Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 11, 1999 Page: 3 of 20
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY
CHEROKEEAN/HERALD of Rusk, Texas—Thursday, February 11,1999—Page 3A
Despite impeachment, Congress moves ahead with agenda
■ T\irner named to Minority
Ranking Member of the
Government Management,
Information and Technology
(GMIT) Subcommittee
The 106th Congress began under the
cloud of the impeachment trial, but this
did not Slow the activities in the offices of
the 2nd Congressional District.
Several pieces of legislation, which I
have cosponsored and
which will benefit
families in East Texas
have already been in-
troduced or are sched-
uled to be introduced
in the coming weeks:
• Prescription
Drug Fairness Act:
Last year I introduced
this legislation in an
effort to lower the cost
of prescription drugs
for our senior citizens.
Too many of America's
elderly can no longer
afford the rising costs of their needed
medications. Some are even forced to
choose between food and medicine.
Last year I commissioned a study to
determine whether senior citizens are
being unfairly overcharged for their pre-
scription drugs, and this research revealed
that the big pharmaceutical companies
engage in discriminatory pricing prac-
tices that result in our seniors paying, on
average, over twice the price for their
prescriptions as the big drug companies
charge their most favored customers-the
big insurance companies, HMO's and even
the government.
It is just plain wrong for big pharmaceu-
tical companies to charge the highest
prices to senior citizens, who are often
among our nation's most financially vul-
nerable. When I introduce the Prescrip-
tion Drug Fairness Act again in a few
weeks, I hope to secure the support of over
100 co-sponsors.
The big drug companies will oppose this
U.S. Congressman
Jim Turner
legislation, but for our senior citizens it's
well worth the fight.
• Older Americans Act (OAA) : In
January of this year I co-sponsored this
legislation to reauthorize and continue
the OAA until the year 2002. Promoting
independence and a better quality of life
for our senior citizens is the primary goal
of the OAA.
This important bill funds services for
our senior citizens, including our commu-
nity senior citizen centers. These centers
represent one of the best programs for our
seniors by filling nutrition needs and pro-
viding important fellowship activities for
older Americans.
• Breast Cancer Patient Protec-
tion Act: The fight to battle cancer con-
tinues in this nation, and while much
progress has been made, much work still
remains. Breast cancer is currently the
leading cause of cancer death in women,
second only to lung cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates
that nearly 175,000 new cases will be
diagnosed among American women in
1999 alone. We have all seen news re-
ports describing what has become known
as the "drive-through mastectomy," or the
premature hospital release of patients
following surgery. The very difficult time
a woman with this disease faces, and that
which her family faces with her, should
not be made all the more trying as a result
of cost-saving measures adopted in recent
years by insurance companies.
In response to this, I have co-sponsored
the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act
which heeds women's health concerns in
this area by requiring managed care plans
to allow mastectomy patients a 48-hour
hospital stay and patients of lymph node
removal a 24-hour stay.
• Protecting Social Security:
Alongside these important issues is the
matter of protecting Social Security-not
only for senior citizens today, but for gen-
erations to come.
My first legislative vote of this Congress
was a vote in support of a proposed U.S.
House rule to save Social Security first
and enforce off-budget treatment of it.
This important rule stipulates that it
would become out of order in the House to
consider spending increase measures or
tax cut legislation that would rely upon
budget surplus dollars created by the So-
cial Security fund.
It is vital that we continue in efforts to
preserve this program that millions of
Americans rely upon every day.
• Reforestation Incentives: As East
Texans, we realize the importance of main-
taining a strong and viable forestry in-
dustry in the United States. I will reintro-
duce legislation, the Reforestation Tax
Relief Act of 1999, which will provide
expanded tax incentives to encourage tim-
berland owners to reforest their lands.
To protect the forest products industry
for the future, Congress must enact legis-
lation that will promote more reforesta-
tion by individuals and companies en-
gaged in the production of timber. In East
Texas we harvest more timber every year
than we plant. This trend must be halted.
A shortage of timber in the future means
that our sawmills will face higher prices
for raw material, which will in turn make
it difficult to survive in an increasingly
competitive market.
My bill makes simple changes to exist-
ing law by increasing the amount of refor-
estation expenses that can be amortized
from $10,000 to $25,000 per year, reduc-
ing the required amortization period from
84 to 36 months and increasing the an-
nual tax credit from $1,000 to $2,500 for
reforestation expenses. Several House
Members have co-sponsored this legisla-
tion in a show of bipartisan support, which
translates into potential good news for
the future stability of our East Texas
forestry-based economy.
• Buy American : East Texas live-
stock producers, who play such a vital role
in our economy, will be glad to learn that
legislation has been introduced to assist
in efforts to stabilize the meat market by
emphasizing the quality of American-pro-
duced meat.
