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Friday July 31, 2009
CNN.com: Democrats' Health Bill Could Handicap Small Businesses
This op-ed by Republican Leader John Boehner can be viewed in its entirety on CNN.com:
Rather than helping small businesses with common-sense solutions to make health care more affordable, the Democrats' bill actually creates a climate that destroys jobs and does nothing to slow the cost-shifting to businesses and employees that is one of the fundamental problems with health care in our country today...
Republicans believe we can achieve real health care reform without destroying jobs and undermining ERISA. In the House, we've outlined a plan to strengthen the employer-provided health care system. Our proposal establishes small-business health plans, which allow smaller firms to band together through associations and purchase quality health care -- even across state lines -- at a more affordable cost...
When Congress returns to work in September, we need to build on what works in health care, rather than replacing it with a one-size-fits-all government-run system that will destroy jobs by squeezing payrolls and force millions of employers to stop offering health care benefits.
The plan supported by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders rejects virtually all of these reforms and places blind faith in a massive new government bureaucracy that the Congressional Budget Office warns will drive health care costs -- not to mention the federal debt we'll pass along to future generations -- higher than ever...
To view remarks I made earlier this week on the floor of the House of Representatives addressing my concerns with the health care proposal that I believe will lead to a government takeover of health care, please click the video above or click here.
Friday July 31, 2009
Majority Leadership Blocks Amendment to Enroll All Federal Officials in Public Health Care Plan
The House Republican Health Care Solutions Group issued this today:
WASHINGTON, DC – The majority on the House Energy and Commerce Committee refused to consider an amendment by Health Care Solutions Group Chairman Roy Blunt to require all federal elected officials, including the president, vice-president, and the Congress, to join the government health care plan.
“If the majority is really so confident that their plan will provide the very best health care for the people we represent, we ought to demonstrate that confidence by enrolling ourselves,” Blunt said. “I’m surprised, given that other committees in both the House and Senate have considered similar efforts in the last several weeks.”
“I, for one, don’t believe that a government-run health care plan will be the best for the people we represent,” Blunt continued, “But clearly the majority has discovered how potent this issue is. After all, if we are going to force this government takeover on the American people, let’s put our money where our mouths are and enroll ourselves.”
Friday July 31, 2009
American Public, Republicans and Many Democrats are Opposing the President and Speaker's Government Takeover of Health Care
From the Committee on Ways & Means Republicans:
As Members of Congress prepare to head back to their districts for the month of August, without having voted on a health care reform bill, it is a fitting time to summarize the state of the debate.
According to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, more Americans believe the President’s health plan is a bad idea (42 percent) than a good idea (36 percent). A New York Times/CBS poll confirms those findings and adds that 69 percent were “concerned that the quality of their own care would decline if the government created a program that covers everyone.”
Republicans, and many Democrats, agree with the American public: the President and Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of our health care system is fundamentally flawed. The legislation threatens to:- Decrease the quality of health care Americans currently receive;
- Cause 2 out of 3 Americans to lose their current health plan;
- Massively increase deficits;
- Force costs to skyrocket for those who already have health insurance; and,
- Impose a host of new taxes on individuals and businesses that would further hamper efforts to revive an already struggling economy.
- Worse yet, the bill violates oft-repeated promises by the President and others that health care reform won’t cause people to lose coverage they like, that taxes won’t increase on families with income less than $250,000, and that tax rates won’t increase above what they were during the 1990s.
Republicans, standing with the American people, are united in opposition to a government takeover of our health care system. In the Ways and Means Committee, Republicans offered 38 amendments to improve the legislation. While Democrats were able to block every amendment, a handful of Democrats repeatedly broke ranks and sided with Republicans.
While Republicans support strengthening our health care system, the reasons for opposing the President and Speaker’s plan for a government take over of health care are many. The core reasons are laid out in detail in the dissenting views of Ways and Means Republicans.
To read more about the Republican plan to reduce health care costs for all Americans while targeting assistance to those who truly cannot afford health insurance, please click here.Thursday July 30, 2009
Boehner: Government-Run Health Care Plan Will Raise Health Care Costs, Kill American Jobs, and Put Government Between Doctors and Patients
In an interview on CNN’s Situation Room, House Republican Leader John Boehner yesterday warned of the dangers of Washington majority leadership's government takeover of health care.
Boehner’s interview comes just after a newly released Wall Street Journal/NBC poll shows that “more Americans disapprove of President Barack Obama’s plan to overhaul the U.S. health care system than those who approve of it” by a 46-41 percent margin. In his interview, Boehner explained that despite a so-called “deal” with Blue Dog Democrats, the 1,018-page legislation will still raise health care costs, drive up the deficit, force costly mandates on small business owners, endanger American jobs, and put bureaucrats in charge of decisions that should be made by patients and doctors. You can watch the video by clicking the picture to the left, or clicking here.
Thursday July 30, 2009
Americans' Support Falling for Obama's Health Care Plan
An NBC/Wall Street Journal survey conducted July 24-27, asked 1,011 adults nationwide:
“From what you have heard about Barack Obama’s health care plan, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so.”
42 percent - Bad idea
36 percent - Good idea
17 percent - Do not have an opinion
5 percent - Not sureThursday July 30, 2009
Pence Calls Health Care Deal a Bad Deal for American Taxpayers
Congressman Mike Pence, the Chairman of the House Republican Conference, appeared live on Fox News’s The Live Desk with Martha and Trace, after it was reported yesterday that House majority leadership reached a so-called health care reform deal with House "Blue Dog" Democrats.
You can view the video by clicking here.
I believe quality health care should be affordable and accessible for every American, and those who like their current health care coverage should be able to keep it. I support health care reform that puts patients and their health first and protects the important doctor-patient relationship. While we may disagree on how to get there, everyone agrees that America’s health care system is in need of serious reform.
Wednesday July 29, 2009
President Calls Tort Reform a "Real Issue"
From Committee on Ways and Means Republicans:
President Obama¸ when speaking before the American Medical Association (AMA), stated: “I understand some doctors may feel the need to order more tests and treatments to avoid being legally vulnerable. That's a real issue… I want to work with the AMA so we can scale back the excessive defensive medicine that reinforces our current system, and shift to a system where we are providing better care, simply -- rather than simply more treatment.”
The journal Health Affairs estimates the cost of defensive medicine to range from $70 billion to $124 billion per year, which equates to over 10 percent of all health care expenditures. Health Affairs found that this specifically costs Medicare – U.S. taxpayers – more than $15 billion annually.
House Democrats, however, failed to include a single provision aimed at reducing the huge costs to Americans that defensive medicine causes. In fact, when Republicans offered a medical liability reform amendment in the Ways and Means Committee, Democrats rejected these costs savings on a straight party-line vote.Wednesday July 29, 2009
Boehner Blasts Censorship of Chart Detailing Pelosi's Government-Run Health Care Labyrinth
In a speech on the House floor on Wednesday, House Republican Leader John Boehner blasted Democratic leaders’ efforts to censor a chart that illustrates the bureaucratic labyrinth that would result for Americans with enactment of Washington Democrats’ proposed trillion-dollar government takeover of health care. Democratic leaders have attempted to block Members of Congress from using the chart, produced by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and the House Republican professional staff of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), in official communications with their constituents.
You can view Leader Boehner's remarks by clicking here. A transcript of Boehner’s remarks follow:“Mr. Speaker, Democrats in Congress don’t want the American people to see this chart. This is the chart that outlines the Democrat proposal moving through the House of Representatives that contains as many as 53 new Federal programs, Agencies and Commissions. That’s right; they’re trying to restrict Members of Congress from showing this to their constituents. They say it’s misleading. Well, there’s nothing misleading about it. They just don’t want anyone to see it.
“Well, here it is. I’m using it. Are they going to turn out the lights, are they going to turn off the cameras? Why don’t they want the American people to see this?
“Well, I think the American people deserve the truth about the Democrats’ $1.6 trillion takeover of our of our health care system. More bureaucracy, more taxes, more mandates - and more government involvement in your life.
“And guess what? It also means less jobs for Americans. According to a model developed by the President’s own Council of Economic Advisors Chairperson, this proposal will cost Americans some 5.5 million jobs over the next 10 years; the National Federation of Independent Business says that at least a million small business jobs will be lost; and, even the Congressional Budget Office over the weekend made it clear that this will cost low-wage workers an opportunity to get a job.
“Listen, after the ‘stimulus’ didn’t work, most of my constituents are continuing to ask the question, ‘where are the jobs?’
“We have a ‘stimulus’ that’s not working, we have a national energy tax bill that came through here this month that will cost millions of Americans their jobs, and while this will ruin the health care system that we enjoy in America, let’s not forget, it will cost us millions of American jobs when most Americans continue to want to know, ‘where are the jobs?’"
Wednesday July 29, 2009
Gov. Pawlenty: Notion That a Government-run Health Insurance Program Will Succeed Flies in the Face of Common Sense
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty sent a letter to all 10 members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation this week urging us to abandon Speaker Nancy Pelosi's health care proposal that would lead to a government takeover of health care.
"I write to express my significant concerns regarding the [Democrats' health care proposal]...
"This legislation levies a huge new tax structure on an economy that is already struggling with the worst recession since before World War II. The misleading "tax the rich" rhetoric is nothing more than an attack on small businesses, since more than 90 percent of Minnesota small businesses file their state and federal income taxes as individual filers. When the vast majority of jobs are created by small businesses, Congress should not tax them to an even higher degree."In addition, this legislation will worse the nation's already unacceptable federal budget deficit...
"The notion that a government-run health insurance program will succeed flies in the face of common sense. This is not the time to introduce new bureaucracy into a system already bloated with regulations...
This flawed attempt at health care reform would do little to solve the health care cost crisis facing our nation. I urge you to abandon this legislation."
You can read the letter by clicking here.
Earlier this week, Republican Leader John Boehner and Gov. Pawlenty released a report saying the health care legislation being rushed through Congress this summer by majority leadership will increase health costs, destroy jobs and crush state budgets across the nation.
Tuesday July 28, 2009
Analysis: Most Small Businesses Subject to Democrats' 8 Percent Payroll Tax
From the House Committee on Ways and Means Republicans:
Despite unemployment fast approaching 10 percent, a new analysis shows the Democrats’ health care plan could force as many as 61% of small businesses who already provide health insurance and as many as 40% of large firms that already provide health insurance to pay a new 8% payroll tax. So, while Democrats tell the millions of employees who have coverage today not to worry, the reality is far different. Not only do employees need to worry about keeping the insurance they have but also keeping the job and wages they have. Here are the facts:
- The House Democrats’ bill mandates employers must pay a minimum of 72.5% of health insurance premiums for individuals and 65% for families. If an employer fails to do so, then it will be subject to a job and wage crushing 8 percent payroll tax. (Division A, Sec. 312 (b)(1)(A) and (B) of H.R. 3200).
- According to a 2008 Kaiser Family Foundation survey of employer-sponsored insurance, this new mandate will hit small firms – and their employees – especially hard. The survey found that the majority of small firms (those with less than 200 employees) don’t meet the Democrats' standards. Up to 61% of small employers fail the Democrat test for family coverage and up to 21% of small employers fail the Democrat test for single coverage.
- Even larger firms, those most often assumed to be able to afford more, fail to meet the minimum contribution requirements. Up to 40% of large firms do not pass the test for family coverage and up to 21% of large firms fail the test for single coverage.
- As a result of this new tax, employers who already provide a plan to their employees will have to spend more on these benefits. These added costs of doing business could result in employers laying off workers, reducing salaries and being unable to hire new workers.
- Bottom line? More taxes and more costs that will hurt the very workers they are supposed to help. Don’t just take our word for it, everyone from the Congressional Budget Office to the National Retail Federation agrees:
- The Congressional Budget Office said that "employees largely bear the cost of... play-or-pay fees in the form of lower wages."
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 3 million businesses and organizations, said the Democrats' proposal, “will not increase coverage – rather it will lead to out-sourcing, off-shoring, hiring of independent contractors, spinning-off small new companies, reducing workforces, and reducing wages.”
- The National Federation of Independent Business, which represents 350,000 small businesses, said through mandates, “employees ultimately bear the cost of their health insurance through lower employment, depressed wages, depressed productivity, and loss of economic opportunities.”
- The National Retail Federation, which represents 1 in 5 American workers, has said, “Employer mandates of any kind amount to a tax on jobs. We can think of few more dangerous steps to take in the middle of our present recession.”
Tuesday July 28, 2009
VFW's Commitment an Inspiration to Us All
This week, legislation I introduced to support the goals and ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars Day passed the U.S. House of Representatives. September 29, 2009 will mark the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Today, the 2.3 million members of the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary remain committed to ensuring rights, remembering sacrifices, promoting patriotism, performing community services, and advocating for a strong national defense.
The VFW has been instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI Bill for the 20th century, developing the national cemetery system, and assisting combat wounded veterans with receiving compensation for their injuries. VFW members continue to advocate for all of our foreign veterans, and their enduring commitment to one another and our great nation is an inspiration.
To view my remarks honoring the goals and ideals of VFW Day, please click here or click the picture to the left.Tuesday July 28, 2009
CBO: Even When the President Empowers Bureaucrats to Cut Medicare, the House Bill Still Leads to Rivers of Red Ink
The non-partisan number crunchers at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) were busy this weekend. In addition to fending off partisan attacks from the White House, CBO released two key findings after Congress left town Friday. The first concerned the President’s much ballyhooed Independent Medicare Advisory Commission (IMAC), while the second focused on the deficits caused by the House Democrats’ health care bill.
CBO, in a Saturday letter to Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), stated it was, “unlikely that IMAC would recommend substantial additional savings.” In fact, when put in the context of the overall deficit increases of the House Democrats’ bill, the savings were virtually non-existent according to CBO. The chart below shows how the deficits resulting from the Democrats' health reform bill would change if IMAC was included in the House bill (yes, we know it is very difficult to discern the difference). In fact, the “savings” from the IMAC proposal would only reduce total spending in the bill by 0.1%, hardly the “game changer” IMAC was billed to be.
CBO, in a Sunday letter to Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI), stated that the Democrats’ health care bill would, “generate substantial increases in federal budget deficits during the decade beyond the current 10-year budget window.” This confirmation from CBO bolsters analysis by Ways and Means Republicans that, as the graph below shows, Democrats' health care bill could cause a massive spike in the federal deficit – reaching as high as $1.6 trillion over the next 20 years.
Monday July 27, 2009
Boehner-Pawlenty Report Shows Washington Takeover of Health Care Will Hurt States
The health care legislation being rushed through Congress this summer by majority leadership will increase health costs, destroy jobs and crush state budgets across the nation, a report released jointly today by House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) shows. The Boehner-Pawlenty report, entitled Capital Malpractice: How a Washington Takeover of Health Care Will Hurt States, is a product of the GOP State Solutions project, launched earlier this year to highlight policy coordination among reform-minded GOP governors, state legislators, and Members of Congress.
“Rather than forcing government-run health care on the American people, Washington should be looking to the states which pioneered welfare reform in the 1990s and are serving as laboratories for health care reform today,” Boehner said. “That’s the approach congressional Republicans have taken in developing our better solutions. As this report shows, a Washington takeover of health care will destroy jobs, raise costs and hurt middle-class families in all 50 states. Clearly a better solution is needed.”
“Our nation’s health care system should be market-driven, patient-centered, and quality-focused,” Governor Pawlenty said. “In Minnesota, we have implemented nation-leading reforms that have begun to rein in the growing costs of health care. The Congressional Democrats’ flawed attempt at health care reform won’t solve the health care cost crisis facing our nation and, as this report shows, would actually add to the financial burden of states and families. I encourage Congress to abandon this legislation and instead evaluate what states have done to improve health care quality and make health care more accessible and affordable.”
A government takeover of health care will ration care and let government bureaucrats make decisions that should be made by families and their doctors. Rather than support the current proposal, we must develop a commonsense, bipartisan solution that will fix what’s broken in the health care system while keeping what works – including the job and health plan many Minnesotans already have.
Monday July 27, 2009
McMorris-Rodgers: Start Over With Health Care Legislation
In the Republican radio and Internet address, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) said Congress should scrap the current 1,018-page health care bill that would lead to a government takeover of health care, and start over with better legislation.
You can listen to her address by clicking here, or read the text below.
“It’s time to do the right thing, and that starts with scrapping the Democrats’ costly plan for government bureaucracy,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said measures under consideration would reduce health-care choices for senior citizens because of the proposed $635 billion in Medicare cuts. That would hurt medical coverage, especially in rural areas where there are fewer doctors, she said.
Rodgers, vice-chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, said jobs would be lost “because the Democrats’ plan is bankrolled by a small business tax.” A House proposal calls for a surtax ranging from 1 percent to 5.4 percent on Americans earning more than $280,000 a year. …
Rodgers said Republicans support changes in the health-care system, beginning with ending waste, reining in junk lawsuits that inflate insurance premiums and revamping regulations in a way that permits insurance companies to compete and support preventive medicine and wellness programs.
“Our reforms will lower health-care costs for you and your family,” Rodgers said. “They won’t increase taxes on small businesses and they won’t saddle future generations with hundreds of billions more in debt."
Friday July 24, 2009
International Health Care Horror Stories Must Not Be Ignored
On Thursday, as the top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, I joined my colleagues on the Republican Health Care Solutions Group in a hearing to learn from Canadian and United Kingdom experts on the dangers of government-controlled health care.
This hearing looked at a side of government-run health care that its proponents have willfully ignored: the devastating personal consequences when care is rationed and treatments are denied.The gut-wrenching stories we heard Thursday serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of a government-run health care system that puts bureaucrats between patients and their doctors. These are warnings we simply can’t afford to ignore. Richard Baker, founder of North American Surgery, Inc. and one of the panel's witnesses, described the plight of a 28-year-old Canadian woman denied spinal surgery under the Canadian health care system. She was told by her surgeon, "You have not yet suffered long enough."
Friday July 24, 2009
New Federal Bureaucracies Created in Faulty Health Care Bill
A list of all the new boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs created in the House majority leadership's 1,018-page health care plan that will lead to a government takeover of health care:
1. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 123, p. 30)
2. Health Choices Administration (Section 141, p. 41)
3. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 144, p. 47)
4. Program of administrative simplification (Section 163, p. 57)
5. Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 164(d), p. 70)
6. Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 72)
7. Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Administration Commissioner (Section 206(b), p. 106)
8. Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 206(c), p. 107)
9. Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 207, p. 109)
10. State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 208, p. 111)
11. “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 221, p. 116)
12. Ombudsman for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 221(d), p. 117)
13. Account for receipts and disbursements for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 222(b), p. 119)
14. Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191, p. 380)
15. Demonstration program providing reimbursement for “culturally and linguistically appropriate services” (Section 1222, p. 405)
16. Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 438)
17. Accountable Care Organization pilot program (Section 1301, p. 443)
18. Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 462)
19. Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 468)
20. Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 502)
21. Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 505)
22. Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 519)
23. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 546)
24. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 548)
25. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 559)
26. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 565)
27. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 607)
28. Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 674)
29. Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 716)
30. Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 780)
31. Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 824)
32. “Identifiable office or program” within CMS to “provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles” (Section 1905, p. 852)
33. Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 859)
34. Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 870)
35. Loan repayment program for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 873)
36. Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 882)
37. Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 887)
38. Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 898)
39. Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 900)
40. Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 904)
41. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p 917)
42. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 920)
43. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 932)
44. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 941)
45. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 947)
46. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 950)
47. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 951)
48. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 955)
49. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 965)
50. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 972)
51. Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 993)
52. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2521, p. 1001)
53. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2531, p. 1008)Thursday July 23, 2009
Health Care Plan Will Ration Care, Drive Down Quality, and Put the Government in Charge
In an interview with Fox News’ Live Desk Wednesday afternoon, House Republican Leader John Boehner continued highlighting the majority leadership's government takeover of health care, which will ration care, force tens of millions off of their current coverage, and saddle employers with a job-killing small business tax.
During the interview, Boehner also described the majority's ongoing refusal to work with Republicans on a bipartisan plan to reduce costs and raised questions about why the White House would make the unprecedented request to meet with Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress’ nonpartisan scorekeeper.The CBO has recently estimated that the Democrats’ government takeover will force millions off their plans, raise health care costs, and add $239 billion to the federal budget deficit.
You can watch the video of Leader Boehner’s interview by clicking the picture, or clicking here.
Thursday July 23, 2009
Cap-and-Trade Would Kill Jobs, Raise Utility Prices
An interesting op-ed was published this week by The Hill on the devastating cap and trade bill that passed in the House of Representatives which, if it becomes law, would drive up the price of everyday goods, strain the economy, reduce jobs, and impose a significant cost increase on every American who dares on a light.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) national energy tax legislation would have three significant consequences for middle-class families, small businesses and family farms — and not one of them would result in new job creation here at home.
