Dear Friends,

As I’ve traveled our district, I’ve heard some amazing stories of wartime service from veterans and their families. My office has joined the U.S. Library of Congress in collecting and preserving veteran narratives for the Veteran History Project. This is a nation-wide effort to share veteran stories with our citizens and future generations.

I want to thank each 11th District veteran who took the time to be interviewed by my staff. I am proud to say that we were able to record the stories of veterans from across the 11th District, and now we’ll send these stories to Washington, D.C. to become part of our nation’s permanent collection on wartime history.

This project includes veterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

Below, you’ll find the stories of several of our 11th District veteran heroes. I hope these stories will touch you as much as they’ve touched me. God bless all our veterans.

– Phil

Emmett Dooley of Summerville served in the U.S. Army during WWII. His 29th Division was among the first wave of soldiers to land on Omaha Beach, and nearly two thirds of the men in his unit were killed before they even reached the shores. Mr. Dooley survived, and was injured twice in combat. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and ETO Ribbon for his service.

James A. Miolen of Newnan served in the U.S. Air Force & U.S. Army during Vietnam, where he saw two tours of duty. He was highly decorated in his 20-year career, receiving 4 Purple Hearts and 2 Bronze Stars. Mr. Miolen also worked with the "Old Guard", and saw duty overseas with the "Berlin Brigade," a ceremonial group that worked with foreign dignitaries.
Joe Scruggs of Rome served in the U.S. Army during WWII, and is a Pearl Harbor survivor. Mr. Scruggs joined the Army to escape the chores of his father's farm. His service led him to participate in the day that changed American history forever. Mr. Scruggs was stationed at Pearl Harbor, building airstrips to aid the U.S. Army Air Corp. His unit had just completed an airstrip 15 miles from Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Because the airstrip was new, the Japanese were unaware it existed and did not bomb the site. As the only airstrip left standing after the raid, it played a vital role in U.S. defensive strikes, allowing planes to take off to counter Japanese boomers.

For more 11^th District Veteran stories, please visit my website http://gingrey.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=28182

Spending healthcare dollars wisely

By Congressman Phil Gingrey, M.D.

Most Georgians, myself included, were shocked to learn that our state Medicaid program is paying to fill more than 7,000 prescriptions a year for erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra.  Some of these prescriptions were even going to registered sex offenders.

Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be buying medication to increase male sexuality. Unfortunately, the federal law currently requires Medicaid and Medicare to cover the cost of these drugs for beneficiaries.

This is a perfect example of the waste and abuse in our federal health programs that drives up costs and denies treatment to those who truly need it.  Georgia’s state Medicaid dollars are already stretched thin; yet the state is spending nearly $263,000 a year on erectile dysfunction medication.  We have to ask ourselves if this is a good use of our state funds. I believe the answer is unquestionable, “no.”

Erectile dysfunction drugs should be classified as “lifestyle” medication that does not constitute a medically necessary treatment. Currently under Medicare and Medicaid, states are allowed to opt out of covering “lifestyle” drugs, including fertility medication, medicine for hair growth, and drugs used for cosmetic purposes, like treating acne.  Erectile dysfunction drugs should be added to this list.  While sexual problems can certainly be troubling to the people they affect, our tax dollars are needed elsewhere.

Governor Purdue recently sent a letter to the Georgia congressional delegation asking us to change the rules that govern federal funding of these medications.  As a physician and a Member of Congress, I support his call for change. In fact, my Georgia colleague Rep. Nathan Deal has introduced legislation in the U.S. House to prevent federal dollars from being spent on drugs for sexual dysfunctions. I am a proud co-sponsor of this legislation.

Medicare and Medicaid were established to help poor, elderly, and disabled Americans get the healthcare they need to prevent disease and treat illness. Using taxpayer dollars for drugs that treat sexual dysfunctions is a clear abuse of this intent.  More than a million Georgians rely on Medicare and Medicaid for life-saving drugs like heart, diabetes, and cancer medication.  We need to ensure Georgia’s healthcare dollars are there when these citizens need them.

All medication is not created equal.  Our federal and state funds are better spent saving lives than increasing sexual performance, and our policies should reflect this preference.

Last week, the House passed H.J. Res. 10, which proposes an amendment to the Constitution that would authorize Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. 

Phil was one of the bill’s strongest supporters, saying, “Our flag deserves to be respected and protected because it is more than just star-studded fabric – it is the symbol of democracy. In 1989, a U.S. Supreme Court decision nullified the flag-protection laws of 48 states.  This legislation puts that protection back in place. Our flag represents the history, culture, and ideology of democracy for the world. Millions of Americans throughout our nation’s history died defending our flag and the ideals it represents. To burn a flag is to disrespect America and disrespect democracy.”

In order to be enacted into law, H.J. Res. 10 will also have to be adopted by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, and then ratified by three-fourths of America’s state legislatures.  Currently, all 50 states have passed resolutions requesting Congress to approve a constitutional amendment that would ban flag burning.

Phil lead 14 of his colleagues – including Majority Whip Roy Blunt – in introducing a resolution condemning the U.S. Supreme Court's narrow 5-4 decision in Kelo v. City of New London.  The decision allows state and local governments to use eminent domain to take citizens' homes and turn them over to corporations and private developers.

Phil condemned the decision: "Whatever happened to constitutional rights? Yesterday's Supreme Court decision overturns two centuries of precedent on the use of eminent domain. The Fifth Amendment has always limited the government’s power of eminent domain to public use, not the advantage of another private citizen or corporation. We can't give governments carte blanche to take someone's home in the name of a shopping mall.”

Phil's resolution would:

Ø      Condemn the Kelo v. City of New London case

Ø      Urge state and local governments not to abuse eminent domain

Ø      Emphasize the ability of Congress to address this matter legislatively to prevent abuse of individual property rights

This month, Phil voted to pass H.R. 2863, the Defense Appropriations Bill, which funds the Department of Defense and its programs for fiscal year 2006. After a drawn-out battle between the Department of Defense and Congress, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld agreed to withdraw his call for a cancellation of the multi-year C-130J contract. The House-passed legislation fully restores the C-130J multiyear purchasing contract through fiscal year 2008.

"I'm glad the Pentagon and Congress recognize the integral role the C-130J plays in our nation’s defense,” said Phil.  “And I’m glad the good work at the Lockheed facility in Marietta can continue.”

The legislation also held good news for the F/A-22 Raptor.  In addition to fully funding 25 new jets, report language included in the bill directs the Department of Defense to examine the possibility of a multi-year procurement contract, and to study the viability of keeping the Raptor line open well past fiscal year 2009.

Phil says “no” to illegal immigrants abusing our Social Security system