Jon Runyan and House Republicans cutting COPS program

It's pretty shocking that the House Republicans are voting to eliminate the Department of Justice’s successful Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program. You'll remember this program helps communities hire police officers. Senator Lautenberg is right:

“With crime rising in New Jersey communities, police officers shouldn’t be on unemployment lines, they should be working to keep our streets safe,” said Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the COPS program. “The COPS grant program has a long history of helping local communities throughout New Jersey and across the country keep police on the beat. Republican efforts to zero out funding for the COPS program are endangering the ability of our police departments to stop violence and prevent crime. I am committed to fighting in the Senate to support COPS funding and tooppose these reckless House cuts. ”

So far Jon Runyan has voted with conservative Republicans almost all the time so he'll likely be voting to eliminate COPS. I guess police are just another thing we can't afford in America anymore.

Newt Gingrich: Jon Runyan is voting for "right-wing social engineering"

Imagine walking into Congress and saying "Sure, I'll vote to abolish Medicare -- What could happen?" Now even Newt Gingrich, the original Republican bomb-thrower and revolutionary, is saying Jon Runyan threw his lot in with extremists:

Gingrich also distanced himself from the plan proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to turn Medicare into a voucher system: "I think that that is too big a jump." He called the plan "right-wing social engineering," which he considers not "any more desirable than left-wing social engineering."

Of course, the headline could apply to any of our House Republicans, but Frank LoBiondo is more afraid of the Tea Party in a primary than anyone else, and Leonard Lance is going to lose his seat in the great game of musical chairs.

also available in Blue

Jon Runyan votes to restrict women's private health insurance

The DCCC put out the following statement after today's vote by Jon Runyan:

In Representative Jon Runyan’s (NJ-3) zeal to restrict women’s health care, today he voted to place new restrictions on how women with private insurance can spend private dollars in purchasing their own health insurance. This is yet another example that Runyan’s agenda is about advancing right-wing social issues rather than creating jobs.

Federal policy has long prohibited federal funds from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered. Today, the Republicans are trying to intrude on a woman’s ability to purchase private health insurance if the insurance plan includes access to abortions and trying to put the IRS in charge of auditing the claims.

“Rather than focus on creating jobs and reducing the deficit, Representative Jon Runyun backed an extreme plan to restrict women’s access to health care options and their reproductive rights,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “This plan Jon Runyan backed goes well beyond existing law and could block most private health care plans for women. It’s clear that Representative Runyan is putting his radical ideology above New Jersey women.”

Jon Runyan statement on John Adler

From the official site: Congressman Jon Runyan Expresses Condolences In The Passing of Honorable John Adler:

“I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of former Congressman John Adler, especially his wife Shelley and their four boys. May John rest in peace, and may those he left behind be comforted in the knowledge that his lifetime of public service to our community has left a lasting legacy for which they can be most proud.

“I valued and respected his leadership and his commitment to the people of New Jersey’s Third District and indeed the entire state.”

Jon Runyan on Libya

Just in case it disappears, here is Runyan's statement on Libya at his official House site:

“I fully support our nation’s servicemembers who are engaged in military operations in Libya and our prayers are with them and their families. It is imperative however that we know how long, to what extent, and at what the cost to both American taxpayers and servicemembers will U.S. military resources be utilized in this engagement. The President has an obligation to explain his military goals to the Congress and the American people.

“Even with the Administration’s announcement regarding the increased responsibilities of NATO in enforcing the no-fly zone, the role and strategic mission of the United States military remains unclear and inadequately defined.

“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to hearing from the Administration next week during an Armed Services Committee hearing on what the President hopes to accomplish, and am eager to gain clarity regarding how this mission is in our national interest.”

The statement is from March 25, 2011, so it's a little dated.

Jon Runyan's novel approach to the Constitution

You and I learned that a bill becomes a law only after it passes the House of Representatives and the Senate. Frank LoBiondo, Jon Runyan, Scott Garrett, Chris Smith, and Leonard Lance have invented a new theory of government:

If the House has not received a message from the Senate before April 6, 2011, stating that it has passed a measure providing for the appropriations for the departments and agencies of the Government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, the provisions of H.R. 1, as passed by the House on February 19, 2011, are hereby enacted into law.

Yes, if the Senate fails to vote for a bill that means it becomes law! Congratulations Tea Party "Constitutionalists," you have hit the jackpot with your Representatives.

I'd like to think Rodney Frelinghuysen failed to vote because he being visited by his outraged ghost ancestors but there's probably another reason.

Cross Posted from Blue Jersey

How will Veterans feel when Runyan shuts down the government?

Representative Jon Runyan held an event to win over veterans with government spending. It's rather odd than none of them asked Runyan about his plans to shut down the government... the lovely new 1,100 space parking garage and the backlog of benefit applications are not going to progress without money. Well, I guess we'll see how it works out for the new politician.