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Author: Henry E. Brown


The Return of Tax and Spend Big Government

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (March 06, 2009, 01:36 PM)

At a time when the American people are hurting and calling on Congress and the White House to take action to get this economy moving, higher taxes and massive increases in federal spending are not the cures for what ails this economy.  Unfortunately, the President's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget offers us just that - even though the American people know we cannot tax, spend, and bail our way back into economic growth.

The President's budget will raise taxes on almost every American during a time when we all are feeling the impact of this recession.  While small businesses are the engine of our nation's economy, this Budget will directly target them with tax increases.  Given continued slump in the job market, we should providing incentives for small business to grow - not throwing a tax increase at them.  

While families are struggling to make ends meet, the President's budget calls for increasing utility rates on every single household in America. While charities such as higher education, health research foundations, and religious organizations are struggling under reduced support and higher demand for their services, the President's budget calls for cutting the tax deduction on donations to these important parts of our community.  While middle class families saving for retirement have seen their 401(k) significantly reduced by the challenges facing the stock market, the President's budget means a tax increase for them as well. 

I am proud to stand on the side of American people and of the First District in support of a responsible budget that  helps get our economy back on track without piling more debt on future generations and increasing taxes on American families and small businesses.  With family budgets tightening, nest eggs shrinking, and job security weakening for far too many across the country, the last thing Congress should be considering is a budget that combines a trillion-dollar tax hike with a historic increase in government spending.  

Posted in Economy, Taxes | View Full Posting

 


What's in the Democrat's Stimulus Bill?

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (February 13, 2009, 01:33 PM)

As Congress debates the "stimulus" bill today, I thought you might want to see exactally what is in this bill.

Here is the actual text of the bill.  It's more than 1,000 pages, filled with hand-written edits and changes.  My good friend Tom Price of Georgia took Americans on a tour of the stimulus bill earlier today, and you can view his web-video below.

House Republicans only got the bill at 11 am last night - just over 12 hours from when we are going to vote on the legislation.  During that time, staff went through the legislation and produced this summary, which points out how Democrats reduced job-creating tax cuts to add more wasteful Washington spending.  Despite all this, the way this bill was put together means that few, if anyone, in Washington knows what is actually in H.R. 1.  As you look through the bill, I urge you to email me your concerns about specific provisions

Posted in Economy | View Full Posting

 


New Year Brings Higher VA Travel Reimbursement

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (December 30, 2008, 05:08 PM)

Good news! Beginning January 9th, any service-disabled or low income veteran who must travel to get health care at a VA hospital in the First District or any other VA facility across the nation will receive a larger reimbursement for their travel costs.

I have heard from many of my constituents that, with the ever fluctuating cost of gas, transportation to the necessary VA facilities can often be extremely expensive. It often was difficult for Horry County veterans to afford the cost of traveling to the Johnson VAMC in Charleston.  High energy costs and the proximity to a health care facility should not determine whether or not a veteran receives the necessary care. 

For this reason, I applaud a recent law that now enables the VA give more back to veterans for their mileage reimbursements. The VA will not only be able to keep $18/year per veteran for administrative expenses; previously the VA was keeping a maximum of $46.62 per year.

In addition to all service connected and low-income veterans now being eligible for reimbursement, other veterans traveling for Compensation and Pension examinations qualify for coverage of their travel costs as well. This change, combined with the November raise in the mileage reimbursement to 41.5 cents/mile, will now ensure that all veterans living in the First District, and across the nation, have access to the world-class health care provided by the VA.

Visit the Veterans' Casework page on my website to find VA facilities, find out information about VA health benefits, and apply for benefits.

Posted in Energy, Veterans | View Full Posting

 


Helping Protect and Recover Stranded Sea Turtles

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (December 29, 2008, 04:58 PM)

A recent article in the Charleston Post & Courier highlights the work of the Sea Turtle Hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium.  The presence of this hospital at the Aquarium is a great resource for our region.  Not only is the South Carolina Aquarium one of Charleston’s top tourist attractions, it educates Charlestonians and the on-site Hospital ensures that stranded turtles from all over coastal South Carolina get on the road to recovery.  I have been proud to work with the South Carolina Aquarium to make sure that badly needed federal funding goes to support the Sea Turtle Hospital's work and research  that may one day help reduce strandings in coastal South Carolina and across the globe.

