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What's Happening In Washington
Using the Power of the Purse to Hold the IRS Accountable
On July 14th, I introduced an amendment to hold the IRS accountable for targeting Americans because of their ideological beliefs. Even more egregious was the fact I learned the IRS has also been targeting West Michigan families who chose to bring a child into there home through adoption. The amendment I proposed cut the IRS budget by $788 million and specifically cuts funding from the portion of the IRS that conducted and allowed the targeting of Americans to occur. You can watch my effort to return accountability to the IRS below.
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After all of the amendments were debated and votes tallied, the IRS budget was reduced by $1.48 Billion compared to last year's funding level. The House passed this reduction on July 16th by a vote of 228 to 195. I am proud to say that my amendment accounted for 53% of the entire House-passed cut to the IRS Budget.
According to both the Congressional Research Service and the IRS itself, it is likely the largest single amendment cut to the IRS Budget to have EVER passed the House. It is up to Congress to prevent the IRS from ever slipping back into its targeting practices. The best way to do that is to force the IRS to consolidate its resources and prioritize.
Standing In Solidarity With Our Dutch Allies
As Co-Chair of the Dutch Caucus, I sent a bipartisan letter with Rep. Chris Van Hollen last Monday to the Dutch Ambassador to the United States expressing condolences over the loss of Dutch nationals aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 . You can read the letter here.
On Wednesday, I visited the Dutch Embassy in person to express condolences on behalf of West Michigan and those with Dutch Heritage across America. During my visit, I spoke with Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Mollema and let him know that the Dutch people remain in our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers in the midst of this tragic time.
The following day, I led a bipartisan moment of silence with Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland on the House floor. We also discussed our nation's historical ties with the Netherlands and the importance of maintaining this relationship now more than ever. You can observe the moment of silence here and watch the all of the remarks on the House floor by clicking the picture below.
Staying Connected, Keeping You Informed
Over the past five days, I have held telephone town halls with every county in the Second District. These unique events help me provide an update on current events happening in Washington and take questions from residents across West Michigan.
- There were several questions regarding ObamaCare including one from a doctor in Kent County who explained how the law is negatively impacting West Michigan doctors and making it more difficult to keep top medical residents here in Michigan.
- I also addressed multiple questions regarding President Obama exceeding his Constitutional Authority. It's clear many residents are concerned about the EPA, the IRS, NSA, and more. I share many of these concerns and I am working to defend the system of checks and balances our government was founded upon. It is imperative the Legislative Branch serves as a constitutional check to the Executive Branch.
- Lastly, many residents had questions and concerns with the crisis unfolding on the southern border and what Congress can do to remedy the situation without spending more than is needed. I share these sentiments and I believe a change to the 2008 law needs to be made so we can return these children home.
Reminder: You can sign up to participate in future telephone town halls on my website. Just head over to Huizenga.House.Gov to learn more.
The Week Ahead
I am expecting a flurry of legislative activity the rest of this week. I am hopeful legislation to secure the border comes to the House floor for a vote. Additionally, I believe legislation giving our veterans the flexibility to seek the care they deserve at private medical facilities will come up for a vote as well.
I am also expecting my legislation to update and reform the Endangered Species Act to have a vote on the House floor later this evening. This bill prioritizes resources for species protection by placing reasonable caps on attorney's fees and makes the Endangered Species Act "lawyer limits" consistent with other federal law. I believe ESA funding should be used for its intended goal of species protection and recovery, not for lining the pockets of trial lawyers.
Lastly, my legislation to reform the Federal Reserve and make it more accountable and more transparent is scheduled to be voted on in the Financial Services Committee tomorrow. This legislation includes an "audit the fed" provision should the Federal Reserve fail to adopt a rules-based mathematical approach to monetary policy. Here are a couple of recent media interview I have done on reforming the Fed.
- National Radio: Larry Kudlow and I discussed the economy, foreign policy, and the need to reform the Federal Reserve on his national radio show. You can listen to the interview HERE. (My conversation with Larry begins just after the 9 minute mark)
Michigan Minute
- Winter Flavor Taste Test: Governor Snyder tastes West Michigan's own Hudsonville Ice Cream ... What's your favorite?
- Wondering what Jobs Bills have passed the House? CLICK HERE
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