On Monday, the House of Representatives reconvened to discuss a new plan that would provide up to $15 billion in emergency loans to the Big Three Detroit automakers. While it may be described as a compromise between the auto industry and Congress, I will not support the federal government’s continued bailing out of private businesses with taxpayer dollars.

The American automobile industry is a vital part of the national economy, but no amount of additional taxpayer money can fix the Big Three's outdated business models. It is worth noting that none of the foreign owned auto makers who build cars in America are asking for a bailout. They had the foresight to avoid the union contracts that are burying Detroit, and they build cars that consumers want. If we would simply keep the tax collectors, lawyers, regulators and bureaucrats away from the auto industry, I am confident it would thrive.

Congress has gotten no assurance that a $15 billion “bridge loan” will not lead to a $34 billion “bailout,” as auto executives requested last week, further down the road. Detroit’s problems are myopic. Their platinum level union contracts put them at a competitive disadvantage with foreign auto makers (click hereto see a brief NPR comparison between GM and Toyota). Since the unions are not offering any major concessions in exchange for the bailout, the Big Three will still go broke once the money is all spent.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy has been used successfully by other struggling corporations over the years and would allow for the renegotiation of these crushing labor contracts. New management and common sense would lead to prompt restructuring and innovative, new products that can compete in today's markets.

Instead of increasing the debt burden on taxpayers, Congress should give American car manufacturers an immediate and drastic cut in their corporate tax rates and relief from the strict fuel economy standards passed last year. I also support the temporary tax incentive proposal set forth by Democrat Senator Barbara Mikulski, which would reward car buyers with tax deductions on interest payments, car loans, and sales and excise taxes on cars purchased through the end of 2009. These tax breaks would reduce the purchase price of a $25,000 Dodge minivan by an estimated $1,553, and would apply to loans of up to $49,500.

more...

Congressman Culberson offers his deepest sympathies and condolences to the innocent people of India and victims from around the world, whose lives were affected by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. America shares a tragic common bond with India, and we will continue to show our solidarity as you grieve and recover from these cowardly attacks.” Congressman Culberson said.

The attacks were planned methodically targeting innocent civilians and invoking terror in the cultural, commercial, and tourism hub of Mumbai. The victims were simply going about their lives in Mumbai’s hotels, train station, hospitals and cafes until they were brutally executed by members of a militant, extremist Islamic group. We are obliged to remember that the primary goal of terrorism is to demonstrate power by unleashing fear, chaos, and violence into civil societies and these senseless acts cannot and should not be tolerated.

The Congressman offers his support to the government of India as it works to bring the terrorists responsible for this atrocity to justice.

“India has our full and unequivocal support as it recovers from this bitter tragedy,” Culberson said.

more...

Congressman Culberson, along with Congressmen Ted Poe, Dana Rohrabacher, William Delahunt, and Ed Royce, held a press conference this morning to continue to shed light on the case of Texas Border Agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. They, along with five other Members of Congress, have sent a letter to U.S. Pardon Attorney Ronald Rogers, asking again for the commutation of the agents. (Click here to read the Houston Chronicle's article on the press conference.)

Ramos and Compean are currently serving 11 and 12 year prison sentences, respectively, for shooting and wounding a self -admitted illegal alien drug smuggler. Both men have already spent almost two years in solitary confinement. They have lost their jobs and their imprisonment has caused tremendous hardship upon their families.

They were arrested and charged with multiple crimes in connection to the February 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who was caught with over 700 pounds of marijuana on the Texas-Mexico border. The agents did not report the incident to their superiors and were charged with deprivation of civil rights and tampering with an official.

Months after the original charges were made against Ramos and Compean, the Prosecution then drastically increased the charges by imposing an indictment under 18 U.S.C. 924 (c) which carries with it a mandatory ten year imprisonment sentence. Prosecutor Johnny Sutton based his case heavily on the testimony of Aldrete-Davila, who was later caught with another load of drugs after the conclusion of the trial.

Congressman Culberson has actively sought to commute the undue sentences of Ramos and Compean. Thus far, eighty one, bi-partisan Members of Congress have joined him and signed onto H.Con.Res 267 in support of commutation. This morning’s press conference highlighted the injustices of the case and publicly called upon Pardon Attorney Rodgers to grant commutation.