In support of their efforts, during 2008, I wrote and introduced legislation to expand our nation's commitment to marine turtles.  The Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2008 would assist in the conservation of marine turtles and help preserve their nesting habitats in foreign countries.  Additionally, I worked to increase funding for important sea turtle conservation programs ran through the Fish and Wildlife Service.  Next Congress, I look forward to getting my legislation enacted so that conservation efforts can be increased both in South Carolina and across the globe.

Posted in Environment and Wildlife | View Full Posting

 


Documents Show Fannie and Freddie at Heart of Meltdown

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (December 22, 2008, 12:00 PM)

Back in October, I led a number of my colleagues in calling for the books of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be opened up so that Americans could see how actions by executives at the two mortgage giants set the ground work for today's financial crisis.  House Republicans also called on the House Democratic leadership to hold hearings on actions by these two companies.  While the Democrats waited until other news took Fannie and Freddie out of the spot light, a recent hearing and the release of internal documents spells out just what I and my Republican colleagues have been saying all along: the leadership of these two institutions were warned about how risky their actions were, yet they ignored these warnings because any change would slow down profits and upset politicians who were pushing them to make loans that would never be repaid. 

You can read the Washington Post article on the story here, and view the documents for yourself here (note, this is a large pdf document).  The Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have also put together some information that is of interest.  I found this quote a prime example of how the leadership of Fannie and Freddie failed the American taxpayers and put our financial system in the situation it faces:

Edward Pinto, former chief credit officer for Fannie Mae and now a real estate finance consultant, estimates that 1 million of the GSEs’ Alt-A loans had no down payment. Pinto said one in six home mortgages could fail over the next four years and that, before the crisis tends, 40 percent of all the loans on Fannie and Freddie’s books that originated in 2007 will default. "Fannie and Freddie have subprimed America," Pinto said. "Without their actions, we would not have this unprecedented housing crisis."

While I am pleased that the Democrats on the Oversight Committee held the hearing, the fact that the leaders at these companies were warned about risky loans at the same time they were under political pressure to make these loans demands a more through investigation.  Congress needs to get to the bottom of this situation and find out not only why the executives of Fannie and Freddie were permitted to ignore repeated warnings, and what role Congress itself may have played. 

Posted in Economy | View Full Posting

 


Backing Restructuring Over Bailout for the Big Three

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (December 04, 2008, 05:04 PM)

The Senate's decision before Thanksgiving to not take up legislation on the auto bailout clearly signals that the corporate leadership of GM, Ford, and Chrysler must move forward with a significant restructuring of their companies and product lines.  The three U.S. manufacturers, currently burdened with top heavy management, exorbitant and unrealistic employee salaries and benefits at all levels, and union monopolization, are unable to adjust  their product lines to meet the needs of today's consumers and were in financial crisis long before our economy took a turn for the worse.

I do not believe that it is the nation's responsibility to fix them as it was their own bad decision to continue agreeing to the labor unions' demands for exorbitant benefits and retirement packages and to rely on gas guzzlers to make their profit during a time when cost conscious foreign automakers were building cars here in the United States that people want to buy.

Locally, it would be hard for me to go to back to BMW, a company that announced earlier this year that, in a $750 million investment, the volume of cars exported through the Port of Charleston is expected to increase 50 percent to about 150,000 vehicles year, and tell them that I supported giving money to their competitors who made poor business decisions to begin with.

The CEO's of the three manufacturers were sent home after being told that they must come up with an alternate plan, as the original $700 billion bailout money was not allotted for this purpose.  This week they submitted their new plans, and Congress is currently conducting hearings on them.  Below are links to the plans.  Please let me know your thoughts at http://brown.house.gov/Contact/writebrown.html.      

