News about: Nazi Deportation, Charlottesville, Censure, Monuments, Prisons, Racial Profiling, Right to Work, Pardon, Praying

Camping World CEO has told Trump supporters that they can take their business elsewhere, he doesn't want it. Doesn't he realize that Trump supporters are people who hunt and fish the most? Click HERE to read more about it...

Members of the New York Congressional Delegation wrote a letter urging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to personally seek the deportation of a Nazi prison guard living in Queens. Led by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Congressman Dan Donovan (R-NY), the lawmakers asked Secretary Tillerson to use his influence to ensure that Jakiw Palij—a convicted Nazi guard—is deported, so New Yorkers and Americans are not forced to live besides “a painful reminder for Americans who fought against the Nazis or lost loved ones in the Holocaust.” Read more about it by clicking here...

The following Members have signed on as cosponsors of H.Res.496 censuring President Trump for his Charlottesville comments:

Alma Adams (D-NC)
Nannette Barragan (D-CA)
Ami Bera (D-CA)
Karen Bass (D-CA)
Don Beyer (D-VA)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Anthony Brown (D-MD)
Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Michael Capuano (D-MA)
Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Tony Cardenas (D-CA)
David Cicilline (D-RI)
Katherine Clark (D-MA)
Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
William Lacy Clay (D-MO)
Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA)
John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI)
Joe Courtney (D-CT)
Joe Crowley (D-NY)
Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT)
Dwight Evans (D-PA)
Bill Foster (D-IL)
Lois Frankel (D-FL)
Marcia Fudge (D-OH)
John Garamendi (D-CA)
Jimmy Gomez (D-CA)
Al Green (D-TX)
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
Denny Heck (D-WA)
Brian Higgins (D-NY)
Jim Himes (D-CT)
Jared Huffman (D-CA)
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX)
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Joe Kennedy (D-MA)
Rohit Khanna (D-CA)
Ruben Kihuen (D-NV)
Dan Kildee (D-MI)
Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
Ann Kuster (D-NH)
James Langevin (D-RI)
Rick Larsen (D-WA)
John Larson (D-CT)
Brenda Lawrence (D-MI)
Al Lawson (D-FL)
Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Sander Levin (D-MI)
Ted Lieu (D-CA)
Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
David Loebsack (D-IA)
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM)
Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Donald McEachin (D-VA)
Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Greg Meeks (D-NY)
Grace Meng (D-NY)
Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Richard Neal (D-MA)
Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ)
Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
Scott Peters (D-CA)
Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Mark Pocan (D-WI)
Jared Polis (D-CO)
David Price (D-NC)
Mike Quigley (D-IL)
Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
Cedric Richmond (D-LA)
Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Brad Schneider (D-IL)
David A. Scott (D-GA)
Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Albio Sires (D-NJ)
Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Adam Smith (D-WA)
Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Mark Takano (D-CA)
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Norma Torres (D-CA)
Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)
Tim Walz (D-MN)
Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Peter Welch (D-VT)

Is it any surprise that all of them are Democrats?

Rep. Grace F. Napolitano slammed the U.S. Department of Interior for lack of transparency after releasing only a summary of the report on the Trump Administration’s review of certain National Monuments, including the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, issuing the following statement:

“This administration and Secretary Zinke have shut out the voices of the public, turning a review of some of our precious monuments into one of the least transparent and most complicated federal processes. The review was announced on April 26 of this year through an Executive Order by President Trump, yet we in the San Gabriel Valley have still not heard from the Secretary. I placed several requests to Secretary Zinke’s office, inviting him to come to California, visit our monument, and to speak with local residents, businesses, and city officials. I never received a response. I additionally sent a detailed letter describing the history and importance of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to our community. If the Secretary is not taking the time to meet with nearby locals nor sharing details of proposed changes to these monuments, then who really controls this process? How can the Secretary make a decision behind closed doors in Washington, DC without stepping foot in Southern California? It looks as though no monuments will be fully eliminated as a result of this review, but we sincerely hope Secretary Zinke publicly releases his recommendations and changes to existing monuments he sent to the White House today. The public, including 2.4 million Americans who submitted comments on the process, has every right to know. As we await details relating to the future of our national monuments, I will continue to fight to protect our limited green space in Los Angeles County and across the country."

Typical Democrat: pretending to care about monuments while destroying them.

However, the Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association were encouraged by the Department of the Interior’s report on National Monuments released today. The final report comes after an extensive review of Antiquities Act designations, ordered by President Trump, which included listening sessions in the field and a public comment period.

Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council, stated:

“It is clear Presidents have repeatedly abused their authority under the Antiquities Act locking up over 250 million acres of land and water without local input or economic analysis. We are grateful to Secretary Zinke and his team for soliciting feedback from those most affected by executive land-grabs, and look forward to swift action from the White House in response to the recommendations that aligns with the original intent of the Antiquities Act.”

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) filed an amendment to the fiscal year 2018 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill to prohibit the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from carrying out the law that requires individuals in halfway houses and on home confinement to pay a subsistence fee to offset the cost of being housed or supervised. Currently, BOP charges residents at BOP halfway houses a subsistence fee of 25 percent of their gross income, but in August 2016 stopped charging any fee for home confinement. Norton has taken special interest in eliminating BOP-imposed subsistence fees because District of Columbia Code felons are the only local felons housed by BOP and are subject to the fee when in halfway houses. Norton introduced a stand-alone bill to eliminate the subsistence fees and wrote BOP Acting Director Thomas R. Kane calling on BOP to eliminate or significantly reduce subsistence fees. She states:

“Imposing costly subsistence fees on those living at federal halfway houses puts a heavy financial burden on returning citizens who are trying to save money and prepare to make the already difficult transition back to society. Eliminating these counterproductive subsistence fees would help returning citizens meet their financial obligations and secure employment and housing.”

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) also filed an amendment to the fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing And Urban Development Appropriations bill to prohibit states that receive federal transportation funding from engaging in unconstitutional profiling based on physical characteristics. Norton said the Supreme Court has stated that racial profiling violates both equal protection and title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and therefore her amendment states that none of the funds in the transportation title could be used in contravention of the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Norton’s amendment previously unanimously passed by voice vote on the House floor and was included in the fiscal year 2015 omnibus appropriations bill, which was signed into law in December 2014. She states:

“Despite heightened awareness of racial profiling throughout the country, we continue to see disproportionate stops of African Americans and other people of color by law enforcement officials. My amendment is a straightforward attempt to reduce racial profiling by local law enforcement by holding them accountable and putting their federal funding on the line if they engage in unconstitutional profiling.”

A Chicago worker, assisted by National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys, has appealed the dismissal of federal unfair labor practice charges against the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and UWUA Local 18007. Gerald Howard is employed by Peoples Gas in Chicago, Illinois. UWUA Local 18007 union officials have a monopoly bargaining contract in place with Peoples Gas that includes a requirement that workers can be fired for refusing to pay dues or fees to the union.

Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because Illinois is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. Under the National Right to Work Foundation-won Supreme Court case Communication Workers v. Beck, nonmember workers cannot be legally compelled to pay union dues used for union politics and member-only activities. Workers can also demand a breakdown of the dues and fees paid to see which fees are used for which purpose.

In a letter sent to UWUA Local 18007 on February 18, Howard formally resigned his membership in the UWUA and objected to paying full dues, as is his right under the Beck precedent, but UWUA Local 18007 union officials failed to acknowledge his resignation. A month later on March 15, Howard sent another letter, this time to officials at the UWUA International headquarters in Washington, DC.

In a letter dated April 3, Washington-based UWUA officials finally acknowledged Howard’s resignation and objection to paying full dues as of his February 18 letter. The UWUA official’s letter also claimed that Howard would be required to pay 90% of full union dues, but did not provide any explanation for how it arrived at that figure.

Although the UWUA later provided Howard a breakdown attempting to justify that non-chargeable activities like union political and lobbying activities only make up ten percent of full dues, further evidence suggests the figure is not accurate. In required disclosure reports filed with the U.S. Department of Labor under threat of perjury, UWUA officials do not categorize political spending but their report shows multiple examples of political spending that contradict the figures in the breakdown provided to Howard after he filed his unfair labor practice charges.

