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November 2005 Newsletter
October/ /November Newsletter 2005
“IT’S TIME TO KICK BUTT ” SAID SEN. VOINOVICH IN A MESSAGE TO ROB PORTMAN, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE. The Senator was referring to the problem of piracy and counterfeiting by other countries, especially China and costing millions of dollars to U.S. businessmen. (Mr. Portman was my representative in the House)
Should this be our new motto…“It’s time to kick butt.”
The Senator is correct it is time we contacted every Representative who has not signed Rep. McKeon’s repeal bill H R 147 while they are home for Thanksgiving and Christmas ask one simple question…….will you cosponsor H R 147 and actively work towards moving the bill out of the subcommittee and on to the floor of the House for a vote. PLEASE NOTE we can have 434 cosponsors BUT if we do not move the bill out of committee it is D-E-A-D come December 2006. I believe all the House members are up for reelection and will be asking for YOUR VOTE. It is really very simple ask them first for their vote. No excuse is acceptable because if they can spend 24 billion on pork projects your living needs are more important. It’s called priorities. Tell them not only will they lose your vote BUT ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND IF YOU ARE STILL WORKING TO MAKE UP FOR LOST SOCIAL SECURITY, YOU WILL TELL YOUR CO-WORKERS and post this newsletter to let all know how Congress works!!! To those who have cosponsored H R 147 ask them if they are comfortable allowing this bill to die at the end of every session of Congress. Rep. McKeon first introduced the repeal bill in July of 2001 and with 300 cosponsors last year the bill died. As of November 16, 2005 he has 300 cosponsors BUT the bill will die this time next year if members of Congress do not insist that chairman Jim McCrery allow the bill out of the subcommittee. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
REPRESENTATIVES WHO CARE
Sherrod Brown R (800) 234-6413
Paul Gillmor R (419) 448-9016
Marcy Kaptur D (419) 259-7500
David Hopson R (937) 325-0407
Dennis Kucinich D (216) 228-8850
Steve La Tourette R (440) 352-3939
Bob Ney R (740) 699-2704
Deborah Pryce R (614) 469-5614
Ralph Regula R (330) 489-4414
Timothy Ryan R (330) 740-0193
Jean Schmidt R (513) 791-0381 Jean was elected to fill the vacancy of Rob Portman. She has
(800) 784-6366 cosigned Rep. McKeon H R 147 as promised in her campaign
Ted Strickland D (740) 376-0868
Michael Turner R (937) 225-2843 YES, THE LUCKY NUMBER OF 13
Please thank them for truly representing you and ask that they take one step forward together as a coalition from the “Great State of OHIO” and request Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA) follow the principle of Democracy and allow an up or down vote on H.R. 147. (I know I am repeating myself)
REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTING YOU
John Boehner R (513) 779-5400
Steve Chabot R (513) 684-2723
Stephanie Tubbs Jones D (216) 522-4900 Rep. Jones is on the Ways & Means committee
Michael Oxley R (419) 423-3210 Rep. Oxley retires next year. In the past his answer has been “NO”
Patrick Tiberi R (614)523-2555
I called Representatives Tiberi and Jones office in D.C. In the first calls I was told the legislative assistants were “gone for the day”. I called again and Rep. Tiberi aide, Linsey Bogesberger did not return my call. Rep. Jones aide was in a meeting and did not return my call. If you are in their district may I suggest you call them and ask why they have not represented you by cosigning H R 147? If they claim it is too expensive tell them to eliminate the PORK.
Did you know every representative has approximately 600,000 residents in his/her district? So when 300 representatives signed H.R. 147 they is a lot of votes. How do the non-signers justify ignoring the needs of their constituents?
I know several of our members have positions at Universities. I am asking them to continue sharing the newsletters with co-workers. For example one is the Assistant Dean in the Education Department and can inform students they may fall under these laws, as well as students thinking of entering government employment could be penalized. Students are great activist and do not hesitate in asking their Representatives why hasn’t the GPO/WEP been repealed?
FOR THE NON SIGNERS----HOW CAN YOU SAY NO?
Number of Social Security Beneficiaries Affected by the GPO
December 2003 December 1999
1. California 56,262 42,439
2. Ohio 53,818 40,474
3. Texas 42,973 30,368
4. Mass. 17,957 12,558
5. Louisiana 17,663 12,810 Chairman McCrery look at your number
6. Florida 17,424 15,021
Source SSA-- Office of Research Revised June 26. 2000
Evaluation and Statistics, March 2004
I have figures for all 50 states. I do not have a breakdown for those retirees under the WEP.
BILLS BILLS BILLS BILLS BILLS BILLS
“On July 14, 2005 Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA) introduced H.R. 3304 with 44 Republican cosponsors.
Title: To amend the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to stop the Congress from spending Social Security’s tax revenue surpluses on other government programs by dedicating those surpluses to personal accounts.” Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
They are no longer called “privatization accounts” the new name is “grow accounts”. This legislation, similar to a plan proposed by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) would establish Social Security private accounts, called “GROW accounts”. These accounts would receive total annual contributions equal to the size of the annual surplus in Social Security (not counting the interest that Social Security Trust Funds earn on their bonds)for as long as the surplus lasted, which CBO estimates is through 2020”
The Congressional Budget Office analysis:
“GROW accounts would increase federal spending by $1 trillion over the next ten years.
