{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2010-12-22-pt1-PgE2255-3", "2010-12-22", 111, 2, null, null, "ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE 110TH AND 111TH CONGRESS", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "ALLOTHER", "E2255", "E2256", "[{\"name\": \"John J. Hall\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "156 Cong. Rec. E2255", "Congressional Record, Volume 156 Issue 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Pages E2255-E2256]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n            ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE 110TH AND 111TH CONGRESS\n\n                                 ______\n\n                           HON. JOHN J. HALL\n\n                              of new york\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                      Wednesday, December 22, 2010\n\n  Mr. HALL of New York. Madam Speaker, I wold like to submit the\nfollowing: As the Representative for New York's 19th Congressional\nDistrict, I had numerous significant accomplishments in all aspects of\nmeeting local community needs, individual constituent services, and\nenacting federal legislation on behalf of my constituents.\n  I kept my annual promise of holding at least one public event in\nevery town and city in the district to give my constituents an\nopportunity to speak directly with me about their opinions and\nconcerns. I hosted Town Hall Meetings, Congress on Your Corners,\nbusiness roundtables, issues forums and workshops throughout all 4\nyears of my Congressional service. In addition to these events, I\nattended numerous community events hosted by local organizations,\nsenior centers, fire departments, schools, etc. I also did a series of\n``work-a-day'' events where I worked alongside a constituent in a local\njob so I could better understand the day to day challenges they face.\nSome of these events included working with a nurse at an area hospital,\nan assembly line worker at a manufacturing plant, a ride along with a\ndelivery truck driver, weatherization installation at a home,\ninstallation of a geothermal heat/cooling system at a new senior\nhousing development, and installation of solar energy panels on the\nroof of an elementary school.\n  The Congressional offices in Carmel, Goshen, and Washington responded\nto thousands of constituent opinions and information requests. Hundreds\nof casework problems were resolved for individuals and families who had\nproblems with federal agencies when applying for Veterans benefits,\nSocial Security and Medicare payments, and expediting passport\napplications.\n  The Congressional office provided hundreds of Capitol tours for\nschool classes and families visiting Washington DC, fulfilled flag\nrequests, nominated students to our nation's military service\nacademies, and assisted with federal grant applications.\n  I cosponsored and voted for important legislation to create and save\njobs, cut taxes on middle class families, improve the process for\nVeterans applying for well deserved benefits, reform financial services\nregulation, and health insurance reform designed to improve\naccessibility and affordability. I authored legislation that\ndramatically improved the Veterans benefits system, streamlining the\nprocess for veterans to receive the care and compensation they earned\nin service to our nation. My legislation is widely regarded as the most\nsweeping reform of the VA in a generation.\n  I was proud to bring millions of federal dollars home for local\nprojects that create and save jobs, improve water quality, improve\ntraffic safety and public transportation, build local infrastructure,\nand save local property tax dollars.\n  I voted against my own pay raise each time it came before the House,\nand donated my raise to local non-profit organizations rather than\naccepting it.\n\n                     Meeting Local Community Needs\n\n    Economic Development: Local Jobs and Small Business Development\n\n  I worked actively to bring new jobs to the area and save local jobs\nthat were at risk of leaving including:\n  Kolmar--Successfully assisted in keeping the largest manufacturing\ncompany in Western Orange County from leaving the state, thereby\nretaining hundreds of local jobs in an economically depressed area.\n  Pepsi Bottling--Successfully assisted with efforts to keep the\ncompany's facilities in Northern Westchester when they were considering\na move out of state.\n  SpectraWatt--Instrumental in negotiations to bring a new solar energy\nmanufacturing company to Dutchess County, replacing almost a hundred\njobs that had been outsourced overseas. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis\nvisited the site to discuss the local benefits with business and labor\nleaders. Although recent reports indicate the company is struggling,\ndiscussions are still ongoing to keep the jobs in Dutchess County.\n  I successfully advocated for Stewart Air National Guard Base to\nreceive 8 new C-17 aircraft and all of the support services and local\neconomic development opportunities that go with it. The Air Force made\nthis award after a very competitive national process. I also brought US\nTransportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Stewart Airport for a meeting\nwith local business and community leaders to discuss how the airport\ncould be more of an economic engine for the region.\n  I hosted several small business seminars to inform local businesses\nabout the opportunities created by the federal economic stimulus\nlegislation, including direct tax reductions and capital availability.\nThese events were attended by hundreds of people. In addition, numerous\nroundtables were held with local business leaders to provide me with\ndirect input as to what they needed to create growth opportunities.\nThese meetings served as the basis for small business tax cut\nlegislation I introduced, several provisions were enacted into law.\n  Job Opportunity and Training Fairs were held to provide assistance in\ngetting a job including interviewing skills, resume writing,\nnetworking, employer connections, adult and continuing education, green\njobs, and entrepreneurship and one-on-one consultation. Many local\nemployers attended and were able to talk directly with job seekers who\nwere in attendance.\n  I brought House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller\nto the district for a public meeting to inform the community about the\nprovisions of the new Direct Student Loan legislation and how they will\nmake it easier for more students to attend college.