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Solar energy, immigration top congresswoman's priorities
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| Gabrielle Giffords |
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
In a visit to Southern Arizona recently, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords said her major priorities in the new two-year term are solar energy, immigration reform and providing support to the military troops and veterans.
Continuing to promote renewable energy, Giffords said she would focus on solar power.
"We have eight years to make Arizona a national leader in solar industry. We have the sun, we have the land and we have the infrastructure, and now all we have to do is make it happen," she said.
When it comes to immigration reform, Giffords said she has already spoken to Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain and plans to push forth legislation to fix a major problem not just in this state, but the country.
Giffords, a Democrat, was elected last month to her second term to the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressional District 8, which covers much of Southern Arizona. Giffords defeated Arizona Senate President Tim Bee for the two-year term.
Giffords spoke at length about the changes on the horizon for the state and nation in the 30-minute interview.
When it came to the mining issues, she spoke about the newly elected administration appointing a new secretary of the interior, but in other cabinet seats, the Tucson native praised president-elect Barack Obama for being open minded in his selections.
"I think it's a continuation of his message of change, that the American people wanted a shift in policy," she said. "They wanted a complete break from the current administration. President-elect Obama is smart and capable, and is putting together an incredible cabinet and the transition is going smoothly. But the country is at record deficit, we are at war in two countries, 50 million people are without health insurance, our public schools are suffering and there is a tough road ahead.
"The American people want us to put the partisanship and divisiveness aside. They want us to work together to solve some of these very complex problems. I believe in President-elect Obama's choices for the cabinet, they are moderate, middle of the road, competent individuals with strong personalities that aren't just going to be yes men. They will be able to help lead the nation."
One of those cabinet selections is coming from Arizona. Giffords said Gov. Janet Napolitano was an excellent choice to take over the Department of Homeland Security.
"It's a big loss to the state of Arizona though, she's been an effective governor, hard-working and bi-partisan," Giffords said. "I understand there are needs at the federal level that she will be very good at, but it's going to be a big loss for us."
As Napolitano gets ready to join Obama in January, Arizona Secretary of State Janet Brewer, a Republican, will take over the state's top position.
"Arizona has a new legislature, new speaker of the house a new Senate president and the biggest challenge the state faces is a tremendous budget deficit," Giffords said. "A lot of cuts will be made and prioritization has to take place. Jan Brewer is going to have to come up to speed on all of this very quickly."
Giffords said various states across the nation are struggling, and with Arizona facing a major budget shortfall, the federal government is looking at how to help.
"There's been talk about an economic stimulus package with an infrastructure program, jobs program, a renewable energy program and funding for state programs," she said. "With shrinking budgets and resources in each state, governors are looking for assistance."
Giffords also discussed the $700 bailout package approved for Wall Street, and the bailout Congress has been contemplating to provide assistance for the nation's three largest automakers.
"There's not a lot of confidence in the auto company's CEOs," Giffords said. "They increased the ask from $25 billion to $34 billion. There's a tremendous amount of anger and frustration with people losing their jobs right now. The plans that they put together don't include the American people keeping their jobs. There's a mixed message right now. Yes the automotive industry is very important to the United States. But that's why you have company CEOs, to keep their company strong and viable, and over the course of the years they have ignored market trends, and consumer buying patterns. They are also, I think, largely subjected not just to people not buying American cars, but people are not buying anything right now."
Giffords said credit is a problem right now, as Americans are fearful of losing their jobs and they are not going out to buy cars or spending money.
When it comes to the $700 billion bailout that was approved earlier this year by Congress, Giffords said it does help local residents because it helps keep banks and creditors in business.
Giffords said when the bailout bill first came up she had a lot from constituents.
"Thousands of calls came into the office, they were split 50-50. Fifty percent said no, and 50 percent said hell no," Giffords said. "Then, that evening when the stock market hit all time lows, people started looking at their investments and portfolios, they realized that we as a nation could not afford to allow the banks to crumble."
Southern Arizona residents are impacted directly, the Congresswoman explained, as it goes toward a business owner's right to get a loan, residents' ability to get the funding approved for a new car, or even a new home.
"It was later called a recovery package," Giffords said. "The design was to help banks and lending institutions by lubricating the economic engine of America," she said. "The dollar figure had to be large enough so that businesses would pay attention and the markets would understand that the government was going to make sure these large companies don't fail."
Giffords said there were protections put into the package, most notably, after the first $350 billion is spent, Congress would readdress the issue and make sure the money is being spent properly.
The companies will also eventually repay the money, Giffords said, noting it was more like a loan rather than just a handout.
Giffords said she is also more in favor of making the auto industry use part of the $700 billion plan already approved, rather then Congress approving another large sum of money.
However, Congress disagreed, as a $15 billion package to bail out automakers appears to be on its way to being approved soon.
In a visit to Southern Arizona recently, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords said her major priorities in the new two-year term are solar energy, immigration reform and providing support to the military troops and veterans.
Continuing to promote renewable energy, Giffords said she would focus on solar power.
"We have eight years to make Arizona a national leader in solar industry. We have the sun, we have the land and we have the infrastructure, and now all we have to do is make it happen," she said.
When it comes to immigration reform, Giffords said she has already spoken to Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain and plans to push forth legislation to fix a major problem not just in this state, but the country.
Giffords, a Democrat, was elected last month to her second term to the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressional District 8, which covers much of Southern Arizona. Giffords defeated Arizona Senate President Tim Bee for the two-year term.
Giffords spoke at length about the changes on the horizon for the state and nation in the 30-minute interview.
When it came to the mining issues, she spoke about the newly elected administration appointing a new secretary of the interior, but in other cabinet seats, the Tucson native praised president-elect Barack Obama for being open minded in his selections.
"I think it's a continuation of his message of change, that the American people wanted a shift in policy," she said. "They wanted a complete break from the current administration. President-elect Obama is smart and capable, and is putting together an incredible cabinet and the transition is going smoothly. But the country is at record deficit, we are at war in two countries, 50 million people are without health insurance, our public schools are suffering and there is a tough road ahead.
"The American people want us to put the partisanship and divisiveness aside. They want us to work together to solve some of these very complex problems. I believe in President-elect Obama's choices for the cabinet, they are moderate, middle of the road, competent individuals with strong personalities that aren't just going to be yes men. They will be able to help lead the nation."
One of those cabinet selections is coming from Arizona. Giffords said Gov. Janet Napolitano was an excellent choice to take over the Department of Homeland Security.
"It's a big loss to the state of Arizona though, she's been an effective governor, hard-working and bi-partisan," Giffords said. "I understand there are needs at the federal level that she will be very good at, but it's going to be a big loss for us."
As Napolitano gets ready to join Obama in January, Arizona Secretary of State Janet Brewer, a Republican, will take over the state's top position.
"Arizona has a new legislature, new speaker of the house a new Senate president and the biggest challenge the state faces is a tremendous budget deficit," Giffords said. "A lot of cuts will be made and prioritization has to take place. Jan Brewer is going to have to come up to speed on all of this very quickly."
Giffords said various states across the nation are struggling, and with Arizona facing a major budget shortfall, the federal government is looking at how to help.
"There's been talk about an economic stimulus package with an infrastructure program, jobs program, a renewable energy program and funding for state programs," she said. "With shrinking budgets and resources in each state, governors are looking for assistance."
Giffords also discussed the $700 bailout package approved for Wall Street, and the bailout Congress has been contemplating to provide assistance for the nation's three largest automakers.
"There's not a lot of confidence in the auto company's CEOs," Giffords said. "They increased the ask from $25 billion to $34 billion. There's a tremendous amount of anger and frustration with people losing their jobs right now. The plans that they put together don't include the American people keeping their jobs. There's a mixed message right now. Yes the automotive industry is very important to the United States. But that's why you have company CEOs, to keep their company strong and viable, and over the course of the years they have ignored market trends, and consumer buying patterns. They are also, I think, largely subjected not just to people not buying American cars, but people are not buying anything right now."
Giffords said credit is a problem right now, as Americans are fearful of losing their jobs and they are not going out to buy cars or spending money.
When it comes to the $700 billion bailout that was approved earlier this year by Congress, Giffords said it does help local residents because it helps keep banks and creditors in business.
Giffords said when the bailout bill first came up she had a lot from constituents.
"Thousands of calls came into the office, they were split 50-50. Fifty percent said no, and 50 percent said hell no," Giffords said. "Then, that evening when the stock market hit all time lows, people started looking at their investments and portfolios, they realized that we as a nation could not afford to allow the banks to crumble."
Southern Arizona residents are impacted directly, the Congresswoman explained, as it goes toward a business owner's right to get a loan, residents' ability to get the funding approved for a new car, or even a new home.
"It was later called a recovery package," Giffords said. "The design was to help banks and lending institutions by lubricating the economic engine of America," she said. "The dollar figure had to be large enough so that businesses would pay attention and the markets would understand that the government was going to make sure these large companies don't fail."
Giffords said there were protections put into the package, most notably, after the first $350 billion is spent, Congress would readdress the issue and make sure the money is being spent properly.
The companies will also eventually repay the money, Giffords said, noting it was more like a loan rather than just a handout.
Giffords said she is also more in favor of making the auto industry use part of the $700 billion plan already approved, rather then Congress approving another large sum of money.
However, Congress disagreed, as a $15 billion package to bail out automakers appears to be on its way to being approved soon.
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