 
 

Posted in Economy | View Full Posting

 


Interior Dept. Takes 1st Steps Towards More American Energy

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (November 16, 2008, 12:53 PM)

As a long-time supporter of an ‘all of the above’ energy solution, I believe that addressing our nation’s energy crisis is the first step in correcting our economic woes.

Just this week, the U.S. Department of Interior announced that it will begin the process of opening areas off the Virginia coast for exploration and production of American energy.  This is just the kind of step that must be taken to follow through on this fall’s historic lifting of the offshore drilling ban.  Even though energy prices have seen a recent reduction, this should not reduce the need to move our nation towards energy independence and financial stability.

By opening up more domestic energy sources off our coasts and on our soil, we can begin providing Americans more with American energy. In addition, we will keep billions of dollars here at home, instead of sending it to fill the treasuries of foreign nations.  These dollars can be used to create thousands of jobs for the American people and begin to rebuild our economy with the resulting infrastructure.

Our task now is to ensure that this victory is not short lived.  House Democratic leaders have already asserted that restoring the bans ‘will be a top priority for discussion next year.’ Liberal Democrats close to President-elect Obama have stated that they plan to urge the new President to use executive orders to reinstate these outdated energy bans.  House Republicans will do everything to prevent this.

Posted in Energy | View Full Posting

 


The October Employment Report - Righting the Ship

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (November 07, 2008, 07:02 PM)

As news broke that U.S. companies cut 240,000 jobs in October and unemployment has spiked to 6.5 percent, the highest since March 1994, I urge Congress that we must resist steps that would only deepen the economic pain felt by famlies and small businesses.

As a long-time supporter of an ‘all of the above’ energy solution, I believe that committing ourselves to addressing our nation’s energy crisis is a major step towards correcting our economic woes.

I was proud to have worked with my Republican colleagues to force the Democratic Congress to open the door to more American energy by allowing the outdated ban on energy production on the Outer Continental Shefl to expire.  By opening up domestic energy sources off our coasts and on our soil we can begin providing Americans with American energy. In addition, we will not only keep billions of dollars that we are currently paying, often, enemy nations for their resources, but we will be able to create thousands of jobs for the American people and begin rebuilding our economy with the resulting infrastructure.

While allowing the bans to expire was a significant first step, there are many Democrats in Congress who are already talking about renewing them once the 111th Congress comes into session.  Not only will I stand against those efforts, but I will work to ensure that those who want us to be dependent upon foreign sources of energy do not use the court system to block energy production with endless lawsits. 

Addressing our domestic energy deficit will result in the ultimate strengthening of our economy however, we must also ensure that we get to the root of our economic problems. 

Despite Democrat efforts to cover up the facts, hearings over the month of October showed that the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were at the root of the financial crisis.  I, along with my Republican colleagues in the House are demanding a complete review of these two institutions. The American people deserve the opportunity to do their own investigation into the decisions made by the executives at these two companies – decisions that have imperiled our nation’s economy.  Once we find that out, we need to fix what is broken in the system.

What we must resist are efforts by Congressional Democrats to use the economic challenges facing our nation to raise taxes.  Their tax increases would cost the average South Carolina taxpayer some $2,000, and would target married couples, small businesses,and seniors.  Instead, we need to enact tax relief that is focused on working families and small businesses.

Reducing our energy deficit, addressing our infrastructure challenges, attacking the root causes behind the crisis, and enacting tax relief are essential steps to return our economy to the path of prosperity and growth.

Posted in Economy, Energy, Transportation | View Full Posting

 


Fannie & Freddie: Examining the Real Root of the Economic Debacle

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (October 15, 2008, 06:00 PM)

As our country faces historic economic challenge, I believe it is essential that the Democratic Congress closely examine the facts of history and not ignore the role of the largest players at the center of the economic debacle: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Republican’s have been scrutinizing these mortgage giants since 2004, when they called hearings after reports of fraudulent accounting activities at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  These reports showed that Fannie was reporting false earnings in a way that triggered extra bonuses to company executives and also brought to light significant problems with the portfolios maintained by both Fannie and Freddie – especially the fact that they held trillions of dollars in risky mortgage backed securities.

During the House Financial Services Committee hearings, Committee Republicans made their initial call for reform and increased oversight of Fannie and Freddie, asked the tough questions and successfully passed H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. All the while, Committee Democrats claimed there was “no crisis”, called the regulator “incompetent” and were viscerally angry at the idea that problems could be occurring at Fannie and Freddie.

I strongly supported H.R 1461, and had its consideration not been blocked by liberal Democrats in the Senate, it would have restructured both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, created massive oversight and inevitably prevented Fannie and Freddie’s $1 trillion buying binge of risky subprime and mortgage backed securities between 2005 and 2007. 

From 1990 to 2005, Fannie and Freddie grew more than 944% to $1.64 trillion, while their liabilities grew by 980% to $1.51 trillion. The two gambled with taxpayer dollars and lost. Between 1998 and 2008, they spent nearly $175 million combined lobbying Congress, and between 2000 and 2008, Fannie and Freddie employees contributed nearly $15 million to the campaign coffers of congressional candidates and party committees.

Republicans have been trying for years to reform the two mortgage giants, but because of liberal Democrats Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were able to continue with their unethical policies and dangerous predatory lending that has laid the foundation for the economic troubles that is having an impact on every single taxpayer in America.

In yet another effort to reform Fannie and Freddie, I, along with many of my Republican colleagues will be sending a letter urging the current regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to bring increased transparency to their past financial dealings and decision making. I believe that providing open access to the documents and financial paperwork of these two massive organizations would go far towards helping Congress and the nation not only understand what failed, but also make the necessary changes to prevent us from going down this road again.

My Republican colleagues and I continue to demand a bipartisan committee hearing to expose the root of the issue and create a necessary and complete review of Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac. In order to bring the key facts to the American people, the hearing must include testimony from former executive Frank Raines and other former Fannie and Freddie executives.  There have been serious problems with Fannie and Freddie since 2004, and these problems, having grown, are some of the key causes of our current economic crisis.

Posted in Economy | View Full Posting

 


The Democrats' "energy" bill - "all of the above" or only "some of the above"?

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (September 12, 2008, 05:20 PM)

You have probably heard in recent days that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat Majority plan to take up a so called “energy bill” on the House floor next week.  While no one outside of the Speaker’s Chambers in the Capitol has seen this energy bill, rumors about its contents have started to leak out in the press.  From those reports, this is what we have been able to understand about this bill – legislation that is designed solely to provide political cover in the upcoming election instead of providing a true “all of the above” approach to lower gas prices:
 
1.      The bill leaves out critical revenue-sharing with coastal states – meaning that while states like Louisiana and Texas receive federal royalty payments in return for permitting environmentally responsible energy production offshore, states like South Carolina would receive not a single red cent.  The more than $2 trillion that would be received in royalties from this energy production would go straight into the federal treasury, opening the door for big government spending without helping coastal states.  
 
2.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill permanently locks up more than 1 trillion barrels of oil from oil shale in the Inter-Mountain West.
 
3.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill permanently locks up more than 10 billion barrels of oil on Alaska’s remote North Slope – an area where energy production and wildlife have been safely coexisting for decades.
 
4.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill blocks more nuclear power production – clean, efficient, and less costly production that nations such as France have been safely using for years while the United States continues to fall behind.  Companies in South Carolina are currently working diligently to get new nuclear power facilities permitted and under construction – will the Democrats’ bill stop those efforts cold?
 
5.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill does nothing to construct new clean coal energy production facilities – facilities that are a win-win, with benefits both to consumers and for the environment.
 
6.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill raises taxes – a new burden for overstressed consumers already paying high prices at the pump and preparing to pay higher home heating costs this winter.  High energy prices are already taxing families, businesses, and non-profits, while forcing local governments to cut some services. 
 
