Patch: Mike Morris Will Challenge Tony Perry For Middletown Twp. Committee

Shoutout to the Middletown Patch for this very flattering article today Middletown Patch for this very flattering article today. It has definitely set a few tail feathers flying into a tizzy and started the trolls to emerge from under their bridges... I say, 'Bring it on!'

So what was it about today's Patch article that has so many bent out of shape? Probably the fact that Carly Baldwin stated that she has intentions to follow this campaign very closely over the "next six months"!  Chronicling a campaign in Middletown like she plans is unheard of in recent times. There are many Republicans in Middletown (and Monmouth County for that matter) that believe Democrats shouldn't be seen or heard. That's something that I have no intentions of allowing. I will be seen and I will be heard from defending principles that I believe in.

What am I about and what do I believe in? You can read my pitch for yourselves: 

 "My name is Michael Morris, and I am running for Township Committee. As a resident for 34 years, I have championed affordability and transparency in government, and been a strong advocate for our township's working-class taxpayers and families with special needs. Since 2008, I've run a watchdog blog to keep everyone informed about township policies and events. With over 30 years in the Chemical Industry and as a proud alumnus of Brookdale Community College, I am committed to making Middletown a better place. 

 

I am a regular, working-class, blue-collar guy who understands the struggles and aspirations of our community. I staunchly support workers' rights and unions, firmly believing that everyone deserves a fair wage. Additionally, I am a vocal advocate for healthcare as a right, not a privilege. I believe Social Security and Medicare are essential pillars of support for retirees and those in need. I am also pro-choice, believing in a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. Furthermore, I stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for equal rights and protections for all residents of Middletown. 

Middletown faces a critical challenge: our population growth has remained stagnant for nearly 20 years. We are grappling with an affordability crisis; the average home assessment has increased 47% over the past 5 years township-wide, which is squeezing out younger individuals, working-class families, and seniors. Starter homes are scarce. 

Our governance lacks a coherent strategy for sustainable development. Instead of fostering organic growth, officials rely on outdated strip malls and sprawling developments. Middletown needs a plan for Smart Growth. Currently, our infrastructure neglects crucial elements like walkability, bicycle lanes, and transit connectivity, favoring cars and worsening traffic congestion. 

This status quo is unsustainable. Middletown needs a leader with a comprehensive vision for its future — one who prioritizes safety, sustainability, and the well-being of taxpayers. This November, let's vote for change. Let's vote for me, Mike Morris, the candidate who can unlock Middletown's untapped potential."

Pallone Statement on 81st Anniversary of Social Security

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2016


Washington, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today made the following statement to mark the 81st anniversary of the Social Security Act being signed into law, which will take place this Sunday.

“Since 1935, Social Security has provided seniors the opportunity to retire with dignity, and disabled workers and families who lost a loved one to meet their expenses. This week we celebrate this crucial program and its promise between generations that now lifts 21 million Americans, including 1.6 million New Jerseyans out of poverty. However, in the face of repeated threats from Congressional Republicans to privatize Social Security, we must reaffirm our commitment. I will continue to work tirelessly to protect and strengthen Social Security for future generations.

“We must also make sure that Social Security meets the demands of seniors in the 21st century. I was deeply disappointed that Social Security recipients did not receive a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2016. Not accounting for increases in the cost of living is, in effect, a cut to the earned benefit of Social Security that threatens seniors’ independence and quality of life. Critical expenses for many seniors, like prescription drugs, continue to outpace inflation and failing to increase the Social Security COLA is devastating for many families throughout New Jersey, especially with our state’s high cost of living. I have called on the Social Security Administration to reevaluate the formula it uses to determine yearly cost of living increases to ensure seniors can continue to live in dignity and receive the benefits they have earned.”

Pallone Calls for Protection of Retirement Savings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2016

Pallone Calls for Protection of Retirement Savings in Edison

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) held a retirement security forum with representatives of AARP New Jersey at the Edison Senior Center. Pallone discussed the importance of ensuring a Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Seniors and protecting retirement savings through the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule. Representatives from AARP New Jersey, Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey and Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin were among the attendees.

