John J. Duncan, Jr.tag:duncan.house.gov,2009-09-30://342009-11-18T21:42:25ZPress Releases from Representative John J. Duncan, Jr. within the last 90 daysMovable Type Enterprise 4.24-en9-11 Families Deserve Bettertag:duncan.house.gov,2009://34.988WASHINGTON – Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) Wednesday spoke on the House floor and released the following statement regarding the Administration’s decision to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to U.S. civilian courts for trial:
“It is unbelievable to think that a terrorist mastermind captured on a foreign battlefield would be transferred to a civilian courthouse located just steps from Ground Zero and lavished with all the rights and privileges of American citizenship.
In 2006, I voted for the Military Commissions Act, which authorized military commissions to try enemy combatants. The Congress passed this act by an overwhelming margin, and it was signed into law by President Bush.
However, President Obama issued an executive order in the early days of his administration to stop the process of setting up military tribunals making it necessary for these terrorists to be tried in the United States.
I hope that the President will listen to the outcry of the American people on this and not continue to insist that these terrorists be tried in American courts with defacto citizenship. This action ignores the will of Congress and the law of the land in order to serve liberal special interests, and all Americans should be sickened by this action.”
Below: Speech delivered on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. on Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Victim’s Families Deserve Better Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. November 18, 2009
Madam Speaker:
People all over the Nation are upset and angry about five of the Guantanamo terrorists being scheduled for trial in New York.
This is happening only because President Obama issued an Executive Order in the early days of his Administration stopping the military tribunal process.
The Congress – both House and Senate – voted by large margins in 2006 to try these terrorists by military tribunals.
This could have been done in Guantanamo.
But President Obama overruled Congress by his Executive Order, and the Defense and Justice Departments then started the process of bringing the terrorists to trial in this Country.
This will result in very large legal and security expenses that would not have been necessary if these men were tried at Guantanamo.
To try all these terrorists here- the first five and others later – creates a very unnecessary security risk for untold numbers of people.
I hope President Obama will listen to the outcry of the American people and not continue to insist that all these terrorists be tried in the United States.
The families of our victims deserve better.]]>
Read a Summary of Pelosi's Health Care Billtag:duncan.house.gov,2009://34.985
To read a summary of Speaker Pelosi's 1,990-page health care bill, go to:
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Read the Entire 1,990-Page Health Care Billtag:duncan.house.gov,2009://34.972
Read the full Health Care bill unveiled by Speaker Pelosi on 10-29-09 at the following link: http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf]]>
Duncan Announces Funds for Truck Engine Efficiency Studytag:duncan.house.gov,2009://34.971Washington, DC -- Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) announced Friday the awarding of $500,000 in research funding to the National Transportation Research Center, Inc. (NTRCI) in Knoxville for over-the-road, heavy-vehicle testing of the Legacy rotary engine.The Legacy engine is...
Washington, DC -- Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) announced Friday the awarding of $500,000 in research funding to the National Transportation Research Center, Inc. (NTRCI) in Knoxville for over-the-road, heavy-vehicle testing of the Legacy rotary engine.
The Legacy engine is a new type of rotary diesel engine in the trucking industry.
According to the NTRCI, "The Legacy engine configuration is ideally suited for hybrid applications and offers significant advances over conventional internal combustion engines in fuel economy, reduced emissions, and lower cost of ownership… the legacy engine will demonstrate an increase in overall efficiency greater than 20% compared to any conventional engine.”
As a long-time member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Duncan has been a long-time advocate for the Nation’s infrastructure and transportation research.
"It is no secret that our Nation’s infrastructure is in dire need of repair. But what many may not realize, is that much of the technology that will be used to modernize our highways and enhance vehicle efficiency is coming right out of the NTRCI here in Knoxville,” Duncan said.
The NTRCI is a not-for-profit research center that works to promote the development and deployment of advanced transportation technologies through research, testing and commercialization for the benefit of the transportation industry and our transportation systems. It is located on Cherahala Boulevard in Knoxville.
The funds were awarded through the Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations process.]]>
Duncan Announces UT Agricultural Research Fundingtag:duncan.house.gov,2009://34.970Washington, DC -- Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) announced the funding of two agricultural research projects at the University of Tennessee on Thursday totaling $2 million.$1 million in federal funding has been awarded for Bioenergy Plant Production and Carbon...
Washington, DC -- Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) announced the funding of two agricultural research projects at the University of Tennessee on Thursday totaling $2 million.
$1 million in federal funding has been awarded for Bioenergy Plant Production and Carbon Sequestration research. This project will allow UT researchers to continue their efforts to understand and improve the sequestration of carbon in plants, particularly energy crops developed as feedstock for biofuel production.
An additional $1 million has been allocated for Phytosensors for Crop Security and Precision Agriculture. The goal of this research, according to the University of Tennessee, is "...to produce crop plants that can be used directly as early-warning sentinels for the detection of plant disease. An early warning system would be invaluable for protecting our food supply. If farmers know about an outbreak of a disease before symptoms show, then crops can be treated and rescued with minimal economic losses."
The funding was secured by Rep. Duncan through the Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations process.
"I am very pleased I was able to help the University of Tennessee secure these vital research funds. UT is one of the greatest assets of East Tennessee and a leader in the scientific community, especially in the field of agriculture. The research conducted today will yield the technology used by the agriculture industry in the future, and I am always proud of the continuing accomplishments of this fine university," Duncan said.
For more information on the scientific elements of these grants, please contact Patricia McDaniels, UT Institute of Agriculture Marketing and Communications, at 865-835-4570.]]>