Urgent congressional action needed

kpmom2011

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5-Year Member
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Feb 18, 2007
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Hi Friend, Family, Alumni, of KP. The following request is from the USMMA Alumni Congregational Liaison Committee. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!!


1. The budget request for 2011 of $100,020,000 for the Academy was passed by the House, however, final action in the Senate has been delayed while it is in recess until November 12, 2010. In the interim the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that ensures the federal government continues to operate in the new fiscal year started on October1 at the fiscal year 2010 levels until a new agreement is in place. While the Senators and Representatives are at home seeking support in the forthcoming election, now is a very propitious time to see or communicate with them or their staffs locally since they will be soliciting your support.

It is important that you seek their support not only for the 2011 budget request, but also their support for the 2012 and 2013 budgets that are being formulated now for the President’s and Secretary of Transportation's budget requests to be made at the end of January 2011 when the President submits his next budget to the new Congress. The most pressing need of the Academy is sufficient annual funding to take care of the emergency repairs that are continually cropping up because of the deterioration of the Academy facilities that have been occurring because of insufficient funding in the past as described by the Blue Ribbon Panel appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. Major physical emergency and safety issues are continually occurring without sufficient funding to keep up with the maintenance. A minimum of at least $5 million is needed now to cover physical and safety issues involving electricity, water and sewage so as not to end up with emergency issues such as Crowninshield pier falling down. Also, much more than an annual $30,000,000 Capital Budget request is needed in the 2012 and 2013 budgets’ requests to the President and OMB to bring the infrastructure of the Academy up to the necessary standards it should be to meet safety requirements, the Secretary’s goals as well as to qualify for the Academy’s continued accreditation.

Your input and assistance is needed on every level of the government. You can do this by communicating with your legislators easily by using your computer and going to the website Thomas.gov. This website will enable you to locate your legislators by clicking House or Senate on the left hand side and to identify your legislators by State or Committee and then go to their personal website to send them an email, fax or call them. Better yet see them or their staff during this recess to let them know of your support for the Academy’s needs. You can also use the same website to get the language of a particular bill in the House or Senate, its cosponsors and the status of the legislation.

2. Of urgent need and your attention is the Senate bill S663 which would provide a long rightfully sought pension for the few remaining World War II Merchant Mariners. Many of whom are Kings Point Alumni, who because of age, are fast disappearing. The Pension bill passed the House last year, however, it has been bottled up in Senator Akaka’s Veterans Committee. It must be passed in the remaining lame duck session of the Senate this year, otherwise, the process would have to start anew next year with a new Congress and then there may not be enough survivors and supporters to obtain its passage. At the present time there are 51 Cosponsors to the Senate Bill 663 and additional Senators confirming that they would support it if it brought to the Senate floor for a vote. Recently, Senator Nelson (D) and Senator Brownback ( R) wrote to their colleagues requesting they cosponsor S663. We need your support and assistance to request those Senators who have not cosponsored the Bill to do so now and all Senators to request Senator Reid to bring the Bill to a vote in the Senate in the remaining session following the election on this non partisan legislation. While BILLIONS have been given to many programs in this Congress the Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II remain neglected.

3. This past summer the Administration had introduced in the Senate S3566 by Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey to expand the mission of the Academy to allow the Academy to do research and properly function as an Academic institution. Your Alumni Foundation supports this needed legislation to enable the Academy to properly function in the Academic world. We need your support and assistance to have additional Senators Cosponsor this bill and move it forward in the Senate as well as members of the House of Representatives to introduce identical legislation in the House and/or cosponsor it. This legislation is non partisan and necessary for the Academy. Won’t you join us in this project by communicating with your state’s Congressional delegation
 
I will be calling my 3 MOC tomorrow to (once again) remind them of the budget needed to properly continue the mission of the USMMA.

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