As the American retirement system has moved away from defined benefit pensions and toward defined contribution plans, seniors’ private investments have become all the more critical to ensuring their financial security in retirement. However, financial advisers’ conflicts of interest currently cost American families an estimated $17 billion a year. Among other challenges seniors face, they will discuss the Department of Labor’s so called “fiduciary rule” which seeks to close this loophole and ensure that financial advisers act in their clients’ best interest when they provide investment advice.

“We simply want to hold all financial advisors to the same, commonsense standard – if you provide investment advice to people, they need to be able to trust that that advice will serve their best interests,” said Pallone. “We expect the advice we get from doctors and lawyers to serve our interests, and they are both held to professional standards that make sure this is true. Why wouldn’t we expect the same from those we hire to help ensure that we are financially secure in retirement?”

Congressman Pallone also expressed his continued disappointment that there was no Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2016. He has called on the Social Security Administration to reevaluate the formula it uses to determine yearly cost of living. By adopting a formula referred to as the “CPI-E’, the program could better respond to how inflation impacts seniors’ actual expenses, so that in retirement, they can continue to live in dignity and receive the benefits they have earned.

The Deficit Is Down and the Deficit Hawks Are Furious

The deficit hawks are perfectly happy to see upward redistribution continue. After all, they and their patrons have been the beneficiaries....

By Dean Baker, Truthout.org:

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office reported that the deficit for the 2014 fiscal year that just ended was $460 billion, considerably lower than they had previously projected. This puts the deficit at 2.7 percent of GDP. At that level, the size of the debt relative to the economy is actually falling.

Not only is the deficit down sharply from its levels of 2009 and 2010, when it was near 10 percent of GDP, it is below the levels that even the deficit hawks had targeted back in those years. In other words, even if we had followed the lead of deficit crusaders like Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, the deficit would be no lower today.

If anyone thought this would make the deficit hawks happy, they are badly mistaken. They are furious.

Fred Hiatt, the editorial page editor of the Washington Post, fumed about Obama’s “false victory over the deficit,” and warned that if there are no changes in policy, the debt to GDP ratio will soon begin rising again hitting an “insupportable 106 percent by 2039.” One could find similar expressions of outrage from the various Peter Peterson funded organizations like Fix the Debt or the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

This ranting is utter nonsense. If Fred Hiatt had bothered to do any homework he would have discovered that if the debt held by Social Security is included, the current debt to GDP ratio is already 103 percent of GDP, almost identical to 106 percent number that for unknown reasons he asserts is insupportable....

Continue reading  

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/30/14: This Labor Day, Let’s Talk About the Minimum Wage

WASHINGTON, DC —In this week’s address, the President wished Americans a Happy Labor Day weekend, highlighted the important economic progress we’ve made, and reaffirmed his commitment to accelerate our progress and ensure that our growing economy fuels a strong middle class. To do this, the President reiterated that Congress should do right by hardworking Americans across the country and raise the minimum wage and he praised the 13 states and Washington, DC as well as employers large and small who have heeded his call and taken action to provide their citizens and employees a fair wage. The President underscored that America built the world’s greatest middle class by making sure that everyone who’s willing to work hard and play by the rules can get ahead – an economic patriotism worth remembering this Labor Day, and every day.

Isn't It Time?

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

For nearly a decade, the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) so-called “Demographics Unit” conducted wide-scale warrantless spying on Muslims, including at mosques, student associations, and businesses in New York City and even in other states, including New Jersey.  The NYPD targeted people based solely on their religious affiliation, without any reason to believe they were guilty of any crime.

By every metric, the Demographics Unit was a failure. The NYPD acknowledged that it never generated a lead in a criminal or terrorist investigation, and Muslim citizens have told me they felt the chilling effect of being singled out for suspicion by their own government. I have long fought to end this NYPD overreach, including by introducing a congressional resolution to condemn these illicit tactics.

