Patricia Smith of Wall Township testified before Congressman Chris Smith’s committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Capitol Hill was the frontline in the battle against Lyme disease at a congressional hearing held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees international global health issues.
“As I have met scores of patients suffering the devastating effects of Chronic Lyme—who only got well after aggressive treatment by a Lyme-literate physician—I have been dismayed and angered by the unwillingness of some to take a fresh, comprehensive look at this insidious disease,” said Smith, who co-chairs the House Lyme Disease Caucus. “It will be necessary for the physicians, scientists, government leaders, and media to be discerning – to evaluate the evidence to see if it is based on the best science and to scrutinize the studies and the critiques of those studies to determine whether they are of high quality. We need scientists to speak out in an unfettered way. We need government agencies to show leadership and to forcefully say what we know and what we don’t know based on the best available evidence.” Click here to read Chairman Smith’s opening remarks.
Smith is the sponsor of the federal legislation H.R. 2557 to expand federal efforts on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through the establishment of a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee.
Patricia Smith of Wall, President of the Lyme Disease Association, testifying before a congressional committee
One of the witnesses, Patricia Smith of Monmouth County, N.J., the president of the Lyme Disease Association, said many doctors refuse to diagnose outside certain limited federal criteria and subsequently insurance companies can refuse to pay for care.
“Thirty-seven years after Lyme was recognized, sick patients cannot get diagnosed and not be treated because of antiquated, unsubstantiated tests which may pick up 50 percent of cases,” Patricia Smith said. Click here to read Patricia Smith’s testimony.
Other witnesses, including researchers and Lyme disease advocates and patients, were:
Stephen W. Barthold, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Center of Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine at the Univ. of California;
Raphael Stricker, M.D., Vice President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society;
Mark Eshoo, Ph.D. Director, New Technology Development, Abbott Laboratories;
Will Serve Veterans & Their Families in Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Middlesex Counties Who Are at Risk of Homelessness
Washington, Jul 17 – A $1 million federal grant has been awarded to a non-profit organization to assist low income veterans in Central New Jersey who are at risk of losing their homes, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today.
“This funding will provide much needed housing assistance and stability to veterans in Central New Jersey so that they can remain in their homes even when times are difficult,” said Smith, who worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in support of the grant application.
The grant was awarded this morning to Soldier On, a leader for community-based homeless and at-risk veterans’ housing and services. Soldier On has 15 years of experience developing transitional and permanent housing and successfully creating innovative homeownership opportunities in underserved areas—addressing both the urban and rural needs of local communities. The funding will be provided by through the VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program.
“Unfortunately, right now, the concentration of veterans and their families in Central New Jersey are without access to prevention and rapid re-housing resources,” said Smith. “With the VA’s green light, Soldier On will now be able to provide very specialized services to address the needs of a very specific population in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington Counties thereby enabling a federal-private partnership that will truly help our veterans.”
Gov. Chris Chrisite boarding a State Police helicopter on his way to address a power outage in Atlantic County after addressing the press in Monmouth County about the current water crisis. Photo by Art Gallagher
Oceanport, NJ- Governor Chris Christie implored Monmouth County residents to conserve water and to express their patriotism by not shooting off private fireworks for the duration of the water crisis caused by the major infrastructure failure at New Jersey American Water Company’s Swimming River water treatment plant. Addressing the press at the Wolf Hill Recreation area in Oceanport, Christie said “if a lot of things go perfectly” the water crisis will be over by the July 4th holiday.
Christie announced that residents of twenty two towns should boil their water before drinking or cooking. Those towns are :
Because The Asbury Park Press Is No Longer Relevant
The Asbury Park Press is outraged that Governor Chris Christie did not make the problems of the Lakewood school system a primary topic of his town hall meeting in Freehold yesterday. The Neptune Nudniks are also upset that Congressman Chris Smith hasn’t returned their calls for comment or held a press conference about the Lakewood schools since the paper and pay site ran their series CHEATED about the problems in Lakewood schools last week.
