http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/index/ en rob@brushfiredigital.com Copyright 2010 2010-06-16T23:34:13+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/mitt_romney_endorses_rooney_and_other_gopers_across_florida/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/mitt_romney_endorses_rooney_and_other_gopers_across_florida/#When:23:34:13Z Mitt Romney endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney in his bid for re-election today, contributing $2,500 from his Free and Strong America PAC to Rooney's campaign. Romney will headline a Coral Gables fund-raiser for Attorney General and Republican governor candidate Bill McCollum tonight. McCollum, state chairman for Romney rival Rudy Giuliani during the 2008 presidential race, finds himself trailing his GOP primary race against millionaire Rick Scott. Romney’s also endorsing 12 other Republican candidates around the state and his Free and Strong America PAC is contributing $5,000 to the Republican Party of Florida. Romney will also be in Jacksonville Tuesday to raise money for state Sen. and state GOP Chairman John Thrasher. Romney says he’ll decide after the 2010 elections whether he’s running for president in 2012. If he makes a White House bid, he’ll want to have Republican friends in Florida. 2010-06-16T23:34:13+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rooney_qualifies_for_ballot_through_voter_signatures/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rooney_qualifies_for_ballot_through_voter_signatures/#When:21:55:40Z U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, no longer facing a Democratic challenger in the fall, has qualified for the ballot. According to the state Division of Elections Web site, there were 7,913 verified signatures submitted by Rooney’s campaign from voters in Florida’s 16th District, surpassing the 5,050 needed. Supervisors of elections in each county covered by the 16th District — Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Charlotte, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee — verify the signatures of the voters in their respective counties. Federal candidates had until March 29 to submit petitions equal to 1 percent of the registered voters in the district. More than half of Rooney’s signatures came from voters in Martin and St. Lucie counties. St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Craft, who withdrew from the race March 26, had two signatures verified by the Martin County Supervisor of Elections. In District 15, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, had 1,280 signatures verified by elections officials in Indian River and Polk counties. Posey submitted more than 8,000 signatures from voters in his district, which includes Indian River, Brevard, Polk and Osceola counties. Not every candidate in the district has gone the petition route. Candidates still can get on the Aug. 24 primary ballot and Nov. 2 general election ballot by paying a qualifying fee of $10,440 the week of April 26. 2010-04-07T21:55:40+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/video_rooney_on_health_care_takeover/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/video_rooney_on_health_care_takeover/#When:00:05:34Z Representive Rooney speaks about "deem & pass" and why he's a "No" on the Health Care Takeover. Please take a moment and view the video below. 2010-03-20T00:05:34+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rep._tom_rooney_visits_the_tragedy_in_haiti/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rep._tom_rooney_visits_the_tragedy_in_haiti/#When:18:14:13Z WPTV - NewsChannel 5 interview Rep. Tom Rooney as he visits the tragedy in Haiti. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO PETIT GOAVE, HAITI - A seventeen year old Haitian girl lies on a table surrounded by American missionaries, medical volunteers, and a U.S. Congressman, all hoping and praying the baby she's trying to deliver will survive in this disaster ravaged country. "Poussez, Poussez!" shouts a nurse, urging the teen to push harder. The medical team, assembled from a collection of volunteers from across the United States and Haiti, tries to work under the glow of a single generator-powered L.E.D. light. The country, now in its 13th day since the earthquake, is still living without electric power. "She'll have to get this baby out before it gets dark," says one volunteer, the room dimming in the late afternoon sun. Outside the tiny cinderblock room where the teen is giving birth, more nurses, doctors and volunteers work beneath tents and in the open air under trees. This is not a medical clinic, or at least it wasn't before the earthquake-- it was the grounds of a church. But the disaster has turned the facility, what's left of it, into the only medical facility within miles. Nearby hospitals sit in piles of rubble. Sarah Franklin of Stuart cradles a 4 1/2 month old baby boy. Just an hour or so earlier, the child came to the clinic listless, his vital signs weak - a sign of malaria. "He was almost dead," said Franklin. The volunteers ended up administering an IV into the child's tiny leg. Half of a water bottle covers the insertion point to keep it clean. Medical supplies are scarce, especially in this village 20 milers from Port-au-Prince, so the volunteers make due with what they have. The baby's twin sister lies inches away, also perking up and even showing a smile thanks to the life saving care. "They're only 10 pounds, the size of a newborn, even though they're 4 months old. They're so underweight," says Franklin. I ask her about her medical training and that's when she explains she has none. She is a waitress at Carson's Pub in Stuart. Her mother planned to go to Haiti to help with the relief effort and she followed. Now she's wearing medical scrubs cradling a baby whose life she helped save. Back in the cinderblock room where the teen is delivering, there is no celebration when the baby emerges. It's a little girl, but she is silent. No newborn cry. A physician rushes the child over to a towel-covered crate and places an oxygen mask on the baby's mouth, pumping it by hand. Minutes pass. U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney of Tequesta gathers near. He flew into Haiti this morning along with Florida Sen. Joe Negron of Stuart in an effort to assess the needs of the island and to visit Martin County volunteers at the clinic. Then a weak cry, more like a squeak, comes out of the child's mouth, followed by another. All of the volunteers seem to exhale at once, relieved. But the child is not out of the woods yet points out Gary Urban. Urban founded Family Private Care, a private nursing company based out of Martin County. He coordinated the group of volunteers to staff this clinic for 5 days. Urban askes Rooney to travel to the nearest military outpost and ask for help. The twins, the newborn, and a fourth child all need more advanced medical care that's beyond the resources of the tiny makeshift clinic. Rooney travels half a mile down the road and talks his way into a U.S. military outpost, set up to distribute food and water for the recovery effort. He waits to talk to the commanding officer at the post, hoping to coax him into diverting a Blackhawk helicopter to fly the four children offshore, where a Navy hospital boat is docked. Then Sarah Franklin and the other volunteers drive up carrying the babies, all outfitted with IV's the volunteers are holding over their heads. "This baby is going to die if he does not get more help," says one nurse, cradling a newborn with one hand, an IV bag i nthe other. The desperate display is apparently enough to convince the outpost's colonel to change his supply plans and transport the children to the ship. Night has fallen and the medical volunteers, along with some Congressional help, managed to save or at least stabilize four new lives. Tomorrow at daybreak hundreds more Haitians will line up at that same open air clinic, looking for more life saving help. 2010-01-26T18:14:13+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/accuracy_in_media_briefing_with_rep._tom_rooney/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/accuracy_in_media_briefing_with_rep._tom_rooney/#When:15:57:33Z Rep. Tom Rooney discusses the push to close Guantanamo and potential for disaster from subsequent criminal trials. 2009-12-29T15:57:33+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/merry_christmas_and_happy_new_year/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/merry_christmas_and_happy_new_year/#When:17:10:16Z Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Congressman & Mrs. Thomas J. Rooney, Tommy, Sean and Seamus And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. Luke 2:9-14 2009-12-22T17:10:16+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/editorial_u.s._rep._rooney_right_to_call_for_mandatory_mental_health_screen/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/editorial_u.s._rep._rooney_right_to_call_for_mandatory_mental_health_screen/#When:19:06:51Z War is hell, and the wars the U.S. military is fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are a particular kind of hell, witness suicide bombings, inordinate deaths of innocent civilian women and children and the destructive power of roadside bombs maiming and killing friends and comrades. What the nation's service personnel have witnessed are scenes no one should experience. And, the images can be compounded with multiple tours and little time to reconnect with the normalcy of the life they have temporarily left behind. Because of this kind of military service, the Armed Forces could, perhaps, have predicted an increase in depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome and suicide among military personnel returning home. But, only in the past couple of years have the problems been recognized as a crisis and steps taken to deal with mental health issues. More than 1.7 million Americans have served in the two wars. Some experts estimate as many as 35 percent of returning soldiers suffer depression or will suffer depression. Suicides among military men and women reached a record level last year and likely will be higher this year. Still, many veterans coming home fail to seek or get help for their mental problems. Speaking in a Pentagon briefing in November, Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff, said, "It is absolutely unacceptable to have individuals suffering in silence because they’re afraid their peers or superiors will make fun of them or, worse, it will adversely affect their careers." In part because of the stigma attached to mental problems — even if combat related — U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, joined with Michael McMahon, D-New York, in sponsoring legislation earlier this year to make mental health evaluations mandatory for returning troops. They also want to broaden access to professional counseling for veterans. Currently, service members must fill out a mental health assessment before coming home. If they note problems, they can be kept for treatment. "The delay in returning home coupled with the stigma associated with reaching out for help to treat a mental injury prevents soldiers from being honest in their assessments," said Rooney, a veteran himself. "A mandatory screening for all service members can reduce the growing rates of suicides amongst service members while fighting this debilitating stigma." The bill has not passed, but some language from it was included in the Defense Authorization Bill for 2010. But, it leaves out two key ingredients. It doesn’t make the screening mandatory and it doesn’t require that the evaluations be done by mental health professionals. "When you send these guys to war, you've got to take care of them when they get home," Rooney said. "I don’t want kids who are coming back home now to be homeless in 30 years because they weren’t treated. I see that as a direct failure of our government to take care of the people we sent to war." The military is taking steps to combat the problems by urging personnel to understand and recognize problems experienced by their peers and by training additional personnel in mental health evaluations and treatment. It’s also working with the National Institute of Mental Health to develop new training techniques for soldiers to better care for their problems. With more troops now committed to Afghanistan, the number of soldiers experiencing mental health problems likely will grow. Rooney’s approach to mandatory screening makes sense and he has pledged to continue fighting for those military personnel who need help but may be unwilling to ask for it. Providing counseling and treatment can be a tremendous aid to returning soldiers. Importantly, it can also be a tremendous aid for their families and their communities. Click Here for TCPalm.com article 2009-12-14T19:06:51+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/help_a_hero_this_holiday/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/help_a_hero_this_holiday/#When:15:25:47Z Join Congressman Tom Rooney this Sunday December 13 at a motorcycle ride and barbque in support of the Veterans Airlift Command. The Veterans Airlift Command provides free air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots. 2009-12-09T15:25:47+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rooney_preps_thanksgiving_meals_for_charity/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/rooney_preps_thanksgiving_meals_for_charity/#When:00:00:37Z WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Congressman Tom Rooney participated in delivering prepared Thanksgiving meals to needy families in Stuart, FL. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves Saturday to start preparing Thanksgiving dinners for thousands of needy families. Click Here to View Video Dozens of volunteers stood shoulder to shoulder to prepare the turkey dinners and all the fixings. The cooking started Saturday and will continue through Wednesday thanks to the Big Heart Brigade. The Big Heart Brigade is one of many local organizations helping to feed folks from the Treasure Coast to Miami-Dade. "This is the 17th year the Big Heart Brigade has been feeding people all over Palm Beach County, but in those years, we've spread out to be from Fort Pierce all the way down to Homestead," an organizer said. "The heart brigade Thanksgiving feast has always been a community project. Christ Fellowship provides the leadership for the volunteers but we welcome anybody from anywhere to come and volunteer at our site." Volunteers said they they were happy knowing that they were fortunate enough to be able to help others in need. "It makes me feel pretty good," said Ashley Walker, 16. "I mean, it's nice to help other people who don't have the luxuries that we have, and this way, they can enjoy things we enjoy every day and take for granted. So, it feels good." While the brigade provides Thanksgiving meals to thousands every year, organizers said they decided to start preparations early this year because of the lagging economy. The Big Heart Brigade was able to feed 51,000 people last year, organizers said. This year, they're preparing to feed 60,000. http://www.wpbf.com/video/21726284/index.html 2009-11-26T00:00:37+00:00 http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/test/ http://www.tomrooney.com/index.php/site/test/#When:22:13:44Z STUART, FL -- Before he became a Congressman, Tom Rooney served in the Army JAG Corps in Ft. Hood, Texas. For him the recent massacre at the world's largest military base is personal. "It‘s an emotional time, some of our friends still work there in the base at Ft. Hood, but I’m sure they’re going to throw the book at this guy," said Rep. Rooney, a Republican representing Florida's 16th Congressional District. Click Here for Video The more he learns about suspected gunman Nidal Hassan, the more he wonders, "How a guy that has been flagged for poor performance and for suspicious activity would then be sent to a place like Ft. Hood." It's a place of high stress, says Rooney, where soldiers are deployed and redeployed into combat daily. Congressman Rooney says he supports the Army investigation into how Maj. Hassan advanced through the ranks and who knew about warning signs, like his connection to a radical Islamic cleric. "Unfortunately the relationship with the Imam was only known by the FBI they did not share that with the Department of Defense which is kind of maddening to me because that was the problem we had after 9-11 was that major federal departments were not communicating with each other," said Rooney. As a veteran and former professor at West Point, Rooney says he wants to give the Army the benefit of the doubt but adds Congress needs to ask tough questions to try and insure this kind of violence, 13 murdered soldiers, doesn‘t happen again. "What did the Army know, when did they know it did they turn a blind eye to it or was this something that was miscommunication by federal agencies?" asks Rooney. He says these are the questions he will be asking when he returns to Washington D.C. following the Thanksgiving holiday. 2009-11-25T22:13:44+00:00