This week brought good and long-overdue news: the NYPD is formally disbanding the Demographics Unit and ceasing its spying on our innocent neighbors.

The best conclusion to draw from the NYPD’s experience is that suspicionless surveillance doesn’t work; it squanders limited law enforcement resources on investigating the innocent; and it destroys the fundamental principle that the government must not treat any person as less than a full citizen above suspicion unless there is a probable cause.  The same conclusion can be applied to the on-going NSA surveillance of Americans.

Upcoming Office Hours in Your Community

Are you having any troubles with the Social Security Administration, the VA, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any other federal agency?  Or would you like to learn about applying for federal grants or acquiring flags flown over the U.S. Capitol?

If so, I hope you will drop by my upcoming Community Office Hours, where I or a member of my staff will be glad to help.  In the next few weeks, we will be in Middlesex, Trenton, and Old Bridge, and many more events are scheduled soon.  A full schedule is available atholt.house.gov/officehours.

Honoring Significant Milestones

Recently, I heard from constituents in Trenton and in Plainsboro who hoped to surprise their mothers with notes from the President in honor of their 100th birthdays. On their behalf, I reached out to the White House, and the President sent very warm letters of congratulations to each of them.

If you are celebrating a special occasion, I will be glad to request a presidential greeting on your behalf. Generally, the President may send congratulations to U.S. citizens for weddings, births, adoptions, Eagle Scout or Girl Scout Gold Awards, Bar or Bat Mitzvahs, 50th and subsequent anniversaries, and 80th and subsequent birthdays. For further details or assistance, please contact my Staff Assistant, Ms. Wilsar Johnson at 202-225-5801 orwilsar.johnson@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

"There is something fascinating about science."

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

In Life on the Mississippi Mark Twain wrote, "There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact."  He was being facetious, of course, extrapolating that the Mississippi River, if it continued to shorten by cutting new channels through its bends, would eventually be a mile and three quarters long from southern Illinois to New Orleans, but he was more right than he intended.  Science does offer marvelous extensions of understanding, far beyond a scientist's immediate observations.   Last week, scientists working at the South Pole announced new measurements of tiny variations in the radio noise in the deep sky that greatly advance our understanding of the origins of the universe. How could these subtle variations measured by a telescope pointed to different points of the sky tell scientists about the origin of the universe?

More than 80 years ago Edwin Hubble, an astronomer hired at the Carnegie Institution telescope on Mount Wilson, California, looking at cloudy nebulae determined that indeed they are clusters of stars, but vast clusters, vastly far away.  He determined they are galaxies like our own Milky Way, and he then concluded, wonder of wonders, that the universe is expanding: that every distant galaxy in the sky is speeding away from each other.  The realization that space itself is expanding led several scientists to postulate that a Big Bang had exploded the entire universe from a tiny point to its present almost-incredible size.  More and more evidence has amassed in support of the conjecture, especially evidence collected decades ago at Bell Labs in New Jersey that in every direction in the sky there is a faint, cold radio signal, the afterglow of the Big Bang.

For a fraction of a second after the Big Bang, according to the favorite theories, the universe briefly inflated at a rate far faster than the speed of light. Different parts of the universe, expanding so fast they were out of touch with each other, could inflate at different rates, and tiny fluctuations could grow so that galaxies, planets, and things on planets (us) could eventually form.  The variations in expansion rate also generated gravitational eaves.  As Princeton University's David Spergel points out, NASA's  COPE and WMAP satellites had already detected the density fluctuations.  This latest experiment reported the first detection of gravitational waves from the very early universe.  If confirmed by other scientists, this week’s discovery, which was sponsored in part by our tax dollars through the National Science Foundation, would represent our first physical evidence that such a rapid inflation actually happened.

Don't you find it a remarkable testament to the power of science that humans can, simply by looking closely at the sky, determine with high certainty what happened in the moments after the universe began?  These discoveries may seem esoteric now – but so too did research into electricity in the 18th century or radioactivity in the 19th.  Or who would have thought that magnetic techniques to deduce the shape and spin of unseen atomic nuclei would lead to MRI diagnoses of brain aneurysms or multiple sclerosis?  History shows that, when individuals and businesses and governments invest in scientific research, the payoffs are enormous both for our economy and for our understanding of the world.

