CongressmanMike Fitzpatrick8th District Update

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America Needs a National Strategic Agenda

F or millions of families throughout our nation, the American dream has been the driving force behind our

social and economic success and a beacon leading to a better life. Today, too many hardworking people feel the dream slip-

ping out of reach among new roadblocks to prosperity and personal achievement. For many, the American dream of a home, good job and future economic security seems a distant and faint memory.

It should be the common task of each member of this Congress to work to restore the equality of opportunity through princi-pled and pragmatic governance. While it’s no problem identifying areas of disagree-ment, it’s more important to find areas of agreement.

As a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, it’s easy to see there are a handful of issues that transcend ideo-logical divisions within the Congress. By clearly identifying them, members can work toward a common end, knowing that whenever people work together on shared objectives our nation succeeds.

In this Congress, a bipartisan group of more than 70 Senators and Representatives are supporting a resolution calling for a National Strategic Agenda defining the

goals that unite us and set the table for lawmakers to work together.

On the agenda: Creation of 25 million jobs over the next 10 years, balancing the federal budget by 2030, securing Medicare and Social Security for the next 75 years and making America energy-secure by 2024.

Problem Solvers Caucus members have no illusions about the difficulty of tackling even one of these goals. But, goal-setting is where we must start. First, we have to agree where we want to go before deciding how to get there. There are many different viewpoints in Congress, but if everyone begins with a commitment to the same goal, we stand a better chance of success.

There is no all-or-nothing approach to governance. Our plan offers a different path and it’s time for Washington to take it.

Learn more about my work with the Problem Solvers Caucus at Fitzpatrick.House.Gov.

bucks & MONTGOMERY

Rep. Fitzpatrick speaks to students in our nation’s capital about their future, and the importance of a bipartisan governing vision.

Stop the Money, Stop the Terror

A s the United States pushes back against the tide of terror and extremism that is the enemy of

freedom and peace everywhere, we must do so with every tool available, including the financial system.

As chair of the bipartisan Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing, during the last six months my Task Force has sys-tematically examined how terror groups have acquired and moved the money they need to execute their acts. The Task Force has conducted five hearings, countless member level briefings, and sent a delega-tion to the Middle East to better understand illicit financing and how we can step up, or improve American efforts to counter it. The Task Force examined several issues, such as: trade-based money laundering, the security of the American banking system and the influence of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Specifically, the Task Force’s fourth hearing took a long look at the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement made by the U.S. regarding the Republic of Iran’s nuclear program and its potential impact on the world of terrorism financing. What became abun-

dantly clear was the influx of hundreds of billions of dollars to Iran, which were authorized in this deal. These funds will increase that nation’s ability to continue regional destabilization through its support of groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite militias, the Houthis in Yemen, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Damascus.

Iran’s budget features a nine-figure line item to support terrorism, leaving no doubt that the activities it funds will expand Iran’s radical efforts, a fact acknowledged by the Administration following negotia-tions. While this deal rolls back sanctions, expert witnesses before the task force advocated for increased sanctions.

During one hearing on the JCPOA, an attorney testified that American citizens and families who were victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorist attacks are owed bil-lions in compensation awarded by United States judges under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. This includes families in Bucks County.

It is unconscionable to think that we would allow the world’s largest state spon-sor of terror access to billions of dollars in sanctions relief and the unfreezing of held

assets, while victims of Iranian terrorism are left with nothing. For this reason I co-sponsored H.R. 3457, the Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act which says: Not one cent in sanctions relief for Iran until these families are paid.

This Task Force has sounded the alarm on many threats posed by self-financing terrorist organizations and wants to see that every option is considered in our national response to this danger. The U.S. must strengthen its tools and continue its work to combat this threat.

Congressman Fitzpatrick chairing a hearing of the bipartisan Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing.

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House Passes Fitzpatrick Veterans Jobs Bill

A fter a long fight for legislation that puts veterans on the front line of rebuilding America’s infrastructure, a bipar-tisan supermajority in the House passed my Fairness to

Veterans for Infrastructure Investment Act [H.R. 1694] this fall. The legislation ensures that American veterans will play an import-ant role in rebuilding our nation’s roads and bridges, as it levels the playing field for veteran-owned businesses. Currently, some small-business owners receive a preference when doing business with the federal government — veterans do not.

