MAPLE HEIGHTS MEMORIAL DAY EVENT, MAY 26, 2014

A THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN BROWNLEE, MAPLE HTS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR PUTTING ON THIS EVENT

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NEWSLETTER: MARCIA FUDGE, OCTOBER 25, 2013

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October 25, 2013 Remember our Veterans on Veterans Day, November 11th Please join me in thanking the brave men and women who have served our nation with courage and honor. One of the senseless consequences of the recent government shutdown was a delay in processing the backlog of veteran disability cases.  Our veterans deserve better and they've earned my commitment to address their needs not only on Veterans Day but every day of the year. Ben Venue Ben Venue Laboratories,Inc., a German based drug production company recently announced it will cease all operations in Bedford after more than 80 years in the community by the end of 2013. It will phase out more than 1,100 jobs through 2014. I participated in a meeting with Senator Sherrod Brown, officials from Ben Venue, Bedford City officials and a representative from Senator Rob Portman's office. We met to discuss efforts to find a buyer for the facility and save local jobs.  It was a productive meeting with the company committing to meet weekly with the city's representatives. Employees are being offered severance packages and training grants.  My office will continue to work with community partners to encourage communication and identify resources to spur economic development, preserve and create jobs. SNAP Benefit Cuts take effect on November 1st The temporary boost in SNAP(food stamp) benefits that was enacted during the Recession is being eliminated, effective November 1st.  The temporary increase was authorized by the American Recovery and Readjustment Act (ARRA) and it is still needed by nearly 48 million Americans who rely on SNAP as they struggle to make ends meet. The average benefit will be reduced to $1.40 per meal.  If you need assistance finding a food pantry or meal program, please contact the Cleveland Foodbank Help Line, 216-738-2067 or the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, 855-560-0850.

White House Tours Resume Click here for details The government shutdown wasted time and billions of dollars.  At a Washington, D.C. news conference, Rep. Fudge urged bipartisan cooperation to move our country forward. Join me for my next Telephone Town Hall Sign Up Here Constituent FeedbacK “Dear Congresswoman, I’ve tried for months and months to get my Social Security disability back pay.  They kept asking for more information and still nothing happened. Your staff is very professional and helpful. In 10 minutes, your staff got someone on the phone and now I have the $36,000 I was owed. Thank you so much.”    Mr. W. Cleveland

CONGRESSWOMAN MARCIA FUDGE -_SEPTEMBER 2013 E-NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends,

In the coming weeks, Congress has much to do and on your behalf, I stand ready to work for fair and just legislation that meets the needs of our district.

• The House must revisit the Farm Bill, having stripped all nutrition programs including SNAP (food stamps) from consideration in the agriculture bill that passed in June. Reportedly, House Leadership will present a bill with up to $40 billion in cuts to SNAP over 10 years which would result in millions of people losing benefits. I strongly oppose deep cuts to SNAP at a time when 47 million Americans are struggling to make ends meet and they rely on these benefits to put food on the table.
  
• According to the Federal Highway Administration, Ohio has the fourth busiest interstates in the nation. A study by the American Society of Civil Engineers found that in 2013, 9% of Ohio's bridges are structurally deficient. Despite the urgent need to maintain and repair our infrastructure, the House failed in July to pass a Transportation Bill. Moderates on both sides of the aisle could not support the steep cuts included in a bill that House leadership pulled from the floor before a final vote. This measure would have cost jobs and denied resources to states and cities to maintain roads, water and sewer infrastructure, as well as public housing.
  
• By October 1st, the House must also take action on what is known as a continuing resolution. This is a legislative mechanism to ensure that our federal government has the authority to fund its courts, agencies and meet its other obligations. Also during the month of October, the government will reach the debt ceiling. It must be raised to ensure that our nation has the resources to pay its outstanding bills. Refusal to raise the debt limit directly threatens our government's ability to issue Social Security checks, meet military payroll and pay for all other operations. It would also likely result in higher borrowing costs in the future.
  
• Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace begins on October 1st and I have included in this e-newsletter important information for the thousands of Northeast Ohioans who are eligible to participate.

If you have questions or concerns about these issues or any other federal legislation or programs, please feel free to contact my District or Washington, D.C. offices and my staff will be happy to assist you.

Marcia L. Fudge
U.S. Representative, 11th District of Ohio


UPDATE: CLEARING THE VETERANS CLAIMS BACKLOG

• The claims backlog now stands at: 490,000 (claims pending more than 125 days; reduced by almost 20 percent from its highest point in April).
• In July, VA completed 104,923 claims.
• VA has completed more than 1 million claims each year from the last three years.

