Agriculture
Congressman Sponsors Bill for Farmers to Continue Using
Methyl Bromide—H.R. 1257
Rep. Radanovich is the lead sponsor of H.R. 1257, which is a bipartisan
measure supporting the U.S. State Department's Critical Use Exemption
(CUE) request for methyl bromide in 2006 and 2007. Methyl bromide
is being phased out per the Montreal Protocol treaty. An
exemption process is allowed under the treaty to allow for the
continued use of methyl bromide for critical uses.
Farmers of numerous crops in the Valley and throughout the nation
depend upon methyl bromide, which is a pesticide primarily used
for pre-planting purposes. Farmers need a CUE to use methyl bromide
since there is no viable, cost-effective alternative to methyl
bromide, and the need for a CUE is what the Congressman's bill
addresses.
The Congressman continues to work with the Administration, including
the State Department and the Environmental Protection Administration,
and Congress to ensure the Montreal Protocol process is treating
U.S. farmers fairly.
Agriculture Secretary Johanns Visited Fresno
On August 12 th , Secretary Johanns of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) visited Fresno with Rep. Radanovich
and other local members of Congress to hold a listening session
for farmers in the area. Sec. Johanns' listened to growers and
ranchers to help him understand the issues that need to be addressed
in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Peach Tree Pull
In 2005, Rep. Radanovich helped the CA Canned Peach Association,
which represents numerous peach growers in the Valley, obtain a
$5 million peach tree pull. The request had been pending approval
before Office of Management and Budget for nearly a year.
This peach tree pull will allow farmers to remove trees, which
will eliminate an oversupply in the industry. The action will save
the federal government money in the long run because the government
will not have to purchase as many cling peaches under the Section
32 Bonus Buy program.
House Agriculture Committee, Subcommittee on Horticulture
and Livestock Hearing in the Valley
The Congressman attended an official House Ag Committee
field hearing in Lodi on August 26 th to hear testimony from farmers
and ag industry officials regarding Valley ag issues including
trade, crop insurance, pests and diseases, the Section 32 bonus
buy program and other major issues. The hearing was an important
opportunity for Members of Congress to hear how these issues impacted
Valley farmers.
Banking
Federal Finance Housing Reform Act—H.R. 1461
The major banking issue during the first session of the 109th
Congress was the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Oversight bill. The
recent accounting scandals led to calls for a government regulator
of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. H.R. 1461, the Federal Finance
Housing Reform Act, establishes the Federal Housing Finance Agency
which will have supervisory and regulatory authority over Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac. The Congressman supported the bill when
it was approved in the House, and it is currently awaiting action
in the Senate.
Credit Union Regulatory Improvement Act—H.R. 2317
The Congressman is a cosponsor of H.R. 2317, the
Credit Union Regulatory Improvement Act. Essentially, the
act modifies various credit union regulations to promote economic
growth.
Budget
Deficit Reduction
The devastation resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita led
to a change in plans in the FY 2006 budget. Congress responded
quickly by allocating $62.3 billion towards Hurricane relief. $23.4
billion of this money was reallocated from the 2006 Defense spending
bill, which would have gone to FEMA.
After setting an $843 billion cap on discretionary spending for
FY 2006, Congress took aim at reducing mandatory spending through
budget reconciliation. Initially, the House and Senate produced
individual versions of reconciliation saving $35 billion over the
next five years. However, the House version later increased their
mark to $53 billion. After the conference report and further tinkering
by the Senate, the final Deficit Reduction Act results in $39.7
billion in savings over the next 5 years.
These savings would come from slowing the rate of growth in federal
mandatory spending. Mandatory spending is increasing at 6 percent
a year and consumes 54 percent of our total budget. The Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) estimates if mandatory spending is not slowed,
it would consume over 62 percent of the total budget by 2015.
Congressman Radanovich strongly supported a provision in the initial
draft of the budget reconciliation, which would have allowed for
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and Artic National Wildlife Refuge
(ANWR) drilling. These provisions would have given way to a combined
$2.7 billion in savings. Unfortunately, both provisions were stripped
from budget reconciliation.
The Deficit Reduction Act also provides an additional
$1 billion in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
to help those in need with their winter heating bills due to the
Hurricane.
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (the
SPY Act)—H.R. 29
Representative Radanovich is a cosponsor and strong
supporter of H.R. 29, the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber
Trespass Act. “Spyware,” software that gathers personally identifiable
information from one's computer, has become a major problem affecting
businesses and individuals across the country. It is reported that
75 percent of all computer performance problems that slow down
computers and cause freezes are related to spyware and its applications.
Most individuals have no idea that applications they download have
spyware bundled in them.
