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No GITMO Detainees on American Soil
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Last Tuesday, President Obama finally released his plan to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility 7 years into his Presidency. The plan calls for transferring some detainees to the United States.
Not only is this plan incredibly dangerous, but it's also against the law.
Emptying Guantanamo Bay ignores the basic facts of the last 7 years: the threat of terrorism has grown, not diminished, and released fighters have reengaged with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Every release poses an increased risk that the ranks of organizations like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are replenished - a morale boost and recruiting tool.
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Additionally, the president is barred by law from transferring Guantanamo detainees to any square inch of American soil. President Obama himself signed this into law just three months ago, as he has many times in the past.
Bottom line, the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility is a critical element to our fight against terrorists. Instead of desperately trying to leave behind a legacy, President Obama should start taking our national security more seriously. |
| I want to know where you stand: |
| Do you think the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility should be closed? |
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| House Happenings |
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Here's a look at some of the bills we passed in the House of Representatives last week:
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- SHARE Act of 2015 (H.R. 2406): The SHARE Act includes 13 provisions that would protect Second Amendment rights and ensure access to federal lands for outdoor sportsmen.
- National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel Act of 2016 (H.R. 4408): Despite increasing threats across the globe, the federal government has not updated our national strategy to combat terrorist travel in 10 years. This bill would require every president to present such a strategy in the first year of his/her term, along with an implementation plan.
- Foreign Fighter Review Act of 2016 (H.R. 4402): Hundreds of Americans have attempted to join jihadists overseas, yet only a few dozen have been interdicted by authorities. H.R. 4402 would require reviews of each of these cases to determine why individuals have slipped through the cracks, and what can be done in the future to prevent Americans from becoming foreign fighters.
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To stay updated on Congress' schedule, visit the House Majority Leader's website: www.majorityleader.gov.
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Protecting Whistleblowers
Last Tuesday, I met one-on-one with VA Secretary Bob McDonald to discuss the recent whistleblower allegations.
During the meeting, I shared a letter with him asking for his assurances that these whistleblowers will be safe from any retaliation.
You can read the entire letter here. |
Concerning Allegations
at the Cincinnati VAMC
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| Photo courtesy of WLWT |
As I'm sure many of you know, several disturbing allegations have recently surfaced against senior officials at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (VAMC).
More than 30 hospital employees have accused the facility's chief of staff, Dr. Barbara Temeck, of ignoring dirty surgical instruments, cutting corners to balance the hospital's books, and more. Temeck has also been accused of improperly prescribing controlled substances to regional director Jack Hetrick's wife.
The VA acted last Thursday to dismiss Mr. Hetrick (which was only possible because of the Veterans Choice Act of 2014) and suspend Dr. Temeck. But we cannot stop here.
The House has already passed another bill, the VA Accountability Act of 2015, that would give the VA the tools to dismiss all employees found accountable, not just senior executives. But the Senate continues to block these accountability tools, and the White House has threatened to veto it. It's time for those politicians to decide: will they stand with our veterans or disgraced bureaucrats?
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RECAP: Veterans' Job Fair and Congressional Hearing
Like many of my fellow soldiers, I was eager to get back to work and return to life as normal when I returned home from Iraq. But for many of our nation's veterans, that may not be an easy task. As Chairman of the House VA Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, one of my top priorities is ensuring our returning troops have the tools they need to re-enter civilian society, and providing opportunities for them to pursue higher education or find gainful employment.
On February 19, I put these ideas into action and hosted a veterans' job fair in Cincinnati. We had nearly 50 regional employers participate, and dozens of veterans who came ready to discuss career opportunities. A big "thank you" to all who attended and made this event such a great success!
Prior to the job fair, I also hosted my fellow congressmen Steve Chabot, Bill Johnson, Luke Messer, and Mark Takano for a special congressional hearing on best practices in veteran hiring. We heard from groups like Cincinnati PD, GE Aviation, Cintas, and others about the most effective ways to get our veterans back to work. I look forward to taking what we learned at this hearing back to Congress as we work to better serve all our nation's veterans.
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| See the Top 9 Posts from the Event |
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| Local WWII veteran, Corporal Harry Freyer |
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Honored At Last
One of my greatest privileges as your congressman is being able to help our nation's heroes secure medals recognizing their military service.
Earlier this month, it was my distinct honor to present several, long overdue medals to local WWII veteran Corporal Harry Freyer, who proudly served our nation from 1942-1946. Corporal Freyer received a total of 9 medals, including the Bronze Star Award and the French Legion of Honor.
On behalf of a grateful nation, I sincerely thank Corporal Freyer and all of our nation's veterans for their selfless service!
If you or a loved one need help with the VA or any other federal agency, please contact my office at
(513) 474-7777.
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2016 Congressional Art Competition
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| Submissions from the 2015 art competition |
Calling all high school artists!
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. I invite all high school students in Ohio's Second District to participate!
Students may submit their artwork to one of my district offices in Cincinnati or Peebles no later than 5pm on Friday, April 15.
For a complete list of rules and regulations, please visit www.Wenstrup.House.gov/art. |
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Connect:
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WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE
1318 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
P:
(202) 225-3164
F:
(202) 225-1992
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HAMILTON COUNTY OFFICE
7954 Beechmont Ave, Suite 200
Cincinnati, OH 45255
P:
(513) 474-7777
F:
(513) 605-1377 |
PEEBLES OFFICE
170 North Main St.
Peebles, OH 45660
P:
(513) 605-1380
F:
(937) 798-4024
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UNION TOWNSHIP OFFICE
4350 Aicholtz Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45245
P:
(513) 605-1389
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