FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11/07/09
CONTACT
Jane Margesson
609-571-0526 or jmargesson@aarp.org
AARP NEW JERSEY KEY VOTE NEWS ALERT
ATTENTION NEWS DESKS: AARP is recording House and Senate roll call votes on key issues throughout the 111th Congress, and informing its nearly 40 million members of the results of these key votes.
AARP Praises House Passage of Health Care Reform Bill
Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve coverage for all Americans
SUMMARY: Today the United States House of Representatives passed critical health care reform legislation that would strengthen Medicare for seniors and end discrimination by insurance companies that prices millions of Americans out of affordable health coverage.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) makes prescription drugs more affordable for seniors by closing the dangerous gap in Medicare drug coverage and allowing the program to negotiate lower drug prices. It adds cost-free preventive services like cancer screenings and cracks down on waste and fraud to protect and strengthen traditional Medicare benefits. In addition, the legislation provides benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.
For all Americans—especially those age 50 to 64 who often struggle to find affordable insurance—this plan strictly limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age, and stops insurers from denying coverage based on a person’s health history or gender. For those who still cannot find affordable coverage on their own, this bill offers help so they can purchase insurance.
NEW JERSEY | VOTED YES ON THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT | VOTED NO ON THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT |
Adler, John , D-3rd |
| N |
Andrews, Robert E. , D-1st | Y |
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Frelinghuysen, Rodney , R-11th | N | |
Garrett, Scott , R-5th | N | |
Holt, Rush , D-12th | Y | |
Lance, Leonard , R-7th | N | |
LoBiondo, Frank , R-2nd | N | |
Pallone Jr., Frank , D-6th | Y | |
Pascrell Jr., Bill , D-8th | Y | |
Payne, Donald M. , D-10th | Y | |
Rothman, Steven , D-9th | Y | |
Sires, Albio , D-13th | Y | |
Smith, Chris , R-4th | N |
** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work.
“We applaud those members of the House who supported this crucial legislation,” said Sy Larson, AARP New Jersey State President. “This bill will help millions of older Americans get the health coverage they need, while strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations. We look forward to working with these lawmakers to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act this year.”
AARP notified the 111th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its nearly 40 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members. “When Americans understand the issues and where their lawmakers stand, they can make smart decisions. AARP will be there to give our members, as well as all Americans, the most accurate information we can,” Larson concluded.
AARP members can see how their representatives voted on health care reform by going to www.aarp.org/governmentwatch . AARP’s Government Watch is a one-stop online portal that will be tracking and publicizing every designated key vote on issues facing Americans age 50-plus. A “Key Vote Summary” highlighting votes on these issues will be published at the end of each congressional session.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's nearly 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia , Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands .
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Important brochures on Rx Registry and Identity theft in both English and in Spanish: identity_theft_english_2009.pdf <
http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_english_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_english_2009.pdf
identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf <
http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf
rx_registry_english_2009.pdf <
http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_english_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_english_2009.pdf
rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf <
http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf
Keep Your Family and NJ’s Waterways Safe – Participate in “Grandma’s Stash” on November 14th
You can safely remove unused, unwanted and expired medications from your medicine cabinet with the help of Operation Medicine Cabinet's “Grandma’s Stash” campaign. The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and 250 local New Jersey Police Departments will conduct a statewide day of prescription drug disposal, on November 14th. New Jersey Police Departments will ensure that medications are destroyed in a way that does not contaminate New Jersey waterways. For more information, please visit www.operationmedicinecabinetnj.com. Local collection sites and contact information will be updated daily as new communities become part of this initiative.
Do you know where the gubernatorial candidates stand? Now you can read their answers to questions from AARP before you vote on Tuesday, November 3rd.
Just click on or cute and paste the following link to view our voter guide:
http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp_media_library/states/new_jersey/Gubernatorial_Voter_Guide_2009/64144.pdf
New Jersey
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VOTED YES TO MOVE DOCTOR ACCESS BILL TO DEBATE AND VOTE
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VOTED TO BLOCK DEBATE ON DOCTOR ACCESS BILL
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Lautenberg, Frank (D)
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Yes
| |
Menendez, Robert (D)
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Yes
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Recently, AARP’s Create
the Good announced it is collaborating with the Entertainment
Industry Foundation (EIF) in encouraging all Americans to dedicate
time to service – whether they have five minutes, five hours
or five days. Working with EIF allows Create the Good to connect
potential volunteers with ways to serve that work for them. People
of all ages need to know that their communities need them, even if
their time is limited.
