For the vast majority of beneficiaries, the program has been working as intended.  If this problem is the result of a system flaw, we need to fix that flaw so that we don’t see more errors down the road.  It is also important that the refunds erroneously given out to the 230,000 beneficiaries be recovered in a way that is most unproblematic for them.

In my campaign for Congress in New York’s 21st district, I hope to bring voter attention to the various ways our government wastes money.

The most striking waste of money is the $200B we spend each year defending Europe, Japan and South Korea. These are wealthy countries who can take care of themselves. We’ve been doing this for over 50 years (over 60 for Europe and Japan).

Everyone’s talking about an exit strategy for Iraq. We need an exit strategy for Europe, Japan and South Korea. Voters responded well to this message in my 2004 campaign, even with minimal campaign spending. Better financed challengers could make a lot of headway with voters if they talk about this issue.

From San Diego, California:

The US/Mexico border in southern California is a study in contrasts. Part of the border is a single, rusted wall of corrugated steel. There are clear signs that illegals have climbed over or dug under this barrier. With more than two million residents of Tijuana, Mexico, just a few hundred yards away, this doesn’t appear to be much of a national border. Farther to the east, we got a glimpse of the future: A two-layer border fence with video surveillance towers and a patrol road in the middle. It is an imposing sight and, while not completely secure, the new neighborhoods being built just inside the U.S. border attest to the fact that this border is largely secure.

We spent the day touring border areas, detention centers and the largest port of entry in the United States: southern California’s San Diego sector. Different from many other areas of the US/Mexico border, this is an area that has seen real progress in border security over the past ten years. In 1995, more than 500,000 arrests were processed in this sector and, after extensive border and personnel changes, that number has dropped to around 125,000 in 2005.

The success of what CBP called “Operation Gatekeeper” is especially important since San Diego is considered the number one point of entry for criminal aliens on the U.S. border. The terrain, population density and numerous transportation options have made this the most attractive arrival point for aliens with criminal intent. Progress here should mean that our families are safer from criminal aliens but, unfortunately, the U.S. border is more than just San Diego.

The discouraging news is that there is evidence that success here has only driven many of the drug and human traffic activities to less secure areas of the border. Read the rest of this entry »

This week I accepted a request from AARP to participate in a joint debate with my opponent. Unfortunately, this is the 5th debate she has turned down in the district. It appears that her handler’s will not allow her to debate me in front of a group which represents seniors, a very important constituency in this district.

For the past year and a half I have been walking my district, going door-to-door to listen to the hopes and dreams of the residents of Illinois 6th Congressional District.  I have learned in my 13 years in the state legislature that the best way to find out what people care about is, well – to ask them. We are running for the branch of the federal government that is closest and most responsive to the people. As a candidate, one of your duties is to participate in these types of forums.
Several media outlets have been critical of her political strategy. Recently, one media outlet noted that this “ducking� strategy may be an indication of larger problems for the Duckworth campaign.

It is time for the United States and the United Nations to call Iran’s bluff and impose strict economic sanctions if Iran refuses to meet an August 31 deadline for suspending its nuclear enrichment program. After 11 weeks of delay, Iran formally responded Tuesday to a United Nations incentives package aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment.  Iranian officials offered what they called a “new formula” to resolve the dispute, but they repeatedly vowed to push ahead with their nuclear program.

I have closely monitored developments in Iran as a member of the International Relations Committee and the ranking member of the Terrorism and Nonproliferation Subcommittee. It is clear that the Iranian government has no intention of suspending enrichment by August 31, as required by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696.

The Iranian tactic is always to offer a glimmer of hope that some settlement can be achieved, and threaten all kinds of counter-measures if sanctions are imposed.  For the past four years, Iran has played that game.  It is high time the Security Council and other concerned countries call their bluff unless Iran verifiably suspends enrichment efforts.

It is time for the Security Council to ready a package of tough economic sanctions should Iran fail to do anything short of a full suspension by August 31.  It also is time for the Bush administration to start using the tools at its disposal.  It is time for the United States to impose an embargo on all Iranian goods, punish any American companies with subsidiaries operating in Iran, and actually enforce the Iran Libya Sanctions Act by imposing sanctions on foreign firms which invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The U.S. should remain ready to negotiate with the Iranian government, and we should be willing to offer improved relations with Iran should Tehran agree to abandon its nuclear weapons program and its support for terrorists.
At this point, however, Iran must be forced to take such discussions seriously.  Right now, it is just a game for them.  We should stop playing.

