CFRW LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

This week, Congress returns to work with a renewed vision and agenda. House conservatives have heard their constituents’ calls for fiscal responsibility, smaller government, protecting our nation’s borders, and strictly adhering to the Constitution and the founders’ intentions. We recognize that the time to act is now, and we know that voters will be watching us closely.

America’s future is in peril, and the first step to putting us back on track is to cut spending. The national debt has surpassed the $14 trillion mark. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has referred to our nation’s financial crisis as “our greatest national security threat.” China holds 10 percent of our national debt, and the amount of interest we will owe on this borrowed money will only lessen our economic strength and boost theirs.

Dealing with this serious threat requires a multipronged approach: Reduce wasteful spending to pre- TARP, pre-bailout levels; reform the budget process to focus on long-term challenges; repeal and replace the president’s healthcare plan with a patient-focused approach that doesn’t expand the entitlement state; and do what the federal government has failed to do so far – secure the border.

To that end, House Republicans introduced a resolution this week that will reduce the operating budgets of House committees, leadership offices, and individual member offices – paring the total House budget by a full five percent. These cuts will save taxpayers an estimated $35 million in the first year alone. Taking responsibility for the House budget is the only way we can lead the country back onto the path of fiscal sanity with real integrity.

In December, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson of Virginia ruled that the healthcare bill signed by the president “exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power.” Not only is this law another example of government overstepping its prescribed bounds, it is also a bureaucratic mess that will burden small businesses and inhibit our ability to speed the anemic pace of economic and job growth. Next week the House will hold a vote to repeal this unconstitutional bill. This will be the first step in restoring our financial footing and returning power back to the American people.

The voters have signaled exactly what they want changed in Washington, and we are prepared to roll up our sleeves and get their agenda—America’s agenda—done. It is what’s best for the economy, our national security, and our children’s future.

Sincerely,

John Culberson

Member of Congress