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Congressman John Hall Opens Office in Carmel
Veterans' Affairs, Watershed and Transportation to be Halls' focus
by Margaret Sternberg
On January 29, 2007 newly-elected Congressman John Hall announced that he will open an east-of-Hudson Congressional office in Carmel, NY. Hall said that Carmel had been chosen because it is centrally located and equidistant between Westchester and Dutchess Counties. Congressman Hall's district covers all of Putnam County, northern Rockland County, most of Orange, northern Westchester and half of Dutchess County.
Hall said the location was based on his desire to be accessible to the public and to be actively involved in solving problems for people in the district. Describing the choice as a "great location," Hall said the Carmel location represents the "second anchor in the decision services program," the first being a west-of-Hudson district office set up several weeks ago in Goshen.
The Carmel office will be located in the Putnam County Office Building, which was described as a "great location" because of its ability to "centralize services" for the public in one place. Hall said the choice of location was influenced by safety considerations and the ability to tie in the communication system with that of the House of Representatives.
Hall said there are also plans for a "roving district office" with hours by appointment to cover people in Westchester, Dutchess and Rockland Counties who are unable to get to the Carmel or Goshen offices.
Putnam County Executive Bob Bondi noted that it had been many years since Putnam County has had a Congressional office, saying, "What better place to have a Congressional office than the county, and our Congressman has recognized that. We all look forward to working on the important issues for Putnam County, transportation and water supply issues, as well as our veterans' issues, which are very significant…"
During a brief ceremonial presentation by Mr. Bondi of office keys to Congressman Hall, Mr. Bondi noted that the lease on the office still needed final approval by the County Legislature before the lease could be finalized. The full legislature will meet February 6.
Legislature Chairman Dan Birmingham said he was "thrilled about having a congressional presence in the county," adding that there hadn't been one "since 1994 when Hamilton Fish was here." Birmingham said that he was looking forward to working with the Congressman.
Legislator Sam Oliverio, however, blasted Mr. Bondi. Oliverio said that he was upset that Mr. Bondi "would use that moment to award the key to Congressman Hall and then leave the onus of that approval upon the legislature with whom he never had any communication, never spoke to us, never shared with us his intentions. That is not good governance. I am very happy that the placement of Congreeman Hall's office will be in the County Building, but I am extremely unhappy with the process of that placement. I applaud Mr. Bondi's good Democratic leanings, but I am dismayed by the way he has handled the process."
Hall serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Veterans' Committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and was to be nominated on January 30 to be the Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability and Memorials.
Hall discussed his assignment on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, specifically focusing on a backlog of approximately 400,000 veterans' disability claims nationwide as well as over 176,000 claims so far from the Iraq and Iran conflicts. Hall said "there is a strong sense on both sides of the aisle that we need to take better care of our veterans." Hall said this applied to the veteran's medical care, housing and economic strengths, adding that the Congress would work hard to try to eliminate homelessness among veterans and to extend the time - currently two years - for the veterans to present themselves to the Veterans' Administration with an illness or disability. Hall described the two-year limit as "unworkable," adding that many times Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not manifest itself until "10, sometimes 20-years later… being misidentified at first" and describing several factors that would postpone beyond the two-year limit a request for assistance.
Hall said his interest in veterans' affairs was increased by discussions he had with veterans on their post-military career treatment. He said that in Westchester, one of the wealthiest counties in the country, 20 percent of the homeless are veterans. Hall described veterans being asked to risk their lives, and "when they get home, they shouldn't be troubled with bankruptcy…and, one of the things I want to do is introduce legislation to provide bankruptcy protection." Hall also said he would like to address issues such as veterans medical and disability care being fully funded, as well as having housing and training provided so that they "can move through this transitional period and out into the workforce."
Hall's interest in veterans is also very personal: he has a number of family members who are either in the military or retired from military careers. Hall said his nephew is a cadet at West Point; his brother is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, and he has several cousins and uncles who have served in the military.
Hall has been assigned to the Water Research Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee deals with wastewater treatment as well as drinking water as regulated by the Clean Water Act. He said the Subcommittee will be considering re-funding the revolving loan fund that can be used to assist specific communities that need assistance with their drinking water or their wastewater handling. Aquifer and wetland protection and groundwater also fall under the committee's aegis.
Hall noted that one of the reasons he had asked for assignment on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was his district is heavily dependent upon commuting. Another reason was his desire to be on the Aviation Subcommittee because of the importance of Stewart Airport to the region. The airport was recently taken over by the Port Authority. Hall said that he is taking a special interest in the development of the airport and the direct effect that will have on transportation in the area as well as the far-flung economic impacts of what has been called the metropolitan area's "fourth airport."
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