Evesham, May 9, 2012 – Citing his record of supporting legislation that promotes economic growth, job creation and less intrusive government, the United States Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Congressman Jon Runyan for re-election in NJ’s 3rd CD.

The US Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region. In 2010, 236 of the 276 candidates they endorsed won their elections.

“At no time in our nation’s history has it been more critical that Members of Congress provide leadership that protects and advances the interests of the business community,” wrote Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue in his endorsement letter to Rep. Runyan. “We believe that your re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives will help produce sustained economic growth, help create more jobs, and get our country back on track. We will encourage the business community to vigorously support your candidacy.”

Rep. Runyan, who received the Chamber’s prestigious “Spirit of Enterprise” Award in 2011, said that his ability to earn endorsements from both business and labor groups demonstrates that he is the best candidate to bring them together in order to help create jobs and revitalize South Jersey’s economy.

“The U.S. Chamber is the nation’s most well-known pro-business, pro-jobs organization and I am honored to have their endorsement,” said Rep. Runyan. “I have worked hard during my first seventeen months in Congress to reach across traditional party lines to support policies that will foster a better environment for job creation, provide opportunities to working families, and reduce the size and cost of government. I am grateful for the Chamber’s support and look forward to working with them to get our country back on the right track.”

VIEW ENDORSEMENT LETTER HERE.

Today, Congressman Jon Runyan, a strong proponent of repealing and replacing Obamacare, said it’s time Mrs. Adler fully explains her position on the issue so voters have a clear understanding of where she stands.

“I think voters deserve a clear and full explanation from Mrs. Adler regarding her position on this critical issue,” said Rep. Runyan. “That means providing unambiguous answers to two simple questions: One, would Mrs. Adler vote as a Member of Congress to defund, repeal and replace Obamacare? Two, does Mrs. Adler believe that the United States Supreme Court should find the law unconstitutional and overturn it or not? The people of Burlington and Ocean counties look forward to hearing her response.”

Below is a second press release fact-checking Mrs. Adler’s “On the Record” appearance, where she again had trouble telling the truth.

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In response to a direct question during yesterday’s appearance “On the Record” with Michael Aron on NJTV, Cherry Hill Democrat Shelley Adler denied that she had ever accused Congressman Jon Runyan of trying to “end” or “eliminate” Medicare during her campaign. (Source)

Unfortunately, she was not telling the truth – again. In fact, Mrs. Adler has repeatedly made the same bogus charge against Rep. Runyan, which non-partisan fact-checking organization Politifact dubbed “The Biggest Lie of 2011.” (Source)

To backup their claims that Mrs. Adler isn’t telling the truth, the Runyan campaign pointed to numerous press releases, news stories and tweets where Mrs. Adler has, in fact, falsely accused Congressman Runyan of voting to either “eliminate” or “end” Medicare despite her claims to the contrary.

1. http://www.shelleyadlerforcongress.com/node/58
2. http://www.politickernj.com/55686/shelley-adler-kicks-her-cd-3-campaign-marlton
3. http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/burlington_county_times_news/shelley-adler-kicks-off-congressional-campaign/article_ef6ca604-5fb5-572b-b1e3-f4800deb16fd.html
4. http://www.politickernj.com/55919/shelley-adler-blasts-rep-runyan-voting-eliminate-medicare-and-raise-healthcare-costs-seniors
5. http://www.tomsrivernjonline.com/2012/03/30/letter-shelly-adler-criticizes-jon-runyans-medicare-vote/4799/
6. https://twitter.com/#!/shelley_adler
7. http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/Shelley-Adler-Enters-2012-NJ-Race-143574166.html
8. http://sj.sunne.ws/2012/03/20/shelley-adler-announces-bid-for-congress-seat/
9. http://tomsriver.patch.com/articles/shelley-adler-formally-announces-congressional-run
10. http://lacey.patch.com/articles/shelley-adler-formally-announces-congressional-run?logout=true

“Shelley Adler is starting to develop a pretty disturbing pattern when it comes to not telling the truth,” said Runyan campaign consultant Chris Russell. “I was stunned to watch her publicly deny making these false charges against Congressman Runyan on television yesterday, when all you need to do is perform a simple Google search to prove that she has.”

To compound her honesty problems, Mrs. Adler also charged that Rep. Runyan voted to defund homeless veteran’s programs on the program yesterday. This charge has also been shot down as inaccurate, this time by independent watchdog, FactCheck.org. (Source)

Mrs. Adler was apparently referring to a part of H.R. 1 known as the HUD-VA Supportive Housing program, which passed in February 2011. It would not have funded 10,000 new housing vouchers for homeless veterans for FY 2011. However, factcheck.org says the claim that this would have prevented 10,000 homeless vets from obtaining permanent housing in FY 2011 is not true.

Beyond that, in the actual legislation that was enacted to fund FY 11, $50 million was restored to the program (in H.R. 1473). Rep. Runyan voted for that bill. Also, for FY 2012 appropriations, which were done last calendar year, $75 million was appropriated for the HUD-VASH program – which Rep. Runyan also voted for.

Because of a provision in a 2007 law, passed by a Democratic Congress, the interest rates on federal subsidized Stafford loans to undergraduate students were temporarily lowered from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent, but set to return to the higher rate this year absent congressional action.

Well, I am happy to say that the House of Representatives has acted.

I was proud to join with both Republicans and Democrats in the House to make sure we took the appropriate action, and I now urge my colleagues in the Democrat-controlled Senate to do the same.

It’s important to note that instead of pushing the $6 billion cost of this extension off on taxpayers, we paid for it by cutting another wasteful and unmanageable Obamacare program. The so-called Prevention and Public Health fund has been criticized as a “slush fund” for the Obama administration with no clear mission or Congressional oversight.

