The Truth About Foxx and Veterans

Billy Kennedy: Virginia Foxx, Better Late Than Never

Vilas, NC (August 10, 2010) -- Incumbent Virginia Foxx was in the news Monday morning ("Spouses of Vets May Get More Aid," Winston-Salem Journal) introducing a bill that will help surviving spouses of veterans get Veterans Affairs home loans.

Challenger Billy Kennedy issued the following statement:

"I applaud the incumbent's legislation and note that running for reelection has seemed to have a positive effect on her concern for veterans, because her record prior to today has been abysmal for veterans.

"In 2005, her first year in Congress, Disabled American Veterans gave her a grade of ZERO for her votes relating to veterans issues. In 2006, The Retired Enlisted Association graded her performance at 21 percent, while the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave her a grade of D.

"In 2008, Foxx voted 'no' on expanding the G.I. Bill. She has been very willing to send our troops to war, and even more willing to keep them there (she voted 'no' in 2007 on redeploying troops out of Iraq), but when it comes to offering them substantive help once they're back in civilian life, she's usually AWOL.

In September of 2008, she was one of only 58 members of Congress who voted against a continuing appropriations bill (H.R.2638) that funded veterans programs.

"In 2009, she received a '0' rating from the Military Officers Association of America for voting 'no' on the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, legislation that prevented a 21 percent reduction in physician payment rates for those military families enrolled in TRICARE, the civilian component of the military's health care system. MOAA strongly supported the bill, noting its defeat would have meant critical loss of access to health care for uniformed service members, retirees and their families.

"This is pretty classic incumbent political maneuvering right before an election. It's just too bad we can't count on Ms. Foxx to do the right thing until just a few days out from an election."

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Notes

Interest group ratings Project Vote Smart 2005

Interest group ratings, Project Vote Smart,Project Vote Smart 2007 H.R.2956 Redeployment from Iraq Act, bill passed the House on 07/12/2007, 223 - 201, with Foxx voting in the minority

H.R.2638, vote to concur with Senate amendments and further amend a bill that continued funding at mostly the same levels as authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (HR 2764) and appropriated an additional $668.3 billion to several departments including the Veterans Affairs Department.

Interest group rating, Project Vote Smart 2009

Help us send Billy to Washington

Join our Day of Action, Saturday August 7

The Billy Kennedy for Congress campaign has been working diligently to ensure a big victory against incumbent Virginia Foxx in November.

This year's historically low turnout means one very important thing -- EVERY SINGLE VOTE COUNTS.

We have an outstanding field program based in 5 regions across the district, implementing our state of the art field plan. We have been talking to 5th District voters and asking them about the issues every day, but August 7th is a special day across the district.

On August 7th, the BK4C campaign, in conjunction with Organizing for America and the North Carolina Democratic Party, will be hosting a "Day of Action."

Volunteers across the state will be coming together to do their part in electing Billy Kennedy. Will you commit to volunteering for one of our many events across the district?

We plan to reach 1,200 voters in one day and let them know why Billy Kennedy will work hard for them once elected to Congress and to remind them just how important their vote is this November. Won't you be a part of this historic campaign for working people's principles?

Click on a county below to RSVP for an an event in your area:

Ashe County
Second Floor Office Space above Ana Maria's Gift Shop
16 North Jefferson Avenue
West Jefferson, NC 28694
9am - 1pm

Alleghany County
Miles Realty
565 South Main Street
Sparta, NC 28675
1pm - 4pm

Alexander County
Alexander Democratic HQ
204 SW 1st Street
Taylorsville, NC 28681
9am - 6pm

Davie County
Davie County Public Library
371 North Main Street
Mocksville, NC 27028
12pm - 4pm

Forsyth County
Forsyth Democratic HQ
1128 Burke Street
Winston Salem, NC 27101
9am - 6pm

Iredell County
Iredell Democratic HQ
233 East Front Street
Statesville, NC 28677
9am - 6pm

Stokes County
Walnut Cove Public Library
106 West Fifth Street
Walnut Cove, NC 27052
9am - 1 pm

Surry County
Ric Marshall for NC Senate Headquarters (Mount Airy, NC)
228 Franklin Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
9am - 1pm

Watauga County
Watauga County Democratic Party Headquarters
770 West King Street
Boone, NC 28607
9am - 7pm

Wilkes County
N Wilkesboro Police Department
719 Main Street
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659
9am - 2pm

Yadkin County
WN Ireland Insurance Agency
113 East Main Street
Yadkinville, NC 27055
10am - 1pm

In addition to this historic day of action, Billy Kennedy is committed to helping improve job possibilities for 5th district constituents.  To this end, the Kennedy for Congress campaign is seeking volunteers who have the skills and/or backgrounds to help 5th district job seekers with resume writing, cover letters, job applications, and development of basic interview skills.  Specifically, we are looking for volunteers who can commit to two consecutive days of one-on-one interaction with job seekers later this month.

If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please respond here.

Unemployment Benefits Finally Approved

Friday, July 23, 2010
Published at Downwithtyranny.blogspot.com
Yesterday the House voted one last time -- so that their bill and the one the Senate finally passed this week would be identical and Obama could sign it, retroactively sending missed insurance compensation checks to over 2.6 million Americans thrown out of work by the very policies put forward by the conservatives who voted against unemployment insurance! ...

Interestingly, every single Republican the Blue America candidates are running against voted in opposition to the extension: Michele Bachmann, John Boehner, Calvert, Campbell, and, of course, North Carolina crackpot Virginia Foxx. Ah... yes, crackpot Virginia Foxx... I called Billy Kennedy what the folks in western North Carolina think about Foxx's anti-family antics.

