Fiscal and Economic
More on Fiscal and Economic
September 28, 2012
The good news about our economy is that it hasn't been struck down by some mysterious act of God. Acts of Government plague our nation -- and acts of Government are entirely within our power to change.
June 27, 2012
This amendment saves $3.4 billion by eliminating funding for the Community Development Block Grant program. This program was created in 1974 with the stated objective of eliminating blight and providing affordable housing. In the nearly four decades since then, it has degenerated into a federal slush fund for pet projects of local politicians and politically connected businesses. It is plagued by profligate waste and outright fraud.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
June 26, 2012
If the House is to live up to the promises the Republican majority made to the American people to bring spending under control, some tough choices are going to have to be made. But this amendment isn't one of them. This is about the easiest choice the House could possibly make: to put an end to the so-called "Essential Air Service" that lavishly subsidizes some of the least essential air services in the country. This program shells out nearly $200 million a year - including $114 million of direct taxpayer subsidies - to support empty and near-empty flights from selected airports in tiny communities - most of which are just a few hours' drive from major airports.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
June 5, 2012
This is the final amendment I will offer on this subject - taken along with the others it removes government from subsidizing energy companies - this one pertaining to fossil fuel industries. The coal, oil and natural gas industries are profitable and proven and have never had any trouble finding investors to pay for legitimate research.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
June 5, 2012
On Friday, I offered an amendment to eliminate taxpayer subsidies to the so-called renewable sector and this amendment eliminates them to the nuclear sector, saving another half-billion dollars. It does not affect the surcharges electricity consumers have already paid for waste disposal or for military applications or the essential maintenance of our nation's radiological facilities.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
June 1, 2012
This amendment saves nearly one and a half billion dollars by ending the failed Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program. If we're serious about an "all of the above energy policy" we've got to stop using taxpayer money to pick winners and losers based on their political connections, and instead require every energy company to compete on its own merits as decided by the customers it attracts by offering better products at lower cost.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
May 9, 2012
The Export-Import Bank dragoons American taxpayers into subsidizing loans to foreign companies, making it cheaper for them to buy products from politically-favored American companies which in turn use those products to compete against less-favored American companies.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
May 9, 2012
The Export-Import Bank dragoons American taxpayers into subsidizing loans to foreign companies, making it cheaper for them to buy products from politically-favored American companies which in turn use those products to compete against less-favored American companies.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
May 8, 2012
Here is an appropriations bill originating in this House that still has outrageously wasteful and indefensible spending. Perhaps the flagship of this folly is the $182 million in unauthorized - there's that word again: unauthorized - spending for the Economic Development Administration. This is solely and simply a slush fund that gives away money for the most dubious of local projects.
Issues:Fiscal and Economic
May 8, 2012
This amendment cuts more than a quarter billion dollars of unauthorized appropriations from the International Trade Administration. What does it do, exactly? The ITA has some legitimate functions enforcing trade agreements and treaties. This amendment leaves these functions untouched. But it also - to quote from its own material - provides counseling to American companies in order to develop the most profitable and sustainable plans for pricing, export, and the full range of public and private trade promotion assistance... as well as market intelligence, and industry and market specific research." That's well and good, but Mme. Chairman, isn't that what businesses, trade associations and the Chamber of Commerce are supposed to do with their own money?
Issues:Fiscal and Economic