Pickering's Mississippi E-Memo #12
Press Release
Pickering's Mississippi E-Memo
Congressman Chip Pickering
Mississippi - Third District
Friday - 12/17/2004 - #12
NOTE: This will be the last edition of the year - Pickering's Mississippi E-Memo will return in January.
CAPITOL HILL NEWS: Today, President George W. Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act which makes many of the reforms suggested by the 9/11 Commission. For more information on the act, read Chip Pickering's column this week or read the President's statement at the White House.
POLICY IN FOCUS: Low income seniors can still apply for their free Medicare prescription drug card and combine this year's $600 credit with next year's credit to total $1200 toward necessary medicines. Seniors should call 1-800-MEDICARE to get the necessary information or they can visit www.medicare.gov online. To receive the credits, seniors must qualify for Medicare and have an annual income below $12,569 as an individual, or $16,862 as a couple (singles who earn less than $1,047 a month; married couples who earn less than $1,404 dollars a month). For qualifying couples, both will each receive the $1200 credits. For those who do not qualify for the credits, they can still apply for a Medicare prescription drug discount card to receive significant savings in their drug costs.
INAUGURATION PLANS: The 55th Inauguration of the President of the United States will take place on January 20th, 2005 on the West Front of the United States Capitol at 1:00 p.m. Mississippi Senator Trent Lott is serving as the Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. If you are coming to Washington DC from Mississippi's Third Congressional District and would like tickets, you can contact Kimberly Crowder in Congressman Pickering's Washington DC Office at 202-225-5031. You should leave your name, address, phone number, e-mail and the number of tickets you will need. Requests to participate in Inauguration Day events for marching bands, marching units, mounted units and other performers are collected by the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee.
ASSISTANCE WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES: Congressman Pickering maintains district offices in Pearl, Meridian, Starkville, Brookhaven and Natchez to serve the needs of 3rd District residents including their dealings with all agencies and departments of the federal government. The district offices can assist you in working with the Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of State. If you need help with these or other government agencies, contact your nearest office for assistance. Pearl: 601-932-2410 - Meridian: 601-693-6681 - Starkville: 662-324-0007 - Brookhaven: 601-823-3400 - Natchez: 601-442-2515
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Internships are excellent ways to learn about Congress and government, and can prepare young people for a career in public service. Interested college students should apply to Congressman Pickering's Intern Coordinator at 229 Cannon House Office Building; Washington, DC 20515 or call (202) 225-5031. A limited number of the competitive internships are available during the summer, fall and spring semesters. The current internship application deadline is December 31, 2004.
CHIP PICKERING IN THE NEWS:
Pickering: Strengthening National Intelligence
(Pickering Column: 12/17)
Medicare prescription drug credit available for low income seniors
(The Meridian Star: 12/15)
Speaker, McCain duke it out
(The Hill: 12/15)
Pickering: $122 Prescription Drug Credit Available to Low Income Seniors
(Press Release: 12/14)
McCullough "keeping options open" during changes at TVA
(East Mississippi Business Journal: 12/13)
Project SMART boosts science, technology, math teachers
(Starkville Daily News: 12/12)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE: President George W. Bush at the White House Economic Conference 12/16/2004
THE PRESIDENT: And lawsuits can just plain ruin somebody's life. Donnie headed a seminar yesterday, and I happened to be there, and we heard the story of Hilda Bankston-I think Hilda is probably still here. There you go. First of all, Hilda was born in Nicaragua-is that right?
MRS. BANKSTON: Guatemala.
THE PRESIDENT: Guatemala-see, I wasn't paying very close attention. (Laughter.) Maybe I'll get the rest of the story right here. (Laughter.) It's okay to correct the President-just not in front of all the TV cameras. (Laughter and applause.)
She and her husband, Mitchell, owned a drugstore in Fayette, Mississippi. I've never been to Fayette; I suspect it's one of those classic town squares in a southern city where the pharmacist is an integral part of the community. People come and go, people probably like to hang out get the latest gossip and all that-talk about the high school football team.
The store got swept up in massive litigation just because it dispensed prescriptions-certain prescriptions. Small pharmacy, main square, Fayette, Mississippi, and a class-action lawsuit sucks them into the-into the legal system. She sold the pharmacy five years ago. She has spent countless hours being drug into the court system.
Here's what she said. She said, "My husband and I lived the American Dream until we were caught up in what has become an American legal nightmare." She went on to say, "I'm not a lawyer, but, to me, something is wrong with our legal system when innocent bystanders are little more than pawns for lawyers seeking to strike it rich." (Applause.)
All Hilda asked for is a fair system, and the system right now isn't fair in this case. And we've got to do something about it. We've got to do something about it to make sure we're competitive; we've got to do something about it to make sure that there's not excessive cost; and we've got to do something about it to make sure people like Hilda don't get hurt by a system that was designed to protect people, not hurt people.
The people in Congress must know that excess litigation is not only a drag on our economy, but is a constant source of fear and uncertainty-creates fear and uncertainty for people in the business community. To keep the economy growing strong in the future, we have got to lift the burden, and reform our legal systems. The nation needs class-action lawsuit reform. (Applause.) The nation needs to have asbestos legal reform. And this nation needs medical liability reform. (Applause.) I'm looking forward to working with Congress to get legal reform done quickly in the upcoming legislative session. (Applause.)
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