Right Now

Report Confirms that Senate Health Care Bill Would Increase Costs for Millions of Americans
I wanted to let you know that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has confirmed what we had long suspected. It has been reported that by 2016, the Senate Democrats’ health care bill, which is currently being debated, would increase individual insurance premiums by as much as 13 percent, or $2,100 a year. The CBO previously estimated that the House Republican alternative would reduce premiums in the individual health insurance market by up to 10 percent. The CBO report makes it clear that the Democrats’ health care bill fails to line up with the American people’s priorities. President Obama and Congressional Democrats have stated time and again that a key goal of health care reform is to reduce costs. Rising costs are the number one obstacle to making quality health care accessible to all Americans. Why would House and Senate Democrats continue to push for a government takeover of health care that would, in fact, raise premiums by $2,100 for millions of Americans? Their plan will mean even higher costs than if Congress took no action at all. I believe that we must pursue reform that will lower health care costs for the American people without adding to our national debt. I urge the President and Senate Democrats to abandon this harmful plan and adopt a bipartisan solution that will lower health care costs. Share your thoughts

United Nations Climate Change Negotiations Threaten American Sovereignty
I would like to express my strong concerns regarding the Copenhagen Climate Conference. From December 7-18, leaders from around the world will gather to negotiate a new international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address global climate change. These negotiations are intended to develop a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012. As the Senate continues to debate national energy tax legislation that will place tremendous costs on American families and businesses and send even more jobs overseas, I am concerned that any agreement resulting from the Copenhagen negotiations would only serve to place further regulation on the United States and other industrialized nations while also forcing us to pay billions of dollars to help boost the economies of developing countries. Indeed, the United Nations has suggested a transfer of as much as one percent of global GDP to developing nations to assist in curbing their emissions. A strong economy spurs far greater innovation than one weakened by excessive government regulation. As such, I believe that an “all of the above” energy policy that allows for continued use of our abundant and available resources to keep our economy growing as we develop our next energy technologies represents a far more balanced and commonsense approach than the global governance and oppressive policy advocated by proponents of the Kyoto Protocol and its potential successor. Share your thoughts

Recent Past

Increase of Troops in Afghanistan the Right Call But Victory Must Be Our Timeline
President Obama recently addressed the nation from West Point Military Academy and announced his strategy for Afghanistan. I’m encouraged by the President’s decision to follow the recommendations of his top general in Afghanistan and increase troop levels as part of a counter-insurgency strategy. This mission is of the utmost importance to the United States and our national security. A stable Afghanistan that partners with us against al Qaeda and like-minded extremists will significantly bolster our security. Further, U.S. troops are playing a vital role in gradually stabilizing the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, helping to strengthen the Pakistan government and ward off utter chaos in a country that has nuclear weapons and a large number of al Qaeda terrorists who wouldn’t hesitate to use them if they had access to such devastating weapons. Our troops serving there now have done heroes' work, and I am confident that those deployed in the coming months will serve just as honorably.Recently over 10,000 people came to the U.S. Capitol to express their opposition to Speaker Pelosi’s health care bill. These visitors were able to walk the halls of Congress and share their views on the health care bill with their representatives. I and many of my Republican colleagues joined them for a press event on the steps of the Capitol, and I met several of the Californians who were in DC to attend the event and express their concerns with the legislation, including Robin Flores of Chico (pictured left). I am glad to see the American people participating in our democracy, and I will continue to oppose Speaker Pelosi’s health care legislation.

It is my hope that President Obama will remain steadfast in his commitment to winning the war in Afghanistan and that he will urge his fellow Democrats in Congress to ensure that our troops are fully funded and supplied. I am concerned about the message that the President is sending the world and our troops by pursuing an arbitrary timeline for an ‘exit strategy.’ I believe that victory should be our timeline. Accepting an eighteen month deadline is a clear indication to the Taliban and al Qaeda that they can simply wait us out and that we don’t have the stomach for this fight. Although the circumstances are somewhat different, I am upbeat that a fully-resourced counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan can have similar results as it did in Iraq, and I will continue to support our troops as they implement it. Share your thoughts

President’s Decision to Try 9/11 Mastermind in New York Makes Americans Less Safe
As we continue to fight the War on Terror, I wanted to bring to your attention a development that has me deeply concerned. Recently, President Obama announced that he has decided to bring the self-confessed mastermind of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States to New York City for trial in civilian court. I believe President Obama’s decision to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a man who plotted the deaths of thousands of Americans, to the United States for criminal trial is a return to the Clinton-era mindset of treating terrorism as a crime and not an act of war. This attitude contributed directly to our lax security that made 9/11 possible. It shows a dangerous misunderstanding of the conflict we find ourselves in. By allowing these terrorists to be tried in New York City, the President has put the people of New York at risk and has undermined the legitimacy of the war tribunals established by Congress to bring terrorists to justice. Throughout this year, President Obama has naively attempted again and again to bring terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States without a plan that considers the potential risks of doing so. I strongly oppose President Obama’s decision and will work with Members of Congress to block terrorists from being tried on our soil. Share your thoughts

Northern California News and Events

Federal Lands Becoming a Haven for Illegal Drug Production
Illegal marijuana production is quickly becoming a pervasive problem across the millions of acres of federally-owned lands in our Northern California Congressional District. In many cases, armed guards roam the area around these marijuana gardens in order to protect their “crop.” This situation poses a dire threat to the safety of those who innocently venture into our federal forestlands. As federal agencies remain under-resourced to address this threat, I recently sent a letterwith several of my colleagues to the House Committee on Natural Resources to request that the Committee hold an oversight hearing. Due to the Natural Resources Committee’s jurisdiction over the federal land management agencies, an oversight hearing is an important step to bringing marijuana production into the congressional spotlight by allowing agencies to explain their challenges in dealing with this issue and what legislative assistance is needed to help their marijuana eradication efforts. In addition, I have requested a meeting with the land management agencies as well as the Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy to seek information on coordination efforts between these entities. It is my hope to bring these agencies together in an organized effort to crack down on marijuana gardens on our federal lands as well as the movement of Mexican drug cartels that run them. Furthermore, I will continue to do all I can to ensure that government resources are properly prioritized to allow these agencies to fully address this issue. Share your thoughts