LoBiondo Facts

U.S. Representative Frank LoBiondo has painted himself as a moderate. Our mission is to educate the public about his arch conservative voting record and to unseat him in 2006. Our website can be found at www.cpr4nj.org.

Name:
Location: New Jersey, United States

Citizens for Progressive Representation (CPR) is a nonprofit grassroots organization, founded in New Jersey, with a mission to bring truth to politics, to remove targeted incumbents from office, and to elect progressive and socially responsible candidates. Our website is located at www.cpr4nj.org.

Monday, May 30, 2005

LoBiondo Backs Credit Card Companies at the Cost of Consumers

Frank LoBiondo voted “yes” on the so-called “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act,” which was signed into law in April. Let us first talk about the misleading title of that bill. Who, exactly, was abusing bankruptcy? And how does this statute protect consumers? Are the airlines, which are permitted to discharge their employee pension plans, abusing bankruptcy? Apparently not, since they are unaffected by this law. Who are the consumers needing protection? Congress and President Bush appear to have confused them with credit card companies. This bill makes it harder for individuals to wipe out debt through bankruptcy. That's right. Individuals. Not corporations. People do need to take personal responsibility for their debt and in the past, where they filed for bankruptcy and wanted to save their homes and other equity, they were already required to file under “Wage Earners” Chapter 13, which mandates partial or full repayment of their debt. Some types of liability were already not dischargeable. But credit card companies must share the blame. The Republican majority in both houses voted down amendments intended to curb excessive fees and other abusive practices. LoBiondo sided with his party, which refused to carve out exceptions for people who fell into arrears through divorce, unemployment, catastrophic medical illness, or military service, or who had paid off the original debt but who still owed heavy balances resulting from punitive charges. Credit card companies target students encumbered by tens of thousands (or more) in student loans upon graduation. They target people with poor credit histories. They target bad risks. And as folks fall farther into debt, Visa and MasterCard raise their credit limits and send unsolicited checks for cash advances. Why do they do this, if there is such concern about consumers abusing credit? Firstly, poor or nonexistent credit histories justify charging high double-digit interest rates. Secondly, companies can assess punitive charges—penalty fees and sharply higher interest rates after a payment is late—which compound the problems of financially strapped individuals. Penalty interest rates are about 30%, some as high as 40%. Let’s be real. Credit card companies do not want us to pay off our debt every month. They make no money that way. They have even suggested that they may impose fees on consumers who do not carry balances. According to the Washington Post, bankruptcy experts say that by the time an individual files for bankruptcy or is sued by creditors, he or she often has repaid an amount equal to the original credit card debt plus double-digit interest, but still owes hundreds or thousands of dollars because of these penalties.* LoBiondo makes proud with his duty on the Armed Services Committee, but where is his compassion for our men and women who are losing their homes and businesses while they are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq? Families of Reservists and National Guard are losing the income of at least one, sometimes both of the soldiers who are sent overseas on active duty for at least a year. Small business owners are not there to run their shops and must hire someone to fill in. Spouses and children of these “part-timers” are not afforded medical coverage while their loved ones risk their lives for our country. Credit cards often seem the only option. LoBiondo has done nothing to assist the legions of Americans who are uninsured, but refused to support an exemption in this law for people who fell into debt after someone in their family suffered catastrophic illness and they were forced to pay medical bills with credit cards. He refused to recognize that many people became uninsured or fell on hard times through divorce or job loss. We ask again, where is Rep. Frank LoBiondo’s compassion, and why does he stand with big business and against the interests of the real consumers?
____________________
* Kathleen Day and Caroline E. Mayer, Washington Post, March 6, 2005, page A01.
Submitted by JANET L. FAYTER
Egg Harbor Township

Friday, May 27, 2005

Lobiondo Votes Against Stem Cell Research

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, voted against federal funding of expanded embryonic stem-cell research because of his belief it will result in the destruction of human life. In our view, LoBiondo's vote does not reflect the position of the overwhelming majority of his constituents. Our grandson, now 51/2, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 21/2 years old. As a Type 1 diabetic, he is entirely dependent on daily insulin injections and multiple daily checks of his blood-sugar level. Matthew is not alone. There are millions of Americans who suffer every day from the effects of diabetes and other disabling and debilitating conditions - like Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, spinal-cord injuries and even cancer - that embryonic stem-cell research would allow researchers to better understand and treat. But current federal regulations severely limit funding of research utilizing embryonic stem cells. Under HR 810, which passed the House of Representatives on May 24 by a 238-194 margin, use of embryonic stem cells for research is strictly limited to excess embryos created in connection with fertility treatment. These embryos would be knowingly donated for stem-cell research and would otherwise be discarded. If you favor expansion of federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, please contact LoBiondo President Bush. It is time for hope for a cure and hope for Americans.
CAROL SKLAR & ARTHUR SKLAR
Linwood Letter Published in Atlantic City Press, May 27, 2005

Biblical Reconstructionism Threatens Church-State Separation

Our good friend Sharon Gray had this article published on the Delaware Valley Americans United for Separation of Church and State website.
For Sharon's article, hit the link above or go to
For more information on Americans United, go to www.au.org.

BedFellow Disclosure Bill

Congressional Representatives Martin Meehan (MA) and Rahm Emanuel (IL) have proposed the "Bedfellow Disclosure Bill," which would require lobbyists to submit quarterly spending disclosures to an electronic system open to public view. The bill would also bar lobbyists from organizing junkets for lawmakers, the very kind of junkets which are illustrative of Tom DeLay's excesses and outrages. Will Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, who has accepted $5,692 from DeLay's PAC and voted with him more than 81 percent of the time, get behind this important bill and offer his bipartisan support? If not, ask him. Why not?
JANET L. FAYTER
Egg Harbor Township
Letter Published in Atlantic City Press, May 27, 2005

Thursday, May 26, 2005

LoBiondo-DeLay Facts

Frank LoBiondo has accepted $5,692 from Tom DeLay's PAC and has voted with him more than 81% of the time. Source: MoveOnPac.org