Bill Would Help Federal Workers Fly With Pets 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

$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, chairman 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.” to transport their pets, reducing the stress they and their families experience as they travel abroad to serve our country.”

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 application 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.

“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.

Sunday Worship Services of Holy Communion at 10 a.m. &Wednesday spoken Holy Communion at 9 a.m. Christ Lutheran Church

The Rev. Dr. J. Francis Watson, Pastor 40 Schoolhouse Road, Whiting, NJ 08759

Phone 732.350.0900 • Fax 732.350.0343

E-mail: christlutheranchurch2@verizon.net

Website: christlutheranwhiting.com

Bee Queen: Continued From Page 5

from NJ Beekeepers Association and Dr. Brian Schilling from Rutgers also accompanied me on the day’s events. Our State Apiarist, Meghan McConnell, and Ashley Kerr from the Farm Bureau also stopped by.”

Culbert and Abegg have another honey harvest for 4-H teens on August 16, which is National Honey Bee Day.

The honey bee population is threatened by climate change and Varroa mites, the leading killer of honey bees. Her ongoing study is to develop a way to predict Colony Collapse Disorder.

The recognition she’s been getting is twofold. Agriculturists appreciate both the scientific method she is using to solve a problem – the decline of hives – and the way she is teaching the public about the problem. She created the 4-H Busy Bees Beekeeping Club.

Recently, she had a 2,500-square-foot pollinator garden installed at Jake’s Branch County Park in Beachwood. It’s located on the plant discovery trail. Another is outside the nature center. Visitors can see it from inside.

Natalie Duddridge from CBS 2 NY visited the Jakes Branch hives.

“She suited up and accompanied me on a hive inspection,” Culbert said. “We were fortunate enough to find the queen on my first try. It was such an incredible opportunity to talk about and provide some insight into nature’s most important pollinator!”

She also did a live interview at NJ12 studios with Lauren Due about honey bees, the industry, native plants and more.

She’s also spending six weeks at the Research Science Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She will be one of the 100 students invited to MIT for a summer science and engineering program that combines course work with hands-on research.

She encourages interested people to follow her progress on Instagram at KT.Bees and youtube.com/channel/ UC1VTjvnWwdJQMSHG2H18FpA

Ocean Ride Customers Are Target Of New Scam

By Chris Lundy

OCEAN COUNTY – County officials are warning residents who use Ocean Ride that there are scammers calling them to get personal information.

“We want our residents, especially our seniors, to be aware of scam calls that are claiming to be Ocean Ride employees looking for account information,” said Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn, who serves as liaison to the program. “It is important for everyone to remember to never give out personal information at the request of the caller.” Ocean Ride staff will never call about payment of an overdue account, officials said. Additionally, you should never give out credit

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card numbers, bank account info or Social Security numbers to anyone over the phone.

If someone is calling you asking for this information, they are most likely taking you for a ride – and not in a good way.

“Unfortunately scammers have developed sophisticated systems that look as if a call is coming from Ocean County when it is not,” said Commissioner Director Joseph H. Vicari.

“If the call does not sound legitimate, trust your instincts and reach out to Ocean Ride directly to verify.”

If you have questions about your billing, you can call Ocean Ride directly at 732-736-8989, ext. 1. For more information, visit co.ocean. nj.us/oc/transportation.