[StBernard] Eupdate 8 26 09

Westley Annis Westley at da-parish.com
Wed Aug 26 19:13:16 EDT 2009


e-update
8.26.09


IN THIS ISSUE
OPENING A HEALTH CARE DIALOGUE WITH LOUISIANANS
CALLING ATTENTION TO THE STANFORD PONZI SCHEME
HOLDING CONGRESS TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE REST OF AMERICA
PROMOTING OUR SERVICE ACADEMIES TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS



This month I've been traveling throughout the state holding town hall
meetings to hear your opinions on the president's proposed health care plan.
Turnout has been great at these events, and I have enjoyed meeting with many
of you. I also recently held a field hearing regarding the Stanford Ponzi
scheme to shed some light on this scam. And I filed a bill in Congress that
would hold Senators and Representatives to the same standards as the rest of
America and require them to participate in any public health option passed
by Congress.

Below you can read about these and other issues that I'm working on, such as
promoting our service academies to high school students.



David Vitter
P.S. - Please feel free to forward the newsletter to your friends, neighbors
and business associates, and encourage them to sign up for their own copy by
visiting my Web site at http://vitter.senate.gov/.



OPENING A HEALTH CARE DIALOGUE WITH LOUISIANANS

As the health care debate heats up across the country, I'm holding 19 forums
and health care meetings across Louisiana to give constituents the
opportunity to voice their opinions on this important topic. The turnout
for these forums has been overwhelming, and my experience has been
profoundly different from that being described by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid
and other Democrats.

These forums and meetings are important to get the different views and
concerns from Louisianans about health care reform. Many folks are very
concerned about what a government-run health plan will mean for the quality
of their coverage, and, as Louisiana's senator, I appreciate and welcome the
dialogue so I can better represent those views and concerns in Congress.

CALLING ATTENTION TO THE STANFORD PONZI SCHEME


This month I held a U.S. Senate Banking Committee field hearing regarding
the Allen Stanford Ponzi Scheme - the first of its kind in Baton Rouge. All
over Louisiana and throughout the Gulf South, individuals were robbed of
their life savings as a result of this scheme. The oversight responsibility
of the Senate Banking Committee affords us the opportunity to fully
investigate this matter and identify where the regulators failed and how we
can try to mitigate any losses for the victims.

The event was well attended and helped us highlight the difficulties that
the victims of this scheme are facing as they try to recover from the
devastation of their finances. We still have a lot of work to do to bring
these individuals some relief, but I will continue working with my
colleagues on the committee to do all that we can for the victims of this
massive Ponzi scheme.

HOLDING CONGRESS TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE REST OF AMERICA

Over the past month, we've come to know more of the details about President
Barack Obama's health-care proposal. Sadly, this proposal is nothing more
than a government-run health'care program. What ultimately happens in this
health-care debate could permanently grow the size and scope of the federal
government and its role in our economy.

I've joined together with Rep. John Fleming to apply pressure to Washington
politicians by requiring members of Congress and their families to join any
public health plan that they want to create for the rest of the country. As
John did weeks ago in the U.S. House of Representatives, I recently
introduced very straightforward legislation that would require members of
Congress to lead by example and enroll in the very same government-run
health-care plan that they create for their constituents. Current proposals
supported by the president and his liberal allies in Congress curiously
exempt members of Congress from the government-run health-care option.

Currently, members of Congress enjoy the benefit of an exclusive, on-call
attending physician as well as VIP access and admission to Walter Reed Army
Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center. They won?t be quick to
give up perks such as these, but it is past time that we make the men and
women making the laws endure the same consequences as the American public.

PROMOTING OUR NATIONAL SERVICE ACADEMIES TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

On Saturday, September 5th, members of my staff will conduct an Academy Day
for students interested in attending a military academy. Representatives
from each of the academies will explain the nomination process and the
requirements for each academy. This seminar will explain the nomination
process, what is required of students wanting to attend any of the five
service academies and what student life is like at a military academy.

Academy Day will take place in Shreveport in conjunction with the office of
U.S. Rep. John Fleming at Louisiana State University-Shreveport at One
University Place from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. A second event will be held in
Monroe at the River Oaks School on Hideaway Road from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM.

Academy Day is free and open to the public. All high school students and
their parents are welcome to attend. Students who are unable attend can
contact my office at (225) 383-0331 for more information on the application
process.




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