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Week in Review: September 20-24
September 27, 2010
Contact: Jennifer Drogus
Week in Review: September 20 to 24
FairTax
This week, the FairTax picked up another co-sponsor in Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI). The addition of Congressman Hoekstra brings the total number of co-sponsors to 64. Due to rapidly-expanding grassroots support from across the nation, the FairTax has been gaining steady momentum. I am confident that with a wave of new representatives in Congress this January, the measure can attain the number of backers needed to get full consideration on the House floor.
To learn more about the FairTax, please click here.
Child Welfare
On September 23, 2010, H.R. 6156, a bipartisan bill I introduced with my Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee counterpart Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) passed the House of Representatives. This legislation renews the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ authority to approve demonstration projects designed to allow states to customize innovative strategies with the goal of improving outcomes in state child welfare programs. Additionally, H.R. 6156 restores some of the authority of individual states to determine policies and programs that best suit the unique populations, situations, and needs in different states. As Justice Louis D. Brandeis once said, “states are the laboratories of democracy.” This commonsense bill allows states to be flexible in creating programs and denounces a one-size-fits-all approach to supporting under-served children. To view the text of H.R. 6156 please click here.
Medicare and Medicaid
This week, the Republican Members of the Committee on Ways and Means sent a letter to Chairman Sander Levin (D-MI) asking him to invite Dr. Donald Berwick, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to testify before the full committee. The Republican Members would like to know Dr. Berwick’s plans for Medicare, especially his intentions to protect the services for American seniors. Medicare’s own actuaries have predicted that the half-trillion dollar cut in Medicare enacted in the recent health care reform law would result in some services being cut. Dr. Berwick wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Post that “under the [Democrats’ health law], Medicare is stronger than it has been in years, and seniors will get new benefits.” The Republican Members are concerned with this claim, and would like to know how Dr. Berwick came to this conclusion. We hope that Chairman Levin will respond to our letter in a timely fashion and invite Dr. Berwick to come discuss some of the Committee’s concerns.
H.R. 5983
This week, I became a co-sponsor of H.R. 5983, the “Javitz-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act of 2010.” JWOD, also known as AbilityOne since 2006, provides jobs to people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. Introduced by Representatives Ed Towns (D-NY) and Brian Bilbray (R-CA) on July 30, 2010, H.R. 5983 establishes new Federal guidelines for contract bidding. The new bidding requirements will keep pace with the needs of Federal departments and agencies and allow for expedited processing of procurement lists. As the procurement process currently stands, it takes an average of 1.5 to 2 years to get an item or service approved for the procurement list. This wait time eliminates any short-term contracts from availability, such as a 2 week contract for shredding paperwork at the VA or on a military base. In addition, the process is expensive to go through and only makes financial sense for large contracts worth over $100,000. H.R. 5983 would allow items and service contracts for a year or less and worth less than $100,000 to go through an expedited process. In general, more contracts translates to more work opportunities for AbilityOne participants.
H.R. 5983 creates jobs for people with severe disabilities, and during these difficult economic times, getting as many people to work as possible should be the first priority of the Federal government.
To read the text of H.R. 5983, please click here.
Failure of the FY2011 Defense Authorization Bill to Pass the Senate
*First, as a result of the Senate failing to reach their 60 vote threshold, this massive defense spending bill, which was full of unnecessary appropriations and amendments failed to pass the Senate by a vote of 56-43. Thus, the controversial Don’t Ask Don’t Tell military policy put in place in 1993 will not be repealed. At this point, I could not be happier or more pleased with this outcome. Republican and Democratic Senators realize how much this repeal would affect the culture of our military. And while our country is engaged in two wars against terror, it is of the utmost importance that we wait until the Pentagon releases its study on just how this repeal could affect our men and women in uniform.
*Second, the amendment included in the Defense Authorization Bill that would allow for abortions to be performed on military bases, both domestic and abroad also failed. Back in June, my colleagues and I wrote a letter to the Senate and House leadership, expressing our concern for this amendment. Military treatment centers, which are dedicated to healing and caring for life, should not facilitate the taking of the most innocent life: a child in the womb. I am pleased to see that the Senators joined in voting down this bill, so that the strong family values-one of the most important of which is the value of life- that are so unique to the United States of America continue to be upheld.
