e-News 9/18/15

• Senate Democrats Avoid a Vote on Iran Nuclear Weapons Deal
• A Step Forward for New Jersey’s Security
• Keeping the Pressure on EPA to Advance New Jersey Clean-ups
• Salute: Lincoln School in Nutley turns 100

Senate Democrats Avoid a Vote on Iran Nuclear Weapons Deal

For the second time in two weeks, Harry Reid’s Senate Minority on Thursday blocked an effort to stop the Iran nuclear weapons agreement.  53 Senators voted in favor of an amendment by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that would have prevented President Obama from lifting sanctions on Iran until the country releases American prisoners and publicly recognizes Israel's right to exist. Sixty votes were needed to move forward.  But, unfortunately, under Senate rules, 53 votes are not enough to end debate and force all Senators to vote on the underlying Iran Nuclear Weapons agreement.

This is deeply disappointing.  The American people have the right to know where their elected officials stand on this most important of national security issues.  I agree with Speaker Boehner who said last week that our House vote against the Iran deal “was the beginning of the fight, not the end of the fight.”

Read David Gerson’s column in this week’s Washington Post, “Iran Thumbs its Nose at United States” here.

A Step Forward for New Jersey’s Security

Ever since the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, I have been urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expand its roster of federally-recognized Urban Search and Rescue Teams (US&R) to include New Jersey’s team, Task Force One (NJ-TF1).  

Of the 28 US&R task forces that come to the aid of thousands in natural and manmade disasters across the nation, all but two were called into action to respond on September 11, 2001. However, the very first search and rescue team to respond in New York City was NJ-TF1, a team not recognized by FEMA!

This week, New Jersey Task Force One (NJ-TF1), took a step toward federal recognition.  The FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Strategic Group unanimously recommended that New Jersey Task Force 1 (NJ-TF1) join the nation’s 28 team National Urban Search & Rescue System. 

In the dangerous world we live in, these emergency management teams, professionals and volunteers alike, are our best and most important lines of defense. In their hands is one of our nation’s greatest missions: protecting our homeland. If finally granted, this FEMA designation will enhance New Jersey’s security, provide the Task Force with more funding for training and equipment and ensure they remain prepared in the event of an emergency.

FEMA’s US&R Strategic Group considered a number of factors, including experience, population density, critical infrastructure, the number and age of structures in proximity to the team’s base location, geographic coverage and threat assessment.

Since the attacks of 2001, I have annually introduced legislation seeking expansion of the national urban search and rescue system and a federal designation for NJ-TF1.  I wrote earlier this year to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, outlining the case for NJ-TF1.  I pointed out that ours is one of the most densely populated states in the country and over the past year FEMA has developed and carried out exercises to increase community emergency preparedness for various disasters, including oil train spills, pandemic outbreaks and extreme weather events, and did so in numerous public hearings with FEMA Director Fugate.  

I had each member of the state’s Congressional delegation sign a letter this week to Secretary Johnson and FEMA Director Craig Fugate endorsing the designation.  Hopefully, we’ll hear additional good newson this front soon.

Learn more here.

Read Jon Salant’s article in the Star-Ledger here.

Keeping the Pressure on EPA to Advance New Jersey Clean-ups

I was joined on Wednesday by U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region II and senior New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) officials, Assemblyman Anthony Bucco and other elected officials as I conducted my annual inspection of Superfund sites in the 11th Congressional District.

We made stops at the Mansfield Trail Dump in Byram Township, Sussex County, Radiation Technology Inc., Rockaway Township, Morris County, Rockaway Borough Well Field, Rockaway Borough, Morris County and Unimatic Manufacturing Corp and Caldwell Trucking in Township of Fairfield, Essex County.  Why?

Because it is important for me to visit these sites in person to evaluate the progress being made.  In addition, federal and state environmental agencies need to understand that someone is watching over their shoulders in order to keep them moving in the right direction.

Unfortunately, our state has more Superfund sites than any other state in the nation. Yet, considerable headway has been made. Since 1980, when the Superfund program began, 34 sites in New Jersey have been removed from the National Priority List.  Currently, 114 Superfund sites are located in New Jersey, including 10 in the 11th Congressional District. 

In addition to Assemblyman Bucco, Byram Councilwoman Nisha Kash, Byram Councilman David Grey, Rockaway Borough Mayor Russel Greuter, Rockaway Borough Councilwoman Joyce Kanigel, Fairfield Mayor James Gasparini participated in the tour.   I thank them for their time and attention.

See pictures from our 2015 tour here.

Read William Westhoven’s piece in the Morris County Daily Recordhere.

Read the David Danzi’s article in the New Jersey Herald here.

Salute: Lincoln School in Nutley turns 100!  Congratulations to anyone ever associated with the Lincoln School - students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents - which was established on September 11, 1915, with 267 students and had one head teacher.  According to published reports, the property was purchased for $5,000.  “A Belleville architect and Nutley contractor designed and built the brick school, constructed for about $50,000.”  Read more in Hasime Kukaj’s story in the Nutley Sun here.