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December 22, 2008 - Statement on Governor
Blagojevich's Arrest
If Governor Blagojevich has any regard for the State of Illinois
and its residents, he will immediately resign from office. The State
of Illinois needs to move forward with its business, including the
appointment of our new Senator, and he cannot remain at its helm.
Nationwide Digital Television Tests
 All U.S. full-power
TV broadcast stations were asked to voluntarily participate in a nationwide
analog shut-off test last Wednesday, December 17.
The FCC organized the nationwide soft shutoff, which lasted
for five minutes at 7:30 p.m. local time in each market. During the
test, participating stations shut off their analog transmitters for
five minutes and viewers were asked to turn on each set in their homes
to see if they were receiving normal TV programming during the test
period.
Any set that did not work as usual during the test period
indicates that set is analog only and needs to be replaced or modified
with a converter box, cable or satellite signal before the digital transition
occurs February 17, 2009.
Planning is under way for another nationwide test on Saturday,
January 17.
It is not too late to apply for a government issued, money
saving coupon, which will help you purchase a government certified converter
box. Coupons are available on a first come, first served basis. To apply,
go to DTV2009.gov, call 1-888-DTV-2009
(1-888-388-2009), or mail a completed application to PO Box 2000, Portland,
OR 9720.
Congratulations to Secretary of Transportation-designate
Ray LaHood
 I am very pleased
to learn that Congressman Ray
LaHood will be joining the President-elect's cabinet as Secretary
of Transportation. This speaks well of both men. President-elect Obama
promised a bipartisan approach to governing, and Secretary-designate
LaHood has advocated in many ways for congeniality and bipartisanship
in Congress.
I know that Secretary-designate LaHood's experience on
the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee will be valuable to the
President-elect and for the Department as a whole.
Transportation and infrastructure have been areas that
have enjoyed bipartisan support in the past, particularly among the
Illinois Congressional delegation.
Transportation is also a great agency for an Illinoisan
to lead. With Secretary-designate LaHood's intimate knowledge of our
state's needs, we can expect to have a terrific ally and advocate for
our transportation needs. I look forward to working with Secretary LaHood
and President Obama.
Investigating "Morale Improvement" Programs
at the FDA
 On December 12, I co-signed
a letter to FDA Commissioner Andrew von
Eschenbach inquiring about the FDA's new $1.5 million morale improvement
program run by the Center for Professional Development (CPD) in Oakland,
California.
The letter, signed by myself and the Ranking
Republican Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman
Joe Barton (TX), requests specific answers relating to how the program
was contracted and how it is administered.
While there is little information on CPD's past performance
on government work, according to their website, one of CPD's consultants
"works with the metaphor of colour, symbol, dance and story to
help people give meaning to their lives and work." Also of concern,
is the FDA's lack of any justifiable measurement of the program's success.
As the Ranking Republican Member of the Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, it is my role to ensure
that federal agencies under my jurisdiction are fulfilling their mission
to the American people and spending taxpayer's money wisely.
Changes in Farm Service Agency Payments
 The Farm
Service Agency has changed its check processing procedures. They
no longer issue checks at your county office. Payments are now made
only through electronic deposit or a check processed through a central
office in Kansas City.
This new procedure applies to both program payments and loan disbursements.
Farmers who have traditionally applied for loans at the end of the year
will not get those checks directly at county office, so plan for a delay
in the issuing of check.
Holiday Shopping Safety Resources Available
from COPS
 The
US Department of Justice Office
of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has produced a toolkit
to help address public safety issues that are prevalent during the holiday
shopping season.
The COPS
Holiday Safety Toolkit contains resources that focus on the crimes
typically seen during the holiday season and provides initiatives that
law enforcement, communities, shoppers, and retail businesses can take
to help prevent becoming a victim of crime.
This toolkit includes specific guides in burglary of retail
establishments, burglary of single family homes, check and card fraud,
identity theft, drunk driving, robbery at ATMs, shoplifting and thefts
from cars in parking facilities.
Each guide in the toolkit addresses the specific problem,
identifies questions that can assist police departments in analyzing
their local problem, and reviews responses to the problem and what is
known from evaluative research and police practice. You may download
this toolkit from the COPS website by clicking
here.
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