Late-breaking update that I just got from Louise Slaughter's press secretary: since Congresswoman slaughter is going to be presiding as Chairwoman over the House Rules Committee hearing today on the healthcare reform bill--the last stop for the bill before it hits the House floor--the Congresswoman's office has decided to offer a live stream of the proceedings, as well as offering one of the (very few) slots for reporters to the guy behind the watchdog site CongressMatters.com.
Ladies and gentlemen, a follow up by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.
Last week Chris Smith and Adama Brown were kind enough to help me crosspost at WNYMedia, TAP, and GLOW Democrats and talk to you about bringing high speed rail to Upstate New York. On Monday, New York State applied for over $500 million in stimulus funding to start making that goal a reality. Since last winter, I have worked with Governor Paterson, Amtrak, CSX, and my colleagues in the Upstate Congressional Caucus to make sure that Upstate was given top consideration in the grant process, and yesterday was vindication for our efforts - in fact, all of the grants which New York State applied for would go to Upstate.
In addition to letting you know about the grants, I wanted to share my responses to comments my post received last week on each of the sites with all of you, and invite you to discuss in the comments how we can make high speed rail work best for all New Yorkers.
There's been much whining and gnashing of teeth from the House GOP in recent days about how they have been excluded from deliberating on a bill that they couldn't muster a single, solitary vote for. House Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter sets the record straight.
As Chair of the House Rules Committee, I must clear up untruths regarding the economic recovery package.
We've heard a lot of noise across the aisle about how partisan the development of the bill was --- that Republicans were blocked from being involved. This is entirely false. In fact, this was one of the most open processes a bill this large has had in over a decade.
They are being disingenuous, or worse. These are the facts:
The bill, as it came to the Rules Committee, the last stop before the floor vote, already incorporated 12 Republican amendments. The Rules Committee then added the 11 amendments: 6 Democratic and 5 Republican, in addition to a complete Republican substitute, and a motion to recommit. They were unable to muster the votes necessary and lost on bipartisan votes. House Republicans may have come together to vote against the final bill, but they split on their own amendments with 40 to 60 Republicans voting with Democrats. Some Republicans even voted against their party’s alternative bill, and it failed on the floor.
Things are moving fast on the stimulus bill, but a short window has opened where we can make a difference on rail and mass transit funding in the stimulus. Here is the situation:
As reported by WI Dem in Quick Hits, several House members are submitting amendments to increase rail funding to the stimulus package:
The amendment would distribute $1.5 billion for the Transit Capital Assistance Program and $1.5 billion for Capital Assistance Grants, known as the New Starts Program.
The bill is introduced by Representative Nadler, and can be read here. There are other amendments introduced by Representatives C. Brown and Hare, that would increase rail funding by $3.9 billion and $500 million respectively. Any and all amendments to increase rail funding would be great.
This gives us two hours to make our voice heard for more rail funding in the stimulus bill. To do so, please contact the Rules Committee. Politely state your support for the Nadler, Brown and Hare amendments for increased rail funding. Ask the committee to approve these amendments for a floor vote tomorrow.
Their phone number is 202-225-9091.
This is a very short window, as the situation is fluid and happening fast. However, this also means we can make a difference. Please call now, and let the Rules Committee hear your support for the Nadler, Brown and Hare amendments to increase rail and mass transit funding.
Here's the contact info for Reps Arcuri and Slaughter:
Chair Louise Slaughter, New York 28th
(202) 225-3615
This strikes me as good news, from the Slaughter press release:
Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-28), Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, has formed a new bipartisan Upstate New York Congressional Caucus. The purpose of the caucus is to collectively advance issues that face upstate New York, such as reviving the local economy and bringing new well-paying jobs to the region. The caucus had its first meeting today with Congressman James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to discuss possible infrastructure projects for the region:
"I am proud that all of my colleagues who represent Upstate New York are joining me in forming the Upstate New York Caucus," said Congresswoman Slaughter. "The region we represent faces a particularly challenging road ahead. The current economic crisis has compounded problems that have been developing in each of our districts for years. The purpose of this caucus will be to concentrate our abilities and work together, on both sides of the aisle, in the best interest of Upstate New York.
