My Recently Sponsored & Cosponsored Legislation
Washington,
Jul 15 -
Sponsored Legislation
Transportation
and Infrastructure:
H.R. 6234; Bridge Life Extension Act of
2008
·
This legislation would require all bridges to
include a corrosion mitigation and prevention plan prior to construction.
Tax:
Estate Tax Legislation: The Congressman introduced
H.R. 6289, the Family-Owned Farms and
Small Businesses Act of 2008. This legislation would increase the special
use valuation for farms up to $1,850,000 and increase the qualified
family-owned business interest deduction to $2,000,000.
Cosponsored Legislation
Labor:
H.R. 6025;
Family-Friendly Workplace Act
·
H.R. 6025 would remove obstacles in federal law
that prevents employers from providing increased flexibility to their employees
who are covered by the overtime provisions of existing law.
·
Currently, the Fair Labor Standards Act
prohibits private sector employers from offering their employees the choice of
opting for paid time off as compensation for working overtime hours, although
public sector employers and employees have long enjoyed this flexibility.
·
The Family-Friendly Workplace Act gives
employers the option of offering employees the choice of paid time off in lieu
of cash wages for overtime hours worked if the employee prefers to take
compensatory time instead of overtime pay. An employee is always entitled
to opt for the overtime cash wages.
Defense
·
H.Res.
1250, a resolution to honor the
Texas Air National Guard’s 147th Fighter Wing at Ellington Field
·
H.Con.Res
362, expressing the sense of Congress regarding the threat posed to
international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national
security interests of the U.S. by Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and
regional hegemony.
Judiciary
H.R. 2067; Good
Samaritan Protection for Construction, Architectural, and Engineering
Volunteers Act
·
To provide construction, architectural, and
engineering entities with qualified immunity from liability for negligence when
providing services or equipment on a volunteer basis in response to a declared
emergency or disaster
Energy:
H.R. 5984 - Clean
Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008
·
The legislation extends certain tax incentives
for energy production and conservation such as the tax credit for the
production of electricity from renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass,
geothermal energy, landfill gas, etc.).
H. Res 1282 -
Encouraging the President to revoke the Executive memorandum banning energy
production on America's Outer Continental Shelf.
·
The
legislation would encourage the POTUS to repeal the executive moratorium on
offshore drilling that is currently in place. An executive moratorium currently
prohibits the safe exploration of our resources along the Outer Continental
Shelf (OCS). This moratorium was instituted in 1990 and will expire in 2012,
however it can be eliminated at any time by the President.
Housing:
H.R. 6219 -
Private Property Rights Protection and Government Accountability Act
·
The
bill will restrict certain federal economic development funds for 10 years to
any state in which eminent domain is used to take private property for a
private purpose. It will also allow private property owners the legal recourse
they deserve to fight private property takings by state and local governments
that are used for private purposes.
Foreign Affairs:
H.R. 5816 -
Coordinated American Response To Extreme Radicals Act
·
Prohibits funds from being made available for
assistance to the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Rescinds all amounts
appropriated by the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 for assistance to the Carter Center, and
makes rescinded amounts available for assistance to U.S. victims of terrorism.
