Chet Edwards For Congress - What's New

Bill would help improve barracks, hospitals

Kat — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:36:08 -0700

Bill would help improve barracks, hospitals

The Army Times
By Karen Jowers | Times staff writer | Monday June 23, 2008

A $72.8 billion bill that would provide better barracks for some Marine and soldier trainees, fix antiquated military medical facilities, hire more veterans claims processors and increase access to care for veterans has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Representatives.

"There are not many lobbyists running around Capitol Hill fighting for better housing for 18- and 19-year-old young men and women who made the decision to serve and sacrifice for our country," noted Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas.

Lawmakers have added $200 million for extra troop housing for soldier and Marine trainees to the Pentagon's fiscal 2009 military construction request.

"We want to send the message to soldiers and Marines that we value and respect their decision to serve by improving the barracks they live in when they train," said Edwards, chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.

The subcommittee passed the bill unanimously by voice vote.

The extra barracks funding is part of the overall $24.8 billion bill for military construction, barracks and family housing, and base realignment and closure actions, which is $400 million more than the Pentagon's fiscal 2009 budget request.

Edwards said lawmakers learned in recent hearings that there is an "enormous" need to refurbish military medical treatment facilities, many of which are old and do not meet current standards for care.

In a Feb. 7 hearing with the senior enlisted advisers, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston said that while military medical facilities generally are well-maintained and operated, they are old and are not configured or constructed to provide the full range of treatment available in modern medical facilities.

Of the 25 major Army hospitals or medical centers, eight are more than 50 years old, and many others are between 25 and 50 years old.

Edwards said he hoped lawmakers' efforts to provide more funding have brought the issue to the attention of top officials, and that future budget submissions will include funding increases to address the backlog.

The bill also provides funding to hire an additional 1,400 Veterans Affairs claims processors, in addition to the 703 new hires that were included in the VA's 2009 budget submission.

All told, the bill would provide $47.7 billion in discretionary funding for VA. That is $2.9 billion above the White House's 2009 budget request, and $4.6 billion more than this year's VA budget.

The bill includes $3.8 billion for specialty mental health services and $584 million for substance abuse programs. Edwards said lawmakers want to increase their oversight in those areas to ensure VA is able to provide the best care now and in the future for veterans with mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder, who are struggling with substance abuse or considering suicide, and those suffering from sexual trauma.

"One of the biggest challenges is to make sure VA follows through," said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. "The VA is a big bureaucracy. If Congress doesn't lead and direct and hold them accountable, all the money in the world is not going to lead to more efficiency. We're throwing a lot of money at them, [but] it's easier to appropriate or allocate money than it is to hold these agencies accountable."

Lawmakers added $11 million for VA's inspector general to restore a budget cut that was made in the administration's original request, and to provide additional personnel to inspect community-based outpatient clinics and vet centers.

The bill also would provide:

• $200 million to increase access to fee-based care for veterans in areas where VA does not offer services.

• $568 million to increase VA health care enrollment of middle-income veterans.

• $300 million to address a maintenance backlog at VA medical facilities.

• $58 million to restore a cut made by VA for medical research in trauma, mental health and other areas important to veterans .

Vote doubles education benefits for vets

Kat — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:11:13 -0700

Vote doubles education benefits for vets

By Matt Smith | Cleburne Times Review | June 23 2008

The GI Bill of Rights, an amendment to a bill funding the war on terror, passed the U.S. House Thursday by a 416-12 vote. The bill doubles veterans education benefits to fully cover four-year college costs for U.S. service members. The bill is funded by $68.2 billion over 10 years. Another $8.2 billion included in the bill will fund unemployment benefits for veterans for 13 weeks past the regular 26 week period.

President Bush, who initially threatened to veto the bill, has now indicated his intention to sign it into law. The bill must first pass the Senate later this week.

House members voted 268-155 to approve $162 billion in funding for the war on terror. The GI bill was an amendment to that bill. Both will be rolled into one bill for the Senate vote.

The education portion of the bill is tagged to the public university with the highest tuition rate in each state, said Josh Taylor, communications director for U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco. The bill restores the promise of the original GI Bill, passed in 1944, to ensure a full four-year college education for America's veterans, Edwards said. The bill doubles the benefit from about $9,000 to about $18,000 per year.

