The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

Cost Cutting In Congress

Committee Work: Military Health Records and Africa Rapid Response

“Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter”

Meeting our Mayors

“Health Chaos Ahead”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites With Army Commander

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney

The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

“According to the Obama Administration, the sequester budget cuts are responsible for all those air traffic delays at Newark Liberty, JFK, LaGuardia and airports across the country this week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) started implementing furloughs of its air traffic controllers on Sunday, citing the recent automatic across-the-board budget cuts which went into effect earlier this year.

“Make no mistake, the FAA chose to implement President Obama’s sequester in the most irresponsible, harmful way possible just to make a political point. 

“After all, while the FAA knew about the sequester for over a year and a half, it gave the airline industry less than a week’s notice before implementing its plans.

“Further, their operations budget has grown by 109% since 1996, from $4.6 billion to $9.7 billion, while domestic flights are down 27% from 2000 traffic levels. For this week, the FAA transformed a 4% spending cut into delays for 40% of flights! 

“But this artificial ‘crisis’ should be coming to an end this weekend.  The House and Senate have now passed legislation designed to give the FAA the power to shift funds around to prevent controller furloughs.

“I hope the President signs the bill and the FAA uses this enhanced flexibility to get our vital air traffic system back on track.

“But even as this phony and contrived crisis ends, it served as another illustration of how dumb sequestration is as a budgeting tool.  Certainly, in a four trillion dollar budget, we can find $85 billion in responsible reductions to replace the ‘meat-axe’ of sequestration.  We should settle on those reductions, pass them through Congress and send them to the President’s desk as soon as possible!”

Rodney Frelinghuysen

Cost Cutting In Congress

The House of Representatives will spend 15% less on its own operations this year than it did three years ago under a cost-cutting effort that is on pace to save taxpayers more than $400 million by the end of this year.

Since Republicans took control of the House in January 2011, House lawmakers have seen a nearly 20% decrease in their office budgets. The cuts trimmed $58 million from House costs in fiscal year 2011, $143 million in fiscal year 2012, and are on track to save $205 million through fiscal year 2013 when the “across-the-board” government spending cuts known as sequestration are factored in to the savings.

Read more in USA Today.

Committee Work: Military Health and Veterans Benefit Claims

Rodney’s Defense Appropriations Subcommittee was active once again this week, conducting hearing on the Department of Defense’s health programs and the Veterans Administration claims backlog.  

On Wednesday, he challenged Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Joseph Woodson on the Pentagon’s failure to develop an electronic health record compatible with Veterans Administration computer systems after years of trying.  “You’ve spent a boatload of money and what do we have to show for it – broken promises and an ineffective system that is, in some ways, worsening the VA’s benefits appeals backlog.  How long will our servicemen and women and veterans have to wait?”

Recommended Reading: Michael Chertoff and Dallas Lawrence, writing in the Tuesday Wall Street Journal, “Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter.”

Meeting our Mayors

As is his custom, Rodney met with over two dozen mayors from around the 11^th Congressional District early Monday morning. After Rodney provided a report from Washington on efforts to create private sector jobs and opportunities and reduce the budget deficit, much of the dialogue centered on lingering after-effects of flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, the performance of local electric utilities, health care reform and various localized issues.

Recommended Reading:  David Brooks, writing in the Friday New York Times, “Health Chaos Ahead.”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites with Vietnam Company Commander

It was a reunion 42 years in the making, but Rodney and his Company Commander from his Vietnam service renewed their acquaintance recently.  Richard Leefe, who was Rodney’s commander when they both served in the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion in Vietnam, walked into the 11^th District’s office in Washington last week as part of the American Bar Association’s Lobby Day on the Hill.  “Rodney and I spent about a month and a half together literally all the time every day,” Leefe said. 

Despite that short period of time, the pair formed a deep bond. They noted that working so closely together during a war naturally leads to strong friendships because not many people understand the experience.

Read “Congressman and His Army Commander Reunite During ABA Day After 42 Years” here.

Recommended Reading:  Friday editorial in the Wall Street Journal, “Chemical Weapons and Consequences.”

