Greetings,

While the unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent for 41 consecutive months--the longest streak since the Great Depression-- and with more than 46 million Americans on food stamps, it comes as no surprise that 71 percent of Americans recently polled believe the economy is moving in the wrong direction.

Despite this, President Obama continues touting his economic plan (“It worked”), attacking small business owners and entrepreneurs ("You didn’t build that”), and declaring the private sector is “doing fine.” While he continues to campaign, my Republican colleagues in the House and I remain focused on the economy, passing more than 30 pro-growth jobs bills this year. We also stand ready to stop the President’s massive tax hike set to take effect at the end of this year.

Red Tape Reduction and Job Creation
Last week, I supported The Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act, H.R. 4078. This legislation reins in the power of federal agencies to unilaterally impose burdensome regulations on small business owners. One component of the legislation prohibits regulations harmful to job growth from being imposed until unemployment reaches six percent or below.

At the same time 12.75 million Americans are out-of-work, the Obama Administration has under review more than 400 regulations classified as “economically significant,” meaning the rule would cost $100 million or more per year. This is especially destructive to small businesses, whose regulatory costs are 36 percent higher than large corporations. Due in part to this climate, the Small Business Administration found it’s now easier to start a business in Slovenia, Estonia, and Hungary—former Iron Curtain countries—than in the United States.

It’s long past time President Obama and Senate Democrats stop blocking our bipartisan jobs bills, and put aside politics in favor of policies that will put Americans back to work.

“Audit the Fed” provides transparency, accountability
I voted Friday in support of Rep. Ron Paul’s bill, H.R. 459, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2012, of which I am a co-sponsor. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of  327-99, would require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a complete audit of the Federal Reserve within 12 months. It also eliminates existing restrictions, which currently prevent Congress from examining how the Federal Reserve manages the nation’s money.

At a time when the Federal Reserve has expanded its balance sheet to $3 trillion as of last month, the American people deserve to have transparency and accountability when it comes to our monetary supply policy. Read my entire floor statement supporting “Audit the Fed” here.   

Cuts will batter U.S. defense
Last week, I wrote an editorial for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution opposite Democrat Rep. David Scott (GA-13) warning against the devastating impact sequestration cuts will have on our national defense and economy.

“Providing for the common defense” is the federal government’s most important responsibility as prescribed by the Constitution. It is the cornerstone of our freedom upon which all other liberties and guarantees rely. Our nation’s ability to protect its people must remain the foremost priority for the president and Congress. Click here to continue reading. 

In defense of Chick-fil-A
That Dan Cathy’s beliefs come as such a shock to national media that they warrant days-long, breaking-news style coverage, is hard to believe. Instead, the coverage devoted to this “story” is indicative of news outlets’ complete abandonment of neutrality in favor of take-down stories and “gotcha journalism.” Chick-fil-A is a private corporation founded on Christian principles—principles that millions of Americans also hold—and is entitled to the same freedom of religion and expression as those attacking it. Read the rest of my statement here. 

Media Highlights

• Last Wednesday, I was a guest on Varney & Co. to discuss the new Congressional Budget Office score of Obamacare.
• I also spoke with the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons' publication about the work of the GOP Doctors Caucus.
• Last Friday, I spoke with Rob Johnson on WGST 640 AM and Al Gainey on WDUN 550 AM/102.9 M about passage of the "Audit the Fed" bill.

Photo of the Week

Members of Trinity Presbyterian's summer mission trip visited Washington, D.C. last week.