Without gimmicks, GROW accounts would make Social Security’s solvency problems worse.
GROW accounts could result in reductions in total retirement benefits for some beneficiaries.
GROW accounts would require spending $25 billion on administrative cost in the first year.
GROW accounts would increase the debt.”
If Congress continues to spend the S S surplus (or if we spend our savings) the result is the same the account will have O balance. I will repeat the figures I quoted in previous newsletters on what Congress has spent from the Social Security surplus:
$700 Billion from 1964 to 2001
$159 Billion in 2002
$155.6 Billion in 2003
$151 Billon in 2004
“H.R. 219 introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) January 4, 2005 cosponsors 7”
“Title: To amend title 11 of the Social Security Act to ensure the integrity of the Social Security trust funds by requiring the Managing Trustee to invest the annual surplus of such trust funds in marketable interest-bearing obligations of the United States and certificates of deposit in depository institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and to protect such trust funds form the public debt limit.” Status: Referred to the subcommittee on Social Security
The only Representative from Ohio who has signed H.R.219 is Steve Chabot, Cincinnati.
Which bill do you think really wants to save SS and which bill will come to the floor of the House?
Remember we have been told repealing GPO/WEP would cost $50 billion for ten years. But what is NOT mentioned we and or our husbands paid into SS for years. We would be spending our money in our cities and improving the local economy. In 2002 Ohio lost $341.8 million because of these laws. I have neighbors who together lose $500 per month OR $6,000 per year that could benefit OHIO.
Senate bill 1799, The Government Pension Offset Reform Act introduced by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) was joined by Senator George Voinovich (R-OH). The Senator pointed out that Social Security benefits are reduced, sometimes even eliminated, if a surviving spouse receives a government pension. He said the legislation “will ensure that low-income government retirees and their spouses will receive the full amount of both their Social Security and government pension benefits”.The bill would allow the total of $1,200 per month combined Social Security and pension.
I appreciate the Senator’s remarks but I would like to see some action on his part getting the bill out of the finance committee and to the floor of the Senate for a vote. When I talked with his legislative assistant, Steve Kittridge there was no companion bill in the House. Actions Speak Louder than Words.
HOW DO WE PAY FOR KATRINA
Congress has approved $62.3 billion but some say the cost could run as high as $200 billion. The Cincinnati Enquirer gave the following quotes from some of Ohio legislators. Sen. Voinovich thinks taxes should be raised, and Sen. DeWine is willing to consider not making the tax cuts permanent. Rep. Kaptur said “tax cuts for the nation’s richest 1 per cent could easily be eliminated to produce more revenue”. Rep. Ney said “You don’t raise taxes and further harm the economy” and Rep. Gillmor said “We should look for cuts that we can make but this kind of money can’t be made up in a short period of time”. Rep. Schmidt suggested aid to foreign countries or for NASA should temporarily go on the chopping block and Rep. Chabot suggested farm subsidies be reduced and federal aid for the money-losing Amtrak be eliminated. He was willing to consider a plan to repeal $24 billion in local projects recently added to the transportation bill. Now I say that’s an idea but Reps. Hobson and Oxley rejected that idea. A group of lawmakers “Operation Offset” said reduce spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and student loans. Notice how easy it is for Congress to suggest cut programs or raise taxes rather than look at the waste in government agencies where millions can be found? They take the easy way out!!
It is unbelievable the new spending bill has $1.31billion for Amtrak and after 11 years it has allocated $20 million for an independent counsel to probe former Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros. This investigation has dragged even after Cisneros received a presidential pardon. Honest I obtained all this information from articles in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Sept. 25th and Nov 11th.
Right now I am in my cold family room trying to complete this newsletter as I keep the thermostat at 67. My Sept. heating bill was $48.21 BUT my October bill was $158.35 and I dread the next 4-5 months bills. I am furious at the antics of Congress. While we freeze there are two bridges in Alaska that together cost more than $500 million to build. One serves an island of only 50 people BUT REP. DON YOUNG (R-ALASKA) COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF KATRINA and will not give up his pork. While we freeze Ronald Utt, Heritage Foundation pointed out “Ohio’s congressional delegation willfully diverted more than $665 million to 245 earmarks
· $400,000 to extend a bike trail in Chardon
· $600,000 to buy high speed ferries for Black River Excursion Boat Service, Lorian
· $1.6 million to build an Ohio River trail from downtown Cincinnati to Salem Rd.
· $1.7 million to build a pedestrian bridge in Cleveland
· $2 million for an “intermodal bikeway” in Independence
· $8.4 million for transportation enhancement projects in Akron
I quote from an October 27th Associated Press article by Andrew Taylor “House Republicans voted to cut student loan, increase higher fees on parents who borrow on behalf of their college-age children, child support enforcement, aid to firms hurt by unfair trade practices and cut Medicaid, food stamps.
