March 2010 PDF Print

Right Now

The Battle Was Lost But the Fight Is Not Over

As you know, President Obama recently signed into law a government takeover of health care. The President and Speaker Pelosi forced this massive, trillion dollar legislation through without any Republican support and against the will of the American people. Although they have passed this bill, the fight is not yet over. Along with other Congressional Republicans, I will fight to repeal this destructive legislation and start over with solutions that focus first on lowering costs without growing government. During the debate, I spoke out on the House floor in strong opposition to the Democrats’ bill. You can read the text here and see a video of my reaction immediately following the vote here. Share your thoughts

 

California Should Challenge Health Care Law on Constitutional Grounds

Shortly after President Obama signed the health care bill, a bipartisan group of 13 state elected officials filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the bill’s constitutionality. The lawsuit contends that Congress does not have the authority under the Constitution to require every American to purchase government-approved coverage from health insurance companies, and that under the Tenth Amendment, this power is reserved to state governments. I have joined several other California Representatives in sending a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown urging them to support the states that are challenging the law. One of the most troubling aspects of this mandate is that it makes the IRS the chief enforcer of the new law and allows them to charge you a fine if you’re not signed up for a government-approved plan. I do not believe the federal government has the authority to institute this mandate and believe it and should be thoroughly and objectively analyzed by the courts. In addition, I will continue working with other Republican members of Congress to repeal this massive new government takeover of our health care system. Share your thoughts

 

Obama Administration Needlessly Escalates Rhetoric against Key Ally

Recently Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and key White House aides significantly intensified their rhetoric after an Israeli official announced plans to construct homes in east Jerusalem. Secretary Clinton said the timing of the announcement was “an insult” to the United States and top White House aide David Axelrod declared that it was “destructive” to Middle East peace. I believe the Obama Administration is overreacting and is needlessly undermining our relationship with our strongest ally in the Middle East. What is especially appalling is that the Administration did not hesitate to strongly criticize Israel but has tempered their condemnation of Iran, a nation that most believe is close to developing a nuclear weapon and, according to recent congressional testimony from U.S. General David Petraeus, is providing support for al Qaeda terrorists. The Administration’s olive branch diplomacy toward Iran has clearly failed, and they are just recently getting serious about seeking international support for tough sanctions against the regime. It is essential in such a dangerous region that we stand strongly with our friends in the face of the growing Iranian threat. The Administration should abandon its escalated rhetoric against Israel and instead focus on stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Share your thoughts

 


Recent Past

Republican Ban on Earmarks Important First Step Toward Fiscal Discipline

I have had a long standing policy of strict limits on the types of local requests for funding I will support to uphold the integrity of the process, but until the entire Congress takes a similar stand, I believe all earmarks must stop. For this reason, I want to let you know that I have joined House Republicans in a unilateral agreement to ban earmarks for this year in order to fix the broken process. I did so because the American people have had enough of out-of-control spending in Washington and have called on Congress time and time again to live within its means. The Republican moratorium on earmarks is an important first step toward greater fiscal responsibility. I call on Speaker Pelosi and Democrat Members of Congress to follow the GOP lead in forgoing earmarks.

Make no mistake, while important, an earmark ban will not be enough on its own. We must enact a strict cap on federal spending and meaningful entitlement reform to eliminate the crushing debt burden facing our children and grandchildren. The American people are making tough decisions with their budgets during this period of economic difficulty, and they should expect nothing less from their representatives in Congress.

Share your thoughts

 

Court Upholds “Under God” in Pledge and “In God We Trust”

I’m very pleased to report that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional. The federal appeals court, which has jurisdiction over California and eight other Western states, declared in 2002 that the phrase violates the Constitution, a decision about which I and many conservatives expressed strong concern. Fortunately, the United States Supreme Court subsequently threw out that ruling on a legal technicality. In a separate ruling, the Ninth Circuit unanimously concluded that our national motto, “In God We Trust,” is also constitutional. I applaud the Ninth Circuit for upholding the Pledge and our national motto. While Americans hold diverse religious views, I believe voluntary public acknowledgments of our nation’s unmistakable spiritual heritage are entirely proper and reflect the historical role that faith has played in America—from the first settlements along our Eastern shores, to our push for independence, to the emancipation of all Americans, to our victory over fascism and atheist communism, to our united determination to protect the American people from another terrorist attack. Share your thoughts

 


Northern California News and Events

Tea Party Meetings

Over the last two weeks I enjoyed the opportunity to speak to several grassroots Tea Party groups across the Northern California Congressional district I represent. It is truly inspiring to me to see Northern Californians coming together, getting involved, and making their voices heard. I got involved in public service many years ago because of what government was doing to me instead of for me. I have heard the same thing from so many people across Northern California and it is an honor to speak with them and encourage them as they fight against high taxes, big government spending, and restrictions on personal freedoms. Share your thoughts

 

3rd Annual Brain Injury Association’s Walk for Thought

Rep Herger at the Third Annual CA Brain Injury Association's Walk for ThoughtI recently had the privilege of being the kick-off speaker for the Third Annual California Brain Injury Association’s Walk for Thought, which was held at One Mile in Bidwell Park, Chico. The event focused on raising awareness by providing education and training to individuals with brain injury as well as to their family members and to the professionals in the field. I was glad that I could assist in bringing public attention to the issue, and I will continue to support efforts to help those affected by brain injury. Share your thoughts