Rep. Petri's E-Mail Newsletter
Rep. Petri's E-Mail Newsletter
July 20, 2005
* Student Loan Bill Gaining Attention
* Recent Activities Around the 6th District
* Recent Votes
* House Backs Manitowoc, Johnsonville Projects
* Remembering Gaylord Nelson
Student Loan Bill Gaining Attention
On July 12, the New York Times ran an editorial endorsement of my bill, the Student Aid Reward Act. The Times wrote:
"Instead of offering private lenders unnecessary federal subsidies to make government-backed loans, the measure would encourage schools to use a system that would actually turn a small profit for Washington by allowing students to borrow directly from the government through their schools."
Then the Times noted the intense campaign to prevent my bill from derailing the banks' gravy train:
"The lenders have done a good job of confusing lawmakers with trumped-up numbers. But analyses by the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget have shown that direct loans are considerably cheaper. They require no subsidies to the banks and return interest payments to the government itself."
Then, on July 18, the New York Times repeated its endorsement of my bill, saying:
"The bill, called the Student Aid Reward Act and known as STAR, would encourage colleges and universities to move away from an expensive and heavily subsidized federal loan program - under which students borrow money through banks - and toward a less expensive program under which they borrow from the government through their schools. Under the law, colleges that chose to use the direct method would be allowed to keep half of the money they saved. That money could then be used to give financial aid to low- income students.
"The bill, which makes perfect sense to most reasonable people, does not require colleges to use the direct program. It would merely provide them with the option of doing so. Lenders, which oppose the bill because it would cut their profits, have recruited some schools to their side the old-fashioned way - by paying them off in various ways. Under what's known as the "school as lender" program, the universities issue the subsidized loans to students and then sell the loans to banks within a matter of days, earning a handsome profit at taxpayer expense. The arrangement creates a financial conflict of interest for the schools, which can do anything they want with the money."
Around the 6th District
As I travel around the 6th District for plant tours, meetings and other events, people have opportunities to approach me to raise issues or request assistance with problems concerning the federal government. Some of my recent activities in central Wisconsin include:
* Participation in the May 30 Fond du Lac Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony;
* A plant tour of Dowco, Inc. in Manitowoc;
* Participation in the National Association of Manufacturers Awards Luncheon in Mantiwoc where I received an Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence for my work during the 108th Congress;
* A plant tour of the Outlook Group Corp. in Neenah;
* A tour of Utica Energy and of an ethanol fueling station in Utica;
* A groundbreaking event for a rural development project in Adams;
* A visit to La Clinica de los Campesinos, a healthcare facility in Wautoma;
* A tour of Nemschoff Chairs in Sheboygan;
* A visit at the Kraft Foods plant in Beaver Dam;
* A visit at Green Valley Enterprises in Beaver Dam;
* A visit at the Manitowoc County Airshow;
* Participation in the June Dairy Month Calumet County "Sundae" on a Farm event at the Shiloh dairy farm west of Brillion;
* Participation at a Sheboygan Rotary Club meeting;
* Participation in the Markesan June Dairy Days Parade;
* Participation in a dairy month Manitowoc County Breakfast on the Farm in Newton;
* Participation in the Wolf River Sesquicentennial Celebration;
* Participation in a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Pickett Community Center;
* Participation in the Winneconne Museum Dedication;
* Participation in a homecoming celebration for Chue Lee of Menasha, a Marine who in April returned from duty in Iraq;
* Participation in the Chilton Father's Day Parade;
* Participation in the Independence Day parades in Wautoma, Princeton and Sheboygan;
* Participation in the Firemen's Parades in Elkhart Lake, Campbellsport and New Holstein;
* Participation in the closing ceremony for the Adams County Relay Race for Life event;
* Participation in the Johnsonville Sausage Fest;
* Participation in Winneconne's Sovereign State Days Parade;
* Participation in the Eldorado Lions Club Community Parade.
Recent Votes
On May 17
* With my support and a vote of 424 to 1, the House approved H.R. 2360 to appropriate $31.9 billion for homeland security during the 2006 budget year.
On May 18
* With my support and a vote of 424 to 4, the House approved H.R. 1817, authorizing the use of $34.2 billion for various homeland security activities during the 2006 budget year.
On May 19
* With my support and a vote of 329 to 89, the House approved H.R. 2361, a bill to provide $26.2 billion for the Department of Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for the 2006 budget year.
On May 23
* With my support and a vote of 395 to 1, the House approved H.R. 744, Rep. Sensenbrenner's "Spyware" bill to create criminal penalties for intentionally gaining unauthorized access to a computer to steal information or damage the machine.
* With my support and a vote of 393 to 4, the House approved H.R. 29, a bill to require software companies to obtain permission from computer users before installing programs that can collect personal information and distribute it to third parties.
On May 24
* Despite my opposition and by a vote of 238 to 194, the House approved H.R. 810, a bill to allow the use of federal funds in research on embryonic stem cell lines.
* With my support and a vote of 431 to 1, the House approved H.R. 2520, a bill to create a new federal program to collect and store umbilical-cord-blood stem cells.
* With my support and a vote of 424 to 1, the House approved H.R. 1224, a bill to allow banks, thrifts and certain industrial loan companies to pay interest on balances held in business checking accounts.
* With my support and a vote of 416 to 13, the House approved H.R. 2419, a bill provide $29.7 billion for energy and water projects in the 2006 budget year, and to provide $661 million for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.
On May 26
* With my support and a vote of 425 to 1, the House approved H.R. 2528, a bill to provide $121.8 billion in the 2006 budget year for the Department of Veteran Affairs, military construction and housing.
On June 8
* With my support and a vote of 408 to 18, the House approved H.R. 2744, a bill to provide $100.3 billion in the 2006 budget year for the Department of Agriculture and related agencies.
On June 16
* With my support and a vote of 418 to 7, the House approved H.R. 2862, a bill to provide $57.8 billion in the 2006 budget year for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State as well as various science and other related agencies.
On June 24
* With my support and a vote of 250 to 151, the House approved H.R. 3010, a bill to appropriate $601.6 billion in the 2006 budget year for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments and related agencies.
On June 28
* Despite my opposition, by a vote of 393 to 32 the House approved H.R. 3057, a bill to appropriate $20.3 billion in the 2006 budget year for foreign operations and economic assistance abroad.
On June 30
* With my support and a vote of 405 to 18, the House approved H.R. 3058, a bill to appropriate $139.1 billion in the 2006 budget year for the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury and Transportation, and related agencies.
* With my support and a vote of 419 to 0, the House approved H.R. 3130, a bill to provide $975 million in additional funding during the current budget year to provide for veterans' medical care.
On July 14
* With my support and a vote of 406 to 14, the House approved H.R. 2864, a bill to authorize $11.6 billion for more than 700 water resource development projects and studies by the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, navigation, beach erosion control and environmental restoration. For information on local projects covered by the bill, see the article below.
The following press release explains what H.R. 2864 means for the 6th District:
U.S. House Backs Manitowoc, Johnsonville Projects
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives approved water resources legislation July 14, including provisions authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to provide dredging assistance for the Manitowoc River and Harbor.
"This is important for businesses and employees, and for the local tax base. Manitowoc needs and deserves this assistance," said Rep. Tom Petri, Vice Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Two provisions in the bill affect Manitowoc directly. The first would authorize $300,000 to dredge the Manitowoc River between the federal channel and the Canadian National Railroad bridge from 12 feet to 18 feet deep.
Increasing the depth in this upstream segment will support growth at the Burger Boat Company, which employs approximately 200 people. By increasing the depth of the channel at this location, the company will be find it easier to launch its products without risking damage. It is also very likely that the increased depth will actually reduce the frequency of the dredging in this area since there will be a greater margin in the channel for the buildup of silt and low water levels. Most importantly, increasing the authorization in this section will allow Burger Boat to attract more business and expand the company.
The second provision would authorize dredging to increase the depth of the federal channel to 23 feet for a small 100 foot wide swath in the harbor of Manitowoc. This swath would extend south from the current channel just beyond the mouth of the river to the Carferry Slip where Route 10 ends.
The carferry that operates out of this location provides service between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan, and is a critical component of the area's economy. After a long absence, the carferry returned to Manitowoc in the mid-1990s.
"During the years that the carferry did not operate, the authorization for federal dredging in this section of the harbor was removed. Reauthorizing dredging in this small area is necessary to reflect the return of the ferry service," said Petri.
The bill also included $80,000 to fund an Army Corps of Engineers study of the Johnsonville Dam. A dam was built in Johnsonville in 1852 and was rebuilt twice before it was washed out in 1952 and never reconstructed. In 1962, a new dam was built by local citizens 120 yards upstream from the original dam in response to flooding caused by an ice jam in 1959.
In 2003, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) determined that there was neither a municipal nor private owner of the dam. Johnsonville has taken ownership of the dam and requested the study to determine whether or not the dam actually does prevent ice jams. If so, the town will take ownership. If not, it will be removed.
