Taking Back the Power of the Purse
I firmly believe that it is time for the House of Representatives to take back our Constitutional “power of the purse”. The way we do that is by returning to regular order and utilizing the annual appropriation's process.
This year, I am proud to have submitted more conservative appropriations submissions than any other Republican in the House. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone though as I have established a reputation as one of the most effective members in Congress. Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse has been one of my top priorities and in 2015, I led the House in total appropriations amendments passed and cut millions of dollars of wasteful federal spending.
This process is how we defund Obama's lawlessness, eliminate wasteful spending and prioritize resources for what’s really important like supporting our nation's veterans and securing the border. It's just that simple. The House is given this power to act as a check against a lawless executive branch and hold bureaucrats accountable for their actions.
So far this year I have passed 29 different appropriations amendments in fiscal year 2017 which you can learn more about by clicking on the links below:
Blocking Funds for Boating Restrictions on Lake Havasu
Cutting $70 Million from EPA Bureaucrats, Redirects Resources to Wildfire Prevention.
Prohibiting EPA’s Attempt to Expand Clean Water Act through Unlawful Guidance
Defeating Rep. Grijalva’s Land Grab Amendment
Allowing for Responsible State Management of Mexican Wolf Populations
Blocking funds for the EPA’s Waters of the United States Rule (WOTUS)
Fully-funding the Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program
Prohibiting Funds for the “Social Cost of Carbon”
Providing $2,000,000 for Quagga and Zebra Mussel Containment, Prevention, and Enforcement
Directing the BLM to Allow States to Assist with Managing Wild Burro Populations
Blocking Funds for Santuary Citites
Blocking Bonuses for IRS and Other Federal Bureaucrats
Blocking Proposed Grand Canyon Watershed and Sedona Monuments
Prohibiting hard compies of a costly phone directory to House Memeber offices
Prohibiting funds for excessive budget documents sent to House member offices
Prohibiting funds for full-size photographic murals of building facades to conceal scaffolding
Prioritizing Important Energy Infrastructure Projects Over More DOE Bureaucracy
Blocking the Department of Energy’s Climate Model Development and Validation Program
Ensuring Federal Agencies Comply with the Freedom of Information Act
Defunding Obama’s 21st Century Clean Transportation Plan
No Funds for Removing Federal Dams
Western Area Power Administration Accountability and Transparency Language
Funding in the Corps of Engineers Investigations Budget for the Lower Santa Cruz
Ensuring the VA Crisis Line Provides an Immediate Response
Preventing Funds from being Transferred to the Veterans Experience Office
Prioritizing Suicide Prevention Outreach Programs Instead of More Bureaucracy
Prohibiting the Altering of Claims Data by VA Staff
Enforcing VA Employee Accountability Regulations for Relocation Expenses
In total, I personally led 46 different appropriations submissions in fiscal year 2017 which you can learn more about by clicking on the links below:
Ensure the VA Crisis Line Provides an Immediate Response
(Section 235 of the base bill and already passed Appropriations Committee)
No Funds for the EPA's WOTUS Regulation and Water Grabs
(Section 427 of the House passed bill)
No Funds for the EPA to Hire Employees in other Countries in Relation to Paris Talks
No Funds for EPA's New Race Car Regulation
(EPA dropped proposed regulation on April 15, 2016 as a result of Congressional pressure)
Prevent Executive Abuse and Land Grabs Under the Antiquities Act
No Funds to carry out Sporting Purposes Test
No funds for Executive Amnesty
No Funds for Members of Congress to Travel First-Class
No Funds for Obama's Housing Assault on the Suburbs Regulation
Ensure Adequate Resources for the Board of Veterans Appeals
(Included in the base bill and already passed Appropriations Committee)
No Funds for New $2 Billion Obama Coastal Climate Resilience Program
No Bonuses for Senior IRS Employees
No Funds for the Unconstitutional Roadside Survey
(Section 142 of the base bill)
No Funds on Govt. Travel Cards for Strippers and Casinos
(Section 8120 of the base bill)
No Funds for Feds to Shell Out Millions to VA PR Firms
(Resulted in report language on page 57)
Support the Corp's Investigations Budget and Lower Santa Cruz
(Included in the base bill and already passed Appropriations Committee)
Support the Secure Rural Schools Program
No Funds for Removing Federal Dams
(Section 507 of the base bill and already passed Appropriations Committee)
Freeze WAPA's Net Zero Budget at the FY2014 Level
(Resulted in report langauge on page 121)
WAPA Power Customers Contract Termination Clause
Combat Invasive Quagga Mussels
(The Appropriations Committee met the budget request and included $2,000,000 for quagga and zebra mussel containment, prevention, and enforcement)
Support Small Businesses and the Score Program
Require an Updated Inventory of Federal Lands Eligible for Disposable
(This request and REp. Gosar's questioning of Directory Kornze led to BLM publishing an updated inventory)
Allow States to Assist with Managing Wild Burro Populations
(The Appropriations Committee directed the Bureau to work cooperatively with States and other partners to control wild horse and burro herds.)
No Funds for Oak Flat Historic Site Listing
No Funds for Feds to Shell Out Millions to EPA PR firms
No Funds for the State Department to Squander Millions Surveying Foreign Nations
No Funds for the Social Cost of Carbon
Pilot Program to Manage Invasive Tamarisk
No Funds for Lake Havasu Motorized Boating Closure
No Funds for Full-size Photographic Murals of Building Facades to Conceal Scaffolding
(Included as Section 1202 of the base bill)
No Funds for Mexican Wolves Recovery Plans Outside Historic Habitat
No Funds for the CAM Amnesty Flight Program
Prevent Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species
No Funds for Ice to Send Medicine to Illegal Aliens in Other Countries
Fix Arbitrary and Out-of-date Census Requirements that are Killing Jobs
Support Local Community Substance Abuse Recovery Facilities
Eliminate 20 Year Gun Paperwork Requirement
No Funds for BATFE's Southwest Border Initiative
(Section 540 in the base bill)
Support Veterans Treatment Courts
I also submitted another 57 appropriations submissions that were lead by other members. Below are the Top 10. Click on the links to learn more:
No Funds for Planned Parenthood
No Funds to Transfer Terrorists from Guantanamo
Suppport Coal and Prevent Job-Killing Coal Regulations
(Several requests included in E&W base bill that already passed Appropriations Committee)
No Funds for FEMA's Flood Executive Order
Prevent Job-killing NLRB Rules
No Funds for FCMSA's New Truck and Bus Regulations
Require Active Forest Management
No Funds for DOI's Fracking Rule
