WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today voted in favor of S. Con. Res.3, the Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Resolution, which includes the first procedural steps necessary to effect the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.  The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 227-to-198.  It has already passed the Senate.

Barletta issued the following statement:

“I supported the resolution because it represents the first procedural step toward repealing and replacing Obamacare.  The monstrosity of a health care law never lived up to its promises: people were thrown off their preferred plans; they lost access to their favorite doctors; and their premiums and deductibles skyrocketed.  Obamacare was a mess created without a single Republican vote in the first place and in no way represented a consensus approach to fixing our health care system.  There can be no mistake: Obamacare was on the ballot in November, and the voters said they wanted a change.

“I will be watching closely as this process continues, because as we move toward a full repeal of Obamacare, we must have replacement plans ready to go without delay in between.  This cannot be a rerun of the infamous ‘we have to pass the bill to see what’s in it’ fiasco.  We must have a functional replacement so that no one falls through the cracks.”

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) has joined 101 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in urging President-Elect Donald J. Trump to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.  During the presidential campaign, the president-elect strongly supported the move to Jerusalem, which Israel considers to be its capital city.  Currently, the U.S. embassy in Israel is the only American embassy not located in the capital as identified by the host nation.  The members of Congress sent a letter to Trump, urging him to take “swift action” on the matter after he is sworn in on January 20, 2017. 

“During your campaign, you made a forceful pledge to move our American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is the eternal capital of the Jewish people and the state of Israel,” the letter reads.  “We write to express support for this policy and to urge you to take swift action to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem as soon as you take office.”

The support for the change in the U.S. embassy’s location comes less than three weeks after the Obama Administration failed to veto a stridently anti-Israel resolution before the United Nations Security Council.  It had been the longstanding policy and practice of the U.S. to oppose or veto any resolutions condemning Israel at the U.N., a tradition Obama himself had observed until he allowed the anti-Israel vote two days before Christmas.

“This action is all the more urgent in light of the anti-Israel Resolution 2334, adopted by the United Nations Security Council on December 23, 2016,” the letter continues.  “The resolution invites renewed diplomatic hostility and economic warfare against Israel, and we must act urgently to mitigate its consequences and to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to Israel.”

Under the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, passed by Congress, the embassy was to be relocated to Jerusalem by 1999.  The legislation provided the president the authority to indefinitely delay the move, which is what has happened since its passage.  The Trump Administration could move the embassy using its existing authority granted by Congress.

Click here to see a .pdf copy of the letter to President-Elect Trump.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today announced that local fire departments and emergency response companies can now apply for federal grants to help with staffing and providing around the clock emergency services to their communities.  The grant application period has opened for grants for local fire departments under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program from the Department of Homeland Security.  The application period runs until Friday, February 10, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.

“Our fire departments and emergency responders are the first line of defense in our neighborhoods when disaster strikes,” Barletta said.  “We must do anything we can do to help people be safe in our communities.” 

There is currently $345 million available for the SAFER Grant Program to assist fire departments and volunteer interest organizations increase or maintain the number of trained “front line” firefighters available in their communities.  The SAFER Grant Program seeks to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities in order to respond to emergencies, assuring communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.  The grants are available to volunteer, professional, or combination fire departments. 

For more information, please visit http://www.fema.gov/staffing-adequate-fire-emergency-response-grants.  Additionally, interested organizations may contact Mike Shay at Rep. Barletta’s Hazleton office at (570) 751-0050 or by email at Michael.Shay@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) and state Sen. John Yudichak (14th District) today issued statements regarding the potential closure of the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Retreat (SCI Retreat).  The administration of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced on Friday, January 6, 2017 that two state prisons would be closed out of a pool of five under consideration, including SCI Retreat.  The administration announced that the final decision on which two prisons to close would be made on January 26, 2017.

In his Washington, DC office, Barletta today met with Pennsylvania Corrections Secretary John Wetzel to discuss the situation at SCI Retreat, which employs approximately 400 residents of Luzerne County and the surrounding area.  Additionally, since the news of the potential closure broke, Barletta has been in consultation with Sen. Yudichak.

