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Hare accepts Schilling's challenge, proposes two public TV debates |
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August 27, 2010 - Dispatch-Argus
MOLINE - U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, on Friday accepted a challenge to debate Bobby Schilling, his GOP opponent for the 17th Congressional District seat in the Nov. 2 general election.
Rep. Hare, though, proposed different sites and formats than Mr. Schilling suggested when he issued his challenge.
Mr. Schilling, of Colona, suggested four debates, one each in Springfield, Macomb, Quincy and the Quad-Cities.
Rep. Hare's camp offered two hour-long, in-studio debates in October on public television -- WQPT in the Quad-Cities and WSEC in Springfield "moderated by an agreed upon neutral party," he suggested in a letter sent to Mr. Schilling's camp on Friday.
"WQPT reaches the Quad-Cities media market and WSEC reaches Springfield, Macomb, Quincy, and Decatur," the letter said. "Combined, these debates will encompass all of the areas you requested and then some and can be made available to affiliates across the district."
Mr. Schilling's camp said Friday he was waiting to receive Rep. Hare's letter before making any decisions.
"While I am pleased that Rep. Hare has agreed to debate, only two hours of debate doesn't do justice for a district that encompasses over 650,000 people in five media markets," Mr.Schilling said. "As soon as we receive their formal letter, our campaign will give it the due diligence that it warrants, and we will respond to the appropriate parties before we make any official decisions."
Adding another twist to the discussion, Roger Davis, the little-known Green Party candidate in the district, said he has not been included in any of the debate discussions between Rep. Hare and Mr. Schilling. But he has a challenge of his own, he said.
"None of the camps have ever contacted me, but I am going to contact them and tell them what I want to do," he said.
Mr. Davis wants eight debates between the three candidates.
"Some 23 counties in whole or part make up the district. Ideally, there should be a debate site in each of the counties so the people would have a chance to participate in, and truly know, where each candidate stands on the issues," Mr. Davis said in a news release he plans to distribute on Monday.
Rep. Hare said he's looking forward to "having a discussion that provides voters the insight necessary to make the best possible decision about who should represent them in Congress," Rep. Hare said Friday. |
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Hare defends Social Security system |
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August 19, 2010 - The Register-Mail
GALESBURG - Congressman Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, spoke Thursday in Galesburg to mark the 75th anniversary of Social Security, a program he said has kept millions of seniors out of poverty.
Social Security was signed into law Aug. 14, 1935, by then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At that time, 50 percent of the nation’s elderly lived in poverty. In 2010, 11 percent of seniors live in poverty, with the average Social Security recipient receiving $14,000 a year.
“More than just retirement benefit, Social Security symbolizes an American promise that a life of hard work and sacrifice will not go unrecognized,” Hare said to a small crowd at KCCDD in Galesburg Thursday. “This program has lived up to that promise for the last 75 years. We must ensure it continues to prosper for generations to come.”
Social Security has, however, come under attack from many conservatives, who say the program could end up placing a massive burden on the federal budget if it begins to run out of money. Some Republicans have suggested privatizing the program, others want to raise the retirement age to 70 to keep the program solvent.
Hare is opposed to both of those measures. Social Security will continue to be able to pay full benefits until 2037, when it the program’s trustees predict the Social Security trust fund will run out. The trust fund was established by diverting a surplus generated by payroll taxes over decades to save for the retirement of millions of Baby Boomers. Even after 2037, the program still would be able to pay out 75 percent of benefits through payroll taxes.
Hare said small changes would preserve the program paying at full capacity for even longer. One change he would like to see implemented is to lift the wage cap on payroll taxes that fund Social Security. At present, those taxes are paid only on the first $106,800 of income earned. After that, income is free of Social Security taxes. Hare thinks the policy is unfair and should be scrapped.
“It makes no sense to me that working families must pay Social Security taxes on all of their income while wealthier Americans stop contributing after they earn a certain amount,” he said. “Making sure everyone pays their fair share can greatly increase the longevity of Social Security without reducing or delaying benefits.”
Hare’s rival in the November congressional election for District 17, Republican Bobby Schilling, is opposed to raising taxes on the rich.
His campaign manager, Terry Schilling, said people earning more than $106,800 a year already are paying more taxes than the average person and do not deserve to be taxed more.’
He said cuts should be made elsewhere in government to prevent Social Security running into problems. Schilling, however, does not agree with the view of some Republicans that Social Security should be privatized.
“We don’t support privatizing it or getting rid of it,” Terry Schilling said.
Hare, who made several speaking stops across the district Thursday, spoke passionately about Social Security and vowed to keep the program strong and open to all.
“I will fight hard against any plan to make Social Security less attainable or more risky,” he said. “This program is a promise, not a gamble.”
He also said he continues to support a one-off $250 payment to recipients, in the event the government decides not to give a cost-of-living increase this year.
“Some arcane government formula may determine seniors don’t need this pay increase, but I know they do,” he said. “It is unconscionable to make older Americans suffer even more in this recession.” |
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Rep. Hare wants Obama to define Afghanistan mission |
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August 19, 2010 - WQAD
QUAD CITIES - Congressman Phil Hare spoke about the ongoing war in Afghanistan today. During a stop at Project NOW in Rock Island he questioned the handling of the situation by President Obama.
"I'm telling, you I'm tired of the losses and I feel for the families and I believe at some point I don't know what the mission is now", Hare said. "I don't think the president really, from my perspective, has outlined what we're doing. If we're spending 100,000 troops on less than 100 Al Qaida operatives and we haven't gotten that taken care of yet then I think we have a problem."
I asked the Congressman, "Is that something that President Obama has to do better? Has to do a better job at?"
He answered, "He has to before I vote for another dime going over there."
The Democrat said he would not turn his back on Afghanistan but insists that a clear cut strategy be in place.
Hare's criticism of the president's handling of Afghanistan comes two months after he also broke rank with the White House over a fair-trade proposal. |
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Hare: Federal funds will save 350 Quad Cities teaching jobs |
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August 13, 2010 - Dispatch-Argus
MOLINE - A new teaching jobs/Medicaid funding bill could help save an estimated 350 teaching positions in the 17th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, said Friday.
The senate amendment to H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, provides $10 billion to help states and local governments hire and retain teachers and other educational professionals.
The bill also extends for six months increased federal matching funds for state Medicaid programs, at a cost of $16.1 billion.
Rep. Hare said the bill will not add to the deficit. He said the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said the bill would reduce the national deficit by $1.4 billion over the next decade.
Illinois will receive $415 million to help prevent 5,700 teacher layoffs statewide, he said.
Gov. Pat Quinn must submit the state's application by Sept. 10 to the U.S. Department of Education. The department must release the funds by Sept. 25, Rep. Hare said.
"We'll try to get it (money) out to the states in a matter of weeks. We'll try and reach the school districts as quickly as possible," he said.
Ken Schneck, president of the Moline Education Association, said in several instances, the district has had elementary classes with as many as 33 students. He said the district is running a $6.5 to $7.5 million deficit.
"We're anticipating maybe $1.2 million in funding" from the bill, Mr. Schneck said. "Every little bit helps. Don't get me wrong. It's not a little bit."
Mike Orr, a National Education Association director for Illinois, and a Rockridge High School driver's education teacher, said small rural community school districts are greatly impacted by budget cuts.
"We've lost a couple of high school positions," Mr. Orr said.
He said budget cuts mean fewer class choices."It gives students less opportunities."
Rep. Hare agreed."What we've got to do is invest in our young people," he said. "We paid for this primarily by closing tax loopholes for corporations that put jobs overseas at the price tag of $7 to $12 billion per year.
"The taxpayers of this country have been subsidizing the outsourcing of American jobs and simultaneously penalizing those companies for keeping jobs here in the United States."
Rep. Hare said another bill in the senate, H.R. 4812, a Local Jobs for America Act, includes $23 billion to keep teachers in the classroom. He said he co-authored that bill. |
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Richland to receive $200,000 in federal funds for biofuels program |
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August 13, 2010 – Herald-Review
DECATUR - The biofuels program at Richland Community College is expanding with the support of federal funding.
Richland officials greeted U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, in making the announcement Thursday in the college's biofuels laboratory. Hare helped to secure $200,000 for the program, which is one of the most comprehensive of its kind in the state.
"We're adding all the renewable technologies into the mix," said Doug Brauer, Richland's vice president for economic development. "We'll be developing the curriculum around the technology."
The funding will allow the college to add a biomass furnace, digester and geothermal technology, Brauer said.
Richland President Gayle Saunders showed Hare the college's mobile biofuels lab, something he, along with U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, helped to secure the funding for when the program was launched in 2008. However, Hare had not yet seen it in person.
The mobile lab is used to reach out to educate elementary and secondary students and teachers. It will be on display at the Illinois State Fair from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The State Fair starts today and runs through Aug. 22.
"This is an investment in our future," Hare said. "This is a wonderful example of what the federal government can get right."
Hare said sufficient training is important to the expanding renewable energy industry and green movement.
"It does little good to have a plant if we don't have a trained work force," Hare said. "Degree opportunities are vital to make sure we have the work force available in these areas."
Biofuels program coordinator David Bowman said the trend is toward perennial-based agriculture. The move is toward using products with minimal waste, including cellulosic ethanol, Bowman said. Algae is something that can be used instead of traditional crops such as corn, he said.
"Cellulosic is much more efficient," Bowman said. "We have a lot of opportunity here without stripping the earth."
Brauer said as part of Richland's effort to enhance its career development and emerging technology offerings, it is becoming a partner in phase two of a carbon sequestration project Archer Daniels Midland Co. is heading. Richland is planning to design and build a national industry education center in its new agribusiness park.
Construction on the education center could begin in 2011, he said. He sees it fitting in with the ADM project as the monitoring wells are close by and activity can be seen in real time.
Brauer sees the evolving FutureGen 2.0 project, which is similar to what is going on at ADM, enhancing what is being done on and near campus. |
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