Town Hall Meetings Scheduled for Next Week
Congressman Todd Platts will be available to take questions and listen to constituent concerns at a series of town hall meetings to be held the week of October 10th. Dates, times, and locations are as follows:
- Tuesday, October 11, 9:30 am - 11:00 am: Susan Byrnes Health Center Auditorium, 515 South George Street, York.
- Tuesday, October 11, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: Biglerville Fire Company, 111 South Main Street, Biglerville.
- Wednesday, October 12, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: Fairview Township Municipal Building, 599 Lewisberry Road, New Cumberland.
- Thursday, October 13, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: Cumberland County Old Court House, 1 Courthouse Square, Carlisle.
House Passes Katrina, Crime Bills
During the month of September, the United States House of Representatives continued to address Hurricane Katrina and its aftereffects in many ways. Significantly, the House voted 224-188 to create a bipartisan select committee (H. Res. 437) to investigate the advance preparation for and emergency response to Hurricane Katrina. The committee has already begun to review the actions of federal, state, and local officials to determine what went right, what went wrong, and how to better prepare for future disasters.
The House also passed a number of measures (eg., H.R. 3650, H.R. 3668, H.R. 3768) intended to provide federal officials in various departments and agencies with the flexibility they need to better address the needs of those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Congressman Platts voted in favor of H. Res. 437 and the other aforementioned legislation.
This month the House also passed, by a vote of 371-52 and 415-4, respectively, a crime bill (H.R. 3132) and a bill reauthorizing certain programs at the Department of Justice (H.R. 3402). The crime bill would create a national sex offender registry database and lengthen the time period during which serious offenders must register to life, up from a minimum of 10 years. It would also establish mandatory minimum sentences for sex offenders who fail to register and increase mandatory minimum sentences for a variety of crimes against children. The Department of Justice bill would, among other items, reauthorize programs which help fund local efforts to combat domestic abuse under the Violence Against Women Act.
Congressman Platts voted in favor of both H.R. 3132 and H.R. 3402. He also voted against an amendment which was offered (H. Amdt. 527) to strip the mandatory minimum sentences from H.R. 3132.
Early Head Start, Post Office, and Whistleblower Legislation Advance
On September 22, 2005, the full United States House of Representatives passed by a vote of 231-184 the School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123), which would reauthorize and improve upon the Head Start Program. The measure included an amendment added by Congressman Platts during consideration by the House Education and Workforce Committee in May. This amendment would give Head Start centers more flexibility in order to enroll children ages birth to three-years old into Early Head Start programs. Congressman Platts' statement on the House floor can be found at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/schoolreadiness.html.
On September 27, 2005, the full House passed by voice vote a bill introduced by Representatives Bill Shuster and Todd Platts (H.R. 2062) to name the Newville post office after Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart. Sergeant Shughart, who grew up in Newville, was posthumously awarded the military's highest decoration-the Medal of Honor-for saving the life of a pilot downed in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993. More information can be found at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa19_platts/shughartfinal.html.
Finally, on September 29, 2005, the House Committee on Government Reform approved by a vote of 34-1 legislation introduced by Congressman Platts (H.R. 3097) to strengthen whistleblower protections for federal employees. If enacted into law, H.R. 3097 would be the most comprehensive enhancement of federal whistleblower protections since 1994. A copy of Congressman Platts' statement before the Committee can be found at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/whistleblowerstatement.html.
Congressman Platts Introduces Katrina Oversight, Line Item Veto Bills
This month Congressman Todd Platts introduced two measures intended to help cut waste from the federal budget. The first is a bill (H.R. 3810) which would enhance the oversight of taxpayer dollars spent on relief and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Katrina. The second is a proposed constitutional amendment (H.J. Res. 67) to provide the President with a line-item veto.
As Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance, and Accountability, Congressman Platts has held three hearings over the past two years on management at the Department of Homeland Security, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In addition, since Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts began, the Subcommittee has been in regular communication with the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security. Through these experiences, H.R. 3810 was developed. This legislation would establish a Special Inspectors General Council to provide effective and proactive oversight of funds expended in response to Hurricane Katrina. The Council is to be chaired by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, with Inspectors General from other relevant agencies and departments sitting on the Council. In addition, H.R. 3810 would help guarantee that this joint oversight effort has the resources necessary to succeed in its mission.
A previous attempt to provide, through statute, the President with line-item veto authority was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. H.J. Res. 67 would solve this problem by amending the U.S. Constitution. Under the proposal, the President would be granted the constitutional power to veto specific items within omnibus spending bills. In effect, this would allow the President to veto "pork" in a bill, without vetoing the entire bill. The veto could be overridden only with a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate.
H.R. 3810 is currently pending in the House Committee on Government Reform. H.J. Res. 67 is currently pending in the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Web Page Highlights (www.house.gov/platts)
Fall 2005 Newsletter
The Fall 2005 Newsletter from Congressman Platts is available on the web site.
(http://www.house.gov/platts/newsletters.html)
Congressman Platts Nominates Family for 2005 "Angels in Adoption" Award
Michael and Deirdre DeVeny of Manchester, Pennsylvania were selected by Congressman Platts to be one of more than 180 Congressional Angels in Adoption(tm) honored at a national ceremony held in Washington, D.C by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI).
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa19_platts/angels2005.html)
Updates in the War on Terror
A new section on the web site provides useful links for individuals seeking information about Iraq and Afghanistan.
(http://www.house.gov/platts/war-on-terror.shtml)
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