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Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
August 20, 2012
Congressman Michael Burgess announces that his district office staff will be hosting an additional “Cooke County Office Hours” on Monday, August 27, 2012, 9:00-11:00 AM at the Callisburg Community Club, 59 Campbell Street (corner of McDaniel & Campbell Street), Callisburg, TX 76240. Dr. Burgess’ staff will be available to assist individuals with concerns related to various federal agencies or take direct comments from constituents on national issues. No reservations are required to attend.
Each month Congressman Burgess’ staff holds regularly scheduled Cooke County Office Hours at Gainesville City Hall on the 2nd Monday of each month from 9:00 - 11:00 AM. Check upcoming dates by clicking here. If you have questions regarding an upcoming staff visit, please contact Robin Vaughan, District Administrator, in the Lewisville District office by phone at (972) 434-9700 or by e-mailing her at robin.vaughan@mail.house.gov.
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
August 02, 2012
Burgess Statement on Solyndra Committee Report
“The Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program is just another chapter in the Obama administration’s failed economic novel and another example of their broken promise to be transparent.” Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released an extensive report outlining key findings of the committee’s investigation into the Department of Energy’s management of the loan guarantee program. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26), released the following statement after the report’s release: “In a rush to create a success story following his inauguration, President Obama directed his agencies to fast track billions of taxpayer dollars in grants and loan for companies that would have otherwise never qualified for loans in the private sector. Solyndra is unfortunately only one of many examples of companies that received federal dollars, over half a billion dollars, and then subsequently filed for bankruptcy. “During our committee’s 18-month investigation, we’ve reviewed over 300,000 pages of documents, held hearings, and are now able to provide a thorough review of what we’ve uncovered. This entire ordeal was avoidable had the Obama administration chosen to provide the information from the start. Why was it necessary to draw this out for as long as they did? What happened to the transparency they promised? Why were they withholding information? “What we have learned is that the Department of Energy violated the law and knew that the Solyndra loan guarantee was destined to fail, yet they continued to parade its so-called “success.” The Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program is just another chapter in the Obama administration’s failed economic novel and another example of their broken promise to be transparent.” To view the report, click here. To view the supporting documents, click here. ###
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
August 01, 2012
Burgess Requests Nominations for 2012 Congressional Veteran Commendation
“Our nation’s veterans have proudly and honorably served our country and preserved our freedom, and it is because of their service that we enjoy all the liberties we are afforded.” Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) proudly announces a special salute to honor local veterans and welcomes nominations for the 26th Congressional District Veteran Commendation. The Congressional Veteran Commendation, in conjunction with the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress, honors the distinguished veterans of Texas’ 26th Congressional District and preserves their stories for future generations of Americans. “Our nation’s veterans have proudly and honorably served our country and preserved our freedom, and it is because of their service that we enjoy all the liberties we are afforded,” said Dr. Burgess. “These brave men and women deserve our thanks and praise, and I am proud to recognize the veterans in Texas’ 26th Congressional District and honor their service through the 2012 Congressional Veteran Commendation.” To nominate a veteran for the 26th Congressional District Veteran Commendation, please fill out the nomination form, which can be found on Dr. Burgess’ website at http://burgess.house.gov. The deadline for submitting nominations is September 10, 2012. The completed nomination form, along with any additional information pertaining to the veteran's service, should be submitted to Dr. Burgess’ Lewisville office. To be eligible for nomination, veterans must be currently residing in the 26th District of Texas, have served the nation honorably during their military career, and subsequently demonstrated dedication to their community. Those individuals selected to receive the Congressional Veteran Commendation will be recognized and honored at the annual “Salute Our Veterans” luncheon sponsored by the Highland Village Business Association on November 8, 2012. An in-depth interview will be conducted with commendees and that interview will be forwarded to the Veterans History Project to be added to the Library of Congress collection. For more information regarding the project, visit the Library of Congress’ website. To obtain additional information regarding the Congressional Veteran Commendation, the Veterans History Project, nomination forms, or to confirm residency within the 26th District of Texas, please contact Dr. Burgess’ District Administrator, Robin Vaughan, at (972) 434-9700 or visit Dr. Burgess’ website. ###
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 31, 2012
Working to ensure there will be no more Solyndras By: Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. and Rep. Fred Upton With millions out of work and rising prices on basic living expenses, American families are struggling across this country just to make ends meet. They have sent their representatives to Washington to ensure that their voices are heard, and that their tax dollars are used wisely. When this doesn’t happen, Congress must hold the proper people accountable, and do everything in our power to ensure that the waste stops and never happens again. The Obama administration’s decision to give a $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, when the writing was on the wall about the company’s troubled financial condition, is just the kind of waste that shouldn’t happen – and that Congress should take every step to prevent. In the waning days of the Bush administration, the Department of Energy Credit Committee reviewing Solyndra’s loan guarantee found the application insufficient and decided not to engage in further discussions with the solar company. Just over two weeks later, days after President Obama took office, Solyndra’s loan guarantee was on the fast track for With millions out of work and rising prices on basic living expenses, American families are struggling across this country just to make ends meet. They have sent their representatives to Washington to ensure that their voices are heard, and that their tax dollars are used wisely. When this doesn’t happen, Congress must hold the proper people accountable, and do everything in our power to ensure that the waste stops and never happens again. The Obama administration’s decision to give a $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, when the writing was on the wall about the company’s troubled financial condition, is just the kind of waste that shouldn’t happen – and that Congress should take every step to prevent. In the waning days of the Bush administration, the Department of Energy Credit Committee reviewing Solyndra’s loan guarantee found the application insufficient and decided not to engage in further discussions with the solar company. Just over two weeks later, days after President Obama took office, Solyndra’s loan guarantee was on the fast track for approval. Every step of the way, warnings were raised by experts both inside and outside the Obama administration, but every red flag was ignored. One expert at the Office of Management and Budget bluntly stated that Solyndra was “not ready for prime time.” As the loan guarantee was being finalized in late 2009, a DOE expert prophetically warned, “the model runs out of cash in September 2011… how can we advance a project that hasn’t funded working capital requirements…” Despite all of its troubles, Solyndra was a darling of the Obama administration right up until its bankruptcy last September, widely promoted as a stimulus success story. Even as Solyndra was encountering financial problems in May of 2010, President Obama traveled to the plant in Fremont, California, proudly declaring, “It’s here that companies like Solyndra are leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.” During Solyndra’s rapid decline, DOE made every effort to save the company no matter what the cost to American taxpayers. They went so far as restructuring their loan guarantee in February 2011, putting Solyndra’s investors ahead of taxpayers, which violated the plain letter of the law. As Solyndra’s finances deteriorated, the Obama administration was even considering a second $469 million loan guarantee for the company. Solyndra eventually went bankrupt, was raided by the FBI, and left taxpayers on the hook for half a billion dollars. The Energy and Commerce Committee has relentlessly pursued information on what happened leading up to the Obama administration granting approval for Solyndra. The committee has issued subpoenas, held hearings, and requested documents that pertain to how Solyndra was selected to receive funding and how DOE restructured their loan. While nearly all of the $535 million was given to Solyndra, we were able to rescind $100 million in funding from DOE’s loan guarantee program to prevent other Solyndras from occurring. Sadly, Solyndra isn’t the only company that received loan guarantees from the Department of Energy and then fell into trouble. The failures are starting to pile up - first Solyndra, then Beacon Power, followed by Abound Solar which filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and now media reports indicate Nevada Geothermal is running out of cash. Uncle Sam should not be in the business of funding risky projects. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that there will be no more Solyndras. That is why the Energy and Commerce Committee is working on the “No More Solyndras Act” to bring an end to the ill-fated loan guarantee program. While this is an important step, there is still more that we can do. We must impose penalties on any executive branch official who violates the terms of the loan guarantee as set forth in the legislation that was signed into law in 2005. The concept is simple: when a federal employee breaks the law, and loses taxpayer dollars, he or she should be held accountable. Included in the No More Solyndras Act is an amendment that will impose administrative penalties for such violations. The goal is not just to end the program, but to hold those who are responsible for spending taxpayer dollars accountable. While President Obama and his administration refuse to apologize for their failed investment in Solyndra, and have even worked to block the committee’s investigation, the Energy and Commerce Committee has continuously searched for answers and has pushed for legislation that will aggressively ensure that taxpayer dollars will never again be used to fund these types of projects. It is not the place of the government to pick winners and losers in the business sector; rather, the market should. In this time of economic uncertainty, we should be careful stewards of the taxpayers’ hard earned dollars.
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 30, 2012
Burgess To Hold Keller and Fort Worth Town Hall Meeting
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26) has announced that he will hold a town hall meeting on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 in Fort Worth. The town hall will provide residents of Texas’ 26th Congressional District the chance to learn more about what is happening in Washington and how legislation will impact North Texans. Issues such as unemployment, taxes, and the health care are expected to be discussed. Keller and Fort Worth Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7 pm to 8 pm Timber Creek High School Cafeteria 12350 Timberland Boulevard Fort Worth, Texas For constituents unable to attend the meeting in person, the town hall is scheduled for live broadcast on Dr. Burgess’ website. For more information on the town hall meeting visit burgess.house.gov/TownHall. *Persons requiring special accommodations should contact Robin Vaughan, District Administrator, at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting at 972-434-9700 or robin.vaughan@mail.house.gov. ###
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 24, 2012
Dr. Burgess delivers his opening statement at the No More Solyndras Act mark-up. You can watch the video below.
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 20, 2012
Burgess Introduces Legislation to Provide One Year Extension for Medicare Physician Payment Rates
“Allowing for a one year extension now will prove early to our seniors, physicians, and health care providers that they are at the forefront of our minds and our legislative agenda, and we will not leave them uncertain about how the upcoming “fiscal cliff” will impact their care.” Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26), Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, has introduced H.R. 6142, the Assuring Medicare Stability and Access for Seniors Act of 2012. This legislation will provide a one year extension for Medicare physician payment rates to ensure continued access for Medicare beneficiaries and TRICARE recipients. “By providing one more year of stability we make a critical, initial step towards ridding ourselves of this problematic and inadequate payment system,” said Dr. Burgess. “Allowing for a one year extension now will prove early to our seniors, physicians, and health care providers that they are at the forefront of our minds and our legislative agenda, and we will not leave them uncertain about how the upcoming “fiscal cliff” will impact their care.” As numerous fiscal deadlines create a potential collision at the end of this year, kicking the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) provision of legislative relief down the road is dangerous. In order to guarantee a substantive, long term plan, guaranteeing proper services for Medicare beneficiaries, doctors need to first be provided with payment certainty for 2013. “Despite Congress’ continual enactment of last minute legislation to prevent these cuts from going into effect over the last few years, eleventh-hour legislative maneuvers should no longer take the place of a stable and secure solution,” said Dr. Burgess. “I have never seen so much progress made on this issue than this year, but Congress must have more time to work with stakeholders on crafting a permanent replacement. While this legislation will provide a one year extension, Congress must continue to work towards a permanent fix that will solve the issue once and for all, and this bill provides that time.” To download a copy of H.R. 6142 click here. ###
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 19, 2012
This year a common over-the-counter emergency asthma inhaler, Primatene Mist, was forced off pharmacy shelves due to an international treaty agreement. Now, asthma sufferers who find themselves awake at 2am with an unexpected attack and do not have immediate access to an inhaler are faced with what use to be a problem solved with a trip to the drug store and now necessitates a costly and time-consuming emergency room visit. Click on the image below to get more information about the Asthma Inhalers Relief Act.
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 18, 2012
USA Today has named Gainesville the "most patriotic" city in America. Team that visited: Sandra McKenna of Palm Harbor, Fla. and Rick Griffin of Jonesboro, Ga. (" MidLife Road Trip") What made it stand out: This North Texas town, with its restored, late-19th-century downtown, "changed our definition of patriotism," the team says. "It's not just the number of flags or monuments, memorials or programs; it's not even just for the people who serve. It's how you care for the people who were fought for." Don't miss: Antique shopping and lunch at Sarah's on the Square for "contemporary comfort food," and a stop at the intimate, 30-acre Frank Buck Zoo to feed giraffes or mingle with flamingos. The Shady Lady, a former saloon and brothel in the heart of downtown, is now a B&B with such unique furnishings as a six-foot copper tub. Biggest surprise: Gainesville is the USA's only "Medal of Honor Host City," and their annual spring celebration — conceived in 2001 as a way to honor veterans —draws Congressional Medal of Honor recipients from around the country, with volunteer donations covering recipients' travel and food expenses. To read the rest of the article click here.
Posted by
Whitney Thompson
on
July 12, 2012
Dr. Burgess appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss health care and take questions from viewers. You can watch the video below.
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