Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter said she intends to encourage all New York colleges and universities to participate in the new expanded GI Bill educational program, which went into effect this week. Slaughter said that a handful of the eligible schools are participating. All servicemen and women who have served in active duty since September 10, 2001 are eligible to attend an in-state, public college or university and complete their undergraduate education for free.  A key provision of the Post 9-11 GI Bill is the Yellow Ribbon Program.  The Yellow Ribbon Program was designed to address cases in which a veteran’s tuition would exceed the highest public, in-state tuition rate, such as attending a private or out of state university of college.  A school can contribute up to 50% of the difference between a veteran’s tuition and the highest in-state tuition, and the government will match the contribution. The Veterans Affairs Administration estimates that the bill will help 250,000 veterans go to college by 2011.

The month of August offers a great opportunity for me to spend time with you – my constituents – hearing directly about what issues are important to you. One issue that I know matters to all of us, and not just here in New York, is health care and the great effort we are making to increase access to quality health care for all Americans.

On Friday, July 31, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter (D-NY) reintroduced the Coordinated Environmental Public Health Network Act. This legislation would establish a national public health tracking network to allow for the detection and identification of possible connections between adverse health effects and environmental hazards. It would also increase funding for biomonitoring work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which tracks exposure levels to common chemicals.

Rep. Slaughter Applauds Additional $2 Billion for ‘Cash for Clunkers’

WASHINGTON –Today, Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-28), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Rules, applauded the House’s action to double the original funding for the Car Allowance Rebate or ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Program. Today the House of Representatives voted by a margin of 316 to 109 to provide an additional $2 billion to the program.

“The Cash for Clunkers program will benefit consumers, manufacturers, and dealerships across Western New York, providing a much-needed boost to our local economy,” said Rep. Slaughter. “I met with my colleagues in the House Leadership this morning and we agreed that the popularity of the program, in conjunction with the economic stimulus and environmental benefit it provides, necessitated immediate action.  In addition to this funding for the Cash for Clunkers program, new housing sales rose 11% in June, providing additional encouragement that the economic situation is improving.”

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