Albert Einstein lived here / Learn About Options for College

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:


When Albert Einstein died in 1955, the Washington Post featured a drawing by Herblock showing the Earth with a large sign saying, "Albert Einstein lived here." Clearly claimed as a citizen of the World, Einstein is most commonly associated with New Jersey, where he spent his last two decades. He is perhaps our state’s most recognizable figure, as well as the symbol for the universal wise man.

Einstein was amused and even uncomfortable with his status as sage. He once commented that "To punish me for my contempt for authority, Fate made me an authority myself." He knew that truth is not what an authority says it is, however wise the saying may sound, but rather it is what becomes understandable by repeated tests against the evidence. Whether in science, religion, or human affairs, he believed that one must continually test new ideas and work to overcome dogma, assuming “an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and our own being.”

It was this attitude that brought Einstein to America. Disgusted by the growing Nazi authoritarianism of 1930s Germany, Einstein sought a true democratic society where the ideas of a former patent clerk could be tested on a par with those of anyone else. Although Princeton was a quiet, somewhat conservative town, the United States offered in our democracy the scientific, social, and political ferment he sought. And he brought a lot of wisdom along, I think most of us would agree.

If he were looking today, would Einstein move here? Are we eagerly developing the new thinking that will take us into the future? Some days I wonder whether we’re doing everything possible to see that Einstein's attitude would flourish still in New Jersey and America.

I wrote at greater length about Einstein’s time in New Jersey for the official blog commemorating our state’s 350th anniversary.

A Long-Ago Oversight

Recently, I received a call from Edwin Gall of Monroe Township, a World War II veteran who, due to a long-ago oversight, had never received several medals that he earned during his service to our country. I contacted the Army on his behalf, and earlier this week I had the honor of finally presenting to him the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Expert Badge with Rifle Bar.

If you know a veteran who also is due a medal or award that he or she never received, please e-mail me or call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT so that our nation may properly honor our heroes.

Protecting Scientific Research

Over the next few months, the U.S. House will consider the spending bills that will fund each federal agency in 2015. To help guide the debate, I recently led 86 of my Democratic and Republican colleagues in a letter to the Appropriations Committee urging sustained funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The Office of Science’s research has been integral to the development of technologies such as MRI and PET scans, new composite materials for military hardware and motor vehicles, DNA sequencing, electric vehicle batteries, and much more. As my colleagues and I wrote, “Scientific research is the foundation for the innovative solutions that will enable us to overcome many of our greatest challenges – from economic stagnation and dependence on foreign energy to curing diseases and addressing threats to our national security.”

Learn About Options for College

As you may know, America’s military service academies provide a four-year college education, with full scholarship, to young men and women who pledge to serve as the next generation of leaders in the U.S. military services.

On Saturday, May 10, I’ll host an Academy Day for high school and middle school students and their families to learn more about the U.S. military service academies. Presentations will be made by the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy. ROTC representatives will also be available to answer questions.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

North Brunswick Municipal Building

710 Hermann Road

North Brunswick, New Jersey

In the weeks ahead I’ll also be hosting two college affordability workshops for prospective students to learn more about navigating the financial aid process. Presentations will be made by representatives from Rutgers University Office of Financial Aid (OFA) – who will present information relevant to all students, whether or not they’re interested in attending Rutgers – and New Jersey Higher Education State Affordability Authority (HESAA).

Monday, May 19, 2014

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

East Brunswick Public Library

2 Jean Walling Civic Center Drive

East Brunswick, New Jersey

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Ewing Township Municipal Building

2 Jake Garzio Drive

Ewing Township, New Jersey

Decisions Made in Ignorance Are Costly

For 23 years, Congress had an insightful, non-partisan agency aimed at providing Members of Congress and their staff with expert advice on technological aspects of public policy. From 1972 to 1995 the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) created reports on topics that were striking in their continued relevance: computer software security, disposal of chemical weapons, teaching with technology, bioenergy and more. You can see the full collection of OTA reports online.

OTA was an agency dedicated to serve Congress. When Newt Gingrich came to power in the 1990s, he eliminated OTA to cut costs. But this turned out to be a foolish move, as OTA had always saved taxpayers far more money than it cost. An OTA study on Agent Orange, for instance, helped save the government $10 million. Another report recommended changes in computer systems at the Social Security Administration that saved more than $350 million. Studies on the Synthetic Fuels Corporation helped save tens of billions of dollars.

Although in ending OTA Gingrich said Congress could get help elsewhere, that hasn’t worked. When OTA shut down, technological topics did not become less relevant to the work of Congress. They just became less understood. And scientific thinking lost its toehold on Capitol Hill, with troubling consequences for the ways Congress approaches all issues – not just those that are explicitly scientific.

Earlier this week, I sponsored an amendment to restore a minimal level of funding to OTA to help the agency get back on its feet. Unfortunately, it was defeated on a vote in the House. I’ll keep trying, though, working with my colleagues in the Senate.