7.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill permanently prevents federal agencies from using unconventional and alternative sources of fuel at exactly the time when Congress should be encouraging the use of these fuels.
 
8.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill increases electricity costs on families, seniors, and small businesses by creating a new, heavy-handed electricity mandate.  This will have a direct impact on South Carolina energy users, and represents an old idea that failed during 2007.
 
9.      The Democrats’ “no energy” bill includes plans for exactly zero new refineries to be built on American soil.  Is this the way to show our competitors around the globe that we are finally serious about achieving energy independence?  Refinery construction is required to go through one of the most stringent permitting processes in the country, yet this legislation seems to not even open the door so such permitting can start.
 
10. The Democrats’ “no energy” bill defies the will of a solid majority of Americans who support the House GOP’s “all of the above” plan to increase American energy production, promote the use of alternative and renewable fuels, and encourage more conservation and efficiency.
 
Is this an “all of the above” energy policy?  I don’t think so – instead it is more of the same.  To find out about my solutions for our energy challenges, visit http://brown.house.gov/Issues/energy.html

Posted in Energy | View Full Posting

 


The Seventh Anniversary of 9/11

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (September 11, 2008, 12:22 PM)

Today, I joined my colleagues and on the grounds of the Pentagon for the dedication of the Pentagon Memorial.  We were joined by President Bush, many of those who were inside the Pentagon on that fateful day, and by the rescue workers who bravely charged into the smoke and flames without regard for their own safety.  The ceremony was not just to dedicate the memorial, it was to honor the lives of those lost and recognize the strength of their surviving family members and the unfailing resolve of our nation. 

After the ceremony, every member of Congress, both House and Senate, went to the Capitol steps to mark that even during times of partisan disagreement, we still can stand together as a Congress and as a nation.  I will certainly be reflecting a great deal today, thinking back to an event that so changed our nation and remembering those who were lost seven years ago today.  You can read more of my thoughts as part of a statement I released earlier today.

Posted in Defense, Homeland Security | View Full Posting

 


Trucking Association Brings Support to Brown-sponsored Energy Solutions

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (September 03, 2008, 01:51 PM)

As I have heard from so many of you regarding the impact of high energy costs, I have heard some of the most powerful stories from First District residents who drive a truck for a living.  Be it the independent operator who moves cargo in and out of the Port of Charleston or the trucker driver who works for one of the major firms hauling food to the hotels along the Grand Strand, American truckers are currently seeing the highest prolonged fuel prices in history.  It takes $1,400 to fill up the average 18-wheeler. 

Because of this, I was glad to see that the American Trucking Associations has endorsed bipartisan legislation that I and a number of my colleagues wrote and introduced in July.  H.R. 6709, the National Conservation, Environment, and Energy Independence Act, is bipartisan, balanced legislation that increases domestic production of energy and invests billions into renewable and alternative fuels, while providing incentives for the American people to conserve and use energy more wisely.  In announcing ATA’s support for the legislation, ATA First Vice Chairman Charles “Shorty” Whittington said “We need a comprehensive energy plan. The National Conservation, Environment, and Energy Independence Act is part of this comprehensive solution.”  You can read ATA’s full announcement online at their website.

 

Posted in Energy, Transportation | View Full Posting

 


Charleston’s SPAWAR marks integration of 10,000th MRAP vehicle

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (August 28, 2008, 02:05 PM)

An important new piece of Lowcountry history was made earlier this month, as Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center (SSC) Charleston celebrated the integration of the 10,000th Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. MRAP vehicles, which are specially designed and manufactured to protect troops from IDEs and other treats they face in Iraq, are outfitted with a full complement of communications, computers, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) equipment at SSC Charleston.

Four soldiers who have used MRAP vehicles in Iraq provided first-hand accounts of the vehicles capabilities and offered vivid testimony as to their life-saving role in support of their mission.

