NJ Replaces Funds Planned Parenthood Lost over Federal Abortion Edict

From NJSpotlight


Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a law that, for now at least, inoculates women’s health clinics run by Planned Parenthood and other agencies against the loss of nearly $10 million under an anti-abortion edict issued by the Trump administration.

Last August, Planned Parenthood, which runs 22 clinics in New Jersey, opted to forgo millions in federal funding over the administration’s so-called gag rule, which forbids agencies that take money under the Title X program from advising clients about abortion.

The bill — approved by the Democratic majorities in both houses in late 2019, over the objection of anti-abortion advocates — allocates state money to restore the $9.5 million that had been forfeited.

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Pallone Votes Against Dangerous Attack on Women’s Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2017


Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) voted against, H.J.Res. 43, which disapproves of a Health and Human Services rule, issued in December 2016, designed to protect health care access to millions of people across the country who would otherwise go without birth control, cancer screenings, and other preventive care.

“Despite the misleading rhetoric from Republicans, Title X does not fund abortions. For decades, the Title X family planning program has funded grants that provide millions of Americans each year with access to a broad range of preventive health services, including contraception care and cancer screenings,” said Pallone. “Title X is a critical safety net for low-income women and teens, and for many patients this program is their only source of health care. But Republicans want to limit access to these services and allow states to discriminate against certain providers – all as part of their ongoing ideological crusade against abortion.”

Earlier this week Pallone visited Planned Parenthood in Perth Amboy to show his strong support for comprehensive health care coverage, women’s reproductive rights, and the organization’s mission. Pallone is the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care. Planned Parenthood provides life-saving preventative care for 2.7 million patients nationwide every year. The Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress are pushing to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds. Despite being routinely used as a political punching bag, Planned Parenthood is one of the most critical providers of women’s health coverage.

Congressman Pallone was one the authors of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes provisions to support and enhance access to quality health care for women, including preventing insurance companies from treating simply being a woman as a pre-existing condition. Trump and Congressional Republicans are now in the process of trying to repeal the ACA.

Congressman Pallone spoke on the House floor against H.J. Res. 43. The text of his remarks can be found below and the video can be found below.

Mr. Speaker I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 43. This resolution is another attack on women’s health, and another attempt by Republicans to limit women’s access to high-quality essential care.

For decades, the Title X family planning program has funded grants that provide millions of Americans each year with access to a broad range of preventive health services, including contraception care and cancer screenings. Title X is a critical safety net for low-income women and teens, and for many patients this program is their only source of health care.

But Republicans want to limit access to these services and allow states to discriminate against certain providers – all as part of their ongoing ideological crusade against abortion.
This resolution would permit states to prohibit reproductive health care providers from participating in the Title X program, and would allow states to block access to care if the provider separately performs abortions or is affiliated with health centers that do.

We have already seen what happens when states take actions to discriminate against providers in the Title X program: access goes down, the unintended pregnancy rate goes up, and the spread of sexually transmitted infections increases.

I urge my colleagues to vote no on this resolution, because Republicans should not be entitled to pick and choose providers in the Title X program and play politics with women’s health.

Chris Smith's Words Have Consequences

For Immediate Release:
1/27/16


WHY IS CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH NJ (D4 - R) STILL TALKING ABOUT BODY PARTS?

D4CC calls for Chris Smith to cease using the fraudulent smear videos and hateful lies to spread his EXTREME agenda.

Eleven states have found no evidence of wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood and eight states declined to investigate. The only people who engaged in wrongdoing are the criminals behind the fraudulent videos.

We are glad they are being held accountable but Congressman Chris Smith NJ (R), Chair of the Congressional Pro Life Caucus, continues to use the videos as justification for pushing his anti-abortion agenda.

Smith's words have consequences.The rhetoric comparing Planned Parenthood to "baby killers" and murderers is what provoked the Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado where three innocent people died and left six children without a parent.

As Chair of the Congressional Pro Life Caucus and an elected member of Congress, Smith has a responsibility to rule with integrity and honesty.

