recovery act.  But in our view, the real successes were the passage of bills that affected nearly every veteran in America.”  Reflecting upon his visit to Washington last month, Foster said, “I came to town to deliver my testimony on the needs of our nation’s veterans. Before I left, Congress had passed half of our legislative agenda.”

Federal Funding Awarded to Imperial Valley College

I announced last month that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded $625,886 for programs to improve the academic attainment of students at Imperial Valley College.

Programs that help our students stay in school and reach their potential are essential to their success. This funding will help make sure programs that support our students will be there for them when they need it most.

The funding comes under the Strengthening Hispanic Serving Institutions program at the Department of Education.  The goal of the program is to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students.  It also seeks to expand and enhance the academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability of colleges and universities that are educating the majority of Hispanic college students.

Fighting for Family Farms

I took a stand in Washington for family farms and conservation efforts by recently co-sponsoring a bill to protect family-owned ranches and farmland.

Estate taxes should not force families to sell their farms. We must protect family-owned farms and ranches, and provide incentives for lasting rangeland conservation.

The estate tax was implemented to ensure that heirs of the wealthiest estates would not benefit unfairly from accumulated family wealth. Over time, increasing land values have had the unintended consequence of forcing traditional family farms and ranches to pay the estate tax. This has led to many farmers and ranchers having to sell parts of their property to pay the tax, resulting in smaller pieces of property and splitting up land that is important for wildlife habitat and watersheds.

The Family Farm Estate Tax Relief Act, H.R. 5475, would add a provision to the tax code allowing farmers and ranchers to defer payment of the estate tax as long as the land is owned within the family and remains in agricultural production. There is also a provision that would defer the tax for land placed into a conservation easement.

The bill is supported by the California Cattlemen’s Association, the Imperial County Farm Bureau, the California Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and the California Wildlife Foundation, among others.

$20.2 Million Recovery Grant Awarded for Interchange in Otay Mesa!

Last month, I announced that the Department of Treasury has approved a grant for construction work on the final segment of the I-805/SR-905 interchange near Otay Mesa Port-of-Entry. Awarded under the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program, the grant will pay for the completion of access to the Otay Mesa Port-of-Entry’s intermodal connector.

We need to provide the necessary resources to increase the safety and efficiency of one of America’s largest ports-of-entry. This project will help improve the flow of goods between the U.S. and Mexico and the region’s air quality by lessening congestion and truck idling at the border.

Construction to the interchange will divert international freight shipping to the SR-905 and away from the heavily congested Otay Mesa Road. When completed in 2014, the interchange near the Otay Mesa Port-of-Entry will improve safety, accommodate more freight shipments, and reduce emissions from commercial trucks waiting in traffic to unload cargo. The TIGER program, part of the Recovery Act, is designed to promote innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits in our communities.

Calling On President’s Deficit Reduction Commission to Look to Cuts in Pentagon’s Budget

Last month, I joined more than 50 other representatives and senators in calling on the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to look at cuts to excessive defense spending to help address America’s national debt crisis.

We cannot keep going down the path of out of control defense spending that was set under the Bush administration. Any meaningful reform has to include cuts to the Pentagon’s budget.

We came together to call on the Commission to look closely at excessive defense spending in an effort to reduce the Federal deficit and national debt. Specifically, our group of 57 members of Congress urged “in the strongest terms that any final Commission report include among its recommendations substantial reductions in projected levels of future spending by the Department of Defense.”

Given the size of the U.S. deficit and rapidly growing debt, cutting the military budget must be a part of any viable proposal. The Department of Defense currently takes up almost 56 percent of all discretionary federal spending, and it accounts for nearly 65 percent of the increase in annual discretionary spending levels since 2001.

Significant cuts to defense spending are necessary and can be made in a way that will not endanger national security.

Federal Funds Awarded to San Diego Rail Projects

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s announcement that $45.9 million has been awarded for rail projects in San Diego County. 

I’m pleased that San Diego area projects are slated to receive this critical funding. These projects will create jobs for our region, reduce air pollution, lessen roadway congestion and improve transportation options for those commuting to work or school.

Funding for high-speed rail grants was approved as part of the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act.  In total, 18 California projects will receive federal high-speed rail grants totaling $902 million, which will ensure that California remains a national leader in clean, efficient transportation systems.

$1.7 Million Grant for Seeley County Water District Upgrades

Last month, I announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a grant of $1,700,000 for the Seeley County Water District. This funding will be going straight into our community and pay for much needed upgrades to our water system.

The funds come from the Rural Development division of the Department of Agriculture and will be used to replace the deteriorated water distribution valves and hydrants.

Rural Development financial programs support essential public facilities and services such as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities and electric and telephone service.

This is great news for Seeley!

Groundbreaking for Geothermal Energy Project in the Imperial Valley

I recently helped to break ground on a $400 million geothermal energy project bringing 200 green energy jobs to Imperial County!

Constituent Mail Bag

From Chula Vista:

The following message is being sent in regard to "The TRICARE Dependent
Coverage Extension Act" (H.R. 4923), and the need for the current age
limit for the children of TRICARE beneficiaries to be extended to 26 years.

Defense Department officials estimate members will have to pay $2,400 per
year to cover each child over age 21 (or 23). This provision would be
unique to TRICARE and would not be imposed on non-military parents.

We have a son aged 21 years currently a full time college student. We will
pay the extra amount so our son can continue coverage until age 26.

This is a great program because with all the student loans at least this
is one less burden on the parents.

Congressman Filner replies: 

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for H.R. 4923, legislation to allow children to remain on their parents TRICARE policy until age 26.

I wholeheartedly agree! I hope you will be pleased to know that I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 4923! On May 28th, the House of Representatives passed the FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 5136). Section 702 would extend dependent coverage under TRICARE until age 26. The Senate version of the legislation, S. 3454, includes a similar provision (Sec. 1110b). Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have used a procedural tactic, known as "cloture," to prevent S. 3454 from coming to a vote in the Senate.

I appreciate your advocacy on behalf of this legislation, and will continue to work with my colleagues to pass this important provision!

Useful Website: Honor Flight

Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. They transport our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. If you or a loved one would like to learn more about this incredible service, please visit the following website: www.honorflight.org

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