This legislation, which was approved by the House
on May 23, 2005 , will provide greater privacy to the American
public while allowing for the retrieval of personal information
with consent. It will require any entity or individual offering
spyware over the Internet to post an agreement that would clearly
and conspicuously inform
the computer user of the presence and intended function of the
spyware. Additionally, and most importantly, it requires obtaining
proper consent from the user. Furthermore, the company offering
the spyware must identify itself and provide a proper physical
and e-mail address. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would create
regulations to enforce H.R. 29, and those found in violation would
suffer penalties under federal law.
Data Security and Personal Information—H.R. 4127
The Congressman is an original cosponsor of this legislation to
direct the FTC to write rules requiring security for personal information
that take into account the size, nature, and scope of the person's
activities, the current state of technology, and the cost of implementing
security procedures.
The bill requires entities to have a security policy that explains
the "collection, use, sale, other dissemination, and security" of
the data they hold. Most importantly, the legislation calls for
the entity to provide for nationwide notice in the event of a security
breach. The legislation was approved out of the Subcommittee by
a vote of 13-8 and is currently awaiting a full committee markup.
Endangered Species Act
The Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act (TESRA)—H.R.
3824
The Congressman supported the momentous passage of TESRA
both in the Resources Committee and on the House floor. This bill
updates and improves the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973.
It replaces the critical habitat program with a more integrated
recovery planning process that includes the identification of specific
areas that are important to the conservation of the species. These
areas are then given priority in recovery efforts.
Energy
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—ANWR
H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, was passed by both
the House and Senate and signed into law by the President in August
of 2005. In April, the House passed its version of H.R. 6,
which authorizes oil and gas leasing in ANWR. H.R. 6 also
limits the surface area that can be covered by certain oil production
and support facilities to 2,000 acres of the 1.5 million acres
of the defined Coastal Plain. The Congressman supported
these provisions in the Energy bill as it moved out of committee
and onto the House floor for a vote. However, ANWR was not
included in the final version of the Energy Policy Act that was
signed into law.
Opponents of opening up ANWR to development believe exploration
would harm the pristine environment, produce only a six-month supply
and harm the caribou herds that use the coastal plain as calving
grounds. However, the evidence does not support these claims. ANWR
encompasses more than 19 million acres of land, yet drilling would
occur on only 2,000 acres, or less than 0.001 percent of the land. Oil
seeps out of the ground naturally on the coastal plain, damaging
the tundra, and has done so long before humans ever used oil to
produce energy. Estimates place the amount of recoverable reserves
at 10.3 billion barrels, enough to supply about 10 percent of U.S.
oil needs for the next 25 years.
Because drilling would only occur during the winter to guarantee
no damage to the tundra or the environment, the porcupine caribou
herd would not be affected, since they are only present on the
coastal plain for a few short months in the summer. Since
the Alaskan Pipeline was constructed, the caribou herd has increased
from about 3,000 to more than 27,000, clearly showing humans and
caribou can peacefully coexist. For these reasons, the Congressman
will continue to support ANWR.
Gasoline for America 's
Security Act of 2005—H.R. 3893
On October 7, 2005 , the House of Representatives
approved H.R. 3893. This bill expedites the construction of new
refining capacity in the U.S. and provides reliable and affordable
energy for the American people. The bill sets forth a statutory
framework in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to: (1) increase
refinery capacity for gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, and jet
fuel; (2) reduce environmental and other regulations affecting
refineries under the Clean Air Act; and (3) coordinate permitting
requirements and other regulations affecting refineries at the
federal, state, and local levels. This legislation is currently
awaiting action in the Senate.
Energy Policy Act of 2005—H.R. 6
On April 21, 2005 the House of Representatives approved H.R. 6,
Energy Policy Act of 2005, on a strong bipartisan basis. Representative
Radanovich voted in support of this legislation, which creates
a new national energy strategy by encouraging the use of renewable
energy, increasing energy efficiency and improving energy infrastructure.
The conference report was passed by the House on July 29, 2005
by a vote of 275-156.
This bill gives the San Joaquin Valley cleaner and more reliable
energy and jobs to improve our economy. By encouraging the
use of clean fuels and renewable energy sources, this legislation
will boost our economy and clean our air. The bill provides incentives
for the use of biomass, often a byproduct of agriculture, as a
renewable energy source. The legislation also provides incentives
for the use of clean energy technologies.
Congressman Radanovich successfully included two provisions in
the legislation. The first amendment was a hydroelectric licensing
provision which helps to ensure the future reliability of our nation's
electricity grid. In addition, the language helps the U.S. to maintain
a diverse, competitive, domestic energy supply. This language protects
our nation's environmental resources while preserving the future
viability of hydropower, our nation's largest renewable, emissions-free
resource. The second amendment authored by the Congressman requires
the Secretary of Interior to study existing hydro facilities throughout
the nation to determine opportunities for increased hydroelectric
power. Such action will provide the federal government and our
citizens with an understanding of where it is most economically
and technically feasible to augment hydroelectric power.
