Senator John Hoeven (R - ND)
Washington, D.C. - July 22, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem filed a claim with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking $38 million to cover the costs related to the illegal protests surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven secured $10 million in Fiscal Year 2017 through the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance program to help reimburse the state.
“The Army Corps of Engineers and other federal officials did not enforce the law, which allowed the illegal encampment to take place,” Hoeven said. “The State of North Dakota should not have to bear the resulting costs and that is why I have worked to secure funds to reimburse the state. I support the Attorney General in these continuing efforts to make the state whole and will assist however I can on behalf of our state’s taxpayers.”
The Unpopular Truth
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Hatch Statement on New Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board
Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R - UT)
Washington, D.C. - July 22, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), a member and former Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order launching the New Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board:
“The President’s executive order will help us prepare America’s workers for the jobs of the future. Investing in employer-led training is essential, which is why I have long supported apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and enhanced career skill-building opportunities. I plan to do my part in bringing employers, employees, and educational institutions together to strengthen our nation’s workforce.”
Background:
The President’s Executive Order established the President’s National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board to solve the new challenges faced by American workers.
The President’s National Council for the American Worker (Council) will provide a forum for the development of a national strategy to address urgent workforce issues. The Council will:
Develop a national campaign to raise awareness of workforce issues, such as the urgency of the skills crisis and the importance of STEM education;
Create a plan for recognizing companies that demonstrate excellence in workplace education, training, retraining policies, and workforce investment;
Help expand the number of apprenticeships and encourage increased investment in training and re-training American workers;
Recommend a specific course of action for increasing transparency related to education and job-training programs, and propose ways to increase available job data; and
Consider and implement the recommendations of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board (Board), as appropriate.
The Board will draw upon the knowledge and expertise of leaders from outside government to develop recommendations on how to improve our country’s education and training.
The Board will play an important role in encouraging the private, education, and not-for-profit sectors to commit to investing in and re-training their workers.
The Administration is also calling on American companies, associations, and foundations to sign a pledge committing to invest in workers and students.
Congress has responded to the needs of the labor market in the past few weeks by bringing America’s vibrant Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs into the 21stst Century. With Senator Hatch’s assistance, the Senate HELP Committee recently passed legislation that would help modernize the Carl D. Perkins CTE Act by aligning CTE programs in high school and college with current and future labor market needs. Thanks in part to provisions the Senator authored, the bill preserves state and local control over educational decisions, encourages dual and concurrent enrollment, and incentivizes innovative learning models to help students complete their education and immediately enter a rapidly evolving and highly technical workforce.
In addition to supporting high school and college educational programs, American workers throughout their careers need to acquire the skills to meet the growing demands of a global economy. Senator Hatch will continue working with his colleagues in both the Senate and the House to bring forward legislation that will modernize and expand apprenticeships.
Washington, D.C. - July 22, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), a member and former Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order launching the New Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board:
“The President’s executive order will help us prepare America’s workers for the jobs of the future. Investing in employer-led training is essential, which is why I have long supported apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and enhanced career skill-building opportunities. I plan to do my part in bringing employers, employees, and educational institutions together to strengthen our nation’s workforce.”
Background:
The President’s Executive Order established the President’s National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board to solve the new challenges faced by American workers.
Congress has responded to the needs of the labor market in the past few weeks by bringing America’s vibrant Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs into the 21stst Century. With Senator Hatch’s assistance, the Senate HELP Committee recently passed legislation that would help modernize the Carl D. Perkins CTE Act by aligning CTE programs in high school and college with current and future labor market needs. Thanks in part to provisions the Senator authored, the bill preserves state and local control over educational decisions, encourages dual and concurrent enrollment, and incentivizes innovative learning models to help students complete their education and immediately enter a rapidly evolving and highly technical workforce.
In addition to supporting high school and college educational programs, American workers throughout their careers need to acquire the skills to meet the growing demands of a global economy. Senator Hatch will continue working with his colleagues in both the Senate and the House to bring forward legislation that will modernize and expand apprenticeships.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Graham: Trump Won't Repeat Obama's Mistakes
Senator Lindsey Graham (R - SC)
Washington, D.C. - July 14, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said President Trump won’t repeat President Obama’s mistakes when it comes to dealing with the situation in Syria.