Our fighting men and women are the most highly skilled work-force in history. We must leverage their unprecedented skills to get our economy moving again.

With more than 250,000 service members transitioning each year from the military to civilian life and about one quarter of them saying they are interested in starting or buying their own

business, this Congress can, and must, lay the foundation for their success in the private sector.

CoNTACT ReP. FiTzPATRiCkPHoNe: 215-579-8102 FAx: 215-579-8109

WeB: www.fitzpatrick.house.gov

Honoring Those Who Served

E very military member and veter-an deserves to have their service recognized and appreciated. Few

things are more rewarding than the oppor-tunity to individually thank a veteran or their family and present them with the awards and distinctions they earned.

It was an honor and a pleasure to award service medals — from World War II Victory Medals to Purple Hearts — to doz-ens of veterans and families in ceremonies and personal meetings this year.

My district office staff includes Military and Veteran’s Affairs caseworkers who are

available to assist Bucks and Montgomery county veterans with a number of issues, including retrieving military commenda-tions earned, but lost or never awarded. Contact the Langhorne District office at

1717 Langhorne-Newtown Rd, Suite 400, Langhorne, PA or by phone at 215-579-8102 for more information.

See page 4 for more details about how my staff can help.

America’s Veterans Deserve the Best Care

The trust between Veterans Affairs and those they serve has been shattered by repeated scandal. We need look no further than the Philadelphia VA Regional Office to see the culture of mismanagement, distrust, backlogged claims and lack of attention to care.

A solution is needed to foster a bet-ter climate in the VA regional offices — and it starts with rebuilding the relationship between the VA and the veterans it assists.

To that end, I helped introduce H.R. 3936: the Veteran Engagement Team (VET) Act. This bill is an effort to put a name to a veteran’s face, signifying that veterans are people, not claims numbers.

If enacted into law, the VET Act would create a monthly “one-stop shop” for veterans seeking to com-plete their claims with all personnel needed to process that claim, on hand. These Veteran Engagement Team events would take VA employees out of the office and into the community to help area veterans in a one-on-one setting. This model puts veterans’ needs first.

Business as usual cannot contin-ue at the VA. All veterans deserve prompt and quality care they can trust. They’ve earned it.

Rep. Fitzpatrick at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, speaking with our servicemen about their important work protecting our homeland.

Rep. Fitzpatrick awards service medals to veterans at a ceremony held at the American Legion, Morell Smith Post 440, Newtown, Pa.

Combating Drug Abuse in our CommunityTo some the use of opioid drugs, such

as heroin, seems a world away, but the increasing number of cases remove any doubt that heroin is having a deadly impact close to home. By every metric, the effect of heroin has reached epidemic levels.

Since 2002, heroin use has risen by more than 60 percent, dependency dou-bled and heroin-related overdose deaths quadrupled. In Pennsylvania, opioid abuse will kill more people than homi-cides or influenza. In some states, it’s more deadly than auto accidents.

While state and local leaders are work-ing to meet this epidemic’s challenge, there is a role to be played by the federal government — not only in supporting state and local efforts, but by meeting head-on drug challenges reported on the national level.

As a member of the recently formed

Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, I’m working with leaders in both political parties pushing toward a common goal, which is the development and establishment of national policies to stem the tide of drug use and abuse.

One such step is passing the

Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act [H.R. 953], legislation I’ve co-sponsored and the most wide-ranging addic-tion treatment and support measure ever introduced in Congress. With 50 biparti-san supporters in the House and 20 in the Senate, the bill provides:• Much-needed funding for prevention,

treatment and recovery;• Strengthened prescription drug mon-

itoring programs and supports take-back efforts;

• Applied recovery efforts to our criminal justice system; and

• Expanded educational outreach. If we heed the lessons learned from

Bucks and Montgomery county families and individuals devastated by addiction, leaders in Washington and around the nation can turn the tide.