“UWUA union bosses are ignoring clear Supreme Court precedent, compelling payment for union political and lobbying activities and violating the rights of a worker they claim to ‘represent’ in their grab for more forced union dues,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “This type of disregard for the rights of rank-and-file workers highlights why Illinois desperately needs a Right to Work law making union affiliation and dues payments strictly voluntary.”

The National Urban League has condemned the pardoning of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Click HERE to read about it.

A Washington state high school football coach who was punished for taking a knee at the 50-yard line for a post-game prayer violated the U.S. Constitution, according to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Read about it...

And, Finally, according to Truthfeed,

"A federal judge has denied Democratic Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) from casting any senate votes until his case is closed. Menendez has been indicted on corruption charges and will heading to court next month."

Read more about it by clicking here

Maxine Waters:

"I'm afraid if North Korea nukes us, that man is gonna get us into a war!"

and

"If you come after me...I'm coming after you!"

And she says the President doesn't make any sense...??????????

After Charlottesville Attack, 22 Democrat Senators Press DHS on Trump Administration’s De-emphasis of Domestic Terrorism Efforts

Newark, NJ - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- In the wake of the deadly attack stemming from a far-right demonstration in Charlottesville, Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and a group of 22 other lawmakers are pressing the Department of Homeland Security on questions arising from the Trump Administration’s alleged de-emphasis on protecting Americans from domestic terrorism, especially the Administration’s alleged decision to de-emphasize combating far-right extremism.

The Senators, led by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), questioned DHS Acting Secretary Elaine Duke about the department’s apparent shift in focus.

“The alleged attack that killed one innocent person and injured at least nineteen others in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend was seemingly not just an ugly display of racist violence, it was likely also an incident of domestic terrorism,” the senators wrote. “Yet as our nation confronts the problem of growing racial, religious and even political hatred, we are concerned that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may not be adequately addressing one of the most significant threats of domestic terrorism.”
The senators noted that the Trump Administration revoked DHS funding to Life After Hate, an organization devoted to the rehabilitation of former neo-Nazis and other extremists.

“Several new grantees were added, but it now appears the focus on far-right extremism has been significantly reduced, if not completely eliminated,” the senators continued. They asked DHS to explain its decision, and to clarify reports that Trump transition team aide Katharine Gorka “may have played a role in the decisions about which groups would and would not receive [Countering Violent Extremism] grants.”

The senators expressed concern that “troubling indications of this Administration’s priorities are not limited to these developments. President Trump kept silent after the August 5, 2017, bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota. And the President faced two days of mounting pressure before finally denouncing far-right groups after the Charlottesville attack, while declaring the next day that ‘I think there’s blame on both sides.’ Far-right extremist groups, including neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, white supremacists, and other groups motivated by racial and ethnic hatred, present a significant risk of violence and domestic terrorism. It is critical that the Administration’s policies and priorities reflect this risk, and protect all Americans from violence and domestic terrorism.”

Senators joining Menendez, Booker and Leahy in signing the letter are: Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis), Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

STATEMENT BY SASC CHAIRMAN JOHN McCAIN URGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE LETHAL DEFENSIVE ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE

Washington, D.C. - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement ahead of Secretary Mattis’s trip to Kiev tomorrow, urging the Trump administration to provide lethal defensive assistance to Ukraine:

“Secretary Mattis's visit to Kiev provides yet another opportunity for the United States to correct its policy toward Ukraine and provide the lethal defensive assistance the country needs to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Earlier this week, President Trump took a step forward when he changed course and departed from his predecessor's failed policy in Afghanistan. The President now has the same opportunity with regard to Ukraine.

“It is long past time for the United States to provide Ukraine the defensive lethal assistance it needs to deter and defend against further Russian aggression. Raising the cost of aggression may help to change Vladimir Putin's calculus, pressure Russia to fully comply with the Minsk agreements, and, ultimately, create more stable security conditions on the ground that are essential for peace. In other words, providing defensive lethal assistance to Ukraine is not opposed to a peaceful resolution of this conflict – it is essential to achieving it. As long as the status quo remains, Russia has no reason to change its behavior, and we should only expect more violence and more death.

