“Congress has an obligation to come back to this chamber…to come back and debate and to compromise and to develop a long term strategy to achieve independence for future generations.”

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN):

“When gas was $4.14 a gallon this body was debating the Monkey Safety Act.  You are sitting in the People’s House and this Congress needs to be considering your priorities.”

Congressman Tim Walberg continued his “Harley Tour” across Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District on Thursday. The Congressman is riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle across south-central Michigan this week to highlight how high gas prices are affecting local communities. On Thursday, he made stops in Adrian, Jackson, Charlotte and Coldwater.

One of the Congressman’s stops was in Jackson. From the Jackson Citizen Patriot:

“Walberg, R-Tipton, toured two Jackson County medical facilities Thursday hoping to inform area medical officials about his legislation that would provide families with health-care tax credits and create health savings accounts.

“Accompanied by U.S Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Tevi Troy, Walberg strolled through Great Lakes Home, Health & Hospice and Allegiance Health’s Heart Center and stressed the importance of having quality health care available in the Jackson community.”

"Three years ago today, this country watched as Hurricane Katrina devastated cities, towns, and communities up and down the Gulf Coast. Families' lives were ripped apart; businesses and homes were demolished; schools were destroyed. In the months following, I visited the region along with other members of Congress. We heard heartbreaking stories of the obstacles families faced while trying to get their lives back in order. We visited schools and colleges housed in trailers, met with students, teachers, school administrators, and parents. We witnessed their incredible determination to return to the classroom and rebuild their lives. Even in the face of great tragedy, their hope, spirit, and unshakeable resolve were nothing short of extraordinary.

"Yet in the storm's immediate aftermath, despite the magnitude of the devastation facing millions of Americans, the Bush administration completely failed to provide any of the leadership needed to help communities recover -- even trying to slash wages for Gulf Coast workers helping to rebuild the region. Sadly, three years later, not much has changed. While communities have made tremendous strides to get back on track, the Bush administration continues to turn a blind eye to the many challenges facing the region's businesses, schools, and families.

"The Democratic Congress has a very different view. We believe that rebuilding the Gulf Coast -- especially the schools and colleges that have long been the cultural and economic engines of these communities -- should be a top national priority. Over the past two years, we have taken steps towards this goal by providing much-needed funding to help recruit teachers and rebuild and restart the schools and colleges in the region.  But we also know that there is much more to do in order to fully help students, teachers and the broader education community get back on track. Ultimately, we need a new administration that understands that long term investments are needed to help the entire Gulf Coast region recover and thrive. On this third anniversary of Katrina, it's time for a renewed commitment to helping Gulf Coast schools and communities come back stronger than ever -- and a new President who will join Congress, the philanthropic community and education entrepreneurs in this effort."

In March of 2006, six months after the storm, Miller led a congressional delegation to tour Katrina-impacted schools and colleges in the greater New Orleans area. He visited again in May 2007. Over the past two years, the Democratic Congress has passed several bills that provide assistance to Gulf Coast teachers, schools and colleges. In 2006, Congress provided $60 million to attract top teachers and principals to Gulf Coast schools and to assist college students and institutions of higher education that had been damaged in the storm – an effort based on Miller’s RENEWAAL legislation.  Last September, Congress sent the College Cost Reduction and Access Act to the President and provided $170 million in new funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including those impacted by Hurricanes Katrina. In June, the House passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, legislation that authorizes half a billion dollars over five years for public schools impacted by the storm, which continue to face hundreds of millions of dollars in unmet need. And earlier this month, Congress enacted the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which establishes a disaster relief loan program to help all colleges and universities recover and rebuild in the event of a disaster.

###

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES
Contact: Aaron Albright / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853

Washington, D.C. - Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman Peter Welch will convene a roundtable discussion titled, Maximizing the Use of Endowment Funds and Making Higher Education More Affordable, on Monday, September 8, 2008, in the Senate Finance Committee Hearing Room, Senate Dirksen Office Building, Room 215.

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA):

“America is drilling for ice on Mars, but we can’t drill for our own oil.  It’s insane.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX):

“Fact is, the leaders on the other side truly believe, in order to save the planet, they’re OK with allowing gas prices to skyrocket.  They want to quit using fossil fuels to save the planet.  No nation with a struggling economy ever cleans up the environment.  I don’t know why you’d risk job loss to save the planet.  Long ago, America did have a lot of pollution.  But in the last 40 years we have made tremendous strides.  We can do both…we can have energy independence and a clean environment.”

