Congressman David Rivera’s Week in Review- Week of November 14th

Washington, DC- Congressman David Rivera (FL-25) was in Washington last week focused on economic and energy issues.

Congressman Rivera: Balanced Budget Amendment Would Have Begun to Cure Long-Term Spending Addiction

The House of Representatives voted on the Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution on Friday.  As part of the debt limit deal that was approved this summer, the House and Senate were required to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment before the end of the year. 

Congressman Rivera, who voted in favor of the Balanced Budget Amendment, released the following statement after the House voted on the bill:

“This week the national debt reached $15 trillion.  That number seems inconceivable.  It took from the Administration of the first President of the United States, George Washington, until the Administration of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, to amass $1 trillion in national debt.  Today, our deficits are at more than $1 trillion annually. 

“I voted for the Balanced Budget Amendment because I know that our nation’s economy cannot sustain that kind of spending.  Job creators are hesitant to grow their companies and to invest in new employees or projects out of a concern for what new regulations, taxes and fees will be handed down to them next to cover the federal government’s latest multitrillion spending package.  That kind of fiscal irresponsibility must end. 

“A Balanced Budget Amendment would have been the first step toward implementing long-term solutions to our country’s spending addiction.  49 states currently abide by some kind of balanced budget requirement.  The Balanced Budget Amendment fell one vote short of passage in the United States Senate 15 years ago and our national debt has nearly tripled in size since then.

“I am disappointed that so many of our Democrat colleagues in the House let history repeat itself by choosing to vote against the Balanced Budget Amendment instead of doing their part to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington that would help create jobs and put our nation’s economy back on track.”

Congressman Rivera to Secretary Salazar: Discourage Companies from Doing Business with Castro Regime, Sanction Those That Do

During a hearing of the House Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday, Congressman Rivera questioned Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar about the steps that the Obama Administration has taken to discourage foreign government-owned oil companies from doing business with the Castro regime, a State Sponsor of Terrorism, as designated by the U.S. State Department.

Spanish-owned oil company, Repsol is preparing to drill off the coast of Cuba.  Secretary Salazar met with officials from Repsol in June, and said that his focus was not to discourage the company’s actions in Cuban waters, but to ensure that the drilling was done to protect the environment and the people of the United States.  Congressman Rivera feels the best way to do that is by discouraging companies from drilling in Cuba, not by enabling them.

Secretary Salazar also said he did not know if the Administration asked that the Bureau of Industry and Security be allowed to inspect the Repsol rig to ensure its compliance with the Export Administration Act.  The act calls for items being exported or re-exported to Cuba to have less than 10 percent U.S.-origin content.  

“I think it is of great concern, by the lack of effort in this Administration, Administration-wide, whether it be your agency, the State Department or anyone else, that no effort has been made to prevent a State Sponsor of Terrorism from drilling approximately 60-70 miles off Florida’s coast, and providing economic aid and comfort to the dying Castro dictatorship,” Congressman Rivera said to Secretary Salazar. 

“I hope that in the future, the Administration will do everything possible to make sure that companies comply with sanctions that apply to businesses that do cooperate with State Sponsor of Terrorism by, perhaps, in your agency, withdrawing leases on federal lands and waters.  That could be a start to certainly send a signal that this type of activity is certainly frowned upon; collaboration with terrorist regimes.”

Congressman Rivera introduced the Foreign Oil Spill Liability Act of 2011 earlier this month that would apply the same Oil Pollution Act responsibilities and liabilities, as well as Clean Water Act penalties that a domestic responsible party would face, to a foreign responsible party for an oil spill that pollutes U.S. waters and shores.  The liabilities under the Oil Pollution Act and the penalties under the Clean Water Act would triple in the event that the spill originates in the waters of a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Currently the burden is much lower on foreign spillers, forcing American taxpayers to cover the cleanup costs.

View Congressman Rivera’s full questioning of Secretary Salazar by clicking here.

For more information about the Foreign Oil Liability Act, click here.

Congressman Rivera: Keystone Pipeline Delay Puts Politics Ahead of America’s Economic Wellbeing

Congressman Rivera released the following statement on the delay of the Keystone XL pipeline project on Tuesday:

“President Obama has decided to play politics with an issue that intersects at the avenues of jobs, foreign affairs and energy. 

“By postponing the approval of the Keystone pipeline, out of a concern for his own electoral future, the President has jeopardized 20,000 American jobs, something we can ill afford at a time of nine percent unemployment. 

“Ironically, while the Obama Administration is preventing our neighbor and friend, Canada, from completing the Keystone pipeline project, it is facilitating drilling less than 90 miles from the coast of my home state of Florida by a designated State Sponsor of Terrorism.  The Obama Administration is sending a mixed foreign policy message that seems to say that America is willing to offend our allies while allowing enemies like Cuba to engage in activities that could harm our nation’s environment and economy.

“The President’s decision to postpone the Keystone pipeline project until after he attempts to win reelection has forced TransCanada’s hand to find alternatives for where to sell their substantial oil reserves.  The company has primarily been looking at building a pipeline to Canada’s west coast that would allow them to sell oil to the Chinese.  As America’s opportunity to decrease our dependence on oil from the Middle East slips through our fingers with the postponement of the Keystone project, China is picking up our slack and taking advantage of the situation. 

“Mr. President, this is not a time to put politics ahead of our nation’s economic wellbeing.  This is a time to lead.”

Notable Meetings: First Lady of El Salvador

Congressman Rivera met with Dr. Vanda Pignato, the First Lady and Secretary of Social Inclusion of El Salvador on Wednesday.  The Congressman and Dr. Pignato discussed possible areas of cooperation between the United States and El Salvador for rehabilitation and reconstruction following damage to the country from Tropical Depression 12E in October.

Notable Meetings: Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars Students

Congressman Rivera met with students from the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars on Tuesday.  The Washington Center is an independent, nonprofit academic internship program that brings together dedicated college students from hundreds of colleges and universities around the country with business, civic and governmental leaders for a fully integrated mix of professional, academic and real-life experiences. 

Congressman Rivera met with Yanet Hernandez from Florida International University and Maria Prokopetz and Yanelkys Benitez from Florida State University.  The students, who live in the Congressman’s South Florida district, discussed healthcare, education, human rights and immigration with the Congressman.

Notable Votes: H.R. 674

Congressman Rivera voted in favor of H.R. 674 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of a three percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by local, state and federal government entities.

Notable Votes: H.R. 822

Congressman Rivera voted in favor of H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 to authorize a person who is carrying a government-issued photo identification document, and a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm in one state to carry a concealed handgun in another state in accordance with the restrictions of that state.