- via The Washington Times
Rep. Jim Jordan said Friday that he’s pushing a clean Obamacare repeal bill in the House in an end-run move around leadership.
“It’s the same exact legislation we passed 18 months ago — we all voted for, the Senate voted for. We want to bring this to the floor. Our leadership won’t do that. So the only way to go around them is to start what’s called a discharge petition,” Mr. Jordan, Ohio Republican, said on Fox News.
Mr. Jordan said he plans to begin gathering signatures for the petition Friday, and when he gets the required number, he’ll call for a vote. Read more here...
The Weekly Fix: Want Taxpayers to Fund Your Vacation? Run for Congress.
- by Adam Brandon
The fix is in. Did you know, members of Congress travel the world on your tax dollars?
Average full-time U.S. employees use only half of their allotted vacation days, but rest assured: you are spending more money on travel than you think. You’re just not going on the trips!
Congressional delegation trips (also referred to as “CODELS”) involve Democrats and Republicans traveling together -often with spouses- to popular tourist locations in Europe, Central America, and Asia in the name of “diplomacy.”
The number of CODELS has soared in recent years, with 557 trips costing U.S. taxpayers nearly $20 million in FY 2016. These expenses don’t include the use of military aircraft, which can cost up to $10,000 per hour to operate. Foreign travel is not included in the federal budget, and does not need to be approved by Congress each year. Read more here...
FreedomWorks' Book Club Spotlight: "Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse Than You Think" by Ken Buck
In "Drain the Swamp," Congressman Ken Buck is blowing the whistle on the real-life House of Cards in Washington. Votes going to the highest bidder, lavish parties, ruthless arm-twisting, and so much more. Read about the real side of Washington that you only hear about in the latest Hollywood political drama. Get your copy here...
WATCH NOW: The Regulatory Update with Patrick Hedger
- by Christina Herrin via Washington Examiner
The McLinn family of Indianapolis is still fighting for their seven-year-old son, Jordan, who was diagnosed at the age of 3 with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This is an aggressive disease that results in muscle weakness and loss first attacking the extremities, eventually moving to the heart and other internal organs. There is no known cure, yet, but there are treatments that can help manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease.
For people like Jordan McLinn, failure or needless delay of the Food and Drug Administration to grant a compassionate use request (also known as expanded access) can mean the difference between walking or being wheelchair-bound.
Currently, the FDA has the authority to not approve access to potentially life-saving medicine based on the agency's criteria meaning, the FDA must determine that "the potential patient benefit justifies the potential risks of the treatment use and those potential risks are not unreasonable in the context of the disease or condition to be treated." Read more here...
ALEC-FreedomWorks Legislator of the Week
Representative Bill Taylor was first elected to office in 2010 from House District 86 to the South Carolina General Assembly. Rep. Taylor serves on the Education and Public Works Committee and is Chairman of the Higher Education subcommittee. He also serves on the House Legislative Oversight (Investigative) Committee and the Tax Reform Committee.
Among his legislative accomplishments was a seven-year effort to win passage of comprehensive improvements to South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act which has been heralded by the statewide press and government transparency advocates.
Rep. Taylor is a former television reporter, producer, anchorman and news director. During his career, he advised broadcast and cable networks as well as newspapers and web developers. Read more here...
FreedomWorks Book Club Spotlight: "Written Out of History: The Forgotten Founding Fathers Who Fought Big Government" by Sen. Mike Lee
In "Written Out of History," Senator Mike Lee tells the story of liberty's forgotten heroes. In this incredible book, you'll learn the true stories of founders such as Aaron Burr, Mercy Otis Warren, and Canasatego. Read about the limited government advocates that secured our liberties, and how they've been all but erased from history. Get your copy here...
Congress, Courts Should Stamp Out EPA's Power of the Purse- via Competitive Enterprise Institute
Yesterday, CEI published a study by me about how the Environmental Protection Agency has leveraged regulatory enforcement to create its own power of the purse.
Here’s how it works: The agency sues an alleged violator of the Clean Air Act. Instead of seeking fines paid to the Treasury, the EPA tells the company that it can reduce its overall penalty if it makes investments in green energy. Thus, since 2005, the EPA has used settlements in 18 Clean Air Act enforcement actions to move $1.55 billion in private-sector funds to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle infrastructure projects. All but two settlements, allocating a combined total of $7 million, were negotiated during the Obama administration.
In effect, the agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), which oversees these settlements, has become a manager of $1.55 billion in green energy industrial policy—despite the fact that Congress neither delegated authority nor appropriated funds to do so. Read more here...
FreedomWorks in Action
For Freedom,
Jason Pye
Vice President of Legislative Affairs, FreedomWorks
Vice President of Legislative Affairs, FreedomWorks
No comments:
Post a Comment