"Not only will this strengthen our military," Edwards said. "It will also allow the heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan to spur the American economic recovery, just as the original GI Bill did after World War II."

Under the bill, U.S. servicemen and women returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, who have served three years of active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, would receive benefits to cover the costs of a four year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public tuition. They would also receive a monthly stipend of about $1,000 for living expenses and $1,000 annually for books. Veterans who serve six years or more may also transfer their education benefits to their children and spouses.

Current veteran education benefits only cover about 60 percent of the cost of a public school education, Edwards said.

"This new GI Bill must become the law of the land," Edwards said. "Our veterans deserve no less."

Edwards: House Passes 21st Century GI Bill of Rights ...

Kat — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:04:40 -0700

Edwards: House Passes 21st Century GI Bill of Rights to Cover Veterans’ Cost of College Education

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Chet Edwards, Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, today supported House passage of a historic new GI Bill for the 21st Century that covers the cost of a college education for U.S. service men and women.

“For the 1.7 million brave men and women who have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this legislation will make a college education a reality, not a dream,” said Rep. Edwards. “This new GI Bill for the 21st Century restores the promise of the GI Bill to pay for a full four-year college education for America’s veterans by doubling the current benefit from approximately $9,000 per year to $18,000 per year. Not only will this strengthen our military, it will also allow the heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan to be part of spurring the American economic recovery -- just as the original GI Bill did after World War II.”

Under the new GI Bill, servicemembers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, who have served 3 years on active duty, would receive benefits to cover the costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school, along with a stipend for housing, books and other expenses. Education benefits would be available to troops who have served at least 3 months of active duty service since September 11, 2001, including members of the National Guard and Reserve. Right now, veterans’ education benefits cover only about 60 percent of the cost of a public-school education.

The new GI Bill is broadly supported by all major veterans’ organizations, including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
In his first year as Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Edwards authored a historic increase of $11.8 billion in veterans’ health care and benefits, the largest increase in veterans funding in the 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Chet Edwards: Cooperation vs. congestion

Kat — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:40:04 -0700

November 5, 2007

Chet Edwards: Cooperation vs. congestion

Waco Tribune Herald
By Chet Edwards

Click-2-Listen

Three hundred and fifty-nine million hours. That is how many hours Texans will spend in congested traffic this year. Unfortunately, that’s the good news.

The bad news:

That number will double over the next 10 years unless Texans take dramatic steps.

That is why 24 Texans in Congress, Republicans and Democrats, have joined together to endorse Proposition 12 on Tuesday’s ballot.

I must say, in my years in Congress I’ve never seen this kind of bipartisan cooperation on anything.

Proposition 12 will authorize $5 billion in state bonds to help reduce the massive backlog of high-priority roads, bridges and highways that must be built in our urban, suburban and rural communities throughout Texas.

If it is defeated, it would put our state, families and businesses into a transportation pothole that harms our quality of life and economic future.

Let us be clear. Proposition 12 is not the final solution. It is, however, a step in the right direction.

The Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

Proposition 12 is a first step in our long journey toward less congestion, better roads and cleaner air.

We must do much more. The Texas congressional delegation has formed a bipartisan transportation working group. We met with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Chairman Ric Williamson and with Gov. Perry, who has encouraged TxDOT officials to be actively involved in our bipartisan dialogue.

We intend to meet with state legislators in Austin to find ways we in Washington, and those in Austin, can work together to address Texas’ needs.

A key initial step is to understand the nature and seriousness of the problem. It is immense.

Some facts from the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M:

The cost of excess travel time and fuel consumed in congestion in Texas is estimated at $6.7 billion a year.
State GDP increasingly has outpaced the state gas tax revenue. This, with 52 percent inflation in construction costs over the last five years, eats at our ability to invest in transportation infrastructure.
Without additional revenue sources and appropriate planning, congestion will continue to worsen and Texas metropolitan areas will experience a doubling of traffic congestion by 2030.

We are not interested in finger pointing. What we are interested in is understanding the depth of our transportation problems and challenges, and then finding common-sense solutions.

We intend to reach out to business, labor and community leaders for their ideas and to lay a common foundation of understanding about the depth of Texas’ transportation crisis. Only then can we develop a consensus for real solutions.

We know there will be honest differences and bumps in the road. We understand there are no simple, painless solutions or silver bullets to solve our state’s transportation problems, but we intend to work hard, together.

