The Week Just Past: The Envy of the World

No Budget, No Pay

The Keystone Pipeline Lives?

Veterans History Project: The meaning of "service", "sacrifice"

The Week Just Past:  The Envy of the World

“I was honored to be present on Monday as America put on global display the ongoing miracle that is our political system.  President Obama won re-election in November by winning the support of a majority of voters.  And there we were, on the West Front of the Capitol - Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike - affirming the judgment of our fellow Americans. In fact, the Mall was packed with spectators all the way down to the Washington Monument.

“The President took the oath of office and gave his second inaugural address.  There was plenty of pomp and ceremony.  It was all very peaceful.  There was no threat of violence that marks so many transitions of power around the world. 

“In a nutshell, this peaceful affirmation of power is one of the reasons that America remains the envy of the world.

“In the months ahead, Americans want their leaders to work together to address our serious challenges like the lagging economy and lack of job creation.  On this count, I have serious misgivings about many points in the President’s speech. 

“I had hoped to hear about job creation, rather than ‘climate change.’  And we heard little about the dangerous world we face, as illustrated by recent events in Mali and Algeria.  In fact, the President never mentioned the deepening terrorist threats across Africa and the mounting menace of North Korea. He appears so tied up with his liberal agenda that he is neglecting his most basic Constitutional duties – to preserve and protect the nation from our enemies!

“But I realize that Americans want their Presidents to succeed, because they naturally assume that when Presidents do well, so will our country.

“For my part, this President will get a respectful hearing for his second term agenda and his ideas.  When those ideas benefit New Jersey and America, I will fight for them.  When those ideas fail to provide a brighter future for my constituents, he will have my principled opposition.

“The inauguration is over.  Let’s get to work, in a bipartisan manner, on creating jobs and opportunities, balancing the budget and attacking our dangerous national debt."

Rodney Frelinghuysen

No Budget, No Pay

The House on Wednesday passed the No Budget, No Pay Act - the next step in the effort to put Washington on a budget.  For nearly four years, the Senate has failed to pass a budget – its most basic responsibility.  The Act requires the Senate (and the House) to approve a budget by April 15 for the fiscal year that begins next October 1.

“The Senate has not approved a budget in years, but budgets do matter,” Rodney said.  “They matter to older Americans who rely on their benefits, to middle-income Americans who can’t afford higher taxes, and to future generations who will see their economic options limited if the federal government cannot find a way to live within it means.”

“A responsible budget that controls spending is key to putting us back on a path to economic growth so we can create jobs and opportunities for all Americans,” he said.

In lieu of a budget, the Senate has passed a series of stopgap measures to prevent a government shutdown. The Senate is presently operating under the Budget Control Act, which came out of the debt-ceiling debate in 2011.

The Keystone Pipeline Lives?

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman this week endorsed a revised route for the Keystone Pipeline through his state, removing a final hurdle for the $5 billion project on the state level. Governors and Congressional delegations from the four other states it crosses have already pressed for federal government approval.

The fate of the Keystone XL project now rests squarely with the Obama administration, which has the final say because it crosses an international boundary.

“This project has been studied extensively and exhaustively and it’s time to do what is clearly in our national interest," Rodney said.  “With our energy security at stake and tens of thousands of jobs in limbo, the President should find a way to say yes to this important project."

When completed, the Keystone Pipeline system will transport synthetic crude oil from an oil sands region Alberta, Canada to multiple destinations in the U.S. including refineries along the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Recommended Reading: Paul Knappenberger, writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, “Keystone XL Pipeline Objections Wither Away.”

Veterans History Project: The meaning of "service", "sacrifice"

Rodney was a keynote speaker Wednesday evening at the Veterans History Project Gala at the Newark Museum.  The goal of the event, sponsored by Berkley College of Woodland Park, was to promote awareness of the Library of Congress program which Rodney “enthusiastically” supports.

Launched in 2000, the Veterans History Project (VHP) of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center is primarily an oral history program that collects and preserves the first-hand interviews of America's wartime veterans. VHP relies on volunteers, both individuals and organizations, throughout the nation to contribute veterans’ stories to VHP. In addition to audio- and video-recorded interviews, VHP accepts memoirs, collections of original photographs and letters, diaries, maps, and other historical documents from World War I through current conflicts.

“There are 17 million wartime veterans in the United States whose stories can educate people of all ages about important moments and events in the history of the United States and the world and provide instructive narratives that illuminate the meanings of ‘service,' ‘sacrifice,' ‘citizenship,’ and ‘democracy,'" Rodney said.  “However, we are losing nearly 2,000 veterans, mainly from World War II and Korea, each day.  Even though we’re running out of time, the Veterans History Projects allows us the opportunity to preserve their stories forever.”

Interested in participating either as a VHP interviewer or contributor? Visit http://www.loc.gov/vets/about.html

Recommended Reading: Robert Preidt, writing in the Daily Record, “Flu Poses Great Risk to Seniors.”