IN THIS ISSUE: Pending Bills and Issues |
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Legislative Updates Troop Funding, Spending Bill Passed Additionally, Congress has finally approved fiscal year 2008 (FY 08) funding for all U.S. departments and agencies, albeit through a massive "omnibus" spending bill instead of passing each of the twelve appropriations bills separately. Fiscal year 2008 began nearly three months ago, so this action is long overdue. I am concerned that the measure includes some wasteful spending and contains a number of pork projects and policy provisions that did not receive thorough review and debate, and therefore I voted against it. I was pleased, however, that fiscal conservatives in Congress were able to stand with the President and force House leadership to back away from their plans to spend more than $20 billion above the budget. While Congress still has a long way to go to restore fiscal responsibility, I believe the outcome of the FY 08 appropriations process was at least a small victory for American taxpayers. Share your thoughts Energy Bill Wouldn't Lower Gas Prices Instead, the law we passed focuses on a higher mandate for the use of "biofuels" and higher fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. Fuel diversity and efficiency are important goals and something I support, but the way this law is written will likely result in higher gasoline prices for Northern California. Corn ethanol is the number-one biofuel used in America today. But ethanol is expensive, requires a great deal of energy to produce, and generates fewer miles per gallon. Additionally, the fuel is processed in the Midwest and must be trucked to California for use in our gasoline. All of these factors contribute to the price of ethanol and are ultimately passed on to California's motorists. Rather than heading down this path, I supported the American Made Energy and Good Jobs Act earlier this year, which would have taken truly meaningful steps to address the serious problem of record gas prices and dependence on foreign energy, and would have created the incentives needed to unleash the power of American inventiveness in order to develop the next generation of energy technology and supplies. Unfortunately, H.R. 6 does none of these things and could very well take us down the road to even higher energy prices. E-Prescribing Can Improve Health Care E-prescribing has enormous potential to improve the quality of health care by reducing errors in the transfer of prescription information from the doctor's office to the pharmacy. A well designed e-prescribing device, particularly when coupled with a broader system of electronic medical records, can also help physicians avoid prescribing multiple drugs that can have dangerous side effects when taken together. Increased use of e-prescribing is projected not only to lead to better health outcomes, but also to generate cost savings for Medicare. As Congress considers how to rein in rising health care costs, innovative technologies such as e-prescribing will undoubtedly play an important role. Share your thoughts Pending Legislation and Issues Important to Northern CA New Report Shows Iran Still a Threat Meanwhile, others in the international community reportedly believe that Iran may have already resumed their nuclear weapons program. This only strengthens the argument that strong international pressure against the Iranian regime must continue. For this reason, I strongly support our nation's current efforts with Britain, Germany, and France to develop potent multilateral sanctions aimed at limiting Iran's ability to enhance their nuclear capabilities. It is my deepest hope that economic and diplomatic actions cause Iran to truly terminate their nuclear program without delay and for good. At the same time, I continue to believe that every option for dealing with this serious threat needs to be on the table. Share your thoughts U.S. Hosts Middle East Peace Conference Israel's enduring peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan demonstrate that it is possible for nations long at odds in the Middle East to move beyond hostility and develop stable relations. With that said, it will certainly be a major challenge for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to achieve the goals outlined in Annapolis. A critical action that must occur is for Hamas--the terrorist group that now controls the Gaza Strip and did not come to Annapolis--to recognize Israel's fundamental right to exist. Indeed, it is virtually impossible for the peace process to move forward so long as Hamas commits or condones violence against Israel. Beyond that challenge, reaching an agreement on the status of Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refuges may be especially difficult. Still, I believe it is appropriate that the United States is redoubling efforts to advance the Middle East Peace Process. It is my deep hope that all Israelis and Palestinians will break with the past and embrace a path that fosters peace and security. Share your thoughts Bipartisan Support for Colombia Free Trade Agreement However, congressional consideration of the agreement remains stalled, despite support from members on both sides of the aisle. Colombia is a strong, pro-free market ally of the United States, and increased two-way trade between our nations would mean more consumers of U.S. goods, new markets for America's farm produce, and more jobs for U.S. workers. Colombia has made terrific progress in recent years thanks to the leadership of President Uribe. I fear that if Congress fails to implement this agreement soon, it will underscore the anti-U.S. rhetoric of Marxists like Venezuela's dictator Hugo Chavez as he tries to expand his influence in Latin America. Trade should not be a partisan issue. Trade benefits the lives and livelihoods of everyone. It helps expand our options as consumers while lowering prices; it creates markets for our manufactured goods and agricultural produce abroad; and it helps add new and attractive jobs for workers in our economy. I look forward to continuing to work with Republicans and Democrats to move the trade agreement with Colombia through Congress soon. Share your thoughts Stem Cell Breakthrough Alters Debate Several weeks ago, two teams of scientists reported that they had discovered a new way to create stem cells by adding four genes to a human skin cell. The resulting stem cells share the most important characteristic of embryonic stem cells, pluripotency -- the ability to transform into any of the more than 200 types of cells in the human body. Dr. Robert Lanza, a leading stem cell researcher, has described this discovery as "the biological equivalent of the Wright brothers' first airplane." This major breakthrough will allow America's scientists to proceed with life-saving medical research without compromising ethical principles. I believe Congress should take this opportunity to get beyond the contentious and emotional debate over embryonic stem cell research and express united support for these exciting new discoveries. Share your thoughts District News Honoring Our Veterans California Lawmakers Promote Beale AFB Sutter County Taxpayers Event The House originally passed a measure that would provide a one-year reprieve from the AMT but raise taxes on other Americans to offset the "costs." Fortunately, this bill was defeated by the Senate. In response, the House finally passed an AMT relief bill that did not include tax increases. I strongly supported this measure, and will continue to work to lower the tax burden on American families and small businesses. California Cattleman Honored
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