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	<title>Larry Kissell</title>
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    <updated>2009-11-19T22:31:45Z</updated>
    
<subtitle>Press Releases from Representative Larry Kissell within the last 90 days</subtitle>   
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    <title>Congressman hosts contracting event</title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From Stanly News &amp; Press)Congressman Larry Kissell hosted a Federal Contracting Symposium at the Stanly Agri-Civic Center on Monday. In total, 22 resources and agencies and 10 prime contractors were on site to assist small businesses in the getting started...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From Stanly News &amp; Press)<br />Congressman Larry Kissell hosted a Federal Contracting Symposium at the Stanly Agri-Civic Center on Monday. <br />In total, 22 resources and agencies and 10 prime contractors were on site to assist small businesses in the getting started in the bidding process to become providers of work and products to the federal government, including the military which had all branches represented.<br />Con. Kissell, who recently toured Afghanistan to visit the troops and access the situation, said of the symposium, &ldquo;Jobs remain our number-one priority. The whole intent of this today is to help businesses interested in doing business with the military.&rdquo;<br />While Kissell has sponsored similar events in Fayetteville, this was a first for Stanly County and was the brain child of County Commissioner Sherrill Smith and Economic Development Commission Director Kevin Gullette. <br />&ldquo;When Sherrill and Kevin came to me with the idea, I though they had a good one, but I never envisioned more than 400 attendees,&rdquo; Kissell said. <br />Kissell mentioned one Stanly County business, United Protective Technologies (UPS), as a perfect example of a small business developing a product that improves life for the US military. UPS has developed a new windshield for military helicopters that overcome a problem seeing through night-vision goggles when the windshield becomes scratched. The UPS windshield has layers, and when the scratched layer is removed, helicopter pilots can once again see with their night-vision goggles.<br />&ldquo;This is an example of a company with a good idea and making it a reality,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;We want to help people by fostering these good ideas. That's what today is all about.<br />Linn Owen of the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) told attendees, &ldquo;The Federal economy is booming. There's a tremendous amount being spent on construction right now as base realignment continues. This should continue until 2012-2013.&rdquo;<br />Owen advised all business attendees that working with the government &ldquo;is a process and you must be registered, then look for business opportunities.&rdquo; She said that NCNBC has 10 representatives across the state and they work with more than 15,000 businesses and 30,000 individuals in North Carolina.<br />&ldquo;For every $100 million spent on military defense contracts, we create 3,000 jobs, add $7 million in corporate taxes and add sales, payroll and local taxes,&rdquo; Owen said. &ldquo;That's what our agency is all about. We're here to help you.&rdquo;</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Kissell Meets With District Veterans</title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From Laurinburg Exchange)US Rep. Larry Kissell hosted a veterans&rsquo; meeting recently at Richmond Community College to talk about what he hoped to accomplish for them.The meeting was held at RCC'&rsquo;s Cole Auditorium and Community Center.&ldquo;This was an opportunity for me...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From Laurinburg Exchange)<br />US Rep. Larry Kissell hosted a veterans&rsquo; meeting recently at Richmond Community College to talk about what he hoped to accomplish for them.<br />The meeting was held at RCC'&rsquo;s Cole Auditorium and Community Center.<br />&ldquo;This was an opportunity for me to meet with our Veterans to listen to the issues that affect them and hear their concerns. Our veterans have served our country with honor and distinction and should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;I will continue to make our Veterans one of my top priorities in Washington, and pledge to work hard to find much-needed solutions to the hardships and special issues they face.&rdquo;<br />Following Kissell's update on legislation affecting veterans, he held an hour-long question and answer session.<br />Discussions included veterans legislation, Veterans Affairs medical care, conditions at the Hamlet VA clinic and the Fayetteville VA Medical Center. Kissell also discussed his recent trip to Afghanistan. At the beginning of the forum, Kissell signed the Richmond County/Rockingham Armed Forces Community Covenant.<br />Also on Friday, Kissell visited the Fayetteville VA Medical Center into which he has requested an Inspector General investigation following numerous constituent complaints earlier this year. Following the hospital tour, Kissell attended a job fair for Veterans held at the Scotland County National Guard Armory, where he had only days before delivered the keynote speech at the Scotland County Veterans' Day Service. </p>]]>
        