Chris Smith Speech on Roe v Wade Anniversary - 1/22/16

Recent undercover videos by Center for Medical Progress have exposed in numbing candor several high level Planned Parenthood leaders gleefully talking about procuring children’s organs for a price, all while altering gruesome dismemberment procedures to preserve “intact” livers, hearts and lungs from freshly killed babies.

Watch the videos yourself at centerformedicalprogress.org.
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/4520/rep_chris_smiths_statement_on_the_2016_march_for_life.aspx


Learn more about Smith's Voting Record: http://bridgeproject.com/things-rep-chris-smith-wants-to-investigate-birth-control/

District 4 Coalition for Change
P.O. Box 685
Englishtown, NJ 07726

Pallone Stands with Planned Parenthood for Women’s Health Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2015



LONG BRANCH, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) held a ‘Stand with Planned Parenthood’ press conference to call attention to the work they do for women’s health care and to combat partisan calls to defund the organization. Pallone is the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care. Planned Parenthood, which provides life-saving preventative care for 2.7 million patients nationwide every year, has been under attack by Congressional Republicans based on unsubstantiated claims made against the women’s health organization. Last week, 151 House Republicans voted to shut the government down in order to defund Planned Parenthood.

“Planned Parenthood provides life-saving preventative care for millions of patients each year. Yet, Congressional Republicans’ obsession with demonizing the organization and denying women access to health care has reached a dangerous level,” said Congressman Pallone. “Instead of working to keep our country running, the majority of House Republicans voted for a government shutdown at the expense of women’s health. They have wasted my Committee’s time and resources attacking Planned Parenthood under the guise of an investigation, which has turned up zero evidence to substantiate their claims. But worse yet, they are threatening the health care that millions of women rely upon. More than 100,000 New Jersey residents are served each year by Planned Parenthood’s 26 health centers in our state, nine of which are located in Medically Underserved Areas. It is our responsibility to step up and stand with Planned Parenthood.”

Pallone was joined at the press conference in Perth Amboy by Elizabeth Talmont, Vice President of Research and Program Development, Planned Parenthood of Central and Greater Northern New Jersey.

“We at Planned Parenthood of Central and Greater Northern New Jersey are incredibly thankful for Congressman Pallone’s tireless support of women’s health,” said Elizabeth Talmont of Planned Parenthood of Central and Greater Northern New Jersey. “The Congressman understands the importance of the vital services Planned Parenthood provides, including lifesaving cancer screenings, affordable birth control, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.”

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, following Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, the need for vital life-saving cancer screenings, which Planned Parenthood provides, has been brought to the forefront.

NJ Watchdog: Christie hopes CNN debate begins comeback

On the ropes, Christie hopes CNN debate begins his comeback

With his White House run on the ropes, Chris Christie came out swinging Wednesday night at the prime-time Republican presidential debate on CNN.

Instead of duking it out with the other 10 GOP hopefuls on the stage, the New Jersey governor aimed his blows at opponents who weren't present -- President Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic-controlled legislature in his home state.

“In seven short years, this president has stripped away their trust and faith and belief that the next generation will have a better life,” Christie declared in his opening statement. “He’s stolen that from us, and when I’m president, I’m going to take it back.”

He also urged the other Republican candidates to unite against Clinton for her support of Planned Parenthood.

“We shouldn’t be fighting with each other,” he said. “She’s the real opponent.”

And Christie identified himself as an “outsider” – like Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Firorina – explaining that he is a Republican in a blue state.

“I’ve vetoed 400 bills from a crazy liberal Democratic legislature,” he said.

While Christie tried to play nice with his GOP opponents, there were numerous skirmishes between other contenders. Front-runner Trump exchanged sharp barbs with Fiorina, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Rand Paul.

But when Trump and Fiorina started criticizing each other’s track records in business, Christie interrupted with a crowd-pleasing line.

