Army Corps of Engineers Delays Plan to Protect the Great Lakes from Asian Carp

Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced it does not plan to comply with the timeline set by the Stop the Invasive Species Act.  Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) championed the legislation, which was signed into law in July 2012, requiring the Corps to complete a plan to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species, including Asian carp, by January 2014.  Instead of following this timeline, the Corps intends to follow its original schedule and will present only options to Congress in the fall of 2013, delaying the completion of a long-term strategy until 2015.  The announcement came in a 90 day progress report required by Camp’s bill. In reaction, Camp said: “As Asian carp draw closer to the Great Lakes every day, the Army Corps of Engineers has chosen to work even slower on developing a solution, in direct contravention to the law Congress passed earlier this year.  This is unacceptable.  The 700,000 people whose jobs depend on the Great Lakes fishery cannot continue to wait on the Corps.  I plan to hold the Corps accountable for openly flouting the direction given to it by Congress.” Support Camp on Facebook and learn more about what he's doing to protect the Great Lakes.

Camp Demands Delphi Pension Documents from Treasury and White House

On August 13, 2012, Camp requested information from the White House, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), and the Treasury Department to investigate whether the Obama administration picked winners and losers in the termination of Delphi’s employee pension plans during bankruptcy in 2009.  While PBGC was forthcoming with its records, Treasury’s response was incomplete and the White House produced no documents at all.  In a follow-up letter, Camp reminded the President that he had once pledged to run the most “transparent and open” Administration ever.  The emails Camp did receive suggest that top Administration officials were heavily involved in the decision to terminate the pension plans of Delphi salaried retirees while protecting those of their hourly co-workers. Read a recent opinion piece about the Delphi pension issue from the Detroit News by Daniel Howes here.

Fall in the 4th District

Michigan is a great place to enjoy everything the fall season has to offer.  October is the peak color season in mid-Michigan.  Be sure to find a color tour near you.  Interested in apple cider and doughnuts?  Find a local farm or cider mill to enjoy everything Michigan has to offer.

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