The 111th Congress will offer important opportunities to make the case for investing in Upstate New York. This is an essential opportunity, and one that we cannot approach passively or divided. It is critical that we work together to weather this financial storm. Upstate New York cannot afford to be left behind."
Earlier today 10 New York Democrats voted to eviscerate the 4th Amendment and to retroactively excuse the lawless warrantless surveillance of tens of millions of Americans by an out of control Executive as well as the telecom companies that that facilitated these crimes. Their votes were disgraceful and we should never forget them, but the majority of New York Democrats stood up for our Constitution today and we shouldn't forget their votes either. The following New York Democrats stood tall today:
Clarke (NY-11)
Hall (NY-19)
Hinchey (NY-22)
Israel (NY-2)
Maloney (NY-14)
McNulty (NY-21)
Nadler (NY-8)
Rangel (NY-15)
Serrano (NY-16)
Slaughter (NY-28)
Towns (NY-10)
Velazquez (NY-12) (My Congresswoman. Way to go, Nydia.)
Weiner (NY-9)
It should probably go without saying, but all New York House Republicans (with exception of Tom Reynolds, who was apparently napping) voted for this abomination.
(Uh oh. Sprung a leak... - promoted by phillip anderson)
The "favorite son," or, in this case, "favorite daughter," effect has operated in full force here in New York this presidential election cycle. The Democratic party establishment in the state has been a united front in support of Hillary Clinton's White House race, for the most part. However, Tuesday's results may have finally started to change that.
In urging the Department of Defense on Friday to grant special consideration in Raymond's case, Reps. Brian Higgins, Thomas M. Reynolds and Louise M. Slaughter point out that he was honorably discharged four years ago and rated 10 percent disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"Many of our returning veterans have sustained serious and permanent injuries as a result of their selfless service to this great nation," Higgins, D-Buffalo, said.
The letter, in part, asks that the order activating Raymond, 2 6 , from the Individual Readiness Reserve - an eight-year obligation following active duty - be postponed until at least June 1, when he completes the current semester, or until the end of the upcoming fall semester when he is scheduled to graduate in December.
Raymond attends the university through VA educational benefits he earned during his three years of active duty, which took him to Afghanistan for 10 months in 2003-04. In addition, he receives a $120-a-month VA disability pension for life.
The lawmakers also asked defense officials to consider Raymond's plans to appeal the mobilization order and be exempt from future activations.
Not only has Raymond suffered a loss of hearing and the knee injury, but he also told the Buffalo News that he has had a documented case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Raymond has been ordered to report on May 18 to Fort Benning, Ga..
"I'm thrilled for the congressional support. It speaks volumes about the Western New York comm unity," said Raymond, reacting to the support, which also includes efforts by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY.
Raymond added that he would "go back in a heartbeat" if he thought "that it wasn't going to risk the lives of the soldiers around me or my own personal life."
I don't see how a man who is partially deaf would be a good fit in battle. That is not good for him and it is not good for the troops around him.
Hopefully James can stay and complete college, at the very least, and then head back for another tour. I don't think he should be headed back at all in his condition but we will see how this plays out over time.
Rep. Louise Slaughter has a great post up on Huffington Post discussing the recent action taken by the House of Representatives to find former White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers in contempt of Congress.
I wrote about this earlier this week. It passed 223-32 because most of the Republican minority boycotted the vote due to what they call inaction on the FISA battle.
Here's a few lines from Louise's post:
When witnesses under subpoena refuse even to appear before a congressional committee and when executive privilege is asserted despite compelling legal arguments to the contrary, Congress must act to preserve its constitutional powers.
Yesterday's New York Times Editorial board stated the case very clearly when they wrote, "If Congress fails to enforce its own subpoenas, it would effectively be ceding its subpoena power. It would also be giving its tacit consent to the dangerous idea of an imperial president -- above the law and beyond the reach of checks and balances. The founders did not want that when they wrote the Constitution, and the voters who elected this Congress do not want it today."
For far too long, certain high-level staff at the White House have blatantly ignored the law and refused to comply with the Judiciary Committee subpoenas. These same individuals have been given ample opportunity in which to cooperate with this legally binding process. And, frankly, the justifications for their refusal to testify before Congress are few and fleeting.