“You’re both successful people – congratulations,” he scolded. “You know who’s not successful in this country? The middle class who’s getting plowed over by Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Let’s start talking about those issues tonight and stop this childish back and forth between the two of you.”

The question is whether Christie landed punches enough to keep his campaign off the canvas. Positioned on the far end of the stage, a half-hour passed between questions posed to him by moderators at one point.

The governor entered the debate needing to score points with viewers to revive a campaign that’s taken a beating in public opinion polls.

Earlier this week, Christie fell to 11th place with only 1 percent support among GOP voters in both the ABC News/Washington Post and CBS News/New York Times polls.

The story is online at http://watchdog.org/238568/christie-cnn-debate/.

Caroline Casagrande Highlights Support for Tea Party Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Touts Bill that Prevented Planned Parenthood from Receiving Funding

In a mail piece paid for by the New Jersey Republican State Committee, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande touted support for a failed resolution she wrote that would have prevented Planned Parenthood from receiving funding.

This was in response to the 11th District Democratic team pointing out that she voted against nearly $20 million in funding for women's health clinics, clinics that perform preventive screenings, mammograms, and prenatal care, and against expanding health care for 240,000 children.

Casagrande, however, never explains why she opposed these vital services. Instead, she points to this failed resolution. In announcing the resolution, Casagrande went so far as to suggest that Planned Parenthood was an illegitimate source of health care, saying she would only send money to "legitimate clinics that perform actual health services."

While Casagrande continues to follow the lead of the Tea Party Republicans in Congress who have also attempted to defund Planned Parenthood, 6 of these clinics have closed, leaving 40,000 fewer patients without these health care services in New Jersey.

"Not only is this a desperate attempt by extremist Caroline Casagrande to cloud her embarrassing record but touting the Tea Party's agenda of defunding women's health care shows how out of touch she is with the voters of this district" said Tony Coppola, 11th District Democrats' spokesperson. "And, if it up were up to her, 240,000 less children would have access to health care in New Jersey.

See the mail piece below.

Background:

• Planned Parenthood performs nearly 50,000 breast exams and more than 44,000 cervical cancer screenings annually in New Jersey.
• Caroline Casagrande voted against bill numbers S2139 (2010), A3274 (2010), and S788 (2012), resolutions that would have restored $7.45 million, $5 million, and $7.45 million to women's health funding respectively.
• Caroline Casagrande voted against bill number S-1557 (2008), which gave access to affordable health care to 240,000 children.
• Caroline Casagrande told the the Associated Press that FY 2012, Resolution #3003 would only send money to "legitimate clinics that perform actual health services" [AP 6/24/11].

Buono Talks About Creating Jobs and Opportunity in New Jersey

Josh Levitt
Bouno for Governor:

- On WOMB Radio yesterday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono participated in a “Ask the Candidate” segment where she spoke about her background, policy positions and answered questions from listeners. As New Jersey families struggle to make ends meet under stubbornly high unemployment and skyrocketing property tax rates, Senator Buono outlined her plan to revitalize the economy by developing strong research partnerships, redirecting tax credits to small businesses and investing in infrastructure projects. As Governor Christie veers right in advance of the Republican presidential primary, New Jersey needs a Governor who will uphold its values. Unlike Governor Christie and his buddy Steve Lonegan, Senator Buono is supports marriage equality, pay equity, Planned Parenthood, a women’s right to choose and finding commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence. Senator Buono made clear that she will move New Jersey forward towards economic growth, prosperity and equality.

Watch live streaming video from townsquaremedianj at livestream.com

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ENDORSES ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE ALLISON FRIEDMAN

Allison Friedman

Aberdeen, NJ (August 2, 2013) – Democratic candidate Allison Friedman garnered another important endorsement this Friday as Planned Parenthood has endorsed Democratic candidate for New Jersey State Assembly in the 13th Legislative District.