“Republicans believe in an ‘all of the above’ strategy on energy.  We believe we should look at every possible form of energy to meet our energy challenges.” “If you look strictly at the statistics, this Congress has been the least productive Congress in history.  We have been busy, though.  We did vote to name the Year of Astronomy.  We did name Frank Sinatra Day.  We did name National Passport Month.  We’ve named 49 months, 27 more months than in the calendar.”

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX):

“We are not asking for an outcome.  All we’re asking for is a vote.  To deny us a vote is undemocratic.  We were promised the most open Congress…we have not seen it.”

Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA):

“We have not seen the federal government allow development of resources in 30 or 40 years.  We’ve said no to ANWR, no to OCS.  On oil, we’ve gone from 20 percent imported 30 years to 70 percent today.” “The current situation is not like the oil shock in the 1970s when OPEC simply said we’re cutting supply.  This time we have skyrocketing demand for oil all over the world.”

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA):

“Yesterday I was in Columbus, Georgia and gas was $3.49 a gallon … about 50 cent less than a month ago.  Why?  Because President Bush lifted the executive order on off shore drilling.  There’s also a congressional ban.  It expires at the end September.  Liberal Democrats want to extend it that ban.  They don’t want us to drill our own resources.”

“Americans get what Pelosi doesn’t. More than three times as many Americans support offshore drilling as approve of Congress right now.”  “Pelosi’s detached arrogance is shared by our own Rep. Carol Shea-Porter. In an interview with the Portsmouth Herald last week, Shea-Porter laughed when asked about Republicans protesting Congress for leaving town without voting on energy legislation. She thinks it’s funny that people are angry that Congress chose to go on vacation instead of act to lower high gas prices.”  “This is the arrogant, dismissive attitude personified by the current Democrat-controlled House. The people demand solutions; the Democrats mock them. Have you had enough yet?”

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)
Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. John Linder (R-GA)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

Congressman Walberg spent time pumping gas for constituents in Albion.

Congressman Walberg chats with local residents in downtown Marshall.

Congressman Walberg visits the Marshall Chamber of Commerce.

Congressman Walberg at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall.

“The House Education and Labor Committee opened an inquiry today into allegations reported by the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets that local union leaders of the Service Employees International Union may have engaged in financial misconduct. According to media reports, the president of SEIU’s second largest local union may have misdirected union funds to the benefit of his family members and other business associates. Our committee takes these reported allegations seriously and we plan to thoroughly review this matter.”

# # #

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES
Contact: Aaron Albright / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA):

“Every day American family and businesses send $170 million to Hugo Chavez.  Day after day, 365 days a year.  The US is the only country not developing its own resources.  Somehow we have to send $170 million a day to Hugo Chavez.  Lord only knows what we send to the Saudis.”

“France uses 80 percent nuclear energy for their electricity.  Nuclear power is the safest, cleanest way to generate power.  Of all the technologies in the world for energy, this is one that was developed right here in America.  And it’s being used safely throughout the rest of the world.”

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA): 

“In 150 years the world has used one trillion barrels of oil since oil was first drilled in Pennsylvania in the 1850s.  Under the Rocky Mountains, we have about two trillion barrels.  We can go after those reserves in an environmentally safe way.  We have the technology.” “When Speaker Pelosi took over she promised the most open Congress in history.  Never did we think we’d have the least productive and the most closed Congress in history.  Out of 300 bills, 105 are to rename post offices.  We have not dealt with the issues that are important.  We have not dealt with energy.  When Americans decide to act, they want action.  And poll after poll show intense support for using our own resources.”

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL): 

“I flew on Southwest Airline today to get here today.  The other day they announced they were cutting back 600 flights a day.  Why?  Because of high fuel prices.  That means job losses for ticket takers, baggage people, stewardesses, and pilots.  All we’re saying is that’s not good.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I am from a regular family in York, Pennsylvania,…I paid off my last school loans as a member of Congress, and to think that I have the privilege to represent 700,000 of my fellow citizens goes to show that we truly are the land of opportunity, but to remain that land of opportunity we need to vote on a  comprehensive piece of energy legislation that will provide long term solutions instead of short term relief.”

