e-News 5/29/15

• The President’s “Gitmo Five” Soon Free to “Return to the Fight” Against Us!
• “U.S. Intelligence: Iran Sending More Fighters to Yemen”
• Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Lands on the President’s Desk
• Protecting Senior Patient Access to Medicare Programs
• Five Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Hurricane Season
• Salute: The U.S. Navy and the new U.S.S. New Jersey

The President’s “Gitmo Five” Soon Free to “Return to the Fight” Against Us!

It was one year ago this week that President Obama transferred five senior Taliban leaders from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) to Qatar.  Under terms of the deal the President negotiated with the Taliban for the release of Army SGT. Bowe Bergdahl, those five terrorists will be free to “return to the fight” against our troops and our interests on Sunday.  I am sure you may have already seen media reports that suggest their activities over the past 12 months are already a cause for concern.   

Beyond this huge mistake, I continue to be deeply troubled that the President and his advisors ignored a duly-enacted law designed to provide the people’s representatives in Congress advance warning of such transfers, not to mention the ability to ask commonsense questions related to the safety of our citizens and country.

This weekend, the Administration's feeble restrictions on the so-called “Gitmo Five” terrorists will expire, further endangering our troops abroad and our families at home.

Read more in Michael Winter’s story in USA Today  here.

U.S. Intelligence: Iran Sending More Fighters to Yemen

More disturbing reports surfaced this week about Iran’s newest threat in the Middle East.  Bill Gertz write in the Washington Free BeaconWednesday: 

“Iran has dispatched additional paramilitary forces to Yemen to aid pro-Tehran rebels seeking to take control of the strategic southern Arabian state, according to recent U.S. intelligence reports.

“Estimates put the number of both Iranian and Iraqi Shi’ite forces helping the Houthis in Yemen at around 5,000 people. The number of Lebanese Hezbollah members in Yemen is not known.

“The Obama administration is seeking to conclude a nuclear agreement with Iran by the end of June, and is keeping quiet about the Iranian push to control Yemen.

“Middle East specialists, however, said the influx of Iranian and Hezbollah fighters is a troubling indicator of a growing Iranian threat to the region.

"It would effectively put the Quds force on the Saudi border and potentially give Iran a naval and air presence near the Bab-el-Mandeb, and the exit from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean—a key trade route for petroleum and all trade and U.S. naval movements through the Suez Canal,’ said Anthony Cordesman, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies."

Cordesman said if the intelligence reports are confirmed, ‘it is the first real sign that Iran is playing a major role in Yemen.’

Read the entire disturbing story here.

“Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act”Lands on the President’s Desk

After final legislative approval by the House, the bipartisan “Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act” was sent to President Obama for his signature recently.  This bipartisan legislation is made up of several House-passed initiatives to combat human trafficking and provide additional services to its victims.  S. 178 gives law enforcement new tools to go after the perpetrators and punish them to the fullestextent of the law. When the President signs this measure, he, the Congress and the people of the United States will be saying ‘we will not tolerate these monstrous crimes.’ We must continue to make every effort to end human trafficking in every form.

Protecting Senior Patient Access to Medicare Programs

I was honored to accept the 2015 Medicare Part D Patient Access Champion Award, presented by the Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA) and the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP).

According to the award sponsors, I was recognized for “outstanding leadership to protect the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program and help ensure that it can continue to provide access to more affordable prescription drugs for seniors…”

The Medicare Part D Program has helped ensure New Jersey seniors have adequate access to more affordable prescription drugs, and I will continue to make sure this program effectively serves the people of our state. I will continue my efforts to ensure that any proposed changes to Part D do not negatively impact one of the few federal health care programs that has both leveraged competition and actually saved taxpayers money.

Five Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Although we have already seen our first named storm of 2015 on the Atlantic Coast, this year’s hurricane season officially kicks off this weekend.  While New Jersey’s 11^th Congressional District does not lie on the state’s coastline, preparing for a hurricane or tropical storm may be especially important for us.  As we know from recent experience, the high winds and heavy rainfall of major storms can do major damage far inland.

Use these five tips to make sure you have what you need to keep your family safe:

1. Have a family communications plan. In an emergency situation, your family might not all be together and traditional means of communication (like cell phone service) may not be readily available. Have an alternative plan in place to contact your family. Follow these tips from FEMA to put together a plan.

2. Create an emergency kit. Strong storms can knock out power for a long time and if you’re unable to evacuate, you’ll need to have enough food and water on hand until power can be restored. FEMA recommends having enough to last for at least 72 hours for all members of your household. Find out what other items to include in your kit.

3. Don’t forget about your pets. Animals are an important part of many families, so you want to make sure they’re prepared as well. That means having additional food and water on hand for them and making sure their tags are up to date in case you get separated. If you evacuate, don’t leave your animals behind. They often can’t fend for themselves during a storm.

4. Learn the appropriate evacuation routes. Knowing the evacuation routes in advance will help you react calmly during an evacuation and help move your family to safety. Follow the direction of local emergency officials and law enforcement. If they tell you to evacuate, make sure you do so.

5. Know whether you live in a flood zone. Storms can cause serious flood damage to your property. If you live near rivers, streams or other bodies of water that could overflow, make sure you are prepared to deal with flooding and have proper insurance coverage to protect you. Learn more about your flood risk and finding flood insurance coverage.

Learn more about the storm threats and resources here.

Salute: The U.S. Navy and the new U.S.S. New Jersey

I was honored to join the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, at Liberty State Park on Sunday as the Navy announced it will name another one of its ships after the state of New Jersey. 

The latest U.S.S. New Jersey will be the most advanced submarine in the world - a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine that will never need refueling and should serve in the fleet for 40 years.

The name U.S.S. New Jersey has graced two previous Navy ships, both battleships.  The first U.S.S. New Jersey was an early 1900s era battlewagon, part of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet.”  The second Battleship New Jersey - served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and in Lebanon. The ship received 19 battle stars and is now on display on the Delaware River Camden as a museum.

The new U.S.S. New Jersey should be operational in 2021.

Read more in Matthew Speiser’s story on NJ.com here.