We can show that genuine, bipartisan cooperation can pave the way for a brighter future for Texas.

Passing Proposition 12 will move Texas forward for the benefit of all. It is time for us to move forward, together.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, represents District 17 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Minimum Wage Rises For First Time In A Decade

Kat — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:04:40 -0700

July 24, 2007

Minimum Wage Rises For First Time In A Decade

KWTX-TV

"I believe an honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay and this needed increase rewards work, not welfare,” Edwards said.

The federal minimum wage goes up Tuesday for the first time in ten years, jumping 70 cents to $5.85 an hour.

It's the first of three, 70-cent increases that will hike the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour by the summer of 2009.

The government says more than 1.5 million American workers made the old minimum wage of $5.15 an hour or less last year.

The increase is one of the few major legislative successes of the new Democratic-controlled Congress.

President Bush signed the measure into law after the Democrats removed a provision calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

The bill also contains nearly $5 billion worth of tax relief for small businesses to help them hire new workers.

The relief will also help offset the cost of the higher wage.

As many as 17 million Texans and 50,000 military families will benefit from the increase, Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, said.

"I believe an honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay and this needed increase rewards work, not welfare,” Edwards said.

Edwards delivers funding bill for veterans

Kat — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:30:55 -0700

June 14, 2007
Edwards delivers funding bill for veterans

By SUZANNE GAMBOA | AP via Houston Chronicle | Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Almost two decades after pledging to take care of veterans, Democratic Rep. Chet Edwards finally has built enough seniority in Congress to fulfill his promise.

Edwards used his post as an appropriations subcommittee chairman to deliver a $64.7 billion bill funding veterans and military construction programs to the House that is scheduled for a vote this week.

The bill provides $43.2 billion for Veterans Affairs, $6.7 billion more than provided in 2007 and the largest single increase for Veterans Affairs in its 77-year history, he said.

Edwards, D-Waco, said his one-time boss and mentor, former Rep. Olin "Tiger" Teague, a World War II veteran, advised him when he was elected in 1990 to never forget veterans.

"I have been working for 16 years to write a bill like this for veterans," Edwards said.

But the bill also sets up a possible faceoff for Edwards with his most famous constituent, President Bush, who has threatened to veto all the appropriations bills because they exceed his spending requests.

It's a threat that Edwards called "ill advised" while he stood at an outdoor news conference flanked by about a dozen representatives of veterans groups, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

"By the time the White House hears from thousands of veterans throughout the country that are outraged by a veto of historic funding levels ... they will back off the veto threat," Edwards said.

The veterans groups, some that have opposed Democrats on their effort to withdraw troops from Iraq, said the funding would provide for sorely needed case workers to reduce the backlog of 400,000 veterans' benefits claims.

The bill also provides $600 million for new mental health and post traumatic stress syndrome programs, including money for five polytrauma centers, and to get three mental health and PTSD centers, including one in Waco, operating by next year. The centers treat Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for traumatic brain injury and help their families.

"This is a good bill. It is the right thing to do and it is the cost of war," said Kimo Hollingsworth, legislative director for AMVETS.

Politically, the bill helps Democrats deliver on a promise to make children and veterans their priorities.

"A lot of people say we are for veterans, but the test is where do you put your money?" Hoyer said.

The spending bill is about $4 billion more than what Bush, whose ranch is in Edwards' district, requested for Veterans Affairs and military construction.

The bill also would spend:

$8.2 billion for Base Closing and Realignment projects.
$2.9 billion for military housing
$2.9 billion for substance abuse programs for veterans.
$76.5 million that will help pay for 50 investigators to oversee spending.
$2.8 billion to increase the size of the military.

The bill is HR2642.

Edwards covers Iraq, immigration, oil

Kat — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:19:32 -0700

June 12, 2007
Edwards covers Iraq, immigration, oil

By STEVE SNYDER | Navasota Examiner editor

A good politician knows how to relate well to a crowd.

In the case of Congressman Chet Edwards' speech to a Navasota/Grimes County Chamber of Commerce luncheon May 31, a little joke was in order at the top of the lineup.

"I have good news for you: Neither the U.S. Congress nor the Texas Legislature is in session today," he said.

After that, Edwards got down to brass tacks. He started by avowing Congress is not as partisanly divided as portrayed by national news media stories.