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):  

“Americans deserve better than nothing out of Congress. They deserve to have their employees here working…these are the four things we want: Maximum American Energy production, responsible conservation, free market innovations, and a plan to transition off of fossil fuels…You cannot tax, regulate, and give money to pet projects, out of this energy crisis. We need more production. China and India are competing with us for limited, scarce resources while we sit on top of our own.”

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA):

“Every day American family and businesses send $170 million to Hugo Chavez.  Day after day, 365 days a year.  The US is the only country not developing its own resources.  Somehow we have to send $170 million a day to Hugo Chavez.  Lord only knows what we send to the Saudis.”

“France uses 80 percent nuclear energy for their electricity.  Nuclear power is the safest, cleanest way to generate power.  Of all the technologies in the world for energy, this is one that was developed right here in America.  And it’s being used safely throughout the rest of the world.”

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA): 

“In 150 years the world has used one trillion barrels of oil since oil was first drilled in Pennsylvania in the 1850s.  Under the Rocky Mountains, we have about two trillion barrels.  We can go after those reserves in an environmentally safe way.  We have the technology.” “When Speaker Pelosi took over she promised the most open Congress in history.  Never did we think we’d have the least productive and the most closed Congress in history.  Out of 300 bills, 105 are to rename post offices.  We have not dealt with the issues that are important.  We have not dealt with energy.  When Americans decide to act, they want action.  And poll after poll show intense support for using our own resources.”

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL): 

“I flew on Southwest Airline today to get here today.  The other day they announced they were cutting back 600 flights a day.  Why?  Because of high fuel prices.  That means job losses for ticket takers, baggage people, stewardesses, and pilots.  All we’re saying is that’s not good.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I am from a regular family in York, Pennsylvania,…I paid off my last school loans as a member of Congress, and to think that I have the privilege to represent 700,000 of my fellow citizens goes to show that we truly are the land of opportunity, but to remain that land of opportunity we need to vote on a  comprehensive piece of energy legislation that will provide long term solutions instead of short term relief.”

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):  

“Americans deserve better than nothing out of Congress. They deserve to have their employees here working…these are the four things we want: Maximum American Energy production, responsible conservation, free market innovations, and a plan to transition off of fossil fuels…You cannot tax, regulate, and give money to pet projects, out of this energy crisis. We need more production. China and India are competing with us for limited, scarce resources while we sit on top of our own.”

“We fought this fight all summer and come August 1 the House breaks for its traditional recess, the mics go dead, the cameras go off and the lights go down … This do nothing Congress leaves town with the lowest approval ratings in history, this shows that the Speaker of the House should have heeded our warnings to schedule a vote on the American Energy Act, an act which would have an immediate impact in lowering the price of gasoline.”

Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH): 

“I’m retiring in November, I’m not here for any political gain, I’m here because I care about the future of our country…that future is based on energy and securing our supplies for the future.  The resources of the Outer Continental Shelf belong to you, the people of the United States, and for the past 27 years this body has denied you of what is yours.”

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) reading excerpts from constituent letters: 

“We have now cancelled our life insurance policies, and we have scaled back our car insurance…we now buy the essentials just to conserve money to cover the cost of energy” …  “It’s killing us financially, we won’t be able to have air conditioning because our energy bills are already over $300 a month.” “We’ve cancelled vacations and my husband works on his off days to pay for our energy costs…now he doesn’t get to spend much time with our family.” “…Madam Speaker, do you know what is unique about these letters?  Unfortunately nothing, every member of Congress is hearing the same concerns from their constituents all across the country.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX): 

“We’ve heard people say that this is a political stunt, well the lights are off, the cameras are off and the mics are off…this is the worst place in the world to hold a Political Stunt, but I see this as the Boston Tea Party, we had to make a stand where a stand needed to be made”.

“I lost almost 7,000 jobs in my district near Lufkin, Texas because a Canadian Natural Gas Company realized that it was cheaper to produce Natural Gas in Canada…I’m tired of losing jobs to other countries when we could develop our own resources here at home.”

Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA): 

“I was driving through the district the other day when my son said ‘look Dad gas is down to $3.37 per gallon’ like that was some sort of a good thing … Short term relief is not a long term solution, that’s what we’ve been fighting for the past few weeks, months and the last couple of years.  We’re here to stand for an ‘all of the above’ energy plan that will create relief in the long run”.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY)
Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI)
Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-OH)
Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH)
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA)
Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)

Congressman Walberg visits with a constituent at Quality Dairy in Charlotte.

Congressman Walberg on a walking tour of Grand Ledge with Mayor Kal Smith and other local residents.

Congressman Walberg at Pettit Hardware Store in Eaton Rapids.

Congressman Walberg speaks at the Demmer Corp. in Delta Township.

Today, United States District Judge John Bates denied the Administration’s request for a stay of his July 31 ruling that no White House official is immune from Congressional subpoena. The effect of the denial of the stay is that Harriet Miers must appear and testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding her role in the politicization of the Department of Justice, including the firing of U.S. Attorneys in 2006. The Judge’s July 31 order also requires the White House to produce unprivileged documents on this subject and a reasonable description of any documents being withheld on grounds of Executive Privilege. In denying the stay, the Court observed: “Simply calling an issue important . . . does not transform the Executive’s weak arguments into a likelihood of success” on their appeal. (Memorandum Opinion at 4.)

Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement regarding the court’s decision:

Today’s ruling clearly rejects the White House’s efforts to run out the clock on the Committee’s investigation of DOJ politicization this Congress. I am heartened that Judge Bates recognized that the public interest in this matter is best served by the furtherance of the Committee’s investigation,” Conyers said. “The Committee intends to promptly schedule a hearing with Ms. Miers and stands ready as always to consider any reasonable offer of accommodation with the White House.

The number of Americans living in poverty grew to 37.3 million (12.5 percent) in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006, and despite improvements over the past three years, real median American household income is still below that of 2000.

The number of Americans without health insurance totals 45.7 million — even though the percentage of Americans without health insurance did fall from 15.8% in 2006 to 15.3% in 2007. That improvement is only due to the government health care programs of Medicare and Medicaid, which Democrats created and have always championed and which Republicans continue to try to slash. Indeed, employer-provided health insurance and other private health insurance continued to erode in 2007.

Today’s economic news from the Census covers 2006-2007 and does not take into account the consequences of the economic downturn that began late last year. Since January, the number of American jobs has dropped by 463,000 and the unemployment rate has climbed to 5.7 percent — the highest level in more than four years. Real earnings have decreased by 3.1 percent over the past 12 months.

Speaker Pelosi released the following statement on the report:

Today’s Census report confirms that the economic worries of American families are all too real and underscore the urgent need for a New Direction on the kitchen table issues facing American families.

Since George Bush became President, Americans are coping with rising costs of health care, energy, groceries and education. Since 2000, the real median income of non-elderly households has declined by nearly $2,200, nearly 6 million more families are living in poverty, and 7 million more Americans are without health care coverage. It is no wonder that families worry that the American Dream is no longer in reach – they are working harder, but are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet.

Americans cannot afford another four years of Bush economic policies that Senator John McCain is promising, which have resulted in an economy on the brink of recession that is leaving middle-class families behind.

At one of his stops yesterday, Congressman Walberg pumped gas for constituents in Dexter (pictured above). During the week-long tour, the Congressman will make 27 scheduled stops, tour 11 communities, meet with dozens of local officials and community leaders, tour 8 businesses, meet with 5 local clubs/organizations/governments and pump gas at 3 different gas stations. Throughout the tour, the Congressman will highlight his efforts to pass a comprehensive, “all of the above” energy plan that includes more oil drilling, more alternatives and more conservation.

Congressman Walberg also stopped yesterday in Manchester (pictured above) and visited with business leaders and local residents. Throughout the day on Monday, Walberg made stops in Manchester, Chelsea, Dexter, Saline, Tecumseh, Adrian and Blissfield.

Today the Congressman will be in Delta Township, Grand Ledge, Eaton Rapids and Charlotte.

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):

“There are those who say it is better to leave America’s natural resources underground, untouched than to help the working men and women of America who are struggling.  …We think certain people should be here doing the job they are paid to do, the job they were elected to do.”