In June the Transportation Committee, where Petri is the Vice Chairman, included the three provisions in the Water Resources Development Act of 2005, a bill which contains project authorizations, modifications and deauthorizations, program revisions and related provisions involving the Army Corps of Engineers' activities. The Corps' responsibilities include navigation, flood control, shoreline protection, hydropower, dam safety, water supply, recreation, environmental restoration and protection, and disaster response and recovery.
The Senate has yet to complete its version of the water resources legislation.
Gaylord Nelson
After the recent passing of former Governor and Senator Gaylord Nelson, I was asked to speak at a memorial in the State Capitol on behalf of Gaylord's friend, former Congressman and Defense Secretary Mel Laird, whose doctor advised him not to travel. My remarks follow:
I'm quite honored to say a few words for Mr. Laird, but actually, when I was first asked to speak here it occurred to me that I was perhaps invited because I played a vital role in Sen. Nelson's last successful political campaign. I was the one who lost.
Be that as it may, Gaylord was a Democrat, and Mel Laird a Republican - but that difference did not prevent them from becoming great and good friends. From the late 1940s in Wisconsin they were both members of the Piscatorial and Inside Strait Society - a bipartisan group that would fish together, tell stories to each other, lie about each other, and play gin rummy.
Nelson's wife, Carrie Lee, understood both Gaylord and Mel, and put up with their many discussions far into the night in both Madison and out in Washington. Carrie Lee once told Mel that she had had to throw Mel out of the Nelson's apartment more often than any other person.
When Mel was the Majority Leader in the State Senate in 1948, Gaylord led the tiny Democratic delegation that at the time had only five members. That was less than the one-third Gaylord needed to force a record vote on legislation.
Mel says that he always made sure that enough Republicans would vote "aye" in order to let Gaylord force a roll call vote. He said that Gaylord was always very grateful - choosing to ignore the fact that Mel allowed the votes in order to show that Gaylord could only muster his measly five votes for his legislation.
Years later, when Mel was Secretary of Defense and Gaylord was a U.S. Senator, Mel took his pal to the Army-Navy Club for a few adult beverages. Soon enough, they were arguing about the emergency hotline between Washington and Moscow. Secretary of Defense Laird said it was located at the Pentagon, and Senator Nelson said that our end of it was at the White House.
The two made a bet on it, and the Senator said to the Defense Secretary, "Let's go down to the Pentagon, and you can show it to me, if it's really there."
The two arrived at the Pentagon's Command Center where Mel introduced Gaylord to the officer on duty, who was shocked to see the Defense Secretary and a U.S. Senator waltz in during the wee hours of the morning. Mel had the officer run a communications test to demonstrate that the line with Moscow was functioning. And Mel won the bet.
That little anecdote has already made it into the papers, but Mel wanted me to pass on one additional detail. The two buddies had been enjoying themselves so much that when they were dropped off back at the Army-Navy Club, Gaylord couldn't remember where his car was - and in fact didn't find it for three days.
Now, here's a story that was passed on to me by, I think, the late Jimmy Wimmer, who worked for Nelson when he was governor.
We all know about Gaylord's concerns about the environment and his early warnings about our involvement in Vietnam. But also, Gaylord was, like Jimmy, a great Anglophile.
On one occasion Gaylord was sitting next to a member of the House of Lords at dinner. And the British gentleman kept referring to Gaylord as "Senator Nelson". Finally Senator Nelson leaned over and said, "Oh, no. Please call me 'Gaylord.'"
Then the fellow said, "Very well, Gaylord." And after a pause, Nelson said, "What may I call you?" The British man looked at him and said, "Well, Gaylord, you may call me 'My Lord.'"
Well, different people have different styles. But I particularly like Gaylord's style. He was, perhaps, the most liked person in the U.S. Senate while he was there - the most liked on both sides of the political aisle. Senator Eagleton says that Senator Nelson never said anything bad about anybody. He was never down in the dumps, he was never a naysayer, he was never cross.
Now, Mel Laird asked me to emphasize this: In the political arena, Mel and Gaylord would fight hammer and tongs, but at the end of the day they could share a beverage and carry on a spirited, friendly conversation.
Gaylord helped to promote civility between Democrats and Republicans. The parties could have great disagreements, but he helped to maintain friendship and, ultimately, common purpose which potentially included everybody.
Over the years that I've been in Washington the Congress has grown increasingly polarized, with each party seeking any advantage. Gaylord Nelson would have had none of that. He called on us all to be better than that - to treat everyone with respect and friendship.
As Mel Laird says - and I concur - we could all use a lot more of Gaylord Nelson's civility in politics these days.
http://www.house.gov/petri/newslett/jul20_05.htm