Media

Washington, D.C. --- In a letter to President Bush, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, today expressed concern regarding negotiations between the United States and Pakistan on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Pallone's letter follows recent reports that talks between the Bush Administration and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the purchase have resumed, after they were suspended in 1990 following U.S sanctions against Pakistan.

"As we all know, it has taken far too long to move this legislation, and as a result, Native Americans have continued to suffer disparities in the health care they receive.

"I do not want to go into the details on how our American Indian friends have suffered greatly because of the general lack of care afforded them. I think that we are all well aware of these depressing statistics by now, and I don't think it does anyone any good to beleaguer this point.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, is encouraging members of the South Asian community to participate in a bone marrow donor drive on Thursday, September 23 from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The drive is sponsored by the National Marrow Donor Program and 13 local South Asian community organizations and is being held in conjunction with a South Asian community debate on the presidential election.

Washington, D.C. --- With the possibility of a striped bass moratorium being ordered by federal officials this week, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today had discussions with both Dr. William Hogarth, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Director, and Rebecca Lent, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs at NMFS, and concluded that a moratorium will not occur if new fishing rules are approved by the Senate and the governor early next week.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today introduced legislation that will provide Medicare coverage to patients without health coverage who are diagnosed with late stage cancer.

Currently, patients must wait two years before they are eligible for Medicare, many of which do not survive long enough to reach eligibility. Pallone's legislation will lift the waiting period, allowing terminally ill cancer patients without health coverage to immediately begin receiving Medicare.

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives honoring the life and musical contributions of renowned jazz pianist and bandleader, William "Count" Basie.

Belmar, N.J. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone gave the following statement today at a press conference commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Air Pollution Control Act and the announcement of a new state clean air proposal to reclassify carbon dioxide as an air pollutant. Pallone was joined by Governor James McGreevey, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley Campbell, and Belmar Mayor Kenny Pringle.

"Mr. Speaker, as you know, six years ago this past April, the people of Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland entered into a peace agreement, commonly referred to as the Good Friday Agreement. This legendary accord set out a framework that would allow Northern Ireland to govern itself and provide for a rule of law that was responsible to all people in the North of Ireland. Unfortunately, six years later, much of the agreement has been stalled, derailed, or never implemented.