Spending and Debt
More on Spending and Debt
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) today introduced H.R. 5276, the No Bailouts for State, Territory, and Local Governments Act. The bill prohibits the use of federal funds to bail out any state, territory, municipal, local or county government that is bankrupt or at risk of default. It also prohibits the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve from bailing out state, territorial, and local governments in financial distress.
In response to questions from Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) during a Committee on Financial Services hearing, Director Richard Cordray of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau confirmed that the Federal Reserve does not review or question the Bureau’s budget requests as long as they are below the allowed spending caps.
In response to questions from Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) during a Committee on Financial Services hearing, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen confirmed that the Fed does not approve or even oversee the budget of more than $600 million a year it gives to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Because the Bureau receives its funding directly from the Fed, it is beyond the reach of Congress's power of the purse to rein in its regulatory overreaches and lavish spending.
Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) today made the following statement after the President’s State of the Union Address:
“What the country needs is a plan to defeat ISIS. What we need is an agenda to grow the economy. Instead, President Obama gave us a lecture about his legacy and in defense of policies that have contributed to the worst economic recovery since World War II and chaos around the world. Families continue to struggle and there is not a single place in the world which is safer or more stable today than on the day President Obama took office seven years ago.”
Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) today voted for H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. The legislation repeals the most damaging Obamacare mandates and taxes, and denies funding for Planned Parenthood of America through the budget reconciliation process, which is not subject to a Senate filibuster.
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) today voted for H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) today voted against renewing the charter of the Export-Import Bank, which expired on June 30, 2015. The Bank offers taxpayer-backed loans and guarantees purportedly to support U.S. exports, but has been criticized for politicized lending, internal corruption, cronyism, handing out taxpayer dollars to foreign governments and corporations at the expense of American competitors, and providing an unfair advantage to large corporations over smaller exporters.
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) today argued in favor of H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Barr cited the recent collapse of Kentucky Health Cooperative in addition to the bankruptcies of cooperatives in other states as evidence of Obamacare’s continued failures, and the need for a new approach to expand access to care and lower costs.
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) today voted against a short-term funding bill that continues current spending levels without reforms.
Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) voted for H.R. 3134, the Defunding Planned Parenthood Act of 2015. The vote comes in the aftermath of a series of videos that feature senior level Planned Parenthood officials admitting to unethical and potentially illegal procedures.
“The recently revealed videos of Planned Parenthood officials admitting to the barbaric and potentially illegal practice of manipulating abortions to harvest and sell organs and body parts of unborn children should be of great concern to every American,” said Congressman Barr.