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NFRW POINTS FORWARD
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Obama and Democrats Prepared To Fleece the Country on Healthcare
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Plan Costs Over $1 Trillion and Will Force 23 Million Out of Their Current Plans
Once Again, Obama and Ted Kennedy's public option healthcare plan brings the federal government into your doctor's office.
Even the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reports:
- The Democratic plan will cost taxpayers at least $1 trillion;
- The legislation will leave at least 36 million Americans uninsured; and
- The proposal will force at least 23 million Americans to give up the health coverage they currently enjoy.
And Democrat Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) admits the White House does not have enough votes to pass their big government plan. Although Obama has promised to work with Republicans on this issue, that remains to be seen.
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June 29, 2009
More Energy, Less Bureaucracy
Washington is a place where bureaucracy often seems to trump common sense. This seems especially true with the approval process for refineries and many other important energy projects.
This week, I reintroduced legislation to cut the red tape and streamline the approval process for important energy related projects including gasoline refineries, nuclear power plants, ethanol plants and wind farms. Each of these projects would increase our domestic energy supply, create jobs and help alleviate the high energy prices that Missourians are facing.
Many important energy projects are tied up in red tape, delaying production of the energy we need. Because of the bureaucratic red tape, we have not built a new refinery in this country in over 20 years. We have not built a significant nuclear reactor in 30 years. As a result, we are more energy dependent that ever.
My bill would not relax environmental standards at all. Instead, it would simply direct federal agencies to expedite their review of permits and take actions necessary to accelerate completion of projects that will increase energy production, transmission, or conservation. We need to get those projects moving so we can start weaning ourselves off of foreign oil and combat rising energy costs.
This bill is a step in the right direction, but it is only part of the solution. Congress needs to continue working on solutions that will reduce the cost of energy for Missourians. We need to pass common sense legislation, like this, that makes us more energy independent and creates jobs.
Sincerely,
Sam Graves
To contact Sam Graves: click here for web email link
Phone: (202) 225-7041 local (816) 792-3976
Mail: 1415 Longworth House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515-2506
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This Week in Washington- June 19, 2009.
Appropriations season is now in full swing in Washington.
Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution says, “No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.”
Each year, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills by October 1st to fund the government for the next year. Each House passes their own appropriations bills and then they go to conference to iron out their differences in a final version. The first of those bills was on the floor this week.
- H.R. 2847 - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act – is $6.8 billion (11.7%) more than last year’s bill. The Bill funds the Departments of Commerce, Justice and Science (including NASA) among other smaller agencies. I voted against the measure, but it passed 259-157. An 11% increase is not something a government that has a $1.8 trillion dollar deficit can afford.
- Conference Report on H.R. 2346 - Supplemental Appropriations Act – This bill is supposed to be a troop funding bill. The $106 billion bill ultimately passed by a vote of 226-202. However, the bill included billions for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other programs. My belief is that we should debate those programs on their own merits, rather than cramming it into a bill that funds our troops. The Majority also defeated an amendment to this bill that would have blocked the release of detainee photos.
- H.R. 2918 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act – This bill funds Congress, the Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol Police, Congressional Budget Office, Government Accountability Office, and the Capitol Visitors Center for the upcoming 2010 fiscal year. It appropriates $4.7 billion, a nearly 7 percent increase over 2009. As businesses and families cut back across the country, House budgets are set to increase at a rate faster than inflation. I believe Congress should have frozen its own budget. I voted against the bill, which passed 232-178.
- H.R. 560- Resolution to stand with the Iranian people – This bill expresses support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law. It condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication through interference with the Internet and cell phones. And it affirms the universality of individual rights and the importance of democratic and fair elections. It passed overwhelmingly.
- H. Res. 520- Articles of impeachment for Judge Samuel Kent- Judge Kent is a district court judge for the Southern District of Texas. He began his 33 month sentence after pleading guilty to unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact with two employees. He pled guilty to testifying falsely before a special investigative committee of the federal judiciary regarding his actions. However, he has refused to resign, which means that he continues to draw a federal judge’s salary while in jail ($174,000). The impeachment articles passed without a dissenting vote and now move to the Senate where the case will be tried.
I also want to make sure that I extend an invite for you to join me at two upcoming tax town halls that I am hosting. The information is below. I hope to see you there.
Monday, June 29th
5:30 p.m.
Leah Spratt Hall, Missouri Western University
4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507
Or
Tuesday, June 30th
5:30 p.m.
Dagg Park*
Armour Road and Iron Street
North Kansas City, MO 64116
*Rainout location is N. Kansas City, City Hall. 2010 North Howell Street.
Have a good weekend.
Sam Graves |
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