News from Congressman Joe Sestak

E-Newsletter - June 2008

Congressman Sestak recently voted in Washington to increase assistance for returning troops, improve the treatment of autism and balance the budget by 2012. While at home in Pennsylvania, the Congressman hosted a Workforce Development Summit, honored area Veterans on Memorial Day, and attended a ceremony at Rajant Corporation, for which he appropriated $3.4 million from the federal government to improve technology beneficial to the military. Below, read more about these and other events and initiatives undertaken by Congressman Sestak.

*For the most complete and up-to-date information on Congressman Sestak’s work in Washington and in the 7th Congressional District, please visit http://sestak.house.gov

Around the 7th

  • Workforce Development Summit: More than 100 individuals gathered in the chapel of the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Media to discuss ways to ensure that students in our region are prepared with the skills that businesses need. Congressman Sestak’s Workforce Development Summit, titled “Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs,” brought together the administrators of vocational and technical schools, as well as education leaders from schools that have vo-tech curriculum, with businesses in our region. Three panel discussions took place with panelists including representatives from the Williamson School, the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, and Delaware County Community College, employers from small technology companies, and recent graduates who received a technical education. The first panel focused on the needs of local businesses, the second on the programs of local technical and vocational schools and the third on the process of matching recent graduates to local businesses. Some of the themes of the evening were: the need to address the stigma associated with artisan skills and a technical education and present secondary school students with a full range of career options; the importance of partnerships between businesses and secondary schools; and the lack of people entering the workforce who are prepared to perform jobs that require artisan skills.

  • Memorial Day: From festive parades to solemn remembrance ceremonies, Congressman Sestak spent the day recognizing the incomparable contributions of Veterans and honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In speaking at observances held by various Veterans organizations, the Congressman stressed the importance of taking time during a day of picnics and barbeque to express appreciation for the men and women who have protected the freedoms we enjoy. Congressman Sestak’s first appearance was in Norwood, where he took part in a special service outside the Borough building. Moving on to Radnor, Joe participated in the township’s annual parade, sprinting from one side of Lancaster Avenue to the other, and shaking hands with hundreds of spectators lining the street. the Congressman’s next stop was in Brookhaven where he paid tribute to Jewish Veterans at a ceremony held by the Jewish War Veterans of America Post 134. Congressman Sestak also spoke at remembrances held by VFW Post 7390 in Broomall and Archer Epler in Upper Darby, and concluded his day by visiting Veterans at VFW Post 1074 in Conshohocken as well as American Legion Post 338 in Havertown.

  • Delaware County Autism Collaborative: At the latest meeting of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit’s Autism Collaborative, Congressman Sestak spoke about ways the federal government can assist those who are closely involved with providing care to autistic children. Attendees included members of the DCIU, local teachers, and representatives from state and county health and education agencies. “I share this group’s concerns about a lack of funding,” said Congressman Sestak. “I will persist with my legislative efforts to address autism-spectrum disorders and continue to speak with experts and organizations that are working to improve the quality of life for the nearly two million autistic children and their families.” Please see the legislation section below for information on Joe’s successful efforts in Washington to address the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the US.

  • Congressman Sestak Takes Action in Wachovia Fraud Case: Congressman Sestak joined Congressmen Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Edward Markey in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to mandate a proactive restitution plan to compensate the more than three hundred thousand victims of an extensive telemarketing and payment processing fraud involving Wachovia Bank. In their amicus brief in the case of Faloney et. al. v. Wachovia, Reps. Sestak, Frank, and Markey called for a restitution process that proactively identifies fraud victims and mails them reimbursement checks instead of requiring victims to return forms and file cumbersome paperwork. Following the filing of this brief, the U.S. Attorney’s Office submitted a direct restitution plan for the defrauded seniors like the one my colleagues and I proposed.

  • Rajant Receives Federal Funding: Rajant Corporation, located in Malvern, celebrated its receipt of federal funding to improve technology that enables the military to enhance its networking capabilities. Congressmen Joe Sestak (PA-07) and Jim Gerlach (PA-06) presented a $3.4 million check to company CEO Robert Schena to be used for further development of Rajant’s Portable Wireless Digital Broadband System. “I am a proud supporter of Rajant’s product because it fits perfectly with the direction that I believe the military needs to pursue,” said Congressman Sestak, who successfully appropriated the funds for Rajant during the 2008 appropriations process. “The greatest improvement in warfare capability would be to affect a transformational change that would ensure the U.S. warrior of the future always has the knowledge to act before his adversary as a result of our dominance of cyberspace. I believe Rajant’s wireless system can be part of this critical transformation from a military focused on its quantity of tanks, guns, ships and planes to one that is built on knowledge-intensive technology.”

In Legislation

  • Improving Care for Autistic Children: Congressman Sestak successfully placed into the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act an amendment that addresses the difficulty faced by thousands of armed forces personnel and their families who are unable to obtain appropriate care for autistic children through the military’s Extended Care Health Option (ECHO). Although approximately 8,500 military families have autistic children, only 700 are enrolled in ECHO and those children receive limited coverage. ECHO only provides enough support for approximately five hours of therapy per week even though the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders report recommends that children should be actively engaged in intensive intervention at least 25 hours per week, 12 months per year. With passage of this legislation, autistic children of servicemen and women will receive a minimum of $5,000 per month for autistic services, double the current limit of $2,500 per month. This provision will benefit children throughout the United States who are affected by autism. “Providing increased funding for autism therapies for military families will have far reaching effects for non-military families who are currently fighting for autism insurance reform in many states across the country,” said Congressman Sestak. To learn about the Congressman’s other provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, visit http://sestak.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/080523_HASC.shtml.

