The LuLac Edition #2102, June 25th, 2012

Congressman Lou Barletta 

LOU VS. THE SUPREMOS 

The Supreme Court decision today on immigration got a predictable response from 11th District Congressman Lou Barletta. Barletta sent an e mail missive: 
This morning, the Supreme Court issued its opinion on Arizona’s illegal immigration law, SB 1070. The Court upheld the central provision, that if during the course of an investigation, or on a lawful stop, law enforcement may check an individual's immigration status with federal authorities, if there is reasonable suspicion a person is in the country illegally. This increased enforcement will be an additional deterrent to those who willfully break our laws. But the real problem is that the federal government isn’t enforcing its own immigration laws. Just a little over a week ago, President Obama unilaterally granted a back-door amnesty to up to 1.4 million illegal immigrants. It has to stop. I have been in this fight since it started. Before Arizona, when I was mayor of Hazleton, I created the Illegal Immigration Relief Act. Like Arizona, Hazleton was faced with a serious illegal immigration problem and the federal government refused to help. I took an oath to protect the people of Hazleton and when the federal government refused to do their job, I took action to defend my city. If keeping a steadfast, principled leader against illegal immigration in Washington is important to you, please click here to support my campaign. Make no mistake, those of us who are fighting against illegal immigration are under attack. It’s not just the president’s recent amnesty for illegals. The Justice Department is also suing Oklahoma, Missouri, Utah, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Indiana for enforcing immigration laws. Speaking from my own experience leading the nation as the first mayor in the country to put tough, common sense anti-illegal immigration laws on the books, immigration enforcement is not something our state and local governments want to do. States like Arizona and communities like Hazleton have found they have no other choice when it comes to combating crime and protecting their residents, but to enforce the laws the federal government willfully ignores. I appreciate your support and, as always, will keep you updated with the latest in our fight against illegal immigration. Very truly yours, 
Lou Barletta 
PS. If the White House is going to work around Congress and the courts are going to take options off the table, we’ve got to re-ignite our fight in Washington. 
I like the Congressman personally. He is a nice man. This decision could have given him the opportunity to back away from this issue gracefully. Instead he’s diving back into it. Disagree with his stand but am amazed at his tenacity. 

THE DONUT HOLE 

OVER 5.2 MILLION PEOPLE WITH MEDICARE SAVE $3.7 BILLION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS 

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act average savings for seniors and people with disabilities this year is $651 As a result of the Affordable Care Act, more than 5,254,000 seniors and people with disabilities have saved a total of $3.7 billion on prescription drugs since the law was enacted. The Centers for Medicare and  Medicaid Services (CMS) also released data today showing that in the first five months of 2012, 745,000 people with Medicare saved a total of $485.3 million on prescription drugs in “donut hole” coverage gap for an average of $651 in savings this year. “Thanks to the health care law, millions of people with Medicare have been paying less for prescription drugs,” said CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “The law is helping people with Medicare lower their medical costs, and giving them more resources to stay healthy. By 2020, the donut hole will be fully closed thanks to the Affordable Care Act.” These savings are automatically applied to prescription drugs that people with Medicare purchase, after they hit the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap or “donut hole.” People with Medicare who hit the donut hole in 2010 received a one-time $250 rebate. In 2011, people with Medicare began receiving a 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs and 7 percent coverage of generic drugs in the donut hole. This year, Medicare coverage for generic drugs in the coverage gap has risen to 14 percent. Coverage for both brand name and generic drugs in the gap will continue to increase over time until 2020, when the coverage gap will no longer exist. For more information on how the Affordable Care Act closes the Medicare drug benefit coverage gap “donut hole,” please visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/65-older/drug-discounts/index.html 

PCN TONIGHT AT 11 

The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will air a special edition of Journalists Roundtable tonight at 11:00 p.m. The program will focus on the Jerry Sandusky trial and verdict. Joining host Corinna Wilson for an in-depth discussion on the topic will be Christina Butler of WHP-CBS21; Jeff Frantz of The Patriot-News; Ron Musselman of StateCollege.com; Dennis Owens of WHTM-ABC27 and Wes Oliver, a contributor for NBC News.