Press Releases

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the U.S. House of Representatives, will participate in today's opening session of the 112^th Congress, including the installation of fellow Ohioan John Boehner as the 53^rd Speaker of the House.

The deadline for eligible service members, veterans and their beneficiaries to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) has been extended to March 4, 2011, allowing personnel more time to apply for the benefits they've earned under the program guidelines.

The deadline extension is included in the continuing resolution signed by President Obama today, providing funding for federal government operations through March 4, 2011.

"Moreover, the continued diversification of the strategic metals in Brush Wellman's product line is essential to our region's leadership role in this vital sector. The collaboration between AEM and Brush Engineered Materials is a win-win for our communities, both Amherst and Elmore, and also for our nation."

The Army said approximately three fourths of the production work will be performed at the Brush Wellman beryllium manufacturing plant in Elmore, Ohio (73 percent), with the remainder performed at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The engineering on the project will be performed in Amherst.

Congresswoman Kaptur issued this statement following the Department of Labor's report of the November unemployment rate:

"Congress and the Administration have to attack the jobs crisis in America. We have a deficit reduction commission, but what we really is need is a job growth commission. Job creation must be the top priority of the government. Congress seems to be dealing with everything except job creation right now."

"The Toledo refinery has been selected to process this massive new source of petroleum into gasoline and other fuels. This will lock in our region’s position as a key player in the transportation fuels industry in North America."

Kaptur said she has been in close contact with both the company and the Canadian government in recent months as the project moved toward fruition. "Working with our Canadian neighbors is particularly rewardingas we share the same democratic values and respect for a transparent legal system."

Congresswoman Kaptur also said:

• Tax benefits to corporations should be conditioned on keeping jobs in the United States. She pointed to a tax compromise proposal that she made with Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) to extend the tax cuts for small businesses that might be subject to the top two tax brackets if they certify that they are manufacturing in the U.S., hiring only American citizens, and generally buying domestic content goods and materials.

“The recovery must reach deeper to lift workers and families that have been impacted by the current recession. We must reverse the trend towardoutsourcing of good jobs. The winning strategy is to ‘Invent in America’ and ‘Make and Grow It in America Again.’

“The recession that began in 2007 has hollowed out the jobs base of our regional economy. We need innovative policies to repair our infrastructure, develop clean sources of energy, and capitalize on our strengths in manufacturing, transportation, value-added agriculture, andnatural resources.

“I look forward to representing our members from the nation’s heartland on the Steering and Policy Committee.”

Congresswoman Kaptur said many of the young people who are processed in the juvenile justice system suffer from mental illness. “We simply haveto do a better job in this community of dealing with juvenile mental illness,” she said.

“We want to get to these young people early, before they are trafficked,and rescue them from surviving couch to couch,” said Rev. Anthony, whose organization administers “Second Chance,” which provides comprehensive services to victims of domestic sex trafficking.