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Bill Would Help Federal Workers Fly With Pets Capitol Comments
Senator Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Fly Pet Exception for Traveling Swiftly (PETS) Act, legislation that facilitates easier overseas transport of pets for all U.S. Government (USG) personnel when they are being assigned to a post abroad. Current law requires USG personnel, both military and civilian, to deploy via U.S.-flagged air carriers when traveling on commercial flights with funds provided by the federal government when they receive orders for a permanent change of station. This law sometimes causes unnecessary, burdensome, and costly logistical hurdles at transit stops, such as additional paperwork, vaccinations, and potential unforeseen days- or weeks-long quarantine for pets. Since many U.S. airlines have sharply reduced pet transport services since 2020, USG personnel with pets are sometimes forced to deploy once with their families on a U.S. carrier and then again, at their own expense, with their pets on a foreign carrier. The Fly PETS Act would remove these burdensome requirements by allowing USG personnel to deploy via a foreign-flagged carrier if they travel with a pet that no U.S.-flagged carrier will transport.
Senator Booker’s bill shows bicameral support for facilitating safe and swift pet transportation as Congress authorizes legislation for the Departments of State and Defense. A bipartisan version of the bill, H.R. 3384, was introduced by Representatives Dean Phillips (DMN-03) and Mark Green (R-TN-07) in the House last month.
“USG personnel often experience unnecessary barriers when relocating or moving overseas with their families and pets on government orders,” said Sen. Booker.“These challenges add burdensome costs for diplomats and servicemembers and may dissuade some of our most qualified personnel from taking some overseas assignments. The Fly PETS Act is common-sense legislation that will make it easier for all USG personnel to transport their pets, reducing the stress they and their families experience as they travel abroad to serve our country.”
“For servicemembers stationed overseas, pets provide comfort, stability, and a reminder of home,” said Rep. Phillips. “But overly complicated hurdles slow down diplomats and servicemembers and their pets from getting to their posts. This bill is a commonsense way to improve diplomacy, reduce costs, and remove bureaucratic hurdles so that American diplomats can travel swiftly and efficiently to their posts.”
The Fly PETS Act would also further U.S. foreign policy goals by helping to staff critical overseas assignments with the best USG personnel and will save U.S. taxpayer money by avoiding transit stops that require additional costs and unforeseen delays in travel time.
$100M Will Be Spent To Support Boardwalks
TRENTON – The Senate approved legislation to allocate $100 million to support the new Boardwalk Fund program to strengthen the boardwalk infrastructure along the shore and invest in the overall rehabilitation, resilience, and revitalization of the boardwalks in Shore communities.
The bill, S-3989, approved with a vote of 37 - 0 and sent to the Governor, is sponsored by Senator Paul Sarlo, chair- man of the Senate Budget Committee.
“The boardwalks are the lifeblood of many of our Shore communities and the Jersey Shore belongs to all of us,” said Senator Sarlo. “It is part of the state’s identity and a part of the lives of so many. The Boardwalk Fund is an ongoing investment that will help local communities reduce the expenses of maintaining their boardwalks, support local businesses and keep the fond memories of our Shore experiences alive.”
The Boardwalk Fund will utilize American Rescue Plan (ARP) COVID State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds which have been dedicated to a wide array of vital economic recovery and revitalization projects across New Jersey.
The application process will be managed by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA), which will develop an appli- cation process and promulgate criteria for a county or municipality, individually or jointly, to qualify for a grant.
To ensure that the fund addresses the most critical and necessary capital needs along the Shore, funding will be prioritized to shore municipalities which have the highest 50 distress scores on the 2020 Municipal Revitalization Index or make a contribution or expenditure greater than five percent of project costs.
One More Reason To Avoid Stress
Stress can wreak havoc on both our mental and physical health. It can even damage our eyes. Stress causes our bodies to increase their adrenaline production, which creates pressure in the eyes and causes vision to blur, making it difficult to focus. Stress also makes our pupils dilate (it is part of the body’s fight or flight response). This lets more light in, improving our ability to see potential threats, but also increasing light sensitivity, which can be uncomfortable, sometimes even painful. Spasms or twitches in our eyelids are other signs that stress may be affecting our eye health, as is the tension in the muscles around the eyes and forehead.
If you have a consistent issue with your eyes, no matter what’s going on in your life, the problem is likely with your eyes instead of your stress level. Make sure to see an eye doctor if you have persistent eye trouble. To schedule an eye exam, please call SIGHTMD NEW JERSEY SUSSKIND & ALMALLAH EYE ASSOCIATES at 732-349-5622. We offer evening hours most nights of the week.
P.S. If you are experiencing vision problems due to stress, the good news is they are almost always reversible. Better stress management will lead to better eye sight.
MARLBORO (732) 972-1015 TOMS RIVER (732) 349-5622
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Brick Police EMS Employee Spotlight
BRICK – Each month Brick Police EMS will randomly select by drawing numbers an EMT from their staff to share a little bit of their background and shed some positive light on their contribution to the Brick Township Community. For the month of July 2023 EMT Paul Witham’s #5377 number was drawn.
Paul joined the unit as a part-time EMT in March of 2012, eventually being promoted to full-time in July 2013.
Paul has been an EMT since September 2009. Paul is extremely active within our division serving as an FTO (Field Training Officer), team leader for Special Operations and TEMS (Tactical EMS) as well as a member of the NJ EMS Task Force. Paul has been awarded several times in his career for Life Saving, Honorable Service, Unit Citation and EMT of the Year 2021. Job well done Paul. Keep up the excellent work!
Autism Surf Day
BRICK – This is the coolest tradition in Brick Township! Kids enjoy the waves under the supervision and with the assistance of the Brick Township Lifeguard staff. Enrollment is limited. Autism Surf Day is sponsored by
Coastline Adventure School, Parents of Autistic Children (POAC) and Twin County Soccer.
Open to Challenger kids ages 5 to 18. Program is free and will take place on July 18 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Brick Beach III.
Brick Wrestling Club Camps
BRICK – The Brick Wrestling Club welcomes the young people of Brick Township who want to become park of the community’s tradition of success on the mat. Whether you are brand new to the sport or have been competing for years, the BWC Summer Camps will help wrestlers get ready for the upcoming season by working with experienced coaches and wrestlers.
The BWC offers three camps: advanced (for wresters with at least three years’ experience), intermediates (for wrestlers with at least two years’ experience), and introduction (for young people with no or limited – under two years – experience). All participants will receive a BWC warmup shirt.
Open to Brick boys and girls in grades 1 to 8. Fee is $65 per child.
Advanced Camp: July 31 to August 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brick Civic Plaza.
Intermediate Camp: August 7 to 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brick Civic Plaza.
Introduction to Wrestling Camp: August 14 to 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brick Civic Plaza.
