|
What's Going On In Washington
There has been a lot of activity in Washington (some good, some not so good) since the last edition of the Huddle. I have assembled a "must know" list to bring you up to speed on what I have been working on as well as the hot topics being discussed in the nation's capital.
The Real Story Behind the Homeland Security Debate
Over the past 6-8 weeks, Congress has been engaged in a heated debate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and President Obama's unilateral action on immigration. On January 14th, the House passed, and I supported, legislation that completely funded DHS and completely defunded what I believe to be unconstitutional actions by the President.
Unfortunately, because of the way the Senate rules are designed, Democrats in the Senate (including Michigan's Senators) were able to block this legislation from even being debated on the Senate floor. If Democrats objected to the language in the bill, they should have allowed it to be debated and amended on the Senate floor. Instead they chose to play political games and run out the clock.
As the debate over the President's executive overreach continued to unfold, on February 17th a federal judge in Texas issued an injunction stopping President Obama's attempt to unilaterally change the nation's immigration laws.
The House then asked the Senate to join us and hash out our differences in a conference committee. This is the typical process used when the House passes one bill on a specific issue and the Senate passes another. Senate Democrats (including Michigan's Senators) voted against this measure and refused to even discuss the matter. At this time I voted for a one week extension to prevent a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, knowing the judge had blocked the Obama Administration's efforts to expand the power of the Presidency.
Last Tuesday, the House took up a final DHS funding bill that did not defund the President's unconstitutional action on immigration, so I voted against it. No individual, not even the President of the United States, has the ability to make or rewrite laws in this country by themselves. While I believe the rule of law will prevail and the courts will affirm my position that President Obama does not have the authority to act unilaterally on immigration, it is my role to preserve the Constitution and defend the American people against an ever-growing executive authority.
Prime Minister Netanyahu's Speech To Congress
On March 3rd, Prime Minister Netanyahu very effectively and very passionately laid out to Congress, the American people, and frankly the entire world, why the United States should not continue to pursue a bad deal with Iran. Following the Prime Minister's speech, I released a quick 90-second video on my thoughts of the speech. You can watch the video here.
The next morning, I joined Rick Albin and Steve Kelly to discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech, Iran, the Obama Administration's muddled foreign policy, and more on WOOD Radio. You can listen to the full interview here.
Reforming The Federal Reserve
On February 25th, I appeared on Bloomberg TV's "In the Loop" to discuss the need for the Federal Reserve to be more accountable and transparent to the American people.
Later that morning, I questioned Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen about the amount of time she spent dealing with the Executive Branch in comparison to her time meeting with members of Congress. I take issue with the fact that the "independent" Fed seems to have plenty of time to sit down with the Executive Branch but not much time to be more open with the American people. You can watch the Q & A from the Financial Services Committee here.
On March 2nd, I delivered the Sunday Video Message on behalf of the House Committee on Financial Services and discussed the importance of reforming the Federal Reserve as well as the impact of the Fed's policies on hardworking families and small businesses across West Michigan.
Take a look at this 2-minute video and see why it is critically important the Fed becomes more transparent and accountable to American taxpayers.
Recognizing History, Remembering Selma 50 Years Later
Sometimes it’s hard for people in today’s fast paced world to realize the historical significance of the events that took place in the past. For younger people it may seem like a lifetime ago, but for those who lived through the experience it can seem like it just happened yesterday. One series of events that we cannot and must not allow to fade away are the historic marches that began in Selma in 1965.
This past Saturday marked the 50th Anniversary of the historic marches that took place in Selma, Alabama. I was proud to lead the House Republican Conference during the debate to honor the men and women who participated in "Bloody Sunday," "Turnaround Tuesday," and the final march to Montgomery with the Congressional Gold Medal. This is the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow. Click here to learn more about the effort to recognize the marches in Selma and watch my speech on the House floor.
Protecting The Great Lakes, Preserving The Blue Economy
On February 26th, I am happy to report legislation was introduced to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp and various other invasive species. The Defending Our Great Lakes Act is a bipartisan, regional solution to combat invasive species and prevent them from infiltrating the Great Lakes ecosystem and devastating Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and streams.
This legislation provides a roadmap for the Army Corps of Engineers to design and utilize the best available technologies to safeguard the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other non-native species. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bipartisan effort to protect the Great Lakes and the activities that are vital to West Michigan’s harbor communities. You can learn more about the legislation here.
Making It Easier To Save and Plan For College
The federal government should be working to encourage families to save, not penalize them for trying to provide their children with a better future. One of the major flaws in the President's budget proposal this year (outside of it never balancing) was his plan to double tax section 529 college savings accounts.
These accounts are used by more than 12 million Americans who are working to save for their children and grandchildren's education. On February 25th, a veto proof majority of my colleagues and I voted to expand, modernize, and strengthen Section 529 college savings plans. Learn how H.R. 529 could impact your family here.
Michigan Minute
|
|
