Celebrating Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, we should all pause to honor the brave sacrifices made by America’s fallen heroes and our veterans. The freedoms we cherish today are a result of the courageous acts of countless Americans who answered their nation’s call to serve the cause of liberty. 

Congress, President Approve Troop Funding, Drought Relief

The House and Senate both passed important legislation last week that includes drought relief and funding for our troops fighting the War on Terror.  President Bush then signed this bill into law on Friday.  Both of these items are long overdue and much-needed.  The drought had far-reaching and devastating effects, especially in the 19th District, and this relief will help our farmers and ranchers recover from this natural disaster.  And although it took 108 days for House leadership to bring a responsible bill up for a vote, we were ultimately able to approve legislation that funds our troops, while not tying the hands of our military commanders. 

Lobbying Reform

The House took steps last week to reform how lobbyists operate in our nation’s capital.  The bill we voted on is very similar to the bill that the House passed in 2006 but was not approved by the Senate.  The bill increases disclosure requirements and increases penalties for those who break lobbying laws.  In addition, I was pleased to see one particular provision left out of the final bill.  This provision would have limited the ability of grassroots organizations, such as National Right to Life, to communicate with members of Congress.  Overall, this is a good bill that will help make the lobbying process more transparent to the American public. 

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Neugebauer Hails Final Passage of Funding for Troops, Drought Relief