News

Pickering’s Mississippi E-Memo
Congressman Chip Pickering
Monday – February 25, 2008 - #83

PRESIDENT SIGNS DOYLE-PICKERING “DO NOT CALL” EXTENSION: Last week, President Bush signed the Doyle-Pickering Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007 (H.R. 3541) eliminating the expiration of listings on the federal Do Not Call Registry.  The Registry put in place by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission in 2003 has allowed over 150 million home and mobile telephone numbers to be removed from solicitation since its inception on June 27, 2003.  The regulations originally required the registry to delete individuals’ numbers after 5 years, forcing people to sign up again every five years.  Without the Doyle-Pickering legislation, as of June 2008, millions of people would have received telemarketing calls again, many of them unaware their listing had expired. This legislation protects those who have signed up for the Do Not Call registry, while still allowing consumers to voluntarily remove their number if they desire.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE: The Internal Revenue Service has the Economic Stimulus Payments Information Center online with information on the economic stimulus payments, scenarios, and special information for those who receive social security benefits or veterans' benefits. Starting in May, the Treasury Department will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million households. In order to receive any economic stimulus payments you may qualify for, you must file a federal income tax return for 2007. Even if you are not otherwise required to file a tax return, you must file a 2007 return in order to receive a payment this year. Some filers (such as high-income filers) will not qualify for a stimulus payment. You do not need to calculate the amount of the stimulus payment. If you qualify, the IRS will automatically figure it and send it to you. The IRS will also send you a notice showing the amount of your payment. You do not need to fill out any other special forms. Many people who receive Social Security benefits, or veterans' benefits, while not normally required to file a tax return, will need to do so this year to get the stimulus payment. Many can use the simpler Form 1040A. There are examples and more information for both of these categories at www.irs.gov.

PAY-RAISE FOR TROOPS: Last month, the House and Senate passed and the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act with a measure increasing pay for our troops by 3.5% retroactive to January 1. Overall, the bill authorizes $696 billion in defense spending including $189 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

VA INCREASES TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR ELIGIBLE VETERANS: Over a million eligible veterans will see their mileage reimbursement more than double starting this month, for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. The 2008 appropriations act provided funding for VA to increase the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 cents per mile.  The increase went into effect on Feb. 1. The VA also increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements.  The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one-way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, with a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month.  These deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran.

PRESIDENT’S BUDGET ONLINE: President George W. Bush presented a $3.1 trillion budget to Congress.  Rather than providing 3,000 paper copies of the budget to members of Congress and the media, the White House instead posted the entire document online at http://www.budget.gov, where it is open to the public.

RECENT PICKERING IN THE NEWS:

Expect to see Pickering around town after D.C. (Madison County Journal: 02/21)

Retiring Rep. Chip Pickering honored at GOP Presidents Day Gala (Madison County Herald: 02/21)

Pickering: $167K For Taylorsville Firefighters (02/14)

Markey-Pickering Introduce Internet Freedom Preservation Act (02/13)

Fire departments get federal grants (Neshoba Democrat: 02/13)

American Heroes (Madison County Journal: 02/07)

Definition in Renewable Fuels Standard (WestInstEnv.org: 02/07)

Remembering Matt and Josh (Neshoba Democrat: 02/06)

Pickering: $76K for East Neshoba Fire (Release: 02/06)

FRC Awards Pickering "True Blue" Award (Release: 01/30)

Mississippi Republicans support Bush's goals (AP: 01/29)

Most in GOP support president's goals (Clarion Ledger: 01/29)

Miss. congressmen split on economic stimulus package (AP: 01/29)

Pickering announces $160K for firefighters (Meridian Star: 01/24)

Leaders headed to D.C. (Star-Herald: 01/23)

Pickering: $160K for Third District Fire Fighters (Release: 01/23)

DTV TRANSITION: On February 17, 2009, analog television broadcasting will end for full-power stations.  After that date, if you get TV broadcasts with an antenna over the air, you will receive only digital signals.  This does not mean you need to get a new television set.  There will be converter boxes to change the digital signal to one that analog sets can receive.  Beginning in 2008, U.S. households may be able to obtain up to two coupons worth $40 each toward the purchase of converter boxes. The program will be run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).  For more information on the digital conversion, including information on a government coupon program for converter boxes, please visit: www.dtv.gov or www.dtvtransition.org online.

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

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