Press Releases

A component of the Vision for Space Exploration, Orion's development istaking place in parallel with missions to complete the International SpaceStation using the space shuttle before the shuttle is retired in 2010.

"Our nation has made great strides since the first Earth Day in 1970,"said Congresswoman Kaptur. "From the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act tocreation of the Environmental Protection Agency, our response to pollution hasbecome more robust. We have begun the cleanup of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes, which has spurred greater tourism and moreeconomic opportunities.

"Now we have to address the unquenchable thirst for energy. It is time for aconcerted effort to make the transition to cleaner energy alternatives and aturn away from the technologies of yesterday."

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Trucking Safety Act wouldprohibit trucks based in Mexicofrom entering the U.S. fromentering the United Statesbeyond commercial zones until the U.S. Department of Transportation promulgatesrules for compliance by Mexican drivers and carriers with federal safetyregulations.

"This legislation addresses an important safety issue," said CongresswomanKaptur. "The American public deserves to know that trucks from Mexico do not pose an undue safety risk, yet thegovernment of Mexico, unlikethe United States,has virtually no enforceable safety requirements for tractor-trailers and avery limited inspection regime."

Congresswoman Kaptur, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, saidPlum Brook will be the site for integrated vertical tests of NASA'sfully-assembled new spacecraft, Orion, whose mission will be to explore Earth'sMoon and the planet Mars.

The contract will be carried out by the Glenn ResearchCenter, which last yearwas awarded the design of the service module component of the crew explorationvehicle (CEV), the next generation space vehicle. Testing and work on theproject will be done at the agency's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky.

Other winners include:

Runners up: Sonya Shiffler (Waite High School) and Blythe Worstell (Whitmer High School)

Honorable Mentions: William Berry (Roger HighSchool), Sareena Cox (Bowsher High School), Justin Hattendorf (SylvaniaSouthview High School), Hallandra Johnson (Waite High School), ErinMiller (Whitmer High School), Hardik Patel (Oberlin High School),Matthew Ruetz (Start High School), Kristin Sanchez (Whitmer HighSchool), Kaylin Schwartz (Whitmer High School), Jacob Ueberroth (WaiteHigh School), Emily Van Wormer (Toledo School for the Arts), and CodyWiewandt (Edison High School)

According to Oberlin Fire Chief Dennis Kirin, the federal award will be usedto purchase a mobile “live fire simulator” for use in training firefighters inOberlin and throughout the area. It is estimated that the federal award willcover 95 percent of the cost of the simulator, with five percent coming fromlocal sources.

“Congratulations to the department and to the community for this great successin a highly competitive process,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “In typical style,Oberlin is showing great leadership in training first responders.”

Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution grants to thelegislative branch the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations."

"The Earned Income Tax Credit brings hundreds of thousands of tax dollarsback to our community," said Congresswoman Kaptur. "The Earned Income Credit isthere for working families who qualify, but to get it, they have to claim it ontheir tax forms.

The Earned Income Credit, Kaptur explained, is a tax credit for people whowork but do not earn high incomes. If they qualify and claim the credit, theycould pass less federal tax, possibly pay no tax at all, or even receive arefund beyond the amount of federal taxes they had withheld.