Rep. Louise Slaughter fired the first shot in the second battle over SCHIP on the floor of the US House today. She even called out the thugs who harassed the family of you Graeme Frost in an attempt to somehow discredit a program that has truly overwhelming support across the nation.
In spite of the unquestionable benefits, and in spite of the overwhelming popularity and accomplishments of this program, SCHIP is under attack.
We saw reprehensible smear attacks on families who were brought into the public eye to showcase the benefits of this program. In the face of the life saving chance that was bestowed on the family due to this program, the harshest rhetoric was not cast against the bill, but against this family, including the children.
We saw persons go to the home of one of the families and harass them in public, talk radio and blogs making wild and audacious accusations, and we even saw staffers on Capitol Hill who clearly intended to assist this fabricated, cold-hearted smear campaign.
It is simply beyond comprehension to me that many are willing to score political points by denigrating our nation's children - particularly those who owe their very lives to this program.
But the American people saw through their smear attacks. They understand that the health of our nation's children is simply not worth scoring a few political points.
There's more, including video of the entire speech, on the flip...
The man who is asking for another $200 BILLION dollars to sink into the bloody sands of Iraq today, as expected, vetoed the renewal of the SCHIP program and denied health insurance to millions of American children. Two New York Congresswomen respond.
Today, in a move that surprised no one, President Bush unceremoniously used his dusty veto pen on SCHIP. And while the president's veto may have been expected, it should not diminish the gravity of his decision to rip away health insurance from the 6 million American children already covered by SCHIP and to prevent another 4 million from being insured.
SCHIP currently provides health care coverage to six million children that otherwise would not. Nearly 400,000 children are enrolled in New York alone, the second highest number in the nation. The bill we passed last week with the support of more than 45 Republican Members of Congress adds coverage for more than four million children, to insure ten million.
SCHIP is a program both enormously popular with the public and already proven enormously successful. It is the reason why President Bush pledged on the campaign trail in 2004 that "America's children must also have a healthy start in life. ... we will lead an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for the government's health insurance programs. We will not allow a lack of attention, or information, to stand between these children and the health care they need."
Now that the president has chosen to ignore the 10 million reasons to support SCHIP, the battle returns to Congress where I will be leading the fight to override the president's veto because the health of millions of children the president deems unimportant are literally on the line.
DavidNYC emailed me late last night about an interesting conversation taking place over at Swing State Project about who Eliot Spitzer may appoint should Hillary Clinton become our next President. It's a pretty lively discussion and I'm surprised at some of the potential candidates. It seems there is quite a well spring of support for Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22) as well as Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-28). There is even some talk of appointing Lt. Governor David Paterson.
Bear with me here. Let's assume for a moment that Hillary is our 2008 Presidential nominee, and that she wins. Fast forward to the election aftermath, where Gov. Eliot Spitzer has the task of appointing a replacement to fill Clinton's Senate vacancy.
Whom might Spitzer appoint? And whom would you want Spitzer to appoint?
Spitzer surprised many observers when he tapped state Senator David Paterson for his running mate in 2006, and perhaps he could surprise again given the chance. Despite being large in number, there is no one of tremendous stature in the state's Democratic congressional delegation who could be tapped (Charlie Rangel, at 77, is too old), but that's not to say that I think a promotion from the House to the Senate is unlikely.
...
Perhaps even Paterson himself could be a possibility, but one would expect that Spitzer would come under pressure to balance the state's Senatorial delegation with an appointee from upstate rather than a second Senator with Brooklyn roots.
The usual calculations are tossed around in the comments. Should the candidate be from upstate? Should they be female? A moderate? A progressive?
These are all good questions. I'll just say that I would look for an unabashed progressive. As much as I'd also like to replace a female Senator with another, and I have a feeling we would, my first and foremost wish is that New York be represented by a Senator with strong progressive values. I want this state to be looked upon as a beacon of such values once again and there's no good reason we shouldn't be. I mean, this is New York, not, say, Missouri or Pennsylvania.
Today is a travel day for me, so there will be light posting from me for the next couple of days. I'll try to stop by and promote stuff from time to time and I hope the guest bloggers will have some stuff for ya.
Just like you, Eric Massa's legacy is one of hard work, perseverance, and service to our great nation.
Just like you, Eric Massa does not come from infinite wealth. His campaign money comes from $10, $20, and $100 contributions from people like me who simply believe we can have better government by helping better candidates.
Last time around, nobody thought any Democrat could ever win NY-29, and you know what happened? Eric Massa and his energetic, positive campaign is what happened. Eric traveled the district, worked with all of the County Chairs and United the 29th district. With almost no help from Washington, he turned an impossible district into one of the most competitive races in the entire U.S.A.
With Eric Massa at the helm in 2008, we WILL FINALLY send a good Democrat to Washington. He already has the support of the People, the Town Chairs, and 93,974 voters.
Now he needs your support Congresswoman Slaughter.
Seriously. What is up between Louise and Eric here? It looks as if Slaughter is again supporting David Nachbar as a primary challenger to Eric Massa for the Democratic nomination to replace Randy Kuhl in NY-29. Louise supported Nachbar for the Dem nod last cycle but he had a little problem: he wasn't a Democrat. Oh, and local party folks much preferred Massa.
Nachbar, B&L's senior vice president for human resources, considered challenging Massa for the party line last year, but eventually backed out and supported Massa.
Nachbar's potential entry into the race last year created some stir as Rep. Louise Slaughter tried to derail Massa's bid by backing Nachbar, who had pledged to fund some of the campaign himself.
But Nachbar's candidacy was hindered by party leaders' widespread support for Massa and because Nachbar had not registered as a Democrat.
I'm going to put this simply: No Democrat from the 29th has any chance of winning in the general election if he's not from down south (Massa, who almost won last time, is from Corning). None. Zero. Zippo. Nil. What a terrible waste of time and energy for a man who, by all accounts, sounds like he has a lot to offer. If he's willing to move to Steuben County, live there for a few years, and then run, God bless him. But he'll never win the general election in this district running from up here.
Massa came within 6,000 votes in a very tough district for Dems. He announced his intention to run again early. He's doing everything right and, well, let's face it, he's earned another shot.
So, what exactly is going on here and why is Louise backing a horse no one wants? AGAIN?
There's definitely more than meets the eye here and I plan on having more on the back story here soon.
One more observation from the folks at RT:
Plus he has no chance against Massa in the primary. But just to be clear: even if Massa weren't running, I would still think Nachbar was wasting his time, trying to run from up here.
Why not run for County Exec instead? Or State Senator?
I certainly hope that you have been following the shameful story of neglect of our veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The treatment, or lack thereof, of some wounded soldiers there has been a national disgrace. Yesterday Maj. Gen. George Weightman, the commander of the facility, was fired, largely due to the revelations opf the past couple of weeks. He was replaced by Kevin Kiley, a man so indifferent to the wellbeing of soldiers that he once let an injured soldier sleep in his own urine. Really. Check this out from today's Washington Post:
In 2004, Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) and his wife stopped visiting the wounded at Walter Reed out of frustration. Young said he voiced concerns to commanders over troubling incidents he witnessed but was rebuffed or ignored. "When Bev or I would bring problems to the attention of authorities of Walter Reed, we were made to feel very uncomfortable," said Young, who began visiting the wounded recuperating at other facilities.
Beverly Young said she complained to Kiley several times. She once visited a soldier who was lying in urine on his mattress pad in the hospital. When a nurse ignored her, Young said, "I went flying down to Kevin Kiley's office again, and got nowhere. He has skirted this stuff for five years and blamed everyone else."
Hell, even the staff at Walter Reed finds Kiley's appointment "demoralizing".
Rep Louise Slaughter (NY-28) has called for Kiley's IMMEDIATE removal. I heartily concur. Here is a portion of her statement:
"The Department of Defense needs to make a choice: does it care about our wounded veterans, or does it care about public relations?" Rep. Slaughter said today. "While I was glad to see that initial steps had been taken to change the leadership at Walter Reed, yesterday's news of Mr. Kiley's appointment was simply baffling. How can a man who stood by for years while American soldiers suffered needlessly be expected to enact real reforms?"
"The outrage of the American public over the conditions at Walter Reed will not be pacified by simply shuffling the deck," Rep. Slaughter said. "Secretary Gates must immediately remove from command anyone who allowed its facilities to fall into such a state of disrepair."
"Our wounded soldiers deserve nothing less than the best health care this country can provide and the best leadership to ensure they receive that care."
