The Fighting 29th

All about New York's 29th Congressional District

Today's Massa press conference covered veterans' issues and, of course, energy.

Massa began with a discussion of the current state of veterans' issues. With 500,000 new veterans, mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan, the average processing time for veterans' claims by the VA has increased from 177 days in 2006 to 183 days in 2007. Massa said, "It's time to support our troops and veterans' community instead of just talking about it."

Referring to Kuhl's recent media event, Massa said that veterans "deserve more than a yellow ribbon and a press conference from their Congressman." He noted that Kuhl refused to take questions from actual vets at that conference. In addition

According to the Congressional Record, Randy Kuhl has voted to oppose ending the military family tax, against veterans' health care funding, and against the minimum rest period in Iraq. [His explanation is] they're too expensive. [...] That's a Congressional vote, not spin.

Massa called on Kuhl to co-sponsor John Hall's [D,NY-19] Veterans Claims Modernization Act (HR 5892). Massa believes this bill "will end many of the issues veterans face every day." He says it will increase funding as necessary. "It's about time we put our money where our mouths are." He said that if we can spend a trillion dollars funding George Bush's Iraq War, we can afford to take care of veterans.

I asked a couple of questions. First, Nancy Pelosi has called for using oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. I asked Massa if he agreed. He doesn't.

We face a crisis in this country, which has been brought about by the devaluation of the dollar, pursued so we could fund the War in Iraq. The biggest thing we can do is strengthen the dollar. [CNN reported that] crude oil is down $14/barrel because the dollar is strengthening. Using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will not lower the price at the pumps, and it will place us in a worse strategic place.

I also asked Massa about Randy Kuhl's recent remarks to the Corning Leader, where he said that there are other sources of oil that could be tapped. Massa said he has no idea what he's talking about, noting that "Kuhl has talked about the need to start drilling in ANWR. That would open a minimal supply of petroleum in a 5-year period."

Massa then talked about a full-page ad in the New York Times, paid for by T. Boone Pickens:

Mr. Pickens is rumored to have some experince in the oil business. His ad says, 'My name is T. Boone Pickens. I have been an oil man all my life. This is one emergency we can't drill our way out of.' I think Mr. Kuhl should talk to T. Boone Pickens.

Massa referred to Pickens website, pickensplan.com, noting that he agrees with some of what Pickens says, and disagrees with other parts of the plan. But, he noted, at least Pickens is being straightforward about the problem.

Kuhl, in contrast, "is not only wrong, but insultingly wrong. He's answering to his masters in big oil who have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his campaign. All drilling in ANWR will do is increase their profits."

The other reporter on the call was from WXXI, Rochester's public radio station.