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    <title>Kissell addresses CVS Caremark investigation </title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From Stanly News &amp; Press)On Friday, Congressman Larry Kissell was applauding the Federal Trade Commission&rsquo;s decision to investigate CVS Caremark. CVS Caremark has announced that they are the subject of an FTC nonpublic investigation. Back in August, Kissell urged the...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From Stanly News &amp; Press)<br />On Friday, Congressman Larry Kissell was applauding the Federal Trade Commission&rsquo;s decision to investigate CVS Caremark. <br />CVS Caremark has announced that they are the subject of an FTC nonpublic investigation. Back in August, Kissell urged the FTC to investigate the $27 billion merger of the retail pharmacy giant and the largest pharmacy benefits manager in a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz.<br />&ldquo;I requested the FTC investigate this merger after many of my constituents and local pharmacies in my district complained of unfair business practices on the part of CVS Caremark. I appreciate Chairman Lei-bowitz and the FTC looking into this merger,&rdquo; Kissell said. <br />&ldquo;We cannot allow a company to continue to manipulate patients and drive our local pharmacies out of business. These types of unfair business practices and anti-competitive be-haviors are harmful to consumers and community pharmacies.&rdquo;<br />Kissell called for the investigation after allegations arose involving patients receiving letters stating higher co-pays or loss of coverage unless prescriptions were transferred to CVS or Caremark mail order; non-CVS consumers having their confidential patient records used to fill prescriptions at CVS without their knowledge; and consumers having been directed by Caremark-operated Medicare Part D plans to switch their prescriptions to CVS which subsequently results in their plan charged upwards of 3,800 percent more for a drug than at their local pharmacies &mdash; pushing them through the &ldquo;doughnut hole&rdquo; gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage sooner.<br />CVS Caremark admitted to being investigated in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Congressman Kissell visits Afghanistan, meets with troops</title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From Stanly News &amp; Press)Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) traveled to Afghan-istan over the weekend as part of a Congressional Delegation to receive operational assessments of Operation Enduring Freedom.&ldquo;It is important to be able to, first hand and directly, see what...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From Stanly News &amp; Press)<br />Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) traveled to Afghan-istan over the weekend as part of a Congressional Delegation to receive operational assessments of Operation Enduring Freedom.<br />&ldquo;It is important to be able to, first hand and directly, see what our troops are facing, and hear what our military leaders are saying,&rdquo; Kissell said. <br />&ldquo;Our military leaders have told me they need more troops to be successful in their mission. They believe that we have a limited window of opportunity. I agree we should give them the troops needed to finish this mission and protect U.S. interests. At the same time, we must be firm that this must be done with the goal of bringing this war to an end sooner, not later. We cannot lose sight of the many priorities at home that we need to focus our resources on.&rdquo;<br />Kissell visited several Afghanistan military bases including Kandahar Air Field, Bagram Air Base, Camp Bastion, Camp Leatherneck and Patrol Base Jaker-Nawa. He was able to talk with troops, and spend time with many members of Fort Bragg&rsquo;s 82nd Airborne.<br />Along with military progress, the trip was also an opportunity to assess the civilian progress.<br />&ldquo;During a recent meeting with members of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction&rsquo;s office, they affirmed my concern that we need to have the Afghan people more involved in strengthening their own nation,&rdquo; Kissell said. <br />&ldquo;During the trip, I met with provincial and village leaders to determine if this was being taken into account. I believe the Inspector General&rsquo;s office is correct. It is only by, with, and through the Afghan people that we will have success in Afghanistan and thus truly protect the long-term interests of the United States. Our military leaders concurred with that assessment. In spending time with our brave young men and women, it is also a stark reminder of the human toll of war. I have tremendous respect for the pride and determination they show in performing their mission. We, as a nation, should be ever mindful of the sacrifices they and their families back home make as they fight to protect our interests and our way of life.&rdquo;<br />This was Kissell&rsquo;s second time in Afghanistan. In April, he traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait to make ground level assessments.</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Kissell to Host Veterans Meeting at RCC</title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[Congressman Larry Kissell will host a Veterans meeting at Richmond Community College&rsquo;s Cole Auditorium and Community Center in Hamlet on Nov. 13, 2009 at 3 p.m.&ldquo;These meetings give me an opportunity to meet with our local Veterans and listen to...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>Congressman Larry Kissell will host a Veterans meeting at Richmond Community College&rsquo;s Cole Auditorium and Community Center in Hamlet on Nov. 13, 2009 at 3 p.m.<br />&ldquo;These meetings give me an opportunity to meet with our local Veterans and listen to their issues first hand,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;It is important for me to talk to our Vets and hear their voices and work to find solutions for the special issues they face. Our Veterans have given so much to our country &ndash; we owe them a special debt of gratitude, and we must work hard to repay that debt.&rdquo;<br />Kissell will talk to Veterans about recent legislation he has supported and what he hopes to accomplish as he continues to make Veterans a priority in Washington. Veterans and representatives from Veterans organizations are encouraged to attend.<br />For information, please contact Kissell&rsquo;s Concord District Office at (704) 786-1612.</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Congressman Kissell to Host Federal Contracting Symposium</title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[Congressman Kissell to Host Federal Contracting SymposiumCONCORD &ndash; Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) will host a Federal Contracting Symposium on Nov. 16 at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. The event is designed to help North Carolina businesses better navigate the federal...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>Congressman Kissell to Host Federal Contracting Symposium<br />CONCORD &ndash; Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) will host a Federal Contracting Symposium on Nov. 16 at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. The event is designed to help North Carolina businesses better navigate the federal contracting and government procurement process. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.<br />&ldquo;It is important for our regional businesses to understand and talk to decision-makers firsthand about the government contracting process, and be able to utilize it to enhance their business potential,&rdquo; said Kissell. &ldquo;The Eighth District has some of the best and most innovative minds around, and this will give our folks a chance to become more familiar with the procedures involved in federal contracting.&rdquo;<br />The event is sponsored by the North Carolina Military Business Center, Stanly County Community College, Stanly County Economic Development Commission, Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, The North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center and the Small Business Administration. <br />&ldquo;I want to thank these partners for helping us bring this type of symposium to the western part of the Eighth District,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;For years, this type of event has taken place in the eastern part of our district, but it is vitally important to make sure the entire Eighth District gets to participate in this type of business forum.&rdquo;<br />The Symposium will feature federal contracting workshops; a federal contracting resources fair; structured &ldquo;speed networking&rdquo; with federal contractors and North Carolina businesses; and hands-on training. <br />More information and registration can be found at www.ncmbc.us/kissell_reg/StanlyCounty.php.</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Congressman to Vote No on House Health Care Bill</title>
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    <summary>Congressman to Vote No on House Health Care BillWASHINGTON - Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) announced today that he plans to vote against the most recent health care bill offered in the U.S. House of Representatives due to that bill&apos;s proposed...</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>Congressman to Vote No on House Health Care Bill<br /><br />WASHINGTON - Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) announced today that he plans to vote against the most recent health care bill offered in the U.S. House of Representatives due to that bill's proposed cuts in Medicare benefits.<br /><br />&quot;From the day I announced my candidacy for this office, I promised to protect Medicare,&quot; Kissell said. &quot;I gave my word I wouldn't cut it and I intend to keep that promise to the citizens of the Eighth District and the senior citizens of this nation. While I believe comprehensive health care and insurance reform is necessary, I cannot vote for H.R. 3962 in its current form, which cuts $399 billion from Medicare.&quot;</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Kissell honors the Laurinburg Institute</title>
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    <summary>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell honored the history of the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute this week on the floor of U.S. House of Representatives.A resolution, authored by Kissell, received overwhelming bipartisan support with a vote of 418-0. The...</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)<br />U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell honored the history of the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute this week on the floor of U.S. House of Representatives.<br />A resolution, authored by Kissell, received overwhelming bipartisan support with a vote of 418-0. <br />The Laurinburg Institute was founded on Sept. 15, 1904, by Emmanuel McDuffie and his wife Tinny Etheridge McDuffie at the request of Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute and William Edwards of the Snow Hill Institute<br />Four generations of the McDuffie family have operated the Institute.<br />&ldquo;This is a proud day for the Eighth District as we honor the contributions of the Laurinburg Institute to our area. We celebrate the Institute&rsquo;s commitment to the education of African-American youth and the people of North Carolina,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;We owe a debt of gratitude to the McDuffie family for their dedication to producing educators, humanitarians, athletes and civil rights leaders. I commend the commitment of four generations of the McDuffies to the people of Scotland County and North Carolina.&rdquo;<br />A sponsor of the resolution, Congressman G. K. Butterfield also applauded passage of the resolution.<br />&ldquo;Following the Tuskegee and Snow Hill Institutes model of developing pride, being self-sufficient and encouraging the black community to buy land, build homes and start businesses, Laurinburg Institute quickly became a pillar of the black community,&rdquo; Butterfield said. &ldquo;It also holds the great distinction of being one of being one of the first area schools where blacks could receive a quality education in the face of segregation.&rdquo;<br />The Laurinburg Institute is the oldest of only four historically African-American boarding schools still remaining in the United States. <br />Laurinburg Institute was founded to help provide suitable education and training in common pursuits of life for African-Americans in the area of Laurinburg.<br />Since 1904, the Laurinburg Institute has graduated more than 50,000 students. Distinguished alumni include Sir John Swann, the former Premiere of Bermuda and first person of color to be a head of state in the Western Hemisphere; Joy Johnson, one of the first African-American elected to the North Carolina General Assembly after the Reconstruction era; John Birks &ldquo;Dizzy&rdquo; Gillespie, an internationally renowned jazz trumpeter; and Charles &ldquo;Charlie&rdquo; Scott, the first African-American scholarship athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Scott was an NBA and ABA All-Star during a professional career that spanned nine seasons, split between the Virginia Squires, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. Scott was a member of the 1976 NBA champion Celtics and also won a gold medal as part of the USA basketball team at 1968 Summer Olympics. </p>]]>
        
