Veteran Issues Digest Number 1757

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Dem takes Hastert's Repub seat

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Sun Mar 9, 2008 12:49 pm (PDT)

http://www.foster08 .com/ <blocked::http://www.foster08 .com/>

Note: Foster worked on Rep Pat Murphy's campaign a Former Capt 82nd Ab
http://www.patrickm urphy.house. gov
<blocked::http://www.patrickm urphy.house. gov/>

Democrats pull upset in special for Hastert's seat
By Aaron Blake
Posted: 03/08/08 09:52 PM [ET]

Democrat Bill Foster pulled off an upset in the special election for former
House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill.) seat on Saturday, defeating
Republican Jim Oberweis and winning the seat for the remainder of the 110th
Congress.

The race drew lots of investment from each party's national campaign
committee and is a big win for Democrats in a GOP-leaning district and
against a candidate supported by Hastert. Unofficial results had Foster
defeating Oberweis 52-48 with 99 percent of precincts reporting.


<blocked::http://ad.thehill. com/adlog. php?bannerid= 733&clientid= 653&zoneid= 3
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Foster is a scientist and businessman who was running for office for the
first time. Oberweis is a businessman who lost in primaries for Senate in
2002 and 2004 and for governor in 2006.

The two will square off again in November, as they have already been voted
as their parties' general election nominees.

The race attracted big-name endorsements in addition to Hastert's support
for Oberweis. These included Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) cutting a television
ad for Foster and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) holding a fundraiser with
Oberweis.

Both Oberweis and Foster are wealthy and invested heavily in their own
campaigns, Oberweis to the tune of $2.9 million and Foster about $2 million.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spent about $1.3
million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) more
than $1 million.

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) said the result sends a "shockwave"
through the political world, given that it occurred in a district that voted
55 percent for President Bush in 2004.

"Republican candidates learned tonight that Sen. McCain . cannot save them
from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in
districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush," Van Hollen said.

NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.) acknowledged earlier this week that a loss
would reflect poorly on his party, especially given that the race took place
in the district of the former speaker.

NRCC spokeswoman Karen Hanretty said the results shouldn't be
over-interpreted.

"The one thing 2008 has shown is that one election in one state does not
prove a trend. In fact, there has been no national trend this entire
election season," Hanretty said. "The one message coming out of 2008 so far
is that what happens today is not a bellwether of what happens this fall."

The GOP is already facing nearly 30 members vacating seats this cycle and a
fundraising shortfall that only recently saw the NRCC emerge from debt left
over from the 2006 cycle.

The seat is the first in six special elections this cycle to flip parties.

Another race will be held Tuesday in the Indianapolis district of the late
Rep. Julia Carson (D-Ind.), who died in December. Her grandson,
Indianapolis City-County Councilman Andre Carson (D), is running against
state Rep. Jon Elrod (R) and is favored.


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Messages in this topic (1)
2. Ship and Land-Based Chemical and Biological Warfare Tests , FW: netw

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Sun Mar 9, 2008 1:54 pm (PDT)


You may obtain additional information about health care eligibility by
contacting the Enrollment Coordinator at your local VA health care facility,
by calling the VA SHAD Helpline at 800-749-8387, by visiting our eligibility
website at <http://www.va. gov/elig> VA Health Care Eligibility & Enrollment or by e-mailing us at
<mailto:SHADHELPLINE@ vba.va.gov> SHADHELPLINE@ vba.va.gov

More complete information about Project 112/Project SHAD is available on the
Internet at <http://www.va. gov/SHAD> http://www.va. gov/SHAD and at
<http://deploymentli nk.osd.mil/ current_issues/ shad/shad_ intro.shtml>
http://deploymentli nk.osd.mil/ current_issues/ shad/shad_ intro.shtml

<http://abcnews. go.com/Blotter/ story?id= 4408766&page= 1>
http://abcnews. go.com/Blotter/ story?id= 4408766&page= 1

Report: Thousands of Test Subjects Not Notified About Dangers

Subjects Were Involved In Ship and Land-Based Chemical and Biological
Warfare Tests

By JOANNA JENNINGS

March 7, 2008-

Thousands of U.S. citizens who participated in human experimentation for the
military may have been exposed to harmful chemical and biological
substances.

In some cases, healthy adults, psychiatric patients and prison inmates were
used in experiments that often included intentional exposure to blister and
nerve agents. A GAO report adds that many of the test subjects have not been
notified by the government about their potential exposure.

The report cites tests conducted by the Defense Department going back to
World War II, most of which were a part of its Project 112 test program,
while others were conducted as separate efforts.

"I really don't understand it," said Davi D'Agostino, director of defense
and management at GAO. "It would be easy to say DOD has a lot of priorities
right now, but they've also got a lot of problems, and we think this is very
important."

Since World War II, the Defense Department has been involved in classified
human experimentation tests that were conducted to support weapons
development programs, identify methods to protect the health of military
personnel against a variety of diseases and combat conditions and analyze
U.S. defense vulnerabilities, according to the GAO. From 1962 through 1974,
the department conducted a series of classified ship and land-based chemical
and biological warfare tests involving military and civilian personnel. This
group of classified tests were named Project 112 because it was the 112th
project of 150 outlined by the secretary of defense in 1962.

GAO has done four previous reports regarding the dangers of letting those
who were exposed to hazardous material continue to go unidentified. In 2004,
GAO performed a random sample in Utah and discovered 12 boxes with names of
people who received no notification after exposure to chemical and
biological agents. GAO says a cost-benefit analysis is necessary to give
transparency on the efforts that have been made, and what other things can
be done.

"We thought that if we could randomly pick 12 boxes at a former testing site
and find names, there could potentially be more information at this
location," said D'Agostino. "This is why we still have questions and feel
that DOD should do a documented cost-benefit analysis since they haven't
taken any actions with our recommendations from 2004."

In response to GAO's recommendations, the defense determined continuing an
active search for individuals had reached the point of diminishing returns
and reaffirmed its decision to cease active searches.

"We believe DOD made a full accounting of its efforts available to Congress
in 2003," said Chris Isleib, Defense Department spokesman. "At that time,
DOD informed Congress it had ceased the active stage of the investigation
but would pursue any leads that became available."

"If they're transparent about it with Congress and the veterans, they would
have more credibility with their decision," said D'Agostino. "That's why we
recommended it, and they disagreed with that recommendation. "

In 2003, the Defense Department reported it had identified 5, 842 service
members and estimated another 350 civilians could have been potentially
exposed to chemical or biological substances during Project 112, and
indicated that they would cease actively searching for additional
individuals. GAO says that since that time, the DOD has stopped actively
searching for individuals who were potentially exposed, without giving a
sound and documented basis for that decision.

And since 2003, non-DOD sources -- including the Institute of Medicine --
have identified approximately 600 additional names of people who were
potentially exposed during Project 112. GAO maintains that until these
issues are addressed, some identified veterans and civilians will remain
unaware of their potential exposure.

"This is a striking issue," said D'Agostino. "Some of these tests are going
all the way back to World War II, and it would seem that you would want to
get some of these people help as soon as you could."

<http://abcnews. go.com/blotter> Click Here for the Investigative Homepage.