While MRAPs are built by many companies around the country, including in Charleston, all of them must come to SPAWAR for final integration to make them ready for the warfighter.  And getting them ready requires a full team effort with so many partners, especially Charleston’s 841st Transportation Battalion, Charleston Air Force Base 437th and 315th Airlift Wings, and many commands on¬ the Naval Weapons Station. 

I have been proud to support this effort in Congress, working with my colleagues to provide the funding needed to buy these vehicles and get them into the field protecting our troops as soon as possible.  However, if the hard working folks in Charleston hadn’t stepped up, they never would have gotten there. 

And they certainly did get there – going from inception to full rate production in little over a year.  The team generally integrates 5 MRAPs a day, but has completed as many as 69 in one day to make sure they are on the way to protect our troops.  Indeed, the Secretary of the Navy has compared the work done at SPAWAR to the work done at the Naval Shipyard more than 65 years ago when we fought a different enemy. 

Hats off to these hard working Lowcountry residents – your country owes you a debt of gratitude. 

Posted in Defense | View Full Posting

 


Upholding the Constitutional Right to Bear Arms

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 31, 2008, 03:58 PM)


Like so many across the country, I was pleased with the US Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning the District of Columbia’s gun ban.  However, the progress contained in this decision is at risk with the city government currently considering regulations that fly directly in the face of the Court’s decision.  As a supporter of the right to bear arms, I strongly believe that the resident’s of our Nation’s Capital should not have their Constitutional rights limited.  As such, I recently signed a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation that will enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling and guarantee individuals the right to defend themselves and their families in their own homes with simple, ordinary firearms, including handguns.

The legislation would block efforts by the District of Columbia government to make gun ownership nearly impossible through new, duplicative, and burdensome provisions.  Specifically, the measure would:

  • Repeal the D.C. handgun ban and the storage requirement that prohibits keeping a firearm ready for self-defense in the home;
  • Repeal the D.C. registration system, which serves as the vehicle for even more restrictions; and
  • Restrict the D.C. City Council’s authority to impose burdens on residents’ Second Amendment rights.
In addition to helping move this legislation forward, I was proud to join with a bipartisan majority of my colleagues in sending a brief to the Supreme Court in support of efforts to end DC’s unconstitutional gun ban. 

Posted in Right to Bear Arms | View Full Posting

 


Helping to Employ Veterans

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 28, 2008, 02:45 PM)

Often, when our servicemen and women return home from combat, it is difficult for them to find new employment.  I believe that it is important to support our nation’s bravest and do all that we can to ensure a smooth transition into their next area of employment.

To help in this effort, I was proud to join with Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) to author a resolution that encourages the President to issue a proclamation calling upon employers, labor organizations, veterans’ service organizations, and federal, state and local government agencies to lend their support to increase employment of the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.  The “Hire a Vet” week resolution was once of the first pieces of legislation passed during the 110th Congress.
 
In addition to my efforts, the Department of Veterans has partnered with Monster Government Solutions of Monster Worldwide, Inc., and they have come up with a new plan to help veterans find jobs. This partnership between the VA and the online employment website provides veteran-owned small businesses with the opportunity to post job openings for veterans at a large price discount. The postings will be up twice as long as other postings and will also offer specific options for service-disabled veterans.

"This government-corporate partnership represents the best kind of effort to help those who gave up time in their lives to serve their country and return to an economic community that may not recognize their skills," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "The program should make it easier for employers to find qualified job candidates as well as veteran suppliers and service contractors."  

To get involved, veteran business owners must go to http://www.VetBiz.gov and list their business on the VA’s online vendor page.  If you are a veteran looking for information about employment opportunities, visit http://www.hirevetsfirst.gov/.  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of my district offices.

Posted in Veterans | View Full Posting

 


Demanding the Respect that Our Military Deserves

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 23, 2008, 06:50 PM)

When our service men and women return home from combat zones all over the world, they never expect to be denied entrance into the airports of their own country.