ENROLLMENT FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE BEGINS OCTOBER 1, 2013

Consumers who purchase their own insurance have a new option. They will be able to shop for plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Enrollment begins on October 1^st for plan coverage that goes into effect beginning January 1, 2014. For the first time, individuals cannot be denied coverage by insurance companies based on pre-existing conditions or lifetime caps. In Ohio, 14 insurers have filed plans with more than 200 options for individual insurance, and seven insurance companies have filed plans to offer 84 options for small businesses. (In most cases, the Marketplace is not for individuals who obtain health coverage through a group plan offered by an employer or a government program such as Medicare or Medicaid. If you fall into any of those categories, you can continue to apply for coverage through those entities.)

 

Subsidies are available on a sliding scale for individuals with an income up to 400% of the federal poverty line. The chart below which was prepared by CNN, provides examples of subsidies based on income for the second lowest silver grade plan. The Marketplace offers different types of health plans to meet a variety of needs and budgets. You’ll need to figure out how much you want to spend on health coverage each month. Under the Affordable Care Act however, all plans must offer a required minimum level of essential benefits such as coverage for hospitalization, doctor’s services, prescription drugs and maternity/newborn care.

 

The Cleveland Public Library (CPL) will have dedicated computers for customers who wish to enroll in the Health Marketplace. In September, CPL will also hold free informational sessions conducted by Care Source on Affordable Care Act programs. The sessions will be held at the Main Library and 15 branches. Please contact your nearest library branch for more information.
 

Example of monthly premiums adjusted for tax subsidies for a single individual (Premiums will vary depending on family size, type of health plan selected and income.) Courtesy CNN

Where to Enroll and Get More Information Directly online, go to healthcare.gov, Call the toll-free number, 1-800-318-2596. Although enrollment does not begin until October 1, 2013, you can get information about the Marketplace through either of those resources right away, or by calling my Cuyahoga County District office at 216-522-4900.

VIEW THE REST OF THE NEWSLETTER ONLINE

 

GET UPDATES ON ON DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE CHUCK HAGEL

Moments ago, the Senate Armed Services Committee nominated Senator Chuck Hagel by a party-line vote of 14 to 11.

The next stop is a vote before the full Senate, and that could happen as early as tomorrow.

As you can tell by the margin of today's vote, it could be a close one. But there's never been a filibuster of a Defense Secretary in the history of the United States, and hopefully Republicans won't start now.

News is breaking quickly, so the best way to get updates is to follow us on our VoteVets Twitter page or join the conversation on Facebook.
http://www.twitter.com/votevets or
http://www.facebook.com/votevets

Thanks for taking action on behalf of Senator Hagel. I know that he personally appreciates your efforts.
Best,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran

JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS

NEWSLETTER FROM SHERROD BROWN RE:  JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS

Servicemembers – already armed with the discipline and skills needed to strengthen the 21st century economy – should not have to struggle to find a job when their military service ends. These heroes who fought for our country shouldn’t have to fight for work when they come home.

And yet, unfortunately many do. As citizens, we have a responsibility to do something about the thousands of older veterans who are jobless or underemployed.

That’s why the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) – a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor training initiative – is so important.

Last year, Congress passed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which honors our government’s obligation to our veterans. VRAP is a critical component of the law.

VRAP provides unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 the opportunity to pursue training for new careers in high demand occupations.

While the entire list of VRAP high-demand occupations can be found on the VA website, some include:

• Welders, chemical plant operators, painters
• Law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians
• Construction, electrical technicians, flight attendants
• Paralegals, legal secretaries, administrative support
• Teachers aides, library technicians, counselors

These opportunities are wide-ranging. And in fact, as of July 12, more than 31,000 applications nationwide have been received for the VRAP program. However, the program is limited to 99,000 participants through March 31, 2014.

Because applicants will be approved on a first come, first serve basis, we all must do everything we can to spread the word to eligible veterans in Ohio. This is a great opportunity that Ohio veterans deserve.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in order to qualify for the program, a veteran must:

• Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Be unemployed
• Have an other than dishonorable discharge
• Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
• Not be in receipt of VA compensation
• Not be enrolled in a Federal or state job training program

And while participants are required to be enrolled in a VA-approved education program, here in Ohio, we’re lucky to have 23 community and technical colleges that have already been approved.

Each of these schools offers programs which lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, and include training for a high-demand occupation. Veterans can enroll at each of these colleges using VRAP assistance.

We need to spread the word about training programs, like VRAP, that will help provide our veterans with the necessary skills to find good paying jobs.

By raising awareness of veterans' jobs services and better coordinating the range of resources available to them, we can help improve job prospects for America’s heroes.

To find out more about the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, please visit http://www.benefits.va.gov/VOW/. If you’re ready to apply, VRAP applications are available here.

If you have any other questions regarding veteran services, please contact my office at 888-896-OHIO (6446) or visit www.brown.senate.gov for additional information.

Sincerely,



Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator