US Rep Frank Guinta - Frank's Footnotes: My Fight Against Rising Gas Prices

Getting The Gas We Need: My fight to keep fuel costs low
Whether you filled your car’s gas tank this week, or are a senior citizen trying to come up with the cash to heat your home, we’re all getting stung as gas and oil prices keep moving sharply upward. Be assured I’m paying close attention to these rising prices that are hitting you hard right in your wallet. I’ve actively supported legislation that embraces an “all of the above” approach to energy production since I came to Congress last year. On Thursday, I voted for H.R. 3408 – the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act. This legislation is a bipartisan plan to expand offshore energy production, safely open small parts of ANWR for oil and natural gas production, encourage the development of 1.5 trillion barrels of oil shale in the West, and approve the much-needed Keystone XL pipeline. It would create over 1.2 million jobs, raise over $4.3 billion in new federal revenues and lower gas prices. Although I was the only Representative from New England to support this bill, I was glad it passed with a bipartisan vote of 237-187. I’m also fighting to fully fund fuel assistance for thousands of seniors and low-income Granite Staters. A more limited government requires setting priorities, and fully funding LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) should be one of them. I recently joined my House colleagues in sending a letter to President Obama, asking him to at least maintain LIHEAP’s current funding level. Sadly though, that isn’t reflected in his new budget proposal I will discuss later. In fact, he’s trying to cut it by $452 million next year. That would cause hardship for thousands of Granite Staters who rely on LIHEAP to keep warm during our long New England winters. I will continue to keep you updated on my efforts to lower fuel costs and to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

	Shining The Job Spotlight On Portsmouth: Ready for my next Job Fair on Wednesday
	Click image above to watch a video announcement Final preparations are underway for the special job fair I’m hosting in Portsmouth next Wednesday, February 22. Representatives from nearly 40 employers will be on hand from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. at Great Bay Community College, located at 320 Corporate Drive. A total of 650 attendees attended the three job fairs I held last year in Derry, Rochester and Manchester, and I’m expecting next week’s event to be just as successful as they were. Click here to learn more about next week's job fair. People often tell me one of the things they enjoy most about these Job Fairs is they return the human connection to job seeking. If you’ve looked for work recently, you know most employers require you to apply for jobs online. Your resume and application are tossed into a giant electronic pile… and then you wait. Things are different at these job fairs. Employers and would-be employees meet face to face, and job seekers get to pitch skills and talents that aren’t often easily apparent from reading a resume. Be sure to tell your relatives, neighbors and friends about this job fair and I look forward to seeing you in Portsmouth on Wednesday. The Portsmouth Job Fair is a part of my ongoing "Getting Granite Staters Back to Work" initiative.  Click here to learn more about it!

	President Obama's New Budget Proposal: Like A Bad Movie You’ve Seen Too Many Times Before
	As I mentioned earlier, President Obama released his budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 on Monday. Regrettably, it’s like a bad movie you’ve seen too many times before. It’s just more of the same: more spending, more deficits, more taxes. It projects $3.8 trillion in spending, including billions for yet another round of short-term, stimulus-style spending instead of a serious plan for long-term job creation, a deficit of nearly $1 trillion, and seeks to impose at least $1.5 trillion in new taxes on small businesses and families over the next decade. President Obama told us the deficit would be cut in half by the end of his first term. Instead, his policies produced multiple trillion dollar deficits and the largest debt we’ve ever had (as a percentage of our economy) since World War II. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I’m already helping write a budget for FY 2013 that will focus on cutting wasteful spending and creating an environment where job creation flourishes. I look forward to updating you on our budget process, and progress, in the coming weeks.

	Keeping In Touch: Nearly 7,500 Granite Staters participate in Tele-Town Hall call
	For one hour Thursday evening, I talked with almost 7,500 fellow Granite Staters during a Tele-Town Hall conference call. I answered a wide range of questions covering everything from medical care for military veterans to the outlook for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s future. They also wanted to know what steps Congress can take to help our economy recover and grow jobs. Tele-Town Hall calls let me stay in touch with the people I serve while I’m working in Washington. I get to tell callers about the latest developments in Congress, and have the opportunity to go into greater detail than the typical twenty second TV news sound bite covers. Best of all, it keeps Granite Staters informed without leaving the comfort of their home, and gives me the opportunity to connect with thousands of people at the same time. I hope you’ll join me for my next Tele-Town Hall call in the near future.

