A message from Senator Enzi
I congratulate Wyoming voters for going to the polls recently and making decisions important to their lives. I applaud the candidates, winners and losers, for their desire to serve and for putting themselves and their beliefs to the test of public scrutiny. It’s tough for candidates to put themselves out there like that, but it's these acts of service that make our country great, especially on a state and local level where the impacts are so immediate and close to home.
Naturally I'm disappointed in the outcome of the national elections that will result in changes in the majority party in Congress, but I'm encouraged by the comments about more bipartisan efforts. That's the way I've operated and how I've run the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and worked on my other committees. I established the 80 percent rule years ago realizing that everyone agrees on about 80 percent of the issues and about 80 percent of each issue. That's how we passed 37 bills through the HELP Committee, 25 bills through the Senate and got 15 bills signed by the President during this Congress. Concentration on areas of agreement is how we were also able to get another dozen bills signed into law from my personal office on top of what we did with the HELP Committee. That makes 27 successful bills in what has been popularly portrayed as an extremely divisive Congress. I encourage not only leaders in government, but everyone to use the 80 percent rule in their lives including in business and personal relationships. When agreement and success is what you concentrate on discovering, that’s more often than not what you will find.
My staff and I have summarized a few interesting pieces of information and news about what Congress is working on. Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter and do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions or concerns you have.
Diana and I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.
Headlines and Highlights
Wyoming has exceptional business climate with low taxes
According to a recent study by the Tax Foundation, a tax research group based in Washington, D.C., Wyoming has the best business tax climates in the country. The study measured the amount of low, flat tax rates and how equally taxpayers are treated. Wyoming scored well in the areas of low taxation, such as individual income taxes, major business taxes and sales taxes.
Other states that fared well in the study were South Dakota, Alaska, Nevada and Florida. The worst states rated were Rhode Island, Ohio and New Jersey. For more information about the study visit http://www.taxfoundation.org/ .
Enzi, as an account and former small businessman, is working on legislation to simplify federal taxes and make the tax code easier to understand and more fair.
Enzi speaks to Wyoming Farm Bureau
Enzi received the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award from the Wyoming Farm Bureau during their annual meeting in Casper last week. Enzi also spoke to the group by telephone when his trip from Gillette had to be canceled due to the weather. Enzi spoke about the importance of country of origin labeling for meat products, drought assistance, renewable energy and the upcoming farm bill legislation.
Key Vote Summary
Work wrap up
The Senate passed the fiscal year 2007 Military Construction Appropriations bill Tuesday evening by a voice vote. The bill provides about $16 billion for active and reserve military construction components and about $78 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which includes about $29 billion for the Veterans Medical Services. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday by a voice vote. It included two projects for Wyoming’s Air National Guard, one project for Wyoming’s Army National Guard, and one project for Wyoming’s Air Force Base at F.E. Warren.
On the Horizon
This week Enzi is planning on chairing Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearings on food and drug safety and another hearing on Indian health care before Christmas . The House and Senate plan to break for the Thanksgiving holiday and reconvene the first week of December. Bills on the slate to be considered will be the remaining appropriations bills for fiscal year 2007, including agriculture appropriations.
