Since the beginning of the year, the Democratic majority continues to advance an agenda of more spending and greater debt in Congress.

 

Just two weeks ago, we saw passage in the House of a devastating national energy tax in the form of the "cap and trade" bill. This legislation, containing 397 regulations and 1,060 government mandates, is projected to cost American families more than $3,000 a year, raise energy bills by $1,500, and reduce employment by more than a million jobs. My hope is the Senate puts the brakes on this misguided legislation.

 

Making sure Kansans have access to quality, affordable health care is one of my top priorities. As Congress begins to consider health care reform, it is critical that the process be transparent so that Americans and Members of Congress fully understand the implications of any proposal. I am troubled that Congress has recently passed rushed and flawed legislation that drastically expands government. Massive spending bills and a national carbon tax have been passed with haste and too little debate. With so much at stake in health care reform, Congress must not rush a bill through just to get something passed. We need to have a true exchange of ideas and a real debate on the different proposals.

 

Boehner on Fox News Sunday: "Where Are the Jobs?"

Republican Leader Discusses House GOP's Better Solution to Create Jobs, Warns of a Government Takeover of Health Care that Raises Taxes, Denies Care

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Breaking his half-a-millennium media silence from eternal damnation, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Grand Inquisitor joined a chorus of presumed conservatives to endorse President Obama's health care reforms.

 

Resplendently stooped beneath a banner reading "Enslave, But Feed Us!" the Grand Inquisitor commenced with a veiled shot at former President Bush: "The present fate of men may be summed up in three words: unrest, confusion, and misery! The bulk of humanity could never be happy under the old system, it is not for them."

 

National Defense Authorization Act of 2009

Last week, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 389 to 22. It is a bipartisan bill that provides our troops with the key funding needed to succeed in our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

While I am pleased that aid is on the way to our troops, I am disappointed as to what is not in this bill. Unfortunately, my colleagues and I were not able to have the opportunity to take a stance on an issue that is very important to the safety of our troops, an amendment that our friends in the Senate voted unanimously in favor of: the release of the detainee photographs to our enemies abroad.

 

WASHINGTON - Wisconsin's 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan today spoke out on behalf of the families and small businesses that would be on the receiving end of a massive new energy tax. Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, by a vote of 219 to 212, with bipartisan opposition. Ryan voted against this legislation.

 

Mr./Madam Speaker,

 

From the hellish streets where Iranians demand freedom, voices arise to pray for deliverance and liberty; but, elsewhere, safely ensconced in freedom, others argue for appeasement and "neutrality." We must choose wisely between these competing voices and visions, lest we betray our allegiance to liberty.

 

Some voices allege America's support of Iranian democracy demonstrators harms their cause; strengthens the regime; increases the repression; and, once the freedom seekers are slaughtered, precludes "good" relations with the murderous mullahs.

 

Politicians have no business deciding what's 'excessive' pay

 

Our commitment to market principles has created our nation's storied success. Yet some in Washington are disturbingly willing to abandon liberty and principle, and inject government control into private markets.

 

Perhaps nowhere is this desertion of principle more appalling than in the proposed limits and regulations on compensation for private citizens. Like most plans from this administration and Congress, this "solution" only compounds the problem.

 

"The Voting Rights Act was a landmark achievement for the Civil Rights Movement, when it was initially passed in 1965. Unfortunately, bureaucrats seized upon perceived opportunities to abuse the measure, twisting the bill to seize power from the states and hand it over to the federal government -- a far cry from the bill's initial intent of rectifying racial discrepancies in the ability to vote freely.

 

Her name was Neda. In Farsi, it means "the voice." True to her name, she loved music; sought freedom; and she's dead - shot down in the streets by the Iranian regime's state sanctioned murderers. She must not have died in vain.

 

Today, Iranians and Americans face a generational chance for freedom - one that ensures a rogue regime's implosion prevents a nuclear confrontation.

 

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas) today released the following statement after House passage of a bipartisan resolution, H.Res. 560, which expresses support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law:

 

"Today our country took an important step in showing support for many Iranians and their quest for democracy. The United States is the greatest democracy in the world, and today we expressed our sympathy for the people of Iran who are fighting for their basic rights, thus showing our solidarity with those who seek the same liberties in their country that we enjoy in ours."

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)  issued the following statement after the House passed a bipartisan resolution expressing support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and the protection of the rule of law:

 

Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement in response to the Democrat leadership's decision to clamp down on the minority's rights to participate in the appropriations process - the fundamental task afforded to Congress by the U.S. Constitution.

 

Last week, House Republicans released our proposal for reforming the financial regulatory system, and now the administration has put forward its plan.

 

The Republican and Democratic plans for reforming our financial regulatory system are a study in sharp contrasts. While the Democrats' plan keeps in place a system in which large financial institutions look to Washington and the U.S. taxpayer for relief when they become big enough or inter-connected enough to bring down the financial system if they fail, Republicans' response is "never again."

Washington, DC -Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, is very pleased that legislation has been approved by the House to award the Women Air Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II the Congressional Gold Medal. The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress' highest honor and this act will honor these women pilots who have never received any formal or public recognition for their wartime service to the United States.

 

Ros-Lehtinen introduced the bill in the House and today managed the legislation on the House Floor. It will now be sent to the President for his signature.

 

"I come to this floor at an extraordinary moment on the global stage.

 

"According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the official news agency of Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supposedly won the election over his primary opponent on 12 June, 2009. But from the very moment that that election result was announced, the international community and the international press called it into question. The basis for that, even before the extraordinary demonstrations had begun to take place, was the fact that these were paper ballots. But the official government results of the election were announced literally within hours of the polls being closed. Various media outlets around the world questioned the authenticity of the results.

 

Last week, I introduced legislation to keep your tax dollars from going to organizations that are indicted for voter fraud or related crimes, or that employ people indicted for such criminal behavior. Getting federal funds is not a right and organizations that want access your hard-earned tax dollars should have to meet high standards. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and groups that have repeatedly engaged in questionable activities have gotten millions of dollars.

 

As President Obama announced yet another $30 billion in taxpayer funds for GM today, U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) reiterated the best way to re-start manufacturing and end government intervention in the auto industry is to give Americans incentives to buy cars and trucks again.

 

Manzullo introduced legislation earlier this year to give Americans a $5,000 voucher to purchase a new vehicle, stimulating auto sales and manufacturing, re-starting the supply chains, and putting millions of Americans back to work. The New Automobile Voucher Act of 2009 (HR 1606) would provide a one-time, $5,000 electronic voucher from the U.S. Treasury at the point of sale of a new vehicle through the end of 2009. It would provide vouchers for 15 million new vehicles.

 

Government Motors

Earlier today, President Obama announced plans to provide another $30 billion in federal money to General Motors in addition to $20 billion received from earlier bailouts. Under this reorganization plan, the American taxpayers will hold a 60 percent ownership stake General Motors.

 

I believe putting the federal government in this large of an ownership position of a private company is the wrong approach. General Motors should be allowed to enter into bankruptcy without the Obama Administration dictating a restructuring plan and the taxpayers taking on the risk.