News

Pickering's Mississippi E-Memo
Congressman Chip Pickering
Monday - 02/27/2006 - #53

THIS WEEK IN THE HOUSE: Congress returns to session this week following the President's Day Recess to consider several measures including (S.2271) the USA Patriot Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006 and (HR4167) the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005. On Wednesday, the House and Senate will meet in a Joint Session for the purpose of receiving Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Italy, as he addresses the Congress of the United States. Also this week, Bush Administration Officials will meet with House members to discuss and brief Congress on the Dubai Ports issue.

HOUSE LEADERSHIP TO VISIT COAST: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will lead a delegation of House of Representatives to the Mississippi Coast this weekend, March 2-4, to view firsthand the devastation and recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. The invitation to Hastert and Pelosi was from a letter from the Mississippi and Louisiana House Delegations. Congressman Pickering will be joining this group to offer first hand accounts of the Mississippi situation.

APPROPRIATIONS: Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations request forms for the 3rd Congressional District are online at Congressman Pickering's web page: www.house.gov/pickering/appropriations - the forms should be e-mailed or faxed to the office by the close-of-business this Wednesday, March 1, 2006.

MILITARY ACADEMY DAY: Congressman Chip Pickering's annual Military Academy Day will be held Saturday, March 25 at Madison Central High School in Madison County from 9am until 11am. This event provides interested students and parents an opportunity to learn more about our nation's military academies, requirements for admission and the appointment process. The event is free and open to the public. Congressman Pickering and members of his staff will be joined by representatives from each of the five service academies: U.S. Military Academy (West Point), Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Merchant Marine Academy and Coast Guard Academy. High school students preparing for college within the next couple of years and considering the service academies should attend. Junior high students interested in the service academies are also encouraged to attend and begin the process early. For more details contact Steve Guyton in Congressman Pickering's Pearl Office at 601-932-2410. Madison Central High School is located at 1417 Highland Colony Parkway in Madison, Mississippi.

FCC KATRINA HEARING: The Federal Communications Commission's Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks will hold its next meeting at Jackson State University's Mississippi e-Center. Chip Pickering helped facilitate the hearing which will review: (1) the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the telecommunications and media infrastructure including public safety communications; (2) the sufficiency and effectiveness of the recovery effort; and (3) ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and communications among first responders. The panel will provide the FCC findings and recommendations by June 15, 2006 regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and communications among first responders. The hearing is on Monday, March 6, 2006 at 10am at the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University (1230 Raymond Road in Jackson). The meeting is open to the public. The public may submit written comments before the meeting by e-mail to lisa.fowlkes@fcc.gov or by mail to Lisa M. Fowlkes, Designated Federal Officer, Hurricane Katrina Independent Panel, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 7-C737, Washington DC 20554. (For more information: www.fcc.gov/eb/hkip)

MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT: Registration for the new Medicare Prescription Drug benefit continues to increase in Mississippi as we enter the second month of the registration season. There are 456,081 Medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi and as of February 11, nearly 267,000 or 58% have Medicare prescription drug coverage. May 15 is the last day for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries to register for free until November. Mississippi seniors interested in the program or seeking to sign-up should do so before May 15 by calling 1-800-MEDICARE for more information or visiting www.medicare.gov online. Now is a good opportunity for family members or friends to assist seniors in the sign-up process.

CHIP PICKERING ONLINE NEWS:

Pickering announces $457K in local funding (Starkville Daily News: 2/26)

LOVE'S Kitchen weathering financial storms (Meridian Star: 2/26)

Gulf Congressmen Call for Independent FEMA (BET: 2/24)

Supes: D.C. trip fruitful (Madison County Herald: 2/23)

Officials: Washington trip nets gains (Neshoba Democrat: 2/22)

Pickering: Federal Funds for Projects in Wilkinson, Pike, Lawrence Counties (Release: 2/22)

Pickering: Federal Funding for 3 Oktibbeha Area Projects (Release: 2/21)

FIRE GRANT WORKSHOPS: During 2005, Congressman Chip Pickering announced twenty-nine first responder federal grants to fire stations in the Third District for over $2.7 million. On March 3,4,17 & 18, four workshops will be held in Mississippi to assist first responders in this competitive grant program. Interested fire department representatives are invited to attend. Information will be presented on the program and on the application process. General assistance in the writing of a competitive narrative for a department's grant application will be discussed. Each workshop is approximately 2 hours in length and each will present the same material. Fire departments can also receive information and assistance from Pickering's Grant Coordinator Mary Martha Henson in the Meridian Office at 601-693-6681. (For more information see www.firegrantsupport.com):1) 3/3/2006 9am Batesville MS National Guard Armory: 705-A Keating Road; 2) 3/4/2006 9am Boonesville MS NE Mississippi Community College Holiday Hall; 3) 3/17/2006 9am Jackson MS Mississippi State Fire Academy; 4) 3/18/2006 9am Gautier MS Gautier Convention Center. For all seminars contact Larry Barr (601) 359-1062 Larry.Barr@mid.state.ms.us

SBA DISASTER LOANS: Mississippi residents affected by Hurricane Katrina are urged to complete and return their Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan applications to be eligible for all types of federal and state disaster assistance. The deadline is March 11, 2006. The SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to qualified homeowners, renters, landlords, certain private non-profit organizations and businesses of any size that sustained losses due to Hurricane Katrina. These loans are designed for people affected by the disaster who are either uninsured or not fully covered by insurance. Mississippians affected by Hurricane Katrina who have not already registered for FEMA assistance are encouraged to call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). (For more information: www.fema.gov)

PICKERING STAFF: Visit www.house.gov/pickering/policy to get office contact information.

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