First, it would dramatically raise electricity prices, particularly in rural America. But don’t take my word for it. The president has admitted as much, telling the San Francisco Chronicle that “under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.” In my home state of Ohio, which has thousands of farmers in rural areas, more than 85 percent of our energy comes from coal. Because carbon emissions would face penalties under “cap-and-trade,” energy prices would rise substantially.
Second, it would stifle economic growth and ship millions of jobs overseas to countries like China and India that refuse to impose the same type of tax on their economy. In fact, according to a National Black Chamber of Commerce study, Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax would cost 2.5 million American jobs. Some of those people happen to reside in my district, where AK Steel is headquartered. The cost of their steel will increase 30 to 40 percent if this bill becomes law. At a time when we’re trying to help the American automobile industry get back on its feet, the last thing we should be asking them to do is pay 30 or 40 percent more for their steel.
Finally, Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax would create a slew of new government programs to take and redistribute trillions of dollars from families, small businesses and family farmers in the form of allowances — all overseen by a confusing web of government agencies that will ultimately answer to the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill even includes a series of new mandates that would affect every house in built in America...
The American people deserve better. The government should be supporting economic growth and job creation, not stifling it with a new national energy tax. We need policies that help small businesses, the engine of our nation’s economy, weather the storm and get back to creating jobs — and new taxes, higher energy prices and more mandates from Washington aren’t the answer.You can read the op-ed in its entirety by clicking here.
Thursday July 23, 2009
Expanding Access to All Sources of American Energy
Last year, our economy suffered a tremendous blow from rising energy prices which put all sectors of our economy under strain. As a result, Congress removed the moratoria on Outer Continental Shelf development which had been in place for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, the new Administration earlier this year took action to prevent offshore drilling by delaying the Minerals Management Service's Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil & Gas Leasing Program for 2010-2015.
This week, I signed a letter to Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Department of Interior, asking him to support the five-year draft proposed to develop offshore energy resources. Expanding access to all sources of American energy must be part of any comprehensive approach to increasing our energy independence.A portion of the letter is below:
"At a time when 14.7 million Americans are out of work, it is more important than ever that the federal government move forward with this plan to responsibly develop our energy supply, create new energy jobs, lower energy costs, and decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
"By offering new leasing opportunities in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans – as well as in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico – the proposed plan is appropriately expansive, provides maximum flexibility to properly utilize all of our nation’s domestic resources, and helps coastal communities pursue leasing and development off their coastlines. Important offshore areas, like those in Alaska, offer tremendous natural gas and oil resources. By some estimates the Chukchi Sea, off Alaska’s coast, contains as much natural gas and oil as the country has produced in the Gulf of Mexico since 1942. The Administration should not continue to stay in the way of American energy development."
Thursday July 23, 2009
Government Takeover of Health Care has Major Impact on Deficit
- According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the majority leadership's 1,018-page health care proposal that would lead to a government takeover of health care includes more than $1 trillion in new spending between now and 2019.
- The plan includes more than $820 billion in job-killing tax increases on small businesses and families making as little as $18,700 per year over the next decade.
- But even these massive new taxes aren’t enough to pay for this massive plan.
- CBO found the proposed government-run health care plan will increase the federal deficit by $239 billion over the next 10 years. Unfortunately, the bill is not fully implemented until 2015, hiding the true costs and deficit impact of this government takeover of health care.
- As the graph below shows, if health care spending continues at those rates, it could cause a massive spike in the federal deficit – reaching as high as $1.6 trillion over the next 20 years.
Thursday July 23, 2009
Americans Prioritize Tackling Deficits, Even Ahead of Recovery
An interesting, but not surprising, result from a Diageo/Hotline survey conducted July 9-13 among 800 registered voters nationwide. They were asked:
If you had to choose between a quicker economic recovery with a higher federal deficit, or a slower economic recovery and a lower deficit, which would you prefer?71 percent - Slow economic recovery and a lower deficit
23 percent - Quicker economic recovery with a higher federal deficit
6 percent - Don't know/ did not answer questionWednesday July 22, 2009
Taxpayer-Funded Carbon 'Content Labels' in National Energy Tax
As you know, the President and majority leadership in Congress have proposed a cap-and-trade scheme that attempts to raise federal revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Included in their "cap-and-tax" proposal is a plan that authorizes $25 million of taxpayers’ money each year, for the next 15 years, to establish a national product carbon disclosure program. The program may include a product carbon label disclosing the “carbon content” of the product being sold, to enable and encourage knowledge about “carbon content” by producers and consumers, and to inform of efforts to reduce emissions nationwide. (H.R. 2454, Sec. 274, page 573.)
At a time when Minnesotans are concerned with keeping their jobs and paying their electric bills, the majority leadership in Washington is more concerned with carbon content labels. Majority leadership's cap-and-trade energy plan imposes a national energy tax on families and businesses that will kill between 2.3-2.7 million jobs and force energy prices, in the president’s own words, to “necessarily skyrocket.”
You can view a video on the cap-and-trade plan by clicking here.
There is a better way to find clean, efficient energy sources that will break our dependence on foreign oil. Our nation needs a diversified ‘all of the above’ energy policy that increases domestic energy production, embraces renewable and alternative fuels, and supports conservation efforts to reduce energy consumption. The "American Energy Act," which I joined House Republicans in introducing, provides an ‘all of the above’ solution for offering more affordable energy, producing more well-paying jobs, increasing our energy independence, and creating a cleaner environment without raising costs for you and your family.
Wednesday July 22, 2009
Nearly 3 in 4 Americans Know Government-Takeover of Health Care Will Not Lower Costs
Nearly 75 percent of the 1,000 registered voters polled in a Public Strategies Inc./Politico poll, conducted July 9-12 acknowledge a government-takeover of health care will not lower costs.
Question: Do you think adding a government-managed health care coverage option would result in a higher, the same, or a lower price of health care in the U.S.?
44 percent - Health care costs will be higher
29 percent - Health care costs will be the same
27 percent - Health care costs will be lowerThe bottom line: 73 percent say health care costs will be higher or the same under a government takeover of health care.
There is a better way. I support a solution that empowers doctors and patients by making health care more affordable, more accessible, and more accountable. Minnesotans deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the health care their families need, when they need it. We must find a way to fix health care without crippling our economy. Rather than support the current proposal, we must forge a commonsense, bipartisan solution that will fix what's broken in the health care system while keeping that works - including the job and health plan many Minnesotans alraeady have.
Wednesday July 22, 2009
John Boehner: Mr. President, Scrap This Bill
As Congress continues to review the 1,018-page health care bill that would allow a government takeover of our nation's health care system, a story appeared this week in The Hill:
Noting disagreements among Democratic lawmakers over the president’s landmark healthcare reform measure, House GOP leader John Boehner said on Tuesday, “Mr. President, scrap this bill.”
Boehner and House GOP leaders told reporters that it is apparent that the bill is in trouble given the dissension voiced by the Democratic rank-and-file.You can read the entire story by clicking here.
Wednesday July 22, 2009
Where Are The Jobs?
House Republicans have a real plan that will get our economy back on track and the American people back to work. You can view our plan by clicking here.
Tuesday July 21, 2009
Health Care Reform: Getting It Right is More Important Than Getting It Done
The 1,018-page health care bill introduced in the House of Representatives last week by Speaker Pelosi, which would allow a government takeover of our nation's health care system, has been on the forefront of discussion nationwide. Dave Durenberger, a former U.S. senator from Minnesota and chair of the National Institute of Health Policy, wrote an interesting op-ed in today’s Star Tribune.
Taxing the rich, as proposed in the House, is not the answer. Republicans and enough Democrats in Congress already know that, so it won't happen. Reforming the way we spend federal tax dollars is one way to reward high quality systems. But the Democratic majorities just announced their opposition to changing the tax treatment of employer-paid health insurance. Just as they did in 1994, large labor unions have persuaded Democrats to oppose this long-needed reform…
…Congress is divided. The political parties are divided. The medical industry is divided. The American people are poorly informed. Both the nation and Obama have more at stake right now in restoring our national and international security and self-confidence than they do in the passage of health reform legislation.
By reason of the serious efforts made in both houses of Congress thus far, much has been learned. Leaders and followers are much better informed. The urgency of reform will be as strong or stronger next year or in two years than it is today.
To read Senator Durenberger's op-ed, please click here.
Tuesday July 21, 2009
Digging a Deeper Deficit Hole While Missing Opportunities to Crack Down on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
We know the House majority leadership's health care bill will increase federal spending “significantly.” We know it increases taxes by $820 billion despite an unemployment rate fast approaching 10 percent. We know those taxes will be paid by individuals making as little as $10,000 per year, small businesses, and manufacturers. We also know that over the next 10 years, the House Democrats' bill will increase the deficit by $239 billion. But there is more, much more. Below is an inside look at two key facts about the flawed health care bill:
- The bill increases the federal deficit by $283 billion in the last five years alone, setting the stage for even higher long-term deficits; and,
- The bill contains ZERO savings from eliminating or even reducing waste, fraud, and abuse. In an attempt to correct this egregious lack of oversight, Ways and Means Republicans offered six amendments during the committee’s markup to reduce wasteful spending – each were rejected by majority leadership.
Look at the costs and savings tables provided by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
Tuesday July 21, 2009
Mayo Clinic Says That American People Will Lose Under House Democrats' Government-Run Plan
Mayo Clinic’s reaction to the 1,018-page health care reform bill introduced in the House of Representatives last week by Speaker Pelosi that :
"The proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite." "Although there are some positive provisions in the current House Tri-Committee bill – including insurance for all and payment reform demonstration projects – the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite.
"In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented. Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever – a change in Medicare payment policy – to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States."
Monday July 20, 2009
Pioneer Press: With Key Role, John Kline Ready to Roll Back 'No Child Left Behind' Law
In today's edition, the Pioneer Press published a story titled 'With key role, John Kline ready to roll back No Child Left Behind law.'
...Unlike his predecessors, who gave Bush crucial support for the law, Kline said he is not committed to the core requirement of testing all students in reading and math in grades three through eight, and once more in high school. He said he wants to give states "maximum latitude."
"I'm not looking to tweak No Child Left Behind," Kline said. "As far as I'm concerned, we ought to go in and look at the whole thing."To read the complete Pioneer Press story, please click here.
Monday July 20, 2009
'Health Reform' by the Numbers
A look at important numbers relevant to the majority leadership's 1,018-page job-killing health care bill:
114 million — Number of individuals who could lose their current coverage under the bill, according to non-partisan actuaries at the Lewin Group
4.7 million — Number of jobs that could be lost as a result of taxes on businesses that cannot afford to provide health insurance coverage, according to a model developed by Council of Economic Advisors Chair Christina Romer
$818 billion — Total new taxes on individuals who cannot afford health coverage, and employers who cannot afford to provide coverage that meet federal bureaucrats’ standards
$1.28 trillion — New federal spending in the next ten years, according to a Congressional Budget Office score of selected elements of the bill
0.6% — Percentage of all that new spending occurring in the bill’s first three years—representing a debt and tax “time bomb” in the program’s later years that will explode for future generations
$88,200 — Definition of “low-income” family of four for purposes of health insurance subsidies
33 — Entitlement programs the bill creates, expands, or extends—an increase from an earlier draft
53 — Additional offices, bureaus, commissions, programs, and bureaucracies the bill creates over and above the entitlement expansions—also an increase from the discussion draft
1,683 — Uses of the word “shall,” representing new duties for bureaucrats and mandates on individuals, businesses, and States—and an increase of 306 mandates from the discussion draft
$10 billion — Minimum loss sustained by taxpayers every year due to Medicare fraud; the government-run health plan does not reform the ineffective anti-fraud statutes and procedures that have kept Medicare on the Government Accountability Office’s list of high-risk programs for two decades
Zero — Prohibitions on government programs like Medicare and Medicaid from using cost-effectiveness research to impose delays to or denials for access to life-saving treatments
2017 — Year Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted—a date unchanged by the bill, which re-directs savings from Medicare to fund new entitlements for younger Americans
$2,500 — Promised savings for each American family from health reform, according to then-Senator Obama’s campaign pledge — savings which the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed will not materialize, as the bill will not slow the growth of health care costsMonday July 20, 2009
Stimulus Failing to Create Jobs
"Now most of the money that we're investing as part of this [stimulus] plan will get out the door immediately and go directly to job creation, generating or saving three to four million new jobs." - President Obama, Jan. 28, 2009
Last week, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that 16,700 Minnesota jobs were lost in the month of June as the unemployment rate climbed to 8.4 percent -- up from 8.1 percent in May. More than 450,000 jobs nationwide were lost in the month of June. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent.
The employment report is a somber reminder that American families are hurting; it’s also a clear sign that Washington’s culture of taxing, borrowing, and spending is doing nothing to stem the tide of lost jobs and economic uncertainty. Majority leadership in Congress demanded a trillion dollars in so-called economic stimulus spending with a promise that jobs would be created, unemployment would stop rising, and the effects would be immediate. Nearly five months later, it’s time to ask: Where are the jobs?
I have joined House Republicans in offering a series of proposals this year to create jobs, make health care more affordable and accessible, and secure our energy future. It’s time for the majority leadership in Congress to abandon its partisan agenda and embrace commonsense policies that will grow the economy and help American families.
Thursday July 16, 2009
Income Tax Surtax Should Not Fund Government Health Care Expansion
Many supporters of the House Democrats' 1,018-page health care proposal, which would allow a government takeover of our nation's health care system, want to impose a significant tax burden on already struggling small businesses.
The Heritage Foundation just released an interesting memo on what the surtax would do to our economy:This latest tax scheme would drive the top rates in the U.S. to among the highest in the industrialized world, leaving economic havoc in its wake. Congress should seriously consider the consequences of such a policy.
The proposed mountain of new mandates and taxes in the majority leadership's health care plan will cost America jobs at a time when it needs them the most.
Thursday July 16, 2009
Democrats Resisting Proposal for Government Takeover of Health Care
Today's Roll Call includes an interesting story about some House Democrats' frustration with the 1,018-page health care bill introduced this week by Speaker Pelosi that would allow a government takeover of our nation's health care system:
... Rep. Jared Polis (Colo.), meanwhile, was circulating a draft letter among freshman Democrats to Pelosi opposing the $544 billion income tax surcharge on the wealthy, arguing it would hit many small businesses and manufacturers.
... But the concern is not just with the substance of the proposal. Some Members fear they will take a tough vote on a tax hike that will not survive the Senate and they think it is merely a placeholder to get through the House. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be voting on bills that aren’t at least very similar,” one senior Democratic aide said.
... “It still looks like a budget buster,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), who complained that despite the $1 trillion cost it would still fail to cover every American.Roll Call's complete story is below:
House Health Bill Under Fire
July 16, 2009
By Steven T. Dennis and Tory Newmyer
Roll Call Staff
Hours after a jubilant House Democratic leadership rolled out what they hope will be landmark health care legislation, the gritty work of actually passing it began.
Leaders ran into a firewall of resistance from moderate Democrats and vulnerable freshmen grousing over the measure’s provisions to tax the wealthy and small businesses.
Some Members also want more cost cutting, even if it leaves more people uninsured.
Immediately after the bill was introduced, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) personally wooed conservative Blue Dog Democrats, but they didn’t budge.
“I think that there’s still a long ways to go,” Rep. Allen Boyd (Fla.) said. “Many of us wish we would wait and do this after the Senate acts, and we’ve communicated that to leadership.”
And Rep. Jared Polis (Colo.), meanwhile, was circulating a draft letter among freshman Democrats to Pelosi opposing the $544 billion income tax surcharge on the wealthy, arguing it would hit many small businesses and manufacturers.
“Especially in a recession, we need to make sure not to kill the goose that will lay the golden eggs of our recovery,” Polis wrote. “By concentrating the cost of health care reform in one area, and in one that will negatively affect small businesses, we are concerned that this will discourage entrepreneurial activity and job growth.”
That objection was gaining steam Wednesday among freshmen and others from wealthy suburban districts, as business groups stepped up their attacks.
The tax hikes causing heartburn include a surcharge on families making more than $350,000 a year, a tax on employers that do not provide health insurance and a tax on the uninsured.
But the concern is not just with the substance of the proposal. Some Members fear they will take a tough vote on a tax hike that will not survive the Senate and they think it is merely a placeholder to get through the House. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be voting on bills that aren’t at least very similar,” one senior Democratic aide said.
Complicating matters more is the question of what would replace the all-in-one approach to raising more than a half-trillion dollars. “There is a school of thought that they can’t find another politically tenable solution or one that actually works,” one Democratic leadership aide said.
Hoping to avoid a repeat of the bruising process that produced the narrowly passed climate change bill last month, leaders are fanning out to the rank and file to try to sell this package early and allay concerns.
A blitz of closed-door sessions with different Democratic Caucus groups that began last week continued into this week. Pelosi met Tuesday with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Blue Dogs. On Wednesday afternoon, she took time out to try to build support in the liberal blogosphere by submitting to a live question-and-answer session on the liberal Crooks and Liars blog, and then she headed into back-to-back huddles with the freshman and sophomore classes along with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) met Tuesday with the Congressional Black Caucus, on top of smaller skull sessions with others. And among the groups that Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) met with: the Small Business Caucus. “There’s been an uncountable number of meetings on this,” freshman Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) said.
But among those with the biggest problems, the diplomacy is so far yielding little progress. Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), the chairman of the Blue Dogs’ health care task force, said he hasn’t yet been swayed by meetings with Pelosi or President Barack Obama.
He said the revised health bill did little new to address Blue Dogs’ desire for cutting costs over new taxes and protecting small businesses.
“There’s some minor changes,” Ross said, noting a plan to exempt small businesses below $250,000 in revenue from new taxes. But Ross said the changes don’t go far enough and threaten small businesses who already cannot afford insurance.
“If we’re not careful about how we structure this, not only are these employees not going to have health insurance, they’re not going to have a job either,” he said.
“It still looks like a budget buster,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), who complained that despite the $1 trillion cost it would still fail to cover every American.
But Democratic leaders defended the bill and vowed concerns would be fully vetted. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) said charges that small businesses will face big new taxes are false, and he said Members would be armed with the facts on how the bill would cut costs.
“Right now every American pays $1,200 a year in a hidden tax because they are paying for people who are uninsured,” Van Hollen said.
Blue Dogs plan to make a stand in the Energy and Commerce Committee markup Thursday, where they could kill the bill unless their amendments are adopted.
Other gripes remain. Members of the Congressional Tri-Caucus — made up of the Asian Pacific American, black and Hispanic caucuses — want to see a stronger anti-discrimination clause in the bill. And Del. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), co-chairwoman of the CBC Health and Wellness Task Force, said her group wants the bill to go further in addressing health care disparities in minority populations.
Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said he will meet with Ross, along with others, and plans to amend the bill again tomorrow himself.
But he urged them to work to pass the bill instead of tearing it down.
“Can a bunch of Members bring a bill down? Yeah. Then what? ... Democrats have a lot at stake in this legislation, the president has made this his No. 1 priority,” he said. “We’re going to have to come together.”Wednesday July 15, 2009
Members of Congress Should Be Given Adequate Time To Fully Assess Massive Health Care Bill
The House Education and Labor Committee today began consideration of legislation offered by congressional majority leadership to allow a government takeover of our nation’s health care system, with members of the committee offering opening statements just 24 hours after the 1,018 page bill was unveiled. The committee is scheduled to begin debating and voting on amendments tomorrow in order to meet the majority leadership’s arbitrary deadline of forcing a vote by the full House of Representatives before the end of the month.
The votes we’ll cast this week will be among the most critical choices any of us ever make. Health care accounts for one-sixth of our nation’s economy. It affects jobs and family incomes. It represents one of the most trusted and sacred relationships in our society – the bond between patient and doctor.
And it is no exaggeration when I say that health care is a matter of life and death. Members of Congress should be given adequate time to fully assess the consequences of newly introduced legislation on jobs, small businesses, and the quality of health care in America.
You can view my opening statement from today's committee meeting by clicking the video icon to the left, or by clicking here.
Wednesday July 15, 2009
Watch Live as Education and Labor Committee Reviews Health Care Bill
Later this afternoon - at 2 p.m. Central Time - I will join Chairman George Miller in leading an Education and Labor Committee meeting to attempt to review the massive 1,018-page health care legislation that Democrats introduced yesterday.If you would like to watch the live webcast of the hearing, please click here. Please note, this hyperlink is not active until the hearing begins.
Wednesday July 15, 2009
Organizational Chart of the House Democrats' Health Plan
The chart below illustrates the bureaucracy created by the 1,018-page House Democrats' health care proposal, which was introduced yesterday. To view the chart in a larger format, please click the chart below.
