Congressman Christopher Shays' E-Newsletter
September 2005

Dear Friend,

In this newsletter, we share information about:

• Congressional response to and oversight of Hurricane Katrina;
• My most recent trip to Iraq;
• Reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act and Civil Liberties Protection Oversight Board;
• Passage of the federal transportation bill;
• Saving Sub Base New London from closure;
• Fighting LICAP, a costly and unfair electricity proposal;
• Constituent Tip: changing your mailing address; and
• Upcoming Military Academy Night

I hope you find this information helpful and look forward to your feedback.

Sincerely,

Christopher Shays
Member of Congress

Congressional Response to and Oversight of Hurricane Katrina

Response

Since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Americans have offered their hearts, their hands, and their resources to help the region. The burden of this storm has been borne by those who live in the region, but this is truly a national challenge. We all mourn those who have lost their lives and we grieve with those who have lost their loved ones, their friends and their homes.

Congress passed two emergency supplemental relief packages totaling $62.3 billion to fund the President’s initial request to provide food, shelter and medical assistance to evacuees and to clean up the Gulf Coast. But our work in the region is just beginning. We will continue to put the resources necessary to repair the damage to infrastructure and help residents put their lives back together again.

Click here to read about the funding and other legislation we have passed to respond to the needs of those displaced by the hurricane.

Oversight

Fifteen of my colleagues and I took the first trip from the U.S. House of Representatives to New Orleans and Mississippi this past weekend. We viewed the region hit by the hurricane and assessed the relief efforts to date. The damage is massive and beyond comprehension.

I was impressed by the dedicated local, state and federal officials and volunteers from around the country who are on the ground helping address the region’s needs. As we develop our long-term strategy, we need a comprehensive plan and one person in charge of overseeing it – a Hurricane CEO. We’ll need to give the funding necessary to get the job done with a combination of increased revenue and reduced spending. This will be an expensive undertaking, so it is critical that:

• we have an Inspector General Council watching every penny that is spent;
• we implement strict legal penalties for anyone who attempts to illegally profit from this undertaking; and
• we empower a Special Prosecutor to go after any charges of fraud.

Click here to read more about my trip.

Click here to view pictures from my trip.

The Government Reform Committee, of which I am Vice Chairman, held the first oversight hearing on the response to Hurricane Katrina and preparedness in other metropolitan areas around the country. Click here to read my opening statement at the hearing.

Speaker of the House Denny Hastert appointed me to serve on the Hurricane Katrina Investigative Committee. I am eager to look into what went right and what went wrong in our preparedness and response so we can do a much better job managing future catastrophic emergencies.

My Ninth Trip to Iraq

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, with oversight responsibility for the Departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security, I visit Iraq in order to make an independent assessment of our operations; make recommendations to the Administration on ways to do better; and advocate our government’s positions to the Iraqis.

In July, I met with American troops, Iraqi policemen, and Sunnis, Shias and Kurds who were writing their constitution.

We are making progress training Iraqi security forces. As we reach critical mass, we are handing over security responsibilities directly to them. In 12 of the 18 territories across the country, you see very few American forces. If we continue at this pace, late next year we can begin to draw down our troops.

Iraq's National Assembly gave final approval to the nation's new constitution on September 18 and are preparing for an October 15 referendum. Iraqis have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Our founding fathers failed on their first attempt at a Constitution (Articles of Confederation) and the second attempt took 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights) before it was adopted. When completed it was still flawed; women didn’t have the right to vote and African Americans were considered three-fifths of a person and a slave. The Iraqi Constitutional Committee members know the significance of their job and feel like they are the George Washingtons, Ben Franklins, Roger Shermans and John Adams of their blossoming nation.

PATRIOT Act and Civil Liberties Board

The bombings in London were yet another reminder that it is not a matter of if, but when, where and with what magnitude terrorists will strike again. Our Cold War strategy of containing and reacting to our enemies is no longer relevant. Our world has changed, and our national security strategy has to change with it. Detection and prevention must be our primary emphasis.

Detection requires a legal framework that allows our intelligence officials to operate more effectively than before September 11th. With passage of the PATRIOT Act in 2001, intelligence officers were finally given tools they need to help detect and prevent acts of terrorism - tools already available to criminal investigators to use against crimes like drug trafficking and mob activities, but withheld from national security officers. The House recently passed the reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act, which I supported.

Click here to read more about this legislation.

With additional government power must come more oversight. For that reason, I introduced a bill with Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Tom Udall (D-NM) which would strengthen the Civil Liberties and Oversight Protection Board -- a key 9/11 Commission recommendation -- by making it an independent agency and granting it subpoena power. Rep. Maloney and I also negotiated the doubling of the Board’s budget during debate on the House floor. As Co-Chair of the 9/11 Commission Caucus, I will continue to work to get the Board fully functioning.

Please click here to read my statement on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Board.