"At a time when women in New Jersey have the security of their health care shaken by underfunding from Governor Christie and the Republicans, it is an honor and a privilege to earn the endorsement of Planned Parenthood," said Friedman of the endorsement. “For decades, Planned Parenthood has provided quality health care for nearly 83,000 women a year in New Jersey. Among the quality services provided are mammograms, screenings for cervical and ovarian cancer and testing for endometriosis. I am proud to have their endorsement.”

The 13th Legislative District includes the following municipalities in Monmouth County: Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright and Union Beach.

McMillan and Zipprich Announce Planned Parenthood Endorsement in Assembly Race

Candidates Tout Support for Women's Health Care

Today, Kevin McMillan and Ed Zipprich, Democratic candidates for the New Jersey Assembly (NJ-11), announced that they received the endorsement of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. McMillan and Zipprich are running against Republican incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.

Angelini and Casagrande have repeatedly voted to allow funding cuts to women's health care and have prevented 80,000 women from gaining access to health care coverage across New Jersey, while McMillan and Zipprich support restoring nearly $7.5 million that has been cut out of budget and expanding health care coverage for women.

"Planned Parenthood provides vital services to women across New Jersey, and I am humbled by their endorsement," said McMillan. "I strongly believe that every woman deserves access to health care like cancer screenings and prenatal care, and as an Assemblyman I will always support fully funding these health care services."


"I am proud of the endorsement of Planned Parenthood," said Zipprich. "I will always stand up and protect access to women's health care, and I will not only fight to restore the cuts to the budget, but I will support expanding access to health care coverage for tens of thousands of women across New Jersey."

Christie Out-of-Touch With Women

Joshua Henne wrote this Op-ed piece that appeared on PolitickerNJ last week. It talks about Governor Christie's real record when it comes to women.

By Joshua Henne
June 3rd, 2013


Today, Chris Christie is keynoting the Governor’s Conference For Women in Trenton. Perhaps he should do more listening and less talking. Because while folks might say that Christie is a fighter, he’s made it painfully clear he’s not fighting for New Jersey’s women. In fact, he’s the one holding them back when it comes to both their health and fiscal well-being.

There’s nothing moderate about the extreme, right-wing, anti-woman agenda our state has borne witness to these past few years. Christie’s knuckle-dragging decisions and out-of-step ideology are hurting women and their families.

It’s been this way right from the jump. In 2010, Christie eliminated $7.4 million in his very first budget for basic reproductive healthcare services. This money included life-saving cancer screenings, pap tests and breast health services. In 2009, these funds helped over 136,000 patients. Last year, New Jersey’s family planning providers saw at least 33,000 fewer people – a 24% drop. On Christie’s watch, six such centers have closed due to state cuts. Some patients immediately lost services and didn’t have access to other providers. Others experienced longer wait times or were forced to pay more out-of-pocket. The number of clinical breast exams alone performed at these providers fell from 70,506 in 2009 to 48,441 in 2012 – a 31% plunge.

Christie has since vetoed attempts to restore women’s health funding…four times. He claimed the state was broke. But just don't look too close into the palm of Christie’s hand - as he protects a tax break for multi-millionaires, doles out over $2 billion in corporate subsidies and proposed $540 million in business tax cuts. It’s clear where his priorities lie, and it’s not with the women and families of New Jersey.

Rather than reflect Jersey values, Christie is firmly in line with the most severe fringe on women’s rights. He’s the state’s first governor to oppose abortion rights since Roe v. Wade, and was the first to ever speak at Trenton’s annual pro-life rally. It’s no surprise Christie defunded Planned Parenthood and hopscotched the country supporting extremist Republican candidates who would outlaw abortion in the cases of rape and incest. In fact, he endorsed a North Dakota Senate candidate who voted to make it a felony to perform an abortion.

It isn’t only health where Christie fails to have women’s best interests at heart. He’s also trying to buttress the glass ceiling with cement. Christie vetoed legislation making it illegal for companies to pay women less for the same work as their male counterparts. He even supported allowing this discrimination at companies hired by the state with New Jerseyans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Apparently, Christie simply doesn’t believe in equal pay for equal work.