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Caring for Bucks and Montgomery County SeniorsO n October 15, 2015, the Social

Security Administration announced that due to the recent

decline in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), those on Social Security will not receive a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2016. This is the third time since the establishment of COLA that there was no automatic increase.

Established in 1973, COLA measures its increase by the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The CPI is intended to preserve the purchasing power of Social Security benefits by increasing benefits to keep pace with rising consumer prices or inflation.

But it’s not just Social Security benefi-ciaries who are affected by this decision, since the Administration’s decision to not increase the COLA has threatened to impact Medicare beneficiaries. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are 54 million seniors on Medicare. With “baby boom-

ers” turning 65, this number will continue to rise.

In order to help protect against rising premiums, I supported the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which included a reduction in Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles that would have taken effect in 2016. Without this import-ant fix, millions of Medicare beneficiaries would have seen a 52 percent increase in their premiums.

While it is important to address our growing debt woes, it must be done in a way that keeps the promises made to seniors and preserves the safety net so many depend on. Clearly, Social Security and Medicare are earned benefits, so there must be a commitment to protecting those benefits.

I whole-heartedly support legislation that would change the way the Administration calculates the COLA for our seniors by taking into account the largest line items in seniors’ budgets.

Protecting Those with No VoiceIt is important that the federal government intervene, when appropriate, to promote

animal welfare. Whether it’s the abuse of greyhounds on racetracks or the slaughter of horses, it’s a privilege to speak for those who do not have a voice.

As co-chair of the Congressional Animal Rights Caucus, here are a few animal welfare bills I enthusiastically sponsored and co-sponsored during this Congress:

• Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors Act amends the Animal Welfare Act to require humane treatment of animals by federal government facilities;

• Captive Primate Public Safety Act raises awareness of the dangers of owning primates as domestic pets and highlights the need for federal legislation address-ing this matter;

• Safeguard American Food Exports Act aims to prohibit the sale or transport of equines and equine parts in any interstate or foreign commerce for human consumption;

• Pet and Women Safety Act aims to ensure the safety of victims of domestic vio-lence, as well as their pets, by authorizing grant money so that domestic violence shelters can accommodate all family members who need protection;

• Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2015 intends to end the cruel practice of transporting horses in double-decker trailers by prohibiting the use of such vehi-cles on interstate commerce; and

• Big Cat Public Safety Act prohibits private possession of big cats, except at places like zoos, where they can receive proper care.

At a local event, Rep. Fitzpatrick listens to constituents about issues important to them.

Standing with First Responders

T he service of our first responders is vital to the continued safety and suc-cess of our region and communities.

That’s why it’s a priority to stand behind all efforts to preserve critical programs supporting police, fire and EMS personnel.

Along with several colleagues in the House, I signed letters of support for SAFER Grants and Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE) Grants, ensuring that career and volunteer departments have adequate numbers, training and equipment necessary to protect the communities they serve when responding to fire scenes, auto accidents, or other natural or manmade disasters.

In addition, I introduced H.R. 2350, the

Children of Fallen Heroes Act which aims to provide financial assistance for the edu-cation of a child whose parents or guardian lost their lives in the line of duty and was a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1786, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act. This bill reauthorizes the World Trade Center Health Program, that provides medical monitoring and treatment for chronic, 9/11-related illness-es to over 72,000 first responders and survivors residing in every state and 433 of 435 congressional districts. These responders and survivors deserve to main-tain access to their physicians and medical care, including cancer treatments.

Congressman Fitzpatrick speaks at a press conference about the need to support police, fire and emergency personnel.

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iRS Forms and Tax Return Preparation

Forms for filing can be found at IRS.gov or by calling 1-800-829-3676

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally make $53,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in prepar-ing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free, basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

In addition to VITA, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) pro-gram offers free tax help for all tax-payers, particularly those 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-relat-ed issues unique to seniors. The IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax

counseling are often retired individuals associated with non-profit organizations that receive IRS grants.

Find a VITA or TCE Site Near You

VITA and TCE sites are generally located in community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations across the country. To locate the nearest VITA or TCE site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 1-800-906-9887.

