01121997 - News Article - Visclosky pledges action on issues

Visclosky pledges action on issues
NWI Times
Jan 12, 1997
http://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/visclosky-pledges-action-on-issues/article_01a52469-e131-5708-bb71-00dfc5ab8ed9.html
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky collected a list of needs his Porter County constituents want addressed, from securing funding for an erosion study, to getting Illinois to lower the Skyway toll fee, to child custody disputes.

Visclosky, D-1st District, who was re-elected in November to his seventh term, held sessions Saturday in Valparaiso, Chesterton and Portage.

The issue of child custody in Valparaiso, where about 35 people showed up, drew perhaps the most fervent discussion of the day.

"What we need is an emergency court system" to deal with crises in child custody cases, Kimberly Cole of Chesterton told Visclosky. A year ago, Cole's husband was granted custody of the couple's son, Andrew, now 3.

Cole and other parents have challenged the impartiality and fitness of Judge Thomas Webber's appointment of guardian Beatrice Lightfoot of Portage. Cole also is among those who advocate a family court system that would have handle custody and other family issues.

Edward Frankiewicz, 81, of Highland also asked Visclosky to address a custody-related issue. He came to the Valparaiso forum because of his unhappiness with the actions of judges in a case involving his grandchildren, whose parents live in Porter County.

"I've tried to safeguard my grandchildren for eight years. ... This is about ... how much power the judges have," Frankiewicz said.

Visclosky could offer little assistance.

"Custody has always been considered a prerogative of the states and the judicial system. I can't conceive of anyone hurting a child, but this is not a federal issue."


Visclosky promised to have his staff members hold follow-up discussions with Cole and Frankiewicz.

The congressman's main thrust at his forums was to discuss events coming up in this year's session. He said he will, in the 105th Congress:
* Pursue $100,000 in funding for a study of erosion along Beauty Creek in Valparaiso.

* Continue efforts to work with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois legislators to reduce the $2 toll on the Chicago Skyway.

* Continue efforts to obtain funds for Northwest Indiana's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, for which $3 million was allocated last year.

* Take up again the issue of a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. "I'm hopeful we can finally get it out of both chambers and send it to the states for ratification," Visclosky said. He also plans to reintroduce the balanced budget enforcement act.

* Pursue measures making it easier for small businesses to offer pension funds.

* Continue the fight against "corporate welfare" in which federal tax funds are used to aid Fortune 500 companies.

* Reform campaign financing by requiring absolute disclosure, even of indirect donations made by special interest groups on the candidates' behalf.

Health care, particularly Medicare benefits, drew interest in both Portage and Valparaiso, with Visclosky predicting Medicare would be the only area of health care reform to be debated this year.