Wednesday July 15, 2009
Health Care Reform Too Important to Rush Through Congress
Yesterday, House Democrats introduced a 1,018-page health care bill that will be simultaneously reviewed in three separate congressional committees later this week. Suprisingly, Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to express her goal of having Congress pass major health care reform within the next 18 days.
Health care reform is far too important to rush through Congress in a few days or a few weeks. As party squabbles have demonstrated, this proposal is not going to deliver the commonsense, bipartisan health care solutions Americans need.As the senior Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, one of the three House committees with jurisdiction over this legislation, I continue to call on majority leaderhsip to pull back from arbitrary deadlines for voting on an overhaul of our nation’s health care system. Let's give members of Congress adequate time to fully assess the consequences of newly introduced legislation on jobs, small businesses, and the quality of health care in America.
Congressman Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference, addressed the new health care legislation in an interview on CNBC's "Closing Bell." You can view the video by clicking on the picture above, or clicking here.
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Lakeville Father, Son Receive Prestigious National Medal of Merit
Earlier today, I delivered a speech to the U.S. House of Representatives honoring a father and son from Lakeville, whose courageous actions likely saved lives at Rocky Mountain National Park. To view the video of my remarks, please click the picture below. The text from my remarks are below:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the actions of two brave young men from my district, Harlan Stokes and his son Charlie, on Longs Peak last year.
“Last August, Harlan, an Eagle Scout, and Charlie, who was well on his way to earning his eagle scout, set out to conquer Longs Peak in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Little did they know they would need all of their training before the day was done.
“As the two reached the top of the mountain, a powerful storm hit, bringing with it gale force winds, rain, and hail. Harlan and Charlie quickly headed down the mountain, but as they went they found other, less prepared hikers. Bravely staying to help, they gathered those they found and ran for shelter in a nearby cave. Over the next two hours the father-son duo selflessly cared for 23 hikers while they themselves began to suffer from hypothermia.
“As a result of their courageous actions, all 23 hikers made it off the mountain safely. To honor their heroism, the two were awarded one of the Boy Scouts most prestigious awards, the National Medal of Merit.
“Today we salute their bravery and honor their selflessness. Harlan and Charlie’s story exemplifies the qualities of the Boy Scouts and represents the best that America has to offer.”
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Health Care Reform Far Too Important to Recklessly Rush Through Congress
Later this afternoon, I will join House Republican leadership in calling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to pull back from majority leadership's arbitrary deadlines for voting on an overhaul of our nation’s health care system and give members of Congress adequate time to fully assess the consequences of newly introduced legislation on jobs, small businesses, and the quality of health care in America.
Health care reform is far too important to rush through Congress in a few days or a few weeks. As party squabbles have demonstrated, this proposal is not going to deliver the commonsense, bipartisan health care solutions Americans need. House Democrats are introducing 1,018-page piece of health care legislation that will be simultaneously reviewed in three separate congressional committees later this week. One of those committees is the House Education and Labor Commmittee, of which I am the senior Republican.
From the number of Americans who stand to lose their current health care coverage to the size of the small business tax that will result in further job loss, there are too many unanswered questions for a vote this week. It’s time to slow down. Our health care system needs reform so it will be accessible and affordable for Minnesotans and all Americans, and it needs to be done the right way.Tuesday July 14, 2009
On the Air Waves from Washington
I will be chatting live on-air with Patrick Reusse and Jay Kolls at 7:40 CT this morning on KSTP-AM 1500 about my new role as the lead Republican on the 50-member Education and Labor Committee, as well as other issues of the day. Click here if you want to listen live online.Later this afternoon, at 3 p.m. CT, I will be chatting with Jeff Shell and Lee Michaels on KKMS-AM 980. Click here if you want to listen live online.
Monday July 13, 2009
In Case You Missed It - Today's Washington Post: Kline, GOP Leaving No Child' Behind
In John Kline, House Republicans have chosen an education policy leader eager to turn the page on No Child Left Behind, and roll back federal mandates for testing students
By Nick Anderson
The Washington Post
As the Obama administration considers new legislation to fix schools, House Republicans have chosen an education policy leader who is eager to turn the page on the No Child Left Behind era and roll back federal mandates for testing students.
The ascent of Rep. John P. Kline (Minn.) last month to ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee marked a watershed. For the first time since enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002 under President George W. Bush, the top GOP member on a congressional education committee is not someone who voted for the landmark law. Kline wasn't even in Congress at the time.
Unlike his predecessors, who gave Bush crucial support for the law, Kline said he is not committed to the core requirement of testing all students in reading and math in grades three through eight, and once more in high school. He said he wants to give states "maximum latitude."
"I'm not looking to tweak No Child Left Behind," Kline said. "As far as I'm concerned, we ought to go in and look at the whole thing."
President Obama is jettisoning much of the rhetoric and symbolism associated with No Child Left Behind, but he has yet to offer a detailed proposal to revise the law, which has waned in popularity and is overdue for reauthorization.
Experts say it is unlikely that the president would seek to scrap the testing requirement. If anything, he appears to want tougher tests.
House Republicans have almost no power to block the Democratic majority. But Kline and a growing number of like-minded members of his party devoted to local control of schools are likely to complicate Obama's efforts to build a broad bipartisan coalition for the next generation of education reform. Bush overcame many Republican doubts about enlarging the federal role in school policy. It remains to be seen whether Obama can do the same.
The law requires states to report test scores separately for groups of students, including racial and ethnic minorities, poor students, those with limited English skills and special-education students. The spotlight on scores is meant to force educators to focus on narrowing any achievement gaps. Schools must advance toward a goal of 100 percent student proficiency by 2014, and those that repeatedly fall short can face interventions that include a management takeover.
Rep. George Miller (Calif.), now the committee chairman, was one of two key Democrats who teamed with Bush on No Child Left Behind. The other was Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), now chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.), now the ranking Republican on Kennedy's committee, also voted for the law.
As ranking House Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, Kline succeeds Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (Calif.), who took the GOP's senior slot on the Armed Services Committee. Current House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) was the education committee chairman when the law was enacted.
Kline, 61, a retired Marine officer who carried the emergency nuclear-attack briefcase known as the "football" for Presidents Carter and Reagan, won his House seat in 2002. At first, he was willing to give the new education law a chance. But he said he soured on it after fielding persistent complaints from educators and parents.
"Let's back the federal government out of dictating to schools how they're going to do their business," he said.
He said he hopes to find common ground with Democrats to increase special-education funding and expand independently operated, publicly funded charter schools. But he criticizes Democrats for failing to reauthorize a program that provides low-income D.C. students with vouchers for private-school tuition, and he opposes Democratic efforts to expand direct government lending to college students.
Dan Lips, a Heritage Foundation analyst, said Kline's rise coincides with "an opportunity for Republicans to return to their more conservative roots [on education], favoring moving decisions back to the states."
Amy Wilkins, of the Education Trust, which supports efforts to close achievement gaps, said Kline's stance harks back to a "pre-Bush" view on schools. "There is still a set of Republicans who see a legitimate federal role in driving education reform forward," she said. But within the party, "they may be in the minority now."
Last week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan paid Kline a visit on Capitol Hill.
"He feels the same sense of urgency I do, that we need to get dramatically better," Duncan said later. Duncan said he told Kline that he wants to push for higher academic standards but giving schools more flexibility to achieve them -- "be much looser at the local level, let folks innovate." Duncan said that message "seemed to resonate with him."Friday July 10, 2009
TV Alert: Catch Me on KSTP-TV's At Issue' on Sunday
On Sunday, I will appear on KSTP-TV’s “At Issue” with Tom Hauser, where we will discuss my priorities as I assume my new leadership role as Senior Republican on the 50-member House Education and Labor Committee.
One of my legislative priorities since arriving in Congress – ensuring the federal government fulfills the commitment to paying its share of special education costs – will become one of my first orders of business in my new role. I have heard too many stories from schools in Minnesota and across the nation who have been forced to choose between cutting bus routes, eliminating extracurricular activities, or increasing class sizes to cope with shrinking budgets.
If the federal government paid what it promised, we would enable schools across America to direct limited resources to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers, or new textbooks – and make it possible for teachers and administrators to focus on the important job of providing the best education possible for all our children.
Please set your Tivo or DVR, or tune in Sunday at 10 a.m.Friday July 10, 2009
Washington Post Editorial: How Not To Fix Health Care
An interesting editorial on the health care debate in the Washington Post:
How Not to Fix Health Care
Discouraging developments on Capitol Hill
Friday, July 10, 2009
FOR THOSE WHO seek health reform that is effective, bipartisan and fiscally sound, the past few days have been unsettling.
First, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that his panel's plan to limit the tax-free treatment of employer-provided health insurance would not pass muster; too many Democrats would object. The ability of employers to offer unlimited health insurance to workers tax-free drives up health costs by promoting over-consumption; it benefits the well-off at the expense of lower-paid workers who are less apt to have insurance and, if they do, receive less value from the tax-free treatment of benefits. President Obama made a mistake during the campaign when he attacked John McCain for proposing to get rid of the exclusion. He is making an even bigger mistake by letting campaign positions be the enemy of good public policy.
Second, Democrats continued their insistence on a public option -- a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers -- as essential to effective health reform. Mr. Obama issued what amounted to a public rebuke of his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, for the apparently heretical act of suggesting openness to an alternative: having a "trigger" mechanism under which a public plan would be established if the private insurance market fails to provide enough competition. The president, from Moscow, restated his support for a public plan, though, thankfully, he continued to avoid drawing a line in the sand. As we have said before, it would be tragic if this issue were to drag down health reform or make it impossible to secure Republican votes. Restructuring the health-care system is risky enough that Democrats would be wise not to try to accomplish it entirely on their own.
Third, a new gimmick has been designed to pretend that health reform is fully paid for. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions adopted a measure, endorsed by the Obama administration, to have the government provide long-term care insurance in which workers would be automatically enrolled unless they opt out. Premiums would flow into the system beginning in 2011, but benefits would not begin to be paid out until five years later; consequently, over the 10-year budget window through which the Congressional Budget Office assesses legislation, the program would bring in $58 billion, according to CBO estimates. Thankfully, the committee also agreed to an amendment, offered by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), to require that premiums be set at an actuarially sound level -- not so low that the program would end up further draining the federal treasury. Still, the money that flows in during the 10-year budget window will flow back out again. These are not "savings" that can be honestly counted on the balance sheet of reform.
Friday July 10, 2009
Reality Trumps White House Projections
One week ago this morning, the U.S. Department of Labor reported a loss of 467,000 jobs in the month of June, bringing the unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, its highest level in more than 25 years. Earlier this year, the President worked with majority leadership in Congress to pass a trillion-dollar so-called economic stimulus and promised that jobs would be created, unemployment would stop rising, and the effects would be immediate. Five months later, I join the Minnesotans I represent and ask, "Where are the jobs?"
The chart below speaks for itself:
Friday July 10, 2009
President: Stimulus Has 'Done It's Job'
The President says the stimulus has “done its job,” yet recent unemployment numbers tell a different story. In the face of 9.5 percent unemployment, President Obama continues to insist that the stimulus has “done its job.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans believe in real solutions that actually get the American people back on their feet. When the stimulus was being discussed in February, my Republican colleagues and I put forward a bold solution to our nation’s economic ills. Our approach is free of pork-barrel spending and full of concrete steps to provide jobs. We offered a balanced solution of fast-acting tax relief for working families and small businesses that would create twice the jobs at half the cost.
You can view a video on the impact of the so-called stimulus by clicking the picture, or by clicking here.
Thursday July 09, 2009
Bad Things Happen When Governments Takeover Health Care
The House Ways and Committee Republicans released this information earlier today:
According to a Quinnipiac University poll released July 1, Americans by a margin of 2:1 said a government takeover of health care would be a “bad thing.” The results are not surprising given what has happened when foreign governments took over their countries' health care systems. A brief scan of news headlines show the danger middle-class Americans face if the Democrats enact their health "reform" bill like those in Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia: rationing of care, skyrocketing costs and long waits for both basic health needs and life saving procedures.
Great Britain:
Children being failed by health system, says head of watchdog
Disabled children wait up to two years for wheelchairs
Pensioner, 76, forced to pull out own teeth after 12 NHS dentists refuse to treat her
Women in labour turned away by maternity units
Life-saving cancer drugs 'kept from NHS patients by red tape'
Canada:
Wait Times for Surgery, Medical Treatments at All-Time High
Ontario Physician Turns Away Patient for Being 55+
New Zealand:
Get Ready for Medical Rationing
Australia:
Public patients wait longer for surgery
Operating theatres shut to save cash as thousands wait for surgery
Thursday July 09, 2009
Jobs: Let's Make the First Friday of the Month a Day Worth Celebrating
For those of us in Washington concerned about job creation, the first Friday of each month has always been a notable occasion. That’s when the U.S. Department of Labor issues its monthly employment report detailing how many jobs were gained or lost in the previous month, along with the current unemployment rate. When I first came to Congress, these reports generally brought good news. In fact, from 2003 through the end of 2007, we saw a record 52 consecutive months of job growth. Unfortunately, that all changed in early 2008, when we saw the first job losses in more than four years. Since that time, the U.S. economy has steadily shed more jobs as the recession has deepened. Just last week, we learned that an additional 467,000 jobs were lost in June of this year, and the unemployment rate has reached 9.5 percent, its highest level in more than a quarter-century.
From the moment we saw those first 17,000 jobs lost in January of 2008, it was clear to me that we needed to embrace pro-growth policies. Now, about a year and a half later, more than 6.5 million jobs have been lost and evidence is mounting that the tax-and-spend policies advanced by congressional leadership are not only failing to stem the tide of unemployment, they are actually making our economic problems far worse. I serve as the Senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee. It’s ground zero for legislation that impacts American workers and employers, and under the control of majority leadership, I believe it has failed to project jobs and promote economic growth. From legislation that will increase litigation in the workplace to the notoriously anti-worker card check scheme, some members of Congress have put special interests ahead of the people’s interests. Add to that a failed “stimulus” that cost close to $1 trillion yet still hasn’t produced the jobs it promised; a national energy tax in the form of cap-and-trade; and the impending government takeover of our health care system, and a future of permanent economic stagnation seems almost inevitable.
It doesn’t have to be this way. I remain committed to pro-growth policies that will get our economy back on track without saddling future generations with unmanageable debt. Earlier this year, I joined House Republican colleagues in offering a stimulus plan that would have created twice the jobs for half the price. We developed a health care proposal that will make health care more affordable, reduce the number of uninsured Americans, and increase quality – all at a price our country can afford. And we plan to continue acting as the party of better solutions, rejecting majority leadership’s plans to expand government at the expense of individuals and pushing for commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the many challenges we face. With the right policies, I’m confident we can return the first Friday of each month into an occasion worth celebrating once again.Thursday July 09, 2009
So-Called Stimulus: It Didn't Have to Be This Way
Each day, it is becoming more obvious that the trillion-dollar economic “stimulus” passed by majority leadership in February has failed to produce the jobs it promised. The past five months have shown that while majority leadership appears to be on the side of more government and more taxes, it is small business – not government – that is the engine to our economy.
When the massive borrow-and-spend stimulus was being debated, I worked with House Republicans to introduce the “Economic Recovery and Middle-Class Tax Relief Act" (H.R. 470). I was pleased to co-sponsor legislation that would provide broad, growth-oriented, permanent incentives for economic activity across all sectors and industries, with immediate application and sustained, long-term implications.
Our stimulus would have created twice the jobs for half the cost by:- Providing a five percent across the board income tax cut;
- Permanently repealing required distributions on retirement accounts;
- Making all withdrawals from IRAs tax- and penalty-free during 2009;
- Allowing all businesses to immediately and fully deduct on their tax returns the costs of assets (including buildings) they purchase for their business in the year that they buy such assets;
- Reducing the top corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent;
- Ending the capital gains tax on inflation; and
- Simplifying the capital gains tax structure.
Our approach is free of pork-barrel spending and full of concrete steps to provide jobs, which clearly the current so-called “stimulus” bill has failed to do.
Wednesday July 08, 2009
Trillion-Dollar So-Called Stimulus Is Not Working
The U.S. Department of Labor reported a loss of 467,000 jobs in the month of June, bringing the unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, its highest level in more than a quarter-century. The June employment report is a somber reminder that American families are hurting. It is also a clear sign that Washington’s culture of taxing, borrowing, and spending is doing nothing to stem the tide of lost jobs and economic uncertainty.
In February, I opposed a trillion dollar economic stimulus package because, in my opinion, it prevents Americans from keeping more of their hard-earned money to spend, save, or invest as they see fit. I felt the stimulus also lacked the targeted and effective solutions that would put our country on a direct route toward economic recovery. Despite it being advertised by many in Congress nearly five months ago as a bill that would quickly create jobs and reduce unemployment, I join many of my colleagues in asking, “Where are the jobs?” Congress must acknowledge that spending more, taxing more, and borrowing more are failing to jumpstart our economy. You can view remarks I made on the floor of the House of Representatives during debate about the economic stimulus, by clicking the YouTube logo to the left, or clicking here.
A story in this morning’s Politico further highlights the deepening Democratic divide on their trillion-dollar “stimulus”:“President Barack Obama says there’s ‘nothing’ he ‘would have done differently’ about his economic stimulus plan, but one of his top outside economic advisers says the plan was ‘a bit too small.’”
“Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri says the idea of a second stimulus is a ‘non-starter,’ but Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island says it ‘should be on the table.’”
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says there’s ‘no showing that a second stimulus is needed,’ but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) says Congress needs to be ‘open to whether we need additional action.’”
“Democrats are all over the map on the stimulus and the possibility of a sequel, and it’s not hard to see why: When it comes to a second stimulus, they may be damned if they do and damned if they don’t.”
“ ‘Right now, every headline across the board is the stimulus isn’t enough, states are in bankruptcy, states aren’t paying their bills,’ says Wendy Schiller, a Brown University political scientist. ‘This is really deadly for the Democratic Party, because what it suggests is the Democratic Party cannot run the country.’ ”
The fact is government spending doesn’t create economic growth; small businesses create economic growth. And if Congressional majority leadership wants to take another shot at “stimulating” the economy, they should start by scrapping the job-killing health care and energy bills that are being rammed through Congress this summer, and work with House Republicans on better solutions that encourage investment, savings, and job creation.
Wednesday July 08, 2009
Cap and Trade: A Minnesota Double Whammy
An interesting article was posted last evening on the Washington Examiner.com website. The story highlights how Minnesotans may be taxed twice on the national energy tax aka “cap and trade.”
Minnesota is about to get hit not once, but twice by Cap and Trade. As reported in the StarTribune, the states of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Manitoba have joined together to create their own little cap and trade system.
It’s called the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord and was initially signed in 2007. It’s making news these days as the initial planning stages are completed and it's now up to the six states and one province to begin to implement the plan.
Both the Waxman-Markey bill just passed through chicanery by the House of Representatives and the Midwestern Accord attempt to deal with global warming concerns by levying taxes on carbon dioxide emissions…
… Both programs will hit you and me in our pocketbooks. Minnesota residents will be hit twice for cap and trade, once from the federal level and once at the state level. Lucky us that we live in a state where our leaders have such foresight.
The economic impact on Washington County is hard to figure. The Heritage Foundation provides an admittedly high-end estimate organized by Congressional District. That doesn't help us out much as Washington County is part of three Congressional Districts 2nd John Kline (R), 4th Betty McCollum (D). and 6th Michele Bachmann (R). Even so, the numbers do not look good.
Congressional Democrats supply smaller numbers, of course, but no matter what this is going to hurt and being hit twice is going to hurt twice. And all of this for a 3% reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions and a one degree Fahrenheit reduction in a theoretical temperature increase.
Can't we get serious here? Especially when human induced global warming is not necessarily a given.To read the complete story, please click here.
Tuesday July 07, 2009
Job-Killing National Energy Tax Uses Taxpayer Money to Plant Trees
As many of you know, the President and congressional majority leadership proposed a cap-and-trade scheme that attempts to raise federal revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This national energy tax threatens the budgets of American families and small businesses, and will drive up the price of everyday goods, strain the economy, reduce jobs, and impose a significant cost increase on every American who dares turns on a light.
Included in the national energy tax is a provision that authorizes such “sums as may be necessary” to cover up to 50 percent of the cost of tree planting programs by retail power providers. To receive taxpayer-funded support, the trees must increase shade during the summer months or protect from wind during the fall and winter months, so to reduce energy consumption for cooling and heating. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 205, page 393.)