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    <title>Kannapolis gets Southeast&apos;s first USDA Human Nutrition Center </title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From the Salisbury Post) KANNAPOLIS &mdash; The N.C. Research Campus has landed a USDA Human Nutrition Center, the first of its kind in the Southeast.The U.S. Department of Agriculture could hire as many as 150 people for the nutrition center,...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Salisbury Post) <br />KANNAPOLIS &mdash; The N.C. Research Campus has landed a USDA Human Nutrition Center, the first of its kind in the Southeast.<br />The U.S. Department of Agriculture could hire as many as 150 people for the nutrition center, which cleared a final hurdle Wednesday when President Barack Obama signed the 2010 Agricultural Appropriations Bill.<br />The new law includes $1 million to establish the center at the Research Campus, a life sciences complex in downtown Kannapolis.<br />Federal scientists will collaborate with university researchers at the campus to study nutrition and agriculture at the molecular level, &quot;groundbreaking research that will make our communities healthier,&quot; U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, a Democrat whose district includes Kannapolis, said in a statement.<br />&quot;This research can help us to better understand exactly how nutrition impacts our health, as well as bring new jobs to our area,&quot; said Kissell, who first requested the earmark to establish the center. <br />The USDA will move into the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building, centerpiece of the $1.5 billion campus.<br />The addition of the USDA is a &quot;benchmark in fulfilling the mission of the campus to transform nutrition, agriculture and human health to benefit mankind,&quot; Murdock said in a statement.<br />Murdock owns Dole Food Co. and campus developer Castle &amp; Cooke.<br />The Research Campus has long pursued a federal presence in Kannapolis, which will provide a key recruiting tool for developers and could attract hundreds of additional jobs as businesses look for opportunities to work with the federal government.<br />The $1 million is seed money to open the center, hiring several scientists and support staff. If successful, the center eventually could have an annual budget of $25 million.<br />Kannapolis will become the seventh city in the nation to have a USDA nutrition center.<br />A large contingent of North Carolina lawmakers worked to shepherd the earmark through Congress, including Kissell, Sen. Richard Burr, Sen. Kay Hagan, Rep. Howard Coble and Rep. Mel Watt. <br />Kissell said he was told earlier this year that the appropriation wouldn't be possible. He thanked North Carolina's senators for helping to secure funding for the project.<br />The center will focus on cutting-edge research into how improved nutrition can impact human health on an individual basis. Scientists will work to develop customized solutions that target individual response to diet and nutrition and will conduct research into the development of healthier agricultural products.<br />&quot;The center will provide a natural complement to the types of research underway at the NCRC and will further our goal of fostering multi-institutional collaboration,&quot; Lynne Scott Safrit, president of Castle &amp; Cooke North Carolina, said in a statement.<br />The University of North Carolina Nutrition Research Institute and the N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute will collaborate with the USDA to develop the center. <br /><br />&nbsp;</p>]]>
        
