Pocono News Section

Casey Begins Second Year in Office

Casey Begins Second Year in Office - Friday, January 4, 2008 at 1:51PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Friday, Jan 4, 2008 @01:51pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Scranton native Bob Casey Jr. took his oath of office as Pennsylvania's newest United States Senator on January 4th of 2007.

He says there are several issues he regards as priorities for the country as he begins his second year of service.

When interviewed in his Scranton office, Senator Casey said, "We still have to change course in Iraq."

Casey said he wants more of a focus on training local forces there so they can take over the fight and we can get our troops home and out of war.

Casey also said that he's concerned about nuclear terrorism.

He believes the country must make sure that a plan is in place to secure all of the fissile material the in former Soviet countries where a lot of that material is available, sometimes unsecured.

Closer to home, Casey again called on the Bush Administration to support the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Casey says improvements in that program could double the number of children in Pennsylvania covered by the insurance in the next 5 years.