"If all I did was watch national television ... the only impression I would have right now is that we're fighting over Iraq and Attorney General Gonzales ... and it's all partisan," he said. "What I would tell you is ... there are good people on both sides of the aisle but they don't make the news."

Before getting to a discussion of Iraq, and other issues, Edwards went back to a bit more levity, referencing throat surgery he had at the start of the year.

"I could not speak for two months ... and I'm looking to see if we can't get this district in the Guiness Book of World Records ... for longest period of time without a Congressman talking," he said.

Iraq

The serious issues on his list of topics did begin with Iraq, then. Edwards said he was glad Congress sent a new Iraq funding bill to President George W. Bush, even though it did not have timetables or benchmarks that an earlier House bill, vetoed by Bush, did have.

"I'm glad we got the bill passed to fully fund the president's request. I think it would be a mistake to pull all our troops tomorrow," he said.

Edwards was one of the House Democrats who voted yes May 24 on a House vote concurring with a Senate amendment, the effect of which was to approve an Iraq spending bill without timetables for troop reductions or withdrawals, and without Congressionally-binding benchmarks on the Iraqi government. The overall vote was 280-142. Edwards also voted for the original House supplemental spending bill May 10, later vetoed by Bush, that did have timetables.

"Can we guarantee stability in Iraq? No ... not even with a million troops," Edwards continued. "That's the job of the Iraqi people. I want to send a message to Iraqi leaders: Clean up your corruption. Take more responsibility. We're not going to write a blank check of $10 billion a month forever."

Energy

With $3 a gallon gas, this was bound to be his second topic.

"I'm afraid we're paying the price for having a long-term energy policy," Edwards said.

He said a major portion of the problem was lack of new U.S. gasoline refineries.

Referring to a 2005 energy bill that made it easier to build refineries, Edwards said we needed another one. He said he wanted to make it easier to build nuclear power plants, open up more of the Gulf coast, especially the Florida portion, for oil and natural gas drilling, and get automakers to make some serious improvements in fuel economy.

"If they can't do a better job, we may not have an American car-manufacturing industry," he warned.

Later, during audience questioning, Edwards said he was open to the idea of the government developing a strategic reserve for refined gasoline similar to the one it already has for crude oil.

Edwards 2006 Campaign named best in Texas...

Kat — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 22:40:43 -0700

The experts agree, Edwards' 2006 Campaign named best in Texas, one of top 10 in country.

Mike Hailey: "U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco will be the most powerful member of the Texas delegation to Congress when the new term gets under way in January."

Chet says "This would not have been possible without the tireless support of thousands of supporters and volunteers across the 17th District. Thank you!"

washingtonpost.com's Politics Blog< | November 1, 2006

The Ten Best Incumbent Campaigns

Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas): Even in a cycle where the national landscape heavily favors Democrats, Edwards should be in more trouble than he currently finds himself. He has President Bush as a constituent and his central Texas district went for the president with 70 percent in 2004. Republicans were initially high on GOP nominee Van Taylor thanks to his wealth and military credentials, but the party watched as Edwards quickly discredited the Republican as a carpet-bagger. This isn't Edwards's first rodeo. His campaign skills were also on display in 2004 when he was the lone Democratic incumbent targeted by the Texas "re-redistricting" plan to survive.

Best Congressional Campaign | Chet Edwards

U.S. House (D)

The National Republican Congressional Committee has been a model of perserverance and put a lot of people to work on both sides of the aisle with its perennial campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards in a Central Texas district that's tailor-made for the GOP. The GOP has poured vast sums of money into its quest to oust the Waco Democrat from Congress. It's attacked him repeatedly as a liberal, recycled candidates, put Texas A&M in his district and sent a powerful state lawmaker into battle against him on a map whose design had been personally overseen by Tom DeLay to ensure Edwards' extinction.

Republicans thought they'd found the answer this year with Van Taylor, a Marine who'd led missions in Iraq behind enemy lines before returning home to a substantial pool of personal money that he could use for the race if needed. The A Team swooped into Congressional District 17 to toast Taylor at fundraisers headlined by Vice President Dick Cheney, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, ex-New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani and other celebrities. Republicans resurrected the "Fact Check Chet" that Ramsey Farley had tried in two losing races against Edwards - and Taylor attacked the incumbent as weak on illegal immigration, bad for Social Security and all for using taxpayer funds to pay for abortions. Taylor tried but failed to put Edwards on the defensive - and the cumulative effect of all the hits couldn't mitigate the damage that the Democrat's campaign had done by portraying the Republican as a carpetbagger who owned millions of dollars worth of stock in Exxon Mobile and pharmaceutical companies that are selling a product that many CD 17 voters need but can't afford.