From the Peppermill Steakhouse in Valentine, NE:

Over the past few days I have traveled across the state of Nebraska visiting with community leaders to discuss ways to enhance our rural communities and preserve our rural way of life.

Yesterday in Ogallala I visited Lake McConaughy for a briefing on drought conditions in the area and water conservation efforts. The drought in Nebraska is in its 6th or 7th year and continues to inflict damage on our agriculture industry. A couple of years ago I named the drought “David” in order to raise awareness that it is a natural disaster, just like a hurricane. Since then Congress has fallen woefully short in addressing the economic losses of the drought. Along with many of my colleagues, I hope that the $4 billion disaster assistance package approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee will be considered and passed by the Senate.

This morning I met with hospital officials in Scottsbluff to discuss Washington’s failure to understand rural health care. I have a bill that would prevent damaging new rules on rehabilitational care proposed by CMS from being implemented. If they are, many rural areas will see greatly diminished health care options or may even see their hospitals close their doors. I’ve often said when it comes to rural life, Washington just doesn’t get it. This is a perfect example. Read the rest of this entry »

My priority will be revisiting Medicare Part D in terms of reopening the enrollment period for seniors.  My second priority would be raising the minimum wage.  And my third priority would be tackling the gasoline price hike by putting in place measures to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to save people at the pump.

Senator DeWine voted to give billions of dollars in tax cuts to millionaires while slashing funding for medical research. He limited seniors’ access to their prescribed treatments by voting for a bill that prohibited Medicare from negotiating for lower prescription drug prices and left a gap in coverage costing seniors more than $2,000. Mike DeWine’s misplaced priorities cut off a lifeline for Ohioans hoping for a cure.

DeWine has strongly opposed life-saving stem cell research. According to his website: “Senator DeWine will oppose any bill that would expand existing policy by allowing the government to pay for studies on embryos in frozen storage at fertility clinics, even if the couples who conceive them certify that they would otherwise discard them. Senator DeWine strongly opposes the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which passed the House by a vote of 238-194.”

Senator DeWine put politics before the life-or-death needs of Ohio families when he voted against funding life-saving stem cell research.

Republicans like Nancy Reagan and Senate Majority Leader Frist recognize that stem cell research has provided millions of Americans suffering from disease or disability with the hope of a better future. Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier this year I returned home after serving in the U.S. Navy for 31 years. I decided to run for Congress because the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress are taking our country in the wrong direction. I firmly believe that national security begins at home with the health, education, economic, and defense security of our citizens — securities which have been severely eroded by the policies of this Republican Congress and Administration. I am running to reverse that erosion, and to help establish a new direction for our government and country.

I was extremely honored to be selected to address our nation on national security and world wide security issues. This shows that our message of change in the direction of our national security is one that has resonated in our district and is one that is recognized as resonating throughout America. I believe Iraq was a tragic misadventure and was not a clear and present danger. It distracted us from finishing the work needed to fully secure peace in Afghanistan and undermined our ability to focus on security issues elsewhere in the world. Having served as the first Director of ‘Deep Blue,’ the Navy’s anti-terrorism group after 9/11 and having commanded an aircraft carrier battle group of 15,000 men and women that conducted combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, I know from firsthand experience that we must address the global aspects of terrorism rather than remaining entrenched in Iraq. In fact, for just two days on what we spend in Iraq, we could have 100 percent screening of all air cargo. For five days in Iraq, we can have radiation detectors at all US ports. It’s clear now more than ever we need a change in Washington so we can once again be looked up to for our leadership in the world.

There are two things that I want to leave as a lasting legacy. First, to highlight that so little is done for the poorest who have suffered from Katrina. They have suffered from hostile acts, such as prematurely closing public housing. I have a bill that I’ll be leaving my colleagues as a legacy called the Community Action Homeland Security Mobilization Act. New Orleans will be the pilot project. Then it will be used in other cities to get the poor protected from disasters and acts of terror.
My final bill will be on school costs, repair and modernization for $10 billion.