Funding OTA would be a minimal expense that would pay off many times over by averting foolish or wasteful policies. Decisions made in ignorance are costly.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

9-6-12 Township Committee Meeting

There was another meeting of the Middletown Township Committee last week. The monthly workshop meeting took place on September 6th and unlike previous meetings fthus far this year, which have lasted less than 45 minutes, this one lasted an hour and and actually had some news come out of it.    Here are the highlights: 

• Township Planner Jason Greenspan gave a discription of the zoning change for the Red Hill Rd. office site. Sloan-Ketering wants to occupy the site with outpatient services like a surgical center, cancer treatment center and offices. He suggested reviewing other ofice facilities around town so medical facilites will come in to occupy them.
• Jason Greenspan explained that since the Township bought 2 garbage trucks that run on natural gas a filling facility will be installed at Kanes Ln. He said NJNG wants to install a regional facility there to accomodate other towns.
• Jason Greenspan spoke about how Rutgers is going to come in and do another study on how Belford fishing facility can be used.
• A resolution will be presented at the next meeting to appoint a Deferred Compensation Benefits Plan Administrator.
• Tony Mercantante said that drainage projects are included in the capital budget, but there are small jobs that need to be done and can be done outside the capital budget and can be engineered by Ted Maloney.
• A resolution will be voted on at the next meeting to appoint members of the Economic Development Committee

Make sure to watch and listen to the Public Comments portion of the meeting, it is alway informative and enlightening to hear what is on the minds of residents.

 

 

 

As always, you can download a copy of the meeting agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.

A Central Ingredient of a Democratic Society

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt

Earlier this week, my friend and former Congressional colleague Jim Leach, who currently chairs the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), visited New Jersey to see the impact of the NEH in our state.

The NEH is a relatively small agency, but its influence has proven remarkable. In Princeton, for instance, the public library recently received a $500,000 Challenge Grant that supported major community-wide events, including the Princeton Reads year-long community reading program, McCarter Live at the Library, Page to Stage, and other popular programs. Library officials explained that they were required to match each dollar of federal funding with three dollars from other sources, dramatically magnifying the effect of NEH funds. Later, during a visit to Rutgers, we heard from numerous faculty members about how the NEH had supported their community outreach and their important research on Thomas Edison, William Penn, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Chairman Leach also has used his prominent role to become a passionate and articulate promoter of civility in our politics and our day-to-day lives, a message he underscored during our visit together to Lore Elementary in Ewing. As he recently wrote:

“Civility is not simply about manners. It doesn't mean that spirited advocacy is to be avoided. What it does require is a willingness to consider respectfully the views of others, with an understanding that we are all connected and rely on one another. Seldom is there only one proper path determinable by one individual or political party. Public decision-making does not lend itself to certitude. Everybody can learn from somebody else. That is why civility is a central ingredient of a democratic society.”

Does Big Oil Need More Public Land and Tax Dollars?

Last week, the Department of the Interior released a new report showing that nearly two-thirds of the acreage leased by oil and gas companies remain idle, neither producing nor under active exploration or development by companies who hold those leases.

In fact, oil and gas companies are leasing but failing to use an area of public land roughly the size of New Jersey, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Vermont, and Connecticut combined. Yet Big Oil has the temerity to claim that they need more taxpayer land and more taxpayer subsidies to continue drilling.

The Next Age of Space Exploration

Many people recently have raised with me questions about NASA’s future, especially now that the shuttle era has drawn to a close and the private space launch company SpaceX is having success. Even as NASA continues its development of a next-generation spacecraft, the administration is using this pause as an opportunity to consider NASA’s future direction. As long as this pause is only temporary, NASA need not lose significantly expertise or momentum. Meanwhile, it is good to see private investment and ideas coming into the space program.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

NJ Greens To Hold Convention Saturday March 26th

Please join us at GPNJ’s 15th Annual Convention

Saturday, March 26 - 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

At the Rutgers Labor Education Center 50 Labor Center Way, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

* Discussions re: NJ politics

* Introduction of Candidates

* Election of Party Officers

* Green Party literature available

The Green politics movement is growing in country after country as social movements embrace the ideals of democracy, justice, ecology, and nonviolence. In the U.S. and in our state we have special challenges right now to defend labor rights, reduce growing disparities of wealth and income, re-orient budgetary priorities, and open up the electoral system to “more voices and more choices.” Building the Green Party has become an imperative and we urge you to get involved!

For more information, call: 973-625-3352

Lautenberg, Menendez Announce More Than $1.9 Million to Improve Health Care, Promote Medical Research in New Jersey

Both U.S. Sens. from New Jeresy,  Frank Lautenburg and Bob Menedez, issued a joint press release today to announce that the Department of Health and Human services has awarded more than $1.9 million in federal funds to three New Jersey research institutions to provide health services to state residents and increase their medical research. The funds will help support support community health centers, new research on the human genome and breast cancer:

Newark, NJ – U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced the Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $1.9 million in federal funds to three New Jersey research institutions to provide health services to state residents and increase their medical research. The funding will expand community health care centers at UMDNJ’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and fund new research on the human genome, sepsis and breast cancer.

“By funding this critical research, we are creating jobs and helping our residents avoid life-threatening diseases,” Sen. Lautenberg said. “These awards will go a long way to protecting the next generation and helping them build a healthy future.”

“Our state has always been a leader in innovation, which expands the job market and makes a difference in our lives,” said Senator Menendez. “These federal funds will not only advance the search for cures, they help produce the groundbreaking discoveries that benefit patients in need as well as our state’s economy.”

University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School

· $949,245 to fund health centers.
· $553,800 to study the shock, trauma, and origin of sepsis.

Rutgers
· $266,859 for continuation of research into the human genome through creating of chromatin structures.
· $168,521 to work on cancer detection and diagnosis research for breast cancer.