\n  I held workshops for local constituents to provide them with\ninformation regarding how to prevent home foreclosure as well as\nmortgage refinancing options. I brought together local banks and\nhousing counselors for presentations as well as direct individual\ncounseling opportunities.\n\n                          Energy Independence:\n\n  I sponsored a series of energy independence forums throughout the\ndistrict to provide practical information to municipalities,\nbusinesses, and individuals interested in developing domestic energy\nresources. These forums focused on wind, solar, hydro and tidal power,\nas well as biofuels and conservation. I also held an event which\nbrought together solar manufacturers, retailers, and prospective buyers\nto create markets for local suppliers. Many local projects were\ndeveloped as a result of the information provided and the introductions\nmade between local providers and businesses.\n  I helped bring more than $517m for weatherization funding and energy\nefficiency grants to New York. This money directly benefited local\nfamilies who were able to save money on their energy bills by\nweatherizing their homes, and it created local jobs.\n\n                                Veterans\n\n  Many Veterans meetings were held throughout the district so I could\ngain input from local veterans regarding the challenges they face\nnavigating the VA claims and benefits processes generally, as well as a\nspecific challenges resulting from PTSD. Based on what I heard from\nlocal Veterans and VSOs, I successfully introduced legislation that\nsignificantly streamlined the benefits process, and advocated for a VA\nrules change regarding handling of PTSD claims. The rules change\n\n[[Page E2256]]\n\nmakes it much easier for veterans suffering with PTSD to receive the\ncare and compensation they deserve.\n  I sponsored a Veterans Employment and Education forum to help\nreturning veterans transition from the battlefield to the classroom and\nthe workplace and make sure they are aware of all the benefits they\nearned. A member of the Wounded Warrior Program works on my\nCongressional staff.\n  In addition I hosted a GI Bill forum to train Hudson Valley college\nadmissions and administrative personnel regarding the benefits due to\nVeterans and how to assist them with the application process.\n  I strongly advocated for maintaining health care services for\nveterans at both campuses in Montrose and Castle Point. I also assisted\nin bringing a new veterans health clinic to Orange County.\n  I successfully sponsored legislation to name the Chester Post Office\nin memory of First Lt. Lou Allen, who was killed in Iraq and to name\nthe Port Jervis Post office in memory of former Mayor and Senator\nArthur Gray.\n\n                                Seniors\n\n  I hosted several events to help protect local Seniors from Medicare\nfraud. Experts were in attendance to provide specific information about\nscams in the area and how to avoid becoming a victim. In addition, I\nhosted informational events to prepare individuals and families who are\nnearing Medicare eligibility to prepare themselves to understand and\nnavigate the many enrollment options and various plans available.\nThousands of local Seniors participated in my Tele-Town Hall discussion\nabout how the Health Care Reform law would affect them. Topics covered\nincluded closing the donut hole, free preventative care and wellness\nvisits for seniors, reducing subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans,\nfighting waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, and long term care\noptions.\n\n                   Law enforcement training sessions\n\n  I became aware of concerns regarding communication between some local\nlaw enforcement officials and federal Immigration and Customs\nEnforcement (ICE) officers. As a result I requested ICE officials come\nto the district and provide information to local law enforcement\nregarding how ICE can assist local law enforcement and ways they could\nwork together to improve public safety.\n\n                     Congressional Art Competition\n\n  Each year my office hosted a Congressional Arts Competition for high\nschool students in my district. The winner's artwork is shown for a\nyear at the Capitol Building in Washington DC and runners up are shown\nin my local Congressional offices. The Congressional office worked with\narts facilities and schools to encourage student artists, review the\nsubmissions, and have them shown within the community.\n\n                            Resource Guides\n\n  The Congressional office created the following resource guides to\nassist individuals, organizations, and small businesses with federal\ngovernment services and opportunities:\n  Guide to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act--Provided details\nof the federal economic stimulus legislation for individuals,\nbusinesses, organizations, and municipalities including information\nabout available funding opportunities and how to apply for and access\nthe funds.\n  Small Business Assistance Guide--A package of information and local\nresources for small businesses seeking assistance and information about\nloan opportunities and other federal and state support programs and\ndevelopments.\n  Small Business Guide to the Affordable Care Act--Provided details on\nSmall Business Tax Credits for employer coverage of health premiums and\nhow other provisions of the new health care law affect small\nbusinesses.\n  Senior Handbook--Described resources available for seniors including\nhealth care and prescription drug coverage, long term care options,\nhousehold utilities, VA, meal delivery and nutrition programs, senior\ncenters, and transportation.\n  Veterans Services Website--Provides information about benefits and\nservices, eligibility requirements, and contact information for local\nand national agencies and private organizations that provide assistance\nwith healthcare, benefits, education, and employment.\n  Fire and Emergency Services Grant Resources--A package of information\nabout federal, state and foundation grant opportunities for fire\ndepartments and ambulance corps and how to apply for such funds. In\naddition, the Congressional office hosted annual workshops to provide\nassistance to local fire departments as to how to write and submit\nfederal grant applications to the Dept of Homeland Security's\nAssistance to Firefighters Grant Program.\n  Jobs Seekers' Handbook--Detailed information regarding resources\navailable to people looking for a job and how to improve individual\nskills.\n  Foreclosure prevention tips and resource guide for homeowners."]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2010-12-22-pt1-PgE2255-3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 7.8562169801443815, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}