Specifically, H.R. 6 encourages the use of renewable energy by:
- Improving the regulations governing hydroelectric dams to allow
for more hydroelectric generation
The bill encourages the use of clean fuels by:
- Launching a state-of-the-art program to have emission-free
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road by 2020
- Provides grants to state and local governments to acquire alternative
fueled vehicles, hybrids, and ultra-low sulfur vehicles
- Offering financial incentives for the production of electricity
from renewable and alternative fuel sources such as wind, solar,
biomass, and geothermal
- Providing significant incentives for clean coal technology
to vastly reduce air emissions by coal-fired power plants
The bill improves energy infrastructure by:
- Mandating enforceable reliability standards
- Providing incentives for transmission grid improvements and
making it easier to site new transmission lines
- Makes an investment in our aged transmission system to increase
the reliability of our nation's power grid to help prevent future
blackouts
The Energy Policy Act will foster hundreds of thousands of new
jobs and help preserve many more.
Federal Lands Issues
Right to Ride Livestock on Federal Land Act—H.R.
586
Rep. Radanovich is the lead sponsor of H.R. 586. This measure would
help ensure the continued recreational use and access of pack and saddle stock
animals on National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife
Service and Forest Service lands. The bill has 34 cosponsors and is pending
consideration in the House Committee on Resources.
Unfortunately, there is an effort by certain groups in the U.S.
to eliminate or reduce horseback riding on our federal lands. The
bill works to support horses and pack animals within federal lands
by preserving the use of pack and saddle stock as a natural way
for visitors to enjoy federal lands. Horseback exploration of the
backcountry is enjoyed by scout and church groups as well as families,
and provides wilderness access to senior citizens and the disabled--
groups who otherwise might not have the opportunity to enjoy such
an experience.
Gateway Communities Cooperation Act—H.R. 585
Rep. Radanovich is the chief sponsor of H.R. 585, which
approved by the House on Dec. 6, 2005 and is awaiting Senate consideration.
Changes and developments in the management of our National Parks
and Forests have a definite impact on those who live nearby. H.R.
585 will ensure communities just outside the perimeter
of national parks and national forests can voice their opinions
on federal plans.
The act does not mandate that comments be garnered from communities,
but does provide the opportunit y for those who live in rural,
small towns to have their thoughts heard and evaluated. This
legislation will effectively broaden the definition of “cooperating” agencies
of small towns and communities to include these rural areas.
Foreign Affairs
Recognizing the Armenian Genocide—H.Res. 316
On June 14, 2005 , Congressman Radanovich introduced H.Res.
316, a resolution that would c all upon the President to ensure
that the United States understands and recognizes issues related
to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide that are documented
about the Armenian Genocide. The resolution was approved out of
the International Relations Committee successfully by a vote of
40-7. The legislation currently has 144 cosponsors and is awaiting
floor action.
Support for the Croatian Government—H.Res. 529
H.Res. 529 r ecommends Croatia 's integration into
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Congressman is an
original cosponsor of this measure. The resolution was passed by
the House of Representatives by unanimous consent on December 14,
2005 . The approval of H.Res. 529 demonstrates that ongoing reforms
being driven by the Croatian Government on the country's path towards
Euro-Atlantic integration are reaping significant rewards both
domestically and internationally.
Congressional Croatian Caucus
Rep. Radanovich and Rep. Visclosky, along with
44 other members of Congress, announced the formation of the bipartisan
Congressional Croatian Caucus last year. The Caucus is working
to further enhance the existing deep historical and cultural links
between Croatia and the U.S. , in addition to supporting Croatia
's efforts to achieve EU and NATO membership status. Rep. Radanovich
is proud to be a Croatian American and is pleased the Caucus membership
has grown to 50 members.
Government Reform
ActFast Act—H.R. 4071
The ActFast Act specifically addresses the exorbitant amount of
earmarks found in the Transportation Appropriation bill. The
ActFast Act calls for a 10 percent across the board cut of all
earmarks in the highway bill, then gives the states control of
the remaining 90 percent to do with as they wish.
Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal
Agencies Act—H.R. 2470
The second, H.R. 2470, establishes a Commission
on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies. Recently,
the House Budget Committee released a 421 page report outlining
as much as $100 billion in waste, fraud and abuse throughout the
federal government. The
purpose of the new commission would be to evaluate executive agencies
and their programs and submit to Congress a plan recommending agencies
and programs that should be realigned or eliminated.
Health Care
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage—H.R. 1
Important Message for Seniors
Last year, Congress approved the Medicare Prescription
Drug Modernization Act, H.R. 1, and it was signed into law by President
Bush. As a result, Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of income,
health status, or prescription drug usage, now have access to prescription
drug coverage. Medicare prescription drug coverage is insurance
that covers both brand-name and generic prescription drugs at participating
pharmacies. Medicare prescription drug coverage provides protection
for people who have very high drug costs.
