Green Valley News - September 12, 2009

Health care and border issues have been stealing the headlines, but U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., has been giving plenty of attention lately to Afghanistan, a part of the world she says was ignored far too long.

Her comment, of course, was a thinly veiled swipe at the Bush administration’s hyper-focused attention on Baghdad. But it’s not far off the mark.

The U.S. and its allies went into Afghanistan almost eight years ago, just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks. The goal was to take down the Taliban for sheltering al-Qaida leaders who planned the attacks on American soil. Initially, U.S. forces knocked the Taliban off balance, but the terrorists regrouped and have come roaring back — and their resurgence has come at a price. About 750 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan and the region since the invasion.

Giffords returned Tuesday night from a four-day trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, her second in less than a month. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, she has made the 20-hour flight to, literally, the other side of the world several times.

The burning question now seems to be whether there is a timeline for a U.S. exit, but Giffords thinks it’s the wrong question. She expects to be briefed this week by top military leaders on an exit strategy but didn’t think it would include a hard timeline.

“I think it’s premature to discuss leaving Afghanistan when we’re now giving the country our full attention,” she told the Green Valley News this week. “I believe this mission is important.”

But troop support at home and abroad is waning and there are questions about whether additional troops will solve any problems there. And a questionable election last month that still isn’t resolved didn’t say much for the Afghans’ ability to take charge of their own destiny — something Giffords says is vital.

She’s not sold on the whole program, but is committed to the mission.

“There’s a growing debate about what constitutes success in Afghanistan,” she said. “I have serious questions about our approach, but I think picking up and leaving is simply not an option.”

The good news out of the region is that the cultivation of opium poppies — a major revenue source for the Taliban — is down 22 percent, according to Giffords. Actual production is down 10 percent. The terrorist group gets about half its funding from the sales of poppies, according to intelligence.

Still, the country’s porous borders mean 98 percent to 99 percent of the drug is getting out.

Giffords, who says about 10 percent of those in Afghanistan support the Taliban, isn’t a Pollyana, particularly after coming off the deadliest month for U.S. troops, when we lost 51 in August. But after watching elite Afghan special forces train, and hearing briefings in Pakistan and Afghanistan, she sees an eventual victory.

“But the Afghan people have to be a part of it,” she said.

Sierra Vista Herald/Review – September 10, 2009

By Bill Hess

Sierra Vista Herald – September 11, 2009
By Bill Hess

Eight years ago, terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in the United States, crashing two in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and when passengers rose up and tried to take over another aircraft it went down in a Pennsylvania field.

That day — Sept. 11, 2001 — started the United States on a path of countering worldwide groups of terrorism, taking the Americans to Afghanistan where the Taliban government was in cahoots with al-Qaida. Both became a target of America’s armed forces.

Those who died on America’s soil that day and the men and women of the nation’s military have to be remembered, especially considering that the United States and its allies are still in Afghanistan fighting a resurgent Taliban and its al-Qaida supporters, many of whom are in Pakistan, said Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona’s 8th Congressional District representative.

Back from a four-day trip to both countries with two other Democratic members of the House of Representatives, Giffords said the fighting in Afghanistan must continue.

“It deserves our full attention and cannot become a forgotten war,” she told the Herald/Review Wednesday.

The initial defeat of the Taliban and their al-Qaida supporters has to be repeated now that the United States is once again focused on that nation and not as much as in Iraq.

“Those who perished on 9/11 and who have died in Afghanistan since then deserve nothing less,” Giffords said.

On the trip were two other members of the House Armed Services Committee, on which she serves. They were Adam Smith of Washington, chairman of the terrorism and other unconventional threats subcommittee, who led the delegation; and Bobby Bright of Alabama.

Meeting with top officials in both countries, the two-term congresswoman said she came away with the feeling both countries want to eliminate the problem sources, the Taliban and al-Qaida, within their borders.

But it will be difficult since the international boundary between the two is porously remote and rugged.

A high point of the trip for her was meeting 12 Afghan women members of parliament.

They were enthusiastic about seeing their nation become a democracy, the congresswoman said.

However, because of the male-dominated power in that nation it will take time for women to be recognized as individuals.

Afghanistan, and in many parts of Pakistan, women are treated as second-class citizens, and are denied educational rights and civil liberties, according to human right organizations in the world.

Pakistan has more of a history of suffrage for women, Giffords said.

There are many civil problems within Afghanistan that must be addressed to include corruption at all political levels and drug production, the congresswoman said.

The delegation got a briefing from U.S. Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration representatives who are involved, along with the U.S. and coalition forces military, in counternarcotic efforts, Giffords said.

While the picture is improving it is still bleak, she said.

Although poppy cultivation is down 22 percent and production has been reduced 10 percent Afghanistan is still the world’s top conduit for opium, Giffords said.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Taliban has always used poppy production as a financial source, revenue to keep them in power, and it has become a fairly large cash product for farmers instead of growing food, Giffords said.

In the past, Afghanistan was able to produce sufficient food for all its population, as well as export agricultural products, according to many global reports.

Gaining the trust of Afghans, who although they are tribal do have a national identity, is important, Giffords said, noting for centuries the people in that area have fought every interloper who has tried to rule them and most times they were successful.

Historically Afghanistan had other names such as Bactcia in centuries past and throughout its history it has been known as a cemetery of invaders, defeating Persian to ancient powers in India to imperial Russia and Great Britain, and in the most recent past, the forces of the Soviet Union.

But, Giffords said she sees a desire of many Afghans to govern themselves and although fearful of the Taliban again they do not like them, she said, adding Afghans see al-Qaida people as foreigners.

The current U.S. and coalition commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, is seeking a way to forge an opposition against the Taliban and al-Qaida, Giffords s aid.

There is no denying he will seek additional troops but that will have to gain the approval of President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, she said.

A potential block to additional forces are rank and file Democrats and some of that party who are members of Congress.

On Thursday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said there’s little support in the country and Congress for sending more troops to Afghanistan.

However, Giffords said from what she is hearing from constituents in her district, both Democrats and Republicans “no one is asking me to get out of Afghanistan,” adding what was started after 9/11 has to be finished.

Sierra Vista Herald/Review – September 9, 2009
By Bill Hess

Green Valley News, September 1, 2009
By Philip Franchine,

Green Valley residents packed the house at Tuesday’s town hall on health care reform, peppering U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords with questions and applauding loudly for ideas on both sides of the issue.

An orderly crowd of about 500 rocked the West Social Center with applause for speakers who oppose government expanding its role in health care. There also was solid, though less boisterous, applause for pro-reform calls for universal health coverage and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices.

About 100 people, many with signs, remained outside listening to the meeting on loudspeakers or radio as the hall filled up a half-hour before the 9 a.m. meeting.

Giffords told the crowd she is not wedded to any one of the reform plans before Congress, but wants to address the 50 million uninsured and 20 million underinsured in the country. She also supports negotiating drug prices and favors a public option that would offer the public the insurance coverage that is now available to federal employees.

“Giffords respectfully not only heard, but listened to the concerns expressed,” said Green Valley retiree Dave Rozanc, who is not a fan of reform.

Rozanc, a former insurance company employee, believes proposed spending on health-care reform will not pay for itself, and the excess spending will cause inflation that will hurt the investment income of senior citizens.

Pro-reformer Anne Marie Lindstrom of Green Valley, who was born with spina bifida and who spoke from a wheelchair, said, “single-payer please… I am absolutely uninsurable.” She said she had not landed some jobs because the insurance provider would not cover her.

Giffords said a single-payer approach, and the complexities it brings, is not on the table now.

Cynthia Rose of Tubac and Tucson, who said her husband is a military consultant, said, “When government takes control of banks, mortgage companies, car makers and, now, health care, we lose our freedoms,” generating big applause and some whoops.

Giffords said the government support of the auto industry is necessary in case we need to build tanks, for example, for a future war. She at various times carefully explained her votes against the initial bank bail-out, cars for clunkers and other government programs.

Giffords’ staff used a lottery system with tickets to determine who would get to ask questions.

“Health care is a human right,” Barbara Laupmanis of Green Valley said, drawing light applause and some boos. She said she has lupus, a chronic illness, is enrolled in Medicare, and recently paid $1,400 to Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

The Green Valley town hall came a day after about 1,300 people gathered at a high school in Sierra Vista to hear Giffords. That crowd was more boisterous, even booing former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who spoke before Giffords answered questions.

Overall, the Green Valley crowd was exemplary, asking probing questions, telling poignant stories and offering important information for the congresswoman to consider as she returns to Washington.

One exchange between Giffords and a Green Valley man summarized the fears of many.

George Grygiel drew loud applause by saying, “for health care reform to bankrupt this country is immoral. Congress refuses to deal with reducing costs.”

Giffords said, “The change will not affect you all; it will affect younger folks. There is a lot of fear, anger and mistrust in the country.”

Grygiel responded, “The people are getting it crammed down our throats. We constituents do not trust government anymore.”

After the town hall, Giffords said the session was informative but acknowledged there is “a disconnect” on the part of numerous speakers who said they want no increased government role in health care but are pleased with their own government-funded coverage, whether Medicare, active military or Tri-Care.

Giffords said fellow Democrats must win her vote and the votes of others in the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition in order to pass a bill.

Laura Leick of Sahuarita, who is semi-retired, did not get to speak but was hoping to ask about banning insurers from using pre-existing conditions from dumping subscribers. Leick said she and her sister each retired before age 65 and are not eligible for Medicare and face either having no insurance, paying huge premiums or, in her case, buying an affordable policy with a $5,000 deductible.

Leick said she supports a public option as well as tort reform and said the event was helpful, though most attendees already have their views fixed, because “she (Giffords) did a good job listening and responding to those who wanted a response. There’s one woman who walked away. There’s passion in these things.”

KOLD TV – Sep 01, 2009
By J.D. Wallace

TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) – Hundreds lined up to talk about health insurance reform with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Monday night at Buena High School in Sierra Vista.

“I do disagree with her views, but she’s very accessible, and I do respect that,” said Scott Edelen before he joined the crowd.

“I think her mind’s made up and don’t think we’re going to have anything that’s going to change today,” Dale Cook said from a seat in the auditorium.

The crowd offered plenty of cheers and boos to the representative as she heard comments, took questions, and offered explanations.

“If you want to ask me questions about it, I will do my best to try to discuss it, but really, tonight is about you, your questions, your comments, your concerns, and when we go back to Washington next week, I can bring your perspectives,” she told them.

Giffords said that illegal immigrants would not be covered, there would be no “death panels” that require discussing end of life care with a doctor, and she supports a public option of health insurance offered by the government to those who have no private provider.  However, she also emphasized that there is no final plan before Congress right now.

“My commitment is to listen, my commitment is to understand, my commitment is to bring back good information and to bring your information to Washington,” she said.

“I have been denied coverage of care, I have watched the person I adore be slowly taken away from me because the insurance company was greedy,” Marty Huffman said into the microphone in front of the crowd.  “If we don’t do something about health care and we don’t allow Congress to do the job, we are not going to get anywhere and every one of you standing here denying health care right now could be in my position tomorrow.”

By the end of Monday night’s forum, some who agree that change is needed, still had concerns about whether it will move in the right direction.

“Once this starts, it’s an entitlement,” Cook said.  “You’ll never get rid of it and I think that’s very true.”

ARIZONA DAILY STAR – 08.23.2009

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has scheduled three town halls on health insurance reform next week.

The approximately two-hour sessions will take place in Sierra Vista, Green Valley and Tucson. The format for the events was not announced.

The events are open to the public, but Giffords’ office requests those wanting to attend RSVP by phone or e-mail specifying which session they plan to attend.

The town halls are scheduled for:

• Monday, Aug. 31, 6-8 p.m., at the Buena Performing Arts Center, 5225 Buena School Blvd. in Sierra Vista
RSVP: 459-3115 or RSVPGiffords.CochiseCounty@mail.house.gov

• Tuesday, Sept. 1, 9-11 a.m., West Social Center, 1111 Via Arcoiris, Green Valley
RSVP: 881-3588 or RSVPGiffords.GreenValley@mail.house.gov

• Tuesday, Sept. 1, 6-8 p.m., Sahuaro High School, 545 N. Camino Seco, Tucson
RSVP: 881-3588 or RSVPGiffords@mail.house.gov

From KVOA.com,

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was at Davis-Monthan Air Force base Thursday for an informational session on the new Post 911 GI Bill effective August 1^st 2009.

Officials from the military, the University of Arizona and Pima Community College joined U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to explain provisions and benefits of the Post 911 GI Bill.

Giffords says the three major benefits include up to 100% paid tuition, a monthly housing stipend, and a stipend of up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.

She says these benefits will vary depending on your state of residence, number of units taken, and amount of post Sept. 11, 2001 active-duty service.

The education benefits are for service members and veterans who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001.

Post-9/11 benefit payments are tiered based on the amount of creditable active-duty service since Sept. 10, 2001.

100% – 36 or more total months

100% – 30 or more consecutive days with Disability related Discharge.

90% – 30 total months

80% – 24 total months

70% – 18 total months

60% – 12 total months

50% – six total months

40% – 90 or more days

Undergraduates in Arizona can receive up to $657.00 per credit hour or a maximum of $15,000.59 total fees paid per term.

For other states click here: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/CH33/Tuition_and_fees.htm

Further benefits include $100 per month for tutorial services and up to $2000 for license or certification test reimbursement.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is currently accepting applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

More information is available at http://www.gibill.va.gov/

You can apply using the VA Form 22-1990.

Green Valley News

By Philip Franchine
Published: Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords spoke to about 350 people Monday night in a telephonic question and and answer session, telling them that the 1,600-page health care proposal facing Congress is so complicated that constituents may want to consult a 60-page summary that is available in her office and on her Web site.

The Congresswoman took a handful of questions from those who were listening in and her responses summarized the proposal. Questions focused on whether the proposal is like the single-payer Canadian system (no, she said, it builds on our current system); how it would affect small busineses (would require those with payrolls above $250,000 to offer health insurance or face penalties); how it would affect Medicare (complicated); how it would affect retired military personnel (very little, she said).

The big question came last in the hour-plus session: how would the $1 trillion-plus system be financed. The answer to that, she said, is complex, but includes a tax on the top 1.2 percent of households — couples with an adjusted taxable income of $350,000 a year or individuals with an adjusted taxable income of $290,000. Giffords said some families might have a gross incomes of $1 million or more, but a taxable income of only $350,000. The tax would affect about 4,000 households in District 8, according to a district-by district fact sheet document filed on her Web site, www.giffords.house.gov.

A list of fact sheets, summaries and other documents related to the health care proposal is online at http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1687&catid=156&Itemid=55.

It includes district by district impacts in all congressional districts. For example, the document says District 8 health care providers gave $69 million in uncompensated care in 2008. The fact sheet does not say how much of that amount would be addressed by the legislation facing Congress, as much of the uncompensated care was for illegal border crossers who may not be affected by the legislation.

Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona of Tucson also spoke, saying that a huge proportion of America’s health care cost are for preventable conditions, including obesity and diabetes. Giffords said the proposal would encourage preventive care. Carmona said the United States spends far more on health care thatn other countries with poorer outcomes.

Sierra Vista Herald
July 28, 2009

By Bill Hess

SIERRA VISTA — “America’s health care system is sick,” Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said Monday night during a telephone town hall meeting.

Congress must triage the ailing medical system, and that is the purpose of the current health care debate, she said.

If the issue is not addressed, Americans will find themselves lacking the financial means to take care of their medical needs, the Arizona 8th Congressional District congresswoman remarked.

If the nation’s health care system is not overhauled, one out of every five taxpayer dollars in the next decade will go to health care, and within 30 years, it will be one out of three, Giffords told more the nearly 5,000 people who listened on the first ever districtwide phone hookup.

The number of participants came from a computer-generated count, said C.J. Karamargin, Giffords’ press secretary.

The congresswoman said insurance companies are more concerned about their financial bottom line, and the proposed health care legislation would not only help that industry but also save money for the government and individuals.

The proposed legislation “has a strong public option, (so) we would compete with insurance companies to bring down the cost of health care,” Giffords said.

However, late Monday, The Associated Press reported a bipartisan group of senators want to have the public option removed.

Joining her, to provide a professional health care provider’s take on the issue, was Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as U.S. surgeon general for four years in Republican President George W. Bush’s administration. Carmona is currently a distinguished professor at the Mel and Enid Zimmerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona.

Saying the future is clear in that the country can no longer support the current health care system, Carmona said more emphasis must be placed on preventive medicine instead of “sick care.”

The proposed overhaul would provide better emphasis on preventive medicine so that in the future, programs are not just about taking care of sick people, he said.

“Access, quality and costs are the three important spheres,” Carmona said.

But to pass the needed legislation, both Democrats and Republicans, as well as those in the health industry, must work together, he said.

Much of today’s health care “incentivizes” the financial bottom line to the detriment of quality over quantity, Carmona said.

One listener asked if the United States was heading north to have a system like Canada.

The Tucson woman said eventually the United States could end up with a single-payer system under which there is rationing of medical treatment.

Giffords said, “The Canadian model is not being considered at this time,” an expression she used four times in responding to the question.

When Karamargin was queried after the hourlong event, he said Giffords is on the record of being against a single-payer program in which the government would decide all issues.

He noted that Michigan Democratic U.S. Rep. John Conyers has introduced a bill with 85 co-sponsors calling on the United States to have a single-payer plan and that the Arizona congresswoman did not sign on to the proposal.

“The congresswoman does not support a single payer,” Karamargin said.

In her response to the question about the Canadian system, Giffords said when it came to that government’s program, “rationing care is not right.”

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Arizona Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords answered a number of questions  concerning the proposed national health care issue during a Monday evening telephone town hall meeting.

A military retiree from Sierra Vista asked the congresswoman if TRICARE would be eliminated under the proposed legislation. Giffords said it is not in either the House or Senate bill, and she will not support any proposal that would eliminate the special program for the military.

Asked what benefits small business owners would have, she said the proposed bill would not only help business owners but also employees by reducing costs.

Business owners would be able to become involved in an insurance exchange program that would help lower their costs as well as co-payments and deductibles for employees, the congresswoman said.

Also joining her was former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, who had a number of thoughts in supporting the national health care proposal. He served as the nation’s top doctor during the administration of Republican President George W. Bush from 2002 to 2006.

A supporter of individuals practicing better health care, Carmona said he sees the proposed bill putting more emphasis on preventive medicine “rescuing people from their own bad behaviors.”

During the phone event, two surveys were taken.

To the question if anyone listening had been denied or a family member had been denied medical insurance for a pre-existing condition, 22 percent said yes.

Asked whether those listening were insured by their employers or self-insured, the responses were 68 percent employer-insured and the rest purchased their own health insurance.

According to news reports, even though the president is pushing for health care legislation to be completed before Congress takes its August recess, the Democratic leadership in the Senate has said this bill will not be considered until after Congress resumes after Labor Day.

It also appears the House will not address the issue until after the recess, although that chamber’s leadership had been pushing for it to be done this week.