The Country of Origin Meat Labeling
Act of 1999, as its name implies, calls for
providing country of origin labeling of
meat and meat products. Labeling is
supported by both consumers and produc-
ers, and this legislation, which I co-spon-
sored, has received the support of groups
such as the American Farm Bureau Fed-
eration, the Texas Farm Bureau and the
National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
•Truth in Recruiting :
As an Army veteran and active member
of the U.S. House Armed Services Com-
mittee, 1 have made it a priority to sup-
port legislation which protects our nation's
veterans and recognizes the sacrifices
made by them for our country. In January
I had the privilege of signing on as an
original cosponsor to legislation which
continues in this direction.
The Truth in Recruiting Ac t mandates
that members of the armed forces will be
entitled to all benefits promised them
when they originally entered the armed
forces-an important issue for veterans
who have faced reductions in benefits or
additional health care costs.
• Eliminating Ciovermm>n t Waste:
As a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a
group of inoderate-to-conscrvative law-
makers dedicated to fiscal responsibility
and reducing the national debt, I have
continued in efforts to make government
agencies more accountable to the public
they are intended to serve. To this end, I
have co-sponsored legislation, the Abol-
ishment of Obsolete Agencies and Elimi-
nation of Duplication Act of 1999, which
forces federal agencies to justify their
existence-or face elimination. This cost-
effective measure comes as good news to
American taxpayers, who deserve to know
that their tax dollars are being spent
wisely.
Making our government efficient and
accountable is one of the most important
tasks lawmakers must undertake. I be-
lieve that this legislation will help to en-
sure that our federal agencies perform
functions that best serve the public need,
and it represents a solid step in the right
direction.
• Y2K: In the 106th Congress, I will
continue to serve on the U.S. I louse Gov-
ernment Reform Committee. ' i this ca-
pacity, I was recently named Ranking
Member ofthe Government Management,
Information and Technology (GMIT) Sub-
committee,which has played an instru-
mental role in raising awareness of the
YEAR 2000 (Y2K) computer date prob-
lem. This issue presents businesses and
individuals throughout the world with
the challenge of successfully facing the
transition from the year 1999 to the year
2000.
If a successful solution is not found for
this problem, Y2K could translate into
dramatic consequences for American fami-
lies. With regard to federal computers
alone, everything from veterans' benefits
information to the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration could potentially be affected.
Because we live in such a computer-de-
pendent age, the Y2K issue must be given
top priority status in the upcoming
months.
Our Congressional district staff con-
tinue to provide service to hundreds of
individuals and businesses in East Texas
every month. I welcome your ideas and
suggestions for making our government
work better and more efficiently for all of
us. I 'lease feel free to contact our offices in
Washington, Lufkin, Crockett or Orange.
1 received perfect scores for my voting
record in the 105th Congress from the
League of Private Property Voters and
the Texas Farm Bureau. I also received
favorable grades from the American For-
est and Paper Association, the American
Federation ol'Teachers, the National Edu-
cation Association, the National Commit-
tee to Preserve Social Security and Medi-
care, the National Federation of Indepen-
dent Business and the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce.
In January of this year, the U.S. House
Government Reform Committee named
me the Minority Ranking Member ofthe
Government Management, Information
and Technology (GMIT) Subcommittee,
making me one of the few second-term
Members of Congress to be appointed to
this position. In this role, I will assume a
leadership role in raising awareness of
the Y2K computer date problem.
Check Plus!
T
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Greg James hands a $500 check to Rusk Lions Club
member Ike Daniel. The money wiill be used to support the
Rusk Lions Club Youth Summer Program.
W. v I
ELECTED OFFICIALS
PresidentBill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
president@whitehouse.gov
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Washington, D.C. 20510
District office:
1919 Smith St., Suite 800
Houston, Tex. 77002 ,
senator@hutchison.senate.gov
Sen. Phil Gramm
370 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510-4302
District office:
Nations Bank Bldg.
Suite 201
Tyler, Tex. 75702
Rep. Jim Turner
208 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
phone: 202-225-5955
District office
701 N. 1st St, Room 201
Lufkin, Tex. 75901
Gov. George W. Bush
State Capitol
Austin, Tex. 78701
www.governor. state, tx. us
Lt. Gov. Rick Perry
State Capitol
P.O. Box 12068
Austin,Tex. 78711-2068
www.senate.statetx.vs/75r/ltgov/
feedback.htm
Sen. Drew Nixon
State Senator-District 3
P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station
Austin, Tex. 463-0103
District office:
320 North Street, Suite 301
Nacogdoches, Tex. 75961
(409) 564-4252
Drew.Nixon@senate.state.tx.us
Rep. Todd Staples
State Representative-Dist. 11
P.O. Box 2910, Capitol Station
Austin, Tex. 78768-2910
(512) 463-0592
district office:
P.O. Box 257
Palestine, Tex.
todd.staples@house.state.tx.us
i
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^MEMORIAL
Health System of East Texas
GOOD SHEPHERD
MEDICAL CENTER
TfaMiTlHjljMOTHER Frances
HEAL TH SYS T B M
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 11, 1999, newspaper, February 11, 1999; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152411/m1/3/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.