Find an AARP TCE Tax-Aide Site Near You

A majority of the TCE sites are operat-ed by the AARP Foundation’s Tax Aide program. To locate the nearest AARP TCE Tax-Aide site between January and April call 1-888-227-7669.

PA-8

13,561The number of

total cases my office has opened on behalf of 8th District residents

7,787The number of

Department of Veterans Affairs cases my office has opened on behalf of 8th District residents

596The number of

IRS cases my office has opened on behalf of 8th District residents

Reaching Out to Federal AgenciesNeed help with a federal agency?

With your permission, I am authorized to make inqui-ries to federal agencies on behalf of 8th district resi-dents. While this will not guarantee a positive outcome, the office will support your inquiry to the fullest extent.

However, congressional representatives and their staff do not have decision-making authority regarding con-stituent inquiries. The respective agencies have com-plete discretion on such matters, but you can be assured of strong support and a fair and thorough review.

Specifically, what types of inquiries can we help with?These include, but are not limited to:• Social Security• Veterans Affairs• Medicare • Passports• Internal Revenue Service • United States Postal Service • Information on federal student loans or other forms of financial aid• Immigration • Assistance with federal grant applications

The office staff will respond to your concerns on any other federal matters — head-on and with alacrity, including flag requests, requests to visit our Nation’s Capitol and military academy nominations. For state agencies, such as PennDOT, the staff would be happy to put you in contact with your state-elected officials.

What is needed to make an inquiry on my behalf?

A signed privacy waiver is mandatory, including a detailed written explanation of your concern before an inquiry is made.

Can i get help on legal matters? Under no circumstances is my office authorized to

make an inquiry regarding legal disputes, including child care, child custody, divorce, family court, criminal offenses or civil litigation matters. And no member of the staff is authorized to provide legal advice or recom-mend an attorney. For legal questions, please contact an attorney directly.

Can the agency process time be sped up? While the very best effort will be made to expedite an

agency request, most cases must adhere to the standard timeline. If you believe your case represents an extreme hardship, please let our office know in advance.

How to contact my office: local office hours and locationsLanghorne District Office1717 Langhorne Newtown RoadSuite 400Langhorne, PA 19047Phone: 215-579-8102Fax: 215-579-8109Open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

Indian Valley Public Library100 East Church RoadTelford, PA 18969Open Saturdays, 10 am – 1 pm

Or contact me via my website: www.Fitzpatrick.House.Gov

Working with the VA: What We Can Do For You Department of Defense1. Financial problems with payment or benefitsNPRC and Military Branches1. Emergency DD214 Requests (death, hospice, medical emergencies)2. DD214 and Discharge Requests3. Additional Records Requests4. Medals Reissue5. Enlistment Denial Information6. Miscellaneous Military Issues

VA Burial Issues1. Emergency DD214 Requests2. Scheduling Issues3. National Cemetery Issues4. VA Headstones5. VA Headstone MedallionsVA Compensation Claims1. Status on VA Claims2. Expedite Emergency Cases3. Assistance with Forms4. Post 9/11 GI Bill Issues5. Appeal Updates

VA Healthcare1. Application Issues2. Care IssuesVA Pension with Aid and Attendance Claims1. Assistance with Application2. Status on Pending Cases3. Expedite for EmergenciesVA Home Loan 1. Certificate of Eligibility Application

expediting Passports

The best strategy for expedited service is to avoid the rush. Check the validity of your passport and that of your family as soon as you consider traveling. Applying for passports and/or renewing expired ones early is the best step toward a relaxed trav-el experience, but if you are in a bind there are options for expedited service.

You may request expedited service within two weeks of travel by calling 1-877-487-2778 to schedule an appoint-ment at the Philadelphia Passport Center. Expedited service will cost an additional $60, plus any delivery costs.

Life or death emergencies: Call 202-647-4000 after 5 pm, weekends and holidays — emergency travel only.

Once a passport application has been made, assistance can be provided through the office to help facilitate its receipt in time for travel.

BY THeNuMBeRS