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Constituent Corner

" Medicare Drug Discount Card Scams
Last week at one of my Traveling Help Desk locations, a constituent brought to the attention of my staff a new Medicare prescription drug discount card scam. Please remember that no one from Medicare will ever contact you asking for your bank information. A report of potential fraud and abuse of the drug discount card and/or the $600 credit should be made to 1-800-MEDICARE or the OIG Hotline at 1-800-447-8477.

" Fulbright Program Applications Now Being Accepted
I am inviting my constituents to apply for the U.S. Department of State's Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program. Applications are welcome from U.S. administrators and teachers at K-12 schools and two-year colleges who wish to participate in a teacher exchange abroad during the 2005-2006 academic year.

This is a terrific opportunity to see how other countries approach education. We have had a number of constituents participate in the Fulbright Program who come away from their visits with new ideas that they then bring to their schools here in southern Illinois.

Those interested in participating must be U.S. citizens, have a full-time teaching or administrative position, be in at least the third year of full-time employment (for teaching and administrative exchanges) or in the second year of full-time teaching (for summer seminar participation), and be fluent in English. In some countries, demonstrated fluency in the appropriate language is required. The Presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board will select participants.

Applications must be postmarked no later than October 15, 2004. Requests for applications, publicity material, and general information should be directed to Ms. Roberta Croll, Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 320, Washington, DC, 20024; phone 800-726-0479; e-mail: fulbright@grad.usda.gov; website: www.fulbrightexchanges.org.

" New "Traveling Help Desk" Dates
On Friday June 18, Holly Linder of my Harrisburg district office will be available to help the residents of New Burnside and Galatia. In New Burnside, she will be at the New Burnside Community Building on 178 W. 2nd Street from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. In Galatia, she will be in the Galatia Community Center on 210 W. Main Street from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Appointments are not necessary, so feel free to drop by at any time. For more information, please visit my web page at <http://www.house.gov/shimkus/helpdesk.htm>. I hope you stop in to see us!
Anticipated Action on the House Floor Next Week

" Congress will be in session from Tuesday through Friday of next week. Some of the legislation which will be considered includes:
o H.R. 4754 - Department of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Wolf / Appropriations Committee)
o H.R. 4755 - Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Kingston / Appropriations Committee)
o H.R. 3598 - Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2003 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Ehlers / Science Committee). This manufacturing bill would reauthorize the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) with a funding level of $110 million in FY 2005 with annual increases of $5 million through FY 2008.

" Want to know more? Keep an eye on the Whip Notice web page at http://www.majoritywhip.gov/whipnotice.asp. This site provides up-to-date information on House legislative schedules.

Did You Know?

" 4th of July Celebration at the National Archives
Every year the National Archives hosts a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the anniversary of the birth of our nation. For everyone who can't make it to this celebration, I would encourage you to visit this website http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/charters.html to see some of the historical documents and information housed at our National Archives.

I wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July!

Sincerely,

Congressman John Shimkus

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