In mid-September, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson insisted the government would not bail out American International Group (AIG), which was heavily invested in the subprime mortgage market. Thirty six hours later, the Secretary changed his mind and the Federal Reserve provided an $85 billion line of credit to save AIG in the largest government bailout of a private corporation in U.S. history. [Read more]
Excise taxes are fixed price taxes that the federal government levies on specific goods or activities, such as gasoline, tobacco and gambling. Since January 1, 2002, the federal excise tax on tobacco products has stood at 39 cents per pack. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to increase cigarette taxes by 42 cents per pack to fund the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act, to expand children’s health care and provide increased Medicare coverage for seniors. [Read more]
There is an email being circulated about the retirement benefits of Members of Congress. There are several inaccuracies in that email which I would like to clarify. First, I do pay into Social Security, like all other Americans. Social Security taxes are taken out of my paychecks, just as they are taken out of yours. [Read more]
In order to ensure that all Americans have access to local broadcasts, I have introduced H.R. 5470, which would require satellite carriers to provide universal local-into-local service in all 210 Designated Market Areas by February 17, 2009, to coincide with the digital television transition. [Read more]
The United States has already taken steps to increase domestic drilling. Since 2000, the number of wells drilled on federal land has increased by 66 percent, from 3,000 wells to nearly 5,000. [Read more]
Identity theft is on the rise in the country; at least 10 million Americans have been victims of identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ID theft translated into estimated losses of $48 billion for businesses and $5 billion to consumers in 2006. [Read more]
In December of 2005, The New York Times revealed that President Bush had ordered a large-scale program of phone and e-mail surveillance against Americans for various reasons including possible links with terrorist groups. In the ensuing months, it became clear that this program had been going on since late 2001, and had been conducted with minimal Congressional oversight, no Congressional authorization, and for alleged offenses other than terrorism. [Read more]
Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI-01) announced that the President has signed into law legislation that that will ensure that federal agencies lower their flags to half-staff in honor of fallen service members, in accordance with state governors’ proclamations. Stupak’s bill requires all federal government agencies in a state to comply with a governor's proclamation to fly the national flag at half-staff in honor of those who lose their lives serving their country. [Read more]
Recent cases of botulism in baby food, salmonella in peanut butter and e.coli in spinach are all signs of a disturbing trend. However, this is not merely a health issue; it is an issue of national security. Imported food could be tainted with biological or chemical agents before entering the United States or toxins could be introduced at a domestic food processing plant. By the time anyone begins to feel the effects of these toxins, this food could have reached thousands of people across the country, resulting in serious illness and even death. Further, attacks that do not directly affect human health could still cause panic, undermine the economy, and curb American trade for years to come. [Read more]
Gas prices are causing working families significant financial hardship. Many Americans are being forced to make considerable sacrifices just to fill up their tanks. While high gas prices and home heating fuel prices can make heating homes expensive during winter months, high energy and gasoline costs also affect farmers, manufacturers, electrical utilities, and other industries. [Read more]
On November 6, 2007, I joined a bi-partisan group of my colleagues in introducing the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act (H.R. 4088). A group of more than eighty lawmakers came together to introduce common sense illegal immigration legislation that would protect America’s borders. [Read more]
On June 19, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2642). This legislation was divided into two separate amendments. The first amendment would provide a total of $165.4 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for fiscal year 2008 and fiscal year 2009. This funding would support the wars until the summer of 2009. I voted against this amendment, which would have continued funding the President’s ill-conceived war in Iraq. The amendment passed on a vote of 268 to 155. [Read more]
This law is now in its second year of enactment. I opposed this law because it places profits for drug companies ahead of security for Medicare’s 43 million beneficiaries. I firmly believe that Medicare is a right and should be protected, but this law is little more than a disguised attack on a proven health insurance system that seniors and persons with disabilities have counted on for almost forty years. [Read more]
In 1977, Congress enacted changes to the Social Security system tying benefits to inflation starting at the arbitrary date of 1916. The legislation was intended to improve the system’s financial state, but instead, caused lasting disparities for the people born between 1917 and 1926. This is just plain wrong. If you are a “notch baby” it may mean you receive less social security than your neighbor born just one year later or earlier. Congress made the mistake, it is Congress that must fix it. [Read more]
On January 11, 2007, the House of Representatives passed HR 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, by a vote of 253-174. This legislation would allow federal funds to be used for all aspects of research on embryonic stem cells. I did not support this legislation. I wish to share with you my view on embryonic stem cell research. [Read more]
The Bush Administration has made it clear that veterans are not his priority. Over the past few years, the President’s budget requests have included proposals to increase veterans’ health care costs, increase co-payments for the cost of prescription drugs, and exclude some veterans from even being able to enroll for health care. [Read more]
Prior to 9/11, American citizens would cross into Canada and return without the need to carry a passport or other international travel document. As a result, trade and tourism between the U.S. and Canada has thrived. In 2006, trade between the United States and Canada totaled $533.7 billion in exports and imports. Canadian travelers spent a record $13.2 billion in the United States and American residents made 13.8 million overnight trips to Canada in 2006. The vast majority of this cross-border trade and travel entered the United States or Canada through a land port of entry. In total, Canadian trade supports at least 221,500 Michigan jobs. [Read more]