Federal Transportation Bill Brings $93 Million for Fourth District

The long-awaited federal transportation bill was signed into law on August 10. The bill includes $93 million for transportation projects (listed below) throughout our District. Our Senators and I worked closely with local officials to educate the Transportation Committee about our region’s unique transportation needs. I am grateful for this extraordinary support of our transportation needs in Southwestern Connecticut.

Bridgeport
TOTAL: $49,568,000

• $28,000,000 for Intermodal Transit Center*
• $8,750,000 for extension of Barnum Avenue to proposed Lake Success Business Park
• $5,000,000 for construction of Intermodal Transportation facility
• $3,000,000 to construct a high-speed ferry terminal in Bridgeport
• $2,418,000 for Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority Facility Expansion
• $2,000,000 to restructure and widen Seaview Avenue

Stamford
TOTAL: $35,100,000

• $22,800,000 for Urban Transitway*
• $8,800,000 to reconfigure four rail underpasses to ease traffic congestion
• $2,000,000 for construction of high-speed ferry terminal
• $1,500,000 to construct walking bridge and trail connecting Mill River Revitalization Project with west side of river
• Full Authorization for Stamford Boston Post Road Train Station*

Norwalk
TOTAL: $4,018,000

• $2,000,000 to improve roads for Norwalk-Center - West Avenue Corridor Municipal Development Plan area and the Academy Street Extension Project
• $1,600,000 for Improvements to Route 1 between East Avenue and Belden Avenue
• $418,000 for Pulse Point Facility

Monroe
TOTAL: $1,200,000

• $1,200,000 for Route 111 between Purdy Hill Road and Fan Hill Road
• $400,000 for Pequonnock Valley Trail Bike/Pedestrian Path

Shelton
TOTAL: $2,800,000

• $1,600,000 for Housatonic River Walk
• $800,000 for Route 8, Exit 11 entrance ramp
• $400,000 for widening of Canal Street

Oxford
TOTAL: $400,000

• $400,000 for improvements to East Commerce Drive

* These projects are Fully Authorized and must work out full funding grant agreements with the Federal Transit Administration.

Saving Sub Base New London from Closure

When the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission spared Sub base New London from closure, I could think of one word: Awesome!

The Commission made the right decision and the only decision that should have been made.

It’s important to know that the Groton Sub Base, Navy School and Electric Boat -- this center of excellence – will continue to serve our great nation with distinction.

I have tremendous admiration for the efforts of Governor Rell, Senators Dodd and Lieberman, and Representative Simmons. Governor Rell, and the entire Connecticut Congressional Delegation had an extraordinary bipartisan team to ensure BRAC heard our arguments loud and clear.

LICAP

New England’s electricity providers proposed a new energy pricing scheme called “Locational Installed Capacity Proposal” (LICAP) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

LICAP would allegedly provide incentives to build power plants needed to ensure adequate electricity supplies for New England, but estimates show this proposal could cost New England energy consumers $13.5 billion over the next 5 years, increasing Connecticut residents’ electric bills by up to 24%.

I have strongly opposed this proposal and all of New England’s Congressional representatives and I have vocally shared our concerns with FERC. FERC recently announced it would hear oral arguments on the LICAP proposal and will delay implementation of LICAP, if approved, by ten months. This was a win for Connecticut because it gives us more time to explain to FERC how fatally flawed this proposal truly is.

Click here to read the Connecticut Delegation’s concerns about the proposal.

Constituent Tip

As you may know, my District staff provides a full range of services to the Fourth Congressional District. Constituents frequently seek assistance with concerns involving Social Security, Medicare, the IRS, Citizenship and Immigration Services and other agencies. If you have a problem or question concerning an agency, the district staff is prepared to assist you. Each newsletter, we provide a “constituent tip” to help you navigate different processes more efficiently. This newsletter, we’ve shared information on changing your address when you move.

Changing your mailing address

When you are moving, there are several ways to let the Postal Service know you want your mail forwarded. The simple Change of Address Order form is available online at https://moversguide.usps.com or you can fill out the form at your local Post Office. All you need is your complete new address and the date of your move.

To avoid any delays in your mail forwarding, be sure to turn in your Change of Address Order at least 30 days before you move. At that time you should also notify everyone who sends you mail of your new address and the date of your move. Many bills and statements have an area for making an address change notification.

In addition to the Postal Service, don't forget to notify:

The Department of Motor Vehicles

Your local Registrar of Voters

Social Security Administration, if you are receiving benefits

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, if you are a resident alien or applying for an immigrant visa

Military Academy Night

We will hold an Academy Night for Fourth District high school students interested in our nation’s military academies. The event will be Monday, October 3, 2005 from 7:00 - 8:30 P.M. It will be held at Norwalk City Hall Community Room, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk.

Personnel from the Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, West Point Academy and the Coast Guard Academy have been invited to speak about opportunities provided by our nation’s military academies and to answer questions high school students may have on how to receive a quality, tuition free, four year college education.

For further information please visit my website or contact Diana Washington at 203/579-5870 or diana.washington@mail.house.gov