Bass to Hold Town Hall Meeting in Berlin 2/11/12 11am

Bass to Hold Town Hall Meeting in Berlin

Saturday, February 11, 11:00 a.m.

BERLIN, NH – On Saturday, February 11, 2012, from 11:00 a.m. to 12 p.m., Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) will host a town hall meeting for constituents with special guest Mayor Paul Grenier at Berlin City Hall.  Constituents with questions, comments, or those in need of assistance on a federal matter are welcome to attend.

RECAP:

Congressman Charles F. Bass

Host Town Hall Meeting with special guest Mayor Paul Grenier

Berlin City Hall

168 Main Street

Berlin, NH

Saturday, February 11, 2012

11:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.

http://bass.house.gov

U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta to host job fair in Portsmouth on February 22

(Washington – February 7, 2012)    U.S. Representative Frank Guinta (R, NH-01) is hosting a job fair in Portsmouth later this month.  It will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22^nd at Great Bay Community College, 320 Corporate Drive in Portsmouth.

Representatives from more than 30 employers and organizations will talk with participants about employment options.  It is also an ideal chance for people who are underemployed, or who are considering a career change, to explore opportunities as well.

The event is part of Rep. Guinta’s ongoing Getting Granite Staters Back to Work jobs initiative.  He hosted job fairs in Derry, Rochester and Manchester last year. 

“The road back to employment is often long and hard,” Guinta explained.  “This job fair is a perfect opportunity to see what jobs are available, and which ones may be a good fit for job seekers.  Best of all, this fair personalizes the job application process by letting people meet face-to-face with employers.  It’s a great chance for job candidates to sell themselves and their skills.”    

For additional details on this important job fair, please call Ashley Pratte at (603) 641-9536.

NH Department of Health Recognizes National Wear Red Day to Promote Heart Disease Awareness

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS), Heart Disease and Stroke

Prevention Program is recognizing Wear Red Day on February 3rd and February

as American Heart Month. Wear Red Day is an effort to raise awareness of

women and heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for

women across the country and the second leading cause of death in New

Hampshire.



According to the American Heart Association, one in three women die of

heart disease. The American Heart Association also indicates that only 55%

of women realize heart disease is their number one killer, and fewer than

half know what are considered healthy levels for cardiovascular risk

factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol. The good news is that both

men and women can lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82% by

leading a healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association first launched

the Go Red for Women campaign in 2004 to try to change these numbers.



“More women die in the U.S. from heart disease than the next four causes of

death combined, including all forms of cancer,” said Dr. José Montero,

Director of Public Health at DHHS. “The Go Red for Women initiative is

meant to raise awareness, educate, and encourage women to take charge of

their health. There is much we can do to improve our health and decrease

our chances for heart disease, such as eating a healthy diet full of fruits

and vegetables, quitting smoking, exercising more, and getting a physical

exam regularly. It is also important to know the warning signs for a heart

attack because they are sometimes different for women.”



The signs and symptoms of a heart attack can include:

Chest discomfort - uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or

pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes,

or goes away and comes back.

Upper body discomfort - pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the

back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath - with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs – may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or

lightheadedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain

or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to

experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness

of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.



If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, seek immediate medical

attention or call 911.



For more information about the American Heart Association, the Go Red for

Women Campaign, Wear Red Day, or American Heart Month, visit these

websites: www.heart.org , www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth , or

www.goredforwomen.org  To contact the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

Program at DHHS call 603-271-4544.

U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta visits Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Reiterates his strong commitment to keeping it open 

 

Rep. Frank Guinta (R, NH-01) with his family and congressional staff touring the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the USS San Juan on January 28, 2012

(Washington – January 31, 2012)    U.S. Representative Frank Guinta visited the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Saturday, January 28^th.   He toured the submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751), which is completing a series of repairs at the facility.

After the hour-long tour, Guinta said he was deeply impressed by the professionalism of the San Juan’s officers and crew, and by the Shipyard’s workers.

“Granite Staters know the quality of work performed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and how vital that work is to defending our freedom.  The jobs that are provided here are vitally important to the Seacoast’s economy, too.  Just last Friday, I expressed my support for a bipartisan congressional effort to make sure that work continues here.  On my tour, I saw first-hand how deeply committed the 134 men who serve on the San Juan are to fulfilling their mission.  I want them, and all the military and civilian workers at PNSY, to know I’m equally committed to keeping the Shipyard open.”