  • Crafting a Budget Resolution: Congressman Sestak voted to restore accountability to federal spending by balancing the budget and creating a surplus by 2012, while dedicating government resources, under a pay-as-you-go system, to programs that most effectively deal with the country’s challenges. “This resolution recognizes that the only way to address our national security is to improve our defense, health, education, economic, and energy and environmental securities,” said Congressman Sestak. This agreement improves America’s defense security by giving more funding to nuclear nonproliferation programs and by rejecting the President’s cuts to first responders funding programs. To address our health security, the resolution calls for research to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different health care treatments to increase efficiency, while accommodating up to $50 billion to cover millions of uninsured children and rejecting the Administration’s proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation also provides tax relief for the working class under a pay-as-you-go system, including relief from the Alternative Minimum Tax, relief from the marriage penalty and an extension of the ten percent individual income tax rate, all paid for by House reserve funds. In addition, the resolution includes provisions to make college more affordable, provides tax relief for the working class, and calls for increased investment in renewable energy. For more information, visit http://sestak.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/080605_Budget.shtml.

  • Providing Assistance for Returning Troops: To continue his commitment to repaying our returning troops and their families for their sacrifices Congressman Sestak voted for the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act (HEART Act), which was passed to President Bush on June 6. The legislation addresses tax issues to reduce economic problems for military families. One measure assists the National Guard members and Reservists who leave their jobs to serve our nation by providing a tax credit of up to $4000 for small businesses who continue to pay these employees while they are on active duty. Another critical provision permanently establishes the current law that includes combat pay as earned income to determine eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, allowing more servicemen and women to qualify. In addition, this bill changes the qualified mortgage bond programs to allow thousands more Veterans to receive low-interest loans and, as a result, buy a home. This assistance to Veterans is fully paid for by closing tax loopholes for federal contractors and preventing taxpayers from avoiding payments by renouncing their citizenship. Congressman Sestak voted for expanded GI benefits for Veterans education. The measure would expand the education benefits veterans receive under the GI bill to restore the promise of a full, four-year college education, and make the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan part of an American economic recovery, just like the veterans of World War II were. To read more about legislation that supports Veterans, visit http://sestak.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/080523_HEART.shtml.

  • Fighting Pediatric Cancer: Congressman Joe Sestak co-sponsored and voted for the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, of which he is a cosponsor. This legislation will direct $30 million per year to medical research and treatments for pediatric cancer, ensure patients and families have access to the current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric cancers. In addition, the Congressman announced the establishment of a Pediatric Cancer Caucus- which he will chair- providing a voice for children in this country who are suffering from cancer. Congressman Sestak noted that “this Caucus will protect the interest of the often voiceless victims of cancer who for so long have benefited from the leadership of Representative Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and will be missed when she retires later this year.”

  • Update on Elder Abuse Victims Act: Legislation that Congressman Sestak introduced to protect America’s seniors was passed by the House Judiciary Committee on June 11. This act would address and correct the failures in state elder abuse policies, establish specialized prosecution and research departments, and train prosecutors and law enforcement on the best practices for handling these unique cases. The Congressman recently testified before the House Judiciary Committee in the first House hearing on elder abuse issues in 17 years. To read more about the provisions of this legislation visit http://sestak.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/080214_eldercare.shtml.

  • Investing in Railways, including Amtrak: In supporting the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, Congressman Sestak voted to increase grants available to rail systems and to provide funds for high-speed rail networks, authorizing $14.9 billion over the next five years to make train service more efficient. “Making a greater investment in railways is especially important during this time,” said Congressman Sestak. “We have seen more than an 11 percent increase in Amtrak ridership in the Northeast Corridor since October when you compare the numbers to the previous year. In addition, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recently made clear that we can expect even greater demands to be placed on our mass transit systems if gas prices do not decrease. We must allocate the necessary resources to support more use of railways and public transportation on the whole and to make these systems more efficient.” The legislation authorizes grants for Amtrak and States for purposes such as maintaining and rehabilitating physical infrastructure. In addition, the bill contains provisions to construct high-speed rail corridors and to specifically request proposals for a high-speed line between Washington, DC and New York City.

Special Notes

  • Unfortunately, some misinformation has been spread recently by a group which sent out recorded messages by phone calls that say Congress went on vacation without funding the troops. The facts are as follows: The night before members of the House returned home for the Memorial Day District Work Period, Congressman Sestak voted for and the House passed HR 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation allocates $531.4 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. In addition, the bill provides a 3.9 percent pay raise for all service members and $800 million for National Guard and reserve units that often suffer equipment shortages. A week earlier, Congressman Sestak also supported emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That legislation did not pass the House after more than 100 Republicans voted “present” rather than yes or no on the bill. Congressman Sestak, who served 31 years in the Navy, is a strong and vocal advocate for active service members and their families and pledges his continuing support.

  • Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country and you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central website, www.annualcreditreport.com, and a toll-free telephone number, 1-877-322-8228. You can also order a report by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and sending it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.