February 6, 2009
February 6, 2009
Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier.
In this week's Carson Courier:
The State Children's Health Insurance Program
Preventing Suicides in the Military
Delaying the Conversion to Digital Television
Website Under Construction
THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM
Following repeated vetoes by President Bush and countless hours of work by dedicated parents and activists across the United States, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act was finally signed into law by President Obama on Wednesday. This critical legislation will now ensure that 11 million uninsured children, including thousands in Indianapolis, receive the health coverage that they so desperately need.
Regardless of our nation's economic climate, all children deserve to live healthy childhoods. This legislation has often become unfairly partisan but I feel reassured that it was signed into law with strong bipartisan support. I was proud to witness members of both parties joining together to protect uninsured children across the United States. Clearly, real change has finally come to Washington.
As this legislation takes effect, it is important that we do not avert attention from our nation's ongoing health care crisis. Millions of Americans, including many children, still live with little or no health coverage. In the coming months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to create a reformed health care system that covers every American, regardless of their ability to pay.
PREVENTING SUICIDES IN THE MILITARY
The United States Army recently reported that a record number of soldiers committed suicide in 2008. Sadly, suicide among combat veterans, both active duty and retired, has been a serious problem for some time. For years, post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have gone undiagnosed or untreated in countless men and women in uniform.
Fortunately, with today's modern diagnosis and treatment techniques veterans no longer need to live with debilitating mental disorders. With proper funding, military and VA treatment programs can be expanded to ensure that comprehensive mental health care is available for all veterans. Our veterans should never again have to feel abandoned or ashamed when seeking professional mental health treatment.
This week, I sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki expressing my concern over the rising number of suicides and declaring the need for expanded mental health programs for combat veterans. The men and women of our armed services have courageously sacrificed to protect our freedom. I fully intend to work with my House colleagues to ensure that all veterans have access to the professional mental health care they need and deserve.
DELAYING THE CONVERSION TO DIGITAL TELEVISION
On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that over 8,500 households in Indiana's Seventh Congressional District are still waiting to receive $40 coupons to assist with the purchase of digital television (DTV) converter boxes. Without Congressional intervention to delay the nationwide conversion to DTV, these households and millions of others across the United States faced losing all television reception on February 17, 2009.
As you know, television is not just a form of entertainment. It supports billion dollar industries and thousands of quality jobs. It keeps working families and seniors involved in their communities and helps them stay safe in emergency situations. In these uncertain times, it is crucial that all Americans maintain their connection with this invaluable medium. I had an opportunity to voice these concerns on these House floor this week and express my strong support for legislation that would delay this transition for three months in order to provide every household with additional time to obtain DTV converter boxes.
Thankfully, the DTV Delay Act passed Congress and will soon be signed into law by President Obama. Under this new law, the conversion to DTV will now take place on June 12, 2009.
Due to unanticipated demand, the program to distribute $40 coupons for DTV converter boxes reached its funding ceiling last year. In the coming weeks, Congress will be working to allocate additional funding to ensure that these coupons are available to every American household that needs them.
You can still add your name to the coupon waiting list by visiting https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx.
Be sure to use these coupons within 90 days of receiving them. If they expire without being used you will need to add your name to the waiting list again.
WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
I am glad to announce that my Congressional website, https://www.carson.house.gov, is undergoing a significant redesign to ensure that you will always have easy access to the most useful services and current information about my work in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately, I will be unable to update the information on my site for the next few weeks while construction occurs. Thank you for your patience and understanding and rest assured that I will continue to regularly send important information via my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. I am confident that this new website will greatly improve my ability to fully represent every resident of Indiana's Seventh Congressional District.
Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I value your views and your input helps me to better represent the people of Indiana's Seventh District in Congress.
In this week's Carson Courier:
The State Children's Health Insurance Program
Preventing Suicides in the Military
Delaying the Conversion to Digital Television
Website Under Construction
THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM
Following repeated vetoes by President Bush and countless hours of work by dedicated parents and activists across the United States, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act was finally signed into law by President Obama on Wednesday. This critical legislation will now ensure that 11 million uninsured children, including thousands in Indianapolis, receive the health coverage that they so desperately need.
Regardless of our nation's economic climate, all children deserve to live healthy childhoods. This legislation has often become unfairly partisan but I feel reassured that it was signed into law with strong bipartisan support. I was proud to witness members of both parties joining together to protect uninsured children across the United States. Clearly, real change has finally come to Washington.
As this legislation takes effect, it is important that we do not avert attention from our nation's ongoing health care crisis. Millions of Americans, including many children, still live with little or no health coverage. In the coming months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to create a reformed health care system that covers every American, regardless of their ability to pay.
PREVENTING SUICIDES IN THE MILITARY
The United States Army recently reported that a record number of soldiers committed suicide in 2008. Sadly, suicide among combat veterans, both active duty and retired, has been a serious problem for some time. For years, post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have gone undiagnosed or untreated in countless men and women in uniform.
Fortunately, with today's modern diagnosis and treatment techniques veterans no longer need to live with debilitating mental disorders. With proper funding, military and VA treatment programs can be expanded to ensure that comprehensive mental health care is available for all veterans. Our veterans should never again have to feel abandoned or ashamed when seeking professional mental health treatment.
This week, I sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki expressing my concern over the rising number of suicides and declaring the need for expanded mental health programs for combat veterans. The men and women of our armed services have courageously sacrificed to protect our freedom. I fully intend to work with my House colleagues to ensure that all veterans have access to the professional mental health care they need and deserve.
DELAYING THE CONVERSION TO DIGITAL TELEVISION
On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that over 8,500 households in Indiana's Seventh Congressional District are still waiting to receive $40 coupons to assist with the purchase of digital television (DTV) converter boxes. Without Congressional intervention to delay the nationwide conversion to DTV, these households and millions of others across the United States faced losing all television reception on February 17, 2009.
As you know, television is not just a form of entertainment. It supports billion dollar industries and thousands of quality jobs. It keeps working families and seniors involved in their communities and helps them stay safe in emergency situations. In these uncertain times, it is crucial that all Americans maintain their connection with this invaluable medium. I had an opportunity to voice these concerns on these House floor this week and express my strong support for legislation that would delay this transition for three months in order to provide every household with additional time to obtain DTV converter boxes.
Thankfully, the DTV Delay Act passed Congress and will soon be signed into law by President Obama. Under this new law, the conversion to DTV will now take place on June 12, 2009.
Due to unanticipated demand, the program to distribute $40 coupons for DTV converter boxes reached its funding ceiling last year. In the coming weeks, Congress will be working to allocate additional funding to ensure that these coupons are available to every American household that needs them.
You can still add your name to the coupon waiting list by visiting https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx.
Be sure to use these coupons within 90 days of receiving them. If they expire without being used you will need to add your name to the waiting list again.
WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
I am glad to announce that my Congressional website, https://www.carson.house.gov, is undergoing a significant redesign to ensure that you will always have easy access to the most useful services and current information about my work in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately, I will be unable to update the information on my site for the next few weeks while construction occurs. Thank you for your patience and understanding and rest assured that I will continue to regularly send important information via my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. I am confident that this new website will greatly improve my ability to fully represent every resident of Indiana's Seventh Congressional District.
Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I value your views and your input helps me to better represent the people of Indiana's Seventh District in Congress.