2013-06-18T18:28:11-04:00 Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=sen-tom-carper Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Sen. Tom Carper Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1890398 2012-09-17T11:24:49-04:00 2012-11-17T05:12:01-05:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/ On Friday, Sept. 14, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) delivered the 2nd Annual James R. Soles Lecture on the Constitution and Citizenship at the University of Delaware on Friday. Below is an excerpt of his address:

Our challenges today pale by comparison to the challenges that our Founding Fathers faced 225 years ago in drafting our Constitution. Among the thorny issues they dealt with were slavery and the rights of women, and equal representation, not to mention how to organize this new Republic. Yet somehow they got the job done, or really, they got the job started, because no sooner had we ratified the Constitution than we started thinking about how to amend it with what became the Bill of Rights. And for over two centuries, our Constitution, and the United States of America for that matter, has been a work in progress as we strive to make our union more perfect.

Every now and then after a particularly disappointing week where we spent more time in the Senate attempting to score political points than trying to govern, I'll get off the train in Wilmington and head home. There, I'll pick up a well-read biography of Henry Clay - a distant relative of mine. I only have to read a chapter before I'm struck with this reality - If we think our country is in a mess now, we'd do well to revisit the history of the first half of the 19th Century. Given the turmoil of those years, we're lucky to have made it to the Civil War, much less through it. But our union survived that war and went on to overcome the Great Depression and win two world wars and the Cold War to boot. In fact, America emerged at the dawn of the 21st Century not only as a nation at peace but as one with the strongest economy on earth, with balanced budgets and surpluses as far as the eye could see, and with the most productive workforce on earth. We were the most admired nation on this planet and the mightiest force for justice, too. If we can accomplish all that, we can find a way through the minefield that we find ourselves in today.

A lot of people are counting on us to do just that. Several times each month, I see some of them in and around the basement of our Capitol as I head to the floor to vote. They are disabled GI's, often in wheelchairs - wounded in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Some are missing arms or legs, some both, some without eyesight. But despite losing these things, there's something they haven't lost: their devotion to our country and the hope that we won't forget them in their hour of need. I always try to stop, say hello, ask what branch they served in, mention that I spent 23 years in the Navy, and thank them for their service to our country. A month or two ago, one of them said to me, 'Thank you for your service and your sacrifice, Senator.' I had a hard time getting his words out of my mind that day. 'My sacrifice?' I thought. What about his sacrifice?

His sacrifice, and the sacrifice of the others who visit our Capitol from time to time, deserve far more than mere words of thanks. They merit a solemn rededication from each of us to the principles on which our nation is built - principles that are embedded in the preamble to our Constitution. A commitment to redouble our efforts to form a more perfect Union, to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. A commitment not to living out our lives in blue states or red states, but a commitment to making better the lives of all of us who live in these United States.

To read the full text of Sen. Carper's address, please click here. ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1601013 2012-06-15T15:15:16-04:00 2012-08-15T05:12:05-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
Unbeknownst to a lot of us, our children actually listen to just about everything we say and, even more so, watch everything we do. They notice the choices we make and the company we keep. They hear us talk about playing by the rules and about treating others the way we would like to be treated, but they watch carefully to see if we actually practice what we preach -- and notice if we play fair and really do follow the Golden Rule. They hear us talk about chores, homework, and responsibility, but they watch to see if we actually pitch in and do our fair share.

It strikes me that much of our country's ongoing efforts to clean up air pollution is about playing fair, and doing our share. In my home state of Delaware, we've done our homework and worked hard and, as a result, we've made great strides in cleaning up our own air pollution. Unfortunately, a number of the upwind states to the west of us have not made the same commitment to reducing harmful pollution by investing in cleaner air. Some of those states have even built taller smokestacks so their pollution would fall -- not on them -- but on downwind states like us, keeping their air clean while making our air dirty, polluting our environment and making our children sick. In fact, 90 percent of Delaware's air pollution comes actually from our neighboring states. This pollution is not only dangerous to our hearts, lungs and brains but it costs us a great deal in hospital bills. And some of this air pollution -- like poisonous mercury -- settles into our streams and our fish not only for this generation, but for generations to come. That doesn't sound much like the Golden Rule to me, because even though we're doing our part to protect our air and public health, our neighbors are not, yet we're the ones who end up suffering due to their actions.

Fortunately, we have federal clean air protections -- established by the Clean Air Act -- that were forged through a strong commitment by both Democrats and Republicans who believed that playing fair and doing our share when it comes to cleaning up America's air was profoundly important. The Clean Air Act, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1970 and updated in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush, was approved each time by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. This landmark law to protect public health and the environment has proven time and again to be a success. In fact, I'm told that our federal clean air law delivers $30 of health savings for every dollar our nation invests in clean air. Not a bad return on our investment. Moreover, the Clean Air Act has led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in new technologies, developing clean air solutions that American businesses are exporting to other nations around the globe. And, the bipartisan vision embodied in the nation's clean air laws has been translated into healthier, longer and more productive lives for hundreds of thousands of children in Delaware and millions more across America.