Believe it or not, this has been occurring to our nation’s bravest. In September 2007, soldiers returning home from Iraq were denied access to the terminal building at Oakland International Airport.  The passengers aboard this military charter had already been screened in Kuwait and granted access to the terminal at Kennedy International Airport in New York. 

My colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and I took particular notice of this occurrence.  After looking into things, we requested that the Department of Transportation investigate the incident. 

The report revealed the need for a uniform process for handling members of the Armed Forces coming into U.S. commercial airports. As a result, the Department of Defense, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines proper protocols for ensuring that our soldiers are always treated with respect at commercial airports.

This new policy will be going into effect immediately.  Our fighting men and women should be able to see the families as soon as possible after landing – and not have to sit through a security line.  For more information on the Memorandum of Understanding go to http://republicans.transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=441.

Posted in Defense, Transportation, Veterans | View Full Posting

 


Working to Preserve South Carolina's Civil War Heritage

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 17, 2008, 05:59 PM)

As home to Ft. Sumter, Morris Island, and many other Civil War sites, the 1st District holds a special place in our nation's history that must be preserved.  That's why I have been working so hard with my colleague Gary Miller from California to update and extend a program under the National Park Service that is designed to provide financial assistance to preserve and protect these nationally significant places in our history. 

Last week, I joined with my colleagues on the National Parks Subcommittee of the House Resources Committee during a hearing on Mr. Miller's legislation (H.R. 2933).  During the hearing, we heard from one of my constituents, Alex McMillan, a Trustee of the Civil War Preservation Trust and a former Member of Congress. 

Congressman McMillan talked about the important role that funding through the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program has played in protecting Civil War battlefields throughout the US. (link to McMillan testimony)

While funds from the CWBPP have yet to be used to preserve any land in South Carolina, there are 11 sites in the Palmetto State that would be eligible for preservation under H.R. 2933. These include sites such as Fort Sumter and Morris Island, which saw the heroic actions of the African-American 54th Massachusetts Infantry as depicted in the film Glory. 

This week, H.R. 2933 was sent to the House floor by the Natural Resources Committee.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill on the House floor schedule before the end of the 110th Congress.

Additional Information: 1-pager on legislation from the Civil War Battlefield TrustLetter from Civil War Battlefield Trust Article on legislation in the Charleston Post & Courier

Posted in Environment and Wildlife, Tourism | View Full Posting

 


Taking to the House Floor to Discuss Our Nation's Energy Crisis

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 16, 2008, 03:30 PM)

This morning, during the one-minute speeches that occur before the House starts its business for the day, I came to the House floor to discuss the need for Congress to act on solutions to our nation's energy crisis.  You can view the floor statement below:

Posted in Energy | View Full Posting

 


In Case you Missed It: Momentum Grows for Energy Solutions (Charleston Regional Business Journal)

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 11, 2008, 03:10 PM)

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable Friday.  As talk up here in Washington continues on our nation’s energy challenge and the need to find solutions, I wanted to make sure you saw a recent article in the Charleston Regional Business Journal about how momentum is growing for more domestic energy production and exploration, as well as nuclear, renewables, and other alternative fuels.  An important fact from the story that debunks claims from those who don’t want any American energy production: in order to be seen 100 miles offshore, energy infrastructure would have to be the height of 5 and a half Empire State buildings.  At 23 miles, a standard rig disappears from view.

Here is the link to the story online: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/current/14_14/news/12339-1.html.  You can also view a PDF version here.

Have a great weekend!

Posted in Energy | View Full Posting

 


Welcome!

Posted by: Henry E. Brown (July 09, 2008, 03:13 PM)

Welcome to my new blog!  As part of my commitment to constituent service, I have added this new feature to my website to not only keep you informed about action in Washington as it happens, but to also ensure you have access to updated constituent information as it becomes available.  Sometimes I will post commentary or Washington updates here, while other times my staff will add information such as links to articles and announcements by federal agencies.

I encourage you to check back here often, and please feel free to email me your thoughts.

Posted in Unspecified | View Full Posting