e-News 10/9/15

• Mr. Obama’s Veto Threat
• Trans-Pacific Partnership: Examine the Details
• Montclair’s Angel in Adoption
• Attention Seniors: Medicare Enrollment Approaches
• Salute: Drew University’s Nobel Prize Winner!

Mr. Obama’s Veto Threat

Readers of my weekly eNewsletters have known for a long time that I view providing for ‘the common defence,’ as directed in the Constitution, as the first duty of every member of Congress. 

That is why I was pleased this week that the Senate voted 70-27 in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that would set policy and spending priorities for our armed forces.

Frankly, from where I sit as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Committee, this strong bipartisan vote in support of the NDAA is further evidence that this legislation is absolutely critical for our troops and their families and for the overall security of the United States.

And yet, the President says he will veto the bill, despite the fact that the total funding for national defense in this bill matches his own budget request of $612 billion. So why would the President veto exactly what he requested? It doesn’t make sense.

This veto threat is completely misguided, particularly at this increasingly dangerous time in the world. Defense policy has traditionally been a point of bipartisanship, reflecting our shared commitment to national security! But the President appears to be putting politics above our troops with this veto threat, refusing to do his job to provide for the ‘common defense.’

The Washington Post put it this way: “Refusing to sign this bill would make history, but not in a good way. Mr. Obama should let it become law and seek other sources of leverage in pursuing his legitimate goals for domestic sequestration relief.”

Read the entire Washington Post editorial, “Mr. Obama’s veto threat,”here.

Trans-Pacific Partnership: Examine the Details

More trade means more jobs, better pay, and more opportunities for New Jersey workers and small businesses.  And more trade also gives us the opportunity to advance America’s leadership around the world. 

This week the administration announced there was an agreement reached in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.  I look forward to reviewing the text closely to ensure it follows the objectives Congress laid out in passing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) a few months ago.

TPP has the potential to increase American influence and provide access for American businesses to sell their products and services around the world. However, there are many complex issues involved in this agreement that require careful consideration to ensure that the outcome is beneficial for the U.S. economy and jobs.

I am pleased the passage of TPA earlier this year will allow the public to fully review the text of TPP.  The American people will be able to read the agreement for themselves because TPA requires, for the first time ever, the administration to make the text public for at least 60 days before sending it to Congress for consideration. The administration must clearly explain the benefits of this agreement and what it will mean for New Jersey workers and their families.

I hope the White House has produced an agreement that the House can support.  But, of course, a further examination of the details will tell.

Montclair’s Angel in Adoption

I was proud to welcome to Washington this week our 11^th Congressional District “Angel in Adoption.”  A native of England, Zara Phillips has made Montclair her home for years.  Her book ‘Mother Me’ An Adopted woman’s Journey to Motherhood was published by The British Association of Adoption and Fostering in 2008.  Zara also directed and produced a 30 minute documentary “Roots Unknown” which has been screened within the adoption community and was the homegrown winner of The NJ Garden state film festival.

For the past five years, Zara has worked with adoptive families where teens are struggling with addiction and their relationships.  She is also a guest at schools where she runs Adoption Unmasked workshops for teens and their parents.   

Angels in Adoption honors individuals, couples, and organizations from across the nation that have made an extraordinary contribution on behalf of children in need of families. These heroes hail from all 50 states and represent the wide spectrum of individuals involved in the adoption and foster care process.

Since the program’s inception in 1999, almost 2,000 Angels have received this honor.

Attention Seniors: Medicare Enrollment Approaches

Congress established the Medicare Prescription “Part D” program in 2006 as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which I supported years ago. Since that time, I believe it has been extremely beneficial to older Americans who have seen significant savings on their monthly prescriptions.

The Medicare open enrollment period for 2015 commences on October 15, 2015, and ends on December 7, 2015. Beneficiaries of the Part D program will have access to prescription drug plans with premiums starting at $18.40 a month, and a total choice of 25 plans.

I urge older Americans who are in a prescription drug plan to talk with their pharmacists and doctors prior to the end of that period to make sure they have chosen the plan that best fits their needs.

If you have additional questions or need assistance choosing a plan, you can contact 1-800-Medicare, your County State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) counselors at 1-800-792-8820, or your County Office on Aging or Office of Senior Services.

For more information on Medicare’s open enrollment period, I encourage you to visit:

http://cms.hhs.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Open-Enrollment-Center.html.

Salute: Congratulations to Drew University’s William C. Campbellwho won the Nobel Prize for Medicine this week.  He helped discover a drug therapy that would help reduce parasitic diseases.  Read Jason Kostenblatt’s story on patch.com here.