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Putin on Monday and Syria is expected to be a topic of discussion. Graham noted several areas where he expects President Trump will take a tougher line than President Obama.
President Obama’s Mistaken Belief that Withdrawing American Troops would Make America Safer: This decision, which was hailed at the time as removing the United States from the region, directly led to the rise of ISIS. As ISIS gained power – including the establishment of its self-proclaimed ‘Caliphate’ headquartered in Raqqa, Syria – it also led to ISIS-inspired attacks in the United States and Europe.
President Obama Mistakenly Trusting Russia’s Putin and Syria’s Assad: The decision to charge Russia’s Putin and Syria’s Assad with the removal and destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles was considered an achievement that would keep the United States from a deeper engagement in the Syrian civil war. It would also help protect civilian populations in Syria from attacks. However, the agreement proved to be a farce as Syria did not destroy or remove all of his chemical weapons and Russia proved to be an unreliable policeman. Assad went on to launch chemical weapon attacks on locations including Ghouta, Aleppo, Khan Shaykhun, and other locations.
President Obama Mistakenly Placing Trust in Iran: President Obama came into office seeking a new, improved relationship with the Iranian regime, and history has shown that was a disastrous mistake. Obama’s desire for a nuclear deal with Iran was so great that he allowed Iran free reign in Syria. Iran has used billions of dollars in proceeds from the nuclear deal to increase its military might and expand its influence throughout the Middle East. Iran and its proxy – the terrorist group Hezbollah – now are on the borders of Israel and continue to threaten our close ally. There is now a ‘Shia-Crescent’ which stretches from Tehran to Beirut and is controlled by Iran.
“President Obama’s Syria policy can only be described as a disaster,” said Graham. “Time after time he trusted and placed confidence in competitors – if not outright enemies – of the United States. And time after time it proved to be a mistake. Decisions President Obama made – many which were applauded by some at the time – proved to be disasters as time passed.
“Unlike President Obama, President Trump is a strong leader who realizes that America’s national security interests must come first and foremost in any U.S. policy,” said Graham. “While Russia and Iran are pushing for the United States to withdraw, the ultimate ‘America First’ policy is to stay and keep our boots on the throats of radical Islamic groups like ISIS.
“Withdrawal of American forces gives ISIS, and other radical Islamic groups, the breathing space they desperately need to regroup, reorganize, and reconstitute,” said Graham. “President Trump will not let them off the mat again to threaten the United States or the American homeland.
“President Trump showed decisive leadership in sending a strong American force into Syria,” continued Graham. “Working with American allies, like the Kurds and local Syrian opposition forces, we have been successful and President Trump deserves great credit for what they have accomplished.
“President Trump will not abandon our Kurdish and Arab allies, who were instrumental in nearly defeating ISIS, or allow them to be eventually taken over by other hostile actors within the region,” said Graham. “They have borne the overwhelming burden of the fight, all the while helping minimize American losses.
“America’s competitors and enemies knew that President Obama was weak and indecisive,” said Graham. “They see President Trump as steadfast. This is a night and day difference between the two. I don’t expect that to change.”
Washington, D.C. - July 14, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said President Trump won’t repeat President Obama’s mistakes when it comes to dealing with the situation in Syria.
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Putin on Monday and Syria is expected to be a topic of discussion. Graham noted several areas where he expects President Trump will take a tougher line than President Obama.
“President Obama’s Syria policy can only be described as a disaster,” said Graham. “Time after time he trusted and placed confidence in competitors – if not outright enemies – of the United States. And time after time it proved to be a mistake. Decisions President Obama made – many which were applauded by some at the time – proved to be disasters as time passed.
“Unlike President Obama, President Trump is a strong leader who realizes that America’s national security interests must come first and foremost in any U.S. policy,” said Graham. “While Russia and Iran are pushing for the United States to withdraw, the ultimate ‘America First’ policy is to stay and keep our boots on the throats of radical Islamic groups like ISIS.
“Withdrawal of American forces gives ISIS, and other radical Islamic groups, the breathing space they desperately need to regroup, reorganize, and reconstitute,” said Graham. “President Trump will not let them off the mat again to threaten the United States or the American homeland.