Ways to Make Your Voice Heard

In order for me to do my job, it’s important that I hear from you. Please know that you can always send me an e-mail through my webpage or voice your opinions by calling me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT.

If you visit my office, I or a member of my staff may be able to meet with you personally to hear your thoughts. I am glad to help you to make your voice heard: the House can provide, for instance, a sign-language interpreter if you or a member of your party can communicate better through American Sign Language.

If you come to Washington D.C., I hope you’ll also take advantage of the many tours I can help arrange of landmarks such as the Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court, and more. I especially recommend that you visit the Jefferson Building of the beautiful and interesting Library of Congress.

Working for You

In mid-January, I heard from an East Windsor man who thought the Social Security Administration had been underpaying his Social Security Disability benefits. He was right. He had recently suffered a major medical emergency and urgently needed the money. On his behalf, I reached out to the Social Security Administration’s payment center, and the man soon received a payment of $10,110 for wrongly withheld benefits.

Have you encountered a similar problem with the Social Security Administration, the IRS, a passport center, the VA, Medicare, or any other federal agency? If so, please call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT or send an e-mail. I’ll do all I can to address your problem.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Why Should Big Oil Get a Bailout?

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

If you or I were to walk into a neighbor's yard and douse their grass with motor oil, a court would hold us personally liable for the full cleanup costs.  But under current law, Big Oil companies receive special legal immunity when their offshore oil spills cause economic and environmental havoc. 

Oil companies cannot be held legally liable for costs in excess of $75 million – a tiny fraction of the potential damage from a major oil spill.  To put that amount in perspective, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 is expected to cost more than $40 billion as damages continue to mount to our coastal environment and economy.

Last week, the Obama Administration proposed a new rule increasing the current liability cap to $134 million, the maximum increase that may be implemented without legislation.

Together with Sen. Menendez, I have introduced legislation, the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act, which would abolish the liability cap for offshore oil spills, and I am continuing to work to block any and all offshore drilling off the Atlantic coast.  Nearly four years have already passed since the BP disaster.  Should Congress wait longer?

Announcing the First App Contest for Students

Do you know a Central New Jersey high school student who designs apps for the Mac, Windows, or Android platform – or has always wanted to learn to do so?  I am pleased to announce the first-ever U.S. House of Representatives App Contest.  I invite applications from Central New Jersey.

The Central New Jersey App Contest is open to all high school students in the 12th District. Students entering the competition must submit their app’s source code online by 11:59 PM EDT on April 30, 2014, and must provide a YouTube or VIMEO video demonstrating their app and describing what they learned through this competition process.  The app should help improve communication between citizens and government agencies or elected officials.  Further details, including how to register and how submissions will be judged, are availableon my website.

Understanding Your Social Security Benefits

Even as we shore up Social Security for generations ahead, the Social Security Administration is working to make your Social Security benefits as accessible as possible today.

Did you know that many day-to-day transactions with the Social Security Administration can be completed online?  You can apply online for retirement benefits, survivor's benefits, orMedicare.   If you aren’t yet ready to apply for benefits, you can estimate your retirement benefits or create a My Social Security account to view your earnings history online.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

To Be Old Was To Be Destitute

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

Earlier this week, I joined the AARP and several thousand area residents for a wide-ranging conversation about Social Security, Medicare, and other issues of concern to seniors in New Jersey.  A video of our conversation is available online.

One topic of conversation was Social Security.  As I noted in the call, Social Security has improved American society.  Back in 1935, to be old was, on average, to be destitute.  Social Security changed that.  It is one of the most important governmental programs in the history of the country, and it has worked and it still works.  Without Social Security, 44 percent of elderly Americans would live in poverty; with Social Security, only 9 percent do.

