The Week Just Past: The Economy Steps Back

Noted with No Surprise At All: Obama Jobs Council Ends

Sandy Disaster Assistance, “Frelinghuysen Amendment” Now Law

FEMA’s Sandy Disaster Assistance Deadline Extended

Fact-Checking Rodney on Sandy Disaster Assistance

Rodney Named Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Vice-Chair

Coming to a School Near You

The Week Just Past: The Economy Steps Back

“The Commerce Department reported this week the American economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, actually shrunk in the last quarter of 2012.   The economy shrunk, at an 0.1 percent annual rate, the first such contraction since the recession’s deepest point in 2009.

“On its face, the report is disappointing.  But I’ve listened this week to economic and political commentators who are surprisingly upbeat.  They observe that consumer spending and private investment are still looking good, but sharp contractions in business inventory and U.S. defense spending dragged the overall number down.

“Now, I have never been one of those elected leaders who ‘talk down’ the economy for political reasons.  But the fact of the matter is that our economy should be in the midst of a much stronger performance at this stage of our recovery from the ‘great recession.’ 

“And why do we find ourselves here?  Because the private sector is swimming upstream against a tide of excessive regulation, intrusion and taxation, all of which I heard during the Morris Professional Support Group Forum at the Parsippany-Troy Hills Free Public Library earlier this week.

“Even though the public discussion has turned to immigration and gun violence, I still insist that the top priority for Congress and the President must be economic growth, jobs and opportunities.  I heard a lot about this when I met with the Professional Services Support Group of Morris County. 

“We need to fix the tax code to job creators, reduce excessive government burdens on large and small businesses, allow American manufacturers to compete and win in global markets and maximize U.S. domestic energy production.

“If we follow this straightforward action plan, we will not see shrinkage in the U.S. economy for the foreseeable future.”

Rodney Frelinghuysen

Noted with No Surprise At All: Obama Jobs Council Ends

The Obama Administration announced yesterday that they would shut down the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, chaired by General Electric (GE) CEO Jeffrey Immelt.

Will Americans really miss it?  When it did meet, the President largely ignored the council’s most substantive recommendations and the council hasn’t met in over a year.

Sandy Disaster Assistance, “Frelinghuysen Amendment” Now Law

On Monday, the Senate passed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act for 2013 (HR 152) by a vote of 62-36. The bill, which was passed by the House on January 15, provides roughly $50.5 billion to various agencies for Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery efforts.

Rodney was a House leader in the bipartisan effort to provide assistance, offering an amendment that boosted vital funding by $33 billion.

“Three months after Hurricane Sandy made landfall, people are still hurting in New Jersey and New York. Their suffering is real and their needs are great,” Rodney said.  “But now that the Senate and the President have endorsed our straightforward House disaster assistance package, the people of the 'Sandy Zone' know that they can look ahead to a robust recovery.  Rebuilding can begin in earnest.“

“New Jersey and the Northeast owe a debt of gratitude to Governor Chris Christie for his resolute leadership, to our Congressional delegation for its bipartisan, steadfast support and to Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers for the hard work which brought us ‘across the finish line’ today.”

To address the affected region’s needs, the bill provides funding to the Federal Transit Administration for transportation-related projects, the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and construction projects, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for community development programs. In addition, the bill provides more than $11 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replenish and expand the Disaster Relief Fund.

FEMA’s Sandy Disaster Assistance Deadline Extended

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced this week that it has extended the deadline to register for disaster assistance in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.  The new deadline is March 1.

The registration, which was supposed to end Wednesday, January, 30, was extended to give storm survivors another month to register with the FEMA for federal aid. The extension was prompted by a request from New Jersey officials, according to FEMA.

More than 57,500 New Jersey residents so far have been approved for help through FEMA’s individual assistance program, the report said.

Recommended Reading:  Bill Wichert, of the Star-Ledger, fact-checking Rodney’s statements on the House floor during the debate on Hurricane Sandy disaster assistance.  Read “PolitiFact N.J.: Hurricane Sandy-damaged area represents 10 percent of nation's economy, congressman says” here.

Rodney Named Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Vice-Chair

Rodney has been named vice chair of the U.S. House Appropriations defense subcommittee, making him the chief lieutenant to subcommittee Chairman C.W. “Bill” Young of Florida.

The appointment was announced Thursday by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-KY.

“The Committee’s Vice Chairs are a group of committed, knowledgeable Members, each with a deep understanding of the Appropriations process and a desire to get our federal budgets back into balance,” Rogers wrote.

“The first responsibility of all members of Congress is to provide for the defense of the United States and its citizens,” he said.  “As our military will face significant challenges in the months and years to come, I am honored that my leadership would ask me to serve in this important post.  I look forward to providing vital support for our men and women in uniform, their families and the civilian workforce.”

Coming to a School Near You

As an important part of his official duties, Rodney visits with thousands of students each school year to engage them in a wide range of subjects including government service, STEM education, national defense, environmental policy, tax policy as well as trips with NASA Astronauts and “Hurricane Hunter” NOAA pilots.

This week, he met with history students at Verona High School.  Next week, he will be visiting six more schools across the 11^th District.

To inquire about a visit to your school, please contact my New Jersey scheduler at 973-984-0711.

Recommended Reading: “Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen has Q-and-A session with Verona High School students” in the Verona-Cedar Grove Times here.

Recommended Reading:  Eric Goodman, writing in the Verona-Cedar Grove Patch, “Frelinghuysen Talks Politics with Local Students” here.