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    <title>House agrees to extend benefits to jobless</title>
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    <summary>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)With the Scotland&apos;s long-standing distinction of holding the state&apos;s highest jobless rate, a new bill to extend unemployment benefits could help.The U.S. House has agreed to give the jobless in a majority of states, including North Carolina,...</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)<br />With the Scotland's long-standing distinction of holding the state's highest jobless rate, a new bill to extend unemployment benefits could help.<br />The U.S. House has agreed to give the jobless in a majority of states, including North Carolina, another 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits.<br />The bill passed the House 331-83. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate. The longtime unemployed in states with lower levels of joblessness would not get the extension.<br />Instead, the extension is targeted to those states with particularly high unemployment with a three-month average total unemployment rate of 8.5 percent. North Carolina&rsquo;s three-month average unemployment is 11 percent with 17,316 expected to exhaust their benefits through September 2009.<br />U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, whose 8th district includes Scotland County, voted for the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.<br />&ldquo;Our unemployment rates in North Carolina are staggering, especially here in the 8th District,&quot; Kissell said. &quot;As our workers search for hard-to-find jobs, we must be sure to help them meet the needs of their families.&quot;<br />The immediate effect of the bill would to keep assistance flowing to about 300,000 people, three-fourths of those expected to exhaust their benefits in September. Through the end of the year, it would protect more than 1 million from losing their benefits.<br />&ldquo;This extension will help them to buy groceries, make car payments and pay their mortgages as they continue to search for a job.,&quot; Kissell said.&quot;This is just one of the steps we must take as we work toward economic recovery.&rdquo;<br /><br />Kissell added that the bill remains deficit neutral through a one-year extension of the federal unemployment tax that has been in place for more than 30 years.<br /><br />A total of 6.9 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007. In August, job losses declined to 216,000, the lowest total in more than a year. However, the unemployment rate increased to 9.7 percent. More than one-third of jobless workers have been out of work for more than six months.<br />The stimulus act passed last February added $25 to people's unemployment checks. It also expanded several federal programs to help cash-strapped states, increasing the maximum level of benefits for the hardest-hit states to 79 weeks.<br />Because the recession officially began in December 2007, people getting the full 79 weeks could be running out of benefits and would be entitled to the 13-week extension.</p>]]>
        
