On the House Floor
This week, the House passed H.R. 1908, the Patent Reform Act, which updates our nation’s patent laws to promote innovation and economic progress. The House also passed the conference report for H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, which creates billions of dollars in new entitlement spending that is directed to institutions rather than students.
Hypocrisy Defined
It has been over a month since Democrats reversed the result of a vote on the House floor so they could provide illegal immigrants with taxpayer-financed benefits. Now the same Democrat leaders who literally stole a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives are promoting the so-called “Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act” (H.R. 811). The irony of these events would be humorous if they did not highlight the recklessness with which the new majority wields its power.
Since the passage of the Help America Vote Act, counties have been updating their voting equipment to meet certain standards set by Congress. This has brought about many improvements in the way our elections are administered. However, H.R. 811 disregards that act and the billions of dollars spent to meet its goals, compelling the use of new technology, which has yet to be developed, by the 2008 elections. With California’s February primary election only 17 months away, this new unfunded mandate could throw our next election into a state of complete chaos. This may create conditions that make it easier to subvert the will of the people – as Democrats did with the aforementioned vote last month. While this bill was originally scheduled for a vote this week, Democrat leaders were forced to delay its consideration when the Rules Committee Democrats, who are hand-picked by the Speaker, refused to send the bill to the floor.
The Wrong Idea at the Wrong Time
At a time when border security is a top priority for our nation’s citizens, the Administration is taking a step in the wrong direction. This week, the Department of Transportation (DOT) began issuing operating permits to Mexican trucking companies as part of a pilot program that will allow up to 100 such companies to operate throughout the United States. I am firmly opposed to this plan, which raises serious concerns with respect to border security and highway safety. This program was authorized as part of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but Congress – with my support – has blocked its implementation until now.
In February, the DOT announced it had met the conditions set by Congress to move forward with the pilot program. In response, I cosponsored H.R. 1756, the NAFTA Trucking Safety Act, which requires that all U.S. federal motor carrier laws apply to Mexican trucks and drivers. The bill also prohibits any Mexican trucks to pass the 25-mile commercial zone until our law enforcement agencies have access to Mexican driver criminal and security databases to verify a Mexican driver’s identification, driving record, criminal history, and risk to homeland security. The House approved similar legislation in May, but it has yet to be considered in the Senate. In July, the House voted to prevent the DOT from using any funds to implement this program as part of the Fiscal Year 2008 transportation appropriations bill, which would have effectively delayed implementation of the program for an additional year. Unfortunately, this bill also has yet to be considered by the Senate and therefore does not have the force of law. As these permits are issued, I will keep a close eye on their effects, and I will continue to support every effort to limit the potential damage this pilot program threatens.
Quote of the Week
“The Syrian government has actually shown a lot of compassion…” – Democrat presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich during a trip to the Middle East where he met with leaders from Syria and Lebanon, but refused to visit Iraq because he didn’t want to “bless that occupation with my presence.” – 9/6/2007
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