· At a camp in Michigan, a counselor tortured campers by repeatedly shocking them with a stun gun.  The children did not initially report the counselor for fear of reprisals.  Under the Andrews bill, camps would be required to conduct criminal background checks of all camp employees.   In the case of the counselor that used the stun gun, it was the camp's conclusion that if they had performed random cabin checks and a preliminary criminal background check, they could have prevented this incident.  With this new legislation, camps would be forced to show proof that they have properly checked each employee before they receive exemptions from overtime and minimum wage laws.

· At another camp in Michigan, campers were exposed to raw sewage that was leaking in several play areas.  Despite letters from the County Health Official, this problem went unfixed for over a year while children were attending the camp. The camp finally fixed the problem.  Rep. Andrews' legislation would prohibit the camp from taking advantage of exemptions to the federal minimum wage and overtime laws until this problem was rectified. 

· At a summer camp in the Columbus, Ohio area, a six-year old boy drowned while swimming in the camp's pool.  While a lifeguard was on duty, a lawsuit filed on behalf of the child's family states that only one lifeguard was on duty to supervise over 70 children.  This new legislation would mandate a minimum camper-to-lifeguard ratio.  Camps would be required to demonstrate that they are sufficiently staffed in all pool areas and open water environments.
 

Rep. Andrews toured The Tall Pines Day Camp in Williamstown to demonstrate what a responsible camp in New Jersey is doing to promote a safe and fun summer camp experience for its children.  

Rep Andrews said:  "For children, summer is a time for fun, exploration, learning and development and many parents choose the structure of a summer camp to promote positive experiences for their children.  However, summer camp can be a harmful and dangerous experience for children if the proper safety standards are not implemented.  It is clear to me that children who attend Tall Pines Day Camp enjoy a safe, monitored, and structured environment to play and learn, but we have heard many horror stories of children being exposed to all sorts of dangers ending in injury and even death all while attending summer camps throughout the Nation.  It is my hope that this legislation will shut down unsafe summer camps."

As part of an entire day devoted to summer safety, Rep. Andrews appeared at the Palmyra Borough Hall with Mayor Robert Leather, members of the Town Council of the Borough of Palmyra and officials from Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), and urged President Bush to approve an increase in air conditioning financial aid to area seniors and low-income persons.  On June 20, 2001 Andrews joined fellow South Jersey Congressmen Jim Saxton, Chris Smith and Frank LoBiondo in voting for a House bill that would provide $300 million in new funds to help people pay their utility bills this summer.  The Senate passed a similar funding bill on Tuesday of last week. Both the House and Senate are expected to grant final approval for this funding bill this week and if President Bush signs it, eligible seniors could expect grants ranging from about $50 to $500 in assistance, depending on need.  "When the weather gets hot, many seniors are at risk because they cannot afford to pay for air conditioning," said Rep. Andrews.  "For seniors on a fixed income, high electric bills make this option unaffordable and therefore put them at risk of falling victim to dehydration, heat stroke and other heat related ailments".  Andrews said he hopes the Bill will reach the President before the end of July.  The payments, which can be applied retroactively to utility bills, are available to homeowner and renter seniors who make less than $20,000 per year for a family of two who have applied for funding prior to March 31, 2001. 

Next, Congressman Andrews promoted health care safety by meeting with South Jersey health care providers to discuss strategy for the passage of the Patient's Bill of Rights legislation, which may be scheduled for a vote before the House of Representatives this week.  The legislation would give patients better access to healthcare and put the decisions that affect a patient's health back in the hands of healthcare practitioners.  "Along the lines of summer safety, we are meeting today to discuss ways in which we can promote the importance of this legislation.  If a child falls from a tree while playing in the yard this afternoon and exhibits some signs of a concussion, under the present system, a parent must question whether or not to bring that child to the Emergency Room because their HMO may claim that the visit was not warranted even if the attending doctor agrees that it is," stated Andrews. "The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that year round, patient care is the top priority rather than the current trend of placing profit margins before a person's health."

To conclude his day, Rep. Andrews visited the Gloucester County Youth Sports Program at Gloucester County Community College in Deptford to highlight the success of this safe and wholesome federally assisted program, which offers children programs in sports, education and enrichment activities over the course of a five-week program during the summer months.   Since 1990, Rep. Andrews has enthusiastically supported funding for the National Youth Sports Program, which for over 32 years has provided children, ages 10-16, a safe environment to compete, learn and play.  This year, he has again supported the request for $16 million for this program, which is offered in 46 states and serves over 69,500 participants nationwide.  A total of 377 Gloucester County youths are taking part in this summer's program.