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    <title>Funding set to improve Uwharries </title>
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    <summary><![CDATA[(From the Stanly News &amp; Press)Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) and Agriculture Secreary Tom Vilsack announced projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for forest health protection projects in the Uwharrie and Croatan National Forests. This funding will...]]></summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Stanly News &amp; Press)<br />Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) and Agriculture Secreary Tom Vilsack announced projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for forest health protection projects in the Uwharrie and Croatan National Forests. <br />This funding will be used to restore forest health conditions on federal, state and private forest and rangelands recovering from fires, forest insects and disease outbreaks. <br />These conditions weaken affected lands and threaten the benefits these lands provide, including clean water, clean air, habitat for wildlife, resistance to wildfire, and recreational opportunities for the public.<br />&ldquo;The Uwharrie&#8200;National Forest is one of the most over-looked treasures in North Carolina. I have spent many days enjoying the wonders of the Uwharrie with my family. It is so important that we protect these national treasures for our future,&rdquo;&#8200;Kissell said. <br />&ldquo;Using Recovery funds to prevent more damage from the Southern Pine Beetle will not only protect our national forest but help put people to work.&rdquo;<br />North Carolina will receive $2,802,00 for use in for projects including $181,000 for Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Thinning on the Croatan and Uwharrie National Forests as well as SPB Restoration on the Croatan National Forest.<br />&ldquo;These Recovery Act projects will put people to work and advance the Obama Administra-tion&rsquo;s vision for a balanced and cooperative approach to forest management that will provide for public health and safety by restoring forestlands and rangelands damaged by insects, disease and invasive species,&rdquo; Vilsack said. <br />&ldquo;Proper forest management helps protect our forests for the benefit of current and future generations by restoring the vitality and productivity of the land.&rdquo;<br />These Recovery&#8200;Act funds will be used to complete high priority projects to restore forest health and resiliency by reducing insect and disease problems. Among the projects announced will be efforts to thin understory trees and control spread of pests, which will reduce the risk of massive forest die-offs. Epidemic insect outbreaks, such as hemlock woody adelgid, Asian longhorn beetle and bark beetles have killed large expanses of forests and threaten to kill more. <br />Additionally, workers will undertake efforts to control the spread of invasive plants by hand and with machinery, thus protecting and restoring healthy ecosystems. Invasive plants such as Cogan Grass, leafy spurge and cheatgrass threaten ecosystems by out-competing and displacing native plants.<br />Finally, the funds will also help provide technical and financial assistance for care of lands owned by states, local governments, private organizations and private individuals. These activities will protect highly valued forested areas, reduce the risks of vegetation mortality, increase landscape resilience, and prevent future disease and insect outbreaks.<br />A listing of the forest health protection projects and information on other Forest service ARRA&#8200;projects may be found at http://fs.usda.gov/recovery.</p>]]>
        
