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Congressional Report
In just a few days, the 110th Congress will convene with many new faces in charge of both the House and the Senate. In next week’s column, we’ll provide a glimpse at the make-up of the new Congress, as well as an idea about some of the stated goals and priorities of the new Speaker of the House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D - California. For now, however, as 2006 draws to a close, let me once again tell you how truly honored I am to have completed another term in office as your voice in Congress. Just a few days before Christmas, at a local department store in Mobile, a very nice man and his wife came up to thank me for helping him with a problem he had experienced with the federal bureaucracy. It seems he had run into one road block after another, and it was only after contacting my staff that he was able to get positive results. Truthfully, this is not an uncommon story. And while the fact is we cannot guarantee an agency will decide a case in your favor, we can assist you by seeing it gets timely consideration. On behalf of the young men and women who work with me, special thanks for allowing us an opportunity to represent you and your interests. 2006 – A challenging year Without a doubt, 2006 has been a challenging year — from unprecedented gas prices this summer, to Iran’s work to acquire and develop nuclear weapons, to North Korea’s conducting its first nuclear test. But, we have also had our share of good news – the “prince of al Qaeda,” Abu Musab al Zarqawi, was killed by coalition forces; Congress approved the expansion of domestic offshore oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, allowing Alabama and three other coastal states to share part of the federal revenues; and Medicare Part D was implemented, allowing the average senior more than $1200 in annual savings a year on their drug bills. This past year I was also proud to host the first telephone town hall meetings — to my knowledge — in the entire state, and certainly the first in southwest Alabama. From my office in Washington, D.C., we made random calls to literally thousands of residents of the First District, and I was able to listen to comments and answer questions on events in our nation’s capital and issues of concern to my constituents and their families and friends. Over the past four years, we have held over 135 town meetings in all six counties of Alabama’s First Congressional District, and we’re already busy making plans for our next series of town meetings in early 2007. New office in Washington Speaking of new venues, my staff in Washington has just completed a move to our new office in room 422 of the Cannon House Office Building.
If you or your family are making plans to visit Washington anytime soon, please note the change in our office location. Our D.C. phone number, (202) 225-4931, remains the same.
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