Rep. Morthland: "Let's use this audit as a tool to streamline bureaucracy..."

Moline, IL, April 5, 2012...Today, William Holland, Auditor General of the State of Illinois released the audit of the Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) Card Program pursuant to House Resolution 89, which was sponsored by State Representative Rich Morthland (R-Cordova). Rep. Morthland introduced this legislation as a companion to House Bill 3500 that gained statewide notoriety for protecting the privacy of FOID cardholders in Illinois.

The Office of the Auditor General found "significant deficiencies" in the reporting of potentially disqualifying mental health conditions by circuit court clerks through the state. Notably, "...only 3 of the 102 circuit court clerks submitted mental health court orders."[1] The report identified shortcomings of the Illinois State Police's Firearm Services Bureau to respond to phone calls and applications due to understaffing. It was also reported that the State Police spent over $200,000 in overtime pay for three employees over the period of three years.  In light of these facts, the Illinois FOID card program is found to be severely limited in promoting and protecting public safety.

"The audit notes the inefficiencies of the entire process," Morthland stated. "Let's use this audit as a tool in cooperation with the Illinois State Police to streamline the bureaucracies behind the FOID card process from the application, to the mailing, to the screening of potential applicants."

Morthland added, "We are exploring legislative options to apply the recommendations by the Auditor General and apply the principles of fiscal conservatism to this understaffed and failing governmental program."

To read the full report and the recommendations visit: http://auditor.illinois.gov/

Applications must be submitted to the Republican Party of Iowa by April 13.

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be here before we know it. Once again, the RNC is organizing the Convention Page Program this summer in Tampa, Florida. The mission is to develop a program that provides young adults with positive educational experiences while fostering a new generation of Republicans through participation and community service.

Page duties will involve vital convention-related activities such as acting as floor runners, assisting with caucus meetings, and distributing official convention materials. In addition, there will be several other activities planned and duties may differ each day. Please be aware that pages are not assured floor credentials. The tasks they are assigned to perform at the convention will determine their access during any given session.

Pages must be 16 to 25 years old and must arrive prior to the start of the convention on Saturday, August 25, 2012 and remain in Tampa until the morning of Friday, August 31, 2012. They are expected to attend an orientation, work a full day, and attend all scheduled events. Those who do not report for scheduled activities may be asked to leave.

Pages will be responsible for paying for their own transportation to and from Tampa (including airport transfers to and from their hotel), lodging expenses, and any incidentals. The Committee on Arrangements (COA) will cover the costs of the ties and scarves for the men and women, respectively. Pages will be assigned a roommate and will be housed at a nearby hotel during the week. Upon acceptance, further information on the specific hotel and transportation fees will be sent to the participants.

Up to 2 Pages will be selected per state.  Therefore, Iowa will receive up to 2 slots for Pages at the National Convention.

For an application please email info@iowagop.org with the subject: Page Program

Paid for by the Republican Party of Iowa and Not Authorized by Any Candidate or Candidate Committee

621 East 9^th Street Des Moines, IA 50309 | www.iowagop.org | 515-282-8105

With signature, JOBS Act and STOCK Act become law

 

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement after both the JOBS Act and the STOCK Act were signed into law by President Obama.

 

"I am pleased the President signed both of these important pieces of legislation into law.  The American people have been demanding Congress work together to grow the economy.  They also want a government that will work for them, not make a profit off the information they get as part of their work.  The JOBS Act and STOCK Act are a step in the right direction on each front.

 

"These bills are both good examples of what can be achieved when both sides of the aisle stop playing games and work together to find bipartisan solutions.  I was pleased to work with my colleagues on both pieces of legislation and am hopeful they will begin to restore Americans' trust in Congress."

 

The JOBS Act, HR 3606, will help small businesses in communities access capital more easily in order to expand and support job creation and use capital more effectively in order to support growth.  An amendment introduced by Loebsack, which passed with unanimous support, will help women, veteran, and minority- owned businesses take advantage of the benefits and opportunities provided by this legislation.

