On the House Floor
This week, the House passed H.R. 2764, a comprehensive spending bill which contains funding for domestic federal agencies, local projects, and ongoing operations in the Global War on Terror in Fiscal Year 2008. The House also passed S. 2499, which prevents a scheduled ten percent decrease in Medicare reimbursements to physicians and extends the State Children’s Health Insurance Program at current levels. Finally, the House passed H.R. 4839, which will prevent over 20 million taxpayers from being exposed to the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2008.
Border Security First
Nearly three months into the current fiscal year, Congress finally passed a federal budget that remains within the spending limits set by the President and contains essential funding for our soldiers serving in Iraq. Furthermore, funding for several important projects within the Fourth Congressional District are included in the final version of the bill. These projects will provide needed assistance for new highway infrastructure, wastewater treatment facilities, and law enforcement upgrades, as well as other important projects. In addition, I am pleased that this bill does not contain harmful policy riders that would have opened the door for American tax dollars to be spent on abortions for citizens of foreign nations, or that would tie the hands of our military leaders in Iraq.
However, contained in this volumous spending package was a provision that obstructs the completion of the border fence, which was authorized by Congress in the passage of the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which mandated the construction of 700 miles of fence along our southwestern border. Instead of building on this legislation, provisions buried in the 3,500-page omnibus spending package increase bureaucratic roadblocks, create new restrictions for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and repeal important measures that were signed into law in the 2006 bill.
Language in the omnibus requires that in locations where a border fence will be constructed, DHS must abide by excessive consultation and reporting requirements, thereby placing further bureaucratic roadblocks in front of an already delayed process. This language will require DHS to consult with other federal agencies, state and local governments, Indian tribes, and landowners to minimize the impact on the environment, culture, commerce, and quality of life near where the fence will be constructed. This language will significantly hinder progress on the border fence, and could be the first step toward halting construction completely. Americans should not have to sacrifice border security for the passage of the fiscal budget. It is my hope that Congress will readdress this issue when it reconvenes in January and correct these provisions to ensure a border fence will be completed.
Promises Broken
Once again, Congress has adjourned for the year without reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which compensates counties for the large amounts of land the federal government took from them to create the National Forest System. This loss of land weakened many of our local counties’ tax bases, leaving them without adequate funds to provide basic public services such as schools and roads. The county payments authorized under the Act fulfill a promise the federal government made when the land was seized. The first session of the 110th Congress has now ended, leaving these payments to expire, and that promise is once again being broken, with the basic public infrastructures of our rural counties left to suffer. It is imperative that when Congress reconvenes in January, legislation is enacted to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act before school boards meet in February and are forced to discuss where cuts must be made.
Quote of the Week
"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!" – Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), citing the signature phrase from Wimpy, the Popeye cartoon character. Democrats had insisted that Congress enact a tax increase to offset the cost of preventing the tax increase that over twenty million Americans would have seen if they were forced to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax.
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