Medicare drug plans don't have to cover every drug that's included
in Medicare prescription drug coverage. They only have to cover
every type of drug. Seniors should review what drugs are covered
by the Medicare drug plans available in their area and try to join
one that covers the same prescriptions they take now.
If the plan doesn't cover your exact prescriptions, it is required
to have a transition period where your current drugs may be covered
for a certain length of time while you work with your doctor to
find an alternative prescription drug to take that is covered by
the plan. If your doctor believes you need to take your current
prescription drug and should not switch to a covered prescription
drug, you or your doctor can contact your plan and ask it to give
you an “exception” which means the plan agrees to pay for your
current drug. If the plan refuses to give you an exception, you
can appeal the plan's decision.
However, if you are currently stabilized on certain specific prescription
drugs (like drugs for depression, cancer or HIV/AIDS), you don't
have to switch to a different prescription drug. Please talk to
your doctor or pharmacist to see if your prescription drugs qualify.
Because the program is new, the Congressman understands there may be concerns
about it. Therefore, he is helping to facilitate meetings between local seniors
and federal officials in California to answer any questions seniors may have
and help them better understand the program. Also, for more information on
this new program, please visit www.medicare.gov or
call 1-800-MEDICARE.
HEALTH Act—H.R. 5
The health care system is costing us billions of
dollars every year and prices are skyrocketing. That is why Congress
created some common sense reforms to help lower future costs. One
such enhancement was the Help, Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost,
Timely Health Care (HEALTH) Act of 2005. The HEALTH Act will make
much needed improvements to the system by reducing the amount of
frivolous lawsuits and monetary awards from lawsuits that drive
healthcare prices up. H.R. 5 was approved by the House in 2005,
and the bill is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.
Creating Associated Health Plans—H.R. 525
The Congressman cosponsored and the House passed a bill that was
a victory for small businesses, one of the main forces in our economy.
The Small Business Health Fairness Act allows small businesses
to join together through association health plans (AHPs) to purchase
health insurance for their workers at a lower cost. It is important
to the economy of the Central Valley that healthcare prices do
not force small businesses to close. Small businesses employ more
than 50 percent of the workforce, and we must continue to support
them and our economy. This measure is now pending consideration
in the Senate.
Saving Medicaid from Bankruptcy—H.R. 4241
Reforming Medicaid, the state-run healthcare system for the economically
underprivileged, proved to be the greatest healthcare challenge
facing Congress this year. Without any changes, Medicaid will be
bankrupt, and many governors were worried they would have to trim
people of their benefits. Instead, Congress passed H.R. 4241 to
give states greater flexibility for state programs, eliminate wasteful
spending on pharmaceuticals, encourage personal responsibility,
and eliminate Medicaid benefits for millionaires. These changes
will help fix some of the flaws in the Medicaid program.
Immigration
Immigration Task Force
Rep. Radanovich has been an integral part of a group of GOP members
of Congress who are meeting to hash out differences on immigration
issues. This group met frequently last year and has been
an important forum for congressional representatives to express
their views regarding immigration. In the meetings, the Congressman
emphasized that comprehensive immigration reform encompassing a
guest worker program is of great value to the San Joaquin Valley
and the entire nation.
Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration
Control Act—H.R. 4437
Congressman Radanovich supports strengthening our national security,
tightening our borders, and making American citizenship valuable.
He believes border security is particularly important to protect
our citizens from terrorist threats.
The Congressman did not support passage of the recent Border Protection,
Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, which was approved
by the House and is pending in the Senate. Though the Congressman
supported the language in H.R. 4437 to tighten our borders, he
did not vote in favor of the bill because it was not a comprehensive
immigration package that included guest worker reform to address
the millions of undocumented workers currently working in the U.S. Without
such a provision, the bill certainly did not address the needs
of the San Joaquin Valley .
In particular, our economy in the Valley desperately needs a viable
guest worker program to address undocumented workers who are here
and contributing to our economy. The truth is our nation
relies upon such workers in industries such as the hospitality
sector and agriculture. The Congressman looks forward to
working with the House leadership to create a guest worker program
in the new session of Congress.
AgJOBS Bill—H.R. 884
The Congressman is supportive of and is a cosponsor of H.R. 884,
which is the AgJOBS bill. This important legislation accomplishes
two main goals: 1) it reforms the existing H-2A agricultural guest
worker program by making it less bureaucratic and more practical
for farmers to use, and 2) the bill allows, on a one-time basis,
current illegal workers with a significant agricultural work history
who meet certain requirements to earn an adjustment of status to
work here legally.
Rep. Radanovich has worked behind the scenes to garner support
and move this measure through Congress and will continue to fervently
work toward its passage.