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<entry>
    <title>Congressman Kissell Supports BRAC Regional Task Force Grant </title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://kissell.house.gov/2009/09/congressman-kissell-supports-brac-regional-task-force-grant.shtml" />
    <id>tag:kissell.house.gov,2009://4.630</id>

    <!--<published>2009-09-09T18:24:17Z</published>-->
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    <summary>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)Rep. Larry Kissell says he supports the announcement that the BRAC Regional Task Force will receive a grant of $800,000 from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Division of Workforce Development (DWD) as part of...</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)<br />Rep. Larry Kissell says he supports the announcement that the BRAC Regional Task Force will receive a grant of $800,000 from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Division of Workforce Development (DWD) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds received by the state of North Carolina. The grant is part of the JobsNOW Initiative.<br />&ldquo;The BRAC expansion will have an enormous impact on the area surrounding Fort Bragg including many counties in the Eighth District,&rdquo; Kissell said. &ldquo;I am glad the state of North Carolina recognizes how important this will be for our state, and has granted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to help with improving the technology in the schools affected by this expansion. This type of funding is one of the reasons I voted for the Recovery Act.&rdquo;<br />The grant expands technology in 11 pilot high schools and includes a fixed i3D theater, SMART board, video tele-presence, HD Cameras and connectivity with a distributive learning network via the Internet. Recipients of this technology will be Scotland High School, Richmond Senior High School, Lumberton High School, West Bladen High School, Pine Forest High School, Overhills High School, Hoke County High School, Southern Lee High School, East Montgomery High School, Union Pines High School and Lakewood High School.<br />The BRAC RTF in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College and NAVTech have developed an innovative enhanced technology classroom that started with the placement of i3D theater systems in each of these high schools to enhance the learning environment in all Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subject areas. The i3D theaters were made possible by a grant from the GoldenLEAF Foundation last December. </p>]]>
        
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<entry>
    <title>Congressman Kissell Calls for FTC Investigation into CVS/Caremark Merger</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://kissell.house.gov/2009/09/congressman-kissell-calls-for-ftc-investigation-into-cvscaremark-merger.shtml" />
    <id>tag:kissell.house.gov,2009://4.629</id>