“Several weeks ago, the President took the first significant step toward imposing costs on Russian aggression when he signed into law new sanctions passed by Congress. Changing U.S. policy to provide lethal defensive assistance to Ukraine would be another step in the right direction – sending a strong signal that the United States will stand by the sovereign right of its allies and partners to choose their own future.”

Senator Markey Leads Call for Ban on Menthol Cigarettes

Washington, D.C. - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today led a group of U.S. Senators in calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes. In 2011, the FDA conducted a scientific review that concluded “that menthol cigarettes pose a public health risk above that seen with non-menthol cigarettes.” Despite this finding and other supporting data, the FDA has yet to take action to address the risk of menthol in cigarettes. Recently, the agency indicated it would open another public comment period on menthol, an activity that will serve to further delay any action to protect public health from the dangers of menthol cigarettes. In their letter to FDA, the Senators point to one model that found that because of the availability of menthol cigarettes, nine million individuals would initiate smoking between 2010 and 2050. Another model showed that hundreds of thousands of deaths would be averted by removing menthol. The FDA’s own scientific assessment also found that menthol cigarettes frequently serve as a starter product for youth, are associated with increased nicotine dependence in young smokers, and make it more difficult to quit smoking.

“As Senators committed to the FDA’s mission to protect public health, we believe it is time for the FDA to act on the substantial scientific data and use the authority provided by the Tobacco Control Act to remove menthol cigarettes from the marketplace,” write the Senators in the letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “Continued delay on this issue will only further worsen this public health crisis, as a new generation of smokers are initiated and become addicted to menthol cigarettes.”

A copy of the letter to the FDA can be found HERE.

Also signing the letter are Senator Patty Murray (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

President Signs Manchin, Ernst Bipartisan Effort to Authorize Global War on Terrorism War Memorial

Washington, D.C. - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Last week, bipartisan legislation championed by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), known as the Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act, was signed into law by the President. The legislation authorizes the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, a private foundation, to begin the process of pursuing the construction of a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The memorial will honor our men and women in uniform, the fallen servicemembers, their families, and all those who are impacted by our nation’s longest war.

“The President’s recent announcement of increased troop levels in Afghanistan is a somber reminder that there are Americans serving in harm’s way. For the thousands of Americans who perished protecting our freedom, and the million more who were wounded or fought in the global war on terror, this memorial will forever honor their sacrifice to our great country,” Senator Manchin said. “I’m proud of the work done by my colleagues in approving the first step towards building a memorial that commemorates our sons and daughters who answered the call to fight. I thank the President for seeing to it that this memorial was quickly approved. In the coming weeks, there will be much debate on the President’s plans for Afghanistan; however, there is no debate that we have the greatest military in the world and we are indebted to their service.”

“I am thrilled the President has signed into law this important legislation authorizing the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation to begin creating a place of remembrance for those who served, their loved ones, and all impacted by this war,” said Senator Ernst, a combat veteran. “I am thankful this years-long process can now begin so the veterans of this war may have the opportunity to visit the tribute to their selfless service.”

This authorization is the first step in a process that will culminate with the design and construction of a Global War on Terror Memorial on the National Mall without using any federal funds.

The bill, sponsored by Congressmen Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Seth Moulton (D-MA), is a companion measure to S. 926 which Manchin and Ernst introduced in April. Additionally, this legislation has received support from The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US (VFW), Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans Of America (IAVA), Wounded Warrior Project, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, American Veterans (AMVETS), American Goldstar Mothers, Student Veterans of America, The Green Beret Foundation, Team Rubicon, The Mission Continues, Team Red White and Blue, Travis Manion Foundation, Got Your Six, Warrior Expeditions, Union Veteran Council of the AFL-CIO, and Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS).

I wonder how long it will be before the "peaceful" Islamists start tearing this one down...

Trump's Border Visit

Below are a few statements offered about Trump's border visit in Yuma, Arizona. Keep checking back as this page will be updated over time:

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) released the following statement on President Trump’s visit to Yuma, Arizona to review operations of the U.S. Border Patrol:

“The President’s visit to Yuma, Arizona will be a critical step in highlighting the needs of our border patrol operations and evaluating the challenges they face in keeping our country safe. I applaud President Trump for his leadership on this issue and for his relentless commitment to keeping a promise that was central to his campaign. Congress would do well to join the President and follow through on our own promises by including funding for a border wall in upcoming spending bills--anything less will show that we are not serious about keeping our word to the American people.”

Mast Unveils Bill to Create First Federal Action Plan to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms in Greater Everglades Region

Stuart, FL - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today announced the introduction of the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act. The bill will amend existing federal law aimed at combatting harmful algal blooms to require the first-ever specific federal assessment and action plan to reduce harmful algal blooms in the Greater Everglades region.

“Considering the massive damage algal blooms have caused in our community, it’s ridiculous that a federal program specifically designed to combat algal blooms has never done an Everglades-specific analysis,” Rep. Mast said. “This bill is a critical first step to developing a comprehensive plan that forces the state and federal government to work together to keep our water clean.”

The bill amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act to require an assessment and action plan for reducing harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in the Greater Everglades region. Under the direction of this existing federal law, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have developed numerous reports over the last two decades researching harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and nationally. However, there has never been an Everglades-specific report.

The South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act directs the task force to complete an assessment that examines the causes, consequences and potential approaches to reduce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in the Greater Everglades region, including how ongoing South Florida ecosystem restoration efforts are impacting the distribution of algal blooms. Based on the assessment, the task force is then directed to submit a plan to Congress for reducing, mitigating and controlling harmful algal blooms in the Greater Everglades region.

Maloney Introduces First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act to Help Families Invest in First Home

Middletown, NY - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Amid a national rental affordability crisis, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) announced his introduction of the bipartisan First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act. The bill will allow Americans to withdraw up to $25,000 from their IRA for the purchase of their first home without being penalized when they file their taxes. Experts agree that homeownership is one of the best ways for middle class Americans to save for retirement.

“Rental costs are out of control and housing isn’t getting any cheaper,” said Rep. Maloney. “It doesn’t make any sense for the government to penalize people who want to make a smart investment in their first home, and my bill would fix that.”

“I support this bill wholeheartedly because I have three grown children, and they’re about to look for a permanent place to live,” said Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther. “I’m hoping this legislation will pass quickly in Washington – I don’t think anybody could oppose it.”

“Being allowed to invest up to $25,000 is just investing in yourself and your future,” said Orange County Legislator Mike Paduch.“I’m very proud to support it.”

“Homeownership is the American Dream,” said Wallkill Town Councilman Eric Johnson. “At the local level, it builds communities that we need, it builds a tax base, it builds a foundation that makes a safe place to grow up and for families to live.”

“I am thrilled to see Rep. Maloney’s continued and consistent efforts to help residents in the Hudson Valley,” said New York State Association of Realtors Vice President for the Lower Hudson Valley Katheryn DeClerck. “I hope the word gets out to people all around the country to support this bill. Homeownership matters to everybody, it contributes to strong communities, people who purchase a home buy furniture and landscaping and invest in their communities.”

“Homeownership is the foundation of our community,” said Executive Director of the Orange County Rural Development Advisory Corporation Faith Moore. “This provision will be an opportunity to add another tool to our assistance.”

"We strongly support Congressman Maloney's First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act,” said Connie Fagan, Director of the Putnam County Housing Corporation. “Putnam County Housing Corporation's Housing Needs Assessment (January 2014) prepared by the Center for Housing Solutions, Pattern for Progress revealed, Eighty-eight percent (88%) of owners and renters in Putnam county, regardless of income level, are living in Unaffordable and Severely Cost Burdened Housing.' This bill would assist more young individuals and families in realizing the dream of owning a home in their community."

High rents and high housing costs are making it increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers to save money and invest in a home. Experts agree that home ownership is one of the best ways for middle-income families to achieve retirement security. Yet, first-time homebuyers make up only 32% of all buyers, which is the lowest rate since 1987. Additionally, the number of renters dedicating at least half of their income toward housing hit a record high of 11 million people in 2014, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

In 1997, Congress passed legislation allowing first time homebuyers to withdraw up to $10,000 from their IRA without incurring a penalty. Under current law, individuals who withdraw more than $10,000 from their IRA before age 59.5 incur a 10% tax in addition to having the withdrawal subject to income taxes. Rep. Maloney’s First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act would increase the limit to $25,000 and index it to account for inflation.

Rep. Maloney Reaffirms US Commitment to Denuclearized Korean Peninsula during official Congressional Delegation Visit to Seoul

Washington, D.C. - August 24, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), who is currently on a Congressional Delegation trip led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the senior Democrat on the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee’s East Asia Subcommittee, released the following statement after meetings with U.S. military personnel and leaders of South Korea’s government and military.

“During this Congressional trip, we have been briefed by senior U.S. military officials and leaders of South Korea’s government and military. It is clear that our alliance is stronger than ever and our shared commitment to regional security is unwavering. The U.S. and our allies remain united in condemning North Korean actions and rhetoric that threaten its neighbors and in seeking effective diplomatic approaches to ensure stability in the region.

“It is imperative that we denuclearize the Korean peninsula as quickly as possible. In a world with so much disagreement, all of us – Republicans and Democrats and our partners in countries around the world – agree on this objective. Especially today, that is saying a lot.

“We will continue to work closely with countries in this region and the United Nations to hold North Korea accountable for any breaches of international sanctions and use every tool at our disposal to get the regime to de-escalate tensions.”

Along with Senator Markey, Rep. Maloney was joined by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and U.S. Representative Ann Wagner (MO-02) to Korea, Japan and China. The lawmakers are meeting with elected leaders, military and government officials, and energy and technology companies, and many others to discuss the threat from North Korea to the region, security issues, diplomatic partnerships and economic development opportunities amongst the countries. The delegation is also visiting the China-North Korea border and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Letter to the Editor: Charlottesville and Toxic Rhetoric

by Tom MacArthur (R-NJ, 3rd)

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I was proud to build a multinational company with thousands of employees representing every gender, ethnicity, color and creed. Our diversity helped the company to grow, helped families to build better lives, and opened doors of opportunity for some people that may not have been open for their parents and grandparents.

I tell that story because in my life, whether it was in business or now in public service, or through the work of our family charitable foundation across the globe, or at our church, and especially when my wife and I adopted two beautiful children from Korea – the color of one's skin or their ethnicity was never the measure of a person for me. What is far more important, as Dr. King reminded us, is the content of one’s character.

The Courier-Post recently published a letter to the editor that stated: "Now people are dead in Charlottesville. Tom MacArthur's hands are still not clean." So, upon entering politics, while I expected to be called many things, an unrepentant racist who was complicit in the murder of innocent people hundreds of miles away wasn't one of them.

But, unfortunately, that's the state of public discourse in America right now. It is toxic and hate-filled. People across the partisan spectrum are increasingly using inflammatory rhetoric to make their point, or attract attention to their agenda or themselves.

We need to be better than this. President Donald Trump must be better; members of Congress and politicians in both parties must be better; the media, which is too often biased and even dishonest, must be better; and Americans on the fringe of the political left and political right must be better. Each has played a role in getting us to this point, and each has an obligation to move us past it.

What happened in Charlottesville was despicable and tragic. Decent people must utterly reject white supremacists, the KKK, and their hateful and perverse ideology. Many of our parents or grandparents fought in World War II to rid the world of Nazism across Europe; allowing it to rise again on our shores is unacceptable. People of good moral conscience must stand against it.

We must call out prejudice, intolerance and violence wherever it exists, whoever perpetrates it, and whatever part of the political spectrum with which they identify.

We, as a nation, should have an open and honest dialogue about all that is dividing us, but let's recognize that this can't happen if we're screaming at and vilifying each other.

Each of us must look in the mirror and honestly consider whether we are helping to heal our nation or widening the divide. May God help us to be healers. I'm asking all of you reading this to help lower the volume. Only then will we be able to hear one another speak.

U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur

R-3rd Congressional District

This Letter to the Editor first appeared in the Courier-Post here