“President Trump showed decisive leadership in sending a strong American force into Syria,” continued Graham. “Working with American allies, like the Kurds and local Syrian opposition forces, we have been successful and President Trump deserves great credit for what they have accomplished.
“President Trump will not abandon our Kurdish and Arab allies, who were instrumental in nearly defeating ISIS, or allow them to be eventually taken over by other hostile actors within the region,” said Graham. “They have borne the overwhelming burden of the fight, all the while helping minimize American losses.
“America’s competitors and enemies knew that President Obama was weak and indecisive,” said Graham. “They see President Trump as steadfast. This is a night and day difference between the two. I don’t expect that to change.”
Sen. Cruz Issues Statement Following Latest Hamas Attack on Israel
Senator Ted Cruz (R - TX)
Washington, D.C. - July 14, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to the terrorist organization Hamas firing rockets and mortars into Israel:
“The Palestinian terror group Hamas fired over 100 rockets and mortars at Israeli civilians today, sending tens of thousands of men, women, and children running into bomb shelters. These are the latest in what have become near-daily attacks by Iran-backed terrorists and forces on Israel's northern and southern borders. Iran and its terrorist proxies seek the destruction of Israel. The United States will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Israeli allies and ensure they have what they need to defend themselves, including critical technologies like Iron Dome, to defeat these threats.”
Washington, D.C. - July 14, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement in response to the terrorist organization Hamas firing rockets and mortars into Israel:
“The Palestinian terror group Hamas fired over 100 rockets and mortars at Israeli civilians today, sending tens of thousands of men, women, and children running into bomb shelters. These are the latest in what have become near-daily attacks by Iran-backed terrorists and forces on Israel's northern and southern borders. Iran and its terrorist proxies seek the destruction of Israel. The United States will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Israeli allies and ensure they have what they need to defend themselves, including critical technologies like Iron Dome, to defeat these threats.”
Boozman, Cotton Join Effort to Urge General Perna in Support of Red River Army Depot Assignment
Senator John Boozman - (R - AR)
Washington, D.C. - July 12, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Arkansas’s U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton joined with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), James Inhofe (R-OK) and James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter to General Gustave F. Perna to support the Army’s assignment of Red River Army Depot in Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program, which provides enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility, and power generation for the next generation warfighter.
“Red River’s technical experts maintained Army ground combat and tactical systems for multiple generations, representing an invaluable resource that would be extremely costly and time consuming to reproduce at an alternate location,” the senators wrote. “Their extensive experience rotating Bradleys into combat and training environments have endowed them with a firm understanding of the vehicle and the environments where it is employed. Fortunately for the Army, the AMPV is already benefitting from these highly skilled experts’ institutional knowledge. In a time when readiness is the Army’s top priority, bringing the AMPV to Red River would capitalize on existing capabilities and expertise while ensuring a minimal impact on readiness,” the senators wrote.
Read the full letter below:
July 12, 2018
General Gustave F. Perna
Commanding General
Army Materiel Command
4400 Martin Road
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
Dear General Perna:
We write to support the assignment of Red River Army Depot (Red River) in Texarkana, Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program. The production and deployment of this new Army system provides enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility, and power generation for the next generation warfighter. The assignment of depot maintenance responsibilities and planning for the sustainment of the AMPV program is a critical decision in maximizing the system’s service life while, simultaneously, generating great efficiencies for the Army. Red River offers a turnkey solution that possesses all the components necessary to seamlessly transition to AMPV depot maintenance support.
These components include trained personnel, tooling, production lines, and technical expertise from decades of experience working with BAE Systems, the original equipment manufacturer for the AMPV program. As the Army’s primary depot for ground combat and tactical systems sustainment maintenance operations, Red River has already integrated into the AMPV production process by disassembling, processing, and shipping Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Bradleys) to BAE’s production site for AMPV vehicle production. Due to these factors, Red River would be the most natural and cost efficient location for AMPV maintenance and sustainment.
