Republican Leader John Boehner | House GOP Weekly Radio Address

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House GOP Weekly Radio Address

Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on February 29th, 2008

Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15)

Hello, this is Congressman Charlie Dent, and I have the privilege to represent Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District.

Last August, Congress passed and the president signed a bipartisan bill that will help our intelligence community intercept electronic communications of foreign terrorists operating overseas.

This bill, the Protect America Act, modernized the 1970s-era Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, and closed a dangerous intelligence gap. But the bill was passed only on a six-month basis.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a very good bill that would extend these provisions and improvements to FISA. This bill, like its predecessor, enjoyed strong bipartisan support, as evidenced by a final vote tally of 68-29 in the Senate. I believe a strong bipartisan majority of the House would pass this bill. However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to refuse to schedule a vote.

Under Speaker Pelosi, the House wasted plenty of time shamelessly grandstanding on Roger Clemens and his trainer and other partisan nonsense – but no time for common-sense legislation to protect Americans.

This inaction is indefensible and it undermines years of bipartisan efforts to secure our country against terrorists.

What’s more, it begs the question: if there is strong bipartisan support for the Senate bill, what’s the hold-up?

The answer: A small but vocal minority, one that embraces a far left wing ideology and is on the margins of the American mainstream, but also one that controls the House agenda on this critical national security issue. Speaker Pelosi and the far left are protecting lawyers instead of the American people.

They oppose liability protections for telecommunications companies who operated in good faith at the request of the United States government immediately after 9-11. Already, some trial lawyers are seeking millions of dollars, and now some telecommunications companies who have cooperated to help defend our country have indicated they can no longer do so voluntarily.

And what is even more troubling, intelligence and counterterrorism officials are being told to buy liability insurance in case they get sued.

This entire episode is a perfect example of why Americans are frustrated with a broken Washington.

It’s time for Speaker Pelosi to stop pandering to the ACLU, trial lawyers and MoveOn.org. A bipartisan solution on FISA has been reached. There are no more excuses. It’s time to take ‘yes’ for an answer. It’s time to do the right thing and get the job done.

This is Congressman Charlie Dent.

NOTE: Last week, Rep. Dent penned an op-ed on intelligence reform that ran in the Lehigh Valley Express-Times. Also, you can access Rep. Dent’s biography here.

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House Republicans on FISA

Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on February 28th, 2008

In the Op-Eds below, House Republicans continue to push for a House vote on the bipartisan Senate Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) modernization bill.

Leader Boehner in the Cincinnati Enquirer: House Must Update Foreign Surveillance Act

Whip Blunt in the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Immunity Necessary to Protect America

Rep. Blackburn in the Memphis Commercial Appeal: Democrats Miss Chance for Unity on Security

Reps. King and Fossella in The Washington Times: A Big Bouquet for Al Qaeda

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Examiner Editorial: Oink! Oink! Murtha’s porkfest

Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on February 27th, 2008

From today’s Examiner.com:

“Murtha is one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s closest allies and one of the leading earmarkers in Congress. Tickets for the “Evening with Jack and Joyce Murtha” dinner cost $1,500 per person. Murtha and cohorts like Rep. James Moran, D-Va., and Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., have refined the earmark-for-a-contribution process to a fine art. A Roll Call investigation last year found, with assistance from Taxpayers for Common Sense and the Sunlight Foundation, that the three Democrats funneled millions of dollars in earmarks for firms whose executives then contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to their re-election campaigns.”

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Heritage Blogger Lunch

Posted by Nick on February 26th, 2008

Today we joined Robert Bluey (above) as well as Congressmen Dave Camp (R-MI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) at the Heritage Foundation’s weekly conservative blogger briefing. Congressman Camp’s comments focused on healthcare, followed by Congressman Ryan discussing the 2009 budget resolution.

Congressman Camp:

“We’ve beat the Democrats at every turn this year with regard to healthcare, whether it was having the government set prices ala the VA, re-importing drugs or SCHIP-Gone-Wild. The point is: Republicans have a message on healthcare and when we talk about it voters listen and like what they hear. We just need to talk more about our healthcare policies: using the tax-code to create personal, patient focused healthcare just as it created employer-provide healthcare; creating a national marketplace where you can shop for an insurance plan; utilizing e-technology to create transparency on treatment just as there is on diagnosis and putting greater emphasis on wellness (not just treating people once they are sick).”

As I mentioned at lunch, I hope everyone will take a moment to look around our recently redesigned site and blog. Feel free to give us your feedback and suggestions in the comments section below.

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Hoekstra on the Protect America Act

Posted by Nick on February 26th, 2008

This morning we will be streaming live House Permanent Select Committee Ranking Member Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) speaking at the Heritage Foundation on the expiration of the Protect America Act.

UPDATE: For anyone that missed the live stream, the recorded video can be seen below.

Boehner Statement on McConnell/Mukasey Letter to Congress on FISA (2/22/08)

Facts are Stubborn Things: House Democratic Leaders Have Blocked Bipartisan FISA Discussions for Nearly a Year (2/22/08)

New Web Video Chronicles Decision by House Democratic Leaders to Block Bipartisan FISA Bill (2/21/08)

The Speaker’s Choice on FISA: “Trial Lawyer Cronies” or America’s Security? (2/21/08)

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Links for February 22, 2008

Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on February 22nd, 2008

Somebody Doesn’t Like Earmark Reform… (The Club for Growth)

Boehner Protests House Decision to Yank Earmark Site (The Hill)

Congressional Earmark Reform Website Comes Under Fire (Heritage Foundry Blog)

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America at Risk

Posted by Nick on February 21st, 2008

Today the House Republican Conference released the new web video “America at Risk”.

Read more on Republicans’ efforts to protect America:

Boehner on the Radio: “Why Wouldn’t We Want to Give Our Intelligence Officials All the Tools Possible to Protect the American People?” (2/20/08)

Pressure Builds on House Democrats to Stop Protecting Trial Lawyers at the Expense of U.S. National Security (2/19/08)

Boehner Op-Ed: Democrats’ Inaction on FISA Harms America’s National Security (2/17/08)

Boehner: Democratic Leaders Must Stop Protecting Trial Lawyers, Start Protecting the American People (2/16/08)

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Earmark Reform Website

Posted by Nick on February 12th, 2008

House Republican Leaders today unveiled http://earmarkreform.house.gov:

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Podcast Update

Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on February 7th, 2008

Audio from today’s Republican Leadership stakeout can now be found on the House Republican Leader Podcast. If iTunes is installed on your computer, you can click here to subscribe.