Our SENATORS also touch our lives. I quote from an October 27th Associated Press article, by Jim Abrams. “The Senate decided Wednesday the money wasn’t there for a substantial spending boost for the federal home heating program, deflecting arguments that soaring energy prices could force the poor to choose between heat and food this winter. The 54-43 vote failed as 60 votes are needed for passage”.
I need to mention a great article written by Richard Cohen, a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post, November 13, 2005. His subject was Senator Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. “I am relieved beyond words to find that Ted Stevens is still in the Senate. The Senator from Alaska had threatened-on the floor of the Senate, no less-to resign his seat if his colleagues passed a measure that would have eliminated some of Alaska’s already approved transportation projects, including the now famous”Bridge to Nowhere” and awarded the money to hard-pressed Louisiana.” Mr. Cohen continues, “In his speech, in which over and over again he bemoaned the pitiful nature of his state’s modest road system, made no mention of how Alaskans pay no state income tax and are awarded a piece of the states oil revenues. The state is No.1 in per capita federal aid, which is a tribute of sorts to Stevens’ ability to game the system at the expense of us all.”
I have a March 22, 2003 article stating Sen. DeWine voted against drilling for oil in an Alaskan wild life refuge. Here is Sen. Stevens reaction and why the power some chairman exercise is scary. “In the time I have served here, many people have made commitments to me and I have never broken a commitment in my life. People who vote against this today are voting against me, and I will not forget it”. As chairman of the Senate spending committee, Stevens has considerable control over which local programs and projects get money. A spokeswoman from his office said that Stevens’ comment speaks for itself and declined to say if it was directed at DeWine. I wondered why Sen. DeWine voted for the drilling in 1995 and 2000 but not in 2003… because he did not think drilling for oil was worth the risk to the environment. Thank you Senator DeWine for feeling the environment is more important than your constituents keeping warm. As my last winter bills of $300 increase to $1,000 I will remember your priorities when it is time to vote again. Sen. Voinovich voted yes.
Enquirer article, Nov. 11, 2005 Sen. DeWine “told a Senate committee the government needs to help pay for the upkeep of historic presidential sites”. “These presidential sites are far too important to let them silently decay” said DeWine who introduced a bill that awards $5 million a year for the next five years to help owners and operators handle major maintenance or improvement projects.” No comment
Thank you Senators as you enjoy your $3,100 pay increase in 2006.
ASSISTANCE
I do receive letters mentioning the lost of 2-3-4 hundred dollars per month creating a financial nightmare having to buy food and medicine. If you qualify the following agencies may be able to help you.
If you need help with your phone bill call Lifeline in Cincinnati 565-5433 or 1-800-7826 Your bill can be discounted. If you need to make a long distance call use a phone card no extra costs
Home Energy Assistance 1-800-282-0880 can help with payment with one of your heating bills
Help with Property Tax - Homestead in Cincinnati 946-4174. In other cities call your auditor department
PLEASE NO MORE E-MAILS
I continue to receive e-mails asking why members of Congress do not pay Social Security. Back in December 2002 I wrote to my then representative Rob Portman. Here is his clarification.
“Members of Congress participate in either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), depending on the date they entered federal service. Members who first entered Congress after 1983 (which is most all of us now) are covered under FERS. Importantly, all Members of Congress have been covered under Social Security since January 1984 and pay FICA taxes. Members also contribute to their own pensions plans. Members of Congress are covered under one of four different retirement arrangements.
First for those members who entered Congress before 1983:
Then for those who came after 1983:
Please note—The WEP was passed in 1982 effective January 1983
I LEAVE YOU WITH TWO THOUGHTS
I have talked with a couple of state agencies begging them to get together and call a media news conference to make public how Congress has continued to kill the bills introduced to modify or repeal the GPO/WEP. I have worked on this project for over five years and state agencies for over 20 years. What will the agencies do if H R 147 remains in the subcommittee this time next year and the bill dies? What will the state agencies do if Rep. McKeon decides NOT to reintroduce his bill? What will we have then? Will this open the door for mandatory Social Security? If that happens will that spell the demise of our public agencies? Wouldn’t Congress love to get their hands on the billions in state accounts? The state agencies need a new aggressive program and we need to contact OUR Representative and Senators and insist they return to the principles of DEMOCRACY. We are spending billions in Iraq, losing over 2,000 men to bring Democracy there why are we losing OUR Democracy here? WE have seen the power and arrogance of some of the chairman. Your vote is valuable use it wisely. Tell Congress if they will not do something NOW and they have an opponent next year you will work for their defeat. YES, I AM VERY ANGRY AND IF YOU TALKED WITH ANY ONE OF MY THREE SONS THEY WILL TELL YOU ---“YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET MOM ANGRY.”
My second thought is I pray sincerely in this Christmas season, regardless of your religion that you and your family will stay safe and have good health in 2006 and that WE WILL SEE PEACE ON EARTH.
November 2005
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