He told me that around 9,300 of her constituents "have lost their jobs due to outsourcing to cheaper labor in China."

"Her reasoning is that the government cannot possibly be expected to help those who are desperate to find jobs because it will add to the deficit.

But Virginia Foxx, the richest House member from North Carolina, doesn't worry about her personal tax cuts breaking the bank. She supports huge tax breaks that are extended to the richest Americans, even if the government has to borrow money to pay for it.

The unemployment benefits extension cost $34 billion. Virginia Foxx opposes it. The tax breaks for the wealthiest 5 percent of Americans cost more than one trillion dollars, all of which is borrowed money. Virginia Foxx supports them.

The big tax break windfall Virginia Foxx supports didn't go to most Americans. It didn't go to Americans who work hard days and long hours. It went to the bankers, big oil executives, crooked Wall Street traders, and... Virginia Foxx.

The way I see it, we just can't afford Virginia Foxx's tax break. And we can't afford Rep. Foxx any more either.

Too few jobs have been created in the past 10 years, and good people looking for jobs can't find them. But why should Virginia Foxx care? She's got hers. And you're paying for it.

I'm calling Virginia Foxx out on this hypocrisy. It's clear that she's out of touch, and it's time she took a peek outside those thick walls of Washington and came home to struggle to make ends meet like the rest of us."

Billy Kennedy to Virginia Foxx: I'm off the Porch

Kennedy Liveblogging Thursday morning at Daily Kos

Thursday, July 15, 2010
Published at DailyKos.com
You all know where Virginia Foxx stands on helping out working families in these tough times, right? She's voted no to any stimulus spending; voted no on modifying bankruptcy laws to help folks avoid mortgage foreclosures; voted no to assisting workers whose jobs were lost due to globalization; voted no on restricting employer interference in union organizing; voted no on a minimum wage increase; and voted no on regulating the subprime mortgage industry. Of course that's just the tip of the iceberg....

Now we can all decide to just roll our eyes when Virginia Foxx gets so fired up about the poor getting a bite of the pie that she proposes an amendment to a homeland-security appropriations bill that says Katrina victims can't use government-issued debit cards to purchase Louis Vuitton handbags or we can decide to get off the porch and actually do something about it.

I've chosen the latter. That's why I'm running hard to beat Virginia Foxx this November. The future of North Carolina's Fifth Congressional district is at stake, but so is the future of all American workers. more...

Candidate comes to Green Drinks

www.wataugademocrat.com

Watauga Democrat
Published: July 14, 2010
BOONE -- Congressional candidate Billy Kennedy was on hand at Green Drinks Tuesday evening, emphasizing his campaign's green stance. Kennedy, who is running against longtime incumbent Virginia Foxx, says, if elected, he'll help put legislation in place to make green home upgrades more accessible.

Green Drinks, social networking for Boone's environmentally savvy, happens the second Tuesday of each month. This month's meeting was at Peppers Restaurant, sponsored by Building Performance Engineering. For more, check out our photo album!

Club For Growth — Making Trouble In Michigan, North Carolina... And Across America

DownwithTyranny.blogspot.com
Published: July 6, 2010
Last week, under pressure from the Club for Growth and the Heritage Foundation, Republican members of Congress began signing on to a "discharge petition" which would force immediate action on legislation to completely repeal the recently passed health insurance reform law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010).

The Club for Growth's government affairs director Andy Roth emailed Republican members with an implied threat that support for repeal "will be considered as a key vote on the Club's annual congressional scorecard," one of the "gold standards" in conservative rankings. Representative Virginia Foxx promptly signed the discharge petition last Tuesday.

Congressional candidate Billy Kennedy issued the following statement:

"Once again, our incumbent Congresswoman shows that she is much more interested in satisfying extremist and powerful special interests than she is in helping the hard working people of Western North Carolina. More...

Billy Kennedy Criticizes Rep. Foxx's Call to Repeal Health-Care Reform

VILAS, N.C. - Last week, under pressure from the Club for Growth and the Heritage Foundation, Republican members of Congress began signing on to a "discharge petition" which would force immediate action on legislation to completely repeal the recently passed health insurance reform law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010).

The Club for Growth's government affairs director Andy Roth emailed Republican members with an implied threat that support for repeal "will be considered as a key vote on the Club's annual congressional scorecard," one of the "gold standards" in conservative rankings. Representative Virginia Foxx promptly signed the discharge petition last Tuesday.

Congressional candidate Billy Kennedy issued the following statement:

"Once again, our incumbent Congresswoman shows that she is much more interested in satisfying extremist and powerful special interests than she is in helping the hard working people of Western North Carolina.

"Rep. Foxx has signed on to radical legislation that would immediately repeal every provision in the new health-insurance reform act. A repeal of the bill would return us to the days when insurance companies could refuse to sell insurance policies to people with preexisting conditions. A repeal would mean insurance companies could once again kick people off their health insurance policies when they get sick. A repeal would mean children could no longer stay on their parents' insurance until age 26. A repeal will reopen the Medicare Part D 'Donut Hole,' putting our seniors back into a situation where they can't afford essential medicine.

"There are problems with the health care bill, and I am committed to fixing those problems, but we shouldn't throw the good parts out of the bill just to score political points in an election year.

"I support an optional Medicare buy-in for all Americans at cost. An optional buy-in would not add to the federal deficit, and people could choose to buy a Medicare plan or buy an insurance policy from a private company.

"Repealing the reforms to health-insurance delivery in this country is definitely the wrong direction for the 5th District and for all North Carolinians."