eNews 10-10-2014

• Stopping Ebola in its Tracks in West Africa
• The Fight Against ISIS: WSJ Examines “the holes in Obama’s strategy”
• The Daily Beast: “Biden Apologizes for Telling the Truth…”
• Syria: A Complex and Difficult Situation
• Latest Economic News Disappointing
• Welcoming the Ukrainian President to the Capitol
• Salute: Totowa First Aid Squad
• Salute: Bloomfield’s Major Joseph Crecca, USAF-Ret
• Salute: Drew University

 

Stopping Ebola in its Tracks in West Africa

Last month President Obama’s requested, and Congress approved, $1 billion to send 4,000 American troops to West Africa to help contain the Ebola epidemic that is raging across the region.

As chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I had the obligation to thoroughly examine the Pentagon’s plans before releasing the funds. Earlier this week, several of my colleagues and I were provided with a comprehensive briefing.

As this article in The Hill reports, my questions and concerns about the Pentagon’s proposal were addressed and I agreed to release the funds so the Pentagon could go forward. 

Please be certain that in the weeks and months ahead, we will work to ensure that our troops are well protected from the Ebola virus as well as from any groups that might be interested in harming our soldiers during this humanitarian mission.

The Fight Against ISIS: WSJ Discusses “the holes in Obama’s strategy”

President Obama’s strategy to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is increasingly appearing to be inadequate to its stated goal. As the Wall Street Journal pointed out earlier this week, ISIS’s siege of the Syrian city of Kobani is showing “the holes in Obama’s strategy.”

Although air strikes led by the United States have increased in the past few days, ISIS is reportedly in control of at least one-third of the city. ISIS is a grave threat, not just to our interests in the Middle East, but also here at home and in Europe. Until ISIS is destroyed, the threat it poses will only continue to grow.

The Daily Beast: “Biden Apologizes for Telling the Truth…”

Last week Vice President Joe Biden spoke some uncomfortable truths about the growth of ISIS and how some of our allies in the Middle East did not do enough to deter ISIS as it rushed to fill the vacuum left when the United States completely withdrew from Iraq.

The Vice President subsequently apologized for his remarks to the President of Turkey and to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately, Vice President Biden’s comments only served to further highlight the clear and compelling need for strong American leadership in destroying ISIS.

Syria: A Complex and Difficult Situation

The current state of affairs in Syria grows increasingly complex as the United States focuses its attention on fighting ISIS in Syria and forgets its pledge to remove Syrian President Assad! This analysis in yesterday’s New York Times is a must read for anyone interested in better understanding the many conflicting forces and interests that make Syria such a difficult situation.

Latest Economic News Disappointing

Although the report that the unemployment rate had dropped below six percent for the first time since July 2008 is certainly welcome news, the United States is still stuck in the slowest recovery from a recession since World War II.

As the Bureau of labor Statistics reported, nearly 20 million people remain underemployed or unemployed. Here’s the breakdown:

• 9.3 million people are unemployed;
• 7.1 million people are people working part-time jobs who would rather work full time; and,
• 2.2 million people are considered to be “marginally attached to the labor force,” because although they want to work and have looked for a job over the past year, they have become so discouraged they didn’t even bother to look for a job during the past four weeks.

The House has passed more than 40 bills to stimulate job creation and opportunity for all Americans. Yet they remain stuck in the Senate. When the Senate returns to Washington next month, I hope they will get to work and move these bills forward.

Welcoming the Ukrainian President to the Capitol

 

I was honored to be named to the Official Escort Committee that greeted Ukrainian President Poroshenko on his recent visit to the United States Capitol. I spoke with him before his historic address to a Joint Meeting of Congress and him that I am proud to represent so many Ukrainian Americans who live in North Jersey and to have worked with them to get more assistance to Ukraine from the United States.

Salute: Totowa First Aid Squad

I was honored to attend the unveiling last weekend at the Totowa First Aid Squad of a movingmonument to those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011. Members of the Squad were among those who rendered aid on 9-11 to people who were evacuated from lower Manhattan to Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

I salute the men and women of the Totowa First Aid Squad, and all first responders, who give so much of themselves in service to their communities. They have my gratitude and my thanks!

Salute: U.S. Air Force Maj. Joseph Crecca of Bloomfield

Congratulations to Bloomfield resident Major Joseph Crecca, USAF, who was inducted yesterday into the Aviation Hall of Fame. A Vietnam veteran, Major Crecca served as an F-4C Phantom Weapons Systems Officer. On his 87^th mission, his fighter was brought down over North Vietnam. Captured by the North Vietnamese after being ejected from the aircraft, he was held as a Prisoner of War, under brutal and inhumane conditions, for six years and three months.

I salute Major Crecca for his service to our nation. He is most deserving of his induction in the Aviation Hall of Fame.

Salute: Drew University

The 11^th Congressional District is home to some of America’s finest institutions of higher education. Among them is Drew University in Madison.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Drew’s new President, Dr. MaryAnn Baenninger, and taking acampus tour. I was especially impressed with Drew’s Hall of Sciences, which has been renovated since my last visit to Drew. 

Promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education is key to America’s future. I salute Drew for its commitment to educating the next generation of STEM students!