This Week

The House continued its fight this week for pro-growth policies that encourage economic expansion and job creation.  The engine of economic opportunity and job creation resides in the hard work and ingenuity of small businesses.  We ought to be doing all we can to decrease the burden on our nation's job creators and help them keep more money in the private economy.  In the end, we still need broad, comprehensive tax reform that will create an environment in which more small businesses can grow and create jobs in Minnesota.

20% Small Business Tax Cut

Yesterday the House voted to pass H.R. 9, the Small Business Tax Cut Act, by a vote of 235-173.  This common sense, pro-growth legislation would lower tax rates on Minnesota small businesses, from mom and pop stores to small manufacturing and service companies, allowing them to invest, expand, and hire workers.  While Minnesota is home to over 116,000 small businesses, reducing the tax burden felt by these job creators will jumpstart our lagging economy by giving more than 22 million small businesses in the U.S. a much-needed infusion of capital.  Specifically, the Small Business Tax Cut Act will allow small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to take a tax deduction equal to 20% of their active business income.  As Rick Christenson, owner of RC Fabricators in Hibbing, MN said, “High taxes have prevented RC from accumulating enough capital to grow.  This bill will ease our tax burden, allowing us to update machinery, hire workers, and provide higher quality products to our clients.  This is common sense.”

Read more and watch my remarks here.

Medicare Obligations Must Be Protected and Preserved

In 1965, Congress and the Johnson Administration created Medicare to provide medical coverage for Americans aged 65 and over during retirement.  At this time, 4.6 working taxpayers supported each Medicare recipient.  Since then, however, that number of working taxpayers has declined.  In fact, by 2003, around four workers supported each recipient, and by 2010, there were less than three workers per retiree.  Thus, if we continue on this course, Medicare will go bankrupt by 2022 unless we improve its financial health in the next ten years.  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), have made that bleak assessment.  Medicare’s cash crunch is real, and it underscores the need for immediate action.  It is important that we ensure the government’s obligation to seniors, and to those approaching retirement, is honored.  Read more here.

Safe Skies Act of 2012

This week, I proposed bipartisan aviation reform legislation to make our skies and runways safer.  Along with Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY), I introduced H.R. 4350, the Safe Skies Act of 2012.  Importantly, the bill would ensure that pilot rest requirements apply to all cargo air operations.  Following the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash on February 12, 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) developed a rule to address pilot fatigue for passenger flights using extensive scientific study, hearings, and industry feedback.  The rule, which requires eight hours of rest between shifts, was finalized on January 4^th, 2012.  The rule is scheduled go into effect January 14, 2014, but it exempts cargo pilots. 

As a former cargo pilot, I understand the importance of a single standard of safety for pilots who share the same airspace and runways with passenger aircraft.  I introduced the Safe Skies Act in order to apply the new, common sense standards for pilot rest to cargo pilots as well.  Read more here.

Sportsmen’s Heritage Act

On Tuesday, I voted to preserve and expand traditional hunting and fishing rights for American sportsmen.  Specifically, the House approved H.R. 4089, Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012, which passed the House by a vote of 274-146.  Outdoor recreation is synonymous with the Eighth District, where hunting and fishing is a way of life.  This important legislation passed by the House will remove government roadblocks to these activities and ensure unnecessary red tape does not interfere with the traditional outdoor recreations enjoyed by so many Minnesota sportsmen.  Read more here.

Duluth Fighter Wing 24-Hour Alert Mission:  I testified in the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) in support for the Duluth 148^th Fighter Wing’s 24-hour alert mission relative to Department of Defense (DOD) sequestration efforts.  Specifically, I voiced my support for draft language which would direct the Secretary of Defense to maintain the nation's existing eighteen Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) sites until the Secretary of Defense submits a report that shows the cost-benefit analysis and risk-based assessment of how future ACA changes would affect the DOD budget and force structure.  Watch my remarks here.

148th Fighter Wings Earns Prestigious Award:  Thank you Bulldogs for your service and a job well done!  The Duluth air-guard base has been honored as the 2012 Air Force Association Outstanding Air National Guard Flying Unit.  Read more here.

Telephone Town Hall:  Thank you to all who participated in my fifteenth telephone town hall meeting.  In total, we had nearly 7,000 Eighth District constituents participate throughout the duration of the call.  If you would like to receive calls in the future, please call my D.C. office at 202-225-6211.  (Photo)

2012 Congressional Art Competition:  This week I announced the winners of the 2012 Congressional Art Competition.  Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district.  The competition provides an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. 

Last Week

House-Passed Budget Resolution:  With $15.3 trillion in debt and over eight percent unemployment for the past 37 straight months, Americans are seeking solutions.  Unfortunately, last month the President released a budget that ignores our mounting debt, imposes the largest tax hike in history on job creators and hardworking families, and reinforces the same failed policies that have produced our first four trillion-dollar deficits in a row.  Thus, the House has responsibly passed a budget for Fiscal Year 2013 to achieve long-term fiscal sustainability and preserve seniors’ Medicare.  Read more here.

March Unemployment:  Joblessness fell from 8.3 to 8.2 percent last month.  Unfortunately, this small improvement occurred because fewer people searched for work. The nearly stagnant job market has yielded the 37th straight month of +8% unemployment.  Along with soaring gas prices, slow growth and high unemployment are doing little to help the millions still looking for work.  Read more here.

Jobs Act:  The House recently passed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act.  This legislation is a compilation of bipartisan House bills that will encourage job growth by removing regulations that impede small businesses and startups.  These bipartisan measures will hasten capital formation, spur the growth of startups and small businesses, and pave the way for more small-scale businesses to create more jobs.  Importantly, the President just signed the JOBS Act into law following passed in the Senate.  Read more here.

Spirit of Enterprise Award:  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented me with the annual Spirit of Enterprise Award for commitment to pro-jobs, pro-growth policies during the first session of the 112th Congress.  Read more here.

Miscellaneous Tariff Bills:  I was pleased to announce that my office is currently accepting submissions for upcoming Miscellaneous Tariff Bills (MTBs), which will allow Minnesota manufacturers to grow business, create jobs, and improve competitiveness.  Specifically, each bill will reduce the duty paid on imported components or machinery utilized by U.S. manufacturers.  Read more here.

• Education Minnesota Meeting:  Photos
• Hibbing High School Assembly:  Photos
• Associated Contract Loggers & Truckers Conference:  Photo
• Mesabi Nugget Tour:  Photo
• Aitkin Town Hall Meeting:  Photos
• Hinckley High School Assembly:  Photos
• Hinckley Team PowderCoating:  Photo
• Staples Honor Flight:  Photos

Mobile Offices

Each week, members of my staff 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 members.  The list of mobile offices for Wednesday, April 25 through Saturday, April 28, 2012, 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 over 230 mobile offices since last June.

Commitment to Constituent Outreach

It is my duty to provide Eighth District constituents unprecedented access to their representative in Washington.  To date, this responsibility has amounted to 28 town hall meetings, 15 telephone town hall meetings, over 230 mobile offices, numerous roundtable discussions, and 3 permanent district offices where we conduct office hours.  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.

Sincerely,

Chip