The Week Just Passed:

White House Leadership: Measured!

Containing Russia: Washington Post

Israel Has the Right to Defend Itself 

“The Yemen Model Won’t Work in Iraq, Syria”

Fixing VA Health Care – Positive Steps Forward!

House Acts to Simplify Higher Ed Tax Benefits

Obamacare Costing Medicare Advantage Seniors Thousands of Dollars

Salute: 100^th Anniversary of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Salute: Abigail Rose Beutler and Dr. Jessica Bienstock

Salute: Former State Assemblyman Albert Merck

White House Leadership: Measured!

This editorial from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal clearly and succinctly shows what happens when there is an absence of strong and resolute American leadership from the White House.  It’s well worth a read.

Containing Russia: Washington Post

This editorial from the Washington Post, which asserts that Russia’s behavior since Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down, “has been a lesson in barbarity and morally contemptible statecraft,” explains why condemnations of Russia – no matter how tough – are not enough to change Russia’s behavior.

Israel Has the Right to Defend Itself

Rarely do Washington Post columnists Richard Cohen and Charles Krauthammer agree on anything, so when they do, it is worth taking notice.  Over the past several days, they have each defined why Israel has the absolute right to take the action it has in Gaza to defend itself from Hamas – both as a moral right and as a matter of survival.

I fully support Israel’s effort to destroy Hamas’ ability to wage war against Israel and the Israeli people. Every nation has the right to defend itself from attack.  Israel, which has been under almost continued assault throughout its entire existence, is no different. Israel’s right to exist is absolute.

I stand with Israel.

“The Yemen Model Won’t Work in Iraq, Syria”

Katherine Zimmerman, a research fellow and the al-Qaeda team leader for the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project, pennedan interesting analysis of President Obama’s anti-terrorism partnership with Yemen.  In this piece, she not only concludes that the policy is not working in Yemen, but also that efforts to replicate the policy in Iraq and Syria would also prove unsuccessful.  It’s an article well worth reading.

Fixing VA Health Care – Positive Steps Forward!

In recent weeks, the House of Representatives passed, with strong bipartisan support, three important bills that address the many problems the Department of Veterans Affairs has had in delivering health care to our nation’s veterans.

These bills will address the lengthy waits for treatment by allowing treatment at non-VA hospitals in certain situations and will also require management accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Performance awards and bonuses for VA employees are also eliminated.

Shamefully, Senate Democrats yesterday boycotted the House-Senate Conference Committee meeting that had been called to reconcile the differences between the bills passed by the House and Senate-passed legislation.  I hope the Senate leadership rethinks its indefensible posture and returns to the conference table to get these bills done!

House Acts to Simplify Higher Ed Tax Benefits

With tuition bills for the coming Fall Semester arriving in the mailboxes of families with students in college, the House of Representatives yesterday passed, with my enthusiastic support, HR 3393, the Student and Family Tax Simplification Act.

This bill will make it easier for families to take advantage of various higher education tax benefits by consolidating four current programs into one.  These programs – the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC); the Hope Scholarship Credit (HSC); the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC); and the tuition deduction –will now be part of one permanent, reformed AOTC. 

The new, permanent AOTC will a 100-percent tax credit for the first $2,000 of certain higher education expenses and a 25-percent tax credit for the next $2,000 of such expenses (for a maximum credit up to $2,500).  Eligible expenses include tuition, fees, and course materials.  The credit is available for the first four years of higher education, and the first $1,500 of the credit is refundable. 

For more information about this bill, click here.  

Obamacare Costing Medicare Advantage Seniors Thousands of Dollars

When the President was trying to sell his health care reform bill in 2009, he claimed that, “Nobody is talking about reducing Medicare benefits.” Unfortunately, like so many other promises made about Obamacare, his assurances about Medicare turns out to be untrue.

The Medicare Advantage program – which one out of every three seniors relies on for health care – has been slashed by more than $150 billion under Obamacare. These cuts have cost the average Medicare Advantage senior in the 11^th Congressional District $2,045.16 so far. 

To find out more about these cuts and their effect on seniors across the nation, click here. 

Salute: 100^th Anniversary of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

One-hundred years ago, Congress passed and President Wilson signed into law the Smith-Lever Act, creating the cooperative extension partnership. This landmark legislation created educational opportunities for youths and adults concerning issues of agriculture. In the years since, a state-by-state network of extension educators brings to the people science-based knowledge and research in areas such as agriculture, sustainability, environment, health, and nutrition.  New Jersey is home to the Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, one of the finest programs of its kind in the nation.   The Cooperative Extension provides several programs for both young people and adults in areas such as healthy lifestyles, food safety and nutrition, environment and natural resources, and economic growth and agricultural sustainability in Essex, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and other counties in New Jersey.  The Rutgers Cooperative Extension has been especially active in promoting 4-H Youth Development programs.  Among the 4-H programs are 4-H clubs, overnight camping trips, and afterschool child care education programs. 

More information about this great program can be found at here. 

Salute: Abigail Rose Beutler and Dr. Jessica Bienstock

Last year my colleague Representative Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of the State of Washington gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Abigail Rose.  Unfortunately, Abigail was born with Potter’s Syndrome, an almost always fatal condition.  Fortunately, the doctor who delivered Abigail, Dr. Jessica Bienstock, was pioneering an unconventional treatment for Potter’s.  This treatment saved Abigail’s life.

Earlier this week Dr. Bienstock was a special guest in the House chamber, where she was recognized by Speaker Boehner, who said, “I think our House owes a debt of gratitude to her and to all of our doctors, nurses and medical professionals.”  

I couldn’t agree with the Speaker more.

Salute: For Former State Assemblyman Albert Merck

I was very sorry to learn that former State Assemblyman Albert Merck died on Tuesday at the age of 93.  I knew Al and Kate, his wife, for more than five decades.  He preceded me in the State Assembly, and I always found him to be a valued source of wisdom and guidance during my tenure in Trenton and then in Washington.

Al’s entire life was devoted to serving others – as a public official, a philanthropist, and teacher.  Al lived out the Biblical injunction, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  He truly gave much during the course of his long and productive life.  His wonderful sense of humor, keen intellect, rock solid integrity, and generosity of spirit made him both widely respected and admired. 

Kate, his beloved wife of 68 years, and the rest of his family have my deepest sympathy on his passing.