H.R. 884 is a bipartisan bill developed in cooperation with farmers,
farmworker advocates, labor unions, business organizations and
many others. However, the bill has not yet moved in the House
of Representatives.
Real ID Act—H.R. 418
The Congressman was a cosponsor of H.R. 418, the Real ID Act. Illegal
immigration is one of the most important issues facing the Central
Valley , and many people are concerned about our national security
and our sovereignty. The Real ID Act includes strong security
standards for the issuance of drivers' licenses, stricter asylum
rules currently abused by terrorists, and language to close the
3-mile hole in the U.S./Mexico border fence near San Diego . H.R.
418 passed the House of Representatives and became federal law
on May 11, 2005 .
Judicial Issues
Eradicating Methamphetamine—H.R. 3889
Congressman Radanovich continued to push for tougher legislation
regarding methamphetamine. He supported the Methamphetamine (meth)
Epidemic Elimination Act, H.R. 3889, when it was approved in the
Energy and Commerce Committee. The measure is awaiting House floor
action. H.R. 3889 will help communities fight meth by restricting
the sale of pseudo-ephedrine and placing tighter controls on the
importation of the drug from other countries. In the coming year,
the Congressman will work with local law enforcement and his colleagues
to eradicate the epidemic.
Meth is the most common drug used in the Central Valley and is
devastating many communities. More than 15,000 people a year receive
drug treatment for meth alone in Madera , Fresno , and Merced counties. Due
to the remote nature of these counties, large Mexican drug gangs
have set-up superlabs that can produce up to 120 lbs. of meth in
a cycle. While aggressive law enforcement has led to a decline
in these superlabs, they are still a problem, as are numerous small
labs.
Few regions of the country have been as adversely affected by
methamphetamine as the Valley. Many of the resources of local
law enforcement are now used to fight meth. Not only does
meth, a highly addictive drug, destroy the lives of its users and
lead to more crime, it destroys the lives of those around the users. No
drug is associated with more social problems than meth, especially
family abuse. This also increases the cost and work for Child
Protective Services, who have to stand in for the parents, and
puts a greater burden on the larger community.
Naming the Fresno County Courthouse
after Judge Robert Coyle—H.R. 724
In 2005, Congressman Radanovich introduced H.R. 724, which would
name the new courthouse in Fresno , CA after Judge Robert E. Coyle
upon his retirement from the bench. Judge Coyle is revered for
his longstanding effort to develop support for the creation of
the new Fresno County Courthouse. He certainly deserves credit
for his tireless work in making this new courthouse a reality.
The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Jerry Lewis, Rep. Devin Nunes,
Rep. Dennis Cardoza, and Rep. Jim Costa. Both Republicans and Democrats
in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approve
of the bill, but Senator Inhofe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee
that handles the naming of courthouses, does not approve of naming
a courthouse after a living person, no matter what his status.
Unfortunately, the Senate Chairman's position has caused the bill
to be put on hold for the time being.
The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act—H.R. 748
The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA), which
was passed in the House in 2005, makes it a federal crime to transport
a minor across a state line, with the intent that the minor obtain
an abortion without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Should this consent be given, the physician performing the abortion
must give notice to the parent or legal guardian, in person, 24
hours before the procedure. It is important to have parental involvement
in this sensitive and emotional issue relating to minors. As a
member of the Pro-Life Caucus, the Congressman voted for CIANA.
Defense of Marriage Amendment—H.J. Res. 39
The Defense of Marriage Amendment, H.J. Res. 39, is currently
in the House Judiciary Committee. H.J. Res. 39 would define marriage
in the U.S. as a legal union of one man and one woman, prohibit
the federal and state judiciaries from redefining marriage as anything
but the union of one man and one woman, and constitutionally prohibit
one state from imposing their policy on other states. I strongly
support the institution of marriage because it protects our children,
the most vulnerable in society, and helps ensure that they grow
up in a safe, healthy environment.
Labor
Employment Statistics
Nationally, despite the fallout from Hurricane Katrina and Rita,
unemployment benefits have dropped from 291,000 to 35,000, the
smallest number since September 23, 2000 . Currently, the
national unemployment rate is holding steady at 5 percent. As
of November 2005, Fresno 's unemployment rate was 8.8 percent;
Madera 7.2 percent; and Modesto 7.8 percent. This is great
news for our region and is a vast improvement over the previous
double-digit unemployment numbers that plagued the San Joaquin
Valley .
Job Training Improvement Act—H.R. 27
The Congressman cosponsored H.R. 27, the Job Training Improvement
Act, which passed in the House last year and is now awaiting Senate
action. The people of our Valley would benefit from H.R.
27 because it enhances the workforce investment system in our nation
by strengthening one-stop career centers, promoting access to a
more comprehensive array of employment, training, and related services,
establishing a targeted approach to serving youth, and improving
performance accountability.