 

The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act will prevent Congressional insider trading.  In May 2011, Loebsack was the first person from Iowa and the fourth in the House of Representatives to cosponsor this important legislation.

 

###

SPRINGFIELD, IL (04/05/2012)(readMedia)-- For only the third time since 2010 the country officially recognizes the contributions, dedication and sacrifices of military widows with "Gold Star Wives Day" April 5.

Passed in December 2010, a Senate resolution designated Dec. 18, 2010 as a day to honor and recognize the contributions of the members of the Gold Star Wives of America, an organization of widows and widowers whose spouses died while on active duty or as the result of military service. The day has been honored April 5 in both 2011 and 2012.

"It's nice to be recognized and remembered in that way, but I don't want to be put on a pedestal. Living in the small community I'm from, it's not just one day," said Larissa Melton of Germantown, and widow of Staff Sgt. Joshua Melton. "They know who I am and what he did. That's all I ask is for people to remember the sacrifice he made. It means a lot to me that people still remember his name."

Larissa said she felt it was important to give their daughter, Aubrey, who was 8 months old when Melton died, strong memories of him before his death.

"Every night after Joshua left for Afghanistan, I would show her a picture of the three of us and point to her dad. She would look at the picture and say 'good night daddy, I love you,'" Larissa said. "I would point out things to her like his favorite color, and still today she will see something and say 'that's what daddy likes'. She still remembers."

Melton, 26 and assigned to Illinois Army National Guard's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Marion, was killed in action June 19, 2009 in Afghanistan.

Rasa Stream of Mattoon, widow of Sgt. Scott Stream, has found being a Gold Star Wife challenging.

"My life changed completely. I moved here from Europe to be with Scott, and then he got deployed and was killed. I came here with a husband and then I was all by myself," Rasa said. "With Scott's family in Kentucky, me living in Illinois, and my family still in Europe, it's difficult for me because I don't want to be a burden on them - I know it's hard for everyone."

Their daughter Laura, who was 6 at the time of Scott's death, struggles even three years later.

"Laura is 9 years old now, but the more she grows, the more I think she suffers from the loss of her father. There is an empty place where her daddy used to be," said Rasa. "We have a house full of pictures, and we talk about him a lot. But she sometime will say to me 'please tell me more about daddy, I feel like I'm forgetting.'"

Rasa, too, feels the importance of honoring Gold Star Wives.

"It is important to have this day. As time goes by, I think regular people forget about us and our struggle," she said.

Stream, 39 and assigned to Illinois Army National Guard's Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Effingham, was killed in action Feb. 24, 2009 in Afghanistan.

For Kim Smith of East Peoria, widow of Sgt. Paul Smith, the hardest part of being a Gold Star Wife is moving on with life.

"I have felt a lot of heartache going through the transition. It's an everyday struggle. Life continues, and there is some happiness, but it's just not the same," she said. "I was an older wife when I lost my husband of over 20 years. If I'm struggling how are the younger wives handling it?"

Kim also thinks honoring Gold Star Wives is important, but wishes more emphasis is given to the day in the future.

"It's a great honor, but I think the Gold Star Moms get more recognition, more so than the wives. I know the moms have lost a son, but we lost our husbands. I don't think there is as much attention given to the Gold Star Wives," she said.

Smith, 43 and assigned to Troop C, 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry based in Aurora, was killed in action June 19, 2009 in Afghanistan.

Maj. Gen. William Enyart of Belleville, Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard shared his admiration of the Gold Star Wives.

"While these brave Soldiers gave the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our great nation, it is the wives they left behind who have endured the tragedy of losing a loved one to war," he said. "The Illinois Gold Star Wives hold a special place in my heart and will always be part of our military family."

Formed during World War II, the Gold Star Wives of America is a congressionally chartered, non-profit veteran's service organization that provides support for the spouses and children of those who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces. Eleanor Roosevelt was a member and one of the original 15 signers when the organization was incorporated in New York in 1945.

For more information on the Gold Star Wives of America visit http://www.goldstarwives.org/.

For more information, please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil

Become our Facebook Fan!

www.facebook.com/illinoisnationalguard