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e-News 2/28/14
3/31/14The Week Just Past:
Fact-finding Mission to the Middle East (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Jordan) A Success
Federal Highlands Protection Bill Advances
Saluting the 11th Congressional District’s Own “Monument Man”
Latest News About the Affordable Care Act Just Keeps Raising Anxiety Levels
11th Congressional District Students Excelling in Nationwide Science Competitions
Saluting John Dingell, Longest Serving Member of Congress
Fact-finding Mission to the Middle East (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Jordan) A Success
This past Sunday I returned from leading a fact finding mission to the Middle East. As chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I traveled, along with three of my committee colleagues, to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Jordan.
The purpose of my trip was to review ongoing military, intelligence and diplomatic activities in and around Pakistan and Afghanistan, and missions supporting the United States Central Command in the region. Our discussions included the removal of military equipment from Afghanistan and the pending Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the U.S. We also explored United States power projection operations in the Persian Gulf region. In Jordan, our delegation visited a Syrian refugee camp and various activities underway in that area.
The highlight of the trip, however, was the time I spent with members of the United States Armed Forces who are deployed in the region, all of whom volunteered to serve, and many who have served multiple deployments.
As I have on each of my previous trips to the area, I was honored to meet the young men and women who are serving our country so far from home. The fact that each of them made the affirmative decision to serve left me humbled at their commitment to our country and its security. They, and their civilian counterparts, many in the Foreign Service and with the Agency for International Development (AID), perform with a great sense of pride in their mission and a strong commitment to the American ideals of liberty and justice.
I was especially pleased to meet many soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen from New Jersey. Their service under extremely difficult circumstances makes all of us from our state – and every American – proud.
Rodney Frelinghuysen
Federal Highlands Protection Bill Advances
On Wednesday I testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation and urged them to reauthorize the federal Highlands Conservation Act (HCA). I was the author of this landmark piece of environmental legislation, which was signed into law in 2004.
The Highlands region is one of New Jersey’s – and our region’s – greatest natural resources. An area of significant natural beauty, it contains forests and environmentally sensitive land. Covering three million acres, the Highlands provide a habitat for hundreds of plant and animal species and recreation opportunities for the millions of people who live in the region. Most important, the Highlands watershed lands contain reservoirs and aquifers that provide and protect high quality drinking water for nearly 4 million Americans.
Since my bill was signed into law, more than 5,000 acres of the Highlands have been protected for all time. The federal government has provided $14.25 million under the act. Those funds have been matched on more than a 2:1 ratio by non-federal funds, generating an additional $34 million to protect this precious natural resource in one of the most densely populated regions of the country.
We have succeeded in protecting thousands of acres over the last ten years, but our work is not done. It is essential we continue to work in public-private partnerships and with our local, county and state officials to save open space in the Highlands. Special thanks to the Trust for Public Land, The Highlands Coalition, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey for their continued commitment to protecting and preserving the environmental health and beauty of the Highlands.
Saluting the 11th Congressional District’s Own “Monument Man”
I was honored to attend a special screening at the AMC Rockaway 16 Theaters in Rockaway Township of the film, “Monuments Men.” The event honored the 11th District’s own “Monument Man,” my longtime friend, Harry Ettlinger.
A World War II Army veteran, Harry was a member of the Army’s Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section. This group was responsible for finding and returning to their rightful owners 5 million pieces of art, sculpture, and other cultural artifacts that had been looted by the Nazis during their subjugation of Europe.
Harry’s story is truly an American story. He was born in Germany but, with his family, fled his homeland in 1938 to escape the Nazis’ persecution of Jewry. His family came to the United States where, just a few short years later, he joined the U.S. Army. While serving in Europe during the war, Harry volunteered to join the “Monuments Men,” where his fluent German was a valuable addition to the team.
At the special screening of the movie I had the honor of presenting Mr. Ettlinger with an American flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol in recognition of his service.
As Mr. Ettlinger himself said recently, “The movie is about a part of our history that we should be very proud of.” And all of us can be proud of the role our neighbor, Harry Ettlinger, played in this historic mission nearly 70 years ago.
Hats off to American Legion Post 344 and the Township of Rockaway for this excellent, emotional program!
A heartwarming interview with Mr. Ettlinger can be found here.
Latest News About the Affordable Care Act Just Keeps Raising Anxiety Levels
Just when it seems the news about the Affordable Care Act couldn’t get much worse, it does.
Over this past week, the Washington Post’s fact-checkers awardedPresident Obama “four Pinocchio’s” for his exaggerated claims about the number of people who’ve been able to get insurance because of the ACA, and the Wall Street Journal carried a heart-breaking story about a mother battling cancer who has lost her insurance coverage – and her access to the medicines that have kept her alive – due to the ACA.
For those having trouble negotiating the new reality of health care, theWall Street Journal published a special section that includes some good practical advice, as well as some fascinating insights into how various sectors of the health care industry are coping with the change.
11th Congressional District Students Excelling in National and Regional STEM Competitions
Congratulations are in order for students in Jefferson Township and in the Township of Wayne for their impressive success in two national competitions to promote science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM).
A team from the Jefferson Township Middle School was one of four national winners in the 2014 Verizon Innovative App Challenge. The team developed an app, “Super Science Girl,” to encourage young girls to explore and pursue STEM careers. As “Best in the Nation” winners, the team has earned a $20,000 cash grant to further STEM education in their school, as well other prizes and access to professional expertise in helping to further develop their app.
Earlier this week, The Secretary of Energy announced that the JDroids Science Club, a groupof middle schools students from Wayne, won a regional competition of the National Science Bowl, which is hosted by the Energy Department’s Office of Science. By winning their regional competition, the JDroids will travel from Wayne to compete in the National Science Bowl’s National Finals, which will be held in Washington, D.C. in late April.
I applaud these students, their families, and their faculty advisors for their success. Our country’s future depends on all students excelling in the STEM subjects. With students like these, I am optimistic we will.
With so many talented young people in the District, I am encouraging all high schools students to participate in the first annual U.S. House of Representatives STEM App Challenge. All high school students in the 11th Congressional District are urged to design their own app for any mobile, tablet or computer device and enter it in the competition. The winning app will be displayed on the House of Representatives website, House.gov.
For more information, click here.
Saluting John Dingell, Longest Serving Member of Congress
Congressman John Dingell (MI-12) this week announced that he would retire at the end of this session of Congress. John, who has served in the House since 1955, last year became the longest serving member of Congress in American history. Although I disagreed with John far more often than I agreed with him, there’s no doubt he represented his district with energy and passion every single day over the course of his long career.
These beautifully written “op-eds” are worth a read and I recommend them to you!
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