H.Res. 1587
This week I was proud to become a co-sponsor of H. Res. 1587, the “Support the Federalism Resolution,” which recognizes that the cause of liberty demands that government should be made accountable again to the consent of the governed, and calling for the real decentralization of power through the restoration of American Federalism. Introduced by Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Members of the 10th Amendment Task Force, H. Res. 1587 is a 10 point statement of Federalist principles developed in consultation with friends at the Heritage Foundation that reaffirms Congress’ commitment to the principle of federalism and the 10th Amendment. This resolution also acknowledges the historical purpose and relevance of Federalism and recognizes that the cause of liberty demands that we return to Americans taking control over their lives and making government accountable again by bringing it closer to the people.
To view a copy of the resolution, please click here.
H.J.Res. 94
This past week, I was proud to co-sponsor H.J.Res. 94, the “Recognize the 20th Anniversary of the Gulf War” resolution. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the outbreak of the Gulf War. Introduced by Representative Michael Michaud, H.J. Res. 94 would honor the brave service members who participated in this historic event. This join resolution would not only commemorate the 20th anniversary of the outbreak of the Gulf War, but most importantly, reaffirm our commitment to the approximately 694,550 veterans, of which an estimated 174,000 still suffer from Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses to ensure that their sacrifices and brave service will never be forgotten.
To view a copy of this resolution, please click here.
H.Res. 1630
Lastly, this past week I co-sponsored H.Res. 1630, “Expressing Support for National POW/MIA Recognition Day.” September 17, 2010, was the national POW/MIA Recognition Day, and I was proud to stand alongside my colleagues of both parties as we supported this special day and honored our fallen heroes. During the course of conflicts involving American soldiers in World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and Vietnam, over 138,000 American servicemen and women were detained or interned as POW’s. Many were subjected to severe torture, starvation, and forced labor. The bodies of 84,000 members of the Armed Services remain missing from those conflicts even today. The bravery and sacrifice of these courageous Americans is reason enough to honor their memory, but the uncertainty, hardship, and pain endured by the families, friends, and loved ones of the POW and MIA soldiers must never be forgotten.
To view a copy of this resolution, please click here.
Adoption
This past week, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $39 million to 38 states and Puerto Rico for increasing the number of children adopted from foster care. Typically, states view these funds as an incentive award to improve their child welfare programs. Using the year 2007 as a baseline, this year’s incentive award recipients completed more adoptions in 2009 than in 2007.
I am proud that Georgia was one of the states receiving this financial reward and hope this upward trend continues. Children all over deserve to have loving, nurturing homes to grow up in. It is truly encouraging to see so many states creating successful programs that result in the adoption of foster children, and I am thankful for every family who has provided a loving and permanent home to these many children. For a complete list of the states receiving incentive funds, please click here.
Blog of the Week
As the impending expiration of the Bush tax cuts looms over the heads of hard working American families, I was encouraged this week when my Republican colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee joined with National Taxpayers Union’s (NTU) Executive Vice President Pete Sepp to hold a press conference and unveil a letter signed by over 300 economists in support of “extending current tax rates on income and investments in order to prevent a devastating blow to America’s fragile economic recovery.” House Republicans and at least 31 Democrats oppose ending the Bush tax cuts, and have called for an extension of all current rates.
At a time when American citizens are struggling left and right to simply make ends meet, it is tragic that the Democrat Majority and this Administration would even consider allowing tax cuts to expire and raising taxes. It is time that our leadership realizes the way to jumpstart our economy back on a path of prosperity is to let more Americans and businesses keep more of their hard-earned dollars. I whole-heartedly agree with the NTU Executive Vice President Pete Sepp, who stated: “Through this statement of economists, including a Nobel Laureate, Congress now has more than 300 additional reasons to stop the 2011 tax hike. But in reality, there are over 300 million reasons-each and every American’s economic future. Unless Congress extends the 2001 and 2003 taxpayer relief laws for everyone-workers, investors, and job creators, we will all lose.” To view a copy of the letter, click here.
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