Moreover, when Christie vetoed increasing the minimum wage, he prevented hundreds of thousands of women working low-wage jobs from getting a modest raise. And when Christie cut the Earned Income Tax Credit – a program aimed at low-income workers – women disproportionately felt the pinch. It’s no surprise there are more women who have fallen into poverty since Christie took office.

While his policies have been harsh, that’s not the sole way Christie has hammered women - as he’s said some pretty rude things, as well. Let’s not forget when he beseeched reporters to “take the bat out on” State Senator Loretta Weinberg. Or when Christie called Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle “a jerk” for condemning his inappropriate use of the state police helicopter to watch his son’s baseball game and meet with Iowa fundraisers. Christie called Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver a liar despite evidence backing up her side of the story about trying to set up a meeting on property taxes.

Sadly, Christie’s hasn’t only lashed out at elected officials. At one of his taxpayer-funded town hall meetings - when a teacher pointed out that Christie demonizes teachers and only talks about how horrible schools are, while New Jersey is actually home to some of America’s best schools - Christie lambasted that she only wanted to “put on a show and giggle every time I talk.” He then condescendingly said “I have no interest in answering your question.” Then, during a live-call in show, when asked if its fair to defund public education while sending his own kids to private schools, Christie angrily snapped, ”Hey Gail, you know what? It’s none of your business.” And when a protester interrupted his speech at a Mitt Romney rally, Christie contemptuously sneered, “Something may go down tonight, but its not going to be jobs, sweetheart.”

One would think Christie would stop his bull in a china shop routine when it came to caring for the women of New Jersey. But alas, he’s consistently unleashed a double-barreled assault upon them. Through word, deed, partisanship and policy proposals, Christie’s treated the women of New Jersey with both mocking and malice.

What Christie says to women is pretty bad. What he’s doing to women is even worse, as he puts both their physical and economic health squarely in the crosshairs.

Women of N.J. deserve better from Gov. Chris Christie

With Women’s History Month wrapping up a few days ago, I just wanted to share an  op-ed on Governor Christie’s history with women that ran this weekend in The Trenton Times.

By Joshua Henne

Every parent wants his or her daughter to find success and be surrounded by people who treat women with care and respect. New Jersey’s women deserve nothing less from their governor.

March is Women’s History Month. Unfortunately, it’s worth noting that Gov. Chris Christie’s own public history with women — through both word and deed — is pockmarked with marginalization, mockery and even malice.

It’s been this way right from the start. In 2010, with the stroke of a pen, Gov. Christie eliminated a $7.4 million budget line that provided basic reproductive health services. This money helped support critical care and cancer screenings for more than 135,000 patients. It covered clinical breast exams and Pap tests. When cutting this line item, Christie said it was necessary for “fiscal discipline.” Yet, research shows family planning saves taxpayers approximately $3.75 for every $1 that’s invested. So, when Christie eliminated the funding, it myopically meant New Jersey taxpayers could essentially be on the hook for an additional $28 million in Medicaid spending.

Always a trendsetter, Christie was ahead of the curve by putting reproductive rights on the chopping block. Last summer, when the Legislature approved a budget that included restoring women’s health funding, he again slashed $7.5 million in family planning services. Christie even had the temerity to say his budgets provide full funding for women’s health. Apparently, the governor’s dictionary fails to include Planned Parenthood or other reproductive health-care providers in its definition of women’s health.

But, it’s not just about whether Christie believes in a woman’s “right to choose.” It seems he doesn’t believe in a woman’s right to ... well ... anything. Last year, Christie cut $486,000 in grants to Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers and another $450,000 from a postpartum education campaign. He also slashed funding for the Paid Family Leave insurance program, saying it was overfunded. The state has still failed to spend the money mandated by the Legislature to advertise the program and provide outreach. All the while, Christie refuses to even contemplate a millionaire’s tax and has given tax breaks to mall and casino developers even as he claims the state coffers are bare. It’s clear where his priorities lie.

