November 2011: Second Edition: Super Committee Update, Budget, Jobs and More PDF Print
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING—As Americans, we have a lot for which we can be thankful.  These are tough times and America has definitely experienced its share of difficulty.  Even so, the American people are the most innovative and hardest working in the world, and there’s no doubt that the opportunity for better days are still ahead. 

A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS TO AMERICA’S MILITARY FAMILIES.  After a decade of operations overseas, our military men and women, and their families on the home front, have made immeasurable sacrifices.  This holiday season, let’s all take a moment to extend our thanks and appreciation to those carrying the banner of freedom and the military families that remain an inspiration to us all.

LAWMAKERS WRITE PRESIDENT ON IMPRISONED BORDER AGENT.  After contacting the Attorney General a second time and still receiving no response, I circulated a letter to the President, signed by more than thirty of my colleagues, requesting information on the prosecution of Border Patrol Agent Jesus Diaz.     

NATIONAL DEBT REACHES A NEW MARK.  Against the backdrop of contentious budget talks, the national debt surpassed the $15 trillion mark last week.  Meanwhile, it’s been over 930 days since the Senate—under the leadership of Senator Harry Reid—passed a budget.  Not only has this turned the annual budget process upside-down, requiring multiple stop-gap funding bills, but it’s also delaying many important decisions pertaining to the budget and the country’s fiscal health.

HOUSE VOTES ON BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT.  Fifteen years ago, the House passed a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution by a wide bipartisan margin.  The amendment later failed in the Senate by one vote.  Once again, the House voted last week in favor of a Balanced Budget Amendment—falling short of the 2/3 majority vote necessary for a Constitutional Amendment but continuing to make a strong case for more effective budget safeguards.  Read my statement

SUPER COMMITTEE GRIDLOCK.  One reason for my vote against the Budget Control Act was based on the creation of the super committee, its organization and overreaching mandate to find $1.2 trillion in savings at the risk of triggering massive arbitrary cuts elsewhere.  From the beginning, I felt the super committee was in no better position than the rest of Congress to come to an agreement.  Regardless of what transpires in the coming days, both the House and Senate will evaluate the outcome and decide on an appropriate course of action—including possibly offsetting any damage to the defense budget beyond $450 billion in cuts already required by law.     

PANETTA WARNS AGAINST DEFENSE CUTS.  In a recent letter to Congress, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta wrote, “Unfortunately, while large cuts are being imposed, the threats to national security would not be reduced.  As a result, we would have to formulate a new security strategy that accepted substantial risk of not meeting our defense needs… A sequestration budget is not one that I could recommend.” Read my commentary in Politico: Defense Cuts Hurt U.S. in Long Run.

SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO HEAR FEDERAL HEALTH CARE CASE.  Twenty-six states are challenging the individual mandate that every American purchase health insurance, calling it an unconstitutional exercise of federal power.  Additionally, the Supreme Court will rule on whether the entire law must change should the individual mandate be ruled unconstitutional, as well as the constitutionality of a provision in existing law regarding Medicaid expansion.  Oral arguments are set to occur in late February or early March.   

TWENTY BIPARTISAN JOBS BILLS AWAIT SENATE ACTION, but on Monday, two jobs initiatives—both included in the Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators—were signed into law by President Obama.  Legislation repealing the IRS withholding tax first passed the House on October 27 by a vote of 405-16, while the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act passed on October 12 by a vote of 418-6.    

ALWAYS BE CAUTIOUS OF EMAIL SCAMS, especially requests for personal information without source verification.  The IRS released a warning last week, identifying a fraudulent email posing as the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility.  Tips and instructions are available on the IRS website.