Pragmatism over Partisanship

Dear Friends,

At a time when partisan divisions continue to stifle progress in Washington, I’m pleased that members in both the House and Senate have worked with me to make a real difference for one of our most vulnerable populations. Two key provisions from the Foster Youth Financial Security Act I introduced this year have been signed into law, mandating free credit checks for foster children before they leave state care and requiring states to clean up inaccuracies.

Experts in identity theft and organizations involved with foster care have repeatedly reported a high rate of this crime among foster children. As I saw firsthand when my parents welcomed foster youth into our home, they already face tremendous obstacles without the increased threat of having their credit ruined, which prevents them from finding a place to live and accessing other basic needs when they age out of the system and lack traditional family supports.

We have much more work ahead, including effective implementation of the new law, to ensure foster youth have the tools they need and deserve to succeed. However, I am hopeful that this most recent step will be a catalyst for further action, such as providing them with financial literacy tools and better information about housing and educational opportunities.

The progress made on this issue after years of struggles at the state level shows that when we take a pragmatic, rather than a partisan, approach to a problem in Washington, we can move forward with a solution.

As your representative, I enjoy hearing your thoughts, whether in person or in writing. Please stay in touch via email, Facebook and Twitter to keep the conversation going, and check out my YouTube and Flickr pages.

Sincerely,

Jim Langevin

COLA Increase

After two years without any help for Social Security recipients to deal with rising living expenses, beneficiaries will receive a 3.6 percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase in 2012, impacting more than 200,000 Rhode Islanders in a difficult economy. Millions of retired Americans have paid their fair share into Social Security, and we must preserve our nation’s promise to them by ensuring payments keep up with the high costs of vital needs like health care, food and housing. Rather than wait and hope that a fair increase will occur next year, I am cosponsoring legislation to ensure the COLA more accurately reflects the cost of living for seniors.
Read more about the Preserving Promises to Our Seniors Act ››

Education Legislation Modeled on Providence School

The Providence Career and Technical Academy has implemented an impressive curriculum that fosters greater integration of traditional academics, career and technical education training and workplace experience. I was proud to have their principal, Ramon Torres, join me and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras to announce a bipartisan bill that will encourage others to follow in their footsteps. A group of teachers described how students in the integrated program scored much better on the same exam compared to those who received purely traditional classroom instruction. We know it works. It’s time more schools consider this approach.
Read more about the Education for Tomorrow’s Jobs Act ››

Save the date

RHODE ISLAND FARMERS PUBLIC ROUNDTABLE
Hearing thoughts, concerns, and ideas on the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization
November 28 at 1PM Warwick Public Library
600 Sandy Lane
For more information contact Suzanne Augenstein at (401) 732-9400

Did You Know...?

IDENTITY THEFT
Vital information about protecting your identity is available from the Federal Trade Commission. ››

FAST FACT
Experts estimate up to 30% of foster youth are victims of identity theft compared to about 4% for the general population. ››

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

PROTECTING KEY INFRASTRUCTURE
During a keynote address at the Brookings Institution, Rep. Langevin called for stronger protections of critical infrastructure from cyber threats. ››

SHOWCASING RI CYBER LEADERSHIP
A visit to the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit highlighted ways Rhode Island is setting a national example in preventing and preparing for cybercrime. ››

BUILDING A CYBER WORKFORCE
Rep. Langevin assessed the shortcomings of our cybersecurity workforce and offered solutions that would also build an industry that can provide sustainable job growth. ››

FORGING BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION
In response to policy proposals by the House Republican Cybersecurity Taskforce, Langevin expressed his desire to work toward bipartisan agreement on urgently needed legislation. ››

In Other News

REACTING TO GADDAFI’S DEATH
Rep. Langevin said the brutal dictator’s demise provided closure for the Libyan people and a chance for them to prove their commitment to allowing all citizens the right to self-determination. ››

RECEIVING ACCLAIM FOR ONLINE ACCESSIBILITY
Rep. Langevin’s website was named one of the best in Congress, earning a “Gold Mouse Award” from the Congressional Management Foundation. ››

HONORING A RHODE ISLAND ANGEL
Patrice Wood was recognized with an Angel in Adoption Award after being nominated by Rep. Langevin for her work helping children find homes as a NBC10 anchor. ››