RESOLUTION #1
BE BETTER PREPARED FOR HURRICANES AND NATURAL DISASTERS
After the painful lessons of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, we must look back and determine how to better respond to these disasters and implement policies to prevent similar disastrous results.
These disasters exposed fundamental flaws in the plan and communication structure to coordinate response efforts of local, state, and federal government, as well as non-profit relief organizations. For example, we must establish procedures to ensure that the safety and well-being of seniors in adult communities is not forgotten. Now that we know our current emergency management infrastructure is not capable of responding to multiple disasters, or those the scope of Katrina, Rita and Wilma, we must streamline and reform our disaster preparedness and response.
RESOLUTION #2
DEVELOP A REAL HOMELAND SECURITY PLAN
Nine million shipping containers bring freight into
South Florida is home to Port Everglades and the
RESOLUTION #3
WE MUST IMPROVE
Widespread discontent with the
The international community also resents the
Their concern is understandable. The
Our current policies fail to value international relationships. We must incorporate international concerns into initiative planning if we are to continue to count on the support of global coalitions.
RESOLUTION #4
WE MUST RESTORE FAITH AND TRUST IN GOVERNMENT
A series of top White House personnel and Congressional leaders have been indicted or investigated for serious national security breeches and money laundering scams. With this in mind, it's hardly surprising that a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll reported that 49%of respondents said most members of Congress are corrupt.
There has also been an abrupt reversal in Congressional oversight during this Administration that must be addressed. During the Clinton White House investigations, Congress issued over 1000 subpoenas and deposed over 141 officials. Meanwhile, during the current Administration, Democrats' requests to hold four separate hearings on possible faulty pre-Iraq War intelligence and the CIA leak scandal were denied in the Government Reform Committee. Additionally, four resolutions of inquiry-the means of last resort to force a congressional investigation-were rejected in the Intelligence, Judiciary, Armed Services, and International Relations committees.
The stakes could not be higher. Evenhanded oversight is not unpatriotic-- it's Congress' constitutional obligation. We must reestablish honest government and the people's trust.
RESOLUTION #5
WE MUST ESTSABLISH CLEAR, SECURE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS
Seniors across the country are being asked to sort through a complicated and confusing Medicare Prescription Drug Bill. Medicare Part D fails to guarantee beneficiaries a comprehensive prescription drug benefit. Worse, they will have to repeat the review process annually as plans change again, and again. I recently held a series of town hall meetings to help explain this new program to
This new plan shamelessly caters to large pharmaceutical companies at the expense of the American people, and the existing campaigns to explain the program to our seniors are clearly inadequate. We need to jumpstart a public education campaign before people make serious mistakes or are needlessly charged for not signing up on time.
I'm pleased to share these resolutions with you, and I look forward to working toward making them a reality by 2007. Your questions, thoughts, and concerns are important to me. Please do not hesitate to let me know of any problems or issues you consider significant. Feel free to contact my offices in Broward at 954-437-3936, in Miami-Dade at 305-936-5724, or in