News: Setting the Record Straight - Bobby Jindal Works Tirelessly for the People of Louisiana

Bobby Jindal Works Tirelessly for the People of Louisiana

“This smear campaign produced by the political hacks who ran negative ads for Edwin Edwards is false and we have proven that conclusively. These guys are so incompetent that they can't even get their own smear campaign right. They are insulting the intelligence of Louisiana voters. Bobby will bring real change to our state government and there is nothing they can do to stop it.”-Timmy Teepell, Bobby Jindal Campaign Manager

BACKGROUND:

MYTH: “Bobby has voted to spend nearly Social Security trust fund in 2005 and 2006”

FACT: There have been no votes concerning the Social Security Trust Fund during the entire time Bobby Jindal has been in Congress.

MYTH: “He has voted for more than $2 trillion spending in Iraq”

FACT: WRONG. Since September 11, 2001 (before Jindal even took office), Congress has appropriated $610 billion to date to support our troops by funding continuing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and to increase funding for veterans health care benefits. [Congressional Research Service. July 16, 2007.]

MYTH: “[He] voted twice for $200 million bridge to nowhere in Alaska”

FACT: Jindal along with the ENTIRE Louisiana Congressional delegation, both Democrats and Republicans, voted for this bill [H.R. 3, the SAFETEA-LU bill] on March 10, 2005, after successfully securing funds for the 1st District and the state, totaling more than $200 million. The bill passed the U.S. House with a super majority of 417 to 9.

Again, on July 29, 2005, Jindal joined the entire Louisiana Delegation both Democrats and Republicans to vote in favor of the Conference Report of the SAFETEA-LU transportation bill, which included $540 million for Louisiana, including $200 million for I-49. The bill again passed with a super majority of 412 to 8.

IN FACT, Jindal voted to PROHIBIT FUNDS from GOING TO THE “BRIDGE TO NOWHERE,” with in a June 14, 2006 vote to support the FY07 Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill. Section 129 of this bill explicitly “prohibits any of the funds provided in or limited by this Act from being used by the State of Alaska to develop, plan, design, or construct a bridge connecting the Island of Gravina and the community of Ketchikan or the Knik Arm Bridge.”

MYTH: “Voted twice to kill ethics committee investigation into members of Congress connected to the Abramoff scandal.”

FACT: The two bills this attack vaguely references were actually ill-disguised partisan maneuvers by Nancy Pelosi.

On April, 2006, Nancy Pelosi entered in legislation as a partisan maneuver to stall the passage of campaign ethics reform legislation – the 527 Reform Act of 2005, which she voted against. Additionally, the Bipartisan Ethics Committee was already fully authorized to investigate House Members involved in the Abramoff scandal at this time. [Congressional Record; HRS 762, Vote #87, 4/5/06]

FACT: HRS 213 on April 14, 2005 was the same day of passage as Jindal’s legislation to prevent the Internal Revenue Service from taxing FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants to assist those Louisianians affected by flooding (H.R.1133; 4/15/05). This legislation had to pass by the April 15th deadline to avoid families having to pay taxes that could cause bankruptcy or force them to sell their home. Pelosi’s procedural maneuvering would have jeopardized the passage of this legislation and resulted in monetary loses for Louisiana residents. Additionally, the Bipartisan Ethics Committee was already fully authorized to investigate all ethics violations at this time. [HRS 213, Vote 106, 4/14/05]

MYTH: “Voted with Tom Delay to weaken House ethics rules in 2005.”

FACT: House Resolution 5 of January 4, 2005 created the Homeland Security Committee on which Jindal currently serves. [Congressional Record, January 4, 2005, Page H7, H Res 5 Vote]

FACT: The provisions in House Resolution 5 which defined the rules for the 109th Congress in the U.S. House were later reversed in April (months later) and the rules were restored back to the 108th Congress. Jindal supported returning to the tougher rules of the 108th Congress that included automatically sending complaints to a special investigatory subcommittee; barring members under investigation from using the same attorney as others being questioned in a case. [H. Res. 240; 4/27/05]

MYTH: “He has taken money from people under indictment - $50,000 from a Tom Delay fundraiser”

FACT: The fundraiser referenced here was HOSTED by Chris Whittington’s predecessor – at the home of LOUISIANA DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN Jim Bernhard on Highland Road in Baton Rouge, on Monday, September 27, 2004.

MYTH: “[Taken]…$6,000 from cronies of Jack Abramoff.” FACT: This money was donated to Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, on January 19, 2006.

MYTH: “There is little evidence he has accomplished anything in Washington, DC.”