One thing I advocate, and this would be good for fairness as well as for individual Americans, is to remove the cap on wages subject to the Social Security taxes.  Right now, if you pay Social Security taxes, as almost every wage-earner does, you pay taxes on only about the first $117,000 in income.  For this reason, millionaires pay a smaller percentage of their income in Social Security taxes than ordinary folks.

No middle-income or low-wage worker should pay a higher rate on Social Security taxes than millionaires.  If we got rid of that cap, then no one would raise a question about Social Security’s long-term finances for many decades to come.

A New Nation, Conceived in Liberty

One hundred and fifty years ago, Abraham Lincoln stood at Gettysburg and proclaimed, from the bloodiest battlefield of our nation’s bloodiest war, that “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

These words were Lincoln’s first, but now they belong to all of us – and I encourage you to make them your words as well.  The Learn the Address project, associated with patriotic filmmaker Ken Burns, encourages ordinary citizens to record the Gettysburg Address and share the results on YouTube.

Lincoln captured in the fewest possible words the essence of what America is about.  I have just posted my own recording of the speech, and I hope you’ll join me in honoring this moment in American history.

Working for You

Recently, a Monroe woman contacted me because the IRS had refused to issue her $1,400 tax refund.  The refund had been held up due to procedural delays, and despite the constituent’s repeated efforts, the IRS would not resolve her case.  After I contacted the IRS to cut through red tape, the woman quickly received her refund.

Have you encountered a similar problem with the IRS, a passport center, the VA, Social Security, Medicare, or any other federal agency? If so, please call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT or by sending an e-mail. I’ll do all I can to address your problem.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

It Is More a Matter of Will

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

Half a century ago, 26 percent of Americans endured, in the words of President Johnson, the “squalor and misery” of poverty. Many politicians claimed at the time that their misery was natural, even inevitable – that any economy will have winners and losers, and that government can do nothing to address that fact.

But President Johnson knew better. And so 50 years ago this week, he launched the “War on Poverty,” kick-starting programs as varied as Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Head Start and others.

And what has been the effect? As a recent Columbia University study revealed, today’s poverty rate – when properly measured, taking into account the effects of government efforts – is about 16 percent, down by 40 percent since the War on Poverty began.

This success can be traced to the programs created or improved by President Johnson. Without Medicare and Social Security, for instance, half of seniors would live in poverty today and would lack any type of health insurance. Food Stamps now keep four million people out of poverty.

Although President Johnson’s coinage may have been a misuse of the word “war” (a misuse repeated in many other government efforts to confront challenges, problems, or threats – cancer, drugs, or terrorism), he intended the effort to be massive. In fact, beyond Medicaid, the programs amounted to only 1.5 or 2 percent of GDP – a large sum to be sure, but not as huge as implied by the critics of these programs. In the wealthiest country in the world, with one of the largest GDPs per person, and with tens of millions of people looking for a way out of poverty, we could do more.

Yet today many in Congress are instead embracing the old and disproven claim that government is helpless in the face of poverty. These skeptics, mostly Republican, have already cut Food Stamps by $5 billion – and they’re trying to cut it by another $40 billion. About 57,000 students have been kicked out of Head Start, and only about one in ten children eligible for Head Start is now enrolled in the program.

Eliminate poverty? Maybe, maybe not, but it is more a matter of will than of our ability to devise programs to confront the problem. Can we muster the compassion to say, "We will not accept this in the United States!"?

Share This Newsletter

I hope you find this weekly newsletter, the eGenda, to be engaging and informative. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you regularly about my votes, my services, and the issues that affect Central New Jersey – as well as to share important information during emergencies like Hurricane Sandy.

If you find the eGenda helpful, may I ask for your help in sharing it? Please forward this message to your friends and family in Central New Jersey, or ask them to sign up by visiting holt.house.gov/egenda. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Strengthening Social Security

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

On a warm August day in the middle of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt signed into law bold legislation that would create one of the most popular and reliable federal programs in American history: Social Security. Since 1935, Social Security has provided financial security, independence, and dignity for seniors in their retirement years. It has also assisted millions of people with disabilities and children who lost a parent, as I did. In Central New Jersey 16.6 percent of all residents, including 83,923 retirees, receive on Social Security benefits every month.