After 14 years of high-dollar targeting, the NRCC finally saw the light and pulled the plug on a massive television advertising campaign it had planned for Taylor a month before the vote. Edwards captured two out of every three votes in McLennan County, his home base. He won 58 percent of the vote in Brazos County where students at Aggieland and others were giving Republican statewide candidates way more than 60 percent of their votes. He came within eight votes of beating Taylor in Johnson County, a Republican stronghold where only 39 percent had backed him two years ago.

Three years after the GOP carved up his district and stood ready to pronounce him dead, Edwards won re-election by the biggest margin of victory he's enjoyed in a dozen years. Taylor never had a chance because Edwards is simply the best politician in America - or one of the best if he has any rivials - and what didn't kill him in the wake of DeLay's redistricting made him as close to invincible as a Democrat can be in a 65 percent Republican district.

The prize now is big - Edwards will be the most powerful member of the Texas delegation to Congress after the new year begins.

TX-17 County by County Returns

County	Van Taylor	Van Taylor %	Chet Edwards	Chet Edwards %	Guillermo Acosta	Guillermo Acosta %	TOTAL VOTES
Bosque	2,603	37.58%	4,216	60.86%	108	1.56%	6,927
Brazos	12,289	40.92%	17,063	56.81%	683	2.27%	30,035
Burleson	378	36.70%	634	61.55%	18	1.75%	1,030
Grimes	1,994	37.79%	3,155	59.79%	128	2.43%	5,277
Hill	3,433	37.65%	5,529	60.64%	155	1.70%	9,117
Hood	7,301	52.68%	6,324	45.63%	234	1.69%	13,859
Johnson	14,550	48.98%	14,542	48.95%	617	2.08%	29,709
Limestone	842	33.01%	1,681	65.90%	28	1.10%	2,551
Madison	1,132	39.85%	1,662	58.50%	47	1.65%	2,841
McLennan	18,253	34.49%	34,263	64.73%	414	0.78%	52,930
Robertson	825	23.07%	2,717	75.98%	34	0.95%	3,576
Somervell	1,017	40.99%	1,412	56.91%	52	2.10%	2,481
TOTALS	64,617	40.30%	93,198	58.13%	2518	1.57%	160,333

	Chet Edwards Margin:			28,581

TX-17 County by County Returns

Kat — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 21:47:42 -0700

TX-17 County by County Returns
County	Van Taylor	V. Taylor %	Chet Edwards	C. Edwards %	G. Acosta	G. Acosta %	TOTAL VOTES
Bosque	2,603	37.58%	4,216	60.86%	108	1.56%	6,927
Brazos	12,289	40.92%	17,063	56.81%	683	2.27%	30,035
Burleson	378	36.70%	634	61.55%	18	1.75%	1,030
Grimes	1,994	37.79%	3,155	59.79%	128	2.43%	5,277
Hill	3,433	37.65%	5,529	60.64%	155	1.70%	9,117
Hood	7,301	52.68%	6,324	45.63%	234	1.69%	13,859
Johnson	14,550	48.98%	14,542	48.95%	617	2.08%	29,709
Limestone	842	33.01%	1,681	65.90%	28	1.10%	2,551
Madison	1,132	39.85%	1,662	58.50%	47	1.65%	2,841
McLennan	18,253	34.49%	34,263	64.73%	414	0.78%	52,930
Robertson	825	23.07%	2,717	75.98%	34	0.95%	3,576
Somervell	1,017	40.99%	1,412	56.91%	52	2.10%	2,481
TOTALS	64,617	40.30%	93,198	58.13%	2518	1.57%	160,333

	Chet Edwards Margin:			28,581

Download the County by county final results for TX Distrct 17

Thank you!

Kat — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 15:07:05 -0700

Thank you!

It’s humbling that so many people - Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike - were willing to put their trust in me and I look forward to continuing to be an independent-minded and effective voice for our district. Now that the election is behind us, I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to working with you and for you. Thank you again for this opportunity.