I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the people of District One, and I want to make sure that the folks at home know where I stand on the issues that are important to them.
Since I was sworn in for my first term in January, I have been fighting hard for people in Greater Arizona. This is a historic Congress, and while we confront many obstacles we still have a great opportunity to tackle these challenges, get our country back on track and get things done. That is why I will not get stuck in the partisan politics of Washington. I am working to jumpstart our economy and get folks back to work, secure our borders, bring the fiscal discipline of small towns to Washington and pay our eternal debt of gratitude to our Veterans. None of those are Democratic or Republican issues, and we will only make progress on them if we are willing to work across the aisle. This page should give you an idea of what nonpartisan steps I am taking to serve Arizona.
You can search here to see the legislation I’ve introduced and find out more about my work on key issues. But if you have any additional questions, would like any more information or want to share your thoughts with me, please feel free to contact my office. We are always happy to hear from you.
Introduced Legislation and Other Efforts:
I have introduced thirteen pieces of legislation and two amendments so far in my first term, including:
H.R. 1867, the Border Violence Prevention Act - This bill would help prevent Mexican drug cartel violence from spilling over into the U.S. by providing more boots on the ground, new equipment and 21st-century technology for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It enacts many of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s recommendations for tightening security along the border.
H.R. 1871, the Southwest Border Narcotics Reduction Act – This bill expands the successful HIDTA anti-drug trafficking program to District One, so that our local law enforcement agencies can access more support and increase coordination with federal, state and tribal law enforcement as they crack down on the drug cartels.
H.R. 2509, the Southeastern Arizona Legislative Land Exchange Act of 2009 – This bill, which I introduced after working closely with Sen. Jon Kyl, will facilitate a land exchange in the copper region that will help create thousands of jobs for Arizonans.
H.R. 2967, the Repeal of the Black Liquor Tax Loophole – This bill closes a tax loophole that has cost taxpayers billions of dollars and is putting hundreds of jobs in Northeastern Arizona at risk.
H.R. 1762, the Repeal of the Bennett Freeze – Introduced with Sen. John McCain, this bill repealed the “Bennett Freeze” law that virtually halted economic growth in western Navajo Nation and on Hopi lands. President Obama signed the Senate version into law on May 8, making me the first freshman Member of the 111th Congress to have a piece of legislation become law.
H.R. 2759, the Firefighter Hiring Grants Preservation Act - This bill will help our firefighters continue to protect us in these tough economic times, waiving the cost-sharing requirement for a major fire department grant program so that rural communities can afford to keep participating. It has been endorsed by the International Association of Firefighters and local fire chiefs.
H.R. 2879, the Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 – This bill will make it easier for Veterans living in rural areas to access quality health care options, including helping them travel to their service providers.
H.R. 1513, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 – My first bill to pass the House of Representatives, this act will help service-disabled Veterans and survivor families keep pace with the cost of basic needs like food and housing.
H.R. 2614, the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education Reauthorization Act – This nonpartisan bill will ensure that the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education (VACE) can continue providing oversight and input for Veterans’ education programs.
H.R. 2968, the Veterans and Service Members Accelerated Benefit Option Equity Act – This nonpartisan bill will allow our service members and Veterans to access accelerated benefits from their life insurance when terminally ill – without their families paying the price.
H.R. 1853, the Rim Country Water Project Advancement Act – This bill will help end the delays and Washington infighting that have held up the critical C.C. Cragin water project.
H.R. 1065, the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009 – Introduced with Sen. Kyl, this bill authorizes funding for the Miner Flat Dam and Pipeline so that the White Mountain Apache Nation and communities throughout eastern Arizona can get the drinking water supply they have been working towards for so long.
H.R. 1834, the Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009 – This act will help increase the opportunities and assistance available for Native American small business owners in my district. It passed the House as part of the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009.
H.AMDT.60 to H.R. 1404 – This amendment, which was passed as part of to the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act, helps cut through the red tape to make it easier for cities and towns in rural Arizona to receive federal funds for wildfire prevention.
H.AMDT.197 to H.R. 2410 – This amendment, which was passed as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, will help us fight the Mexican drug cartels by ensuring the federal government is cracking down on cash smuggling effectively.
Beyond introducing these pieces of legislation, I have repeatedly and publicly opposed on the Administration on critical issues.
- I led efforts against the White House’s proposal to bill a Veteran’s personal insurance for treatment of a service-connected disability.
- I joined 64 other pro-Second Amendment Democrats in sending a letter to the Attorney General opposing any reinstatement of the ineffective 1994 ban on so-called "assault weapons."
- Instead of accepting the Treasury Department's proposal that we "recycle" returned bank bailout funds to more Wall Street executives, I wrote a letter to Secretary Geithner calling for those monies to be used to pay down the national debt and co-sponsored a bill to enact my proposal.
- I successfully defeated the Administration's attempt to eliminate the the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), one of the few programs which reimburse states and localities for the costs of fulfilling the federal government’s role along the border.
- While I am continuing my work to support renewable energy, I stood up for working families, ranchers, farmers and small businesses that would be hurt by rising consumers costs and voted against the Waxman-Markey bill.
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Jumpstarting Our Economy and |
Keeping Our Promises to Our Veterans |
Still want to know more about where I stand? You can contact my office by clicking here.
