FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28, 2008

CONTACT:

Menendez Press Office (202) 224-4744

U. S. SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ’S STATEMENT AFTER FACT-FINDING VISIT TO
ELIZABETH IMMIGRATION DETENTION FACILITY

Sen. Menendez, who is fighting for life-saving medical care inside U.S. immigration detention facilities, met privately with detainees

Elizabeth, NJ – Today, Sen. Robert Menendez visited the Elizabeth Immigration Detention Center to see first-hand how New Jersey detainees are being housed and their medical needs  taken care of.  Sen. Menendez was accompanied by Rev. E Roy Riley, Bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Rev. Bruce Davidson, Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry.

Sen. Menendez, who has monitored the treatment of detainees at the Elizabeth Immigration Detention Center for many years while representing the 13th District of New Jersey in the House of Representatives, felt renewed concern after reports surfaced of the death of Guinean detainee Boubacar Bah at the Elizabeth Detention Facility; as well as over 60 deaths in almost three years at immigration detention centers across the nation.  This prompted Sen. Menendez to introduce S. 3005, The Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008, which would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures that would ensure timely and effective delivery of medical and mental health care to all immigrant detainees.

After today’s visit, Sen. Menendez issued the following statement:

"We appreciate the difficult challenges and responsibilities that ICE and the Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS) have to perform, but there must be accountability. It is disturbing that we spoke privately to three detainees, and two of them are not receiving care for conditions that are not life threatening today, but could become so. That is why I believe that, without a national standard, there is the possibility that detention could be a death sentence, and that is unacceptable. Proper medical care for immigrant detainees, especially in an emergency situation, is a human rights issue.  If this nation wants to be a beacon of light to the rest of the world, as we subscribe and aspire to be, and if we want to tell other countries about the responsibility of putting human rights first, then we must do everything we can to offer necessary medical care, even to those in custody.”

Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008

Introduced by U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez

The Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008 introduced by Sen. Menendez would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures for the timely and effective delivery of medical and mental health care to all immigration detainees in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.

S. 3005, The Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008 would require that:

·       Every immigration detainee receive a comprehensive medical and mental health intake screening by a qualified health care professional no later than 14 days after arrival;

·       Immigration detainees taking prescribed medications prior to detention are allowed to continue taking such medication on schedule and without interruption;

·       Immigration detainees are informed of medical and mental health care services and how to request them and a prompt response provided;

·       Treatment decisions are based solely on professional clinical judgments

·       To ensure the availability of medical records to appropriate personnel; to insure uninterrupted medication, and;

·       Detainee deaths are to be reported no later than 48 hours after the occurrence.

 NEWS RELEASE

Governor Jon S. Corzine

July 28, 2008

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Sean Darcy

Jim Gardner

609-777-2600

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR CORZINE ON COHEN RESIGNATION

TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today issued the following statement regarding the resignation of Neil Cohen from the Legislature:

 “The allegations made concerning former Assemblyman Cohen are deeply disturbing.  All of us who have worked with him are shocked by the reports.  Child pornography reflects a horrible debasement of children that is totally intolerable.  Creating, distributing and using child pornography should be pursued vigorously by law enforcement wherever it is found."

- Zimmer Canvassing Garden State; Connecting with Concerned Voters; Lautenberg Absent; Ducking and Dodging -

Lawrenceville, NJ – With 100 days to go until Election Day, U.S. Senate Candidate Dick Zimmer criticized Frank Lautenberg for being absent from the campaign trail.

“Since the campaign began, I have had the pleasure of speaking with thousands of voters across the state,” Zimmer said.  “We've talked about gas prices, property taxes, wasteful spending and the mortgage crisis.  We’ve talked about how so many of our neighbors are thinking about moving to another state where it’s more affordable.  Every candidate ought to listen to the people he intends to represent.  But when it comes to confronting the important issues facing New Jersey's voters, Frank Lautenberg has been missing in action.”

Since winning the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate on June 3, Zimmer has attended dozens of public events; he has connected with thousands of voters throughout New Jersey; and he has repeatedly challenged Senator Lautenberg to a series of debates and open town hall meetings.

"New Jersey's residents are having a hard time making ends meet," Zimmer said.  "And it seems each day we read another newspaper headline about more expensive gas, food, college tuition and taxes.  For 24 years, Frank Lautenberg had his chance to help make New Jersey more affordable and he failed.  It's time for a change.”

“Every poll shows that, with 100 days to go until Election Day, voters are not sold on six more years of Frank Lautenberg," said Kristen Hainen, Communications Director for the Zimmer for Senate campaign.  "The public is growing tired of elected officials who duck debates and dodge public appearances and who have been in Washington far too long.  Dick Zimmer's message of less spending, more freedom and greater security is resonating.  The next 100 days are going to be very important to the future of New Jersey."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   

Friday, July 25, 2008

CONTACT:

Lautenberg Press Office     202.224.3224

Menendez Press Office       202.224.4744

LAUTENBERG, MENENDEZ: NO TIME TO CUT NJ HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS

NJ Sens. Condemn Bush Admin. for Reducing State’s Funding for Critical Security Program

          WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that New Jersey will receive more than $73.6 million in homeland security grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but criticized President Bush and DHS for reducing the funds New Jersey receives for a critical risk-based urban security program.

            “The Bush Administration just doesn’t get it.  New Jersey is home to the most at-risk two miles for terrorism in the country.  While some of our programs received an increase this year, this is no time to cut homeland security funding for our urban areas,” Lautenberg said.  “This is another example of the Bush Administration ignoring critical needs here at home while spending $3 billion a week in Iraq.”

           “The good news for New Jersey’s security is that the positive reforms the Democratic Congress made to the state security grants have resulted in increased security funding that goes directly to our state government out of that program,” Menendez said.  “Unfortunately, the Bush administration’s decision to cut the funding that goes directly to New Jersey’s highest-threat cities shows that they still don’t fully grasp that security resources need to go to areas where the risk is most real. That is fundamental to security here it home, and seven years after 9/11, the administration should have gotten it right by now. The next administration has to better understand our security needs here in the nation’s most densely-populated state, which includes two of the nation’s five biggest metropolitan areas. I also continue to be concerned that areas of South Jersey within shouting distance of Center City Philadelphia are not even included in the program for high-threat cities – that’s a glaring and dangerous omission.”

           New Jersey will receive $34,988,000 for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), a $1 million decrease from last year’s funding level of $36,070,000.  UASI is a risk-based program that helps protect high-density and high-threat urban areas, such as Newark and Jersey City, by improving their ability to prevent, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism.

           New Jersey will also receive $38,703,752 in additional federal funds for four other homeland security programs:

·         $27,780,000 to the State Homeland Security Program, which state-based homeland security strategies to help municipalities in New Jersey plan, equip and train emergency personnel to respond to acts of terrorism;

·         $9,921,750 to the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program, which helps law enforcement prevent terrorism by coordinating with non-law enforcement, government agencies and the private sector;

·         $359,560 to the Citizens Corps Program, which involves residents in prevention, preparedness and response to terrorism, natural disasters and other threats, such as crime and public health; and

·         $642,442 to Metropolitan Medical Response System, which helps towns and cities prepare for and respond to mass casualty events.