Barletta’s statement is as follows:

“When news of the potential loss of 400 local jobs strikes like lightning out of the blue, I think it’s a good idea to take a deep breath and carefully consider all of the implications of closing SCI Retreat.  The Wolf Administration’s announcement caught the community by surprise and there is an understandable amount of concern and uncertainty among the employees and their families.  Eliminating so many jobs so suddenly would have a severe impact – not just on those families, but on the entire local economy. 

“I thank Secretary Wetzel for taking the time to meet with me.  I expressed to him my support for SCI Retreat, as well as my concern about the short timeline of the initial announcement and the anticipated final decision.  It is my understanding that an economic impact study is commencing, and I have asked that it be completed and fully considered before any prison is targeted for closure.  The Pennsylvania budgeting process stretches on until June of this year, and so I fail to see why there needs to be any rush to a decision.  I asked Secretary Wetzel to convey my concerns to Gov. Wolf and asked that the administration slow the process down so that a careful and thorough examination of all the facts can take place.”  

Yudichak’s statement is as follows:

“The arbitrary deadline of January 26 imposed by the Department of Corrections to close two state prisons is unrealistic and impedes efforts to find more cost efficiencies to deal with the fiscal challenges of the state budget.  Delaying all prison closure decisions to June 30 will allow for public hearings, a thorough economic analysis, and give our federal representatives sufficient time to work with the DOC to find cost savings for both the state and federal prison systems.”

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today issued the following statement regarding the certification of the Electoral College victory of President-Elect Donald J. Trump.  In a joint session of Congress, lawmakers counted the electoral votes, which is the final step in declaring Trump the 45th President of the United States.

Barletta’s statement is as follows:

“What began many months ago on the campaign trails of America has finally come to pass today with the certification of Donald J. Trump’s victory on November 8, 2016.  It is clear that President-Elect Trump would not have been successful without Pennsylvania’s support, and I am proud to have actively served as his campaign co-chairman in the Commonwealth.  In just two short weeks, the President-Elect will take the oath of office and we can get down to the serious business of making America great again.

“Millions of people responded to Donald Trump’s message of revitalizing this country and were united in their belief that their government had stopped listening to their concerns.  With my relationship with the President-Elect and his incoming administration, I look forward to having increased influence as we begin to strengthen our national security, enforce our immigration laws, and foster robust economic development.”

CARLISLE – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today announced the new location of his Carlisle district office, which is now open at 126 N. Hanover Street in Carlisle.  The office will be staffed during regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, excluding federal holidays.  The office was formerly located at 59 W. Louther Street.

“We are very happy with our new location and are pleased to be a part of revitalizing this section of North Hanover Street,” Barletta said.  “Our staff stands ready to assist people in their dealings with federal agencies and other issues.  Constituent service is one of the key roles of a member of Congress and we are happy to help.”

The following is a list of all of Rep. Barletta’s office locations:

Carlisle

126 North Hanover Street

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 249-0190

Fax: (717) 218-0190

Harrisburg

4813 Jonestown Road

Suite 101

Harrisburg, PA 17109

Phone: (717) 525-7002

Fax: (717) 695-6794

Hazleton

1 South Church Street

Suite 100

Hazleton, PA 18201

Phone: (570) 751-0050

Fax: (570) 751-0054

Sunbury

106 Arch Street

Sunbury, PA 17801

Phone: (570) 988-7801

Fax: (570) 988-7805

Washington, DC

2049 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-6511

Toll Free: (855) 241-5144

Fax: (202) 226-6250

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today voted in favor of a resolution that objects to the recent United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israel and calls for the U.N. resolution to be repealed.  The legislation, H. Res. 11, Objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 as an Obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian Peace, notes that the Obama Administration failed to uphold longstanding United States policy to oppose or veto any anti-Israel resolutions considered by the Security Council.  The bill also expresses the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that the United Nations action is an impediment to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.  Barletta was a cosponsor of the legislation, which passed the House by a large bipartisan vote of 342-to-80.  It expresses the sense of the House and requires no further action.

Barletta issued the following statement:

“Allowing the United Nations to move forward with its virulently anti-Israel resolution was a particularly shameful move by President Obama, who broke with longstanding U.S. practice and turned his back on our strong ally Israel.  The U.N. resolution the president declined to veto served only to isolate Israel from its neighbors, and the complicity by the Obama administration sent the clear message that the United States cannot be counted on as a faithful ally.  Worse, the resolution was a severe blow to the peace process.  I am pleased, however, that under President Trump, there will no longer be any confusion around the world, and the United States will once again firmly stand with our allies, the Israelis.”

Kate Steinle, above, was murdered in San Francisco, a sanctuary city, in July of 2015 by an illegal immigrant who is a seven-time felon who had previously been deported five times.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today introduced the Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act, H.R. 83, which will stop all federal funds from flowing to states or localities which resist or ban enforcement of federal immigration laws, or flatly refuse to cooperate with immigration officials.  The bill is the first piece of legislation introduced by Barletta in the 115th Congress and represents the third time the congressman has introduced the measure.  In 2011, the bill was the first piece of legislation he ever introduced as a member of Congress.  He introduced it a second time in the 114th Congress in 2015.

“One of the principal duties of the government is to protect its citizens, and the idea of sanctuary cities runs completely counter to that responsibility,” Barletta said.  “Too many mayors and local governments think that they are above federal law and place their own ideology ahead of the safety of their residents.  This bill will stop that practice by saying to these sanctuary cities, ‘If you refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, you will lose your federal funding.’”

Barletta introduced the bill as a freshman congressman in 2011 because of his personal experience with the danger of sanctuary cities while he was mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania.  In 2006, a 29-year-old local father of three, Derek Kichline, was murdered by an illegal immigrant who had been released by law enforcement a number of times, including by the sanctuary city of New York.  Additionally, Barletta was spurred to reintroduce the bill in 2015 following the San Francisco murder of 32-year-old Kate Steinle, whose accused killer was a seven-time felon who had been deported five times previously. 

“Twice before I have introduced this bill, and twice before there was not the political will to pass it,” Barletta said.  “With the Trump Administration taking office later this month, and with enforcing immigration law becoming a priority, I am hopeful we will meet with success this time around.  It’s time we stopped seeing headlines about the victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants.”

The Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act prohibits any federal funding for a minimum period of one year to any state or local government which has a policy or law that prevents them from assisting immigration authorities in enforcing federal immigration law.  The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) lists about 300 such localities in the United States.  Barletta’s bill directs the attorney general to compile an annual list of such cities and issue a report on any particular state or locality upon request from a member of Congress.  A state or local government would only regain federal funding eligibility after the attorney general certifies that its laws and policies are in compliance with federal immigration statutes.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today voted in favor of legislation that makes it easier for Congress to block last minute rules and regulations issued by outgoing presidential administrations.  The Midnight Rules Relief Act, H.R. 21, addresses the propensity of outgoing administrations to issue massive numbers of rules as their days in office wind down.  The legislation affords Congress greater flexibility by allowing lawmakers to disapprove of such rules and regulations en bloc, rather than one at a time, as currently outlined in the Congressional Review Act.  The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 238-to-184 and now heads to the Senate for its consideration.

“These last minute rules and regulations often run counter to the wishes of the people, as outgoing administrations rush to entrench the last pieces of a partisan or ideological agenda,” Barletta said.   “This is a layer of protection for American citizens, who should not be governed by unelected Washington, DC bureaucrats, who do not have to face the voters on Election Day.”

Under the Midnight Rules Relief Act, Congress will be able to stop all improper last minute rules in one disapproval resolution.  The bill does not limit the authority of the Executive Branch, since administrations will remain free to issue rules and regulations up to the inauguration of the next administration.  This simply provides Congress with a workable and versatile tool to block abusive or objectionable rules.

“Burdensome and meddlesome regulations are stifling the growth of private enterprise and job creation,” Barletta said.  “These rules are often an attempt to force through policies that have already been rejected by voters.  This is an extra guard against that practice.”

No one can say that 2016 was without excitement and news-worthy events.  As a nation, we have just experienced the most-watched presidential election in modern history, and, as Americans, it is time for us to unite and work together for what is best for our nation.

Read More