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT): 

“We’ve got to work together to create real solutions to solve this problem.  The people didn’t send us here just to do something, they sent us here to create real solutions.  If I’m on the gurney going into the operating room I wouldn’t want to look up at the surgeon and the nurses and say ‘now work together, do something, I don’t care what you do in there, but work together’ …I want them to work together and get it right…  We need to work together and get it right to solve this problem.”

Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX): 

“There are some things we can’t control, but there are some things we can … We’ve tied our hands in this Congress.  You can’t look here, you can’t explore here… we are sending $700 billion a year overseas for energy, helping other countries create jobs.  All the while we continue to needlessly hamper our ability to create our own energy here at home and create our own jobs in this country.”

“In my town they have seen a 30 percent increase in their operating budgets.  In addition to parts of Cincinnati I represent rural areas, and that means my constituents have to travel further to get places; these people have seen a 40 percent increase in their fuel costs….  Now they are forced to make tough choices for their families”.

Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY): 

“While gas prices have gone up we’ve done nothing.  For the last year and a half we’ve wanted to address this issue and the Speaker has said ‘no’.  Now the Speaker of the House represents about 700,000 people, just like I do and all of my colleagues do.  Why should her 700,000 constituents have any more right than mine in addressing the will of this bi-partisan group of members?”

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX):

“In June we saw numbers that showed a net loss of jobs in the US. In Texas we added 37,000 new jobs. Why is that?  We’re having a bit of an energy boom.  … If we don’t develop our own sources of energy, we suffer in the long run.  That’s $700 billion dollars a year to people who don’t like us.  Said another way, we’re funding both sides in the War on Terror…  The Democratic leadership has said “no dice. That is not consistent with the wishes of the special interests that put us here in 2006″ this is their reason to not allow a vote on increasing supply.

“Ms. Pelosi appeared Sunday on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ where Tom Brokaw gently pointed out that the various Democratic alternative energy ambitions are ‘not going to happen overnight.’ Replied Ms. Pelosi: ‘You can have a transition with natural gas. That, that is cheap, abundant and clean compared to fossil fuels.’ Later, she again said that ‘I believe in natural gas as a clean, cheap alternative to fossil fuels,’ and that wind, solar, biofuels and ‘a focus on natural gas, these are the real alternatives.’”

 “Apparently Ms. Pelosi’s new script is still being reworked, but it’s a telling mistake. Not only is natural gas every bit as much a ‘fossil fuel’ as oil or coal. More to the point, these concentrated organic compounds found beneath the earth’s surface must be extracted by . . . drilling.  And sometimes even drilling offshore, on the Outer Continental Shelf.  But more drilling is what Ms. Pelosi had refused to allow just a few days ago.”

The competitive program, included in the FY 08 Congressional budget, supports local law enforcement agencies by providing them with resources to improve the capacity of their local justice systems.

Securing our border remains a top priority to Congressman Culberson, and as an appropriator, he works passionately to ensure that Congress provides law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to establish law and order and improve public safety. This funding will be distributed to several county sheriffs’ offices to boost law enforcement services, enhance coordination between local, state and federal agencies and increase patrolling along the Texas/Mexico border. The Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition works closely with the Customs and Border Protection Agency to coordinate security measures on the border.

0 Comments ]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:59:45 CDT Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX):

“We’re here because we’ve come to an easy conclusion, when Americans are struggling to pay for their summer vacations Congress shouldn’t be taking a five week vacation of their own.  We need American Energy, produced by Americans, for Americans, and that’s what the American Energy Act is all about.”

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA):  

“She’s turned the lights down, usually they are brighter when we’re in session.  She’s turned the cameras off, they are on when we’re in session.  She’s turned the mics off, they are on when we’re in session … but she will not silence us, we are still here to talk to the American people and ask for a vote on the American Energy Act.”

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN): 

“People say this is a good political issue for Republicans … well we’ll have plenty of time for politics in November, but right now we need to call Congress back right now and solve this problem in a bipartisan way.”

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC): 

“The Democrat energy plan is to ‘drive small cars and wait for the wind’ … Well this reminds me of the people of France who were starving, and the Queen was told that the people had no bread, and her response was to say ‘let them eat cake’”

• Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)
• Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX)
• Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
• Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
• Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
• Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY)
• Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI)
• Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
• Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)
• Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)
• Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX)