Walt urges Idahoans to support efforts in Afghanistan

West Point, NY – Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick released the following statement:

“I commend the president for making the wise choice of listening to his generals on the ground. As he said tonight, our national security is closely tied to our ability to bring stability and security to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“The strategy set forth tonight is one that has helped improve the situation in Iraq. Increasing the number of troops will give us more manpower and resources to work with local tribes and bring them to our side in the fight against al Qaeda. These local tribes must be our allies in the fight against terrorism, and can help us weaken al Qaeda’s ability to spread that terrorism abroad.

“Like the president, I am concerned about the Afghan central government, which has shown little interest in cleaning up its own corruption. I believe that we must fight the corruption, but I know from my own time in Afghanistan as a young man that the politics of the region are tricky. Afghanistan has never had a strong central government, and I believe that making it so will be exceedingly difficult.

“That is why the focus of this effort must be local stability, something our military has learned to do very well. In addition to increased military power, there are steps we can take to improve the country and the lives of its residents. As the president suggested tonight and as I suggested in my letter to him, economic programs that offer meaningful incentives to farmers and landowners will be a key element to winning the trust of the Afghan people. 

“Idahoans have a wide range of opinions on how best to achieve lasting peace.  As Americans, it is crucial to rally behind our Commander in Chief and the brave men and women in harm’s way. And we owe it to each other to seek a renewed commitment to community and to the shared patriotism we all had after the attacks of 9/11.”

Minnick joined a bipartisan delegation for a trip to the U.S. Military Academy where they attended the president’s address to the nation.

The president is expected to set forth a new strategy for fighting the war in Afghanistan. Over a month ago, Minnick sent a letter to President Obama, detailing Minnick’s thoughts on how the administration should consider a path forward in the region and in the global fight against terrorism.

“I urge you to give General [Stanley] McChrystal’s assessment fair consideration and, should you decide to adopt his strategy, give him the resources he needs to succeed,” Minnick states in the letter.

Minnick is a lifelong businessman who served in the military, worked at the Pentagon, in the Office of Management and Budget, and served in the Nixon White House. As part of his work on drug enforcement issues for the White House, Minnick traveled to Afghanistan as an adviser on the fight against the opium trade and tribal feuding in the region.

Walt: More accountability for broadband funds

Meridian, ID – One of the largest new spending programs in the federal government is designed to aggressively expand broadband Internet service to underserved communities in places like Idaho.

Congressman Walt Minnick is calling on federal agencies to be more accountable and transparent in allocating that money, and to do more to help rural Idaho communities get the Internet service they need. Today Minnick met in-person and via conference call with representatives from Idaho companies and agencies that applied for the first round of funding from more than $7 billion in federal grants available for investment in broadband Internet infrastructure.

“This application process has quite frankly not worked as well as it could or should,” Minnick said. “While I am impressed and very supportive of the Idaho folks who did apply for funds, I am concerned that problems with the bureaucratic process are preventing those applications from being properly considered. I am also deeply troubled by the lack of understanding by these agencies of the unique issues and needs of Idaho.”

Earlier this week Minnick questioned the heads of the Rural Utility Service (RUS) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with those very concerns. The hearing was held by the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, of which Minnick is a member. He asked about steps being taken to ensure the process is free of outside influence, and expressed concerns that the agencies’ definition of “remote” excludes many rural Idaho communities desperately in need of broadband service.

Minnick has directed his Idaho and Washington, D.C., offices to invest energy and time to assisting entities navigate the complicated federal application process so more Idaho communities have a shot at funding for broadband, something Minnick said is critical to business growth and educational opportunity.

“Like the many mayors, business leaders and economic development professionals I have met around my district, I believe that high-speed Internet access is one of the best tools we can offer to help smaller communities jump-start their economy,” Minnick said. “I am committed to helping those who applied for funding and those who want to apply for future funding, by cutting through bureaucratic red tape and advocating for Idaho.”

Statement on stimulus reporting errors

Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick released the following statement in response to reports that the federal website Recovery.gov reported money being spent in non-existent Idaho Congressional Districts:

“I am very disappointed by the lack of proper transparency on one of the largest spending bills in American history. I voted against the stimulus bill for a host of reasons. I was concerned that it was too large, it was not strategic, it did not create enough jobs, it was not designed to work quickly and it cost far too much per job created. Unfortunately, those concerns have been proven correct. Now, with issues over transparency raising new questions about the bill, combined with other troubling stories about bureaucratic red tape, it is clear that Congress must re-examine our approach to jump-starting our economy and find a more effective, cost-efficient way to help businesses create jobs.”

Praise for vote on Medicare

Washington, D.C. – Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick voted to help pass H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009.

The bill is designed to eliminate a steep cut in reimbursement payments for physicians. The cut was scheduled for 2010, and would have likely reduced the number of Idaho physicians who accept Medicare.