Nearly half a million people lost their jobs in June alone and majority leadership wants taxpayers to subsidize retail power providers and their tree planting programs. Runaway reckless spending is not going to get America back to work. Because of the national energy tax millions more jobs will be lost as American manufacturers relocate overseas, but at least homes and empty warehouses will have shade.Tuesday July 07, 2009
Government Takeover of Health Care Promises More Rationing and Less Innovation
As the President and majority leadership scramble to finalize the massive health care overhaul they plan to push through the U.S. House of Representatives this month, questions continue to mount about the consequences of their plan for American families, and the Minnesotans I represent.
Independent analyses have already proven that the so-called “government option” is not going to be optional for the millions of Americans who will lose the health care coverage they have today if this reckless proposal ever became law. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 23 million Americans would lose their current coverage under a plan being developed in the Senate. But that’s nothing compared to the 114 million Americans who will be forced out of their current coverage under the plan put forward by majority leadership.
So what exactly will this new, government-controlled plan mean for the millions of Americans who will be forced to rely on it for their care? Today’s Wall Street Journal paints a remarkably clear – and disturbing – picture based on the government-controlled plan in the United Kingdom:“Take the United Kingdom, which is often praised for spending as little as half as much per capita on health care as the U.S. Credit for this cost containment goes in large part to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE. Americans should understand how NICE works because under ObamaCare it will eventually be coming to a hospital near you. …
“What NICE has become in practice is a rationing board. As health costs have exploded in Britain as in most developed countries, NICE has become the heavy that reduces spending by limiting the treatments that 61 million citizens are allowed to receive through the NHS. For example: …
“In 2007, the board restricted access to two drugs for macular degeneration, a cause of blindness. The drug Macugen was blocked outright. The other, Lucentis, was limited to a particular category of individuals with the disease, restricting it to about one in five sufferers. Even then, the drug was only approved for use in one eye, meaning those lucky enough to get it would still go blind in the other. As Andrew Dillon, the chief executive of NICE, explained at the time: ‘When treatments are very expensive, we have to use them where they give the most benefit to patients.’
“NICE has limited the use of Alzheimer's drugs, including Aricept, for patients in the early stages of the disease. Doctors in the U.K. argued vociferously that the most effective way to slow the progress of the disease is to give drugs at the first sign of dementia. NICE ruled the drugs were not ‘cost effective’ in early stages. …
“This has medical consequences. The Concord study published in 2008 showed that cancer survival rates in Britain are among the worst in Europe. Five-year survival rates among U.S. cancer patients are also significantly higher than in Europe: 84% vs. 73% for breast cancer, 92% vs. 57% for prostate cancer. While there is more than one reason for this difference, surely one is medical innovation and the greater U.S. willingness to reimburse for it.”
Editorial, “Of NICE and Men,” The Wall Street Journal
Even with critical details still missing, it is clear that majority leadership's plan will cost too much and force too many Americans to lose their current care. The American people deserve better.
That’s why the Republican Health Care Solutions Group has unveiled a health care reform plan that will make health care more affordable, reduce the number of uninsured Americans, and increase quality at a price our country can afford. Our plan protects against the denial of care that would be inevitable under a government-run health care system, and ensures that Americans who like their current care can keep it.Monday July 06, 2009
The Big Question: Where Are The Jobs?
In an interview today on Fox News Sunday yesterday morning, House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) asked, “Where are the jobs?” after unemployment has risen again – to 9.5 percent – even after the President and majority leadership in Congress promised that the trillion-dollar “stimulus” spending bill would create jobs immediately.
Boehner noted that the best stimulus is one I joined House Republicans in proposing that would allow small businesses and families to keep more of what they earn to create jobs and strengthen the economy.
As the House prepares to tackle health care reform this month, Boehner also expressed concerns about a government takeover of health care that would raise taxes, deny care, and saddle employers and individuals with costly, jobs-killing Washington mandates. Finally, Boehner reviewed the first six months of the 111th Congress, warning that it has amounted to a breathtaking agenda of “higher taxes, bigger government, and less freedom for the American people." To view the video, please click here.Monday July 06, 2009
Analysis: Government-Run Health Care Plan Forces 114 Million Americans Out of Their Current Health Coverage
Senior Republican Dave Camp of the House Committee on Ways & Means shared this information today regarding a government-run insurance plan proposed by majority leadership:
A new study by an independent research firm predicts the government-run insurance plan proposed by House Democrats will force 2 out of 3 Americans to lose their current health coverage. The June 2009 Lewin Group analysis of the House Democrats’ health “reform” bill found that: - 114 million Americans would be forced out of their current private health coverage, including more than 106 million Americans who currently have employer-provided health care.
- The cost of private health coverage will skyrocket (for the relatively few Americans who are rich enough to retain it).
- The Lewin Groups estimates the Democrats’ government-run plan will significantly underpay health care providers, generally compensating them at rates 20-30% below what private health plans would pay for the same services.
- As a result, physicians and hospitals would be forced to charge those with private insurance more in order to offset the losses they experience under the Democrats’ government-run plan.
- A December Milliman Group study found current Medicare and Medicaid underpayments drive up the cost of private coverage for the average family of four by $1,788.
- The Lewin Group study estimates the cost-shift problem would only get worse under a government-run plan that pays Medicare-based rates. Lewin assumes this would increase the cost of private health insurance by $460 for every American - meaning $3,628 in added premium costs for a family of four as a result of current cost-shifting and the Democrats’ government-run plan.
- Medicaid enrollment would increase by 16 million. Many of those newly enrolled in Medicaid under the House Democrat plan would previously have had employer-provided health care. By displacing employer-sponsored coverage, taxpayers will now spend billions more paying for people who already had health coverage.
Monday July 06, 2009
Our Freedoms Do Not Come Without A Price
On Saturday, I was honored to participate in North Morristown’s 117th annual Independence Day celebration, the oldest Fourth of July festival in the state of Minnesota.
As I told the crowd that gathered Saturday, the opportunities we enjoy and the freedoms we cherish make us unique among people around the world. As we embrace these opportunities and freedoms, however, we must recognize that they do not come without a price.On a recent Congressional Delegation visit to Normandy, France, I was reminded of the sacrifice our men and women make in order to preserve our nation’s freedom.
The Faribault Daily News published a story on North Morristown’s Independence Day celebration:Following the parade, a patriotic program got under way on the stage on the picnic grounds. Congressman John Kline gave the keynote speech. He talked about the Declaration of Independence and how generations of Americans have served this country and fought in wars to protect freedoms. He thanked all families in the crowd who have had members serve in the military, especially those who fought in wars. He told of his own son who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and will be going back to Afghanistan in the spring.
Kline, too, was impressed with North Morristown’s 117-year history of coming together as a community to celebrate this country’s birthday.
To read the complete story in the Faribault Daily News, please click here.
Thursday July 02, 2009
Washington's Culture of Taxing, Borrowing, and Spending is Doing Nothing to Stem the Tide of Lost Jobs and Economic Uncertainty
The U.S. Department of Labor reported this morning a loss of 467,000 jobs in the month of June, bringing the unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, its highest level in more than a quarter-century.
Today’s employment report is a somber reminder that American families are hurting; it’s also a clear sign that Washington’s culture of taxing, borrowing, and spending is doing nothing to stem the tide of lost jobs and economic uncertainty. The majority leadership in Congress demanded nearly a trillion dollars in so-called economic stimulus spending with a promise that jobs would be created, unemployment would stop rising, and the effects would be immediate.
Nearly five months later, it’s time to ask: Where are the jobs?
It’s time for majority leadership to acknowledge that spending more, taxing more, and borrowing more are failing to jumpstart our economy. Indeed, with higher job losses this month than last, these policies appear to be making things worse. Republicans have offered a series of proposals this year to create jobs, make health care more affordable and accessible, and secure our energy future. It’s time for the majority leadership in Congress to abandon their partisan agenda and embrace commonsense policies that will grow the economy and help American families.Wednesday July 01, 2009
The Truth About the National Energy Tax
Curiously, majority leadership wants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to do to our what they have done to the housing market.
The House-passed energy bill provides additional credit for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to advance energy efficient and “location-efficient" mortgages. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to guarantee portions of a mortgage used to “green” single-family and multi-family housing. (Sec. 286 of the Manager’s Amendment, p. 112, and Sec 299I of the Manager’s Amendment, p. 173.)
What this means for Minnesotans: These provisions put taxpayers on the hook for more mortgages that may default. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have made taxpayers potentially liable for more than $5 trillion in our current housing crisis. Instead of reforming Fannie and Freddie, why is majority leadership expanding their authority into energy policy?Tuesday June 30, 2009
New Leaders On Education and Labor Committee Subcommittees
Today, as the lead Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, I named two new Republican leaders for two of the panel's five subcommittees.
Congressman Tom Price (Georgia), an orthopedic surgeon, is the new lead Republican on the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee. The HELP subcommittee's responsibilities include nearly all matters dealing with the relationship between employers adn workers - including retirement plans and health care coverage, a top legislative priority this year.
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Washington) is the new lead Republican on the Workforce Protections' Subcommittee. The subcommittee's jurisdiction includes workers' compensation, workers' health and safety, trade and immigration issues as they impact employers and workers, and family and medical leave.To read more about the new leaders of these subcommittees, please click here.
Tuesday June 30, 2009
Important Milestone as U.S. Troops Withdraw from Iraqi Cities
Building on the success of the 'surge' strategy that included a renewed focus on securing the Iraqi population, U.S. commanders and troops have gradually shifted the security responsibilities to the Government of Iraq in much of the country. Today marks an important milestone as the country’s security forces take the lead in securing the Iraqi population in urban areas. To review a fact sheet prepared by the House Armed Services Committee, about this monumental milestone in Iraq, please click here.
Monday June 29, 2009
On The Front Lines of the Serious Education and Labor Battles That Affect Minnesotans
During the course of my nearly seven years in Congress, my involvement in the House Education and Labor Committee has put me on the front lines of the serious battles that affect Minnesotans – and all Americans – from cradle to grave. From student loan relief for our men and women in uniform to securing the pensions of Northwest Airlines employees, I have been able to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to achieve meaningful progress for students, parents, workers, and employers. Last week I was chosen to serve as the senior Republican on the committee, and we face no shortage of contests in the weeks and months ahead. I laid out my vision for the Education and Labor Committee in an op-ed. To read it, please click here.
Friday June 26, 2009
National Energy Tax Will Further Strain Families' Budgets
Today, Congress is currently debating a job-killing cap-and-trade bill (H.R. 2454), legislation I strongly oppose, which, according to the Heritage Foundation, will cost Minnesota families in the 2nd Congressional District more than $460 million.
Minnesotans and all Americans should be bracing themselves for a crippling cost increase in the form of a national energy tax that threatens the budgets of families and small businesses. In an attempt to raise federal revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the President has proposed this ‘cap and trade’ scheme that would be more accurately titled ‘cap and tax.’ I am opposing this irresponsible proposal because it will drive up the price of everyday goods, strain the economy, reduce jobs, and impose a significant cost increase on every American who dares to turn on a light.
Republicans and Democrats agree it is important to find clean, efficient energy sources that will break our dependence on foreign oil. Our nation needs a diversified ‘all of the above’ energy policy that increases domestic energy production, embraces renewable and alternative fuels, and supports conservation efforts to reduce energy consumption. The ‘American Energy Act,’ provides an ‘all of the above’ solution for offering more affordable energy, producing more well-paying jobs, increasing our energy independence, and creating a cleaner environment without raising costs for you and your family.Thursday June 25, 2009
Very Little Debate on Controversial Climate Plan/ National Energy Tax
Today, my Minnesota and Washington offices have received scores of calls from constituents who overwhelmingly oppose the “cap and trade” legislation Congress is currently reviewing and could vote on as soon as tomorrow.
Recently, I joined leaders of seven other congressional committees to demand a full, fair, and open debate of this climate tax legislation. The majority plan imposes a national energy tax through their cap-and-trade scheme. It’s a recipe for economic disaster at a time when our economy is reeling. The bill stands at 1,113 pages and was referred to nine separate congressional committees because of its size and scope. Provisions under the jurisdiction of the Education and Labor Committee include wage mandates, worker training programs, and environmental education initiatives. However, majority leadership has already discharged the bill from the Education and Labor panel’s docket, waiving the right to consider or modify provisions that could have major consequences for workers, employers, and families.
As elected officials, we have a duty to our constituents to have a full and open debate about such a radical shift in energy policy. It’s a duty being thwarted by the majority leadership, who is using strong-arm tactics to prevent their chairmen from fulfilling their legislative responsibilities.
To read a Pioneer Press editorial on this, titled, “Cap-and-Trade energy bill: Has anybody read those 1,200 pages?” please click here.Thursday June 25, 2009
Buck McKeon: Start By Defeating Job-Killing Measures Such as Card-Check
Earlier this afternoon, I was a guest of the Workforce Fairness Institute on a national conference call with reporters and bloggers to discuss protecting and preserving the secret ballot at the workplace.
The right to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that should be defended and protected regardless of political persuasion, because the principles that define our democracy transcend partisan differences. If unions and employers are sincere in their missions of protecting and serving workers, the real question should be how all sides can work together to defend workers’ interests – and protect the rights of the 105 million Americans whose privacy and freedom are at stake.
Congressman Buck McKeon (Calif.) penned an op-ed in The Hill newspaper's special report on job creation:
“It’s clear that America needs an economic policy that will create jobs. And it’s even clearer that we don’t need policies that will hamper innovation or make it harder for American businesses, large and small, to keep and create new jobs.
“That’s why the card-check plan — euphemistically dubbed the Employee Free Choice Act, although it offers employees anything but — is exactly the wrong elixir for what ails our economy.”To read Congressman McKeon’s op-ed in its entirety, please click here.
Thursday June 25, 2009
Gov. Pawlenty: Cap and Trade is a Job Killer
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty sent a letter this week to members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation asking them to oppose the national energy tax that Congress will be voting on later this week.
"The [Cap and Trade bill] would place significant burdens on individuals and job creators, while doing little to impact its intended goal of changing the global climate...
"The cap and trade provisions in this legislation are overly bureaucratic, misguided, and would be very burdensome on our economy. I oppose any cap and trade system that does not set emission caps at pragmatic levels or fails to provide free allowances to producers instead of creating an expensive auction that would bid up prices, and in turn dramatically increase energy costs."
To read Governor Pawlenty's letter, please click here.
The legislation Governor Pawlenty refers to was proposed by the President and is an attempt to raise federal revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This irresponsible proposal will drive up the price of everyday goods, strain the economy, reduce jobs, and impose a significant cost increase on every Minnesotan who dares to turn on a light.
Earlier this month, I joined many House Republicans in introducing the “American Energy Act,” a sweeping energy reform proposal based on an all-of-the-above solution for America’s energy independence. This legislation, of which I am a co-sponsor, offers more affordable energy, good jobs, energy independence, and a cleaner environment – in ways that do not raise costs for you and your family.Wednesday June 24, 2009
Improving Retirement Savings Opportunities for Workers
House Republicans proposed comprehensive reforms to improve retirement savings opportunities for workers today, arguing that workers need access to understandable and meaningful information about their 401(k) and other retirement savings vehicles. Majority leadership rejected our proposals, instead advancing partisan legislation that could drive up costs for workers while reducing access to individualized investment advice.
Workers and retirees are struggling in this economic downturn, facing losses in their savings and uncertainty about their future. We had an opportunity today to enact bipartisan reforms that would provide quality information to consumers and meaningful relief to employers. Instead, the majority insisted on pushing through their own plan on a party-line vote, ignoring serious concerns about harmful consequences for workers and retirees.
The legislation considered today is H.R. 2989, the 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act of 2009. It largely mirrors legislation approved by Democrats on the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee last week, but includes the addition of partial proposals to provide funding relief to employers offering defined benefit pensions.
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and other Republicans negotiated a compromise amendment that provides targeted, temporary relief to make it easier for employers to fully fund their pension obligations in a tumultuous economy. The Guthrie amendment is based on provisions of the Savings Recovery Act, a bill proposed by Republicans earlier this year to help Americans rebuild their nest eggs. Although Democrats rejected a portion of the Guthrie amendment, the proposal nonetheless provides much-needed relief to ease the financial burden on employers while maintaining efforts to fully fund defined benefit retirement plans on behalf of workers and retirees.
A number of other amendments were offered during today’s consideration of H.R. 2989, from a comprehensive plan to improve disclosure to targeted improvements to some of the bill’s most controversial components. Each of the Republican amendments was rejected by Democrats on a party-line vote.
The three amendments I proposed would:- Improve 401(k) fee disclosure in a simpler, more effective way. Among other reforms, my amendment would have required service providers to disclose all direct and indirect compensation they would receive in connection with their services, and it would have ensured that participants receive key information on each investment option available to them, including fees, investment objectives, risks, historical returns, and information on any other fees that will be imposed on their account.
- Assist auto dealers struggling with costly and unexpected pension liabilities because of their closure by the White House Auto Task Force. This amendment would have temporarily suspended withdrawal liability for certain auto dealers whose doors have been closed, calling for the Task Force to report on their analysis of these multi-million dollar liabilities and giving Congress time to review the impact on workers and employers.
- Prevent workers from losing access to 401(k) plans or face paying higher fees because of costly new legal liability. This amendment would have made clear that employers exercising due diligence could not be held liable for breaching fiduciary responsibility, and that – consistent with current law – employers can opt for comprehensive services for their plan, and are not required to purchase unbundled services simply to avoid liability.
Republicans and Democrats share the goal of improving retirement savings options for workers, and we believe reform is even more urgent today in light of the troubled economy. Although Democrats opted for partisanship over sensible reform today, I remain committed to enacting solutions that will provide real relief while avoiding costs and complexity that workers simply do not need.
Wednesday June 24, 2009
Providing Well Deserved Benefits to Those Who Sacrificed to Keep Us -- And Our Nation Safe
Today the House of Representatives passed the Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act (H.R. 2990), legislation that would expand concurrent receipt of military retirement and VA disability benefits to disabled military retirees. I was proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in providing these well deserved benefits to those who sacrificed to keep us – and our nation safe.
Last week, when the House Armed Services Committee debated the National Defense Authorization Act, I introduced an amendment that would provide concurrent receipt for military retired pay and veterans disability compensation for those 450,000 military retirees regularly retired with 20 or more years of service and a VA disability rating below 50 percent. Unfortunately, the Democrat Chairman of the committee refused to consider the amendment.
I am pleased the bill we passed today provides this critical benefit to the men and women who have served our nation bravely. As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I remain committed to ensuring America's military personnel -- and their families, military retirees, and veterans have the support they deserve.Wednesday June 24, 2009
Honored to Be Endorsed by Republican Colleagues to Lead Education and Labor Committee
This morning, my Republican colleagues elected me to serve as the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee. I was recommended for the post last week by members of the House Republican Steering Committee and I was pleased to receive the endorsement of the full GOP Conference in a vote held this morning.
To read a report on this, please click here.
Tuesday June 23, 2009
Improving Higher Education, Expanding Access for Military Dependents
Tonight, I was proud to vote for legislation that improves access to higher education for Minnesota students while saving taxpayer funds. The Technical Corrections bill to the Higher Education Act (H.R. 1777) passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. H.R. 1777 originated in the House Education and Labor Committee, of which Kline was recently named the Senior Republican Member. Among its key provisions, the bill would:
- Provide grants equal to the maximum Pell Grant to children of a service member who died from military service in Iraq or Afghanistan;
- Clarify that the post-9/11 GI Bill benefits will not be considered in determining student eligibility for federal financial aid;
- Increase funds available for the Pell Grant program;
- Save $173 million over five years through a fix for student loan borrowers who have complied with the requirements for rehabilitation of a defaulted loan; and
- Returns $3 million to the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction by streamlining government expenditures.
Every student deserves access to a high quality education. I am pleased Congress was able to expand the resources available in a fiscally responsible manner by improving the efficiency of these critical programs.
Monday June 22, 2009
Meeting With Minnesota Health Care Professionals
Earlier today, I hosted a health care roundtable discussion at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville with constituents, doctors, administrators, and other health care professionals and stakeholders who shared their valuable perspectives and experiences. The meeting was particularly timely, as I was elected just last week to serve as the senior Republican on the Education and Labor Committee. Among my first responsibilities in this role is to lead a hearing tomorrow in Washington on the health care proposal currently being reviewed by Congress.
The more we learn about majority leadership’s proposed health care overhaul, the worse it becomes. From employer mandates that could cost workers their jobs to a government takeover that could cost patients their current coverage, the majority is proposing a radical shift in how Americans receive health care – one that, unfortunately, puts government before people.
Even as details are added to the draft put forward last week, we are left with more questions than answers. With lesser plans costing in excess of a trillion dollars, how much will this plan – with its massive new spending and complex new mandates – cost? How will it be paid for? How high will taxes rise? How many millions of Americans will lose their current coverage?
We all agree that health care reform is vital, but I am opposed to a government takeover of health care through a single-payer system. A government takeover of health care will raise taxes, ration care, and empower government bureaucrats to make decisions that should belong to families and their doctors.
Last week, I joined many of my House Republican colleagues in unveiling a commonsense plan to make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans. It is based on solutions that empower doctors and patients. Minnesotans deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the health care their families need, when they need it.Friday June 19, 2009
Ready to Take the Lead on the Education and Labor Committee
This week, I was honored to be chosen by my peers on the House Republican Steering Committee to serve as the senior Republican on the 50-member Education and Labor Committee. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with Chairman Miller to be an advocate for education and advancing priorities for workers and their employers. Serious battles lie ahead for the Education and Labor Committee. I have earned the trust of my colleagues and stakeholders in the education and labor communities, and I am ready to take the lead.
To read any of the news reports on this, please click the links below.
- Kline leaps to top of panel (Star Tribune)
- Kline v. Big Labor (Star Tribune blog)
- John Kline wins top Republican position on congressional panel (Pioneer Press)
- Kline Is Ranking GOP Member On Education Committee (Associated Press)
- Kline top GOP lawmaker on Education and Labor (Politico)
- Rep. Kline takes top Ed and Labor spot (The Hill)
- Kline Wins Top GOP Spot on Education Panel (Roll Call)
- Rep. Kline Gets Top GOP Spot on Education and Labor Committee (CQ Today)
- Kline beats out two GOP colleagues for committee post (MinnPost)
- Kline chosen as ranking Republican on Education and Labor (Rochester Post-Bulletin)
- Kline named top House education, labor Republican (Forum Communications)
- Rep. John Kline elected to education and labor committee (Minnesota Public Radio)
- Pelosi Slip Fuels Boehner Surge (Roll Call)
- Kline on new leadership position and Iran (Minnesota Public Radio)
Thursday June 18, 2009
Affordable and Accessible Health Care for All Americans
As many of you know, health care reform is an issue Congress is addressing in the coming weeks and months. There are a number of areas for common ground to work with President Obama to improve health care for all Americans. I agree with the President when he says health care in America is too expensive, limiting access for millions of Americans. I also agree that health care reform is vital, but I am opposed to a government takeover of health care through a single-payer system. A government takeover of health care will raise taxes, ration care, and let government bureaucrats make decisions that should be made by their families and their doctors.
Earlier this week, I joined many of my House Republican colleagues in unveiling a common-sense plan to make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans. It is based on solutions that empower doctors and patients by making health care more affordable, more accessible, and more accountable. Minnesotans deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the health care their families need, when they need it.
Next week, I will be hosting a health care roundtable with constituents, doctors, administrators, and other health care professionals to hear their valuable perspectives and experiences. I look forward to meeting with them, hearing their concerns, and taking that knowledge back to Washington as Congress considers a health care plan that must increase affordability, accessibility, and availability.
To read more about the Republican Health Care Solutions, please click here.Wednesday June 17, 2009
Legislation Could Drive Up 401(k) Costs, Reduce Access to Investment Advice
Earlier today, in a Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee meeting, we considered legislation that impact defined contribution retirement savings plans such as 401(k)s. While I welcome efforts to increase meaningful disclosure for workers saving for retirement, this legislation could overwhelm participants without providing substantial benefit.
I share the goal of improving retirement savings options for workers. Unfortunately, the legislation approved today by Majority leadership fails to achieve that goal. Worse, this legislation could actually harm workers with a one-two punch that makes plans more complicated and limits access to the individualized investment advice that could help workers.
To read more about this legislation, please click here.
To watch video of my opening statement to the committee, please click here.
Tuesday June 16, 2009
Emergency Troops Funding Bill Should Be Devoted to Our Troops
Later this afternoon in the House of Representatives, we will vote on an emergency war funding bill, which includes wasteful spending including $100 billion for a foreign aid bailout for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). If this legislation passes, Iran is eligible to receive $1.8 billion in guaranteed IMF assets through the emergency troops funding bill.
An emergency troops funding bill should be about one thing: ensuring our sons and daughters in uniform have the resources they need to complete their mission.
An emergency troops funding bill should be about one thing: ensuring our sons and daughters in uniform have the resources they need to complete their mission. I cannot support a bill that uses our military personnel currently in harm’s way to advance a political agenda that includes a $100 billion international bailout that has nothing to do with our troops’ safety or success.
We passed a clean troops funding bill in the House with overwhelming support and that same legislation should get brought up today for a yea or nay vote. Instead, this bill uses our troops as political pawns and saddles our children and grandchildren with even more debt for spending that has nothing to do with providing our troops with the resources and benefits they need to succeed and return home safely.Tuesday June 16, 2009
Heritage Foundation: Administration's Defense Budget – Top Five Worst Choices for National Security
Today, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is reviewing the National Defense Authorization Act, legislation that serves as the annual budgetary and policy blueprint for the national security activities of the Departments of Defense and Energy. As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps and a member of HASC, I consider it an honor and a privilege to play a direct role in crafting legislation that supports our veterans of today and tomorrow.
The Heritage Foundation published an interesting WebMemo this week on the Administration’s 2010 defense budget:If Congress ultimately gives the Administration what it wants, America’s armed forces will lose capabilities that its leader and citizens have come to take for granted. Those capabilities include, but are hardly limited to:
• Strategic defense;
• Control of the seas;
• Air superiority;
• Space control;
• Counterterrorism;
• Counterinsurgency;
• Projecting power to distant regions; and
• Information dominance through cyberspace.
And this decreased capability will happen in the absence of any careful reevaluation of America’s global mission. The Obama Administration, by its own admission, is recommending fundamental changes for the U.S. military without having conducted a strategic review of defense or foreign policy.
To read the complete Heritage Foundation WebMemo, please click here.
Monday June 15, 2009
The Hill: GOP committee race down to McMorris-Rodgers, Kline
In case you missed it, this story appeared in today's edition of The Hill.
House Education & Labor Committee race down to McMorris-Rodgers, Kline
By Molly K. Hooper
The Hill
House GOP leadership sources say that the three-way race for ranking member of the Education and Labor Committee, to be decided on Wednesday, will come down to Conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.).
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) is the third contender for the plum spot that opened last week when the GOP Steering Committee appointed current Education and Labor ranking member Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) to take the helm at Armed Services. That spot opened up after President Obama appointed the panel’s previous ranking member, John McHugh (R-N.Y.), to be the next secretary of the Army.
But both Kline and McMorris Rodgers have key ties on the 28-member Steering Committee that will choose the next ranking member. Kline is a strong ally of Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who has five votes on the panel.
McMorris Rodgers currently sits on the Steering panel in her role as the vice chairwoman of the GOP conference. But the fifth-ranking House Republican said she won’t be able to vote in the race, due to internal conference rules.
But even if she doesn’t get to vote, Steering Committee member Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), former head of the House Republicans' campaign arm, tells The Hill that “she has a seat at the table, which is a pretty powerful thing.”
Some lawmakers on the Steering Committee expect Wilson to win a number of votes — he is the most senior member in contention and has a solid reputation for supporting leadership — though not enough to pull off a victory.
The relatively less-senior committee members vying for the top spot recognize that the Education and Labor panel will face a heavy workload over the next year and a half.
At a time when House Republicans suffer from a lack of women in top-ranking committee positions, McMorris Rodgers tells The Hill that she intends to tie the GOP need to fill that void with the fact that she is a mother of a child with special needs — which she says gives her a special connection with the panel that oversees education and women's issues. In addition, she has worked on labor issues since serving in the Washington State Legislature.
Kline, a former Marine colonel in his fourth term in Congress, has played important leadership roles in his time on the panel with wide-ranging jurisdiction over important matters, including pension reform. In 2006 he sat on the conference committee that overhauled laws on private pension plans specifically related to the airline companies.
Wilson, also in his fourth term, has focused more on education issues during his time on the panel.
Wilson, Kline and McMorris Rodgers rank relatively low in seniority on the GOP's committee roster.
The panel's most senior members interested in the position bowed out late last week. Reps. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), Mark Souder (R-Ind.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and Mike Castle (R-Del.) all had expressed interest in the job but dropped out when it became apparent that leaders weren't putting a high premium on seniority when they select the Republican who will sit opposite the committee's outspoken, liberal chairman, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.).
Castle would not promise to run for reelection to the House in 2008 if he was made ranking member of the committee. The Delaware Republican is still considering a run for Senate in 2010.
But both Kline and McMorris Rodgers have key ties on the 28-member Steering Committee that will choose the next ranking member. Kline is a strong ally of Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who has five votes on the panel.
Friday June 12, 2009
Boehner: President is in Wisconsin Pushing for Rushed Passage of a Bill That's Going to Make Health Care More Expensive for America's Middle Class
At a news conference Thursday, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and other House GOP leaders sounded the alarm on behalf of middle-class families who stand to see their taxes raised, their care rationed, and their medical decisions taken away and replaced by the directives of Washington bureaucrats under the Democrats’ government takeover of health care. Following are Boehner’s remarks at the news conference:
“On every major issue addressed by Congress and the White House this year, it's the American middle class that’s taken a hit. From the trillion dollar stimulus bill to the fiscally irresponsible budget to these endless bailouts, Washington has asked the middle class to bankroll trillions in spending that we know we can’t afford.
“Now, it appears that Democrats are ready to lead the middle class off the cliff again, this time, on health care. We’re here today to urge Americans to get engaged and to be on alert for what Congress is about to do to rush a health care bill through this Congress and into law.
“They want to rush this bill through Congress as quickly as possible so that no one will understand the applications of what’s about to happen. President Obama is in Wisconsin today pushing for rushed passage of a bill that’s going to make health care more expensive for America’s middle class.
“Now, let’s be clear: Washington cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes made on the stimulus, the omnibus, the budget, and the bailouts. Middle-class Americans and small businesses have too much at stake when it comes to their health care.
“The Democrats’ emerging bill raises taxes. It rations care and puts bureaucrats, instead of doctors and patients, in charge of medical decisions.It amounts to a government takeover of health care, and it would force millions of Americans off their own plans and into a government-sponsored plan.
“Republicans know that there’s a better way. Working with Roy Blunt, the chairman of our Health Care Solutions Group, we’ve got better solutions to make sure that the middle class in America has access to high quality, affordable health insurance. And I hope that the Democrats will continue or begin, I should say, to work with us to craft a bipartisan bill that will really address the needs that we have in our health care system without throwing the baby out with the bath water.”
Thursday June 11, 2009
The Hill: Dem Mutiny on Climate Bill Grows, Says Peterson
The Democrats’ national energy tax – to be paid by anyone who drives a car, buys an American-made product, or has the audacity to flip on a light switch – would disproportionately target rural America by increasing the energy bills for every American family, hurting family farmers, and threatening small businesses.
The legislation recently passed by the Energy & Commerce Committee and making its way to the House floor – often called “cap-and-trade” by its supporters – purports to combat global warming by setting strict limits on carbon emissions. To do so, it would impose enormous taxes and restrictions on energy use, which would place an especially heavy burden on rural America and family farmers.
This prompted Minnesota Democrat Collin Peterson, Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, to tell The Hill newspaper: “I’m just estimating the number of votes that will be against this. I suspect that the list has grown as more members have gotten a chance to look at this. I mean, my list has grown.”
To read the complete story in today’s The Hill, please click here.Thursday June 11, 2009
National Journal: Race Might Come Down To John Kline, Cathy McMorris Rodgers
In case you missed it:
Race Might Come Down To John Kline, Cathy McMorris Rodgers
by Kasie Hunt
Congress Daily AM
Republicans on and off Capitol Hill are coalescing behind Minnesota Rep. John Kline to take the top GOP spot on the house Education and Labor Committee.
But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., who spoke with Republican Steering Committee members on the House floor Wednesday and asked for support, might dim Kline’s chances. “If [Minority Leader Boehner’s] already determined that she’s the one for whatever reason, then she stands a really good chance,” a GOP aide said.
McMorris Rodgers is vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, and her selection could create a cascade of openings in political leadership.
But a top aide to a Steering Committee member said, “It looks like Mr. Kline.” He pointed to Kline’s relationships with the outgoing ranking member, Rep. Howard (Buck) McKeon, R-Calif., and Boehner, a former Education and Labor Chairman.
The slot opened when McKeon was selected to be ranking member on the Armed Services Committee. Whoever succeeds McKeon will have to fend off an ambitious Democratic agenda on labor issues, help craft health care legislation and eventually tackle a reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Law.
The top aide said the Steering Committee would look for someone who could deal effectively with Education and Labor Chairman George Miller, a close ally of Speaker Pelosi, and eventually become chairman. “We want to make sure that the person we have there can be an appropriate foil without making Republicans seem like the party of ‘no,’” the aide said. “Mr. Kline fits the profile as someone who’s viewed as a strong conservative, but he’s not exactly a magnet for the left.”
Republican interests off Capitol Hill like Kline for the job too. “It’s clear that Kline would be a front runner,” a business lobbyist said.
Business groups are enthusiastic about Kline because he is a long-time opponent of the Employee Free Choice Act, a labor-backed proposal that would ease union organizing.
“He’s been one of the most outspoken and visible members of the committee on EFCA, and that’s going to be one of the biggest items of focus on that committee,” the business lobbyist said.
Kline has backed a Republican bill to require secret ballot elections in all union organizing elections. He is the top Republican on the committee’s Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions subcommittee.
“I’ve been talking about card check and taking away the secret ballot in unionizing for three years,” Kline said. “I think I’m in a very good position to step into this slot.”
Kline said he has discussed his interest with Republican leaders and that Boehner was positive. “He is my friend. He was very thoughtful,” he said of the meeting.
Kline would have to pass over more senior Republicans: Reps. Michael Castle, Judy Biggert, and Joe Wilson have all announced they will seek the spot.
Rep. Thomas Petri of Wisconsin, next in seniority after McKeon has not said whether he plans to seek the job. He was passed over for the chairmanship in 2001, when he lost to Boehner. Petri has also recently taken a strong stand in favor of President Obama’s proposal to end the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, a move that would hurt loan companies like Sallie Me and has drawn fire from congressional Republicans.
Biggert opposes ending FFEL. A former PTA president, Biggert would bring an education focus – which may not play well in the early years of an administration with an ambitious list of labor-backed policy priorities.
Castle would likely get the nod if he were to commit to staying in the House, because it would help keep his vulnerable seat in Republican hands, a GOP aide said, but party leaders might be wary of giving him the ranking member job if he is considering a run for the Senate. Castle told Biggert he could not commit to running for the House in 2010, a decision that helped lead her to step in. “He [Castle] has talked to me, but he said that he would not be able to commit to whether he was going to run or not for Senate,” Biggert told CongressDaily.”
GOP aides said there were some concerns about Biggert and Castle because they are known to be more moderate on some social issues.
Biggert dismissed that criticism. “Moderates face that issue all the time, but we do have a lot of moderates that are high up. I don’t think that should be the test.” She said. She said her ability to work with Democrats on education would benefit the committee. She also emphasized her strong opposition to the card check bill.
Wilson said he has received positive feedback from leadership. “They know I’m a team player,” Wilson said. The committee is very ideologically driven. I have worked on the conservative side all my life. I could promote mainstream conservatism,” he said.
The steering committee is set to meet Wednesday to choose a successor.Wednesday June 10, 2009
Working With the New Ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee
On Tuesday, the House Republican Steering Committee selected Congressman Buck McKeon (Calif.), who was the ranking member on the Education and Labor Committee, to fill the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, a position vacated when Congressman John McHugh (N.Y.) was appointed by the President to be Secretary of the Army.
Below is Mr. McKeon’s statement:“I’m looking forward to taking the reins as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee to ensure Republicans have a strong voice at the table on major national security and defense issues.
“My first priority will be to work with Chairman Skelton to guarantee our troops have the resources and equipment they need to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan. To ensure this, I will work to seamlessly transition into my new role as we begin markup of the National Defense Authorization Act. I will also work with my Republican colleagues to make certain our priorities are addressed, which include restoring funding for missile defense, reaching a resolution to keep Guantanamo terrorist detainees off U.S. soil, and maintaining our military superiority for today’s needs and tomorrow’s threats.
“I’m eager to tackle these and other issues alongside Congressmen Roscoe Bartlett and Mac Thornberry, who have both been great assets to the Committee and valued colleagues in our Conference.”
The U.S. government is charged with protecting its citizens and their homeland. Critical to this goal is providing our men and women in uniform with the resources necessary to accomplish their missions at home and abroad, making continued progress in the global war on terror, and weaning ourselves off our addiction to foreign oil. As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps and a member of Congress in my fourth term, I look forward to working under Mr. McKeon’s leadership as the new ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
Wednesday June 10, 2009
Legislation Will Protect Auto Dealers Forced To Close
Earlier today, I introduced the “Auto Dealers Pension Fairness Act,” legislation that would protect auto dealers who are being shut down as part of the reorganization of Chrysler and GM. This bill would shield affected auto dealers from being forced to pay any “withdrawal liability” pension payments until Congress has a better understanding of the federal government’s role and responsibility for those restructurings.
I am gravely concerned by the forced closure of auto dealerships in Minnesota, and I am alarmed at the lack of information and justification for these closures. These small businesses – many of which have been family owned for generations – provide jobs for thousands of Americans.
The “Auto Dealers Pension Fairness Act” (H.R. 2793) directs the President’s Task Force on the Auto Industry to report to Congress on its role in restructuring these auto companies and determining which dealerships would be closed as part of this reorganization. It also prohibits the imposition of withdrawal pension liability on these dealerships until 60 days after the Task Force reports to Congress, providing ample time to assess the federal government’s role in these closures and determine an appropriate course of action with respect to pension obligations incurred as a result of these closures.
Additionally, I wrote a bipartisan letter to the President signed by Minnesota colleagues Democrats Betty McCollum and Collin Peterson, and Republicans Erik Paulsen and Michele Bachmann, asking the Administration for more time, more transparency, and a clearly defined appeals process for auto dealerships which are being forced to shut down.
Last week, I met with members of the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association, whose members shared me with their frustrations with the federal governments plan. I, too, have become increasingly concerned by the lack of information and reasoning behind the decision to close these dealerships; the rushed timeline forced upon the dealerships; and the lack of transparency in the appeals process.
To read about my legislation in a story in today’s Star Tribune, please click here.Wednesday June 10, 2009
An All-Of-The-Above Solution For Energy Independence
Today, I will join House Republicans in introducing sweeping energy reform legislation based on “all-of-the-above” solutions for America’s energy independence.
This legislation would:- Increase production of American-made energy in an environmentally sound manner.
- Promote new, clean and renewable sources of energy such as nuclear, clean-coal technology, wind and solar energy.
- Encourage greater efficiency and conservation by extending tax incentives for energy efficiency and rewarding development of greater conservation techniques and new energy sources.
- Cut red-tape and reduce frivolous litigation.
The American Energy Act is an “all-of-the-above” solution that offers more affordable energy, more well-paying jobs, energy independence, and a cleaner environment.
This morning, Congressman Mike Pence (Ind.) appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program to discuss this sweeping energy reform. To view the video, click the photo above, or click here.Tuesday June 09, 2009
First Guantanamo Bay Terrorist Prisoner Transferred to American Soil
The first detainee from the detention facility at Guantanamo was transferred to the United States, according to the Department of Justice. Terrorist prisoner Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani is facing criminal charges in connection with the bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. More than 200 of the world’s most dangerous are held in Guantanamo, which for more than seven years has helped keep America safe.
Accordingly, I have cosponsored the “Enemy Combatant Detention Review Act” (H.R. 630), which will ensure no foreign terrorists are released by a court onto U.S. soil and prevent the disclosure of sensitive intelligence information. Additionally, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1238, which will make any detainee at Guantanamo Bay permanently ineligible to enter into the United States for any purpose, and the “Keep Terrorists Out of America Act” (H.R. 2294), which, along with other strict requirements, would prohibit the President from transferring or releasing an individual at Guantanamo Bay into the U.S. without certifying to governors and state legislatures the detainee does not pose a security risk to America.
Recently, the Star Tribune published a blog on a disagreement some members of the Minnesota congressional delegation have with Guantanamo terrorists being transferred to Minnesota. In March, I introduced legislation (H.R. 1566) that would prohibit the use of funds to transfer any enemy combatant or terrorist detained at Guantanamo to Minnesota.Tuesday June 09, 2009
Hastily Convened Hearing Epitomizes What's Wrong with Majority's Health Care Strategy
Our health care system is in need of serious reform. Republicans and Democrats in Congress recognize the shortcomings of the current system and the need for meaningful change. Unfortunately, rather than coming to the negotiating table in good faith, some Democrats are working behind closed doors to develop a partisan plan.
As the senior Republican on the Education and Labor’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, I plan on raising serious questions later today about tomorrow’s scheduled hearing on “Examining the Single Payer Health Care Option.” The hearing – which will examine one of the most radical options on the table for the majority’s health care overhaul – was announced without the customary minimum seven days notice, and is being held just days before Democrats are reportedly planning to unveil their partisan reform package.
The hearing – only the third to be held by the subcommittee this year examining the challenges facing America’s health care system – was announced late last week. Convening a hearing with less than seven days notice requires members to waive the rules of the Education and Labor Committee, something I argue is an extraordinary step on an issue of this magnitude.
Health care reform is too important to rush. We owe it to the American people to develop commonsense, bipartisan solutions that will make health care more affordable and accessible to all.Monday June 08, 2009
Congress Should Not Place Additional Burdens on Taxpayers
Wondering how your hard-earned taxpayer money is being spent by majority leadership in Congress?
Consider:
- $6,034 per household to fund $700 billion in bailouts
- $9,810 per household to fund a $1 trillion stimulus plan
- $3,524 per household to fund a $410 billion omnibus larded with pork-barrel projects
- $31,032 per household to fund the $3.6 trillion budget that taxes too much, spends too much, and borrows too much
At a time when Minnesotans, like most American families, are struggling to pay their mortgages and credit card bills; pay for gas, groceries, and health care premiums; and send their kids to college, they cannot afford additional burdens.
Monday June 08, 2009
Pleased to Support Taxpayer Protection and Anti-Fraud Act
Earlier this month, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann introduced the Taxpayer Protection and Anti-Fraud Act, legislation that would prohibit any organization that has been indicted for violations of state or federal election laws, from assessing taxpayer dollars through Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs.
I was pleased to co-sponsor this legislation because federal funding is a privilege that must be earned.
House Republican Leader John Boehner, an original co-sponsor of Congresswoman Bachmann’s legislation, said, “ACORN played a key role in the financial meltdown that has cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars, and is reportedly under federal investigation for allegations of voter fraud. It is an outrage that this organization continues to receive taxpayer dollars. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that no additional tax dollars are directed to ACORN, or any organization that is under investigation for this type of crime.”
The House recently considered the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act which originally included the same taxpayer protection language. This commonsense language was gutted at the behest of Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) on the same week that 39 charges of voter registration fraud were filed in Nevada against ACORN and two of its former employees and seven employees of ACORN were charged with forgery and election law violations in Pennsylvania. The Frank Amendment gave a pass to groups like ACORN and allowed them to continue to access millions of taxpayer dollars while simultaneously appearing in courts across the country about their violations of the law and the public trust.
Monday June 08, 2009
International Global Bailout Has No Place In Troops Funding Bill
A bill to provide emergency funding for our troops should be about one thing: ensuring our sons and daughters in uniform will have the resources they need to complete their mission. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives voted on such a bill, which I was pleased to support.
Later this week, Congress will be voting on an emergency troops funding bill larded with billions of dollars in unrelated spending, including $108 billion for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A foreign aid bailout for the IMF has nothing to do with our troops’ safety or their success. If majority leadership wants to give international organizations billions of American taxpayer dollars, we should have a separate and thorough debate.
I joined many of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to send a letter urging members of Congress to send the President a clean bill to fund our operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world. To read the letter, click here.
Thursday June 04, 2009
They're Running Profitable Businesses, And Being Ordered to Close
Earlier this week, the President announced that General Motors will file for bankruptcy under orders from his administration.
It is a national tragedy that our car makers find themselves either in bankruptcy or on the verge of it. However, it is exceeded by the greater tragedy of the countless Americans who have lost – or will lose – their jobs and the hundreds of millions of taxpayers being saddled with unprecedented debt to bail the carmakers out. When the President fired the CEO of GM, he put the federal government in the management business, which means political decisions will be made in the board room. This newfound strategy of allowing Washington to reach into the private sector is a bad business model.
Earlier this week, I met in Washington with representatives from the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association who shared with me their concerns and frustrations. The Star Tribune published a story this morning about the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association’s visit to Washington:The government's majority stake in the bankrupt GM is part of every conversation about cars in Washington. Were it not for that, the dealers said they wouldn't be asking free-market champions like Congressman John Kline for help.
But as it is, Kline notes, there’s a car dealership in just about every congressional district in America, resulting in the inevitable suspicion that politics, rather than pure economics, is dictating which dealers die and which ones live.
Fueling that suspicion is the fact that a “store” like McGuire’s Shakopee Chevrolet, which is in Kline’s district, has seen a 30-40 percent uptick in business this year. “The frustration is that they’re running profitable businesses, and they're being ordered to close,” Kline said.
To read the entire Star Tribune story, click here.
Wednesday June 03, 2009
National Energy Tax Will Devastate Rural America, Family Farmers
The Democrats’ national energy tax – to be paid by anyone who drives a car, buys an American-made product, or has the audacity to flip on a light switch – would disproportionately target rural America by increasing the energy bills for every American family, hurting family farmers, and threatening small businesses. The legislation recently passed by the Energy & Commerce Committee and making its way to the House floor – often called “cap-and-trade” by its supporters – purports to combat global warming by setting strict limits on carbon emissions. To do so, it would impose enormous taxes and restrictions on energy use, which would place an especially heavy burden on rural America and family farmers. And to his credit, that isn’t sitting well with Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN), the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee:
- “Peterson also has been an outspoken critic of the entire measure; he and other farm-state lawmakers say it tilts too heavily in favor of urban interests instead of rural ones.” (“For climate change bill, hard part starts now,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 31, 2009)
- “If they don’t want to change it, then they’ll have to find the votes some other place,” Peterson said. “In my district, a ‘no’ vote would be a good vote.” (“Energy and Commerce ‘emissaries’ a key to House floor success for climate plan,” New York Times, May 22, 2009)
- “Peterson earlier this week met with the 26 Democrats on his panel and emerged with a ‘virtually unanimous’ agreement that his committee members would stand with him in opposition to a climate change bill that didn’t adequately address the concerns of the agriculture industry, according to one of those Democrats. ‘We’ve thrown a pitchfork in the sand,’ the Democrat said.” (“Cap-and-trade showdown,” The Hill, May 20, 2009)
Indeed, rural Americans will be hit the hardest by a national energy tax because agriculture is so energy-intensive. On average, 65 percent of farmers’ costs are dedicated to fuel, electricity, fertilizer, and chemicals – meaning even a small increase in operating costs could devastate countless family farmers. Moreover, Americans in rural areas travel farther for routine errands – 25 percent more miles than urban households according to the most recent federal highway data – and rural households spend 58 percent more on fuel as a percentage of their income than urban residents. As a result, higher gasoline prices and other rising energy costs will force agricultural producers to pay more for seed, equipment, machinery, steel, and other supplies needed to operate their farms.
Tuesday June 02, 2009
June is Home Safety Month'
This month is ‘Home Safety Month.’ To assist homeowners, the Home Safety Council (HSC) launched its new, interactive and consumer-friendly web site, complete with new and improved home safety resources geared toward families and children.
To read an article by the Home Safety Council about taking a “Hands-on Approach to Home Safety,” click here.
To take the Home Safety Council’s “MySafeHome” virtual tour, click here.Monday June 01, 2009
Red Wing Editorial: Congress Should Meet Obligations to Fund Special Education
Editorial: Congress Should Meet Obligations to Fund Special Education
I thought you would be interested in reading the editorial that appeared over the weekend in the Red Wing Republican-Eagle. As many of you know, I have introduced three amendments already this year urging Congress to fulfill its obligation to fully fund special education.
Red Wing Republican-Eagle
Published Sunday, May 31, 2009Twice in May U.S. Rep. John Kline introduced an amendment that would fully fund special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Schools desperately need those funds. More importantly, students need the programs they will ensure.
The amendment would require the federal government to fulfill the 40 percent funding level it has promised.IDEA, which became law more than 30 years ago, ensures that all children, regardless of a physical or learning disability, have access to a quality public education. Unfortunately, Congress has fallen far short of meeting its share of the funding responsibility. Congress updated the act in 2004, establishing specific steps to reach 40 percent by 2011. Sadly, those graduated increases haven’t materialized.
Funding remains woefully below that necessary level. This isn’t a partisan issue. Indeed, it’s something that former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton fought hard to rectify. He knew the money would resolve funding problems for tens of thousands of districts across the nation.
We urge Congress to act now.
Saturday May 23, 2009
Honoring Fallen Heroes in Memorial Day Ceremony at Normandy American Cemetery
This weekend, I am joining Senators Richard Burr (N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (GA), and Lindsey Graham (S.C.), at the Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Normandy American Cemetery in France.
While there, we will honor the extraordinary contributions of veterans to our nation. During the ceremony, we will lay a wreath in honor of the thousands of American service members who gave their lives on the beaches of Normandy and made possible the liberation of Europe in World War II.The freedoms and liberties we cherish on Memorial Day are owed to the blood and sacrifice of our fallen heroes. This Memorial Day, we honor all of those who left us too soon, whose lives were cut short on distant battlefields. We must never forget those true American heroes to whom we owe so much.
To read more on our visit tomorrow to Normandy American Cemetery in France, please click here.
I look forward to blogging about this trip later next week.
Friday May 22, 2009
On Memorial Day, We Honor Those Who Gave Their Lives to Defend Freedom
Memorial Day is an opportunity for all Americans to pause in honor of the selfless sacrifice of the brave men and women who gave their lives to defend our freedom. These individuals held fast to the founding principles of our nation – pursuing liberty, justice, and freedom without regard for the cost.
President Ronald Reagan stood at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, 25 years ago to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the day Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France. On that day, President Reagan offered to the members of that “greatest generation” who were gathered meaningful, memorable words that continue to serve as inspiration for us all. (To listen to President Reagan’s speech, click here).“One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man,” President Reagan said. “All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.”
This Memorial Day, we honor all those who left us too soon, whose lives were cut short on distant battlefields. Today and every day, let us not forget to pay tribute to those true American heroes to whom we owe so much.
Friday May 22, 2009
Reform Was Long Overdue
This morning, the President signed into law a bill that will increase oversight to the Department of Defense’s procurement process. I was pleased to support this bipartisan legislation that reforms the DoD’s process for acquiring major weapons systems and ensures the Defense budget is spent in the most effective ways possible.To view a video of remarks I made on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of this legislation, please click here.
Thursday May 21, 2009
President Left Questions About Guantanamo Plan Unanswered
This morning, the President offered remarks on national security, including his proposal to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
In the 111th Congress, I have had the opportunity to work with colleagues – both Democrat and Republican – from the House and Senate – to advance a united front for critical U.S. foreign policy objectives. I continue to support the President’s regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he reiterated today, that includes a pledge to deploy more troops to defeat al-Qaida militants, the Taliban, and their allies, and includes a greater emphasis on regional diplomacy and economic development. It is important to note the President’s plan does not include arbitrary, congressionally mandated benchmarks that would tie the hands of our military commanders.
I disagree with the President’s plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which for more than seven years has helped keep America safe. When the President first announced his intention to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, I voiced my concerns about the many questions he left unanswered. Unfortunately, we are no closer to knowing those answers today.
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Star Tribune: Things to See and Do Off The Beaten Path in the South Suburbs
As the traditional summer travel season approaches, the Star Tribune published a story in this morning’s edition that highlights about a dozen unique places to visit. Incidentally, all of them are in the Second District.
Star Tribune
The south-of-the-river suburbs have a well-earned reputation as a summer hot spot. From the roller-coasters of Valleyfair, to the costumed cavorting of the Renaissance Festival, to the novel creatures of the Minnesota Zoo, to the high-speed thrills of Canterbury Park and Elko Speedway, many of the region’s top attractions are here in the south.
But there are also plenty of things to do that don’t often land in the spotlight. As Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer approach, Star Tribune South has scouted a few of the things to see and do that may not have caught your attention: The under-used parks, the niche businesses, the quirky places, the hidden gems. You might have to venture out for a 30-minute drive to find some of them, while others might be just down the street. Some are places you might check out briefly if you’re in the neighborhood, and others are destinations worth a full-day trip.
It’s worth noting that most of them are affordable, or even free. So, gas up the car, grab your sturdy shoes and maybe pack a picnic, then go out and discover something new.
To read the entire Star Tribune story, please click here.
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Administration's Budget Fails to Fulfill Federal Government's Promise to Fund Special Education
This morning, I participated in a House Education and Labor hearing on the Administration’s education agenda. During the hearing, I asked Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan about funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
In the President’s budget, the state grant program was flat-funded at $11.5 billion. The stated justification for the freeze was the infusion of the stimulus money, but that argument seems rather unconvincing: Under IDEA, the federal government promised to provide local school districts 40 percent of the excess costs of educating students with disabilities. Even with the additional stimulus money slated to be spent during the next two years, the federal government still falls short of that 40 percent figure.
- This inconsistency led me to ask Secretary Duncan the following questions:
- Why doesn’t the President’s budget fulfill the federal government’s promise to fund special education?
Why has the Administration prioritized a number of well-intentioned, but unproven, programs over providing adequate funding to help states and local areas meet their current commitments.
While I am a strong supporter of fiscal discipline and living within our means, I also firmly believe that the federal government must keep the promises it made in the past before making additional commitments. I do not understand why the Administration’s budget proposes five new programs – funded at almost $1 billion – instead of dedicating that funding to our states and local school districts that are struggling to meet the mandates of IDEA. Even a small percentage of that $1 billion would go a long way toward addressing the needs of the schools in Minnesota’s 2nd district.
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Legislation Affirms Support for President's Strategy in Afghanistan, Pakistan
As many of you know, I recently participated in a Congressional delegation fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel. I had the opportunity to work with colleagues – both Democrat and Republican – from the House and Senate – to advance a united front for critical U.S. foreign policy objectives.
To support this mission, House Republicans introduced legislation today to affirm support for President Obama’s new regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that includes a pledge to deploy more troops to defeat al-Qaida militants, the Taliban, and their allies, but also includes a greater emphasis on regional diplomacy and economic development. It is important to note this legislation does not include arbitrary, congressionally mandated benchmarks that tie the hands of our generals and diplomatic officials on the ground as they work to stabilize a part of the world that is vital to our national security.The two bills, entitled “U.S.-Afghanistan Security and Stability Act,” and “U.S.-Pakistan Security and Stability Act,” would:
- Support the strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan President Obama outlined March 27, 2009.
- Authorize the resources the President requested and needs to execute his plan for Afghanistan.
- Authorize $1.5 billion per year in foreign assistance aid to Pakistan, as well as the President’s request for $700 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund (PCCF) in Fiscal Year 2010.
- Requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to implement his strategy for long-term security and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan that includes measures of effectiveness.
- Requires the Administration, including the Departments of Defense and State, to regularly brief and notify Congress on implementation of the President’s strategy.
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Thursday 'Soft Test' Is Wake-Up Call For DTV Readiness
With only three weeks left until the nationwide digital television (DTV) transition on June 12, many local broadcasters will be participating in coordinated DTV “soft tests” Thursday. These tests are designed to alert analog viewers who are unprepared for the impending transition that they will lose service once the transition occurs unless they act promptly to get ready.
A “soft test” simulates to some extent what unprepared viewers will experience when the DTV transition occurs. Instead of completely cutting off the analog signal, broadcasters will interrupt the regular programming of viewers receiving analog signals to warn them they are not prepared for the transition. Analog viewers who are not connected to a subscription TV service such as cable or satellite (which in some cases still utilize a broadcaster’s analog signal) must take immediate action to avoid a complete loss of service June 12. Digital broadcasts will not be interrupted by the soft tests. The length of the interruptions will vary by station but generally will run between 2-5 minutes.According to Nielsen Media Research, approximately 4 percent of households in the Minneapolis-St. Paul TV viewing market (which includes most viewers in the 2nd district) are not ready for the DTV transition. If that includes you, a family member, friend, or neighbor, additional information and assistance is available at upcoming DTV clinics in the area:
- Thursday, June 11 (4-8 p.m.): DTV Clinic at Shakopee Library
- Friday, June 12 (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.): DTV Clinic at Shakopee Library
For more information, please visit the DTV website at http://www.dtv.gov/
Tuesday May 19, 2009
Auto Mileage, Emission Standards Will Cost Consumers an Extra $1,300 Per Vehicle
It was announced today that President Obama’s proposed new fuel and emission standards for cars and trucks are expected to cost consumers an extra $1,300 per vehicle by the time the plan is complete in 2016. In Minnesota, the cost is expected to be even higher.
The auto industry will be required to ramp up production of more fuel-efficient vehicles on a much tighter timeline than originally envisioned. It also comes with a staggering cost: the U.S. Transportation Department last year estimated that requiring the industry to meet 31.6 miles per gallon by 2015 would cost nearly $47 billion.
To read an Associated Press story on the proposed standards and their consequences, please click here.
Tuesday May 19, 2009
Operation USO Care Package
To celebrate National Military Appreciation Month, I was pleased to participate this morning in the United Service Organization's Operation USO Care Package. The program was initiated in 2001 to provide our troops deployed overseas with care packages that included needed items such as shaving kits, wet wipes, playing cards, sun screen, and calling cards so they can stay in touch with the loved ones they left behind.Since the program's initiation, the USO has distributed more than 1 million care packages to our troops. Operation USO Care Package is the only program of its kind endorsed by both the Department of Defense and the White House.
Tuesday May 19, 2009
Interesting Perspective on Making Quality Health Care Coverage Affordable and Accessible for Every American
Dr. Stuart M. Butler, a Vice President for Domestic and Economic Studies at the Heritage Foundation, recently provided testimony during a U.S. Senate Finance Committee Roundtable. As we focus on making quality health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American, Dr. Butler presents some interesting solutions. To read his testimony, please click here.Tuesday May 19, 2009
Paul Ryan: We Can't Continue to Ignore the Crisis in Medicare and Social Security
Congressman Paul Ryan, a House Republican colleague from Wisconsin wrote an op-ed that was published this morning in the Star Tribune. Congressman Ryan acknowledges that, without reform, both Medicare and Social Security will go bankrupt in the not-so-distant future. Accordingly, he authored legislation called, “A Roadmap for America’s Future,” which not only addressed the Medicare and Social Security crisis, but also Medicaid, health care and our overly complex, anticompetitive tax code, to ensure America can regain its footing on the path to a secure, prosperous future.To read his op-ed, click here.
Monday May 18, 2009
Putting Together a Vision of Health Care Reform
Some of my Republican House colleagues are working on a health care solutions group to ensure that every American has access to affordable, high-quality health care coverage. I look forward to meeting with them later this week.
As we put together our vision of health care reform, we have been looking at solutions to:
- Make quality health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American, regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
- Protect Americans from being forced into a new government-run health care plan that would: a) eliminate the health coverage that more than 100 million Americans currently receive through their job; b) limit your choice of doctors and medical treatment options; and c) result in the federal government taking control of your health care.
- Let Americans who like their health care coverage keep it, and give all Americans the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs.
- Ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors, not government bureaucrats.
- Improve Americans’ lives through effective prevention, wellness, and disease management programs, while developing new treatments and cures for life-threatening diseases.
Monday May 18, 2009
Fact of the Week
The Department of Treasury released data showing that the U.S. ran a deficit of $20.9 billion in the month of April -- the first time that the U.S. has managed to post a deficit during the month when income tax returns are due since 1983.
Monday May 18, 2009
John Boehner: Gitmo Detainees Are not Common Criminals. Keep Them Out of USA
I would like to thank Republican Leader John Boehner for cross-posting his blog this morning on the Guantanamo Bay prison.
By John Boehner
Unless the president reverses course, more than 200 of the world’s most dangerous terrorists soon will be released or transferred from the Guantanamo Bay prison. Where they will end up is anyone’s guess; even the administration won’t say. Nonetheless, it’s possible that some may be imported into America, the country they have dedicated their lives to destroying.
That’s alarming to an overwhelming majority of Americans, a growing consensus in Congress, and even Democratic Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, who opposed it as Kansas governor. That's why House Republicans are building support for the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act.
These are not common criminals. Not when you consider that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), suspected mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and Abu Zubaydah, who allegedly trained the hijackers, are detained at Guantanamo. Simply put, importing them would be a strategic mistake and an incredible risk — one that Americans have every right to be concerned about, which is why more and more states and communities are speaking out against it.
Just imagine the strain — on financial, manpower and other resources — of “hosting” terrorists like KSM and Zubaydah in our prisons. Importing them could give terrorists the same rights as citizens, increasing their chances of being released by federal judges. And wherever they're transferred would undoubtedly become a prime target for other terrorists seeking to become martyrs.
All of this would directly endanger Americans. And that’s what the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act is meant to stop — by unequivocally opposing the importation of the terrorists; making clear that governors and state legislatures must pre-approve the transfer of any detainee; and requiring the administration to meet strict certification standards if it insisted on importing them.
Though 9/11 may be fading from the memories of some in Washington, we remain at war. Importing those seeking to do unthinkable harm to our nation is a perilous proposition. Republicans want to work with the president to confront the terrorist threat — and our first priority must be keeping the most threatening terrorists out of America.
To read this blog posted on USA Today, click here.
Friday May 15, 2009
National Energy Tax An Irresponsible Proposal That Will Do More Harm Than Good
This morning, I visited with a handful of bloggers and we discussed the national energy tax known as cap-and-trade. As I shared with bloggers, the President’s energy plan is an irresponsible proposal that will do more harm than good. The simple truth behind the Democrats’ energy plan is that it raises taxes, kills jobs, and will lead to more government intrusion.
This energy plan is really a $624 billion national energy tax that will hit nearly every American family. This new national energy tax will be paid by anyone who turns on a light switch or plugs in an appliance. With majority leadership still hiding many of the important details of their energy plan, a study that looked at a similar proposal estimated that the impact will be roughly $3,100 every American household will have to pay to the federal government.
Also disappointing is the fact that the national energy tax will hit the poor the hardest. Experts agree that lower income individuals spend a greater share of their income on energy consumption. So while every American will be paying more for energy, low income households already living on the edge of desperation will be hurt even more.
The truth is, President Obama is aware of the impact his energy plan will have on American families. While still a candidate for president, then-Senator Obama said that under his cap and tax plan utility rates would “necessarily skyrocket,” and said that those costs would be passed along to consumers.
The impact of this national energy tax will not only be seen in home utility bills or at the pump, but various estimates suggest anywhere from 1.8 million to 7 million Americans could lose their jobs as well. Though the President is promoting the ‘green jobs’ that may be created by his cap and tax plan, any new jobs created will not come close to compensating for those lost to this reckless energy policy.
We have no greater example of the devastation a cap and tax system can have on an economy than in Spain. After years of promoting “green jobs” Spain has the highest unemployment rate in Europe, standing at a whopping 17.5 percent. Cap and tax has sought to be an environmentally friendly plan, the truth is it will relocate manufacturing plants overseas to countries with far less stringent environmental regulations, in turn trading pollution to another part of the world.
I believe there are better solutions than more taxes, fewer jobs, and more government intrusion. I want to increase American energy production made by American workers, encourage greater efficiency and conservation, and promote the use of alternative fuels – without raising taxes on every American family.
Friday May 15, 2009
Making Health Care More Affordable, More Accessible, and More Accountable
As Americans struggle to make ends meet, too many also live with the challenge of affording basic health care for themselves and their families. Any time a child or a parent goes without the care they need, it is a personal crisis for that family. Like many of my colleagues – both Republicans and Democrats – I want to make health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American. Additionally, regardless of the upcoming health care proposals, I would let those who like their current health care coverage to keep it. I support health care reform that puts patients and their health first, and protects the important doctor-patient relationship.
The President and majority leadership are pushing for a government takeover of health care that would have devastating consequences for families and small businesses. A government takeover of health care will raise taxes, ration care, and let government bureaucrats make decisions that should be made by families and their doctors.
As Congress moves forward addressing health care, we need to carefully address America’s health care challenges. Let’s find immediate, measurable ways to make health care more affordable, more accessible, and more accountable. The American people deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the health care their families need, when they need it.
Friday May 15, 2009
Taking Over Automotive Industry Unprecedented, Unacceptable
Earlier this week, I signed a letter to President Obama urging him to reconsider the plan to eliminate more than 3,000 Chrysler and General Motors automotive dealerships, and put more than 150,000 employees out of work. As the letter says, the President’s plan is uninformed, unproductive, and unconstitutional.
The President’s Auto Task Force has little to no automotive experience. Their recommendation is extremely uninformed. Their closings will not fix the litany of problems facing the automotive sector nor make it viable once again. This proposal will destroy small businesses, hurt families, and worsen the recession for communities in Minnesota and throughout America. This is not the time to reduce competition or eliminate revenue.
Further, I am troubled by the federal government’s unprecedented and unacceptable takeover of the automotive industry.
Thursday May 14, 2009
Bill Saddles Future Generations With Billions in Debt
Today, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I introduced an amendment to H.R. 2187 (the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act) to rename the massive spending bill to, “A Bill to Saddle Future Generations With Billions in Debt, And for Other Purposes.”
I introduced this amendment to highlight the reckless policies of more spending, more borrowing, and more government championed by the new President and majority leadership in Congress. Currently, the federal government is borrowing nearly 50 cents for every dollar it spends. This year alone, Washington will spend approximately $2 trillion more than it collects from the American taxpayer.
The original title for the bill had a nice ring, but it obscures the misplaced priorities of the bill. Congress has already passed, and the President signed, a massive “stimulus” bill that contained billions of dollars that could be used to ‘green’ our nation’s schools. With rapidly shrinking state budgets forcing our schools to struggle to pay for text books and other necessities, and the federal government falling short of providing its share of funding for critical priorities such as programs for children with disabilities, we should not be focused on solar panels.
At a time when families are experiencing significant challenges, more spending, more debt, and more government does a great disservice to the American people.
Thursday May 14, 2009
Emergency Troops Funding Bill Includes No Funding for President's Plan' to Close Guantanamo
Minutes ago, emergency troop funding legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives that provides funding for badly needed resources for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I was pleased to support this bipartisan legislation because it will provide necessary funding and essential support for our sons and daughters in uniform. I was also pleased that this war supplemental provides funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq without setting arbitrary timelines that would tie the hands of our military commanders.
Additionally, I am pleased that none of the funding requested by the Administration related to the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility has been included. For more than seven years, the Guantanamo facility has helped keep America safe. Unfortunately, the President’s plan to close Guantanamo by the end of the year has left too many questions unanswered.
As the father of an Army Blackhawk pilot, the husband of a retired Army nurse, and a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps, I consider it a personal priority to ensure government keeps its promises to our veterans of today and tomorrow. In addition to funding our personnel and operations, this emergency supplemental provides our troops with the equipment and other tools they need to carry out their mission of fighting Islamist extremists and keeping America safe.
Thursday May 14, 2009
Honoring Chaska Resident with Congressional Award Gold Medal
Earlier this week, I was pleased to visit with Chaska resident Brandon Spratt and award him with the Congressional Award Gold Medal. To earn his Congressional Award Gold Medal, Brandon served hundreds of hours leading an animal education class for the public. He also assisted a veterinarian, helped prepare food for animals, and worked as a butterfly keeper. For personal development, Brandon wrote his first fiction novel, improving his writing skills, and learning about publishing. For physical fitness, Brandon earned his brown belt in karate, and for exploration he became an open-water diver and explored the kelp forests and underwater life of the Pacific Ocean.
To read more about the Congressional Award, please click here.
Thursday May 14, 2009
Plan to Close Guantanamo Filled With Unanswered Questions
This morning on National Public Radio, I was asked about the President’s plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo. As I said in the interview, there are still way too many unanswered questions regarding the President’s “plan.” To listen to the Capitol News Connection’s “Power Breakfast” segment from this morning, please click here.
Wednesday May 13, 2009
Honoring Winners of Student Art Contest
Each year, I have the honor of hosting an annual Congressional “Artistic Discovery” competition among Minnesota high school students in the 2nd Congressional district.
This year, Apple Valley High School senior Sarah Lampe won art contest with her acrylic painting, “The Birds of Notre Dame.” Apple Valley senior Stephanie Johnson’s photograph titled, “Echo,” was the runner-up. Cannon Valley Lutheran junior Taylor Lawson’s painting, “In the Midst of the Evergreens,” finished third in the contest. Apple Valley seniors John Cybart and Ashley Niska and Cannon Valley Lutheran senior April Meschke all received honorable mentions. I was pleased to visit Apple Valley High School earlier this week, where I congratulated Sarah and the other top participants in the contest. Each year, I continue to be impressed with Minnesota’s young artists.
Sarah’s winning entry will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel entrance to the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, where she will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony this summer. Stephanie’s runner-up photograph will be displayed in my Washington, D.C. office.
To read more about the annual art competition, please click here.
Wednesday May 13, 2009
Fully Funding Special Education: A Promise Made Should Be a Promise Kept
For the second time in six days, I introduced an amendment that would fully fund special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), freeing up desperately needed resources for schools nationwide. For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund the federal share of special education. By doing our part, we would enable schools across America to direct limited resources to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers, or new textbooks.
I have heard countless stories of schools in my district and across the nation being forced to choose between cutting bus routes, eliminating extracurricular activities, or increasing class sizes to cope with shrinking budgets. Our teachers and administrators should instead be able to focus on the important job of providing the best education possible for all of our children.
Tuesday May 12, 2009
Current and Former CIA Directors Oppose Releasing Memos
Yesterday, I joined Nashville-based radio host Steve Gill to discuss the Administration’s “plan” to close Guantanamo Bay as well as the President’s decision to selectively release CIA memos detailing advanced interrogation techniques. The President’s own CIA director, Leon Panetta, joined a long list of intelligence officers – including former CIA Directors Michael Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet, and John Deutch – in opposing the release of these memos. Tenet, who served as the CIA Director under presidents from both parties – George W. Bush and Bill Clinton – told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the U.S. interrogation program “is worth more than the FBI, the CIA, and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us.”
To listen to my radio interview about this and the current state of the economy, please click here.
Tuesday May 12, 2009
Keeping Families in Their Homes, Lowering Costs for All Homeowners
Millions of Americans have been affected by this recession. Hardworking families continue to face home foreclosures and job loss at an alarming rate. During these challenging economic times, it is important for Congress to develop housing legislation that advances home ownership and strengthens the housing market without placing any additional burdens on American taxpayers.
The “Responsible Homeowners Act” (H.R. 1903) includes a $5,000 refinancing credit to help families cover the costs of a mortgage refinancing, buy down points, or reduce their principal balance (covers refinancings through July 1, 2010). The temporary first-time home-buyers credit recently enacted by Congress is of little value to those who have already purchased home. In order to assist the millions of Americans who may wish to take advantage of historically low rates on home mortgages, House Republican are proposing a temporary $5,000 refinancing tax credit. The credit can be used to:
- Cover the closing costs associated with a refinancing;
- Buy down points on the newly refinanced mortgage; or
- For homeowners that may be slightly underwater, the credit may be used to increase their equity and thus qualify for a refinancing.
According to a 2008 survey the average closing costs associated with refinancing a $200,000 loan is $3,118.
Unlike the majority leadership’s plan which limits refinancing assistance to those with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owned or guaranteed mortgages, the proposal I support benefits homeowners irrespective of whether or not their mortgage is owned or backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Some 60 percent of mortgages are non-Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgages. These homeowners could benefit from the House Republican proposal.
Monday May 11, 2009
Costly National Energy Tax Includes Unrealistic Benchmarks
The President’s new national energy tax, which is supported by majority leadership, sets an 83 percent emission reduction target by 2050 from 2005 levels. Two countries currently have a per capita emissions level consistent with such a reduction from the world’s current total emissions – Haiti and Somalia.
Friday May 08, 2009
What Does $3,100 Mean to the Average Family?
The President’s new national energy tax being considered by majority leadership will confiscate approximately $3,100 per year from working families, kill jobs, and lead to even more government intrusion.
What could the average Minnesota family do with $3,100 a year?
A driver could fill their car’s fifteen gallon fuel tank more than 100 times.
- A family could pay for 15 months worth of disposable diapers.
- A young professional could pay for roughly 7 years of cell phone service.
- Minnesota farmers could fill up their tractor’s fuel tank 33 times.
- A family of four could pay the grocery bill for 5 months.
- The average Minnesota family could pay for more than 3 years of electricity bills.
- An energy-conscious consumer could buy 822 GE 13-watt energy efficient light bulbs.
Thursday May 07, 2009
Releasing CIA Memos Could Have Weakened Our National Security
On a recent fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel, I had the opportunity to work with colleagues – both Democrat and Republican – from the House and Senate – to advance a united front for critical U.S. foreign policy objectives. One of the objectives of our mission was to show foreign leaders that our United States government is indeed unified in support for President Obama’s new regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that includes a pledge to deploy more troops to defeat al-Qaida militants, the Taliban, and their allies, but also includes a greater emphasis on regional diplomacy and economic development.
Meanwhile, here at home, only 42 percent of Americans, according to a Rasmussen poll released last week, believe we are winning the war on terrorism. That constitutes a 20-point drop since February, a staggering decline in Americans’ confidence in our global war against Islamist extremists. Interestingly enough, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last week showed that a majority of Americans oppose the Administration’s decision to selectively release memos detailing advanced interrogation techniques. The majority of Americans realize that releasing these memos during a time of war could compromise our capabilities by providing our enemies with a virtual playbook on how to resist and combat U.S. interrogation methods.
The President’s own CIA director, Leon Panetta, joined a long list of intelligence officers – including former CIA Directors Michael Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet, and John Deutch – in opposing the release of these memos. Tenet, who served as the CIA Director under presidents from both parties - George W. Bush and Bill Clinton - told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the U.S. interrogation program “is worth more than the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us.”
In his first 100 days, I have disagreed with the President and my colleagues across the aisle on many issues – including runaway federal spending and questionable cuts to the Defense Department during a time of war. I support the President’s regional strategy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. And while we share a common goal of defending the American people and securing peace, the President’s decision to release CIA memos did nothing to strengthen our national security. I can only hope it has not been irreparably weakened.
Thursday May 07, 2009
Reaffirming America's Religious Heritage
This week, members of the bipartisan Congressional Prayer Caucus joined faith leaders from across the nation to hold a press conference expressing support for a resolution that reaffirms America’s religious heritage and calls for the designation of the first week in May as “American Religious History Week.” As a member of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, I am pleased to support this initiative that draws attention to the need for every American to recognize and celebrate the fundamental source of our strength and well-being.
Thursday May 07, 2009
Preserving Secret Ballots in the Workplace
Earlier this year, I introduced the “Secret Ballot Protection Act,” legislation that ensures workers retain the right to a secret ballot election when choosing whether to form a union. The right to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental principle of American Democracy. If unions and employers are sincere in their stated missions of protecting and serving workers, they should be asking how all sides can work together to defend workers’ interests – and protect the rights of millions of Americans whose privacy and freedom are at stake. The Secret Ballot Protection Act is the first step in the right direction. Earlier this week, I participated in a national interview on American Family Radio about this bill and our efforts to preserve the secret ballot; to listen, please click here.
Wednesday May 06, 2009
Cap-and-Trade Is a Tax: And It's A Great Big One
The Heritage Foundation has compiled an informative top 10 list related to the national energy tax that even Democratic Congressman and former Chairman of the House and Energy Commerce Committee John Dingell said is a “tax, and it’s a great big one.” To read their research on how this national energy tax will cripple budgets of middle-class families and small business owners, please click here.
Wednesday May 06, 2009
Freeing Up Desperately Needed Funds For Schools Across America
This morning, during an Education & Labor Committee meeting, I introduced an amendment that would fully fund special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), freeing up desperately needed funding for schools nationwide.
For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund special education. By fully funding special education, we would free up desperately needed funds schools across America could use to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers, or new textbooks.
IDEA, which was signed into law more than 30 years ago, ensures all children, regardless of any physical or learning disability, have access to a quality public education. Unfortunately, for more than 30 years, Congress has fallen far short of meeting its share of the funding responsibility.
The amendment I introduced would ensure the federal share of special education reaches the full 40 percent funding level. In 2004, Congress passed IDEA, which established a clear and genuine pattern to reach the 40 percent goal by 2011, but funding has remained well below those necessary levels.
I have heard countless stories of schools in my district and across the nation being forced to choose between cutting bus routes, eliminating extracurricular activities, or increasing class sizes to cope with shrinking budgets. Our teachers and administrators should instead be able to focus on the important job of providing the best education possible for all of our children.
Tuesday May 05, 2009
Reforming America's Educational System
As the 111th Congress gears up to review the “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB), I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans to reform America’s educational system.
NCLB demonstrates the limitations of a federal education policy. As a member of the Education & Labor Committee, I have seen firsthand how this overly restrictive policy limits innovation in the classroom and imposes financial and administrative requirements on schools and localities without providing the resources necessary to meet them. Accordingly, in the last Congress I co-sponsored the “A-Plus” Act, which would provide states the option of withdrawing from federal education programs while maintaining their full share of federal funding and assuming full responsibility for the educational needs of students.
To read an op-ed penned by Congressman “Buck” McKeon, the top Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, entitled, “Five principles for renewal of NCLB,” which was published in this morning’s edition of The Hill, please click here.
Tuesday May 05, 2009
There Is a Better Way to Advance Policies for Cleaner Air and Water and a Healthy Environment
As you may know, the President has introduced a new national energy tax that would impose new taxes on any American who drives a car, flips on a light switch, or buys a product manufactured in the United States. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Americans can expect an increase of $3,100 to their energy bill every year. The President’s own budget director estimates the increase for every American family will be even higher, approximately $4,000 per year.
This national energy tax will not be borne evenly across the United States, either. According to a study that ranks Congressional districts based on their manufacturing employment and amount of electricity derived from coal, the Midwest and Southeast will suffer the most. In fact, the economies of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky are among those that will be most negatively affected.
Today, the House Republicans’ American Energy Solutions Group, led by Congressman Mike Pence, is hosting an energy summit to promote our “all of the above” energy plan and hear testimony on the consequences of the President’s new national energy tax on all Americans. It will be the first of what will be many Energy Summits hosted by the group.
I agree with the members of the American Energy Solutions Group that there is a better way to advance policies for cleaner air and water and a healthy environment. We are advocating an “all of the above” strategy that promotes alternative technologies, encourages conservation and more nuclear power, and increases environmentally-safe production of American energy – in ways that do not raise costs for you and your family.
Tuesday May 05, 2009
Federal Government Goes On Spending Spree Like No Other
It comes as a shock to many that Congress has obligated more funds in the first three months of this year than the United States has spent on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts combined. That runaway federal spending has come from bailouts, so-called stimulus bills, a pork-laden omnibus, and most recently, the President’s $3 trillion budget, which is a blueprint that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much.Consider the following spending:
- $1,200,000,000,000 (with interest) on the so-called stimulus
- $ 98,900,000,000 on SCHIP, which fails to put low-income kids first
- $ 5,500,000,000 on the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
- $ 49,644,500,000 on additional bailout funds
- $3,600,000,000,000 on the President’s budget that will hurt the
economy and destroy jobs
---------------------------------
$4,954,044,500,000 – Total
Another way to look at the federal government's spending so far this year:
- Per month, the federal government has spent $1,651,348,166,666 of taxpayer money.
- Per week, the federal government has spent $330,269,633,333 of taxpayer money.
- Per day, the federal government has spent $49,540,445,000 of taxpayer money.
- Per hour, the federal government has spent $2,064,185,208 of taxpayer money.
- Per minute, the federal government has spent $34,403,087 of taxpayer money.
At a time when Minnesotans and most Americans are tightening their belts, it is disappointing that Washington refuses to do the same.
Monday May 04, 2009
Education Committee Marks National Charter Schools Week
I was pleased to join my colleagues on the Education & Labor Committee in welcoming the beginning of the 10th annual National Charter Schools Week to highlight the success of these innovative public schools.
Charter schools, which are granted flexibility from state and local regulations in exchange for greater accountability for student achievement, have had an especially prominent impact in many of the nation’s largest cities and in the school districts facing some of the greatest challenges. Charter schools have proven immensely popular for many families who were dealing with underperforming schools, high dropout rates, and a lack of accountability. To read more about National Charter Schools Week, please click here.
Monday May 04, 2009
National Energy Tax Would Cripple Budgets of Minnesotans
This weekend’s fishing opener commemorates an unofficial holiday in which many of Minnesota’s 1.1 million anglers travel to their favorite lake to participate in one of our state’s great traditions. The fishing opener is a rite of passage from winter to spring, a long-awaited escape from the harsh winters of the upper Midwest. At this time last year, as families packed up their cars to head away for the weekend, they faced gasoline prices that had skyrocketed to $3.46 per gallon – with prices at the pump hovering near $4 by Memorial Day. A similar trend was taking place across the country, and in Washington, I joined my colleagues – from both sides of the aisle – to demand meaningful relief through a new energy policy. Unfortunately, one year later, we are still waiting.
While prices at the pump are comparatively reasonable so far this year, Minnesotans and all Americans should be bracing themselves for an even more crippling cost increase – this time in the form of national energy tax that threatens the budgets of families and small businesses. In an attempt to raise federal revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the President has proposed a national energy tax known as “cap-and-trade,” and less affectionately referred to as, “cap and tax.” Currently being reviewed in Congress, this irresponsible proposal will drive up the price of everyday goods, strain the economy, reduce jobs, and impose a significant cost increase on every American who dares to turn on a light.
Although certain legislative details remain unclear, the plan would inflict every domestic energy producer with a tax for their carbon emissions – a cost that inevitably will be passed onto consumers. In addition to increasing the burden on American families and businesses, it also creates a host of new federal mandates on everything from outdoor light bulbs and table lamps to water dispensers and whirlpools.
Under this national energy tax, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) estimates Americans can expect an annual increase of $3,100 in their energy bill. The President’s own budget director estimates the increase for every American family will be even higher, approximately $4,000 per year.
Congress must work together to increase American energy production, encourage greater efficiency and conservation, and promote the use of alternative fuels – in ways that do not raise costs for you and your family.
To read an op-ed I wrote that was published in Sunday’s Star Tribune, please click here.
Wednesday April 29, 2009
President's First 100 Days Marked by Runaway Federal Spending
Today is President Barack Obama’s 100th day in office. To watch a video on my view of the President’s first 100 days, please click here.As you can imagine, the President’s first 100 days is a popular topic in the news today. Here are a few links to what some of my colleagues are saying:
Wednesday April 29, 2009
Budget Agreement Includes a Great Big' National Energy Tax
There are many reasons I oppose the $3 trillion budget agreement that was reached this week between Senate and House negotiators. In addition to spending too much, taxing too much, and borrowing too much, this sweeping bill includes a devastating new national energy tax on anyone who has the audacity to turn on a light switch.
Even Congressman John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan who is the House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman, called the “cap-and-trade” energy plan a “tax, and it’s a great big one.” Expanding more government, borrowing more money, and raising taxes is not going to help the engine of our economy – small businesses.
In the coming weeks, my colleagues and I will be crafting alternative legislation to this national energy tax that will provide Americans with real solutions for reducing our dependence on foreign oil. House Minority Leader John Boehner has appointed Congressman Mike Pence to head an “American Energy Solutions Working Group” that will study and propose ways that we can work together to increase American energy production, encourage greater efficiency and conservation, and promote the use of alternative fuels.
Tuesday April 28, 2009
Holding Union Leaders Accountable
On Monday, I visited with “Your World” host Neil Cavuto on Fox News where we discussed the need for the federal government to hold unions accountable and ensure they are not taking advantage of union members. To view the Fox News video, click here. To read a story about this in the Washington Times, click here.
Monday April 27, 2009
The President's First 100 Days
This Wednesday marks the 100th day President Obama has been in office. The past 100 days have been marked by unique challenges to our nation and our world, presenting President Obama and his administration with many difficult decisions. Many times during these past 100 or so days I have found myself on the opposite side of the debate from President Obama – particularly as it relates to runaway federal spending that has obligated more funds in the first three months of this year than the United States has spent on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts combined.
However, I was proud to stand alongside my colleagues from both sides of the aisle during a recent bipartisan fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel, in which we presented a united face for U.S. foreign policy.
I share with the President a common goal of defending the American people and securing peace, and I am hopeful we will find more opportunities to put principles above partisanship and work together to defend the Minnesotans I represent, the American people I serve, and our way of life.
Sunday April 26, 2009
April Arrival of Debt Day Is A Troubling Sign
“Debt Day” comes early this year. Unfortunately, it’s nothing to celebrate. The symbolic “holiday,” which this year falls today – Sunday, April 26 – marks the point in the fiscal year when government spending exceeds revenue. In other words, the government will stop making money and start borrowing money today. And it’s coming earlier than ever.
As Republican Leader John Boehner points out in his op-ed, “Debt Day: A Symbol of Washington’s Arrogant Culture of Borrowing and Spending,” it is yet another symptom of a government that spends too much, borrows too much, and taxes too much.
Saturday April 25, 2009
Taking a Great Deal of Pride in Our Sons and Daughters Who Serve
This afternoon, I was pleased to speak at the West Point Parents Club luncheon in Edina. As a retired Marine Corps Colonel and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I take a great deal of pride in the young men and women who serve our country, and it was an honor to visit with the parents and siblings of West Point students.
As a career Marine Corps Officer, I appreciate the difficulties and complexities of the service academy application process. Members of my staff will make every effort to help interested students and their families understand the process of pursuing a nomination.
For more information about applying to a Service Academy, please click here.
Friday April 24, 2009
Reducing Health Care Costs for Employers, Employees, and Their Families
As the senior Republican on the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), I helped chair a hearing this week on ways to reduce the cost of health insurance for employers, employees, and their families. While I am hopeful that meaningful changes can be made to improve health care costs, access, and delivery, I am concerned that some of the proposals being considered and talked about may have the exact opposite effect.More than 160 million Americans obtain insurance coverage from their employers, satisfaction levels are relatively high, and the number of people covered under this system has remained more or less constant through good and bad economic times. The main reason for this success is the federal ERISA law, which lets American businesses provide uniform, high quality benefits to all employees across state lines, free from costly state benefit mandates.Employers, employees, and their families are, justifiably, very concerned about rising health care costs. I continue to believe that as we try to address weaknesses in the current system, we must be careful not to undermine ERISA by pulling one string at a time.Some of the reform ideas being discussed could have the effect of driving people out of the voluntary, private employer-based health care system, make them more reliant on government programs and subsidies, and ultimately lead to the nationalization of health care in America. I believe this could increase costs, stifle medical innovation, and reduce health care quality.I remain hopeful we can continue to work together to reach consensus on legislation to provide more affordable and efficient ways of delivering health care benefits.
To read my entire opening statement in this hearing, click here.
Thursday April 23, 2009
"Cap-and-Trade" Plan is Really "Cap-and-Tax"
Today, I joined House Republican colleagues in unveiling a new web video that highlights how the Majority Leadership’s cap-and-trade plan will cap growth and trade jobs overseas. While the Administration and Majority Leaders acknowledge that prices will “skyrocket” under their plan, we have better solutions. To view the video, please click here.
Thursday April 23, 2009
Pioneer Press op-ed: A United Front in Afghanistan'
To read an op-ed I wrote in this morning’s Pioneer Press about my weeklong fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel, please click here.
Wednesday April 22, 2009
Helping Americans Rebuild Their Savings
Earlier today, as Vice Chair of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, I co-chaired a hearing on the 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 1984). This proposed legislation could actually undermine Americans’ retirement savings by changing the way 401(k) savings accounts operate. While I and my Republican colleagues have advocated common sense 401(k) reforms that would make the accounts more transparent and user-friendly for workers, the proposal offered by the Majority goes beyond transparency to require increased reporting and paperwork, as well as new government mandates on account offerings.
American workers and retirees are justly upset and frightened by the dramatic effect the market downturn has had on retirement savings. But to blame the cataclysmic failure in our markets on a function of so-called “hidden” fees or corporate raiders, as my Democratic colleagues have done, is not entirely honest. The dramatic loss in retirement savings was not caused, nor would it have been avoided, by the difference of a fraction of a percent in an investment fee.
As Congress addresses our retirement system more broadly, I hope we explore genuine efforts to help Americans rebuild their 401(k) nest eggs. Just today, I and my Republican colleagues introduced the Savings Recovery Act (H.R. 2021), which would help American families protect what they have and begin to rebuild what they have lost. Among its provisions, this bill would enable seniors to keep more of their retirement savings by further suspending the mandatory withdrawal that requires a certain portion of retirement savings to be withdrawn after an individual turns 70½ or retires. This provision protects the investments of seniors and retirees at a time when the value of their accounts is low – and is just one of the many factors worth of discussion as we consider how to help Americans rebuild their savings.
To read my opening statement from this morning’s hearing, click here.
Wednesday April 22, 2009
Earth Day Goal: Expand Green Job Training Programs to All Workers
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (H.R. 6) established an energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training program through a provision known as the Green Jobs Act. Unfortunately, this provision only provides funding to entities that partner with labor organizations – effectively excluding 86 percent of the private sector construction workforce.
Later today, I will introduce the Green Jobs Improvement Act, legislation that will expand the energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training programs by removing the mandate that eligible entities “partner with labor organizations.” As a result, merit shop training programs – as well as labor organizations – will be eligible. This legislation will improve the Green Jobs Act by helping achieve the stated goal of supporting quality workforce training for good paying careers while promoting more environmentally efficient buildings, equipment, and infrastructure.
As we celebrate Earth Day, let’s renew our commitment to enable all skilled workers to access green job training programs to prepare tomorrow’s workforce.
Tuesday April 21, 2009
Trying to Save Your Savings
As we know all too well, millions of Americans have watched over the past year as a lifetime’s accumulation of retirement savings have vanished literally right before their eyes. And rather than do everything we can to allow these men and women to rebuild their savings, current laws and regulations create obstacles.
The American people are asking for real solutions to the economic challenges they face, and I am pleased to be an original sponsor of the Savings Recovery Act, legislation that will be introduced tomorrow to help Americans rebuild their retirement, college, and personal savings.
I was pleased to be appointed by House Republican Leader John Boehner to a select working group of colleagues that included Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Congressman Erik Paulsen to develop solutions that will help Americans rebuild lost savings as quickly as possible.
The Savings Recovery Act will help Americans rebuild their savings by:
- Rebuilding Americans’ retirement savings by raising the contribution and catch-up limits for individuals and families.
- Restoring college savings by extending the existing SAVERs Credit to contributions made to 529 college savings accounts, effectively reducing by up to half the cost of a family’s contribution to the plan.
- Increasing retirement income by doubling the Social Security earnings limit from $14,160 to $28,320 and allowing more Americans to increase their income without being hit by the Social Security earnings penalty.
- Providing tax relief for investors and seniors by immediately suspending the capital gains tax on newly acquired assets for the next two years, raising and indexing to inflation the amount of capital losses allowed against ordinary income to $10,000, and suspending taxes on dividend income through 2011.
- Stabilizing worker pensions and helping employers invest in the future by temporarily providing an increased glide path for recognizing losses and two additional years to resolve pension funding shortfalls.
- Preserving employee-controlled 401(k)s by blocking efforts to wipe out 401(k)s entirely and replace them with government-run accounts.
To read an op-ed titled, “How the GOP is trying to save your savings,” penned today by Congressman Buck McKeon, the senior Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, please click here.
Monday April 20, 2009
Helping Minnesotans Navigate the Federal Grants System
In these challenging economic times, the need to understand the grants process is more important than ever. One of the ways the federal government encourages and supports the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that drives our economy is by providing grant programs.
Earlier today, I hosted a Federal Grants Expo to create awareness and increase participation in the federal grant process, as well as provide information on how to apply for federal grants. This was the third grants expo I have hosted, and I am exploring future workshops to provide more Minnesotans with the tools and resources that help make the grant process beneficial. If you would like to be invited to my next Federal Grants Expo, please contact my district office at (952) 808-1213.
Friday April 17, 2009
Tivo/DVR Alert: "Almanac" with Cathy Wurzer and Eric Eskola
Later this evening, I will visit with TPT-TV’s Cathy Wurzer and Eric Eskola, the hosts of “Almanac,” about my codel visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel, as well as the state of the economy. I will be joined in the conversation by Congressman Keith Ellison. To view the video, please click here.
Friday April 17, 2009
Listening to Minnesota Small Business Owners
This morning, I met and visited with several Minnesota small business owners and employees. At the Dakota County Workforce Investment Board meeting, I talked with members about local economic concerns. Following the meeting, I hosted a small business roundtable, where I listened as several small business owners throughout Minnesota’s Second District shared their stories of how the uncertain economy and tax increases are affecting their businesses. It was distressing to hear the repeated accounts of how these men and women are being forced to choose between dismissing long-time employees and paying bills. Small business owners produce nearly 80 percent of jobs in America and truly are the engine to our economy. When I return to Washington next week, I plan to share their stories with colleagues as motivation to press on in our efforts to pass meaningful pro-growth legislation.
Friday April 17, 2009
Visiting with Patrick Reusse
Early this morning, I spoke with Patrick Reusse of KSTP-AM 1500 about my recent Congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel. One of the objectives of our mission was to show foreign leaders that the United States is indeed united in support of President Obama’s new regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that includes a pledge to deploy more troops to defeat al-Qaida militants, the Taliban, and their allies, but also includes a greater emphasis on regional diplomacy and economic development.
Thursday April 16, 2009
Touring Unisys and Visiting With Employees
This morning, I was pleased to tour the data center at Unisys Corporation in Eagan and visit with employees and executives. Unisys has more than 500 employees at its Eagan location and another 300 at its Roseville plant.
Thursday April 16, 2009
Tivo/DVR Alert:
This afternoon, I visited with KSTP-TV’s Tom Hauser about my codel visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel, as well as my fight against Washington’s wasteful pork-barrel spending. To view the video for Sunday’s show, please click here.
Wednesday April 15, 2009
Meeting in Minnesota With Constituents
One of the benefits of a district work period is the opportunity to meet with constituents at my office in Burnsville to save them the time (and expense) of traveling to Washington for a meeting. Highlights of the meetings I participated in this morning include Minnesota Special Olympians, the Minnesota Business Aviation Association, and German Ambassador to the United States Wolfgang Ischinger. Later tonight, I will speak to members of the Norwood-Young America Chamber of Commerce about the proposed $3 trillion budget that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much.
Tuesday April 14, 2009
Meeting with Dakota County Commissioners
This afternoon, I participated in a groundbreaking for the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station in Apple Valley. Cedar Avenue BRT is one of the region’s most effective and efficient ways to transport South Metro residents to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. I am an absolute believer in this project and will continue to work with federal and state officials to ensure it remains a priority. After the ceremony, I met with Dakota County Commissioners at the Western Dakota County Service Center to discuss future phases of the project, as well as what I can do to assist at the federal level.
Tuesday April 14, 2009
Listening to the Constituents I Represent
Tonight, I hosted a telephone town hall meeting in which thousands of my constituents were able to ask questions and hear from their neighbors in the comfort of their own home. We discussed issues ranging from the economy to international affairs to how legislation in Washington affects the men and women of Minnesota’s Second District. If you would like to participate in a future telephone town hall meeting, please click here.
Tuesday April 14, 2009
Visiting With Residents of Goodhue County
Today, I spent the morning in Goodhue County. I started with an early visit with members of the Cannon Falls Chamber of Commerce where we discussed local and national concerns. I also visited Red Wing, where I discussed my codel visit with Republican-Eagle editor Anne Jacobsen; met with the fine staff at the Vasa Lutheran Social Services Home; visited in-studio with Tom Hughes of KWNG-FM/KCUE-AM about my codel and the state of the economy; and spoke to members of the Red Wing Chamber of Commerce at a lunch meeting at the Southeast Technical College.
Monday April 13, 2009
In-Studio with Don Shelby
Earlier today, I spent an hour in studio with WCCO-AM’s Don Shelby discussing the Congressional delegation visit I made to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel. To listen, click here.
Wednesday April 08, 2009
Meeting in Pakistan With Punjab Governor Salman Taseer
Greetings from the Congressional Delegation (Codel) trip! While in Pakistan yesterday, our U.S. delegation, lead by Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), met with Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, and we discussed Pakistan's role in the global fight against terrorism. To read the Pakistan Associated Press report on our meeting, please click here.
I look forward to sharing much more about this Codel when I return to Minnesota.
Saturday April 04, 2009
On Congressional Delegation Fact-Finding Trip
I will be traveling with several of my colleagues on a bipartisan Congressional delegation trip (Codel) next week. I look forward to sharing details from my fact-finding trip when I return.
Friday April 03, 2009
Listen to My Interview With KKMS' Jeff and Lee
Listen here to my interview with Jeff and Lee of KKMS-AM 980 where we discuss the massive budget that passed last night in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Thursday April 02, 2009
Discussing the Economy, National Security With Hugh Hewitt
Just completed an interview with national radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt where we discussed the runaway spending in Washington, and how our troops are doing in Afghanistan.
Thursday April 02, 2009
Budget Spends Too Much, Taxes Too Much, and Borrows Too Much
Earlier this evening, Congress passed a $3 trillion budget that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. This sweeping bill doubles the national debt in five years; triples it in 10 years; and increases taxes by $1.5 trillion for investors, small business owners, and every individual who uses energy. In the first three months of the session, the 111th Congress has been on a runaway federal spending spree full of bailouts, so-called stimulus bills, and a pork-laden omnibus spending bill that included more than 8,500 earmarks.
Fortunately, there is a better solution. This week, I joined my House Republican colleagues to introduce a true path to American prosperity: an alternative budget that curbs spending, creates jobs, cuts taxes, and controls the debt at a time when the American people need it most. The “Road to Recovery” will:
- Let families and small businesses keep more of what they earn;
- Ensure the federal budget doesn’t grow faster than family budgets;
- End government bailouts; and
- Fight inflation to keep the prices of goods and services stable.
To read more about the budget, including some responses from the Minnesotans I represent on how tax increases will affect you and your family, please click here.
Thursday April 02, 2009
Discussing the Federal Budget on KKMS-AM With Jeff and Lee
Minutes ago, I chatted with Jeff Shell and Lee Michaels on KKMS-AM 980, where we discussed the federal budget expected to pass a massive federal budget that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. We’ll have the audio file available as soon as we can.
Wednesday April 01, 2009
Bicameral Press Conference Today on Budget
Today, I joined several of my House and Senate Republican colleagues on the Capitol steps to discuss the federal budget proposed by Congressional Democrat leadership that doubles the national debt in five years; triples it in 10 years; and increases taxes by $1.5 trillion for investors, small business owners, and every individual who uses energy. To view video from the press conference, click here.
Wednesday April 01, 2009
A Promise Made Should Be a Promise Kept, Especially When It Involves Educating Our Children
As we continue to discuss the federal budget, we must consider every possible way to address the significant economic challenges facing our nation and ensure we direct our limited resources to those with the greatest needs. For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill the promise made more than 30 years ago to fully fund special education. Earlier this week, I introduced an amendment to the budget that would ensure Congress fulfills that promise.
Providing this long overdue relief would not only better serve our special needs students, it would free up desperately needed funds schools in Minnesota and across America could use to address their specific needs. Unfortunately, my amendment did not pass. As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, I will continue to push for Congress to reverse its course of paying far less than half of what it promised. A promise made should be a promise kept, especially when it involves educating our children.
To view video of my statement on the budget and efforts to convince Congress to fully fund special education, please click here.
Tuesday March 31, 2009
Boosting Health Care Benefits for Our Veterans
Last night, I was pleased to support legislation that would boost health care services and other benefits for military veterans:
- Sponsored by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner
(D-Calif.), H.R. 1377 would allow reimbursements to veterans who receive emergency treatment at a facility outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). - Sponsored by Congressman John Boozman (R-Ariz.), H.R. 1171 would authorize funding through 2014 for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. The bill would also establish a women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration grant program.
- Sponsored by Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.), H.R. 1513 would provide a cost-of-living increase in disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill would increase the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of veterans with certain service-connected disabilities.
- Sponsored by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner
Tuesday March 31, 2009
Tell Me Your Story
The price of gasoline in Minnesota is approximately $2 per gallon right now, which is roughly half the price we paid when energy prices soared last August. Still, considering the uncertain economy and energy, have you and your family scaled back any travel plans for the coming summer season? Please click here to tell me your story on how the economy and energy prices are affecting your plans.
Monday March 30, 2009
Ensuring the Federal Government Keeps Its Promises to Veterans
Recently, President Obama proposed a plan to shift health care for our nation’s veterans out of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While it is true that much work needs to be done to improve access to health care services for the men and women who have served our nation, turning our backs on our veterans by shifting the burden to private health care insurers for their disability-related health care is the wrong policy course. This proposal was inconsistent with the VA’s mandate to care for injured and disabled veterans.
In Congress, we should protect and honor the service of our highest priority veterans by appropriating the resources necessary for their care. That is why I adamantly opposed the President’s proposed attempt to shift this responsibility through an unfunded mandate on private insurers.
Accordingly, I sponsored bipartisan legislation expressing the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that the VA should take full responsibility for financing the health care benefits earned by veterans with service-connected disabilities. Additionally, I sent a letter to the President asking him to reconsider this private reimbursement plan and instead ensure the VA has the resources it needs to care for our veterans of today and tomorrow.
I am relieved to learn President Obama has since reversed his course on this misguided proposal. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to keep our promises to the men and women who have fought for – and continue to defend – our nation. To read more on this issue, please click here.
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