Some in Congress want you to believe the program is in dire straits and we must dramatically cut benefits or raise the retirement age. I disagree. I will soon introduce the Strengthening Social Security Act with Representative Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA) to keep the program sound for generations while increasing benefits for those most in need.

Our bill would finally remove the wage cap on payroll taxes so that wealthier Americans would contribute to Social Security at the same rate as teachers and police officers. The legislation would also establish an updated formula for cost-of-living adjustments that actually keeps pace with seniors’ daily expenses and would make modest changes to the monthly benefit formula resulting in additional $70 a month for beneficiaries. We do all this as well as actually extending the solvency of Social Security through 2049.

As we prepare to celebrate Social Security’s 78th Anniversary this month, we must ensure that Social Security can continue to live up to its obligation to, in the words of President Roosevelt “take care of the human needs and at the same time provide for the United States an economic structure of vastly greater soundness.”

A Bad Deal for Students

On President Obama’s desk is a bill to address the uncertainty about student loan interest rates. However, the legislation fails to lower interest rates on college loans as much as it could or should and it allows the rates to grow to as high as 10.5 percent. Student loan debt now stands at over $1 trillion and graduatesstrapped with debt cannot make strides to further improve their quality of life.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has it right. Her plan would allow students to borrow at the same rate, that banks do, 0.75 percent. Why should Wall Street be allowed to borrow money at the lowest interest rate while college students pay more? They shouldn't.

Mail Bag on Postal Reform

I continue to hear from constituents who are worried about the future of their mail delivery and the United States Postal Service. Recently, a House committee recently approved — on a party line vote — the so-called “Postal Reform Act of 2013”, H. R. 2748. I strongly oppose this flawed bill, and will vote against it should it be considered on the floor of the full House. While this bill claims to restore fiscal solvency to the USPS, I am deeply concerned that the bill would actually just dismantle the USPS. It would end six-day delivery and phase out to-the-door delivery which would negatively affect our nation’s seniors.

Instead, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 630, the Postal Service Protection Act, which would strengthen the USPS’s finances by – among other measures – ending a Congressional mandate that currently requires the USPS to prepay its pension obligations at a much higher rate than other public and private organizations.

Cutting Red Tape

I was recently contacted by a constituent from South River whose home was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initially provided her rental assistance to help her get back on her feet, but she continued to struggle financially. After I contacted FEMA on her behalf, she was awarded an additional $4,260 in rental assistance.

If you need help to resolve a problem with a government agency please let me know so I can do everything possible to help. You can call me toll-free at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT (1-877-874-4658) or send me an e-mail at http://holt.house.gov/contact.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

You Can Count On Frank

Congressman Frank Pallone's campaign for U.S. Senate released a new TV ad  today titled, "You can Count on Frank". The commercial highlights Pallone's record of achievements in Congress, including his leadership in passing President Obama's landmark health care reform bill, the Affordable Care Act as well as his work to clean up the environment and fighting the Tea Party to protect Social Security and Medicare. Front and center in the ad is Pallone's commitment to fighting for middle class New Jerseyans.

Rush Holt - Social Security

Rush Holt's lastest web ad from his senate campaign, released earlier today, takes on Social Security. Take a look.

Bringing Home The Bacone: Pallone Secures $4.3 Million for Constituents So Far This Year

Responded to over 4,000 constituent concerns and assisted more than 750 constituents

Long Branch, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that he has helped secure $4,325,055 so far in 2013 for constituents seeking help through his district office. This assistance includes Sandy related FEMA grants and SBA loans, Social Security payments and other compensations that residents of the 6th Congressional District required help to secure. In addition, Congressman Pallone responded to over 4,250 constituent concerns related to policy and legislation through the mail, email and personal phone calls, and reached constituents through two tele-townhalls and countless community events this year.

