2013 March Newsletter
Job creation and economic growth are the top priorities of my constituents and I am dedicated to achieving these goals. I hope you find this newsletter helpful as it highlights my efforts on your behalf this month to rein in spending, balance the budget, and promote pro-jobs bills.
BALANCING THE BUDGET
America’s debt is nearly $17 trillion, and the Administration shows no interest in reducing spending. The White House and Senate Democrats continue to argue to increase taxes, and the Senate’s budget will never balance. The President’s budget – expected sometime in early April, over two months past the due date required by law – is also expected to never balance.
As unemployment remains high and the labor force participation continues to drop (currently 63.5%), it is evident Washington’s out-of-control spending is unsustainable and is hurting the American people. We must address the growing national debt, and balancing the budget is a vital step in that process.
House Republicans have a plan to get the national debt under control, encourage a healthier economy, and help create jobs. This year, the House set up a series of votes to achieve a long-term plan to balance the budget, and this month saw the continuation of that process. (Earlier votes in the series include No Budget, No Pay and Require a PLAN Act.)
On March 5, the House passed H.R. 668, a bill that holds the President accountable for any budget proposal he sends to Congress by requiring an honest assessment of how much the President’s budget would cost each taxpayer. The President has already added nearly $6 trillion to the national debt and shows no signs of curbing his out-of-control spending habit, which has real-world consequences for all Americans. By making personal impacts of deficit spending more transparent, constituents will be better able to understand how the spending decisions favored by the President are irresponsible and harmful to Americans.
On March 21, the House passed H.Con.Res. 25. This bill establishes a budget for fiscal year 2014 and also sets a plan in place to balance the budget in 10 years.
The House’s budget would:
-
Stop spending money we don’t have by cutting wasteful spending;
-
Fix our broken tax code to create jobs and increase wages;
-
Protect and strengthen important priorities like Medicare and national security;
-
Repair the safety net and expand opportunity to all Americans; and
-
Balance the budget in 10 years.
HELPING AMERICANS GET BACK TO WORK
With more than 12 million Americans out of work, House Republicans are continuing our efforts to help people get back to work and encourage opportunities for all Americans to prosper.
On March 13, I voted in favor of H.R. 890, the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013. America’s most vulnerable citizens should be provided temporary assistance as they get back on their feet. However, on July 12, 2012, President Obama’s Administration issued a “guidance” suggesting States waive work requirements for welfare recipients. In addition to weakening efforts to assist needy families, this policy would increase welfare spending by $61 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Rather than expand the welfare program and encourage more government dependency, Washington must protect successful welfare reforms and focus on job creation. H.R. 890 would prevent the Administration from removing welfare work requirements and preserve critical reforms that have successfully lifted families out of poverty. The bill would also extend the authorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF program) through December 31, 2013.
This month I also voted in support of H.R. 803, the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act. The American people should not be burdened with confusing job training programs. The SKILLS Act would reform federal workforce development programs to provide more efficient and effective job training for those seeking work.
Specifically, the SKILLS Act would:
-
Allow states, local officials, and job creators to tailor programs to best fit their area’s in-demand occupations;
-
Streamline 35 programs; and
-
Strengthen the role of employers in workforce development decisions.
CT COLONOGRAPHY SCREENING
Colon cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet it remains the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. More than 50,000 Americans die each year from colon cancer, and one in every nineteen Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime. In addition, the healthcare system spends approximately $25-$30 billion a year solely on the treatment of colon cancer.
In an effort to help Americans with early detection to prevent this deadly disease, I reintroduced the CT Colonography Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act on March 8 during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Many Americans are reluctant to undergo traditional colonoscopies due to its invasive procedure. This bill would ensure coverage under Medicare for CT Colonography – a less costly, patient friendly alternative to traditional colonoscopy exams. The non-invasive procedure is performed with the help of a simple CT scan enabling the physician to examine the entire colon on a personal computer. By providing Medicare coverage for patient-friendly CT Colonography exams, we can increase the number of Americans screened for colon cancer, save billions of dollars in treatment, prevent unnecessary deaths, and continue future coverage of this disease.
COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Energy and Commerce
As a longtime supporter of Medicare and an advocate for the full repeal of “Obamacare,” I was pleased to participate in four Health Subcommittee hearings this month to address these important issues.
To read more about these hearings, click on the following links:
Science, Space, and Technology
On March 14, the Full Committee held a markup on two bipartisan bills (H.R. 756, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2013 and H.R. 967, Advancing America’s Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Act of 2013) that seek to prevent cyber attacks and mitigate their impact by coordinating and directing research and development (R&D) across federal agencies. I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 756 and am pleased that these bills were unanimously approved by voice vote. Both bills passed the House last Congress under my Chairmanship, and I am hopeful the Senate will approve them this year so this important work can be improved.
To read more about this Full Committee markup, CLICK HERE.
On March 19, the Full Committee held a hearing in response to the February 15 meteoric explosion above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk that injured nearly 1,200 people and resulted in an estimated $33 million in property damages. The hearing reviewed U.S. government efforts to track incoming asteroids and meteors, as well as discuss actions we can take to improve our means of detection.
To read more about this Full Committee hearing, CLICK HERE.
WHITE HOUSE TOUR CANCELLATIONS
This month the President’s Administration announced the suspension of all White House tours for the American people effective March 9. The Administration claimed this decision was made due to staffing reductions caused by the President’s sequester which he originally proposed and signed into law under the Budget Control Act. When the President met with House Republicans at the Capitol later this month, he blamed the decision on the Secret Service. It is unclear who actually made this decision or how suspending these self-guided tours would save significant taxpayer dollars.
Because the President can set priorities on how sequester cuts are implemented, many Americans and Members of Congress are concerned the cancellation of White House tours are scare tactics to make a political point, to the detriment of the American people.
The President should set spending priorities and cut wasteful and duplicative programs rather than cut access for the American people to their own White House. The New York Times reports political donations of $500,000 will ensure access to the White House – my constituents, as well as all Americans, should be given the same privilege.
Times are hard right now and I know everyone's priority, including my own, is security both at work and at home. That is why I am making every effort to promote job creation and responsible spending so we can regain control of our future and ensure it is a positive one.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. Your views will continue to help guide my efforts.
Sincerely,
If you would like to forward this e-newsletter to a friend, please use our "Tell A Friend" function at the bottom of the page. Encourage your friends and neighbors of the 4th Congressional District of Texas to sign up and start receiving Congressman Hall's E-Newsletter.
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Subscribe
View Past Mailings
