A House of Representatives That Works

Ukraine: An Anniversary and a Turning Point?

“The Price of Powerlessness”

Salute: The National Park Service’s 100^th Anniversary!

A House of Representatives That Works

As I met with constituents throughout this summer, I continued to hear a common refrain:  our country is on the wrong path and Congress must act to change course. 

For those of us in Congress who ‘want to get things done,’ it is frustrating that despite having majorities in the House and Senate, Washington is still at a logjam. To be sure, divided government is challenging. But President Obama’s disdain for the legislative branch has caused far too many policy solutions to stall. It is a fact that President Obama has vetoed more bills this Congress than in the first six years of his administration combined.

Nevertheless, this has not stopped our efforts in the House to achieve results that benefit the American people.  Here are some benchmark facts and figures, provided by the House Majority Leader, for your consideration:

The House has been more efficient:

• 740 bills have passed committee – a 13 percent increase on the 25-year average.

o   Of those bills, 601 have passed the floor – another double-digit percentage increase against the 25-year average.

The House has been more effective:

• With a Republican-led Congress, 212 House bills have also passed the Senate. That is an increase of 84 percent from the 113^th Congress. 

o   Overall, this Congress has seen 219 bills enacted into law – an increase of 22 percent from the 113^th Congress.

Those are the numbers.  Here are the policies:

Boosting our economy

• Encouraging continued entrepreneurship and innovation;  
• Giving American energy producers new markets around the world;
• Protecting a free and open internet and promoting online commerce;

Protecting our communities

• Fighting to end the nationwide opioid epidemic;  
• Combating human-trafficking;

Strengthening national security

• Providing the funding to rebuild our military readiness and staffing;
• Bolstering defenses against cyber threats;
• Levying new sanctions against North Korea;
• Blocking financing for the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah;

Serving our veterans

• Fully funding our veterans healthcare needs;
• Supporting our veteran entrepreneurs;
• Securing cost-of-living compensation increases for our veterans;

We have shown that we can achieve policy solutions on behalf of the American people.

Ukraine: An Anniversary and a Turning Point?

Twenty-five years ago this week - August 24, 1989 - Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union following a referendum that received 90 percent popular support. Twenty-five years later, the country is still struggling to escape the shadow of its menacing neighbor.

I note that President Obama released a statement this week marking the anniversary.  You can read it here.

But I am sure many people would agree, the Obama Administration must offer more than words to the Ukrainian people. 

Today, Russia controls Crimea and is increasing its military presence there. Moscow supports rebel forces in a conflict that has already cost 10,000 lives.  Another 22,000 people have been injured.

In recent weeks, 40,000 Russian troops have deployed to the Ukraine-Russia border region.  The ultimate purpose of Russia’s escalation is not yet evident, but it is clear that Vladimir Putin refuses to accept a thriving pro-Western democracy in Ukraine.  As Kyiv works to overcome these threats and enact reforms, the United States must step up its support to our beleaguered partner.

In 1989, the Ukrainian people clearly declared that they wanted to chart their own destiny.  More than ever before, the United States should help Ukraine fulfill the promise of the past quarter-century and enable the country to choose its own role in the international community.

“The Price of Powerlessness”

Read Charles Krauthammer’s recent column in the Washington Post here.

Salute: to the National Park Service which today begins its second century of stewardship of America's national parks and engaging communities through recreation, conservation, and historic preservation programs.

You can find more resources on the NPS’s Centennial on my website here.

Find National Parks here.