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney

The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

Cost Cutting In Congress

Committee Work: Military Health Records and Africa Rapid Response

“Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter”

Meeting our Mayors

“Health Chaos Ahead”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites With Army Commander

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney

The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

“According to the Obama Administration, the sequester budget cuts are responsible for all those air traffic delays at Newark Liberty, JFK, LaGuardia and airports across the country this week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) started implementing furloughs of its air traffic controllers on Sunday, citing the recent automatic across-the-board budget cuts which went into effect earlier this year.

“Make no mistake, the FAA chose to implement President Obama’s sequester in the most irresponsible, harmful way possible just to make a political point. 

“After all, while the FAA knew about the sequester for over a year and a half, it gave the airline industry less than a week’s notice before implementing its plans.

“Further, their operations budget has grown by 109% since 1996, from $4.6 billion to $9.7 billion, while domestic flights are down 27% from 2000 traffic levels. For this week, the FAA transformed a 4% spending cut into delays for 40% of flights! 

“But this artificial ‘crisis’ should be coming to an end this weekend.  The House and Senate have now passed legislation designed to give the FAA the power to shift funds around to prevent controller furloughs.

“I hope the President signs the bill and the FAA uses this enhanced flexibility to get our vital air traffic system back on track.

“But even as this phony and contrived crisis ends, it served as another illustration of how dumb sequestration is as a budgeting tool.  Certainly, in a four trillion dollar budget, we can find $85 billion in responsible reductions to replace the ‘meat-axe’ of sequestration.  We should settle on those reductions, pass them through Congress and send them to the President’s desk as soon as possible!”

Rodney Frelinghuysen

Cost Cutting In Congress

The House of Representatives will spend 15% less on its own operations this year than it did three years ago under a cost-cutting effort that is on pace to save taxpayers more than $400 million by the end of this year.

Since Republicans took control of the House in January 2011, House lawmakers have seen a nearly 20% decrease in their office budgets. The cuts trimmed $58 million from House costs in fiscal year 2011, $143 million in fiscal year 2012, and are on track to save $205 million through fiscal year 2013 when the “across-the-board” government spending cuts known as sequestration are factored in to the savings.

Read more in USA Today.

Committee Work: Military Health and Veterans Benefit Claims

Rodney’s Defense Appropriations Subcommittee was active once again this week, conducting hearing on the Department of Defense’s health programs and the Veterans Administration claims backlog.  

On Wednesday, he challenged Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Joseph Woodson on the Pentagon’s failure to develop an electronic health record compatible with Veterans Administration computer systems after years of trying.  “You’ve spent a boatload of money and what do we have to show for it – broken promises and an ineffective system that is, in some ways, worsening the VA’s benefits appeals backlog.  How long will our servicemen and women and veterans have to wait?”

Recommended Reading: Michael Chertoff and Dallas Lawrence, writing in the Tuesday Wall Street Journal, “Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter.”

Meeting our Mayors

As is his custom, Rodney met with over two dozen mayors from around the 11^th Congressional District early Monday morning. After Rodney provided a report from Washington on efforts to create private sector jobs and opportunities and reduce the budget deficit, much of the dialogue centered on lingering after-effects of flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, the performance of local electric utilities, health care reform and various localized issues.

Recommended Reading:  David Brooks, writing in the Friday New York Times, “Health Chaos Ahead.”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites with Vietnam Company Commander

It was a reunion 42 years in the making, but Rodney and his Company Commander from his Vietnam service renewed their acquaintance recently.  Richard Leefe, who was Rodney’s commander when they both served in the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion in Vietnam, walked into the 11^th District’s office in Washington last week as part of the American Bar Association’s Lobby Day on the Hill.  “Rodney and I spent about a month and a half together literally all the time every day,” Leefe said. 

Despite that short period of time, the pair formed a deep bond. They noted that working so closely together during a war naturally leads to strong friendships because not many people understand the experience.

Read “Congressman and His Army Commander Reunite During ABA Day After 42 Years” here.

Recommended Reading:  Friday editorial in the Wall Street Journal, “Chemical Weapons and Consequences.”

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney

The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

Cost Cutting In Congress

Committee Work: Military Health Records and Africa Rapid Response

“Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter”

Meeting our Mayors

“Health Chaos Ahead”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites With Army Commander

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney

The Week Just Past: Ending a "Phony and Contrived" Crisis

“According to the Obama Administration, the sequester budget cuts are responsible for all those air traffic delays at Newark Liberty, JFK, LaGuardia and airports across the country this week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) started implementing furloughs of its air traffic controllers on Sunday, citing the recent automatic across-the-board budget cuts which went into effect earlier this year.

“Make no mistake, the FAA chose to implement President Obama’s sequester in the most irresponsible, harmful way possible just to make a political point. 

“After all, while the FAA knew about the sequester for over a year and a half, it gave the airline industry less than a week’s notice before implementing its plans.

“Further, their operations budget has grown by 109% since 1996, from $4.6 billion to $9.7 billion, while domestic flights are down 27% from 2000 traffic levels. For this week, the FAA transformed a 4% spending cut into delays for 40% of flights! 

“But this artificial ‘crisis’ should be coming to an end this weekend.  The House and Senate have now passed legislation designed to give the FAA the power to shift funds around to prevent controller furloughs.

“I hope the President signs the bill and the FAA uses this enhanced flexibility to get our vital air traffic system back on track.

“But even as this phony and contrived crisis ends, it served as another illustration of how dumb sequestration is as a budgeting tool.  Certainly, in a four trillion dollar budget, we can find $85 billion in responsible reductions to replace the ‘meat-axe’ of sequestration.  We should settle on those reductions, pass them through Congress and send them to the President’s desk as soon as possible!”

Rodney Frelinghuysen

Cost Cutting In Congress

The House of Representatives will spend 15% less on its own operations this year than it did three years ago under a cost-cutting effort that is on pace to save taxpayers more than $400 million by the end of this year.

Since Republicans took control of the House in January 2011, House lawmakers have seen a nearly 20% decrease in their office budgets. The cuts trimmed $58 million from House costs in fiscal year 2011, $143 million in fiscal year 2012, and are on track to save $205 million through fiscal year 2013 when the “across-the-board” government spending cuts known as sequestration are factored in to the savings.

Read more in USA Today.

Committee Work: Military Health and Veterans Benefit Claims

Rodney’s Defense Appropriations Subcommittee was active once again this week, conducting hearing on the Department of Defense’s health programs and the Veterans Administration claims backlog.  

On Wednesday, he challenged Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Joseph Woodson on the Pentagon’s failure to develop an electronic health record compatible with Veterans Administration computer systems after years of trying.  “You’ve spent a boatload of money and what do we have to show for it – broken promises and an ineffective system that is, in some ways, worsening the VA’s benefits appeals backlog.  How long will our servicemen and women and veterans have to wait?”

Recommended Reading: Michael Chertoff and Dallas Lawrence, writing in the Tuesday Wall Street Journal, “Investigating Terrorism in the Age of Twitter.”

Meeting our Mayors

As is his custom, Rodney met with over two dozen mayors from around the 11^th Congressional District early Monday morning. After Rodney provided a report from Washington on efforts to create private sector jobs and opportunities and reduce the budget deficit, much of the dialogue centered on lingering after-effects of flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, the performance of local electric utilities, health care reform and various localized issues.

Recommended Reading:  David Brooks, writing in the Friday New York Times, “Health Chaos Ahead.”

42 Years Later, Rodney Re-Unites with Vietnam Company Commander

It was a reunion 42 years in the making, but Rodney and his Company Commander from his Vietnam service renewed their acquaintance recently.  Richard Leefe, who was Rodney’s commander when they both served in the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion in Vietnam, walked into the 11^th District’s office in Washington last week as part of the American Bar Association’s Lobby Day on the Hill.  “Rodney and I spent about a month and a half together literally all the time every day,” Leefe said. 

Despite that short period of time, the pair formed a deep bond. They noted that working so closely together during a war naturally leads to strong friendships because not many people understand the experience.

Read “Congressman and His Army Commander Reunite During ABA Day After 42 Years” here.

Recommended Reading:  Friday editorial in the Wall Street Journal, “Chemical Weapons and Consequences.”

Follow Rodney on Twitter: Rodney Frelinghuysen @USRepRodney