Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) issued the following statement upon the announcement that the House and Senate have reached a deal to extend the payroll tax break for two months: “The House passed a responsible, bipartisan bill that provided a year-long payroll tax reduction; extended and reformed unemployment insurance; preserved senior’s access to healthcare by preventing a 27% cut to doctors treating Medicare patients; and advanced measures that will boost private-...

House Republicans effectively shot down a Senate proposal to extend payroll tax cuts in a Tuesday afternoon vote, continuing a month-long standoff. The move left a Dec. 31 deadline on the horizon for lawmakers to come to an agreement on how to best prevent taxes being raised for 160 million working Americans.

Tennessee's first-term House members are living up to their promises of fiscal restraint -- at least in how they run their offices. Republican Reps. Diane Black of Gallatin, Stephen Fincher of Frog Jump, Scott DesJarlais of Jasper and Chuck Fleischmann of Ooltewah have spent a smaller portion of their annual office budgets than their more senior colleagues, according to a Gannett Washington Bureau analysis of records from the first three quarters of the year.

Local congressmen on Tuesday joined a Republican House majority in rejecting a Senate bill that would have extended the payroll tax cut for two months, putting both chambers back into gridlock 11 days before the tax cut expires for 160 million Americans.

Representative Scott DesJarlais is taking part in an innovative effort by CBS, Google, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. to honor our veterans, military and all their families. The group has released a public service program featuring CBS’s CSI: NY star Gary Sinise encouraging people across the country to go to youtube.com/veterans and record a video tribute for those who have given so much for this country. Representative DesJarlais recently recorded a video and is encouraging his constituents to take part in this important initiative.

Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN04) issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement that United States military officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq: “With our mission in Iraq coming to a conclusion, we should all pause to honor the brave men and women in uniform who so courageously put their lives on the line fighting for our nation in places like Fallujah, Baghdad and Tikrit. Let us also remember to give thanks to their families and vow to never forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom.

House members overwhelmingly passed a $1 trillion, 1,200-page omnibus bill to keep the government afloat well into the 2012 fiscal year. The bill past just hours before the expiration of a stopgap spending bill providing funding for government operations.

Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) issued the following statement after voting against the end of year omnibus package: “I have made it clear from the beginning that until Harry Reid and Senate Democrats can pass a budget, we need to work off the spending levels set forth in the House-passed 2012 budget. The Path to Prosperity is a credible and commonsense proposal that would put our nation on the path to balanced budgets and debt reduction. “Unfortunately, the spending ...

Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN04) issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement that United States military officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq: “With our mission in Iraq coming to a conclusion, we should all pause to honor the brave men and women in uniform who so courageously put their lives on the line fighting for our nation in places like Fallujah, Baghdad and Tikrit. Let us also remember to give thanks to their families and vow to neve...