For a timeline of the events of this case, please click here.

more...

In 2006, Congressman Culberson supported the Secure Fence Act that authorized construction of 700 miles of double-layer reinforced fencing along the southwest border as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground sensors, satellites, radar, and cameras for border surveillance. Here is an update on the construction of the fence as of October 31, 2008:

Miles completed:

Miles currently under contract:

Miles left to build under contract:

more...

If you are interested in attending the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., please complete the following form and fax to (202) 225-4381. If you have any questions please call (202) 225-2571. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for overseeing these historic events, and will distribute tickets for the 44th Presidential Inauguration in Janurary 2009.

Please note: any website or vendor claiming to be selling tickets to the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony or to the Inaugural parade is a scam. The Inaugural swearing-in ceremony tickets are free and ONLY distributed by congressional offices on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required to attend the parade.

For further information from the Joint Committee, please click here.

Congressman Culberson made the following remarks at the City of Houston's Veterans' Day Parade:

On this special day, we honor the tremendous sacrifices our veterans have made for the noble causes of freedom and democracy so that America's beacon of liberty would continue to shine throughout every corner of the world.

The immense responsibility for safeguarding our way of life rests on the willing shoulders of our men and women in uniform. Time and again since the earliest days of our republic, they have answered the call of duty, and helped to forge the greatest military the world has ever known.

It is fitting that this week also marks the 233rd anniversary of the United Stated Marines Corps, born under a resolution drafted in 1775 by John Adams and adopted by the Continental Congress. Serving as landing forces for the new Continental Navy, the first Marines fought bravely in a number of key battles during the Revolutionary War, beginning a tradition of distinguished service. Adams later officially established the Marine Corps, as well as the U.S. Navy, as permanent military forces during his Presidency.

Since then, every branch of our armed forces has been tested in conflicts around the globe, and they have responded with heroic and hard-fought victories. The values that make America the greatest country in the history of the world endure today because of these brave men and women who understand and respect what America stands for, and what our flag symbolizes to a watchful world.

We have set aside this day, Veterans Day, to take time from our busy schedules to recognize and pay tribute to our servicemen and women for their dedication, valor, and commitment. We remember those who have given their lives for this country, recognizing that we can never repay them for their sacrifice, but we can ensure that they are never forgotten.

As America continues to broaden and strengthen respect for the principles of freedom and democracy, let us also remember our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. We pray for their safety and express our sincere gratitude to them and their families for their tireless efforts to make the world a better and safer place.

more...

If you have visited the Capitol in Washington, you may have noticed young men and women dressed in navy blue blazers hustling throughout the building. Known as the Pages, this group of high school students serves as Congressional messengers for one semester on Capitol Hill. Working as a team, Pages assist Members with their legislative duties, deliver correspondence and small packages within the congressional complex, answer phones in the Member Cloakrooms, and prepare the House Floor for legislative sessions.

Congressman Culberson is pleased to announce that his office has been selected to sponsor a Page for the 2009 Spring Semester. If you are currently enrolled in your junior year with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, we encourage you to apply to participate in this challenging and rewarding experience.

Pages have been an integral part of life on the Hill since they first appeared in the 1820s. Appointed by Members of Congress, they live in a dormitory facility near the Capitol and attend school in addition to their fundamental duties. For further information on the Page program in general, please click here: http://pageprogram.house.gov/.

more...

I am very pleased to report that reconstruction on the Katy Freeway has been completed!

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 28 and the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) will open the managed lanes to HOV users beginning 5 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29.

The early completion of this monumental venture is a testament to resourceful leadership, seamless cooperation between local, state and federal government and innovative funding. I am proud to be part of this model project, which brings much-needed mobility to the congested Katy Freeway and proves that letting Texans run Texas is always the best solution.

In a true team effort I worked together with TxDOT and the Harris County Commissioners' Court to develop a cost-effective plan to pay for these essential improvements. I secured the federal permit allowing I-10 to be the nation's first Interstate highway combined with locally operated toll lanes. Ensuring that local toll dollars paid the balance of the expansion meant not having to earmark one federal dollar for this plan, even though I sit on the Appropriations Committee. TxDOT officials, effective county leadership, and incentive-based contracting kept construction moving at a remarkable pace.

We broke ground in June 2003, and just over 5 years later, the largest, most expensive freeway reconstruction in Texas history is finished in record time. With wasteful projects like the Bridge to Nowhere making a mockery of our tax dollars, the Katy Freeway is truly an achievement we can all be proud of. Nowhere else in America are they building a freeway as quickly or cost-effectively as we did right here in west Houston.

more...

H.R. 3997 - Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 – This bill Empowers the new Office of Financial Stability in Treasury to purchase troubled assets from private financial institutions, making $250 billion available immediately, with another $100 billion subject to the President’s request. The final $350 billion would be subject to a Congressional vote. The total $700 billion amounts to a $6,000 outlay per US household.; Nationalizes an array of mortgages and troubled securities. Authorizes private financial institutions to carry out the provisions and creates an oversight board to monitor the program. Requires the Treasury Department to establish a federally-backed insurance program, similar to FDIC, for holders of troubled assets, if it utilizes its purchase authority (which it is expected to do). Treasury would guarantee up to 100% of the timely payment of principal and interest on certain classes of troubled assets. Provides limits on executive compensation of financial firms that participate in the program. Allows the government to get profit-sharing “warrants” from participating firms to allow taxpayers to gain as the firms recover. Requires the President to submit a plan to Congress to recoup a shortfall if the plan is losing money after 5 years. Raises the debt limit for the 3rd time this year to $11.3 trillion. OMB points out that the plan authorizes the purchase of assets so these may produce income once they’re sold. CBO couldn’t quantify the budget impact of the bill but estimated that the impact would be substantially smaller than $700 billion. I voted against this bill because I cannot saddle our children and grandchildren with new debt. - NO

H.R. 7175 - To amend the Small Business Act to improve the section 7(a) lending program - Permits the pooling of 7(a) program loans based on a weighted-average interest, to improve the efficiency of the secondary market for small commercial loans. Simplifies the standard for determining small business loan eligibility to encourage more lender participation in the program. Specifies criteria which a development company must meet to qualify for SBA lending. YES

My preferred solution to the credit crisis was to repeal the mark-to- market accounting rule and raise the $100,000 FDIC insured limit on bank deposits to $250,000. Unfortunately, this bailout bill also included $42 billion in tax increases and pork barrel spending, and I could not support it. I am committed to finding a solution that restores liquidity to the banking system, and these two steps will help immensely, giving Congress and the Administration time to think the problem through carefully. While I am glad the SEC Chairman Chris Cox repealed the mark to market rule, and that the bailout bill raised the FDIC insured limit to $250,000, I co-sponsored the conservative alternative, H.R. 7223. To read about the Free Market Protection Act, click here.

The White House and the Treasury both tell us that nothing in this bill will prevent this crisis from happening again, or bring those responsible to justice and that $700 billion may not even be enough. The bill grants the Treasury Secretary unprecedented authority - he can bail out any financial institution operating in the United States by paying any price he wants for any financial instrument, for any reason, and no one can stop him or restrain him in any way as long he makes a phone call or writes a letter to Congress telling us what he has done.

Since we will have to borrow the $700 billion by selling TBills on the international bond market, and the largest percentage of TBills are bought by the Chinese or other hostile powers through Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, under this bill, American taxpayers will borrow billions of dollars from Chinese and Middle Eastern banks to bail out Chinese and Middle Eastern banks.

This bill also raised the national debt to $11.3 trillion, doubled the deficit overnight, and saddled our children with at least $1 trillion in new unfunded obligations. All for a bill the Treasury Secretary admits won't prevent the problem in the future and may not solve the urgent problem in front of us.

Federal property managers will be able to rewrite mortgages to reduce principal and lower interest rates to zero if they wish, and they can give away foreclosed or distressed-loan homes in your neighborhood to anyone they wish. Liberals who manage these programs will give away millions of free or reduced homes in neighborhoods all over America to families who could not otherwise afford them. The federal government now has the power to create federal housing projects, house by house, in neighborhoods all over America. Just imagine what that means for property values and the safety and security of your neighborhood.