“Whether constituents have a concern about a federal policy or need assistance navigating the federal bureaucracy, I want them to know we’re here to help,” said Congressman Pallone. “I am grateful that so many residents of the 6th District have turned to us for assistance, especially as we work to recover and rebuild from Sandy together, and I hope that they continue to use my office as a resource.”

In all, Congressman Pallone assisted more than 750 individual constituents with cases before the federal government so far in 2013, and wrote numerous letters of support for grants in the district.

“I consider direct constituent service a top priority,” added Congressman Pallone. “I always appreciate hearing from my constituents, and I encourage them to stay in touch.”

Pallone Launches Latest Web-Ad: ‘We Need a Senator Who Drives a Chevy; Leave the Limo to the Other Guys’

LONG BRANCH, NJ—Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Frank Pallone, Jr. released his latest web-ad in the primary campaign to fill the seat of the late Senator Frank R. Lautenberg. The 30 second ad features Pallone driving throughout New Jersey telling his story and talking about the issues that are important to New Jerseyans.

The video shows Pallone driving his Chevy Impala on New Jersey roads and cites his background as a husband, father of three and accomplished lawmaker who “gets things done.” Highlighted is Pallone’s substantial record of achievement in Congress, including his leadership in passing President Obama’s landmark health care reform bill, the Affordable Care Act, as well as his work to clean up the environment and fighting the tea party to protect Social Security and Medicare. The spot speaks to Pallone’s commitment to fighting for the middle class and tackling important issues head-on.

President Obama's Weekly Address 7/13/13: Strengthening our Economy by Passing Bipartisan Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said that two weeks ago, a large bipartisan majority in the Senate voted to pass commonsense immigration reform, which would add a big boost to our economy, strengthen Social Security, and modernize our legal immigration system to make it more consistent with our values. The President urges Congress to quickly take action to fix our broken immigration system and keep America strong for years to come.

Holt Video - I'm With Rush

Just before the holiday weekend I received and email from the Rush Holt for Senate campaign that contained a link to the video below.

 In the video Holt's background as a scientist/teacher and his progressive stands and voting record in Congress are highlighted by a number of people both young and old that rattle off a list of issues that are near and dear to them.

The video also takes a passive aggressive, subtle swipe at one of Holt's U.S. Senate challengers, front runner Cory Booker. The swipe happens when a young African-American supporter states, " I like Cory Booker but for Senate, I'm with Rush".

Overall I like the video, it's effective, concise and charmingly quirky, playing off the "Big Bang Theory" geekiness of Holt's background and supporters.  



Rush is a teacher, scientist and a true progressive. No one will fight harder for progressive policies in the US Senate.

Rush has taken on the Republicans in Congress - voting against the war in Iraq, to repeal the PATRIOT Act, against warrantless surveillance of Americans, and against Republican cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

In the Senate, Rush will be a leader on progressive issues, like increasing education funding, expanding background checks to ALL gun sales and building a smart national energy grid.

President Obama's Weekly Address 6/22/13: Time for Congress to Pass Commonsense Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama discussed the bipartisan legislation being debated in the United States Senate that would take important steps towards fixing our broken immigration system, while growing our economy and reducing the deficit. The President urges Congress to pass immigration reform so that we can live up to our traditions as a nation of laws, and also a nation of immigrants.

Dangerous and Costly

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

This past week, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passed 400 parts per million.

This is a milestone in human history in two senses. First, this level of carbon dioxide has never been seen by any human being. In fact, this level has not been achieved for millions of years.

But also, this is a milestone for humans because it is human activity, the way we produce and use energy, that is responsible for this high concentration. As scientists have made clear, this great concentration of greenhouse gas is changing our very climate in ways that are dangerous and costly in dollars and lives.


If we fail to change our ways, fail to change how we generate and use energy, then we will face worse and worse blistering wildfires, withering droughts, flooding events, and super-hurricanes.

