Congressman Platts' Statement on the Bombings in London
"Although we do not yet know the full scale of the human tragedy caused by the four bombings in London yesterday morning, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Great Britain. Any act of terrorism cannot be allowed to stand. The intentional targeting of innocents is morally abhorrent, and contrasts markedly with the goals of the G-8 summit in combating poverty and disease. I am heartened by the solidarity shown by the G-8 leaders in condemning these attacks, and I offer my gratitude for the steadfast resolve Prime Minister Tony Blair has always demonstrated in fighting terrorism."
House Passes Appropriations, Additional Veterans' Health Funding
Every year, Congress must pass 10 separate appropriations measures to fund the federal government. For the United States House of Representatives, much of the legislative business in the month of June was dominated by consideration of these measures as well as related amendments. The House passed all 10 of its fiscal year 2006 appropriations measures by the end of June. Differences between the House and Senate versions of these bills must still be resolved by a joint House-Senate conference committee, however, prior to the start of the new federal fiscal year in October.
On June 30, 2005, the House passed a nearly $1 billion appropriations measure which would supplement current funding for health programs at the Department of Veterans' Affairs (H.R. 3130). Congressman Platts voted in favor of this bill, which passed by a vote of 419-0. The bill was necessitated by faulty projections the Department of Veterans' Affairs used in submitting its fiscal year 2005 budget request to Congress. House and Senate committees are holding hearings on the shortfall to determine why the shortfall occurred and what changes the Department may need to make in its accounting practices. Despite this shortfall, funding for veterans health care has increased by more than 40 percent since 2001.
House Passes U.N. Overhaul
On June 17, 2005, the full United States House of Representative approved by a vote of 221-184 legislation aimed at encouraging the United Nations to reform many of its practices and policies (H.R. 2745). For example, the bill would withhold a portion of dues to the United Nations unless it improved its budget controls, established a code of ethics for its employees and an office to oversee these new ethical standards, and excluded serial human rights abusers from serving on the U.N. Human Rights Commission. Congressman Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
Proponents of the bill argue that reform of the United Nations is imperative for the organization to maintain any credibility in world affairs. Recently, the United Nations has been plagued by a series of scandals, from corruption in the U.N. administered Oil-for-Food program to allegations of rape by U.N. peacekeepers and sexual harassment by U.N. executives. In addition, the United Nations has allowed countries like Syria and Sudan to serve on its Human Rights Commission even as the organization has failed to stop genocide in places like Bosnia and Rwanda. Proponents cite a previous 1985 law withholding dues from the United Nations as having been highly effective in achieving positive reforms within the body. H.R. 2745 is now pending in the Senate.
Web Page Highlights (www.house.gov/platts)
Your Library Records Are Safe-That Is, Unless You Are a Terrorist
Congressman Platts wrote an op-ed on the Patriot Act which is now available on the web site.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/pa19_platts/patriotact.html)
Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Eliminate Medicare Paramedic Intercept Charges
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congressmen Platts introduced bipartisan legislation which would require Medicare to reimburse paramedic intercept units dispatched to provide emergency services to senior citizens. Currently, such units are not directly reimbursed by Medicare, which can result in costly health care bills for senior citizens.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa19_platts/paramedic.html)
Learning the Value of Public Service
Six area college students are spending their summer learning about the duties and responsibilities of public service through 10-week internships with the office of Congressman Todd Platts.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa19_platts/interns2005.html)
Congressman Platts' Statement on the Resignation of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
The statement released by Congressman Platts upon the news of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retiring from the Supreme Court is now available on the web site.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/oconnor.html)
The Month in Review
The following is a list of some additional key votes taken by the United States House of Representatives during the month of June of 2005:
Eminent Domain (H. Res. 340, H. Amdt. 427)
The House voted for two measures related to the Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that the City of New London, Connecticut was allowed to condemn residents' homes in order to make way for a private commercial project. Critics of the decision argue that the U.S. Constitution forbids the government from taking private property unless there is just compensation and the taking is for public use. The first measure was an amendment to an appropriations bill prohibiting federal funds from financing the project at issue. The second measure was a resolution expressing strong disapproval of the Supreme Court decision. The amendment and resolution were adopted by votes of 231-189 and 365-33, respectively. Congressman Platts voted in favor of both the amendment and the resolution.
Public Broadcasting (H. Amdt. 343)
The House voted 284-140 to maintain funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) at $400 million in fiscal year 2005. The Appropriations Committee had proposed to cut CPB funding to $300 million. Supporters of CPB funding argue that it provides educational and informational programming to audiences (including children) which are under-served by commercial broadcasting. Congressman Platts voted in favor of this amendment to the Health-Education-Labor appropriations bill and therefore in favor of restoring the cuts.
Flag Desecration Amendment (H.J. Res. 10)
The House voted 286-130 to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution restoring the authority of Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the U.S. flag. The Supreme Court ruled in 1988 that laws against flag desecration are unconstitutional. Supporters of H.J. Res. 10 argue that flag desecration is not a form of protected speech. Congressman Platts voted in favor of H.J. Res. 10.
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