Our Independence - Fighting Then, Fighting Now
July 1, 2012
Dear Friend,
In a few days we will celebrate America’s 236th year of Independence from a tyrannical government. Yet, this past week, America moved away from the core principles for which our Founding Fathers fought and enshrined in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution: every American citizen has inalienable rights that are not to be violated by a powerful government, and the citizenry must consent to whatever limited powers the government does exercise.
On Thursday, we received the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the President’s 2010 health care law. As I explained in an email to you on Thursday, I was, of course, very disappointed in the ruling. The decision creates a whole new authority by which Washington can compel the American people to behave and act. If you missed my earlier email, you can read my statement here. In sum, a slim majority of the Court asserted that so long as Washington calls an expansion of power or authority or mandate a “tax,” then it can pretty much get away with anything. The Court said that every American has a right to decline to purchase health insurance, but the decision to exercise that right will incur a fine or a “tax.” Can you imagine applying that idea to free speech? On the evening of the Court’s decision, I spoke on the House floor on behalf of the Constitution Caucus. You can watch the video here:
Although we have already taken 30 votes to dismantle, defund, and undo ObamaCare, the House of Representatives will take another vote to fully repeal ObamaCare when we are in session during the week of July 9. You can count on me to be a “yes.” The list of reasons that ObamaCare is bad law remains as long as it was before the Court claimed it was constitutional. The Court’s ruling does not change the fact that there are 21 new tax increases, costing taxpayers at least $675 billion over the next ten years. The Court’s ruling does not change the fact that even though you may have religious objections to paying for abortion or contraception, you still have to pay for it for your family, your business and your church. And, the Court’s ruling does not change the fact that ObamaCare is going to raid $500 billion from Medicare -- with devastating consequences for our rural health care systems.
House Holds Holder In Contempt
A bipartisan majority of my colleagues and I voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to produce evidence for the investigation into the Fast & Furious operation that resulted in the murder of Brian Terry, a border patrol agent. I voted for the civil and criminal contempt resolutions because since Congress began exercising its oversight ability within the limits of the law, Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department have been unwilling to cooperate. Instead of embracing the opportunity to provide answers, they have been nothing but evasive. Despite plenty of occasions to avoid being held in contempt, Attorney General Holder has left the House with no choice but to pursue this course of action in order to find the truth. To compound the problem, Holder has sought refuge in the White House – the very White House occupied by the same Administration that once pledged to be the most open and transparent in history. With the President willing to hide information relevant to Fast and Furious, we have to wonder: What is being covered up?
Farm Bill Nearing Markup
It is expected that next week Chairman Frank Lucas will announce his version of the farm bill. Then on July 11th, the entire House Agriculture Committee will have a chance to debate and amend the bill. Kansans' priorities for the farm bill are mine too: a strong crop insurance program, regulatory relief, freer markets, and significant savings in food stamp programs.
Guests in the Office
D.C. staff and I had the privilege of meeting with Chad Austin, Kansas Hospitals Association; Rep. Peggy Mast and Lisa Ritchie, on behalf of ACT for America; Lauren Palmer, Assistant City Manager of Manhattan; John Federico of KCTA, Tom Krewson of Comcast, Ann Teget of Time Warner Cable, Jay Allbaugh of Cox, and Coleen Jennison of Cox, all on behalf of the Kansas Cable and Television Association; Michael J. Hammond, Colin Thomasset, Walt Hill, Stuart Little, and Susan Crain-Lewis, all on behalf of Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas; Kansas Department Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Secretary Robin Jennison; Macey Sevcik from K-State who is in DC interning for Amtrak with the American Studies program; and Jacque Feist, Principal of Dodge City High School, on behalf of the Kansas for the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Sincerely,
Tim Huelskamp
Member of Congress