Sentinel says Corrine is Champ of the Week

Here is why the Orlando Sentinel editorial board called Congresswoman Corrine Brown the "Champ of the Week" (Nov. 18)

Corrine Brown: As Florida's Gov. Rick Scott and other pandering politicians seized on the Paris attacks to reject all Syrian refugees as potential terrorists, Jacksonville's Democratic congresswoman stood up for American values. "While we must ensure any prospective refugee receives the most rigorous scrutiny and screening," she said, "it would be outright inhumane to slam the door in the face of desperate mothers seeking a safe place for their children." Indeed, 70 percent of Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S. have been women or children. We've criticized Brown on other issues, but we admire her courageous and compassionate position on this one in the face of fear mongers like Scott.

We need more courage in Washington. To keep Congresswoman Brown in the fight, please contribute to her re-election campaign by clicking here.

Congresswoman Brown on Syrian refugees

Here is what Congresswoman Brown had to say about offering refuge to Syrians:

“The horrific attacks in Paris and the inhuman violence forcing millions of Syrian families to flee their homes in search of safety is a serious challenge for our nation and world.  While we must ensure any prospective-refugee receives the most rigorous scrutiny and screening, it would be outright inhumane to slam the door in the face of desperate mothers seeking a safe place for their children.   And I believe that the United States, as a leader of the international community, has an obligation to protect civilians, particularly women and children, fleeing war and persecution.  Indeed, upholding the basic principles of human rights is an integral part of our beliefs as a nation.       

Moreover, since October 2013, only about 2,100 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States; and 98 in the state of Florida.  The U.S. government thoroughly screens refugees before they are admitted to the U.S., using an intense, deliberate process.  Several federal agencies, including the State Department, Homeland Security, Defense Department, National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are involved.  And before approval, all applicants from Syria, just like refugees from any nation worldwide seeking refuge in the U.S., are subjected to this rigorous scrutiny and an intensive screening process that takes, on average, between 18 and 24 months.  As a nation, the United States is able to welcome desperate, vulnerable families while at the same time ensuring our own security.  As Americans, we should not simply turn our backs on refugees fleeing the same senseless violence we witnessed in Paris.  Indeed, preserving the safety of Florida’s residents and providing refuge for Syrians fleeing horrific violence are not mutually exclusive actions.”

Corrine delivers!

Here's a recap of just a few things Congressswoman Corrine Brown has done to benefit her constituents, Florida and the United States.

·        Served on the House Conference Committee on a bill that will provide $325 billion for transportation projects through 2021.

·        Played a key role in resurrecting Florida A & M’s Law School in Orlando.

·        Planted the foundation to expand public transit in Gainesville by getting nearly $40 million for a new maintenance and operations center for the Gainesville Rapid Transit System.

·        Demanding that a Jacksonville property owner improve living conditions in a federally subsidized housing development.

·        Stood up for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

·        Successfully fought for years to get the money to create the SunRail commuter train serving Orlando and Central Florida.

Please click here to keep Congresswoman Brown in the fight by contributing to her re-election campaign.

Congresswoman Brown's Veterans Day message

“On Veterans Day, Americans across the nation salute the brave men and women who have served this country to protect our freedom and democracy.  On distant battlefields that span the globe, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have fought and died in the name of liberty, and today, our nation honors their sacrifice and  remembers that the reason our country is a safe place is because of our veterans.

In the words of our first President, George Washington, ‘the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.’

When I was first elected to Congress, I requested to be a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee. And today, as the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am working hard to make sure that the VA provides the best care possible for our nation’s service members returning from overseas, and am committed to assist the VA with their critical mission of serving our veterans.  VA has served the special needs of returning veterans for over 85 years and has expertise in their unique healthcare needs, including prosthetics, traumatic brain injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD), and a host of other veterans’ specific injuries.  My focus continues to be on ensuring that the VA retains the ultimate responsibility for the healthcare our veterans receive, regardless of the provider.

Since the passage of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act last year, the available care that veterans receive has increased.  In fact, the timeliness of care at the VA has improved so much that veterans are now making the VA their first choice for care. 

The Choice Act is designed to make sure that veterans have options for care.  The Program will provide Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care with a Veterans Choice Card, and allow those Veterans who are unable to schedule an appointment within 30 days of their preferred date (or the clinically appropriate date or residence basis) to elect to receive care from eligible non-VA health care entities or providers. We agree that the Veterans Health System provides the best care for our nation’s veterans and we need to continue to work to provide options for them.

One of the most pressing items for me when I took over the Ranking Member position was to address the problem of homeless veterans.  As President Obama has said, ‘too many of those who once wore our nation's uniform now sleep in our nation’s streets…until we reach a day when not a single veteran sleeps on our nation’s streets, our work remains unfinished.’  And by means of federal and local stakeholders partnering together, VA has greatly increased access to permanent housing, as well as a range of health care and specialty care services for homeless and at risk for homeless veterans and their families.

As the Committee Ranking Member, I will continue to champion the rights of all veterans by working with my colleagues on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to increase funding for veterans’ health care programs, speed up claims processing, fight on behalf of women and homeless veterans, and ensure that our nation’s veterans receive the funding for college education and the necessary training to succeed after their military service ends.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind.  As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind, and that Congress ‘Soldier Up’ and take care of our veterans.  This Veterans Day and every day, let us honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans – and that are worthy of our grateful nation.” 

How Congresswoman Brown improved Orlando transportation

For years Congresswoman Corrine Brown championed the cause to launch a new rail system in traffic-clogged Orlando and Central Florida.

Those efforts bore fruit in 2014 when the SunRail commuter train was launched. Every day that train system provides a transportation alternative for thousands of people and helps takes cars off the interstate and major thoroughfares. In addition, billions of dollars worth of development is sprouting along the SunRail corridor. Those developments are creating jobs and new opportunities. We’re grateful for her hard work.

Help keep Congresswoman Brown in the fight to serve her constituents, Florida and the nation by clicking here to contribute to her re-election campaign. Thanks for your consideration.

How Congresswoman Brown supports HBCUs

Congresswoman Corrine Brown played a key role in brokering nearly 4,000 acres of federal land to Florida A&M University. Until 2012 the land in Brooksville, Fla. Had been used as a Subtropical Agricultural and Research Station. This was one of the largest land transfers to one of the 19 HBCUs established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.

On the land there are 19 buildings, 2,830 square feet of laboratories, 3,600 of office space and a variety of other buildings. FAMU plans to use the land to expand research into subtropical fruit, animals and organic farming.

The university also plans to cultivate partnerships with local organizations to help returning veterans establish small farms and ranches. As a FAMU grad, Congresswoman Brown was especially proud to participate in the ceremony transferring the land to the university.

This Thursday is Congresswoman Brown’s birthday. Please help keep her in the fight to help the communities she represents by clicking here to contribute to her reelection campaign.

How the Congresswoman helped Gainesville public transit

Gainesville’s public bus system is getting better, thanks to the direct involvement of Congresswoman Corrine Brown.

A few years ago RTS sought federal dollars to expand its fleet. The request was rejected because the RTS maintenance and operations center was too small to support more buses.

Congresswoman Brown got the money to build the new $39.8 million facility, which is why it was named in her honor.

Inside larger transit facility

Building the new facility will help RTS add more buses and hire additional employees to help run the fleet. This project is especially near and dear to the Congresswoman’s heart as she received her graduate degrees at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Please keep Congresswoman Corrine Brown in the fight by telling everyone you know about her work and supporting her re-election. We’ve set a goal to raise $6,900 in campaign contributions by her birthday on Nov. 11. Please click this link to make your contribution.

Saluting the USMC

We salute this 240 anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. with this photo of Congresswoman Corrine Brown and 4 Montford Point Marines.

Most people know the story of the Tuskegee Airman and how they proved that black men could fly fighter planes in World War II. The Montford Point Marines were African-American trailblazers in USMC. During the bad old days of segregation black recruits from the traditional Marine boot camps and Parris island, S.C. and San Diego, Calif.

Instead all African-American recruits were sent to a segregated boot camp at Montford Point, near New River in Jacksonville, N.C. Between 1942 and 1949 nearly 20,000 African American men received their Marine Corps basic training at that base that was finally closed in 1948, when President Harry S Truman ordered the integration of the U.S. military.

Congresswoman Corrine Brown led the effort to grant the Montford Point Marines a Congressional Gold Medal.

Congressman Brown playing key role in massive transportation budget

Congresswoman Corrine Brown is once again poised to demonstrate her role as a most valuable member of Congress serving on the Conference Committee addressing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act.

The U.S. House passed that bill last week. It is intended to fund federal transportation projects with up to $325 billion through 2021.

Members of the House and the Senate are meeting as a Conference Committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill.

“Transportation and infrastructure funding is absolutely critical to the nation, and if properly funded, serves as a tremendous economic boost and job creator,” Congresswoman Brown said. “In fact, Department of Transportation statistics show that for every $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure, 44,000 jobs are created along with $6.2 billion in economic activity.”

Please keep Congresswoman Corrine Brown in the fight by telling everyone you know about her work and supporting her re-election. We’ve set a goal to raise $6,900 in campaign contributions by her birthday on Nov. 11. Please click this link to make your contribution.

Corrine Brown advocated for FAMU Law

FAMU Law School

Congresswoman Corrine Brown played a key role in resurrecting Florida Agriculture & Mechanical University’s School of Law in Orlando.

As a FAMU alumni, Congresswoman Brown recalls when FAMU’s original law school was closed in the 1960s. Since then she and others had pushed for the law school to be reopened because minorities are under-represented among the ranks of lawyers.

Finally after becoming a member of Congress momentum increased to create a public law school in Orlando. Congresswoman Brown played a leading role in turning that dream into reality.

Since 2002 FAMU Law has graduated more than 1,000 lawyers. Click here more details.

Please keep Congresswoman Brown in the fight by telling everyone you know about her work and supporting her re-election. We’ve set a goal to raise $6,900 in campaign contributions by her birthday on Nov. 11. Please click this link to make your contribution.

Congresswoman Brown's birthday countdown

Our favorite member of Congress has a birthday in a few days on Nov. 11.

We want to do much more than blow out candles on a cake. From now until Congresswoman Brown’s birthday we are showcasing a few of her efforts and accomplishments to benefit the constituents of her district, the state of Florida and the United States of America.

Click here to see how Congresswoman Brown is fighting to improve living conditions for tenants of a federally subsidized housing development in Jacksonville.

Please keep Congresswoman Corrine Brown in the fight by telling everyone you know about her work and supporting her re-election. We’ve set a goal to raise $6,900 in campaign contributions by her birthday on Nov. 11. Please click here to make your contribution.