e-News 7/10/15

• Helping Patients, Families by Encouraging "Cures"
• Veterans ID Act: Long Overdue
• Iran Nuclear Weapons Negotiations Drag On
• Massive Cyber Breach, Massive Damage at Office of Personnel Management
• The Smallest Army Since Before WWII?
• “Obama facing bipartisan criticism for meeting with Vietnam’s Communist Party head”
• Salute: ‘Thank you’ to my fellow Vietnam veterans!

 

Helping Patients, Families by Encouraging "Cures"

This week the House took on the fight against thousands of diseases that impact the lives of millions of our families, friends, neighbors and coworkers.  

Did you know that there are 10,000 known diseases—7,000 of which are rare—but there are only treatments for 500 of them?

Diseases do not discriminate, and just about everyone knows somebody who has been stricken with a serious debilitating or deadly illness. Innovation and technological advances that increase productivity and our quality of life can also deliver more hope to patients and their families.  We can all agree that America must renew and update our health care research system and maintain our global leadership in medical innovation.

Today, it takes 15 years for a new drug to move from the laboratory to the local pharmacy. That’s unacceptable and one of the reasons why this week’s House passage of H.R. 6, the 21^st Century Cure Act, is so important.  

The “Cures” bill modernizes clinical trials to expedite the development of new drugs and devices for such diseases as Alzheimer’s, juvenile diabetes, heart disease, juvenile arthritis, and various cancers.  The measure also removes regulatory uncertainty in the development of new medical applications, and breaks down barriers to facilitate increased research collaboration. In addition, the package provides new incentives for the development of drugs for rare diseases. 

I was pleased to vote for H.R. 6 when it passed the House this morning by a strong bipartisan vote of 344-77. The bill now must be approved by the Senate before President Obama has the opportunity to sign it into law. 

Four things you need to know about the 21^st Century Cure Act:

1.       Cuts Red Tape: This will allow scientists to focus on discovery rather than bureaucracy.

2.       Increases Accountability: The resources provided for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in H.R. 6 will be subject to Congressional oversight.  This gives Congress the opportunity to review programs and prioritize spending where it is needed most.

3.       Reduces the Deficit with Permanent Entitlement Reforms: The bill includes several permanent entitlement reforms in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, will reduce the deficit by $500 million over the next decade.

4.       Protects Jobs: New Jersey is known as “America’s Medicine Chest” and the reforms in H.R. 6 will increase U.S. competitiveness in the biomedical field, helping to beat back competition from other countries, like China, and keep more of our public and private efforts focused on life-saving and life-changing research.  

Veterans ID Act: Long Overdue

The House this week took a long overdue step and passed the Veterans ID Card Act (H.R. 91).  This bill will allow all of America’s veterans to have a permanent ID card that proves their military service.   It now goes to the president’s desk for his signature.

Yes, this sounds like one of those things that should exist already. Even now, however, there is no universal way for our veterans to prove their status.  Some have special ID cards, but many have to carry around old forms that contain sensitive information and, of course, weather and fade over time.  Frankly, it’s another hassle and headache our veterans shouldn’t have to bear.   With this bill, we’re fixing the problem, making it easier for our veterans to get the services they need.

Of course, when it comes to veterans’ care, there is much more to be done.  Congress is doing its part but only the president can change the culture at the VA.

Learn more about the Veterans ID Card Act here.

Iran Nuclear Weapons Negotiations Drag On

It’s no secret that I think the Obama Administration is taking a dangerous path of concession and surrender to a terrorist regime that has had American blood on its hands since 1979.

I made this public statement on the House floor yesterday.  You can watch my speech here.

Massive Cyber Breach, Massive Damage at Office of Personnel Management

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) resigned this afternoon after revealing the recent cyber-breach in her key department touched over 20 million federal workers, many with high-level security clearances. 

For years, the Obama Administration has been issuing serious warnings to private sector companies to protect themselves from cyber intrusions, while at the same time, a key federal agency remained vulnerable!  This is utterly unacceptable!

Today, the depth and breadth of the data breach at the OPM is staggering and has raised very serious counter-intelligence issues for our country.  Given the track record here, I remain concerned about OPM’s corrective steps.  We must protect our government’s security, information, employees, and their families.

Read more about the OPM breach in National Journal’s recent story, “OPM Announces More Than 21 Million Affected by Second Data Breach.”

The Smallest Army Since Before WWII?

In 2012, Army leaders agreed to a plan to cut the Army from 490,000 soldiers to just 450,000 because it aligned with the Defense Department's “strategic guidance” at the time.

Times have changed, but the Obama Administration does not seem to notice.

Despite the fact that these “end strength” decisions were made before Russian aggression towards the Ukraine and Europe, the fight with ISIL in the Mideast and other Muslim jihadist groups in Africa, a resurgent Iranian military and new challenges from China, the Army this week announced details of its plans to cut 40,000 troops from its ranks.  And they warned that further “sequestration” budget cuts could leave the service at 420,000 men and women.

Planned reductions in Army force levels are a result of hundreds of billions of dollars in defense cuts since President Obama took office.  During this time, Army end strength has been slashed from a high of 556,000 to this new low of 450,000. 

People living in the past believe we can tolerate a smaller Army and Navy, Air Force and Marines because the world is safer.  I disagree and will continue to work to bolster our national security by ensuring adequate end strength and defense funding levels.

Once again, our enemies, and our allies, are watching.

Read more about the Army’s plan here.

“Obama facing bipartisan criticism for meeting with Vietnam’s Communist Party head”

On the day before Congress paused to mark the 50^th Anniversary of the service provided by Vietnam veterans, the President received the head of Vietnam’s Communist party!  Personally, as a Vietnam veteran, I was insulted that the President chose to host Vietnam’s Communist Party leadership at the White House and dishonor the memory of nearly 60,000 men and women who died there!

Read about the bipartisan reaction here.

Salute: A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to my fellow Vietnam veterans as Congress paused this week to recognize the service of 7.2 million living Vietnam-era veterans, their fallen comrades-in-arms, and the families of all who served.