It had become so problematic that President Obama proposed cutting $4 billion from the exact same fund in his 2013 budget. Earlier this year, even the President signed bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3630, that cut $5 billion from the PPH fund to pay for the extension of the payroll tax cuts.

This is the latest example of my ongoing commitment to get Obamacare off the books one program, one piece, at a time. As you all know, repealing and replacing this flawed measure is a top priority of mine.

By contrast, my opponent has yet to explain whether she supports or opposes Obamacare and her reasons for doing so. I continue to be amazed that someone running for Congress in 2012 can continue to hide from voters on this issue.

Unfortunately, however, ducking issues and launching misleading attacks at me has become the staple of Mrs. Adler’s campaign for Congress. From trying to scare seniors to mischaracterizing the House Republican Budget with claims that have already been debunked by nonpartisan, independent fact-checking organizations, Mrs. Adler’s campaign has been disappointing for its lack of substance and honesty.

To this point, her campaign is nothing more than repeating the talking points handed to her by Nancy Pelosi’s political team in Washington, while avoiding a discussion about the serious economic and fiscal issues facing South Jersey and the nation.

I think we can all agree that Burlington and Ocean County voters deserve better.

-Jon

Mount Laurel, May 1, 2012 – Touting his blue-collar background and willingness to work across party lines and fight for working families in Congress, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 Political Action and Education Committee today announced they have endorsed Congressman Jon Runyan (R-Mount Laurel) in New Jersey’s Third Congressional District race.

“As the son of a General Motors auto worker who became the first person in his family to ever attend college, Congressman Runyan knows the struggles that working families face every day because he has faced them himself,” said Greg Lalevee, Business Manager for the IUOE Local 825.  “In Congress, Jon has reached across party lines to support bipartisan policies that will help to create jobs for our skilled and experienced operating engineer’s right here in South Jersey.  We are proud to endorse him.”

Local 825 is based in Springfield (Union County), with an additional state office in Cherry Hill and a training facility in South Brunswick.  Union members operate heavy equipment such as cranes, bulldozers, front-end loaders, backhoes and graders; operate equipment in sand and gravel operations and rock quarries; and serve as mechanics that perform work on the equipment in shops and on construction projects.

“Congressman Runyan understands that South Jersey’s future is dependent upon a growing economy that creates opportunities for hardworking residents to live the American Dream,” said PAC Director Mark Longo.  “He’s fought for us in Washington, and our members and their families will fight for him during this campaign.”

“I am grateful for this endorsement and will continue to fight on behalf of South Jersey’s hardworking families to create good-paying jobs, make government live within its means, and improve the quality of life for all of my constituents,” said Rep. Runyan.

Last week, the trustees of Medicare and Social Security issued a report confirming what I and my Republican colleagues in Congress have been saying for the past year and a half.  Absent reform, Medicare and Social Security will soon become insolvent and unable to pay out benefits to the millions of Americans who depend on them.

The trustees’ non-partisan report states quite clearly that if Medicare continues on its current path, the program will begin operating in the red in 2024, and Social Security will follow in 2033.

Given these indisputable facts, it’s unfortunate that my opponent, Shelley Adler, continues to try and score cheap political points by scaring seniors, and trying to fool them into believing that someone is going to eliminate Medicare or Social Security.

Not only is Mrs. Adler’s rhetoric irresponsible, but it’s also been proven false.  In fact, non-partisan fact-checking organizations like Politifact called her Medicare attacks “The Biggest Lie of 2011.”

You deserve better.

That’s why earlier this year, I was proud to support a fiscally responsible budget that put Medicare and Social Security on sound fiscal footing.  A budget that protected these important safety net programs for current retirees and those nearing retirement, while making sure they will still be there for our children and grandchildren.

During my last campaign, I vowed to protect and preserve Medicare and Social Security.  As Congressman, that is exactly what I have done.  I refuse to look the other way, while these programs lurch towards insolvency, leaving future Congress’ with only two choices – deep benefit cuts or steep, job-killing tax increases.

If Shelley Adler wants to attack me for having the courage to do the right thing, she can have it, but I think she’s underestimating the intelligence of the people she hopes to represent.

The people of Burlington and Ocean counties deserve a representative who does not bury their head in the sand and pretend problems don’t exist.  They deserve a representative who sees the entitlement crisis for what it is, and has the courage to do what is necessary to keep Medicare and Social Security solvent for future generations.

It is my honor to serve you, and to be that Congressman.
Sincerely,

Jon Runyan

“[Veterans and survivors] do not deserve to wait and wonder every year if they will receive an increase in their benefits. Rather, they deserve a permanent, yearly cost-of-living adjustment, without an act of Congress.”

See full article here.

The following is a statement from Runyan campaign spokesman Chris Russell on Shelley Adler’s growing penchant for parroting phony talking points in her campaign press releases and emails, including on the Ryan budget passed in the House yesterday.

“Shelley Adler apparently subscribes to the theory that if you keeping telling the same lie about Medicare, that it will somehow make it true,” said Russell, who questioned why Adler continues to attack Congressman Runyan with a claim she knows has been ruled “a big lie” by an independent fact-checking organization.

“Shelley Adler’s attempt to scare seniors, push Medicare closer to bankruptcy and drive us deeper into debt all for her own short-term political gain is both selfish and sad. Burlington and Ocean County residents deserve better from a Camden County lawyer who wants to be their representative in Congress.”

More than three months have passed since President Barack Obama signed into law a defense bill authorizing the federal government to address pay disparity for some civilian workers at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, but the U.S. Office of Personnel Management has yet to make the recommended change.

The lack of action has rankled Rep. Jon Runyan, R-3rd of Mount Laurel, who has made correcting the disparity a key priority during his first term.

Read full post here.