Red River’s technical experts maintained Army ground combat and tactical systems for multiple generations, representing an invaluable resource that would be extremely costly and time consuming to reproduce at an alternate location. Their extensive experience rotating Bradleys into combat and training environments have endowed them with a firm understanding of the vehicle and the environments where it is employed. Fortunately for the Army, the AMPV is already benefitting from these highly skilled experts’ institutional knowledge. In a time when readiness is the Army’s top priority, bringing the AMPV to Red River would capitalize on existing capabilities and expertise while ensuring a minimal impact on readiness.
In addition to the workforce, Red River has been the Bradley’s DSOR since the 1980’s and the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence since 2002. These designations, coupled with the 75 percent commonality that AMPV shares with the Bradley, make Red River the most effective and efficient choice for the maintenance and sustainment of this new vehicle. The cost to relocate these capabilities to another depot facility would result in a great loss of government funding, manpower, and intellectual resource.
Red River plays a critical role in maintaining warfighter readiness and is in the best position to fulfill the role as the AMPV DSOR. We appreciate your careful attention to this matter and request that you keep our offices informed of any decisions concerning the AMPV DSOR designation at Red River.
Sincerely,
Washington, D.C. - July 12, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Arkansas’s U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton joined with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), James Inhofe (R-OK) and James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter to General Gustave F. Perna to support the Army’s assignment of Red River Army Depot in Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program, which provides enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility, and power generation for the next generation warfighter.
“Red River’s technical experts maintained Army ground combat and tactical systems for multiple generations, representing an invaluable resource that would be extremely costly and time consuming to reproduce at an alternate location,” the senators wrote. “Their extensive experience rotating Bradleys into combat and training environments have endowed them with a firm understanding of the vehicle and the environments where it is employed. Fortunately for the Army, the AMPV is already benefitting from these highly skilled experts’ institutional knowledge. In a time when readiness is the Army’s top priority, bringing the AMPV to Red River would capitalize on existing capabilities and expertise while ensuring a minimal impact on readiness,” the senators wrote.
Read the full letter below:
July 12, 2018
General Gustave F. Perna
Commanding General
Army Materiel Command
4400 Martin Road
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
Dear General Perna:
We write to support the assignment of Red River Army Depot (Red River) in Texarkana, Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program. The production and deployment of this new Army system provides enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility, and power generation for the next generation warfighter. The assignment of depot maintenance responsibilities and planning for the sustainment of the AMPV program is a critical decision in maximizing the system’s service life while, simultaneously, generating great efficiencies for the Army. Red River offers a turnkey solution that possesses all the components necessary to seamlessly transition to AMPV depot maintenance support.
These components include trained personnel, tooling, production lines, and technical expertise from decades of experience working with BAE Systems, the original equipment manufacturer for the AMPV program. As the Army’s primary depot for ground combat and tactical systems sustainment maintenance operations, Red River has already integrated into the AMPV production process by disassembling, processing, and shipping Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Bradleys) to BAE’s production site for AMPV vehicle production. Due to these factors, Red River would be the most natural and cost efficient location for AMPV maintenance and sustainment.
Red River’s technical experts maintained Army ground combat and tactical systems for multiple generations, representing an invaluable resource that would be extremely costly and time consuming to reproduce at an alternate location. Their extensive experience rotating Bradleys into combat and training environments have endowed them with a firm understanding of the vehicle and the environments where it is employed. Fortunately for the Army, the AMPV is already benefitting from these highly skilled experts’ institutional knowledge. In a time when readiness is the Army’s top priority, bringing the AMPV to Red River would capitalize on existing capabilities and expertise while ensuring a minimal impact on readiness.
In addition to the workforce, Red River has been the Bradley’s DSOR since the 1980’s and the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence since 2002. These designations, coupled with the 75 percent commonality that AMPV shares with the Bradley, make Red River the most effective and efficient choice for the maintenance and sustainment of this new vehicle. The cost to relocate these capabilities to another depot facility would result in a great loss of government funding, manpower, and intellectual resource.
Red River plays a critical role in maintaining warfighter readiness and is in the best position to fulfill the role as the AMPV DSOR. We appreciate your careful attention to this matter and request that you keep our offices informed of any decisions concerning the AMPV DSOR designation at Red River.
Sincerely,