FACT: Jindal had the most House-passed bills or resolutions of the 43 Freshmen U.S. House members in the 109th Congress. Thirty percent of the freshmen in that Congress did not pass any legislation. Of the other Louisiana House Freshmen members. ·

H.R. 4761, Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2006. The legislation would generate revenue sharing for states that allow offshore oil and/or gas drilling that can be used for coastal restoration. Passed the House 232-187 on June 29, 2006. Passed the House of Representatives. Senate Compromise Language Included in Public Law 109-432. ·

H.R. 3668, Student Grant and Hurricane Disaster Relief Act. Provides waiver authority to the Secretary of Education to prevent low-income students from being forced to begin repaying their grants and scholarships if Hurricane Katrina forces them to interrupt their studies. Became Public Law 109-67 on September 21, 2005. ·

H.R. 3863, Natural Disaster Student Aid Fairness Act. Provides the Secretary of Education waiver authority to allow higher education institutions to forgo local matching funds in federal campus based aid funds (Federal Work Study, Perkins Loans and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants) and to provide the opportunity for impacted schools to receive greater redistribution of unused funds nationally. Became Public Law 109-86 on October 7, 2005. ·

H.R. 3975, Hurricane Regulatory Relief Act of 2005. Pending Senate action. Removes burdensome regulations and eases red tape in order to provide continued educational opportunities for impacted students, and employment opportunities for displaced workers, especially teachers. Passed the House by voice vote on November 16, 2005. ·

H.R. 5013, Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006. Prohibits any agency using federal disaster relief funds from seizing firearms from law-abiding citizens in their cars, homes, and businesses. Passed the House 322-99 on July 25, 2006. Included in the FY07 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report passed by Congress and Became Public Law 109-295. ·

H.R. 6106, education waiver legislation that continues to ease financial commitments for state and local school districts recovering from last year's hurricanes through fiscal year 2007 by waiving the state/local matching requirement for federal funding for certain education programs. Passed by Congress and Became Public Law 109-323. ·

H.R. 3208, the Disaster Relief Equity Act of 2005, codifies into law the mandate for FEMA to provide disaster relief assistance to eligible faith-based educational organizations. Included in the FY07 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report passed by Congress and Became Public Law 109-295. ·

H.R. 6001, directs FEMA to implement an identity verification system that assures disaster assistance payments are made only to qualified individuals. Successfully added $1 million to the FY07 Homeland Security Appropriations bill to fund this provision. Included in the FY07 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report passed by Congress and Became Public Law 109-295. ·

H.R. 5547, establishes Gulf Coast Recovery Offices to expedite recovery in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast by housing the appropriate personnel to eliminate backlog and enhancing the administering of assistance programs, providing long-term recovery plans, and conducting advice on mitigation and preparedness planning. Included in the FY07 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report by Congress and Became Public Law 109-295.

Already in the 110th Congress, Jindal has worked with colleagues across the aisle to pass a number of amendments. Those include: ·

Amendment to the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (HR1227). The amendment requires the Housing Authority of New Orleans, or any other manager of replacement dwelling units, to deny the return of individuals who have been convicted of dealing drugs, a sex crime, or a crime of domestic violence, or who pose a direct threat to public safety, such as gang members. It will also provide right-of-return priority to any individual or household who is in compliance with existing public housing resident requirements, including community service and work requirements, or for the purpose of family reunification. ·

Amendment to the Small Business RECOVER Act (HR 1361). According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, over 125,000 businesses were disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In Louisiana alone, over 81,000 small businesses were damaged or economically impacted, with 18,700 businesses catastrophically destroyed by the storms. The amendment will provide small businesses affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita with the option of receiving a four year deferment period to payback their disaster loans. ·

Amendment to the FY08 Homeland Security Authorization Act (HR 1684). Electronic Medical Tracking: Requires the DHS Chief Medical Officer to coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services, efforts to identify and deploy medical assets (including human, fixed, and material assets) used in preparation for or response to national disasters and catastrophes, and to enable access to patient electronic medical records by medical personnel to aid treatment of displaced persons in such circumstance, in order to assure that actions of both Departments are combined for maximum effectiveness during an emergency consistent with the National Response Plan. ·

Amendment to the FY08 Homeland Security Authorization Act (HR 1684). Protecting Levees: Requires a report on the vulnerabilities of the Nation's levee system to terrorist attacks. ·

Amendment (Co-authored) to the FY08 Homeland Security Authorization Act. Rural Homeland Security Training Initiative: Requires the Secretary to establish a program within the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to expand homeland security training to rural law enforcement agencies. ·

Amendment to the FY08 Department of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act (HR 2643). Directs an additional $2.5 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's "Gulf of Mexico Program." This program provides funding each year in grants to states, universities, and private entities to develop techniques and science needed to restore and protect the Gulf of Mexico. The grants can be used to develop solutions to the Dead Zone (hypoxia) problem in the Gulf, as well as for water quality, public health, nutrient reductions, and coastal restoration.

MYTH: “Ranked by the non-partisan system of power rankings as 432nd of 439 members in Congress on effectiveness.”

FACT: Rankings by Congress.org do not take into account the bills a member passes and therefore is a flawed comprehensive interpretation of effectiveness. Additionally, they said their 2007 rankings (referenced above) were based in part on “running for higher office” and the “member's minority party status.” [http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/power_card.tt?id=140857]

MYTH: “He has missed key votes in Washington”

FACT: Bobby Jindal has a HIGHER than 95% voting record in Congress.