While much of the Clean Air Act has been in place protecting and improving the health of Americans for years, some key aspects of the law have never been implemented because of ongoing court battles, including requirements to reduce deadly mercury and other toxic air emissions. Last December, after decades of delay and the failure of Congress to act, the Environmental Protection Agency finally implemented Clean Air Act protections to require dirty coal power plants to clean up their mercury and deadly air toxic emissions through something called the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule.

By targeting our nation's largest sources of mercury emissions, this regulation addresses the primary source of the problem by requiring large polluters to curb mercury emissions by 90 percent. This step will reduce the mercury that contaminates our streams, lakes, and oceans, pollutes our fish and is harmful to public health, especially our children's health. In implementing these long overdue regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided a reasonable and achievable schedule for our power plants to reduce these harmful emissions.

Delaware's power plants already meet these standards and so do half of the power plants in this country. Most communities will see great benefits from these rules. In fact, nationally we will see up to $90 billion in public health benefits. As someone who has tried for years to work across the aisle to find a way to clean up our nation's power plants, I welcomed the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to finally act to address these harmful emissions.

Regrettably, some of my colleagues don't share my appreciation for the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to protect public health and the environment, and they want to act to prevent these efforts from moving forward -- despite court orders requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to do just that. I find it amazing -- as well as misguided -- that some in Congress would seek to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from following through on a law passed by Congress 22 years ago. The Environmental Protection Agency is merely doing what we in Congress told them to do -- over two decades ago -- and their efforts will reduce harmful pollution that will improve not just our health but our children's health and that of our children's children.

In the next week or so, I expect my colleagues in the Senate who disagree with the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to reduce harmful mercury and toxic air emissions will insist on holding a vote to prevent the Agency from moving forward with this clean air provision. I will strongly oppose this last ditch effort to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from doing its job and moving forward to reduce these deadly emissions. My decision to oppose this effort isn't solely based on the fact that I'm a father, but knowing that the implementation of this rule at long last will positively impact the lives and health of my sons and that of their children weighs heavily on my mind.

This weekend, as we're celebrating Father's Day, I'm sure a number of us will ask: 'What is father love?' For me, 'father love' means not having to say to the next generation of Americans, "We're sorry. We let you down." Instead, it means leaving a legacy that ensures my sons, their children, and their children's children will have cleaner water to drink, cleaner air to breathe and a healthier environment in which to enjoy the blessings of our liberty.

Our children really do hear us talk to them and to others but, more importantly, they're watching us to see if we also walk the walk. Whether we are Democrats, Independents, or Republicans, we're still fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers. So let us continue to lead the way by following that Golden Rule every day -- treating our neighbors as we would want to be treated -- and let us work together across our nation to keep the Clean Air Act resilient and strong. Our children -- and their children -- are counting on us.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1441594 2012-04-20T15:59:15-04:00 2012-06-20T05:12:02-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
As we observe Earth Day this year, we recognize the progress we have made to help clean up our nation's air and water and preserve its natural resources, but we also recognize there's still plenty of work to do. Fortunately, some of the best ways to clean up our air and protect our earth can also bring new jobs and help strengthen our economic recovery.

At the top of the list is the need to support advancements in alternative energy sources and energy efficiency. Investments in home-grown, clean energy can put America on a path to free us of our dependence on foreign oil, reduce air pollution, create jobs and help ease the strain that energy and oil costs put on Americans' wallets every day.

Promoting the manufacturing of energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, and advanced batteries is helping to stimulate our economy, create jobs, and save us money on energy costs. We've already seen the success driven by the growing energy technology sector in Delaware with companies like Solardeck and DuPont.

In addition to making these investments, we must also take steps to reduce our dependence on oil. Since transportation accounts for nearly three-quarters of our oil consumption, we can significantly reduce this dependence by driving more fuel efficient vehicles. As it turns out, there are a lot more of them for sale today than any other time in our nation's history.

In 2010, President Obama announced the next phase in the Administration's program to increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas pollution, which stemmed in part from my work in the Senate in 2007 negotiating the first increase in fuel economy standards in more than 30 years. In the coming decade, these new standards for cars and light trucks will help American families save thousands of dollars in fuel costs and significantly reduce oil consumption.

American car companies are helping with the effort, too. For years, when I visited the Detroit Auto Show, company after company unveiled their newest truck or sport-utility vehicle with great fanfare - many of which had horrible gas mileage. Today, it's a different story. Over the past five years, car companies have showcased the latest in cutting edge, efficient automobiles that get 30, 40 - even up to 100 miles per gallon.

It is also important that we develop the technologies that will power our cars on something other than gasoline. Right now, Americans can choose between oil and oil. That's not a real choice. Whether through natural gas, electricity from clean energy or advanced biofuels, making sure that there is competition for our consumer dollars will help drive prices down and give Americans a real choice between gasoline or fuels that are better for our environment, our health, and our pocketbook.

Those of us in government need to create a nurturing environment for businesses and Americans to invest in these new technologies, but all of us can do our part to make a real difference for our environment, our health and our economic prosperity. By working together to support alternative energy sources and energy efficiency, we can build on the progress we've made over the past four decades. I hope that this Earth Day inspires you to join me in treating every day like it is Earth Day.

