Last Sunday, over 300,000 people gathered in New York City for “The People’s Climate March,” to demand action ahead of the UN’s Climate Summit, after the most recent report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided an ever growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating humanity’s detrimental effect on our planet.

As the climate changes, we must change with it.  Last year, President Obama’s Climate Action Plan established a framework to address climate change by placing regulations on new and existing power plants, promoting renewable energy on public lands, and piloting climate resilient strategies in New Jersey and other Hurricane Sandy affected regions.  I have long been a proponent of the need to address the causes and threats of climate change. Ultimately, the only way to ensure that we have safe, affordable energy in the long term is to make sure there are sustained investments in the domestic clean energy sector, increased funding for research and development to foster new sources of clean energy and improve energy efficiency, innovation in the private sector, and incentives for companies to develop sustainable energy technologies. 

The science is strong, and we have a moral obligation to act.  I hope that the collective voices of those who marched in New York last weekend will reach the ears of those in Congress who would deny the evidence that our climate is changing, and that human action is the cause.  Climate change has already imposed huge costs in dollars and lives.  The costs of inaction will be far greater.

The Affordable Care Act is Working

According to a recent survey conducted by the Urban Institute, about 520,000 previously uninsured New Jerseyans were able to obtain health coverage because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The survey indicates that the number of New Jerseyans without health insurance fell by nearly half, from 21.2 percent a year ago to 11.5 percent this year. The ACA’s goal to prolong the life of Medicare by decreasing health costs is also being met: the law created incentives for healthcare providers and facilities to come together and create accountable care organizations (ACO’s), as doctors and hospitals who work together on behalf of patients will provide better care at less cost. In 2013, ACO’s saved Medicare $372 million. As more successful ACO’s are created, Medicare will see even more savings, which will continue strengthening and the solvency of Medicare for current and future seniors.

If you are looking to get health coverage, open enrollment begins November 15 and lasts until February 15, 2015. Additionally, you may be qualified for premium tax credits to help pay for insurance if your income falls below a certain level.  For more information, and to sign up for a health plan at any point during that period, visit the HealthCare.gov website.

COPS in Trenton

This week, I announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the City of Trenton a $1.5 million Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant, which will support 12 police officers. 

I was pleased to work with the Trenton leadership and the Justice Department to secure these funds, and have been a strong supporter of the COPS program during my tenure in Congress.  This good news is a reminder of the need for continued federal support for local law enforcement and the importance of investing in our local communities.

 
Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress