RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake County Human Services officials will hold a roundtable discussion Monday with three North Carolina Congressmen to brief them on Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that operates a site in Wake County.

The group will discuss how the program is helping transform the lives of first-time, low-income Wake County parents and their children.

A Wake County NFP nurse and enrolled mother will also share their experiences during the roundtable discussion.

WHO: Participants and interview opportunities include:
* Regina Petteway, Wake County Human Services’ Director of Community Affairs
* Sharon Sprinkle, NFP National Service Office Eastern Regional Manager, Nursing Consultation and Program Support
* Ida Dawson, Wake County NFP Administrator
* Susan Little, Wake County NFP Nurse Supervisor
* NFP Nurse and Mother
* Congressman Bob Etheridge
* Congressman Brad Miller
* Congressman David Price

The discussion will take place at 2 p.m. Monday at the Wake County Human Services, Sunnybrook Building, 10 Sunnybrook Road in Raleigh.

LILLINGTON, N.C. — U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington), the only North Carolina member on the House Ways and Means Committee, has accepted an invitation from the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC) to speak on health care reform at 7 p.m. tonight at Central Carolina Community College in Lillington.

The forum is designed to engage public opinion on expanding affordable quality health care for all North Carolinians.

The Congressman accepted the invitation because health care reform is one of the top issues being discussed in North Carolina.  The Lillington event follows up on public forums Congressman Etheridge held in May and June of this year before Congress began drafting H.R. 3200, the Securing America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.

Who:
-U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC-02)
-Dana Cope, Executive Director of SEANC
-Adam Linker, Policy Analyst Health Access Coalition, NC Justice Center
-Cynthia Benson, Business and Insurance Manager, Retired

What:
SEANC Town Hall Forum on Health Care Reform and Access

When:
Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 7 p.m. (1.5 hours)
Where:
Central Carolina Community College – Multipurpose Bldg.
1075 East Cornelius Harnett Bl
Lillington, nc

RALEIGH, N.C. — U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge’s Schedule April 13 – 15

Monday, April 13, 2009

8:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Johnston County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: The Flip Side, 408 E. 2nd St., Clayton, N.C.

10:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge meets with Franklin County Sheriff Pat Green to discuss law enforcement funds available for Franklin County through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Franklin County has been allocated $12,785 in funds through the act and may be able to pursue other funds available under the act.

Location: Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, 285 T Kemp Road, Louisburg, N.C.

12:00 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Vance County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Evans Barbecue, 1502 Raleigh Road, Henderson, N.C.

1:30 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge visits the Vance County Employment Security Commission Office to discuss increased unemployment insurance benefits in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: 945 D West Andrews Ave., Henderson, N.C.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

2:00 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge attends a deployment ceremony for the N.C. Army National Guard’s 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

8:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Lee County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Café 121, 121 Chatham St., Sanford N.C.

12:00 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Chatham County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Bestfood Cafeteria, 220 E. 11th St., Siler City, N.C.

3:30 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge attends “Driving Clean and Green: A North Carolina Tour,” as part of the 6th Annual North Carolina Sustainable Energy Conference.

Location: NCSU McKimmon Center, Raleigh, N.C.

 
Monday, April 6, 2009

8:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Franklin County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Franklin County Schools, 53 W. River Road, Room A-107, Louisburg, N.C.

10:00 a.m.
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge meets with Vance County Sheriff Peter White to discuss law enforcement funds available for Vance County through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Vance County has been allocated $141,946 in funds through the act and also plans to apply for a Community Oriented Policing Services grant available through the act to allow the county to hire additional staff.

Location: Vance County Sheriff’s Department, 156 Church Street, Suite 004, Henderson, N.C.

12:00 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Nash County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Town and Country Restaurant, 323 W. Washington St., Nashville, N.C.

2:15 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge and staff from Autumn Care of Nash hold a press availability following Etheridge’s tour of the facility. Etheridge is the only N.C. member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over health care.  Congress is considering taking up health care reform legislation later this year.

Location: Autumn Care of Nash, 1210 Eastern Avenue, Nashville, N.C.

3:00 p.m. 
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge meets with Clayton Police Chief Glenn Allen to discuss law enforcement funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The department has been allocated $23,313 under the act, and may be able to pursue other funds available through the act.

Location: Clayton Police Department, 201 Barbour St, Clayton, N.C.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

10:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge visits N.C. State University’s Freedom Center to show how funds from the economic recovery bill could be used locally.  The Center has received funds from the National Science Foundation to conduct research to develop Smart Grid technology.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $4.5 billion for Smart Grid projects, and N.C. State University could apply for some of these funds for its Freedom Center. Smart Grids will help America to become energy independent by delivering electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology to save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability.

Location: N.C.S.U. Centennial Campus Partners I Building, 1017 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh, N.C.

12:00 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Wake County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Garner Road YMCA, 2234 Garner Road, Garner N.C.

6:30 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to the Smithfield Kiwanis about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other legislation aimed at providing an economic recovery.  Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., formal program begins at 7:00 p.m.

Location: Becky’s Log Cabin Restaurant, 2491 U.S. Hwy 70 Business East, Smithfield N.C.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
8:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Cumberland County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Haymont Grill and Steak House, 1304 Morganton Road, Fayetteville N.C.

10:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge attends a Welcome Home Ceremony in honor of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg soldiers returning from Iraq.

Location: Main Post Flag Pole, Fort Bragg, N.C.

6:00 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge attends the North Carolina Agricultural Products Dinner

Location: Agricultural Expo Building, N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

8:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge speaks to Harnett County elected officials about his work in Congress on economic issues.

Location: Campbell University President’s Room, Marshbanks Cafeteria, 143 Main St, Buies Creek, N.C.

10:00 a.m. – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge meets with Chatham County Sheriff Richard Webster to discuss law enforcement funding available to Chatham County through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Chatham County has received an allocation of $44,746 through the Justice Assistance Grant initiative funding in the recovery act.

Location: Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, 295 West Street, Pittsboro, N.C.

House to vote on bill today

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, the only N.C. member of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced legislation last night to recover federal funds used for bonuses of top executives at financial firms receiving federal aid.  Etheridge is an original cosponsor of the legislation, sponsored by Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel.  The House will vote on the bill today.

“Traders on Wall Street should not be able to get rich at the expense of folks on Main Street who are struggling,” said Etheridge.  “Taxpayer funds should not be used to pay bonuses to the very individuals whose excessive risk-taking caused the financial crisis that has harmed thousands of North Carolina families.  When AIG has repaid taxpayers and is footing the bill, it is entitled to award compensation as it sees fit.  However, I cannot allow the company to use taxpayer dollars for its executives greed.”

H.R. 1586, the TARP Bonus Tax Bill, would tax the bonuses of highly paid individuals at a rate of 90 percent if their employer received more than $5 billion in federal assistance through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).  The legislation only applies to individuals whose total family income exceeds $250,000 per year (adjusted gross income).  It affects bonuses received after January 1, 2009.

The legislation follows American International Group’s decision to award more than $168 million in bonus payments to its top employees.  AIG has received more than $170 billion in emergency federal aid. The company claims that it is contractually bound to pay the bonuses because they were agreed to before Congress passed legislation to limit executive pay for firms receiving federal aid.

Etheridge sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner on Tuesday expressing his outrage and disbelief at AIG’s plans to award the bonuses, asking him to “immediately intervene to suspend the payments.”

Rep. Brad Miller:

What Wall Street wanted to hear tonight is that we’re going to hand them the nation’s wallet and say “just take what you need.” That’s not what the American people wanted to hear, and that’s not what I wanted to hear. President Obama understands the severity and urgency of our economic crisis, and that by itself is an important change. Our nation has come through tough times before, and we will again, but we can’t flinch from what needs to be done.Gov. Bev Perdue:

President Obama was very clear tonight about his plans to rebuild America’s economy and to put our financial house in order.  He spoke forcefully about the challenges we face, as a country and a people, on the pathway to recovery,” Gov. Perdue said.

I applaud the president’s leadership and willingness to make tough decisions while also focusing on progress in the 21st century – investment in energy technology and education – the seed-corn of the new century.U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington):

“Tonight the President laid out a comprehensive plan to address the economic and fiscal crises we face, and to rebuild and recover the nation.  The President was frank in assessing the tough challenges we face, but he reminded us that as Americans we always overcome our difficulties.  Our challenges are interrelated – we cannot just address one, we must address them all if we are to return to a path of sustained growth.

“I was pleased to see the President speak about the role that education will play in our economic recovery.  If we are going to emerge from the economic crisis a stronger nation, we must invest in our future workforce, our students.  Education is an investment, not an expenditure – what we spend on investment now will bring us great dividends in the future.

“We face serious economic problems.  We must confront the long-term challenges we face, and take steps to provide fiscal stability and to grow our economy over the long term.  We must invest in our priorities, like reforming the health care system, making our country energy independent and strengthening our education system.  While we must make investments, we must also make hard choices.  Responsibility means spending wisely.  The President will send his budget to Congress on Thursday, which calls for cutting the deficit in half.  I look forward to working with the President to return our country to a course of budget discipline.”

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan:

“We are facing the most serious economic crisis in a generation. North Carolinians need action now to put people back to work, free up credit for consumers and businesses, help stabilize our housing market, and reform our financial system.  President Obama recognizes that these challenges are interrelated and I agree that we cannot return to a steady course without addressing them all. But President Obama also acknowledges that our fiscal problems are not happening in a vacuum, and other issues such as health care, education reform, and green energy sustainability cannot fall by the wayside.

“I was struck by President Obama’s tone. No one, least of all our President, disagrees that the issues we face are great. But collectively, our ability to tackle these issues and move our country forward only serves to strengthen our resolve and our nation. At a time like this, when there is much to be concerned about, President Obama’s hopeful and confident tone is greatly appreciated.”

“I was also pleased to hear President Obama speak forcefully about the need for increased accountability and transparency. Yes, we have inherited this financial mess, but that fact alone does not justify denying the American public the accountability they deserve. It is high time that members of government remember that they are here to serve the people of this country, not their own devices.  I am looking forward to receiving President Obama’s budget proposal, which will be released later this week.  As a former state budget writer myself, I am pleased that he has decided to do away with the common budget gimmicks that often mask actual federal spending including the use of supplemental, “off-the-books” spending which costs taxpayers billions of dollars.  I know that a budget that includes transparency, fiscal restraint, and investments in priorities that will move America forward is possible and I look forward to working with the Administration to ensure its passage.”

U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina):

“From the economic crisis we are facing to the continued threats from those who wish us harm, our nation is confronted with many tough challenges. President Obama rightly noted many of these challenges tonight. I agree with the President that our nation can best overcome these challenges by working together.  I believe the best way to turn around our economy and create good paying, long-term jobs is to let Americans keep more of what they earn in the first place. By empowering individuals, families and small businesses–not expanding the government–we can more quickly and more effectively strengthen our economy.

“Finally, I was pleased to see that the president spoke about the growing epidemic of the declining high school graduation rates.  Currently, only 70% of our nation’s high school students graduate on time.  This is simply unacceptable, and we must address it.  That is why I introduced the Graduate for a Better Future Act earlier this year to help public high schools across the country improve their graduation rates.

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) will visit local schools and meet with business leaders to discuss how The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will benefit North Carolina.

The House and Senate are expected to vote to pass the final version of the legislation today.

Monday, February 16, 2009

10 a.m. – Etheridge holds a press conference to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School, 825 Cooper Road Raleigh, N.C.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

12:30 p.m. – Etheridge speaks to the Garner Rotary Club about The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 2100 Buffaloe Road, Garner, N.C.

2:00 p.m. – Etheridge visits Clayton High School to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Clayton High School, 600 S. Fayetteville Street, Clayton, N.C.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

12:00 p.m. – Etheridge speaks to the Dunn-Erwin Rotary Club about The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: DeBorah’s Resturant, 313 E Broad St, Dunn, NC

2:00 p.m. – Etheridge visits Lee County Senior High School to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Location: Lee County Senior High School, 1708 Nash Street, Sanford, N.C.

Thursday, February 19, 2009
11:30 a.m. – Etheridge visits Middlesex Elementary School to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Location: Middlesex Elementary School, 13081 West Hanes Rd, Middlesex, N.C.

1:30 p.m. – Etheridge visits Franklinton High School to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Franklinton High School, 3 North Main St, Franklinton, N.C.

6:00 p.m. – Etheridge speaks to the Cape Fear Farm Credit Annual Stockholders’ Meeting about how the recession is affecting N.C. farmers and the challenges of securing farm credit in the economic downturn.

Location: Crown Center, 121 E. Mountain Drive, Fayetteville, NC

7:30 p.m. – Etheridge speaks at the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet about The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, 1801 Nash Street, Sanford, NC

Friday, February 20, 2009

12:00 p.m. – Etheridge meets with Johnston County business leaders.

Location: Johnston Community College Public Safety Building, 245 College Road, Smithfield, N.C.

Monday, February 23, 2009

10:00 a.m. – Etheridge visits Northwood High School in Pittsboro to discuss his legislation, The America’s Better Classrooms Act, which provides $25 billion in zero-interest school construction bonds and is included in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Northwood High School, 310 Northwood High School Road, Pittsboro, N.C.

11:45 a.m. – Etheridge speaks to the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce about The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Location: Chef Paul’s Restaurant, 610 E. Main Street, Sanford, NC

Congressman Bob Etheridge will hold a round table discussion on Monday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. at Northwood High School.

The topics will be his commitment to school construction funding in the economic recovery package; discussing the needs in our area; and the importance of supporting school construction in general.

Congressman Etheridge will be joined by members of the Chatham County Board of Education, Chatham County Board of Commissioners, Superintendent of Schools Robert Logan, and the principal of Northwood, Chris Blice.

North Carolina members of the U.S. House of Representatives will give an overview and share their priorities for upcoming Congress as well as answer questions at the Triangle Chambers’ Federal Issues Forum at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at Bide Auditorium at GlaxoSmithKline.

U.S. Representative Bob Etheridge was recently appointed to the Ways and Means Committee for the 111th Congress and is the only North Carolina member to serve on this committee.

U.S. Representative David Price serves as the House Appropriations Committee Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee and is also a member of the Appropriations Subcommittees of Interior and Environment and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

U.S. Representative Brad Miller is the first person elected to North Carolina’s new 13th Congressional District. He serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Science and Technology Committee along with serving on the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is the Triangle’s largest non-profit business membership organization made up of over 2,700 member firms representing 70 percent of the private sector employment in Wake County. The Chamber has represented the interests of the local business community since 1888.