John Boehner Keeps Capitol Tours Open

John Boehner

Pol Light Moment #51 is when the Speaker of the House, John Boehner announced on March 7, 2013, that tours of the United States Capitol would not be cancelled due to sequestration budget cuts. John Boehner has served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives since January 3, 2011. He has represented Ohio's 8th Congressional District since 1991.

The following is a video of John Boehner making the announcement about the United States Capitol tours remaining open after the sequestration budget cuts, because the House leadership made other cuts that did not impact the tours.


Here is a copy of the letter John Boehner wrote announcing that United States Capitol tours would remain open.

March 7, 2013

The White House announced today that White House tours are being canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013 until further notice, due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration.

Sequestration, as you may know, is the term for the mandatory federal budget cuts that went into effect March 1 under the terms of a bipartisan budget law enacted in 2011. Under sequestration, federal agencies are required to find ways to reduce unnecessary spending within their budgets, and to do more with less, as many American families are being forced to do in the current economy. 

While I'm disappointed the White House has chosen to comply with sequestration by cutting public tours, I'm pleased to assure that public tours of the United States Capitol will continue. Under the leadership of the House officers and their teams, who oversee daily operations in the Capitol in consultation with the Office of the Speaker, planning for the possibility of sequestration has been underway for some time. Consequently, alternative spending reductions have been implemented within the Capitol complex to ensure public tours and other regular activities can proceed as they normally would. 

I encourage you and your family to visit the U.S. Capitol during your trip to Washington, D.C. If yo haven't already made arrangements through my office for a Capitol tour, I encourage you to do so. Simply contact (   ) in my congressional office at 202-225-6205 or email her at (   )@mail.house.gov

Sincerely,

John Boehner   Source of Letter

Tours of the Capitol may be scheduled at www.visitthecapitol.gov.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of John Boehner used in this post is in the Public Domain.

Franklin Roosevelt Founds March of Dimes

Pol Light Moment #50 is when Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis on January 3, 1938. Roosevelt later renamed it the March of Dimes Foundation. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States and served from 1933 until his death in 1945.

At age 39, Franklin Roosevelt was stricken with Polio and unable to walk again. His passion for the March of Dimes reflected his desire to help give a boost of care and research to help there be more healthy babies and mothers in the country. Over the years the March of Dimes has focused it's energies on healthy pregnancy and premature babies.

The organization started with donations from wealthy friends of Franklin Roosevelt giving in his honor, but the name March of Dimes has it's roots in the need to involve the general public in more funding for the organization.

In 1938, Roosevelt decided to appeal to the general public for help. At one fundraiser, celebrity Eddie Cantor jokingly urged the public to send dimes to the president, coining the term March of Dimes. The public took his appeal seriously, flooding the White House with 2,680,000 dimes and thousands of dollars in donations (Source).

The following is a news feature for the 75th Anniversary of the March of Dimes that shares Franklin Roosevelt's important role in founding the organization.



Franklin D. Roosevelt has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Franklin Roosevelt posts search with Franklin Roosevelt label at Pol Light.
Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.
Photo: The photo in this post is in the Public Domain. It was obtained from Wikipedia.

Hillary Clinton Supports Child Survival in Congo

Pol Light Moment #49 took place on June 14, 2012, when Hillary Clinton supported a fundraiser for Ben Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative. The charity event was held at Georgetown University and was called 'Call to Action: Child Survival'. Hillary Clinton served as the First Lady from 1993-2001, when her husband Bill Clinton was President. She has also served as a U.S. Senator from New York and Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.

The Eastern Congo Initiative has as it's goal to assure that all children are able to live until their 5th birthday (Source).  Here is a video from the 'Call to Action: Child Survival' event on June 14, 2012.


Hillary Clinton said at the event as noted in the above video, "This year more than 7 million children will die from preventable causes before they reach their 5th birthday. Saving children's lives can not be just a job for governments. So we are all here today with one vision to make sure every child everywhere lives to see his or her 5th birthday."

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Hillary Clinton is in the Public Domain.

Rand Paul Returns $600,000 to Treasury

Rand Paul

Pol Light Moment #48 took place on February 20, 2013, when Senator Rand Paul announced he would return $600,000 in unused funds from his Senatorial Office Budget to the United States Treasury. Rand Paul has served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky from 2011 to the present.

Here is a news story on Rand Paul with a symbolic check reflecting his returning office funds to the Treasury.


Rand Paul said about the return of funds in the above video, "We watch every purchase. We watch what computers we buy, we watch the paper we buy, we watch the ink cartridges. We treat the money as if it's our money, or your money, and we look at every expenditure."

The $600,000 represents 20% of Sen. Rand Paul's Senatorial office budget (Source). This is not the first time that Sen. Rand Paul has been able to return money to the Treasury because his office staff was able to watch expenses. In 2012, Sen. Rand Paul returned $500,000 back to the U.S. Treasury.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Rand Paul is in the Public Domain.

John F. Kennedy's 'Moon' Speech

Pol Light Moment #47 is when John F. Kennedy set high goals of Space exploration for the United States and gave his 'Moon' speech at Rice University on September 12, 1962. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961-1963.

Here is video footage of the speech that John F. Kennedy gave on his goals for the United States' Space program at Rice Stadium. You can also read the text of it here.


One of the noteworthy lines that Kennedy said in the speech was,

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

John F. Kennedy has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all John F. Kennedy posts search with John F. Kennedy label at Pol Light.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of John F. Kennedy is in the Public Domain.

Kevin O'Toole Gives Boy Replacement iPad

Kevin O'Toole

Pol Light Moment #46 is when Kevin O'Toole gave 8 year old Jordan-River Samuel an iPad for Christmas on December 24, 2012. Kevin O'Toole is a State Senator in New Jersey representing the 40th District. He lives in Cedar Grove in Essex County, New Jersey.

Someone had stolen Jordan-River Samuel's iPad during the Christmas season and after State Sen. Kevin O'Toole heard about it he gave the boy a new iPad.

"A lot of good things have happened to me and my family and we like to pay it forward as often as possible (Source), said Kevin O'Toole about the gift he made."

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Kevin O'Toole is in the Public Domain.

Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' Initiative

Michelle Obama

Pol Light Moment #45 is when Michelle Obama started the Let's Move! initiative on February 9, 2010. When Michelle Obama launched the initiative to combat childhood obesity, she said, "The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake (Source)." Michelle Obama is the First Lady of the United States, serving from 2009 to the present.  The Let's Move website describes the initiative this way:

Let's Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let's Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping kids become more physically active (Source).

Here is a news story about the Let's Move initiative.   On February 27, 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama will have a two day tour around America to observe the 3rd anniversary of the Let's Move initiative (Source).  You may follow Let's Move on Twitter by following the accounts of @FLOTUS or @LetsMove.  For more information on Let's Move visit their website at www.letsmove.gov. 
Michelle Obama has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all the posts featuring Michelle Obama search with the label Michelle Obama.

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.

The photo of Michelle Obama is in the Public Domain.