“AARP applauds Congressman Minnick for taking a stand for older Idahoans on Medicare,” said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho.  “His vote to move this critical legislation forward is a move to strengthen Medicare and ensure that Idahoans continue to have access to the doctor of their choice.”

Minnick’s vote also won praise from medical groups.

“H.R. 3961 does away with past budget gimmicks to address the broken Medicare physician formula, and instead lays the foundation for fiscally honest and responsible reform,” stated Dr. J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Association. “The band-aid approach has made future cuts steeper and increased the cost of true payment reform.  Congressman Minnick’s vote in favor of H.R. 3961 ensures America’s seniors and military families continue to have access to high-quality physician care.”

“The Idaho Medical Association strongly supports repeal of the SGR to ensure continued access to quality medical care for Idaho’s seniors,” said Susie Pouliot, CEO of the Idaho Medical Association. “Without action to eliminate the flawed SGR formula, physicians face a 21.2% cut for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries on January 1, 2010.  Such drastic payment reductions would force physicians to limit the number of Medicare patients they see, impacting the ability of Idaho seniors to see a doctor when they need one.  This situation in our state is exacerbated by the fact that Idaho consistently ranks as last or next to last in the ratio of physicians per population.”

Walt authors major job-training bill

Wins support from diverse coalition of business, labor, education

Washington, D.C. – In these tough times, more and more workers are going back to school to acquire skills and prepare for the new economic future. Congressman Walt Minnick today is announcing a new initiative to help those workers not only receive training, but also make sure their education is maximally useful in becoming certified for a new career.

“American workers are the best in the world,” said Minnick, a lifelong businessman and entrepreneur who ran a $700 million company. “They are resilient, innovative and hardworking, as is made so clear by the success of many great companies in my home state of Idaho. We need to make sure that those American workers, many of whom are retraining, are given every opportunity to achieve certifications, degrees and qualifications for the jobs American industry needs to fill.”

Minnick’s bill, H.R. 4072, is titled the American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration (AMERICA) Works Act. Minnick is the sponsor of the bill, which is being cosponsored by Congressman Frank Kratovil, of Maryland, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, of Illinois, and Congressman Bobby Bright, of Alabama.

Minnick has spent nearly eight months crafting the bill, seeking input and support from a diverse coalition, including leaders in manufacturing, business, labor and education.

“The AMERICA Works Act directs critical federal resources toward helping students develop the skills necessary to compete in the workplace,” said Priscilla Bell, president of North Idaho College. “The legislation directs federal financial assistance for programs supported by the Workforce Investment Act, Trade Adjustment Act and Perkins Act toward education and training that ensure students get the skills needed to obtain good jobs. At North Idaho College, and at community colleges across the nation, the AMERICA Works Act will strengthen the cooperation we have with our business and industry partners.”

“In tough economic times with high unemployment and the loss of jobs, it is difficult to focus on workforce-skills development. In reality, we have no better time,” said Emily DeRocco, senior vice president at the National Association of Manufacturers. “True economic reform means not only righting our economic ship, but also pursuing the strategies that will ensure we maintain our manufacturing competitiveness and provide the best possible pathways to employment in high-quality, middle-class jobs for all workers. We commend Congressman Minnick and his colleagues for introducing this bill, which will help ensure both new and transitioning workers have the education and skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century manufacturing economy.

“The AMERICA Works Act provides critical resources to vocational and technical education at a time when many Americans are searching for the skills that will provide them and their families with high-wage careers,” said John Littel, a senior executive with the Northwest Carpenters. “The AMERICA Works Act also recognizes the importance of industry partnerships, such as apprenticeships, that provide workers with transferable, industry-recognized certifications.”

In a letter to his colleagues, Minnick wrote that the billions of dollars invested each year in workforce training must be spent effectively. As employers, particularly those in manufacturing, continue to report skills gaps, it has become clear that there should be a more focused approach to ensure workers and employers meet their common goals.

“We must do a better job of aligning education and job training to the career pathways available in the 21st century economy,” the letter states. “The best way to prepare today’s students for the reality of the modern workforce is to offer training in industry-recognized skills.”

Key Points on the AMERICA Works Act:

  * The Act directs use of public funds for designated programs in the Carl D. Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Act, Trade Adjustment Assistance and Workforce Investment Act to develop necessary skills.
  * It amends the Perkins Act by assuring programs of study that receive federal funds result in nationally portable, industry-recognized credentials within the career and technical education section of the bill.
  * It adds a provision to improve training programs under TAA, established by the Trade Act of 1974, directing the Secretary of Labor to approve programs that provide a nationally portable, industry-recognized credential.
  * It amends the Training Activities and Youth Activities sections of WIA to give priority to training programs resulting in nationally portable, industry-recognized credentials.
  * It brings local manufacturers in closer contact with local training programs and builds the credibility of publicly funded training programs with employers all over the country.