Boehner Answers Community's Questions
Boehner Answers Community's Questions
I've invited residents of the Eighth District to submit questions for publication via e-mail at AskBoehner@mail.house.gov.
Here are some of this month's questions:
"What is your reaction to the Abu Ghraib Iraqi prison matter?"
James in West Chester
Since the Abu Ghraib story broke, I've received significant feedback from military personnel - both active and retired, enlisted and officers. I've been moved by their personal and professional outrage over the breakdown of military professionalism and standards. I'll be the first to say that the actions of a few do not distract from the pride we all take in the efforts and sacrifices our Armed Forces are making each day. That being said, I am pleased with the pace of the investigation and the manner in which justice is being pursued.
I've also received feedback from constituents about the credibility of Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. The United States is engaged in a global struggle against terrorism and in stabilization efforts in Iraq. To suggest replacing a strong Secretary of Defense during this time reflects both a knee-jerk reaction and a terribly poor understanding of the forces against whom our troops and our country are fighting.
"The federal government has levied a small tax on our phone bills since 1900. The purpose was defined as a luxury tax at that time. Why hasn't this tax been addressed?"
Anonymous Eighth District Constituent
It has been addressed, somewhat. This tax is also known as a universal service fee, which - as you noted - traces its roots
to the early years of the telephones in the United States. During these years, a complex system was developed to fund telephone services for all citizens of the United States. For example, it is more expensive to wire rural areas than to wire urban centers. Profits generated in the urbanized areas were used to subsidize rural wiring. The fee now is used to improve our nation's telecommunications infrastructure, which is why it still is being collected.
There has been progress made to better explain the fee, however. In 2002, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced new rules, prohibiting phone companies who collect universal service fees from assessing fee amounts that exceed their contribution factor. In other words, phone companies now must report exactly how much they're charging customers under the universal service fee structure, and they may not charge more than they pay into the system itself.
Also, as part of the FCC's ruling, phone companies may not collect universal service contributions from qualifying low-income customers. I encourage you to check with your phone service provider if you think you may qualify for an exemption.
Finally, here is a question I often receive from constituents who phone in their opinions or send me correspondence by e-mail or by letter or fax:
"How long does it take for you to send a response to a constituent's question or comment?"
Since I was first elected to Congress, I've had a policy of sending a response to Eighth District residents within two weeks of receiving, reading, and considering their public policy concerns. That policy is still in place.
Because of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the biological and chemical scares afterward, mail is now delivered to my
office slower than it previously had been (because of Capitol police security procedures). As a result, it sometime takes longer than two weeks to receive, write, and send out a written response. To receive a faster response, I encourage as many Eighth District residents as possible to e-mail me at my official account, john.boehner@mail.house.gov. E-mail questions and comments receive an e-mail response in return. (Please note, these questions and comments are not published in this column. I respond to them privately.)
I look forward to answering more questions next month. E-mail those you'd like to see answered in this column - along with your first name and hometown - to me at AskBoehner@mail.house.gov.