    <!--<published>2009-09-02T18:18:46Z</published>-->
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    <summary>U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission Chairman requesting an investigation into the merger between CVS and Caremark.
Kissell said he was concerned by reports from local pharmacies and constituents of anti-competitive and deceptive conduct.</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Laurinburg Exchange)<br />U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission Chairman requesting an investigation into the merger between CVS and Caremark.<br />Kissell said he was concerned by reports from local pharmacies and constituents of anti-competitive and deceptive conduct.<br />Kissell said he wants to know whether the merger of the country&rsquo;s largest retail pharmacy chain and the largest pharmacy benefits manager has led to significant harm to consumers and small businesses.<br />&ldquo;The allegations of deceptive and harmful practices by CVS/Caremark are disturbing, and must be addressed,&quot; Kissell said. &quot;We cannot allow a company to manipulate patients and drive local pharmacies out of business. I believe the merger between CVS and Caremark has resulted in a vertically integrated company with the power, incentives and capability to dispose of competitors and harm consumers. I strongly encourage the Federal Trade Commission to investigate this merger and the effects it is having on the market place.&rdquo;<br />CVS has more than 6,200 pharmacies nationwide, serving more than 150,000,000 consumers yearly while Caremark manages the pharmacy benefits of more than 130 million people.<br />Media reports and examples cited by local pharmacies suggest a pattern of dishonest practices by CVS/Caremark. Allegations contained in these reports include: consumers have received letters stating higher co-pays or loss of coverage unless prescriptions are transferred to CVS or Caremark mail order; non-CVS consumers have had their confidential patient records used to fill prescriptions at CVS pharmacies without their knowledge; consumers are being forced to switch from their community pharmacies to CVS or mail-order pharmacy which are unable to serve the specific requirements of specialty prescriptions, causing some patients to change their drug regimes or risk ruining their entire treatment; and consumers have been directed by Caremark-operated Medicare Part D plans to switch their prescriptions to CVS which subsequently results in their plan charged upwards of 3,800% more for a drug than at their local pharmacy &ndash; pushing them through the &ldquo;doughnut hole&rdquo; gap in the Medicare prescription drug coverage.<br />Cabarrus County pharmacist, Dr. Joe Moose of Moose Pharmacy, said community pharmacies and their patients are being subjected to questionable business practices on a daily basis because of the information sharing between CVS and Caremark, even though, prior to the merger, the companies contended it wouldn&rsquo;t occur.<br />&ldquo;The FTC needs to conduct a meaningful review of CVS Caremark&rsquo;s anti-competitive, anti-privacy, and anti-consumer business practices that have transpired as a result of the merger. Either we are witnessing an extraordinary amount of coincidences in North Carolina and around the country or that supposed firewall between the two companies is constantly being breached. As a result pressure is being applied on patients to steer them away from their independent community pharmacies by imposing higher co-pays or other tactics. This must be stopped and only the FTC has the power to make that happen,&rdquo; said Moose. &ldquo;Either the CVS Caremark merger needs to be rescinded or real firewalls need to be erected between the two companies to prevent these conflicts of interests from happening anymore. I am glad Congressman Kissell is concerned enough for residents of North Carolina and the nation to push for further investigation of this matter.&rdquo;</p>]]>
        
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<entry>
    <title>30th Infantry Division to be honored</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://kissell.house.gov/2009/08/30th-infantry-division-to-be-honored.shtml" />
    <id>tag:kissell.house.gov,2009://4.628</id>

    <!--<published>2009-08-27T18:13:52Z</published>-->
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    <summary>North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue, Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08), and Maj. Gen. William E. Ingram, Jr., the Adjutant General of the N.C. National Guard, will honor the 30th Infantry Division during a ceremony Thursday afternoon at the Old House Chamber in the State Capitol in Raleigh.</summary>
    
    
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        <![CDATA[<p>(From the Stanly News &amp; Press)<br />North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue, Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08), and Maj. Gen. William E. Ingram, Jr., the Adjutant General of the N.C. National Guard, will honor the 30th Infantry Division during a ceremony Thursday afternoon at the Old House Chamber in the State Capitol in Raleigh.<br />Kissell introduced a resolution, H. Res. 494, in the U.S. House of Representatives, to honor the exemplary service of the 30th Infantry Division during World War II.<br />The 30th Infantry Division, known as the Old Hickory after President Andrew Jack-son, is a predecessor to the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the N.C. Army National Guard and is currently deployed to Iraq. The ceremony will honor the 30th Infantry Division's service in World War II.<br />The 30th was formed from National Guard Units from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The division began its service in July of 1917 and deployed for World War I. <br />In 1941, the division was again mobilized for World War II, becoming one of most highly-decorated infantry divisions. By the end of its service in WWII, it had captured more than 65,000 Ger-man prisoners and earned praise from the official historian of the European Theater of Operations, S.L.A. Mar-shall, as the most outstanding infantry division in Europe. The Division received six Congressional Medals of Honor along with 20,000 Purple Hearts and some 8,000 other awards for heroism.<br />The event is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. in the Old House Chamber on the Second Floor of the N.C. State Capitol Building, One East Edenton Street, Raleigh, and then move to the World War II Memorial on the Capitol grounds.</p>]]>
        
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