National Forests
The Sierra National Forest Land Exchange
Act of 2005—H.R. 409
This is a bill sponsored by the Congressman on behalf of the Sequoia Council
of the Boy Scouts. The purpose of this bill is to exchange two parcels of property
so that the Sequoia Council of the Boy Scouts, which has operated a recreational
camp in the Sierra National Forest for over five decades, will own the property
where the camp is based. Currently, the land is owned by the National Forest
Service.
The bill was approved by the House in September and is awaiting Senate approval.
Senator Dianne Feinstein is the lead sponsor of this bill in the Senate.
Thousands of Scouts use the camp each year to experience outdoor
activities and gain leadership skills. Owning the property
will allow the Sequoia Council of the Boy Scouts to make improvements
to the facilities located on the land. Therefore, H.R. 409
allows the Scouts to provide continued opportunities for young
men to learn the importance of and actively participate in serving
their community.
National Parks
Illegal Drug Activity in National Parks
At the request of Congressman Radanovich, the National Parks Subcommittee
held a
hearing in November on illegal drugs being grown in National Parks.
Illegal marijuana cultivation has become a serious problem in
California , particularly in Yosemite National Park and Sequoia
and Kings Canyon National Parks . Most of these marijuana
plants are cultivated by individuals linked to Mexican drug cartels. A
September drug bust within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks demonstrated how prevalent this problem is in our region.
The November hearing put needed pressure on federal agencies,
such as the National Parks Service, to focus on this growing epidemic.
As a result, we will be better equipped to fight and eliminate
drugs being harvested in National Parks and will help protect our
families and children from this illegal drug activity.
Assistance for Yosemite Schoolchildren—S.
136
S. 136 was approved by Congress in December
thanks to the efforts of both the Congressman and Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
S. 136 included a provision to authorize funding for schoolchildren
in Yosemite National Park . This provision was authored by Rep.
Radanovich.
The legislation authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide
supplemental funding for children attending the schools within
Yosemite National Park . They are the children of Park employees
who live a significant distance from any other public schools.
The bill provides assistance for three schools serving Yosemite
National Park : Yosemite Valley , El Portal Elementary and Wawona
Elementary.
Passage of this measure is a huge achievement for the schoolchildren
in Yosemite who are in critical need of this assistance. Without
it, they may lose not just their teachers, but also their schools.
Small Business
Pension Protection Act—H.R. 2830
H.R. 2830, the Pension Protection Act, was passed by the House
on December 15 th and is awaiting action by the Senate. H.R.
2830 will allow employers sponsoring 401(k) plans to engage investment
advisors, including insurance company providers, to offer recommendations
to employees' participating in those plans. Also, the bill
will allow full-funding contributions to build up reserve when
markets are strong. The bill repeals certain limitations
on withdrawal liability and increases certain premiums to be paid
to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Finally, it
provides for phasing-in increases of: (1) the annual flat-rate
premium paid by all single-employer plans; and (2) the additional
risk-based premium, which is to be paid by all under-funded plans.
Taxes
The 1% Plan Included in H.R. 3908 and Sen.Con.Res.
75
The Congressman's 1% Plan encourages Americans to increase their
annual charitable giving rate by one percent. This will benefit
our nation's non-profit and charitable organizations without raising
taxes.
The 1% Plan has been incorporated into two legislative proposals
introduced in the House and Senate. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) included
the language of the 1% Plan into his Charitable Giving Act of 2005,
H.R 3908. This measure was introduced last year and is pending
consideration in the Ways and Means Committee. In the Senate, Senator
Rick Santorum (R-PA) introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 75.
This measure is the exact counterpart to the Congressman's 1% Plan
language. The Senate resolution passed the Senate by unanimous
consent in 2005 and is waiting consideration in the House.
President's Tax Reform Panel
Many of the tax credits set in law by Congress a few years ago
were set to expire at the end of 2005, making taxes a major priority
for the first session of the 109 th Congress. In addition,
the President's Advisory Panel on Tax Reform submitted a two prong
plan for tax reformation, although there has yet to be legislative
activity on either plan.
Of particular note, the President's plan does place a cap ($350,000)
on the home mortgage interest deduction. The Congressman
joined some of his colleagues on a letter opposing this provision.
Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act—H.R. 4297
The Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act is poised to save
taxpayers a net $5.8 billion in FY 2006, $56.1 billion over the
next five years, and $80.5 billion over the next ten years. It
passed the House on December 8th and is awaiting Senate consideration.
Included in the five-year savings, are one-year tax relief extensions
totaling over $19 billion, including an extension of the Alternative
Minimum Tax (AMT) credit. Most notably among the two year
extensions is the provision to maintain the capital gains and dividend
income tax rate at 15 percent. The provision extends the
rates through 2010 and is expected to save taxpayers $20.6 billion
Timber Tax—H.R. 3883
The Congressman is a cosponsor of H.R. 3883, the Timber Tax Act,
which allows a tax deduction (available to taxpayers whether or
not they itemize deductions) for up to 60 percent of gains from
certain sales or exchanges of timber.
Children's Hope Act—H.R. 4400
The Congressman is a cosponsor of H.R. 4400, the Children's Hope
Act, which allows a tax credit, up to $100 ($200 for joint returns),
for charitable contributions to an education investment organization
that disburses 90 percent of its contributions to provide grants
to students for elementary and secondary education expenses, if
at least 50 percent of such disbursements go to students who qualify
for free or reduced-cost school lunches.
Telecommunications
Digital Television Transition Act of 2005–included in
S. 1932
The Committee on Energy and Commerce has incorporated the digital
transition language into the budget reconciliation bill, S. 1932.
This action will lead to improved television technology, reduce
our national deficit by $9 billion (through the sale of the analog
spectrum), and it will free-up the analog spectrum for other uses
such as first responders handling natural disasters and national
security. The language in the bill calls for a hard deadline to
end the transition on February 9, 2009 , with a $1 billion subsidy
program to provide set top box converters for all house holds.
Once this language is enacted, the analog spectrum will be used
for a number of things, most importantly, twenty-four megahertz
of the spectrum that the broadcasters will return has been earmarked
for public safety use and first responders. First responders are
in desperate need of this spectrum to ensure they can communicate
in a crisis. Currently, S. 1932 is awaiting final approval from
the House.
Broadcast Decency and Enforcement Act—H.R. 310
Representative Radanovich joined 389 of his colleagues in voting
in support of H.R. 310, the Broadcast Decency and Enforcement Act,
which passed the House of Representatives in February 2005. The
growth of indecent material on broadcast television has prompted
this legislation which amends the Communications Act of 1934 to
provide increasing penalties for violators of broadcast standards.
These penalties will hopefully discourage “wardrobe malfunctions” and
improper language from being broadcast on television and radio,
particularly when children are likely to be in the audience. The
Senate has yet to move legislatively on this issue. However, they
have been holding forums on the topic.
The cable industry has announced that in the spring
of 2006 Time Warner and Comcast will begin offering a family tier
to their customers.
Universal Service Fund (USF)
A provision was included in the FY 2006 Commerce, Justice and
State Appropriations bill, which is now federal law, to extend
the Universal Service Anti-Deficiency Temporary Suspension Act
through 2006. Phone companies (both wireless and wire-line) contribute
a portion of their long-distance revenues to the USF to provide
telecommunications access to rural and low-income areas.
In the 2 nd session of 109 th Congress, the Congressman
will work towards the permanent exemption of the USF from the Anti-Deficiency
Act. House Energy and Commerce Chairman, Joe Barton, has repeatedly
stated his opposition to USF. However, Senate Chairman Ted Stevens
of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has stated
that this will be a top priority for him in 2006, which could provide
us an opportunity to move on the permanent exemption.
Transportation
Highway 99 to become a Federal Interstate
After much hard work on the part of Congressman Radanovich and
his colleagues, Highway 99 was designated to receive future interstate
status in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU) bill, H.R. 3. The designation
will occur provided the highway meets all current standards for
an interstate.
This action gives Caltrans the authority to make improvements
to the highway within the next 12 years to bring it up to interstate
standards. Unfortunately, no specific funding was designated for
this project, but after many years, this vital north-south artery
has finally received the designation it needs. Congressman Radanovich
is proud to have worked hard on this project for several years
and encourages Caltrans to begin improvements soon on Highway 99.
In addition, Highway 99 was designated as a Farm-To-Market Priority
Corridor, which makes it eligible for new federal grant dollars.
The Transportation Reauthorization bill—SAFETEA-LU—H.R.
3
This measure was approved in Congress in 2005 and was signed into
law by President Bush. The 19th Congressional District received
almost $13 million total in funding. The actual appropriation of
these funds will be allocated through the annual appropriations
process.
The funds in the bill are split into two categories: highways
and transit. The highway funds are authorized for six years, while
transit funds are authorized for three years. The projects funded
are as follows:
•$1,200,000 to improve Friant Road in Fresno County , CA by widening
the road as well as the addition of bicycle lanes.
• $2,400,000 to improve the State Route 145 and State Route 99
interchange in Madera which will improve congestion issues in the
area.
• $1,600,000 to improve State Route 219 to four lanes in the cities
of Riverbank, Oakdale and Modesto .
• $2,800,000 to improve 16 roads, one bridge and one bike path
in Mariposa County .
• $2,000,000 to upgrade the existing county highway J59 in Tuolumne
, Stanislaus and Merced Counties .
In addition, two transit projects received funding in the 19th
District. The first project funded was Operation Clean Air, which
is an air quality improvement consortium that benefits the San
Joaquin Valley . This funding will be used to develop a program
of low-emission vehicles into public fleets and public private
partnerships. This project was authorized at $836,000.
The second project awarded was for the Yosemite Area Regional
Transportation System (YARTS) to construct and develop a CNG-Hydrogen
transit system with fueling stations and buses for travel through
gateway communities for Yosemite National Park . This project was
authorized at $2,090,000.
Veterans
Radanovich Introduces bill to Honor Past, Present and Future Merchant
Marine Veterans—H.R. 4338
Congressman Radanovich is proud to honor and recognize the contributions
of Merchant Marines who helped us win World War II and those who
may be called upon to serve our nation in the future. This year,
he introduced the Combat Merchant Mariners Veterans Benefits Act
of 2005, which will provide veterans' benefits to Merchant Marines
who serve during wartime. This bill is not limited to World War
II veterans, but would benefit all those who have served in conflict
for 12 months or longer. In addition, those who are permanently
disabled during conflict do not have to meet the length of service
requirement. It is important that we help all of those who answer
our nation's highest call, even if they are not part of the official
Armed Forces.
Water and Power Subcommittee
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) v. Rodgers (lawsuit
against Friant Water Authority)
In July, the Congressman asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein to join him
in urging NRDC and Friant to reengage in settlement talks regarding
a lawsuit to rewet the San Joaquin River . The Senator agreed and
has been involved with the Congressman in this effort since last
summer.
The parties began meeting in the summer of 2005
and continue to meet now. They are working to arrive at an agreed-upon
settlement of the lawsuit and are working closely with the Bureau
of Reclamation to achieve this goal. The Congressman is optimistic
they will finalize a settlement document. Once a settlement is
reached, federal legislation is expected to follow. Any legislation
will require the input of NRDC, Friant and the Bureau, in addition
to other interested parties, such as the State of CA , other water
districts and elected representatives.
The San Joaquin Valley Regional
Water Plan
Representative Radanovich has joined with Rep. Jim Costa to help
create the San Joaquin Valley Regional Water Plan. Rep. Nunes and
Rep. Cardoza are also involved in this effort. The purpose of the
plan is to bring together seven Valley counties from Stanislaus
in the north to Kern County in the south to ensure we have the
water we need for population growth, ag sustainability and the
protection of our environment.
The Plan is being facilitated by the California Water Institute
at Fresno State . The Institute is already meeting with water leaders
and looking at how to gain a better regional understanding of water
needs and opportunities.
The group has established four subcommittees to deal with specific
issue areas: 1) water supply, 2) water quality, 3) flood control
and 4) the environment. The group has created a survey that is
being sent out to water managers in the seven counties to determine
what our water needs are in the Valley, so that a plan can be developed.
Also, the group will determine what policy barriers exist and areas
that need to be addressed.
Hearing on Water Supply Vulnerabilities in Sacramento/San
Joaquin River System
In October 2005, Chairman Radanovich held an oversight
hearing to assess the potential impacts that natural catastrophes
could have on water supplies along the Sacramento and San Joaquin
Rivers and the California Bay-Delta. The hearing included
an examination of the appropriate government roles, including
the Bureau of Reclamation, in helping protect the Valley region
from natural disasters.
Hearing in Fresno to
Highlight Water Storage Needs in Valley
On June 11th at Fresno State , Radanovich chaired a Subcommittee
hearing regarding water storage in the San Joaquin Valley . Upper
San Joaquin River storage, the Madera Ranch water bank, the NRDC
lawsuit and other water issues were discussed at the hearing.
As a result of the high levels of precipitation
this year, there is much debate on the need for new storage to
capture this extra water. In light of pending federal appropriations
dollars to build more water infrastructure, this hearing examined
ways to meet human and environmental water needs by building new
surface and groundwater storage in the Upper San Joaquin Valley
.
Radanovich Held Endangered Species Act (ESA) Hearing in
June
Chairman Radanovich held a hearing in Washington
, DC with local water managers from
throughout the nation, including
the Valley, to discuss how to bring commonsense to the
ESA. These leaders are in
the ESA trenches everyday. They are the ones on the ground
who see how the ESA really works
and they are the ones with the most at stake who may
have more workable solutions
than all of us.
The witnesses discussed the obstacles they face
under the current ESA regulatory process
and provided their views
on how to address the problems legislatively. The information
garnered from this ESA hearing
is being used to develop a comprehensive ESA bill that
Chairman Pombo intends to
submit to Congress soon. The bill is expected to require
peer-reviewed science to ensure
balance in the ESA decision-making process and will
likely include improvements
of the critical habitat designation process, among other
provisions.