Create the Good, an idea first developed by AARP that has now
significantly expanded, is powered by AARP and more than nine
million 50+ volunteers, donors and activists. The point of Create
the Good, a phrase first coined by AARP’s founder Dr. Ethel
Percy Andrus, is that each of us has something to give that can help
others. AARP was built on the foundation of volunteerism and Create
the Good is a means for good people to get connected to
opportunities to create good in their community.
Beginning the week of October 19th, the EIF will mobilize the
entire entertainment community in an initiative designed to inspire
a new era of service. Hollywood’s leading charity has enlisted
the four major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC to
participate in this project called “I Participate.”
Through I Participate (iparticipateusa.org), EIF
hopes to make service a part of who we are as Americans and to show
what we can achieve when we all pull together. AARP’s Create
the Good’s role in I Participate is to help activate 50+
volunteers in communities across the country.
EIF will produce a series of celebrity-driven public service
announcements that will reinforce the importance of volunteerism and
promote the week. Through these PSAs, EIF will recognize and
encourage support for five key areas of service: Education &
Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development,
Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families. Jesse
Dylan, the creative force behind Bono’s “Red” and
“One” campaign, and will.i.am’s iconic “Yes,
We Can” video, will be creating, directing and producing the
PSAs.
In addition, the networks have agreed to infuse their
television programs with themes about volunteerism and community
service. More than 45 of TV’s most popular shows will be part
of this unprecedented week of network programming.
The number of Americans who volunteer regularly has not
increased in 40 years. Service experts and community leaders agree:
we are at a critical moment when real change is needed. Now EIF and
partnering organizations are asking the country to get involved and
hopes to generate a new era of volunteerism.
The Create the Good website (CreatetheGood.org)
offers ideas for self-directed activities and How To videos for
simple service projects people can organize on their own. The site
also allows people to submit ideas and email the site to their
friends or post it to their social networks.
The holidays are fast approaching and many charities and organizations will be expanding their activities to help those in need. There’s never been a better time to give back and create the good.
AARP Challenges Conventional Retirement Planning Wisdom
AARP Public Policy Institute Examines How to Make Your Nest Egg Last a Lifetime
Washington, DC, September 14, 2009 – As increasing numbers of Americans consider retirement, many are not only worried about saving enough, but how to make their savings last throughout retirement. Today, AARP releases two documents examining and challenging the rules of thumb when it comes to planning for retirement.
Today’s retirees face a market downturn, falling home values and diminishing retirement savings which forces many to answer tough questions like: When should I claim Social Security? Should I get an annuity? What should I do with my home or mortgage? The rules of thumb no longer apply.
“When most individuals think of retirement, they think about how to save enough money,” said Jean Setzfand, AARP Director of Financial Security. “We have not spent nearly enough time discussing the best ways to take that money and turn it into an income stream that lasts throughout retirement. Our tip sheet challenges conventional thinking and offers general guidance about how to make the best decision for you and your circumstances.”
The AARP tip sheet, “Money Matters: Spending Down Your Assets in Retirement” (link below) addresses key questions like the ones above regarding planning for retirement and walks individuals through key actions steps – including resources and general guidance depending on an individual’s situation.
“Conventional wisdom may not be right for everyone,” said Janet McCubbin, who heads economic research at AARP’s Public Policy Institute. “More and more retirees today have to manage their own assets—instead of just cashing a pension check—and that’s not easy. A look at what experts have discovered can serve as a practical guide.”
AARP today released a second report, “Making Your Nest Egg Last a Lifetime,” that takes a fresh look at common financial decisions in retirement planning. The report was written for AARP by Anthony Webb of the Center for Retirement Research at BostonCollege.
Online Resources:
AARP Public Policy Institute info on retirement planning