Ever since taking office, through both policy and his words, the governor has consistently unleashed a wholesale assault on the women of New Jersey. Some of the things he’s said and done along these lines would make even Rush Limbaugh blush.

The entire nation recoiled when Christie recommended that reporters “take the bat out on” state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) — a 77-year-old grandmother. While that was the most incendiary remark he’s directed toward a female legislator, it certainly wasn’t the first — or the last. Christie also called Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle (D-Englewood) “a jerk” for daring to criticize him for using the State Police helicopter for personal reasons (to watch his son play baseball and to meet with fund raisers from Iowa). On more than one occasion, Christie called Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) a liar despite clear evidence that backed up her side of the story. And Christie accused Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Trenton) of being responsible for two murders allegedly perpetrated by two people who had been released from prison under an early release bill she had sponsored.

Sadly, it’s not only public officials who feel the sting of Christie’s tart tongue. During a live call-in show, when asked if it’s fair to cut so much money from public education while sending his own children to private schools, Christie snapped, “Hey, Gail, you know what? It’s none of your business.” At a town hall meeting, when a teacher pointed out that New Jersey has some of the best schools in the country yet the Christie administration lambastes educators and only talks about how horrible schools are, the governor berated and belittled her. Christie remarked that she only wanted to “put on a show and giggle every time I talk,” and then dismissively stated, “I have no interest in answering your question.”

Running the gamut from eye-rolling derision to outright hostility, Gov. Christie seems to reserve a pointed level of wrath for his female critics. His default defense for bad behavior is that his rough-and-tumble way is simply the “Jersey way” to do things — perpetuating every obnoxious stereotype that plagues the Garden State. But that’s not how anyone should be treating women in any state, anywhere.

By all reports, Chris Christie is a devoted, loving and respectful husband, son and father. If only he would treat all of New Jersey’s women as if they were members of his own family.

New Phase and Shifting Balance: Democrats consolidate progressive base while Republicans in deepening trouble

From Democracy Corps


The latest national survey by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for Democracy Corps and Women’s Voices. Women Vote Action Fund shows a Republican Party in deepening trouble and emerging underlying trends that may have shifted the balance for 2012. Barring sudden economic shocks, there is accumulating evidence that we have entered a new phase in the political cycle, substantially more favorable to the Democrats.


This survey sees a collapse of the Republican brand at almost all levels. Negatives associated with the Republican Party have not been this high since right after they lost the country in 2008. Their presumptive nominee flirts with a 50 percent negative rating and may now represent a big drag on the national party. 

President Obama nears the 50 percent mark and is now just four points away from what he achieved in 2008. Democrats have newly consolidated the progressive voters of the Rising American Electorate who were responsible for Democratic victories in 2006 and 2008. These voters—unmarried women, young voters, and minorities—dropped off in 2010 and lagged throughout 2011. They have returned in a big way for Democrats, led by a resurgence and re-engagement of unmarried women. Only young voters have not been re-consolidated, which is either a problem or an opportunity.
 

“The Rising American Electorate, unmarried women especially, is largely responsible for the gains Democrats are making and this survey demonstrates in vivid terms the importance of the RAE to the progressive base.”


-- Page Gardner, 
Women's Voices. Women Vote Action Fund

Seniors, who abandoned Democrats in 2010, have come back two surveys in a row and suburban swing voters watch the Republican primary debate with growing alienation from the Republican Party. The tax issue, a presumptive Republican advantage, has moved dramatically in favor of the Democrats.

These results may not simply be the result of a spot of good economic news and rough news cycles for Republican nominees, but the beginning of long-term structural changes that will characterize the 2012 election cycle.

Recent controversies over Planned Parenthood and contraception will not revive the Republican’s standing, indeed, the opposite may be true, as this survey shows voters disagree with them on principle and wonder why at a time of great economic distress, Republicans are consumed with denying birth control coverage for women.

This survey provides fair warning to the Republican Party that they may be losing the country.

A more detailed analysis of these results can be found at Democracy Corps.