For more information and a video version of this Earth Day message, please visit my website.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.861121 2011-05-12T12:42:07-04:00 2011-07-12T05:12:01-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
Then, thanks to a booming economy and the 1997 deficit reduction agreement reached by a Democratic president and a Republican Congress, we achieved four straight years of balanced budgets and looked forward to continuing surpluses. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned we might pay down our debt too quickly.

He need not have worried.

After 9/11, we became embroiled in two costly wars that, coupled with a recession and revenue lost from tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, doubled our debt by 2009. Now, as our economy slowly recovers from the 2008 financial crisis, our debt is poised to double again in the next decade. We must not let that happen.

So what should we do?

Today, there are three major proposals dominating the headlines. The first is the product of a bipartisan deficit reduction commission created by President Obama.

Co-chaired by President Clinton's former chief of staff, Erskine Bowles, and former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), this commission has proposed reducing the deficit by $4 trillion over the next 10 years by putting everything on the table -- domestic discretionary spending, defense spending, entitlement programs and taxes. Two-thirds of the savings would come from spending cuts and one-third from increased revenues. We can all find aspects of the plan to disagree with, but it's a credible plan toward a sustainable fiscal path.

A second proposal, offered by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) last month, would also reduce the federal budget deficit by $4 trillion over the next 10 years.

Unlike the deficit commission's plan, Ryan's budget would produce almost all of its savings from unsustainable cuts to discretionary spending and Medicare and Medicaid programs, while doing little in the way of tax reform to promote economic growth and to better ensure we all pay our fair share.

President Obama unveiled a third plan in April, incorporating much of the Bowles-Simpson proposal. It would reduce the deficit by $4 trillion by 2023, end the Bush tax cuts for income over $250,000 as part of a needed overhaul of our tax system and implement proven approaches to curb the exponential growth in health care costs.

While I favor the more balanced approach offered by the Bowles-Simpson commission and echoed by President Obama, it's encouraging that Republican and Democratic leaders recognize that we must act now to reduce the deficit. Waiting is no longer an option.

To that end, Vice President Biden has begun bipartisan talks with Congressional leaders to craft a long-term deficit reduction plan.

We shouldn't, however, treat the debate over the budget as if there are only two solutions -- cut spending or raise taxes. An honest approach would do some of each.

But there are two additional principles that we should embrace: 1) adopting policies that foster long-term economic growth, and 2) achieving better results throughout the government for less money.

To encourage long-term economic growth, President Obama is calling on us to out-educate, out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world.

The President, along with many economists and business leaders, argues that 21st century jobs will go to nations that create world-class workforces and infrastructures, while investing in research and development to create new technologies and products.

To obtain that workforce, infrastructure, and cutting edge-products stamped "Made in the USA" and sold around the world, the president proposes bolstering investments in these priorities as part of a comprehensive budget strategy. I couldn't agree more.

Making across-the-board cuts to government programs to lower the deficit is tempting, but it won't foster the economic growth needed to realize our deficit reduction goals.

Finally, our approach to federal spending must change.

Many Americans think leaders squander tax dollars on ineffective programs. They aren't entirely wrong. We must replace a "culture of spendthrift" with a "culture of thrift" and spend prudently to get a bigger bang for the taxpayers' buck. This requires examining every nook and cranny of government -- from health care to weapons systems -- and asking: Is it possible to get better results for less money?

Employing a "culture of thrift" could save taxpayers' money, whether it's by eliminating over $125 billion annually in improper payments and another $60 billion in Medicare fraud or by enhancing the president's line-item-veto authority.

But our deficit reduction efforts are doomed if we don't curb health care costs. The health care reform law, while not perfect, includes a number of initiatives that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says will trim our budget by $125 billion over the next 10 years and by another $1 trillion over the following decade.

One economist said the law has thrown a ton of good ideas for cost containment up against the wall, and we'll have to see how many will stick. Former Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Alan Blinder recently shared similar thoughts, essentially saying, "Find out what works and do more of that."

That's good advice for our entire government. For programs that aren't working, let's try to make them better, and if they still aren't working, let's get rid of them.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.860651 2011-05-11T14:09:15-04:00 2011-07-11T05:12:01-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
This weekend I was back in Delaware -- as I am most weekends -- and I was driving home from an appointment. I was making great time. I think the only person who could have made better time is Vice President Biden, and he has about a dozen Secret Service cars that ferry him around Delaware these days.

As I was driving, I got stuck behind one of those Chinatown buses -- the large coach buses that go between Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington for about $3 each way. While those buses may excel in affordability, they often fail when it comes to speed.

As I crept forward, trapped behind the bus, there was nothing I could really do except read the back of this huge white bus. And so for about 20 solid minutes I stared at the back of the bus which was emblazoned with the phrase "Double Happiness." Apparently, that was the name of the bus line. "Double Happiness."

I was struck by the calming, Zen-like quality of the name. I thought it might be a good phrase to describe what we're seeking when we talk about pushing the federal government to reduce its energy use. My hope is that we might be able to achieve some "Triple Happiness."

For example, becoming wiser with how the federal government uses its energy can
help us do three things. One, it helps us protect the environment by lowering emissions and greenhouses gases released into the air. Two, it helps us ease help us ease the enormous budgetary pressures facing our federal government. And three, it helps to create jobs for Americans while reducing the amount of oil we have to import from overseas.

Why is this effort to save the federal government money by saving energy so important? Between 2001 and 2009 we ran up as much new debt than in the first 208 years of our nation's history. Last year, we ran up what may be the largest budget deficit in our nation's history. Things may be improving somewhat, but we're still facing an ocean of red ink for as far at the eye can see.

In part because of these kinds of problems, the federal government has rarely enjoyed the reputation of being good at managing things. There is perhaps no better example than the way in which we have traditionally managed our federal property.

Earlier this year, President Obama announced plans for federal agencies to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution by over 25 percent by 2020. According to the Office of Management and Budget, this represents between $8 billion and $11 billion in cost savings over that period. Creating more energy efficient and sustainable federal buildings can help us meet these goals.

The annual energy bill for the federal government is around $25 billion. Of that, over $7 billion alone is spent on energy to operate federal buildings. That's a big total that is ripe for savings.

The federal government alone owns and operates some 500,000 buildings. President Obama issued an executive order early in his term directing federal agencies to achieve zero net energy by 2030. He also urged agencies to use sustainable and energy efficient design principles for all new construction and retrofits. At least 15 percent of existing buildings need to meet these guiding principles by fiscal year 2015.

A focus on more energy conscious operations has had a number of successful examples in the private sector, as well as here in the federal government. For example, when Bill Ford became chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company in 2001, he was determined not only to turn the troubled company around, but also to make it more environmentally sustainable.

When Ford first took the helm of the company, he said it was his intention to ''transform a 20th century industrial icon into a model of 21st century sustainable manufacturing.'' There is no greater example of this effort than the Ford River Rouge auto plant in Dearborn, Michigan.

Once in decay, that plant now serves as a world-class test lab for sustainable manufacturing practices. Looking at the balance sheets for Ford in the past few years, it's clear that this has not only been an environmentally responsible path forward, but a profitable one as well.

The U.S. Postal Service has also provided clear leadership in this area. This is not only because senior leadership at the Postal Service and postal employees believe in the importance of lowering their impact on the environment, but because they see it as a smart business decision.

As many of you are aware, the Postal Service continues to face enormous financial difficulties. They believe environmentally sustainable building and operations are a clear way to cut fat from their operations. In three of the Postal Services' processing and distribution plants, they cut energy consumption by over 30 percent in a little over a year. Among other things, they did it by replacing old, leaky seals on dock loading doors and started using more energy efficient lighting.

It's estimated that between 20 and 50 percent of the energy we use in our homes and offices is for lighting. This is a pretty simple and inexpensive way that we can save a lot of energy and money.

Whether you're one of the nation's largest auto manufacturers, or delivering mail and packages to hundreds of millions of homes and businesses each day, the business case for pursuing more energy efficient operations is made clear in dollars and cents.

The federal government simply can't afford not to take advantage of the savings promised by making itself more energy efficient and sustainable. In order to help agencies meet the fiscal and environmental challenges ahead, I am pleased today to introduce the Reducing Federal Energy Dollars Act of 2011. This bill is affectionately known as The R-FED Act.

The R-FED Act is comprehensive set of proposals to -- among other things -- make it easier for federal agencies to use private financing to pay for energy efficient retrofits, at little or no cost to taxpayers.

Agencies face tight budget conditions today and will likely face them for years to come. Given this reality, these private financing tools -- known as "Energy Savings Performance Contracts" -- will be critical to improving our federal buildings and reaching the energy reduction goals of the federal government.

According to the Department of Energy, as of March 2010, 550 Energy Savings Performance Contracts were awarded to 25 agencies in 49 states. I'm told they generated $11 billion in energy cost savings, $9.6 billion of which goes to fund the energy projects and $1.4 billion was in reduced government spending.

These projects save money as they save energy and under law, each project must be measured, verified and guaranteed.

I believe these projects are a great tool and it's my hope we can expand their use throughout government to reach the ambitious energy reduction goals set out by the Congress and this President.

In addition to Energy Savings Performance Contracts, the R-FED Act also includes proposals to: increase transparency and accountability for how much energy federal agencies are using, update outdated and inefficient building designs and better manage the energy use of personal computers used at federal agencies.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and House in moving the bill forward this session. I believe there are a lot of common sense, bipartisan proposals in my bill and elsewhere that can push the federal government to become more energy efficient and help agencies reach the mandates set out under the law.

I also want to thank the U.S. Green Building Council and its members for voicing their support for the bill as well.

One of the questions I ask myself frequently is: How can industry and the federal government work together toward reaching "Triple Happiness?"

For me, I believe the federal government can be most effective by leveraging its enormous buying power. We're a big dollar buyer and by investing in green technology we can help bring innovative products to the marketplace. We have a real role to play in advancing innovation and making sure our federal facilities are not only keeping up, but leading the way.

This could be done through a national clean energy standard. This would require some percentage of our electricity to come from low -- or zero -- pollution technologies, such as the wind turbines being built off the shores of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, or of Maryland, New Jersey and a number of other coastal states. Or, we could encourage the largest energy consumer in our economy -- the U.S. government -- to buy or help produce more energy from clean sources.

In 1993, President Clinton issued an executive order requiring the U.S. government to purchase recycled paper. By creating more demand for recycled paper, this initiative helped lower the price of recycled paper for everyone else. I think it's clear that a similar approach, when it comes to green and high performance building technology and design, could again leverage the federal government's purchasing power and ultimately make those innovations more affordable for American families and businesses.

The U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools is a great example of how the private sector can bring together technical knowledge and best practices to help government excel in this area. The Center for Green Schools helps to drive change in how local school districts design, so that those districts can cut operational costs while at the same time enhancing student learning experiences. A student will enjoy his or her time in the classroom more with better lighting and cooling systems, or just a more beautiful building. And dollars that would have been spent on kilowatts can now to go books and test tubes.

I have seen the positive impact of this kind of building first hand in Seaford, Delaware. The Seaford School District is a rural school system in southern Delaware. Beginning in 2005, the district implemented an energy management plan, ultimately reducing its energy consumption by more than 15 percent annually. As a result, the district is saving an estimated $100,000 in annual energy costs and preventing nearly one million pounds of harmful carbon emissions per year.

To me, this is a perfect example of how private innovation and public leadership can work together to use taxpayer dollars more effectively, and at the same time better care for our environment. Particularly in times like these when we're struggling with a massive federal deficit, we need to work together to foster what I call a "culture of thrift" in the federal government where we spend prudently to get a bigger bang for the taxpayers' buck. This requires looking into every nook and cranny of government -- including our federal property management practice -- and asking: Is it possible to get better results for less money? Improving federal energy efficiency may not sound sexy, but the savings are real and significant. If we're serious about addressing our federal budget deficit and restoring our nation's fiscal soundness for my own children and for yours, then we can't keep wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on energy costs that could be avoided.

If we can accomplish this, while at the same time creating good-paying jobs here at home and saving energy -- well, it sounds like "Triple Happiness" to me.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.837089 2011-03-17T12:02:36-04:00 2011-05-25T18:40:24-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law last spring, I have traveled across the First State talking to my constituents about our new health care reform law. From Dover, to Wilmington, to Rehoboth, I often heard the same questions and concerns, particularly from seniors who fear that the new law will reduce their Medicare benefits.

I hope the information discussed during this hearing will help to correct some of the myths about the law and highlight the increased benefits that Americans are already experiencing as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Many Delawareans, and most Americans, are unaware of many of the law's benefits that have already gone into effect.

In particular, the Affordable Care Act contains many provisions that make health insurance more accessible, more affordable, and more dependable. For example, small businesses can receive tax credits that represent up to 35 percent of the cost of providing insurance coverage to their employers. The tax credit provides $40 billion for small companies over the next 10 years. In addition, young adults will be able to stay on their parents' insurance plans until their 26th birthday. New health insurance plans are also banned from placing lifetime limits on the amount of health insurance, so over 500,000 Delawareans and all Americans can rest assured that they will have health insurance coverage when they need it the most.

Seniors are also receiving significant new benefits in Medicare. For instance, thousands of Medicare beneficiaries in Delaware have received a one-time, tax free $250 rebate to help pay for prescriptions in the "doughnut hole" coverage gap. Moreover, seniors who now enter the Medicare Part D doughnut hole will get a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and a 7 percent discount on generic drugs. Delaware's 140,000 Medicare beneficiaries will receive preventive services, such as screenings for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, cognitive screenings, and an annual wellness visit without having to pay copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles.

I also want to highlight the new tools the law provides to better protect tax payer dollars by curbing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. Earlier this month my subcommittee on Federal Financial Management held a hearing the steps that have been taken through the Affordable Care Act, and other steps that could be taken to curb waste and fraud. For example, the new health care law expands the use of Recovery Audit Contractors, which has already recovered over $1 billion taxpayer dollars through a small pilot program. As part of that hearing we had Mrs. Helen Carson, a resident of New Castle, Delaware, come and share her experiences working with the Senior Medicare Patrol, an organization that works directly with seniors in Delaware to identify fraud. Clearly we've made some important progress in curbing waste, fraud, and abuse in these programs over the past year, although more remains to be done.

Nearly one year later, the Affordable Care Act clearly is a significant step forward in our effort to improve health care for all Americans, but as we all know there is no such thing as a perfect law and my colleagues and I will continue to look for ways to work with the Administration to continue to improve and strengthen our health care reform efforts. Moving forward, I will remain focused on improving our health care system, extending high quality health care to all Americans, and getting better health care outcomes while lowering costs. I urge my colleagues to continue working with me to improve the health reform law and our health care system. While the health reform law is not written in stone, today's hearing offered us another important opportunity to work with the Administration to strengthen the law and by extension, further improve our health care system. As I like to say, if it isn't perfect, make it better.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.824147 2011-02-16T14:26:02-05:00 2011-05-25T18:30:24-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/ "New Jobs-Cleaner Air: Employment Effects under Planned Changes to EPA's Air Pollution Rules." The report demonstrates the enormous job growth potential from investments related to the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to curb air pollution and protect public health. If you haven't had a chance yet to check out this report I would highly recommend giving it a closer look. Here were some of my takeaways.

When I first read the Ceres report, the first thing that came to mind was a quote from Albert Einstein who said, "In adversity lies opportunity." Clearly, dealing with the threats posed by air pollution -- including climate change and adverse public health effects -- represent significant adversity, but it also provides us with an important opportunity. This report shows that working to achieve healthy air will result in a healthy economy. This is not new news -- our country has seen 40 years of success and benefits from the Clean Air Act.

In 1970, President Nixon signed into law historic clean air legislation -- the Clean Air Act -- that established a clean air regulatory framework to curb our deadly air pollution. This law was so successful that more than 200,000 lives were saved from 1970-1990 -- more than twice as many people than live in my current hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. In 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush signed into law the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 -- which built upon the 1970 framework to give us the clean air laws we have today.

Lately, opponents of environmental and public health laws have tried to make the claim that the regulations put in place by the Clean Air Act and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 raised costs for consumers and hurt our economy. But the facts tell a different story. Since 1990, electricity rates have stayed constant and national gross domestic product has grown by 60 percent. At the same time, we have saved thousands of lives and ensured that our children can breathe cleaner, healthier air. For 2010 alone, clean air regulations are estimated to have saved more than 160,000 lives.

The truth is that there are a number of economic and public health benefits that are a direct result of the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to curb harmful air pollution. Over the 1990 to 2020 time period, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that our country will see more than $12 trillion in health and economic benefits -- in the form of longer lives, healthier kids, and greater workforce productivity -- because of the Clean Air Act. Put another way, the Clean Air Act benefits outweigh the costs of implementing these regulations by a 30 to 1 margin. That strikes me as a great return on our investment.

Over the years we've made great strides in reducing our nation's air pollution, but more can be done, more must be done. Many "downwind" states, like my state of Delaware, have led the way in making investments in clean energy and curbing air pollution, but a high percent of our air pollution comes from outside sources that we can't control. As a result, downwind states pay the steep economic and health costs of our upwind neighbor's pollution. Clean air regulations are needed to ensure we are good neighbors so all our children have a healthy future. Clean air regulations also ensure this nation can compete in the emerging global clean energy economy.

Unfortunately, some of my colleagues in the House and the Senate want to halt future clean air regulations. Some would have us believe that we cannot afford these regulations. That is just not true. In fact, these regulations provide opportunities for well-paying American jobs.

According to the Ceres report, upcoming clean air regulations will not only saves lives, but will create much needed jobs every year -- some 300,000 jobs annually and as many as one and a half million jobs over five years. These are American jobs in manufacturing, installing, and operating modern pollution control technology and producing clean energy -- jobs that come at a crucial time as our nation's economy continues to recover and grow. So my response to my colleagues -- is that we cannot afford DELAYS to clean air regulations.

In closing, I'd like to leave you with a quote from President Harry Truman. He said, "The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know." I ask my colleagues, and the American public, to take some time and revisit the facts in regards to the Clean Air Act. I believe once they see the facts, they will realize that moving this country forward cannot mean going backwards on clean air rules.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2010:/theblog//3.788013 2010-11-24T11:02:11-05:00 2011-05-25T18:15:22-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
In the post 9/11 world, the hurdles we encounter while traveling tend toward long lines, traffic, and security checkpoints rather than rivers and woods, but they still threaten to put a damper on the holiday spirit. Still, most Americans are willing to undergo that inconvenience to spend the holidays with their families. Despite the hassles, this year's holiday travel is poised to set records. According to the American Automobile Association, an estimated 1.62 million Americans will fly over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

For these Americans who are planning to fly this holiday weekend, security and privacy concerns are part of the challenges they can expect to face. Unfortunately, as we have seen from last month's attempted attack on the our air cargo system and the attempted Christmas Day bombing last year, aviation continues to be the target of terrorist plots. In attempting to address this threat and protect travelers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has recently implemented new screening methods.

These enhanced screening methods have come under intense scrutiny and raised important questions about our need to strike a balance between security and privacy concerns. As someone who flies regularly, I sympathize with travelers who have raised concerns about TSA's new screening methods. Lines at airport checkpoints are often long and the screening process itself is tedious and increasingly intrusive. On the other hand, I am also mindful that the things TSA does are not intended to frustrate travelers, but rather to prevent terrorists from boarding airplanes. That said, I'm certain there's more that TSA can do to improve the screening process and ensure that, as much as possible, the most intrusive screening methods are used on the most high-risk passengers.

One way to do that is to put a greater emphasis on -- and investment in -- recruiting, training and retaining highly-qualified individuals to work as TSA employees, particularly as security screeners. In the nearly 10 years since 9/11, we have been fairly lucky -- as opposed to good -- when it comes to detecting another attack on our airplanes. As much as we have improved aviation security, terrorists' tactics keep getting more sophisticated and innovative.

To effectively protect American travelers, our airports need a layered, multifaceted approach to security that is nimble enough to respond to a variety of threats. Technology is only one layer and can quickly become obsolete, as last month's incident involving sophisticated, undetectable bombs proves. Unlike technology and equipment which often have a short shelf life, well-trained people remain effective for longer periods of time. That is why TSA's screeners must be considered our first line of defense when it comes to protecting our skies. By requiring and investing in highly qualified, well-trained security personnel, we can better utilize our current technology and more effectively protect the lives and cargo flying on our planes every day.

Recognizing that training TSA workers properly is a matter of national security, in September, I introduced the Aviation Security Innovation & Reform Act (AIR) of 2010 along with my colleague Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). This legislation would improve the safety of American airports by enhancing air passenger screening programs and bolstering state and local law enforcement partnerships to deter terrorism. Our bill would also improve the training of the TSA's screening workforce by ensuring that every Transportation Security Officer receives increased training and must be recertified twice a year to ensure that they are up to date with the latest techniques to identify terrorists and other security threats. Perhaps most importantly, it expands an existing program at TSA to train screeners in behavior detection methods that can be used to spot dangerous individuals. These techniques have been successfully utilized in other countries like Israel that face similar terror threats and could be used in America to make sure as much as possible that only high-risk passengers are subjected to TSA's new enhanced screening methods.

Training TSA workers is one piece of our security puzzle. I also believe that we need to implement the 9/11 Commission's recommendations that mandate screening for every passenger bag and all cargo prior to entering the U.S. It is also imperative that American officials work with our foreign partners and major international shipping companies to screen commercial air freight.

Ultimately, the security of Americans as we travel -- whether by train, plane, boat or automobile -- is paramount. This is a challenging, but critical, task that will require us to balance cost, privacy, and security concerns with the ever-changing threat environment. Technology can help in this effort, but at the end of the day, we rely on people to protect us, and we have to make the necessary investments in their training to keep us safe.

Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) is a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2010:/theblog//3.783517 2010-11-15T11:12:15-05:00 2011-05-25T18:10:25-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
As the co-chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus, I have been a big fan of recycling for many, many years and so this day holds a special meaning to me. This is why Senator Snowe and I introduced a resolution today commemorating America Recycles Day and the inception of a recycling program on the National Mall.

When I was a young boy growing up in Virginia, I was a Boy Scout. One of the Boy Scout mottos -- "leave no trace" -- has really stuck with me over the years. I believe that we have a responsibility to be stewards of our environment and to leave our environment in better shape than the way we found it.

In the years that I have served in public office, recycling has always been a top priority for me, and a true passion. I love recycling because it helps us preserve our limited resources, reduce our landfill input, and it also create jobs. For a small state like Delaware, recycling is particularly important because of the limited space our state has for landfills.

Today, we see that our resources -financial and natural- have been stretched, and stretched in some instances to their limits. We need solutions to managing our resources that are win-wins for our economy and our environment. Recycling is one of these win-win solutions. The recycling and remanufacturing industries account for over one million jobs in the United States and over $236 billion in annual revenue. Recycling also saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Through recycling activities alone, we can reduce the amount of harmful emissions we put into the air by as much as 5 percent!

The U.S. has made progress in recycling, but we can do a lot better. We recycle only about 33 percent of our waste, which is quite low compared with other industrialized countries. We recycle only about seven percent of our plastic and 21 percent of our glass and aluminum. In fact, we throw away enough aluminum cans every month to completely rebuild our country's commercial air fleet. If all of us here in the U.S. increased by just 10 percent the amount that we recycled, we could conserve enough energy to heat 7.5 million homes, which would provide electricity to 2.5 million Americans, nearly three times as many residents as we have in the state of Delaware.

Today, on America Recycles Day, I invite you all to join me in making recycling a part of your daily routine. On this day, we have much to celebrate, but we also have much more work to do. And as I've said many times, if it isn't perfect, make it better! Together, our small actions can have a real impact.

To learn more about America Recycles Day, visit: http://www.americarecyclesday.org]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2010:/theblog//3.773619 2010-10-25T15:12:34-04:00 2011-05-25T18:05:23-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
If you think cyber crime and cyber terrorism aren't real, let alone scary, think again. According to the FBI, in 2008 a wave of thieves fanned out across the globe and almost simultaneously walked off with more than $9 million within 12 hours, using cloned credit card numbers they got by hacking a major credit card company in Atlanta. Further, in 2009 Lockheed Martin and the Department of Defense lost plans to America's future advanced jet fighter, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter -- one that isn't even mass-produced yet -- to suspected Chinese hackers. I'm hard pressed to think which is scarier - the cyber criminals who can hack into businesses or personal networks and steal millions or the cyber terrorists who can attack everything from power plants to military installations with a few key strokes.

Given the truly scary potential these cyber criminals and terrorists possess, it's entirely fitting that we observe National Cybersecurity Awareness Month every October. This year marks the seventh annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month which is conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). As part of the Department of Homeland Security's "Stop.Think.Connect." campaign to increase public understanding of cyber threats, this annual cybersecurity awareness campaign is designed to encourage Americans to protect their computers and our nation's critical cyber infrastructure.

Across the country, people are working to build awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and the significant threat posed by cyber attacks. In my home state of Delaware, we recognized National Cybersecurity Awareness Month with activities designed to educate Delawareans about the importance of protecting the cyber networks that underpin everything from our bank accounts to the electricity grid and the systems we depend on for our national security. Under the theme "Cybersecurity is Our Shared Responsibility," Delaware's top professionals, government officials and students participated in training, simulation exercises and presentations. I am proud that Delaware continues to be a leader in teaching others about the importance of being vigilant online, not just during the month of October, but throughout the year.

As National Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close, I hope this campaign's outreach was successful in educating Delawareans and all Americans about the importance of cybersecurity and the new technological threats we face. Eventually, I hope Americans focus on this critical issue every day, not just one month out of the year.

Given the serious nature of this growing threat, we have to do more to protect our critical information networks. That's why I will continue to work with my Congressional colleagues to pass comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010, which I authored with Sens. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Me.). This legislation will help provide the government and the private sector with the tools and resources they need to more effectively protect our vital cyber networks.

To learn more about National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and download free online safety tips and resources, I encourage you to visit the Department of Homeland Security's website on Cybersecurity: Our Shared Responsibility. ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2010:/theblog//3.705174 2010-09-03T14:20:31-04:00 2011-05-25T17:35:19-04:00

Sen. Tom Carper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-carper/
While this latest oil platform fire raged, back at the site of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy another important step in permanently plugging the well was just beginning. Surface support ships and deepwater submersibles were moving into position to remove that well's malfunctioning blowout preventer and prepare it for a new, functioning blowout preventer to be installed the next day.

Once that step was completed, work would continue on the relief wells that - when finished - would allow the "bottom kill" to proceed by September 20, effectively driving a stake through the heart of the well that has caused so much heartache and set off a multi-billion dollar Gulf cleanup and restoration effort.

Ironically, this latest explosion occurred as Louisiana's governor, along with other state and local officials, were calling on President Obama to lift the moratorium on deepwater drilling that he imposed three months ago. Both explosions serve as graphic reminders that drilling for oil thousands of feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico remains a very risky business.

This week's accident also reinforces the need to create a culture of safety in this industry, much as the culture we have endeavored to create in our nation's 104 nuclear power plants.

With the goal of safety in mind, a new cop has been put on the beat. It is called the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement or BOEM, and housed within the U.S. Department of the Interior. One of BOEM's first responsibilities is to create a new regulatory framework and enforcement structure to replace the abysmal efforts of the former Minerals Management Service to regulate the offshore oil industry.

Let me hasten to add, though, that all was not cause for gloom and doom in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration briefed us that the trillions of oil-eating microbes that Mother Nature has deployed throughout the Gulf of Mexico continue to provide by far the most cost effective cleanup work that's being done in the Gulf. Just a few months ago the water was teeming with oil, now the presence of oil is measured in parts per billion.

While the skimmers there still skim occasionally, and hundreds of miles of boom remain deployed to protect beaches and marsh land, the tide has turned in this battle. As further proof, on the day we were there, the federal government reopened several thousand square miles of additional federal fishery waters to fishermen.

That doesn't mean that there isn't still plenty of work to do in the months ahead. There is. But a lot of good work has already been done. It's still being done by a large and dedicated team led by the Coast Guard, and includes - among others - the U.S. Army, the National Guard, NOAA, EPA, local fishermen and their "vessels of opportunity," some BP employees, and private contractors like Miller Environmental from Corpus Christi, Texas, whom we met.

The battle is likely to rage for some time over whether we should continue to remain dependent on hard-to-recover fossil fuels like the oil that lies thousands of feet below the floor of the Gulf of Mexico and whether we should remain dependent on the enormous quantities of oil that we import from undemocratic, unstable countries around the world, oil that now comprises a third of our nation's huge trade deficit.

While that battle rages, though, America has got to be smart enough to put the pedal to the metal to hasten the day when we harness the power of the wind off our coasts to help power millions of flex-fuel, plug-in hybrid vehicles like GM's Volt and Fisker's Karma and Nina that will be built right here in America and my home state of Delaware. And, we've got to make even bigger strides in harnessing the energy of the sun, deploying nuclear energy, and utilizing other safe, clean energy sources to meet more of our energy needs. Finally, we need to adopt energy conservation policies that affirm our country's belief that the cleanest, most affordable form of energy in the world is the energy we never use.

Sen. Carper is the senior senator from the state of Delaware. He is the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management and recently returned from a visit to the Gulf coast where he toured impacted marshlands off the coast of Louisiana, visited a beach cleanup site and was briefed on the cleanup and recovery efforts from the Coast Guard.

The trip was part of Sen. Carper's ongoing examination of the Gulf coast oil spill cleanup and claims process. Sen. Carper held two hearings this summer, "The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: Ensuring a Financially Responsible Recovery Parts I and II," which focused on the costs associated with the response and recovery operations relating to the oil spill in the Gulf. As part of these hearings, the subcommittee heard testimony from representatives of BP, Transocean, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC (a subsidiary of Mitsui Oil Exploration Company), the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Kenneth Feinberg, head of the BP claims process.]]>