As the earth goes barreling past 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Congress should take action now, this year, to address climate change. As a member of the Safe Climate Caucus, I am committed to seeing that this moment is a turning point, not just a marker of inaction and environmental degradation.

Understanding Your Social Security Benefits

Did you know that many day-to-day transactions with the Social Security Administration can be completed online? You can apply online for retirement benefits, survivors benefits, or Medicare. If you aren’t yet ready to apply for benefits, you can estimate your retirement benefits or create a My Social Security account to view your earnings history online.

If you have questions that aren’t answered online, or if you’d just like to talk to an expert, you can also attend helpful presentations by the Social Security Administration in the community. The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20:

Understanding Your Social Security Benefits
3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 20, 2013
Hickory Corner Library
138 Hickory Corner Road
East Windsor, New Jersey

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

No Such Excuse

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

Social Security has always had its rabid opponents. Alf Landon, the 1936 Republican presidential nominee, called President Roosevelt’s new Social Security program “unjust,” “a fraud on the working man,” and “a cruel hoax” that would leave retirees with nothing but “roll after roll of neatly executed IOUs.”

Alf Landon was wrong. But he at least had an excuse for his wrongness: he had never seen Social Security in action. Today’s Social Security opponents have no such excuse.

After 77 years, Social Security has compiled an overwhelming record of success. Its payments are modest, averaging only $1,265 per month, but for about 13 million seniors, such an amount is the difference between poverty and sufficiency. And notwithstanding claims to the contrary, the program remains on reasonably sound financial footing, as I have described before.

Yet opponents such as Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, want to slash Social Security by changing the rate at which benefits adapt to inflation. Sen. McConnell claims that something called “chained CPI” is a more accurate measure of inflation – ignoring evidence that most seniors experience higher inflation levels than measured under current law, due to their disproportionate use of high-cost-growth services such as health care.

While Social Security’s foes might prefer to couch their proposals in bureaucratic phrases about inflation indexes, big words can’t hide hard truths: this plan would mean a cut for America’s seniors, one that would eliminate benefits that they have earned and depend on, one that would cut the average benefit by $16,000 over a 25-year retirement.

Troublingly, President Obama, in an effort to reach political compromise, has included similar Social Security cuts in his proposed 2014 budget. Not only is it bad strategy to concede to your opponents’ demands before even sitting down at the negotiating table, but the President is flatly wrong to use seniors’ earned benefits as a bargaining chip.

I already have written the President to oppose these cuts to Social Security, and I will strongly oppose his plan in Congress.

A better way forward is the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act, which I have cosponsored. It would bring Social Security’s revenue back into line with historic norms by increasing the wage base that pays into the social insurance program, and it would adopt a more sensible inflation index that recognizes that seniors’ costs generally rise faster than the costs faced by younger families.


Honoring Those Who Have Served

From 1952 to 1954, Gerald Graff served in the Medical Aid Battalion of the U.S. Army in the Korean War, providing front-line aid to wounded soldiers.

Later, he built a life beyond his military service. He attended NYU on the GI Bill, which he credits for providing higher education that he could not otherwise have afforded. He raised a family and settled down in Somerset – and somewhere along the way, he lost the medals he had earned in service to his country.

Recently, Mr. Graff reached out to me hoping to obtain duplicate decorations that he could pass along to his grandchildren. I had the honor of visiting him in his neighborhood to present him with the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, and the United Nations Service Medal.

If you or someone you know is also due a military medal or award, please contact me so that our nation may properly honor those who have served.

Medicine Based on Evidence, Not Ideology

Policy should be based on evidence and analysis, not ideology. That is why, in 2011, I led a letter to the Obama Administration expressing my disappointment with their decision to overrule career FDA scientists and impose an age restriction on the over-the-counter purchase of emergency contraception.

I was pleased that a federal judge ruled last week that the Administration had acted wrongly in disregarding the scientific study conducted by the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research that found that the product was safe and effective for adolescent females. The court ordered that women of all ages be given the access they deserve to safe reproductive health care.

I have been in touch with the Administration to urge that they allow this sensible decision to stand.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress