This Week

Respect for Rights of Conscience Act

Importantly, I just signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 1179, Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, which currently has a bi-partisan group of 87 supporters in the House.  If enacted, this legislation would:

• Amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to permit a health plan to decline coverage of specific items and services that are contrary to the religious beliefs of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan or the purchaser or beneficiary (in the case of individual coverage) without penalty.
   
• Declare that such plans are still considered to: (1) be providing the essential health benefits package or preventive health services, (2) be a qualified health plan, and (3) have fulfilled other requirements under PPACA.
   
• Declare that nothing in PPACA shall be construed to authorize a health plan to require a provider to provide, participate in, or refer for a specific item or service contrary to the provider's religious beliefs or moral convictions. 

Protecting Minnesota Airline Jobs

The House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 2594, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011. The bill would prohibit U.S. airlines from paying the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), an emissions tax set to be introduced next year. 

Essentially, the ETS scheme is equivalent to the paying of ransom to the Barbary pirates for safe passage.  This appropriately named scheme is an arbitrary and unjust violation of international law that disadvantages U.S. air carriers and threatens U.S. aviation jobs.  I commend my colleagues for reaching this bi-partisan accomplishment. 

Just last week, I traveled to Montreal with Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Mica and a bi-partisan delegation of committee members for discussions with ICAO leaders and U.S. Ambassador Dwayne Woerth regarding ETS. 

If imposed on January 1, 2012, the EU aviation tax scheme would apply to U.S. and other nations’ flights into or out of an EU airport, regardless of how long that flight is in EU airspace.  Airlines would be required to pay an emissions tax to the EU Member State to which they most frequently fly, without any requirements that EU countries even use these fees in aviation emissions reduction efforts.  

3% Withholding Rule

I was proud to vote to protect American job creators from a 3% withholding tax, which President Obama advocated in his jobs plan.

A tax bad enough to delay is a tax bad enough to repeal.  I commend this bi-partisan effort to empower Minnesota job creators to reinvest and hire.  I urge the Senate to consider this bill immediately, as well as the many other legislative proposals that have been passed in the House to provide greater certainty in the economy and bring a measure of relief to the millions of Americans looking for work.

In 2006, Congress enacted a 3% withholding requirement on certain payments made to contractors doing business with federal, state, and local governments with the intent of improving tax compliance.  This rule was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2011, but because of concerns raised by job creators, it has been subsequently delayed.  H.R. 674, which I co-sponsored, would permanently repeal the 3% withholding rule and received bi-partisan support from 269 co-sponsors this week.

Keetac Water Quality Permits

We received great news this week from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citizens Board, which approved the water quality permits United States Steel Corp. needs to expand its Keetac mine operation to create 120 permanent jobs and 500 temporary construction jobs for Minnesota.

I commend U.S. Steel for its commitment to Minnesota communities and the pollution controls that will help keep our environment clean.  Everyone’s number one priority is jobs, and the MPCA decision is encouraging news that tells me we’re on the right track.

Last Week

• I conducted two public town hall meetings in Mora and Wadena.  Special thank you to all who were able to attend.  We had a packed house at Freddie’s Restaurant in Mora, and in Wadena, it was refreshing to speak with a group of people who were so optimistic after going through so much after last year’s tornado. (Photos)
   
• I also joined with my House colleagues Dan Benishek M.D. (MI-1), Sean Duffy (WI-7), and Reid Ribble (WI-8) for the Forestry Policy Conference in Rhinelander, WI.  Industry leaders and others interested in forestry issues convened in an effort to highlight current policies impacting national forests and discuss opportunities that will allow better utilization of forest resources across the four congressional districts represented. (Photos)
   
• I sent a letter to Secretary Napolitano regarding the ballast water and discharge regulations currently being developed at the Department of Homeland Security.  The letter asks the Secretary to follow the National Invasive Species Act which requires ballast water regulations be practical and requests that separate ballast water and discharge regulations be drafted to specifically address Lakers that never leave freshwater.  In addition, the letter talks about the impact these regulations could have on the 227,000 jobs that are dependent on Great Lakes maritime transportation. 
   
• I offered two amendments at the Department of Homeland Security authorization markup hearing to restrict the testing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in commercial airspace in the United States as well as an amendment that would directly benefit commerce in Minnesota by speeding up long waits at U.S. border crossings.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released a report indicating how much U.S. commerce is lost by inefficient means of transporting imports and exports across our borders.

More Jobs for Minnesota

I am committed to taking every possible step to improve conditions for private sector job creation in the Eighth District and to get our economy back on track so that America’s workers and business owners can do what they do best: create, innovate and lead.  We must focus on removing government barriers to private-sector job creation and the pursuit of pro-growth tax relief.

Mobile Offices

Each Friday, members of my staff will head out from my three district offices in North Branch, Duluth and Brainerd to hold what are known as mobile offices.  If you have a question about federal benefits or a question regarding your dealings with a federal agency, please stop by at the given locations at the times listed so you can speak with one of my staff.  The list of mobile offices for next Friday, November 4 can be found here.  As always, you can also reach my casework staff by phone at (651) 237-8220, or toll free at 1-888-563-7390.

It is my privilege to have provided my constituents access to mobile offices in over 120 Minnesota cities since entrusted to this office.

Commitment to Constituent Outreach

It is my duty to provide my 8^thDistrict constituents unprecedented access to their representative to Washington.  To date, this responsibility has amounted to twelve public town hall meetings, five senior town hall meetings, nine tele-town halls, mobile offices in over 120 different cities, numerous roundtable discussions, and three permanent district offices where we conduct office hours – anyone is able schedule an appointment.  My primary focus is to create more jobs for the 8th District; I look forward to continuing this conversation with my constituents.

Social Media

One of the best ways you can keep up to speed with what I’m doing in Congress is through social media. I encourage you to follow me on Facebook and on Twitter.

Rest assured, I will remain an independent, conservative voice in Washington; I promise to uphold the fiscally conservative principles the people of the 8^th District entrusted upon me.  It is a privilege serving you as your elected representative to Congress.

Very truly yours,

 

Chip