Read and comment on this story from the New York Daily News that New York Mayor Bloomberg has criticized Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays, who has urged revelers not to attend New Year’s Eve celebrations like the one at Times Square this year. Shays said it is irresponsible for officials to make people think they don't need to take precautions, because of the nation's heightened terror alert by avoiding packed crowds like Times Square.
No one can impugn the courage of Congressman Shays who right after the war with Iraq, as other U.S. lawmakers met with military leaders in Kuwait and were told they could not go into Iraq, was the first member of Congress to go into the war-torn country against the wishes of the Pentagon and the State Department as he put his life at risk to travel across the border with a convoy of aid workers from the Connecticut-based charity Save the Children to observe humanitarian aid work being done in Iraq.
Returned Volunteers are proud of Congressman Shays who has been a voice of reason in Congress for campaign finance reform, investigations into government corruption, hearings on employment practices at USAID, and hearings on NGOs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read the story at:
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Mike to Rep. Coward: 'Learn a little bit about courage'
Connecticut congressman fears Times Square fest
STAFF AND NEWS SERVICE REPORTS
Mayor Bloomberg fired back Wednesday at fear-stricken Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays, who urged revelers not to attend New Year’s Eve celebrations like the one at Times Square this year.
Hizzoner, who like hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers will be out and about at the giant New Year's Eve bash, said Shays could use an infusion of courage.
Bloomberg said Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” that former Iraq POW Shoshana Johnson would be taking part in the Times Square festivities.
“She was a woman fighting to protect the congressman’s freedoms,” Bloomberg said. “She was captured and wounded in Iraq. Maybe he should call her and learn a little bit about courage.”
The mayor’s office also said Shays also should show more confidence in the “world’s greatest police department.”
A member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security and chairman of a terrorism subcommittee, the Connecticut Republican told WVIT-TV on Tuesday that he wouldn’t go to Times Square “for anything.”
Bloomberg said nobody should stay home because of the nation’s heightened terror alert, and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the nation’s security was unprecedented.
But Shays said it is irresponsible for officials to make people think they don’t need to take precautions, like avoiding packed crowds in New York City.
“Secretary Ridge says just do what you normally do,” Shays said. “I would say, what do you normally do? If normally you go to Times Square, I wouldn’t do what you normally do.”
Shays added, “I wouldn’t go into places when you’re packed and where if there was panic, a lot of injuries would take place.”
Some Connecticut communities were hoping Shay’s comments would be a boon to their own festivities. Danbury organizers were selling buttons to their First Night celebration, a myriad of family activities, nightlife like karaoke and dance parties, and a countdown.
“If there are security concerns, people stay home and come here,” said Betsy McIlvaine, a First Night Danbury board member. “He should have said, 'Come to Danbury.”’
Originally published on December 31, 2003
December 30, 2003 - RPCV Congressman Chris Shays says avoid Times Square celebration
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Concerned about terrorism, U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays urged revelers Tuesday not to attend New Year's Eve celebrations like the one at Times Square in New York City this year.
A member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security and chairman of a terrorism subcommittee, the Connecticut Republican told WVIT-TV that he wouldn't go to Times Square "for anything."
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said nobody should stay home because of the nation's heightened terror alert, and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the nation's security was unprecedented.
But Shays said it is irresponsible for officials to make people think they don't need to take precautions, like avoiding packed crowds in New York City.
"Secretary Ridge says just do what you normally do," Shays said. "I would say, what do you normally do? If normally you go to Times Square, I wouldn't do what you normally do."
Shays added, "I wouldn't go into places when you're packed and where if there was panic, a lot of injuries would take place."
April 23, 2003 - RPCV Congressman Chris Shays travels to Iraq - Says Humanitarian Aid Organizations are frustrated
Read and comment on this excerpt from a story from The Hill that Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.) visited a Connecticut-based relief organization in Iraq, as additional humanitarian aid efforts are established there. Shays, a former Peace Corps volunteer, initially flew to Qatar for a conference sponsored by the Washington-based Islamic Institute. He then flew to Kuwait, where Save the Children, a Connecticut-based relief organization, helped escort him into southern Iraq. Shays, the first member of Congress to get into the war-torn country, traveled across the border with a convoy of aid workers from the Connecticut-based charity Save the Children. But other U.S. lawmakers meeting with military leaders in Kuwait were told they could not go, said Shays in a phone call from Kuwait.
Aid organizations are frustrated, he said, because they are being curtailed by the military because of security concerns, and their access to the needy residents of Iraq has been limited to just one community, Umm Qasr. "When I get back I am going to have hearings on how we are engaging the (aid organizations)," said Shays, who is vice chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. "Danger is part of their job, they know how to deal with it, and they are ready and willing to do it. I think they need to be engaged a bit more." Read the story at:
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Delegations of lawmakers visit far-flung locales By Jonathan E. Kaplan
Some lawmakers and congressional aides traveled the world during the Easter recess, but only Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.) managed to get into postwar Iraq.
Shays, a former Peace Corps volunteer, initially flew to Qatar for a conference sponsored by the Washington-based Islamic Institute. He then flew to Kuwait, where Save the Children, a Connecticut-based relief organization, helped escort him into southern Iraq.
After his day in Iraq, Shays flew to Jordan and Israel to follow through on a promise to his constituents to try to better understand the Palestinian side of the Arab-Israeli equation, said Betsy Hawkings, his spokeswoman.
“We have a moment in time because of the success in Iraq to begin the peace process anew so that Arabs and Jews can live in peace in Israel,” said Hawkings. The trip can add “a whole lot more understanding on his part,” she added.
Shays is chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National security.
Chris Shays' concerns about Curtailment of Access to Aid Organizations in Iraq
Read more about RPCV Congressman Chris Shays' Trip to Iraq and his concerns that Aid Organizations are being curtailed by the military because of security concerns, and their access to the needy residents of Iraq has been limited to just one community at:
Bucking protests from the U.S. military and the State Department, Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., crossed over the Kuwait border into Iraq Wednesday and complained that humanitarian aid isn't getting to the Iraqi people fast enough.
Shays, the first member of Congress to get into the war-torn country, traveled across the border with a convoy of aid workers from the Connecticut-based charity Save the Children. But other U.S. lawmakers meeting with military leaders in Kuwait were told they could not go, said Shays in a phone call from Kuwait.
Aid organizations are frustrated, he said, because they are being curtailed by the military because of security concerns, and their access to the needy residents of Iraq has been limited to just one community, Umm Qasr.
"When I get back I am going to have hearings on how we are engaging the (aid organizations)," said Shays, who is vice chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. "Danger is part of their job, they know how to deal with it, and they are ready and willing to do it. I think they need to be engaged a bit more."
Shays spent most of the day in Umm Qasr, a small seaport community on the Persian Gulf. It is the only Iraqi town open to humanitarian groups.
Save the Children President Charles MacCormack said workers are desperately anxious to get to work.
"We have every reason to believe that children and families are facing very tough times," he said. "I can't speak for the military people, they have a job to do and they don't want to create any unnecessary risks. But if journalists are able to go in, why not the humanitarians?"
Save the Children workers have been going into Iraq for about 10 days and are concentrating on getting propane cooking fuel to residents in Umm Qasr. They are hoping to send representatives to Basra on Saturday.
Military and government leaders were working on several fronts Wednesday to get aid to the people of Iraq. A U.S. military plane was flying thousands of meal packets into northern Iraq, the Jordan government sent 11 trucks of medical supplies, and the World Food Program donated 50 truckloads of flour.
A key goal is restoring the power grid and water system, which could take weeks, according to coalition officials. Meanwhile, Congress allocated $2.5 billion for humanitarian aid and rebuilding Iraq.
Shays traveled to Kuwait with a congressional delegation and later attended briefings with war commander Gen. Tommy Franks and other defense officials. He said he was disappointed the U.S. military and the State Department did not want him to go into the battle-scarred country.
"I had to use the Save the Children's network to get in. And (the State Department) led me to believe I was doing something that they didn't want me to do," he said. "I saw a lot of poverty, I saw a lot of bad living conditions ... I just wish other members of Congress had seen what I got to see."
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