Christie spent much, if not most, of his town hall meeting yesterday talking about education reform. His focus was on tenure reform as a way to improve results in our failing urban schools and to stop paying “a Kings Ransom for failure” by flushing 15% of the state’s tax dollars into failing schools as New Jersey has done for decades.
If ever there was evidence that The Asbury Park Press has become irrelevant, it is their heavily promoted Cheated series, yesterday’s town hall meeting, combined with today’s rants by the Nudniks that Christie and Smith are not paying attention to them.
Why didn’t Christie talk about Lakewood yesterday to hundreds of residents in the APP’s coverage area? Because no one asked him. The governor was talking about education. The APP had just finished a “special series” on the Lakewood schools. Not one person in the audience of the town hall made the connection and asked the governor a question about Lakewood.
Smith, author of Combating Autism Reauthorization Act: “New autism data shows ‘Developmental Disability Pandemic’; Must mobilize to find cause, assist victims”
WASHINGTON, DC – New alarming data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 1 in every 88 American children and 1 in every 49 New Jersey children has a form of autism.
“The national numbers, including and especially in my home state of New Jersey, are shocking,” said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), author of Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, Public Law 112-32. “Each one of these statistics represents real children and real families who struggle and need our help and assistance.”
The study also found a continuing higher prevalence of ASDs in boys than girls (1-in-252 girls and 1-in-54 boys). However, in New Jersey, of the 1 in 49 children with a form of autism, Smith noted a staggering 1 in 29 boys with the disability.
“We as a nation must do much more, especially to determine causation and ensure early diagnosis, so interventional care can begin as early as possible. The stakes are so high: the quality of life of so many children is at risk. We need research, new treatments and a path to a cure.” said Smith, who also authored the provision in Title I of the Children’s Health Act (PL 106-310) which created the Centers of Excellence in Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology that carried out this study.
“Prevention, treatment and ultimately a cure for this developmental disability must be our highest priority. We need to bring a ‘Manhattan Project’ type focus to this essential life saving work. Delay is not an option,” Smith said.
“The new CDC data shows a sharp increase from the appalling 2006 data that documented 1-in-110 children with an autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)—a 23 percent increase,” Smith said.
This morning, Smith , the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.), spoke to Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC, about the new data. The information was set to be released at a CDC briefing for Congress Thursday afternoon.
The CDC study, entitled Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, provides autism prevalence estimates from 14 states, including New Jersey. It was published today in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Smith’s law, CARA, signed September 30, 2011 authorized for each of the next three fiscal years: $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program; $48 million for Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention, and; $161 million for hundreds of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
In May 2011, Smith chaired a hearing on U.S. and global autism. He also has written two other bills in the current 112th Congress: 1) H.R. 2006, “The National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative Act”; and (2) H.R. 2007, “The Autism Spectrum Disorders Services Act.” Smith’s H.R. 2006 designates the Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Department to head the national autism effort, and authorizes the Secretary to approve a strategic plan developed by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), in consultation with the National Institute for Health. H.R. 2007 establishes a planning and demonstration grant program for services to children, transitioning youth, adults, and individuals of any age who may be at risk of injury, authorizes grants for protection and advocacy systems, and creates a national training initiative to better equip teachers and autism services providers.
The Monmouth County Democrats are holding their nominating convention on Thursday, March 22 at the Bayshore Senior Center, 6:30 PM.
Michael Steinhorn of Rumson is the only candidate who has filed to run for County Clerk. He is expected to be nominated to run against Republican incumbent M.Claire French. Steinhorn was the nominee for County Surrogate last year.
Former State Trooper Bill Shea, a candidate last year, and former Hazlet Mayor Kevin Lavan, a candidate for Assembly last year from the 13th district , will be freeholder candidates.
There are two freeholder seats up this year; a full term that is being defended by incumbent Republican Freeholder Director John Curley and an unexpired term that will be defended by Freeholder Serena DiMaso. DiMaso was elected by the Monmouth Republican Committee to fill the vacancy created by Rob Clifton’s election to the State Assembly.
The Democrats have yet to determine which seats Shea and Lavan will challenge.
Former Freeholder Amy Mallet has not ruled out re-seeking the office that she lost last November. Asked repeatedly by MMM if she was going to make an run for freeholder either at the convention or in the primary, Mallet said, “no, not at this time,” and “I am not running as of now.” Asked to give a definitive answer, she declined.
Two candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the nomination to take on Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th congressional district. Former Monmouth County Surrogate Patricia Bennett, now an elder law attorney in Red Bank and Spring Lake businessman Brian Froelich will compete for the Democratic endorsement on Thrusday night.
Froelich has a website and says he’s filed with the FEC to be a candidate. He would not rule out a primary challenge should he lose to Bennett on Thursday, saying, “I intend to win at the convention and have not thought beyond that.”
Pallone and Payne, 17 others are tied for #1 most liberal members of congress
Republicans Smith and LoBiondo have higher liberal rankings than conservative rankings
National Journal has released its annual Congressional Voting Ratings and New Jersey has two congressman tied for the #1 most liberal member of congress based upon how they voted throughout 2011.
Frank Pallone, NJ-6, Long Branch, after being ranked the 70th most liberal member of congress in 2009, the 33rd most liberal in 2010, surged to the top of the list to earn a number 1 ranking in 2011.
Donald Payne of Newark, NJ-10, shares the #1 liberal ranking with Pallone and 17 other members throughout the country. Payne’s liberal ranking was 46 in 2009 and 113 in 2010.
Rush Holt, NJ-12 joins Pallone and Payne among the top 50 liberals, coming in at #43, a drop from his 14th place showing in 2010. Holt was #1 in 2009.
The most conservative member of New Jersey’s delegation? That would be Scott Garrett, NJ-5, which is really no surprise. What is surprising is that Garrett, who is often portrayed in the New Jersey media as a right wing fringe lunatic and the most conservative member of congress, is in the middle of the pack, ranked # 143 on the conservative scale.
NJ-3 freshman Jon Runyan’s #181 conservative ranking makes him the #2 conservative in the New Jersey delegation.
Leonard Lance, NJ-7 is ranked #191 on the conservative list. Rodney Frelinghuysen, NJ-11 is #206.
Republicans Chris Smith, NJ-4, and Frank LoBiondo, NJ-2, have higher liberal rankings than conservative rankings. Smith is #195 on the liberal list and #235 on the conservative list. LoBiondo is #205 on the liberal list and #225 on the conservative list.
In the Senate, Frank Lautenberg is #14 on the liberal list. Bob Menendez is #31 on the liberal list.
Assembly Republican Deputy Conference Leader Mary Pat Angelini said she is pleased that Governor Christie’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal includes increased funding for those with mental illness and those who are developmentally disabled.
The governor’s budget will add nearly $25 million for community placements for adults with developmental disabilities which will allow 130 people to move off the Community Services Waiting List.
“Providing increased funding to help those who deal with mental and physical disabilities or addictions shouldn’t be overlooked in the fiscally responsible plan introduced by the governor,” said Angelini. “Meeting our pension obligations and increasing educational aid are certainly important, and so is the responsibility to help those who are most vulnerable. We are not only increasing funding for critical programs, but the structural realignment of government agencies will provide greater efficiencies.”
Angelini, who is a member of both the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee and Assembly Human Services Committee, pointed out that the increased funding and the reorganization of government departments that will centralize services demonstrates the governor’s commitment to allocate resources wisely and challenge the status quo.
Christie’s new budget proposal creates the Division of Child Integrated System of Care Services and the Division of Aging Services that will specifically handle the needs of people who must deal with several government agencies in order to obtain benefits and services.
“As New Jersey’s chief executive officer, Governor Christie knows that managing government involves more than spending tax dollars,” commented Angelini. “The governor deserves credit for examining how services are delivered and how effective they are in meeting their responsibilities. The creation of these departments will improve operating efficiencies and also reduce the frustration people sometimes experience as they steer their way through multiple agencies.”
The Division of Aging will function within the Department of Human Services and administer community-based services and programs for senior citizens such as the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program (PAAD), Senior Gold and the Lifeline Utility Assistance Program.
The Division of Child Integrated System of Care Services will operate within the Department of Children and Families and serve the needs of families with children with developmental disabilitiesmodule art panels.
New York Republican State Chairman Ed Cox, son-in-law of the late President Richard M. Nixon, told Ben Smith at Politico that Governor Chris Christie should run a “modern front porch campaign” for president:
As Chris Christie weighs the obvious appetite for his candidacy against the tremendous logistical impediments and political risks, a prominent Christie admirer is offering a path forward: A campaign run largely from New Jersey, its television campaign waged by an independent Super PAC.
New York Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox, an old Republican hand who is formally neutral, outlined the suggestion in an interview today.
“He just can not desert his job in New Jersey. He’s a recently-elected governor with a Democratic legislature on which he’s trying hard to impose fiscal discipline,” Cox said. “That’s the success on which his campaign rests.”
“The only way I can see him doing it,” he said, is a “modern front-porch campaign,” consisting of large-scale policy addresses like his speech at the Reagan Library last week, of participation in debates, and of a basic ground organization — but none of the immersive early-state retail campaigning that’s widely seen as a necessity.
“The air game would be [Home Depot founder] Ken Langone and others doing a completely independent committee,” he said.
Cox suggested Christie make a “Christie-like” declaration: “I’m governor of New Jersey, I’ve got a job to do here. If financial supporters want to go out and do an independent Super PAC, they can do it. I will register to run for president. But my duties as governor come first.”
Cox said his post prevents him from endorsing a candidate, but said Christie “should get into the race. His views are views that should be heard.”
An intriguing idea, even if it hasn’t worked since 1920 when Warren Harding did it.
I know, mentioning Nixon and Harding in the same post is not exactly showing my Republican love. Still, it is an intriguing idea.
Christie continuing to do his job as Governor full time while campaigning for president part time would not be all that different a schedule than he has kept for much of this year.
The worst case scenairo for Christie in a presidential campaign is that the loses the nomination race and also loses his standing with the voters of New Jersey. Should he start campaigning for president full time now, spending most of his time out of state and ultimately lose the nomination, he might come back to governing New Jersey full time with approval ratings in the 30’s and an New Jersey electorate that resents him for abandoning his post before the job was done.
But, if he spends the next several months primarily in New Jersey forwarding his reform agenda, education reform in particular, his New Jersey agenda becomes part of the national conversation. Instead of witnessing him live on the stump, voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida will be witnessing him on the job via television and youtube.
Television and youtube is why Christie is tied with Obama in the polls now.
If it doesn’t work, Christie is no worse for the wear in New Jersey because he kept doing the job we elected him to. He’s still a front runner for 2016 or 2020 nationally because he wasn’t “really running.”
If it does work and he wins the GOP nomination, he was drafted, not just by the party elite elders and the big money donors, but drafted by the rank and file Republican voters.
We probably won’t know Christie’s decision tomorrow. He has no public schedule.
Lt. Governor Kim Guadango will be making company visits in Ocean County tomorrow. Gaspari Nutrition will receive Guadagno at 1:30, KOMO Machine at 3:00. Both companies are in Lakewood.
…and special guests Senator Joe Kyrillos and Congressman Chris Smith
Despite some technical difficulties and a shortage of phone lines (sorry if you tried to call in and got a busy signal) we managed to have an informative and entertaining show.
Thanks to Mike Halfacre who kept the show going when I got flustered with the technical glitches.
For those who missed the live show or would like to hear it again, here is a recording:
Highlights: Kyrillos referring to a Chris Christie presidential candidacy as “when” not “if” (though it won’t be in 2012) and Smith speaking about the budget negotiations going on in Washington as a fiscal conservative, overriding his reputation as a fiscal moderate.
